The band that were due to play at the Prince of Wales on Saturday night, 'Trial by Fire' cancelled at the last minute due to sickness and so the Zebras kindly took their place. Tina and I went along for the second part of their performance, having been covering the Cider Festival for most of the day and evening.

Being a last minute booking, there was no time for advertising and so the usual Zebras following was in short supply but still quite a few turned up and the band played exceptionally well. The Zebras do actually have their own web site now, managed on 'My Space' by drummer, John Brown and it can be found at www.thezebras.net.

This week, Tina danced with Ali Randell - the two most avid Zebras groupies together.

Now. It might look like I was also dancing with Ali but I was NOT! I was declining to dance but the camera caught me in the process of starting to walk away, thus giving the impression that photo number three is the one and only 'Alan Dancing' photo in existence. The camera CAN lie and the photo depicts nothing more than a 1/000th second snapshot in time, which totally distorts the truth. Honest!

Formerly known as the W.I Market, Ross Country Market was established 60 years ago and on Saturday, 8th September a special extended market will take place at the Royal Hotel between 8.45am and 1.30pm. Everybody is welcome to go along and see what is on offer from home produced fruit and vegetables, home-made cakes and jams, fresh eggs and many hand crafted products.

A special celebratory cake will be cut by Deputy Mayor, Councillor John Davies at 11am and refreshments are available throughout the event.

More information on this event will be published next week.

A few weeks ago, I showed a photo of the Space Shuttle Endeavour docked with the International Space Station overflying Ross at a speed of 17,000 miles per hour. That photo was a little uninteresting. The one sent in by Greg Stephens is much better.

Greg and his wife, Pat were at the launch in Florida. They were unable to get closer than a few miles away but were impressed by the smoke trail as the Shuttle headed for Earth Orbit, and even more impressed by the sound, which literally shook the ground.

As a matter of interest regarding the sound: When the giant Saturn 5 rockets took off from Florida to take men to the Moon, the earth tremor produced by their 7.5 million tonnes of thrust could be measured in Cornwall!

Heritage Open Days Sunday, 9th September

Sunday at the Kempley Heritage Open Days event completes a busy diary of short talks about Kempley church buildings -endowed with unique examples of medieval Arts, wood and stone carving created by artisan craftsmen in the C12th-14th, mirrored by the more recent C20th Arts & Crafts architectural features.

A local schools Arts initiative by The Friends (The Big Draw - October 13th 2007) supported by English Heritage, starts today. Throughout the Heritage Open Days event villagers with special subject interests are giving talks on different aspects of village heritage from buttresses to stained glass, 850 years of architecture to the History of Worship in this small village (pop. 250).

12.30pm St Edward's (1904) Reverend Vi Chester engages children in a tour of the building looking at the unusual stone, wood, iron and glazing details. Launching the Friends' Arts initiative with a newly published Children's Guide, details of "The Big Draw" event in the village in October, and a new playgroup for toddlers named "TEDS" starting this autumn in the village hall. "One of our aims is to bring together children from the three village schools straddling the Hereford/ Gloucester border, and engage them with their medieval and more recent heritage so richly endowed here in Kempley" says Rev Vi Chester, Minister for the Parish.

2.00 - 3.30pm St Mary's - The 'Master of Stained Glass' Charles Kempe (d.1907) secretes his signature peacock feather 'eye' in the angel's wing of the Madonna and Child altar window - guided talk of this 12th century church art by Rev. Jonathan Lumby

2.00-3.30pm St Edward's - Arts & Crafts 1900 Design People: short guided talks by village commercial artist Fred Crellin St Edward's has museum-standard examples of cabinet making, joinery, metalwork, and simple artisan-made fittings - from the gates to the pews, from hinges to lecterns. Fred puts the Cotswold designers of Gimson and the Barnsleys, plus Lethaby's architectural ideas executed by Randall Wells, into context of the Arts & Crafts movement of the early 1900's. Exploring the talent of the local stonemason, blacksmith and builder, a thread runs through to today with the recent Friends' renovation of the lychgate stone paving.

Sunday 9th 6.30pm EVENSONG at St Mary's: Rev. Vi Chester: Services are only held three times a year at this English Heritage owned site. In celebration of the Heritage Open Days event do come and fully experience this spiritual space, and reflect on over 850 years of worship on the final occasion this year.

Thurs-Sun 2.00 - 4.30pm TEAS Sat & Sun 12.30 - 2.00pm PLOUGHMANS The famous Daffodil Teas crew are serving Teas and Home-made Cakes at the Village Hall each afternoon, with Ploughman's Lunches on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th from 12.30pm.

Thank you to Ian Hale for sending in the photo below of the Cantilupe school. Ian said, 'As it is now 50 years ago I thought it should have a showing somewhere (everybody will have been born in 1949/50 apart from the teacher and headmaster - Mr. Smith)'.

Thank you also to Clive Wood (no relation to myself) who sent in the two photos of Ross Train Station. In the top of the two photos, which Clive thinks was taken just before it closed, his father, George Wood is third from the right. The other is of Ross Station, looking towards Gloucester.

The absolute deadline for Wyenot News stories and other items is 12:00, midday on Tuesday, for inclusion in the following day's edition.

PLEASE NOTE HOWEVER: This is an absolute deadline and not the time I am asking for articles to be sent in. Mondays and Tuesdays here at 'Wyenot News' are Hell with by far, the most events I cover occurring at the weekend. The photography that the public sees happening is only one tiny part of the whole picture (please excuse the pun) of running this weekly news publication and the bits of prep that people do not see, are actually the most time consuming part of getting the story out.

If at all possible, please send your story in as early as you can, rather than wait until the very last minute, so that I can have at least a fighting chance of getting to bed before 3:00 am every Tuesday and Wednesday morning after what has lately become two 18 hour working days on the trot.

Thank you very much for your understanding and help.

Alan

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