The Meals on Wheels service provides much more than a hot nutritious meal for older people. Joan Aston, who has been a WRVS volunteer for over 69 years says, 'Our customers really appreciate the meal and a chat. We provide vital daily contact as well as much needed support and are often the only visitor they receive during the day.' Joan started volunteering for WVS in Hertfordshire in 1938, when she was 18 and has been delivering meals on wheels in Ross since 1966.

A satisfied customer, David Bufton said, 'I've been been enjoying the meals for over four years now. I think they are good value at £2.50. I think it is a wonderful service.'

To complement hot meals on wheels, the frozen meal delivery service provides more choice and flexibility, delivery is free and there is no minimum order. Meals come complete with servings of vegetables. Special diets are catered for with a range of diabetic, vegetarian and low fat meals. All frozen meals can be microwaved or heated in a conventional oven.

The WRVS presented certificates on Wednesday to over 50 volunteers in Ross, in recognition of their long service. 'It is important that the WRVS recognizes the commitment of their volunteers, as without them we would not be able to continue to provide this service,' said Clare Price, Herefordshire Food Services manager.

'New volunteers are always welcome,' said Pat Squires, a Ross Meals on Wheels volunteer. 'We would be very pleased to hear from anyone who can spare a couple of hours at lunchtime once or twice a month to deliver meals in the Ross area.'

If you would like to make a difference to elderly people in your local community or know somebody who would benefit from either a hot or frozen meal, please call Pat on 01989 562629 or Gill on 01432 267555.

Members of Ross Lions Club erected their annual 'Tree of Remembrance' in the Heritage Centre on Friday. The Lions Tree of Remembrance is not only a pretty sight on entering the Heritage Centre, it is there for local people to remember those who cannot be with them - either distant friends and relatives, or those who have passed on - at Christmas time.

Purchasing a card to remember somebody by hanging it on the tree costs £2.00 and all proceeds go to good causes supported by Ross Lions.

The weather has been nothing less than dreadful for Christmas events, since the lights switch on on Friday but despite a very wet beginning, this year's Advent Market, held under the Market House on Sunday was a successful event.

As can be seen, local crafts were on sale and there were stalls selling items to raise money for local good causes.

Psychic mediums Carol Green and the Reverend Tony Blackmore provided an entertaining evening at the Old Court Hotel on Wednesday evening. The psychic team contacted dead relatives of those in the audience and passed on messages.

Whilst on our way to King Arthur's Cave to film bats, Sarah and I stopped off to film the evening. I apologize to Carol and Tony for not running the film in this week's WNTV but the sound from the loud fan in the background, keeping the audience cool unfortunately made your voices very difficult to hear.

Looking forward to the Christmas and New Year celebrations - smokefree this time? The Smoke Free Herefordshire partnership expects so, if the figures for the first three months since England went smokefree are anything to go by.

In surveys carried out across the country 75 per cent of adults supported the smokefree law, with 79 per cent believing the law will have a positive effect on health. In general people are pleased, particularly when visiting pubs, clubs and restaurants, with the better atmosphere, cleaner air and no 'smoky', smelly clothes.

Other businesses have also been successful in implementing the new law where employees are now no longer exposed to second hand smoke which is not only unpleasant, but also potentially life threatening.

More great news is that a greater proportion of smokers (47 per cent) support the new law than oppose it (37 per cent). Inspections between 1st July and September showed 99 per cent of businesses in the West Midlands were compliant with the new law - a huge success. In addition the number of calls to the smoke free compliance line also tailed off, falling from 1,000 calls during the first week of operation down to an average of 20 a day in September, implying people are now well aware of the 'rules' and the facts.

Paul Deneen, chairman of the Smoke Free Herefordshire Partnership said: 'The masses of pre-smoke free advertising and media coverage did the trick and made a difference to the way people reacted to this new law. Locally businesses were prepared and knew where and who to contact for help and advice. I believe we ran a very successful campaign to supplement that run nationally by the Government. The Smoke Free Herefordshire Partnership demonstrated the advantage of different agencies working together- compliance with the law, smoke free atmospheres and preventing smoking related illnesses. My thanks go to all the agencies who worked together to achieve these outcome.'

Paul Nicholas, Herefordshire Council's environmental health officer responsible for enforcing the smoke free legislation said, 'We have had one or two businesses who have broken the law and we have dealt with them appropriately. We still have officers ready and able to give advice as well as following the appropriate enforcement procedures.'

Wyenot News Opinion

It is my opinion that the above bullshit is pure propaganda from Herefordshire Council - or at least, misleading information. Where were the statistics taken? Whilst I absolutely agree that smoking should not be allowed in most places of work, I think the public house should have been considered differently and have been given the right to decide whether or not to become a smoke free environment.

In my business, I visit public houses in Ross-on-Wye virtually every day, where I mostly drink tea or coffee. Most of these pubs are severely struggling financially because their once regular clientele, many of whom were smokers do not like having to go outside to enjoy a pint and a cigarette. They may still visit the pub over the weekend but on Monday and Tuesday evenings most pubs in town are virtually empty.

Some public houses, the lucky ones with the option to do so, have built outside smoking areas for their smoking clientele. Not all, but many non-smoking customers visiting these pubs tend to go outside and sit in these shelters so that they do not have to sit alone inside while their friends go out for a smoke.

I have noticed very little increase in visits to the local pubs by non-smokers, pleased to be able to go out now due to the new legislation of a Nanny State. My prediction is that, given a year there will be few traditional pubs and cafes left around locally to visit. They will have been forced out of business by a Government which does not seem to know its arse from its elbow dictating exactly how it thinks its citizens should behave.

What more can 'Wyenot News' do to try to save the ailing local publican? I don't know at the moment and will have to ponder further upon that one. I think this is going to be at least a two pipe problem...

Ross Shopmobility visited Woodside Day Care Centre for the elderly to explain the services that they offer and to demonstrate the motor scooters available for free loan.

Residents made the most of the opportunity by meeting Victoria Hacker, Shopmobility Operative and asking her questions about the service as well as try out some of the scooters for themselves. Caroline Merrick, who manages the Centre, said, 'We welcome the opportunity for people to have a go of the scooters, amongst friends, in the security and comfort of the centre.' Stan Herbert, Glenys Long and Margaret Powell had a test drive and comments ranged from, 'Very interesting and informative', to 'the adjustability of the scooters driving and seating positions was a good feature.' Janet Jones who was very nervous of having a go said that she enjoyed it very much, never the less.

As well as daily short-term loans, it is also possible to deliver vehicles for longer loan periods to anyone who may not be able to access the Shopmobility premises. Shopmobility is located in the Scout and Guide Headquarters, in Red Meadow car park, and operates Tuesday to Saturday from 10.00 am until 4.00pm. EnviroAbility, the local charity, which manages Ross Shopmobility, hopes that these visits will extend the opportunities and benefits provided by the scheme to more groups in the local area.

Ross-on-Wye Weather Station is located by the tennis courts and bowling green at 'Crossfields' and is one of the important stations around the country which regularly sends data to the Meteorological Office. This is why Ross-on-Wye is sometimes mentioned on the BBC weather reports. It is currently still a manually monitored station and readings are taken twice per day by husband and wife team, June and Rex Swallow.

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