The weather was absolutely gorgeous on Saturday, simply perfect for the Ross-on-Wye Branch of The Royal British Legion to hold their Family Fun Day by the Bandstand in celebration of Armed Forces Day, which takes place next weekend. The day was a real success with families in Ross who flocked down to the riverside to see what was on offer.

The Branch was supported by the Queen’s Dragoon Guards and The Rifles, with soldiers manning a paint ball alley for everyone who wanted to try their hand at shooting a target. St. Weonard’s Branch did a roaring trade in home-made cakes and strawberries and cream and Ross Branch offered teas in the Bandstand and a raffle, with prizes generously donated by Sainsbury’s in Ross-on-Wye. The Royal British Legion in Herefordshire brought along its County Gazebo where information about the Legion and its work could be found and the Ross Branch is hopeful of having found a few new members.

The other attractions did a brisk trade with many people trying 'The Koompir', a Turkish takeaway for the first time and really enjoying the experience and younger children kept the bouncy castle and roundabout busy. Broome Farm Cider were there with their range of ciders and perry and have now found a new group of committed fans in the Queen’s Dragoon Guards and The Rifles as both groups of soldiers went away with bottles to enjoy later that evening.

The Ross Branch would like to thank everyone who helped to make the day a huge success, especially Ross Lions, who loaned traffic cones and tables and 2nd Ross Guides who did a wonderful job of persuading people to donate money to the Legion in their collecting buckets.

If you are interested in finding out more about The Royal British Legion, you can do so at a Cream Tea being hosted by Wallace Court on Wednesday, 30 June at 2pm. The Ross Branch Secretary will be there giving a talk about the work of the Legion and will be able to answer any queries about assistance from the Legion or membership.

For information about the Cream Tea please contact Pat Welsher on 01989 568698. For further information about the Legion contact Ross Branch Secretary Jules King on 01989 568941.

Herefordshire Council's Community Protection Team is calling on all dog owners in Ross to take the lead and learn all about responsible dog ownership. The planned Ross scheme aims to teach people the basics of dog handling and will build on a successful pilot already bring operated in Belmont, Hereford.

Shane Hancock, acting regulatory services manager for Herefordshire Council said, We have decided to bring these sessions to Ross as they have proved so popular in Hereford with more than 20 people regularly attending. The problem of dog fouling has often been raised by residents at PACT meetings and we feel education is one of the best ways to tackle this so, as part of the programme, we will also be urging people to clear up after their dogs and reminding them of their responsibilities.

We would like any dog owners in Ross-on-Wye to contact us who are interested in attending a six-week course to be run on Tuesdays from 1.30pm until 2.30pm. Anyone who then signs up for the course which begins on Tuesday, 29th June will receive a certificate after they have attended the six sessions.'

For further information contact Craig Sandman on 01432 260164 or email csandman@herefordshire.gov.uk

As many Ross residents will be aware, at the end of 2009, the clock mechanism in the Market House suffered a catastrophic collapse, breaking both the clock itself and the chimes.

Ross Civic Society kindly donated the money for the clock to be repaired and Hereford County Council said that they would pay half of the cost to restore the chimes if the other half could be found. That left £3000 needing to be raised, so the Association of Ross Traders, (A.R.T) immediately set to work to try to raise the money themselves. Members of A.R.T. are thrilled to be able to report that all the money has now been raised and they would like to thank the hundreds of people who have given so generously to help raise these funds.

David Bruce, a representative of A.R.T said, 'It was noticeable how much people have missed the hourly chimes and how fond and proud of the clock and the market house the people of Ross are. Money was dropped into a number of collecting boxes round the town and many generous personal donations were given. People have been so willing to help and we would like to thank everyone for their support.'

The work is due to start any day from now and it is hoped it will be completed before the end of July.

As part of national Bike Week, which runs from Saturday, 19th until Sunday, 27th June, Herefordshire Council is encouraging cyclists to show they love their bikes by coming to a special event being held in the Maylord Orchards Shopping Centre on Wednesday, 23rd June from noon to 2pm.

Women arriving by bike at the event will get a coffee, some TLC courtesy of event partners, The Body Shop, a free bike shine and check up, plus cycling advice from a cycling officer. People who cycle to work at Rotherwas are also invited to a street party at the Sunflower Garden, Twyford Road from 1pm until 5pm on Friday, 25th June to celebrate summer and Bike Week.

To coincide with National Bike Week, Herefordshire Council are also issuing two new guides aimed at making it easier and safer for people to cycle on the county's roads. The first guide, called Sharing the Road, is aimed at ensuring both motorists and cyclists can share the road safely and improve traffic conditions for everyone. The second leaflet, Get Cycling in Herefordshire, offers advice on getting the most out of cycling, choosing the right bike, what to wear and cycle security.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for highways and transportation said, 'Cycling benefits all road users and every person who makes a journey by bike cuts traffic and pollution levels in the county.'

Councillor Phil Edwards, the council's cycling champion added, 'As a cyclist myself, I would encourage residents to look out for these guides at libraries, Info centres and bike shops.'

If you would like copies of the leaflets, please contact the sustainable travel team by calling 01432 260514 or emailing sustainabletravel@herefordshire.gov.uk

An exhibition of the works of local craftsmen is currently being hosted by Ross Heritage Centre where visitors will not only have the opportunity to admire the skills of the makers, they will also have the opportunity to buy an unusual gift for a friend or item for the home or garden. The exhibition, which will end on 11th July features the works of many local people who expertly create beautifully hand made goods and visitors will be able to see some of the work in progress.

Local metal worker Alan Ross of ArtinSteel has some of his brilliant metal sculptures for sale which will good either in the garden or the home. Alan also makes garden screens and his Leaf cutter ants that he made for Lord Bath can be seen at Longleat. Patricia Wilkinson will be giving demonstrations on making ‘Bobbin Lace’ and there is a display of the beautiful lace made by a local group of lace makers.

There are hand made boxes available, along with jewellery, paintings, fridge magnets and pots; or why not treat yourself to a new bag or quilt? Each of the hand embroidered cushions tells a different story and can be personalized. These are ideal for a unique gift. On top of all this is a fantastic range of hand made cards, the proceeds from which go to local charities.

If you are interested in craft work or you are looking for an unusual gift, why not go along to the exhibition and see what is available. Ross Heritage Centre is open Monday to Saturday 10am until 5pm and 10:30am until 4pm on Sundays.

Hereford Shopmobility opened its doors on 4th July 1990 and since that day, approximately 79,700 visits have been made to the centre, where a variety of vehicles have been put to use including scooters, power chairs and wheelchairs. A joint initiative 20 years ago between Herefordshire Council and the local Hereford Access for All Committee allowed for the Shopmobility centre to be set up and to celebrate the 20th anniversary a fun event is being held in Hereford High Town on Friday 2nd July between 11.30am and 1.30pm.

The event will be officially declared open at 11.30am by the Mayor of Hereford, Councillor Anna Toon. The event includes a parade of Shopmobility users and other mobility scooter users led by Jim Lawes, President of Hereford Access for All and a demonstration of Shopmobility vehicles and safety awareness training delivered by Shopmobility staff.

Displays with information will also be available from Hereford, Ledbury, Ross and Leominster Shopmobility, Herefordshire Council's Baywatch and the No Prejudice campaigns, the Blue Badge Scheme, and a Highway Code for Mobility Scooter users. TPG Disabled Aids, Hereford Access for All, and the Disability Forum will also be present. People will also be able to test drive a scooter or powerchair on the day.

Councillor Glenda Powell, chairman of Shopmobility liaison group said, 'This year marks the 20th anniversary of Shopmobility in Hereford city centre. This is an impressive milestone for Shopmobility and shows how valued the service is to the community and visitors to Hereford. I feel this is due to the professionalism and friendliness of our staff who go out of their way to give visitors to Shopmobility a warm welcome.'

For further information, please contact Roger Lane of Shopmobility on 01432 342166 or Jim Lawes on 01432 350765.

A social housing scheme in Ross-on-Wye, namely Mill Apartments, Copse Cross Street has been shortlisted for a regional Local Authority Building Control (LABC) West of England Building Excellence Award.

The scheme, in Copse Cross Street involved a former mill that has been sensitively restored through conversion into eight highly energy efficient, affordable apartments to meet local housing needs for those in Ross on Wye.

All of the apartments have been developed to an extremely high standard and are highly sustainable, being both affordable to rent and heat. The apartments have triple glazing, heat exchange units, efficient heating and extra insulation to keep the heat in and the cold out.

LABC awards reward the best quality design and construction projects in the West of England. The winners will be announced on 9th July 2010.

Two exhibition days are to be held at Credenhill Community Centre so the public can find out about the archaeological discoveries made in fields south of Credenhill, seven miles west of Hereford. The exhibition will be held at the centre on 1st and 8th of July between 2.00pm and 8.00pm. Entry is free and the exhibition will feature information, photographs and artefacts from the current excavations, as well as a chance to handle and wash some of the finds being recovered.

The archaeological excavations are being funded by Advantage West Midlands in advance of the construction of the Yazor Brook Flood Alleviation Scheme and are being undertaken on behalf of ESG Herefordshire Limited. The flood alleviation scheme will protect homes and businesses in Hereford.

The excavations are providing archaeologists with the first opportunity in over 30 years to investigate significant remains associated with the Roman town of Kenchester. Trial work undertaken in 2009 showed that the area contains the well preserved remains of Roman buildings, yards and rubbish pits situated to either side of a major Roman road, which ran east out of the town. These form part of an important Roman suburb, which developed alongside the road but now lies buried, along with the rest of the town, beneath fields and a footpath.

Now, over the next four months, a team of archaeologists from Worcestershire Historic Environment and Archaeology Service, working in close co-operation with Amey Consulting and Herefordshire Council's archaeology team, are carefully excavating a 10-metre wide corridor to allow the flood culvert to be built across this area. A huge amount of information has already been gleaned and this is beginning to allow the archaeologists to gain an understanding of this part of the town. It is hoped that by the time the excavation is completed at the end of July the archaeological team will have built up a detailed understanding of the development and nature of this Roman suburb.

The road East from Kenchester was constructed by the Roman army in the mid 1st century AD as they pushed westwards into Wales. Very little was known previously about the suburb which grew up beside this road, however, preliminary results suggest that the main period of development for the suburb was the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD and that it was much more extensive and densely occupied than had previously been thought.

Le Marche de France has been invited to come and visit Ross-on-Wye again and bring with it a great range of high quality and fresh produce from all regions of France for everyone to enjoy.

On Saturday, 3rd July there will be a magnificent cheese stall with a truly enormous selection of French cheeses, and bread will be baked on site in front of visitors, on the new bread and patisserie stall. The aroma of bread and croissants baking will tempt the public as the warm smell wafts through the town centre.

There will be a Charcuterie, offering wonderful sausages, olives, Turkish delights, smoked ham and Calvados paté and delightful pastries and cakes will be available as well as, of course, garlic. For those with a sweet tooth, wonderful natural honeys as well the hugely popular crepes stall will be on display. For those with a small space left, the sweet stall will also be making fresh pralines and almonds and cashews will be available.

For those who like the South of France, there will be soaps from Marseilles and lavenders and tablecloths from Provence.

The market will be open from 9am until 4pm.

The Ross in Bloom committee have been busily planning ahead to ensure that all is in order for Tuesday, 20th July, when the Heart of England in Bloom Judges pay their annual visit to Ross-on-Wye. Ross-on-Wye do incredibly well in the Heart of England awards and are really striving for Gold this year. If you would like to welcome the judges on the day, perhaps you might like to put up bunting outside your house or give them a wave as they drive by.

The judges will be met by the Chairman and other representatives of Ross in Bloom and A.R.T at the Chase Hotel where display boards will be available for them to view, then they will take the following route:

The judges will be driven up Gloucester Road, the High Street and Church Street up to the Crossfields car park. They will then walk through Crossfields park, St. Mary's Churchyard and The Prospect. They will then walk down into Palace Pound from where they will be driven down Wilton Road and into Wye Street, stopping to view the copse of commemorative trees before driving up to the Man of Ross where they will be met by the Vice Chairman.

The judges will continue from there on foot, walking along the High Street to see Pig Alley (Project 2010). The Chairman and Vice Chairman will then escort the judges to Ross Heritage Centre to view the John Kyrle High School Art Exhibition. Rejoining the car, the judges will be driven down Broad Street to the car park, then walk to see the new planting around the `totem pole' public area beside the swimming pool, before returning to the car to continue to Five Ways, Millpond Street and Smallbrook Road before returning to the Chase Hotel for refreshments.

Herefordshire's biggest ever annual programme of road maintenance throughout the county has begun and work is well under way on the multi million pound schedule of works, to be carried out by the council's service delivery partner Amey.

Councillor Brian Wilcox, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for highways and transportation said, 'Last winter really damaged the county's roads and, rather than just carrying out patch repairs to our roads, we are investing millions in larger, planned maintenance to bring the county's roads back to an acceptable standard.

So far we have completed surface dressing on 38 miles of roads out of more than 110 miles planned for this year. Priority is being given to the main A roads and motorists will no doubt have noticed the improvement to their journeys especially along the A438 Hereford to Kington route that has been treated recently. I would ask motorists to bear with us while these essential works are carried out and to look out for signs giving advance notice of works to be undertaken.

Details of the works will also be on the council's website http://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/gis/eventListToday.aspx or people can call 01432 261800 for further information. Anybody with any concerns about the roads in their area can call 01432 261800 or email streets@herefordshire.gov.uk.'

Local fundraisers Steve 'Ozzy' Bond and Gary Davies have been busy raising funds for Acorns Children's Hospice and have held a couple of events to raise money for the hospice. They are also arranging a sponsored football match between Acorns supporters, Aston Villa Veterans and a local football teams.

After a sponsored walk and a Race Night held at the Man of Ross and a couple of other events the boys, with the help of their friends and families have raised around £2,500 so far and have a whole programme of further events lined up, including a fancy dress night, a bike ride and barbecue. They have also 'persuaded' local man Steve 'Scotty' Ellis to undergo a sponsored head and beard shave. Details of these events will be published here when we receive them.

The latest effort by Ozzy and Gary was a very successful skittles night which took place at the Drop Inn on Saturday evening, by kind permission of landlady Josie. Josie was kept far too busy to leave the bar for a photograph, so Gary and Ozzy joined her behind the bar instead.

Well done to you both and we look forward to covering your next event.

Hot on the heels of two local organizations receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, an event will be taking place later this month to encourage other voluntary groups to be considered for the award. On Tuesday, 29th June, the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office is to host the event at the Shire Hall, Hereford.

The event will start at 10.30am and will be hosted by the Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, The Countess of Darnley JP, and forms part of a series of 14 events across the UK this summer. Each event will offer eligible groups and all those from their communities able to make a nomination, the chance to learn more about the prestigious award and the benefits it can provide. A previous winner from Herefordshire will also be present to talk about their experiences and what winning the award has meant in terms of the work that the group does and those who benefit from it.

Last week the Wye Valley Boxing Club and FC Phoenix Disability Development Centre received their awards at a tea party hosted jointly by HM Lord-Lieutenant of Herefordshire, The Countess of Darnley, and Herefordshire Council's Chairman, Councillor John Stone.

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service Award Committee Chair, former broadcast journalist, Martyn Lewis, CBE said, 'Volunteers play a vital role in community life and it's important to recognize their outstanding efforts. Through these events, we want to show how The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service celebrates the work of exceptional voluntary groups, and encourage attendees to nominate those outstanding volunteer organizations in their local area.'

Lady Darnley added, 'The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and reward the excellent work of voluntary groups in our community. I would encourage anyone involved in, or associated with the world of volunteering to come along and find out more about this prestigious national honour.'

The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002 and is the highest national honour that can be bestowed upon groups of individuals who give their time freely for the benefit of others in the local community. Seven hundred and fifty groups around the UK have won the Award since 2002.

Those interested in attending the event in Herefordshire should contact Vicky Harris at Herefordshire's Lieutenancy Office on 01432 260494 or to learn more about the Award call 020 7781 2397 or email queensawardevent@consolidatedpr.com.

For further information on the Award, or to download a nomination form, visit www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice

The annual Crucial Crew event took place at Hereford Racecourse last week with the aim of preparing Year 6 (10 to 11 year old) pupils for some of the issues they face as they grow from being children to young people. Herefordshire Council's Trading Standards Office set up a shop at the event to show pupils what items cannot legally be sold to young people.

Mike Pigrem, Regulatory Services Manager said, 'Many of the items on display such as lottery tickets and cigarettes obviously cannot be bought by children but there are many others, such as party poppers and liquor chocolates which can be confusing. The shop helps us to engage directly with the pupils so they can see exactly what they can and cannot buy and this will prepare them for growing up and make them aware that these legal restrictions exist to ensure their safety and should not be ignored.

Young people face many temptations when growing up and we hope this interactive exercise will ensure they don't get into trouble by buying products they are not entitled to. The exercise also gives trading standards an ideal opportunity to highlight the wider dangers involved with age restricted products and will encourage such pupils to act responsibly for the future.'

More than 1,800 pupils from 74 primary schools converged for the fortnight of workshops, games and lessons with a safety theme, from Tuesday, 8th until Friday, 18th June. The event, which has been running for more than 14 years, was organized this year by Herefordshire Council's healthy schools team in partnership with the police, Red Cross, fire service, Heartstart, school nursing service, trading standards and Herefordshire Housing, among others.

Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire are asking people what they think of their health and social care services - whether they are pleased, displeased or just want to raise some concerns.

A mobile unit will be pitched in Hereford's High Town on Wednesday, 7th July to find out what residents think of services provided locally since the council and the primary care trust jointed together to work in partnership. There will be cubicles aboard the mobile unit for interviewees who want privacy and confidentiality. People can also take part, if they would like to, in a short video for training purposes or for promoting the services of the council and the primary care trust.

'We are committed to ensuring that the residents of Herefordshire receive the best possible service but to do that, we need to know what you think', said Councillor June French, deputy leader of Herefordshire Council and cabinet member for customer services. 'We are always seeking people's views, and feedback of all kinds is welcome, and we will be going into Hereford High Town to actively ask questions and listen.

Compliments can inform good practice, and concerns and complaints will be taken forward with the aim of putting things right, so services can be improved further.'

Lots of fun was had at Llangrove Primary School on Saturday when a fund-raising fete took place. There were lots of stalls and attractions for all to enjoy and a huge raffle with some fantastic prizes was held.

The fete was organized to raise funds both for Llangrove School and Leapfrog Childcare, who provide breakfast and after school clubs for the pupils. The event was very well attended and a lot of fun was had by all.

Herefordshire Council is urging residents who may be looking to replace clothes or household items, to donate their unwanted items to charity shops and reuse organizations rather than throwing them away.

Research by DEFRA shows that every year more than a million tonnes of clothes and household goods are thrown away and end up in landfill. This wastes energy, materials and water which could otherwise be avoided if the goods were reused. Many charity shops will now accept furniture as well as clothes and other small household items. Some will also accept electrical goods. Reuse organizations which specialize in furniture and electrical items are becoming more and more popular.

Residents are being urged to take a little time before they throw things away and think about whether anyone else could make use of it. Charity shops and reuse organizations provide an opportunity for people to find a bargain and perhaps get something they would not normally be able to afford, whilst at the same time raising much needed funds for good causes.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for environment and strategic housing said, 'Donating clothes and other household items to charity shops and reuse organizations is an ideal way to stop them from entering the waste stream. The shops and centres also offer a great opportunity to bag a bargain!'

For further information on the council's waste programmes and initiatives visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk

Sarah Carr, local Liberal Democrat campaigner presented a petition on Monday, 21st June to Hereford Hospitals NHS Trust in a bid for fairer car parking charges at Hereford County Hospital. The petition, bearing 1451 names was presented to the Hospitals’ Trust Director of Finance and Information Howard Oddy.

Commenting, Sarah said, 'Following my campaign for fairer car parking charges at Hereford County Hospital and presentation of this very popular petition, I hope that the County Hospital will review the car parking charges with a view to scrapping them. Car parking charges at Hereford County Hospital can be very expensive especially for the elderly, disabled and low income families. Patients and hospital visitors do not need the added stress, upset and financial burden of expensive car parking charges on top of essential hospital treatment.'

Sarah has been championing the cause of many residents in Herefordshire who are angered by the expensive car parking charges at Hereford County Hospital. Many local people had asked Sarah directly if she could help get the charges scrapped and as a result Sarah launched her campaign to persuade NHS Herefordshire and the Hospital Trust to review the car parking charges.

Sarah has also been in correspondence with the Hospital Trust questioning why there are no car parking charge concessions or exemptions for patients and visitors with Blue Disabled badges and further, whether they have considered revising the concessions list or abolishing Car Park Charges for more vulnerable groups.

During Sarah’s campaign for fairer car parking charges the Hospital Trust announced a review of the limited car parking concession arrangements at the County Hospital. Sarah hopes that the Hospital Trust and NHS Herefordshire will consider scrapping parking charges for all patients, staff and visitors of the County Hospital.

Herefordshire Council is encouraging residents to do their bit for the planet and for their wallets by wasting less food. Research shows that the average family bins approximately £50 worth of food each month and in light of this the council is offering tips to people to help cut down on the amount of perfectly edible food they are throwing away.

Some of the tips include:

Write a shopping list - Many people don't make shopping lists at all, whilst some make their list but don't stick to it. By sticking to shopping lists residents can avoid buying too much, which may well go to waste.
Plan weekly menus - Planning a weekly menu not only ensures a great meal every night, but also means the shopping list will have exactly what's needed on it.
Get a free lunch - Simply using what's already in the fridge, or the previous night's leftovers, for a packed lunch, can save £3 - £5 per day.
Make use of the freezer - There isn't much that can't be frozen for later.
Double up on family favourites - Dishes such as Bolognese sauce, chilli, soups and casseroles are ideal to freeze for use at a later date. By making double and freezing half, there is a ready made meal for a later date when cooking doesn't seem like much fun
Store-cupboard essentials - Essentials such as oils, sauces, beans, pasta and rice have very long shelf lives and can be used with odds and ends from the fridge to create quick, tasty meals.
Cook proper portions - One of the reasons food gets thrown away is because too much is cooked. Residents are advised to check out the Love Food Hate Waste portion calculator at lovefoodhatewaste.com to cook just the right amount of food for whoever is eating.

Councillor John Jarvis of Herefordshire Council said, 'I would like to encourage the people of Herefordshire to try to reduce the amount of waste which ends up in the bin. By following these handy hints, residents can really reduce food waste and save themselves money.'

For further information on the County Council's waste programmes and initiatives visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk

For more ideas on reducing food waste and to find out how much money could be saved, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Herefordshire Council is asking parents across the county to give real nappies a try during Recycle Week which runs from Monday, 21st until Sunday, 27th June.

The council wants to reduce the number of nappies going to landfill by highlighting the benefits of using real nappies, which are not only environmental but will save you money too. Disposable nappies end up in landfill, while real nappies do not. Real nappies come in different shapes and styles, they are designed to be comfortable and secure and offer parents a convenient alternative to disposables which, according to research from the Women's Environmental Network, could save them hundreds of pounds.

Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for environment and strategic housing said, 'The promotion of real nappies has both environmental and money saving benefits to Herefordshire's parents. In a child's lifetime they will, on average, use over 5,000 disposable nappies which will all end up in local landfill sites. The use of real nappies can help prevent all this waste and can save parents hundreds of pounds.'

Parent Emily Seyler, who has two children added, 'When we first started using real nappies, I never realized how easy it would be. Our real nappies go on just like a disposable and last just as long. A real bonus is how willing the nursery is to use them, even the grandparents can manage! It's never too late to start using cloth. Natalie was 3 months before we started using them full time, and we haven't looked back. Ryan was in them from birth.

I have friends who have started their babies on real nappies at 6 months, even a year and still saved a lot of money and made the transition easily. So many people think of cloth nappies as cotton terry squares with waterproof pants. I encourage everyone to visit a nappy retailer or advisor and see how far nappies have evolved.'

For further information on the council's waste programmes and initiatives, visit www.wastemissionimpossible.org.uk