Here is a link to short informative video from the efforts Herefordshire Council are making.

Watch HERE

Unfortunately, We were unable to delivery the parish newsletter this month.

Click here to view 

Click HERE for a link  to local shops open and offering service in Kington

Click HERE for a link to local shops open and offering services in Presteigne.

Message for all Parishioners in Lyonshall Parish.

Here to Help!

Thank you to all those who have registered on the website and returned your information slips over the last week, this information is helping to identify possible volunteers and vulnerable people, so if you haven’t sent yours in yet please do to lyonshallparishclerk@gmail.com or post to the address on the letter.

You should have by now received a letter from Herefordshire Council in response to the Covid 19 outbreak providing simple steps to take and support contact details.

You can call the support line on 01432 260027 or email talkcommunitycovidresponse@herefordshire.gov.uk

Over the coming weeks it is important our community looks out of each other, please think about your neighbours or elderly people nearby, give them a quick phone call to check all is well and please offer help if you can.

If you are or know someone in need of help, Cllr Rod Bevan is organising coordinators and volunteers to call on for essential supplies, prescriptions and wellbeing contact.

Contact Rod Bevan rodneyjbevan@gmail.com or Tel 01544340347 between 9am and 5pm.

There is also a Facebook page and Whats app Next end/Rhyse lane/Whittern group and a Village Whats App group contact Daniel Sutton 0798 4946 933 to join.

If you are able to volunteer you please let us know lyonshallparishclerk@gmail.com or help in the wider county please contact www.herefordshire.gov.uk/covid19help

There are some local business offering home delivery. Here are some but by all means not all. If you know of any others please let us know and we will update the list.

Lyonshall Garden Centre – For your gardening needs – 01544340214

Townsend Farm Shop – https://www.thewhatmeatcompany.co.uk or Call 01544388527

The Steppes – deliveries from the shop - 01544388506

Red Lion for Takeaway -  01544388007

Bells in Almeley – 01544327216 – email – thebellsinnalmeley.com

Helpful Links

NHS – Information on Symptoms

Herefordshire Council – Information

Gov.uk – Masses of information for all areas

Please remember there are scam operating on all platforms.

•          Do not give your bank details to anyone claiming to help you. Never give your PIN number to anyone either.
•          Do not click through on emails or other message links  - visit their webpage instead
•          Do not sign contracts with third parties who claim to be acting on behalf of the Council.

Coronavirus update from Herefordshire Council

Herefordshire Council are currently experiencing a very high demand at the moment with the daily announcements from the government. As we’re sure you can appreciate, we are putting all of the necessary measures in place to ensure we have business continuity for our service in these uncertain times.

Here is an update: 

Council Tax 

Residents left struggling to pay their Council Tax can apply for Council Tax Reduction, which is a form of reduction from a Council Tax bill based on the household composition and income. More information on Council Tax Reduction and how to claim can be found here. 

Self-employed residents can put in a request for their Council Tax installments to be deferred until June, where needed. In such circumstances, requests must be made by emailing counciltax@herefordshire.gov.uk including their Council Tax account reference number (8 digits long, beginning with 1) and proof of their self-employed status.

Business grants 

Businesses eligible for grants will be contacted directly by smallbusinessgrants@herefordshire.gov.uk.

Online services 

Given the high demand currently, Herefordshire Council are urging all of our customers to register on our online portal to view their accounts for Council Tax, Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Reduction, Business Rates and Landlord services online to help speed up the response time to customers’ queries.

Doing so will also allow customers to sign up for electronic billing for Council Tax and electronic notifications for Housing Benefits and/or Council Tax Reduction.

Visit www.herefordshire.gov.uk/myaccount.

General updates

Residents can also subscribe to receive the latest updates on COVID-19 in Herefordshire here.

Link to information from Herefordshire Council for Businesses

WISH is a Herefordshire based resource where you can find help and support in the County.

https://www.wisherefordshire.org 

Link to newsletter from Police Commissioner, John Champion.

Herefordshire Council has stated, residents that pay council tax over ten months can switch their ‘free’ months from Feb & Mar 2021 to earlier this year if needed. The council will be releasing full details very soon on how you can request this and further help and support around payments.

Other helpful links 👇

www.herefordshire.gov.uk/eclaim for new applications for Council Tax Reduction

A new section has been added to this website 'Coronavirus  Update' which will contain general information relating to the epidemic and more specifically details of the support and help available locally.  It has details of the most recent, more strict, restrictions which will have an impact on the lives of everyone and underlines the need to communicate as much as possible and seek help when it is needed.

Herefordshire Council have been developing a Talk Community Covid Response and are sending every household in Herefordshire (88k) a letter focused on the vulnerable people and the support they will need outside of their existing network.  They have a central coordination centre with a dedicated telephone line for vulnerable people and volunteers to contact them and they will then link them back into the community organisations.  There is already some fantastic community responses happening and the council can support the infrastructure through this response and provide community resilience.

People wishing to volunteer can register and vulnerable people needing support can register on the following link: https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/covid19help, the dedicated telephone number will be fully live from Tuesday 24th March which is 01432 260027 and email address talkcommunitycovidresponse@herefordshire.gov.uk.

Link to Poster

Please note Lyonshall Playground is CLOSED until further notice.

An open Facebook group 'Lyonshall Herefordshire' has been formed in response to the current need for social distancing and limits on many activities.  The intention is to offer support our local community with practical assistance with dog walking, shopping etc.  Facebook users just have to search for 'Lyonshall Herefordshire' and apply to join the group.

WhatsApp group for residents at Whittern/Next End/Rhyse Lane/Sherrifs Lane  extended to invite wider community if wish.

the link 

https://chat.whatsapp.com/FCiBENUyGwP46k28EE6gNC

Herefordshire council’s Economic Development Team delivers a service called the Marches Growth Hub Herefordshire.  This online service offers FREE support services for all local businesses.  There are a number of government supported initiatives that can potentially help businesses through this unprecedented time of uncertainty. 

If you are a business wishing to have further information on Covid-19 then the details of the local support are available on the Marches Growth Hub Website - https://www.marchesgrowthhub.co.uk/advice-and-support/coronavirus-information-for-businesses/  Alternatively if you wish to discuss with a member of the Economic Development team please contact01432 261758 or 01432 383633 or business@herefordshire.gov.uk 

Over the coming weeks Parishioners will have to look to each for help and support and hopefully offers will be popping up to meet local needs. Please remember to be kind - look out for your neighbours, old and young, keep in touch and everyone will get through this difficult time!

Daniel Sutton who lives at Grove House, opposite White Lions Meadow (the house with the green gates) has taken first steps and set up a WhatsApp group for Lyonshall Village today to communicate and support each other over the coming months.

It can be used any way, simply from giving people the comfort of day to day contact with the outside world, through to sharing knowledge/reassurance to those looking for guidance.

If you are comfortable with this and would like to be added,  either text or WhatsApp Daniel on his mobile number 0798 4946 933, with the following information : - Full Name - Address - Mobile Number and he will add you to the group.

He can also add people from surrounding villages if they wish to be added. The more the merrier! The road ahead is going to be a long one but we'll get through it together by sharing the load and keeping an eye out for each other. 

Daniel Sutton Mob:0798 494 6933 Email: danielsutton2000@hotmail.com

Other Parishioners have also offered help and support to those isolated, so please just ask if you are struggling. keep safe and well.

Kington Medical Practice are asking everyone to consider the impacts on their service during the conovirus outbreak.

Please read their Facebook Post asking people to keep footfall to a minimum to protect the elderly and vulnerable patients as well as their staff from any risk.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=190810362364085&id=101904027921386&sfnsn=scwshmo&extid=bEQqZyoQuHUBrYlW

For all the latest guidance on Coronavirus please visit the sites below, please share this with your friends and neighbours who may not have internet access.

If you think you have symptoms please use the NHS 111 online service which can be accessed via the advice links below.

Please DO NOT attend the surgery.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/wuhan-novel-coronavirus/ or gov.uk/coronavirus

The latest details of Lyonshall nature observations is available. Our wildlife watchers have been busy despite the wild, wet weather. A newsletter is added each month so remember to check it out regularly. Many thanks to the editor Julia Evans. She is always delighted to receive observations and pictures. Click on the page here.

Update on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19):

Herefordshire Council and its partners are well prepared to deal with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). There are tried and tested procedures to prevent further spread and the NHS is very well prepared and used to managing infections. 

You may receive or already had questions and queries from your community about the coronavirus. To help assist and support you signpost people to the most suitable sources of information please visit the Herefordshire Council website https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/coronavirus. The website has links to a variety of guidance documents which you may find useful for people.  We advise that you do not print or download guidance but use the links provided, which will be updated as required based on new information.

How you can help:

There are a number of message your Parish Council can do to help promote awareness.

• Encourage people to wash their hands regularly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds, especially before cooking and eating; after using the toilet and using public transport. Please display the enclosed posters within your communities.
• Remind people to ‘Catch it. Bin it. Kill it’: If you sneeze or cough remember to catch it with a tissue; bin it and kill it by washing your hands or using a hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water isn’t available.
• Advise people to follow PHE’s returning traveller advice: There are some countries and areas where there's a higher chance of coming into contact with someone with coronavirus. If you have returned from travelling outside of the UK within the last 14 days please check and follow the PHE specificadvice for returning travellers.
• Add the ‘Catch it. Bin it. Kill it’ to your email signature (copy in my signature below): remind people to practice good respiratory and hand hygiene by adding theenclosed logo to the bottom of your email signature.  
• Signpost people to reputable sources of information: stay up to date and avoidmisinformation by visiting and signposting people to the below web pages.  

Additional sources of general information:

For the latest, reputable sources of information about this coronavirus please visit and signpost the general public to the following websites:

• Health advice about coronavirus: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Latest information: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-for-the-public   

Frequently asked Questions: https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/2020/01/23/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-what-you-need-to-know/

The Memorial Committee will be fundraising in Kington Community Shop for one week commencing Wednesday 4th March. If you would like to help by donating any items for sale, we would be very grateful.

Good quality clothing, bric-a-brac, small items of furniture, toys, plants, and raffle prizes required.

Drop off at the shop in Kington High Street from 2pm Wednesday or contact Angie 340543 or Kathy 340386 for further details.

For all the latest on Flooding issues in the county please click HERE

If you have been affected by flooding, Herefordshire Council has an information page with grants available. Click HERE

www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Lyonshall Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) results are in from a Parish turnout of 48.37%

Yes –  232 votes / 82.3%

No –  50 votes / 17.7%

This means that the NDP will have full weight from this morning and now forms part of Herefordshire Council Planning Policy.

Please click here to view the RESULT

A group of Herefordshire Tree Wardens led by Tony Norman have been working on a plan to make disease resistant elm trees available to the public for planting .

There are several different varieties available, all have very good resistance to Dutch Elm disease and will grow with a similar form to the trees of yesteryear. These are best planted in hedgerows or in positions where they can become features in our landscape.

Elm Tree Offer

European White Elm  £10 (Plant anywhere esp. wet or waterlogged sites)

LUTECE  £10  (plant in good or heavy soils –needs staking to start)

Wingham  £12  (plant in good soils)

Fiorente    £12   Available Dec (plant in good soils)

Ademuz    £12   Available Dec (plant in good or heavy soils)

Please follow this LINK for full details or contact David Griffith on porthcelyn@btinternet.com

All parishioners on the electoral roll will receive further information on the Neighbourhood Development Plan referendum soon.

The Country Diary page has all the latest updates including a paper on Lyonshall wetlands. Check it out here.

Many apologies for the lateness of this bulletin. Where does the time go? All the August news available here. The next one will be along soon.

All the latest news on Lyonshall wildlife now available. There is an additional item about the danger to our native oaks in the information section. Click here.

The April update on Lyonshall Country Diary is now available on this link.

All the latest news from the Lyonshall wildlife watchers are available on this link. Thanks to you all.

Sorry the February Country Diary is late. I'm afraid life sometimes intervenes to delay. Follow this link to get the update.

Here is the first Lyonshall Country Diary of 2019. You will see that Julia has been making some interesting comparisons with previous years. Contributions and sightings come in from lots of local watchers. Many thanks to them all and please keep information flowing in. You will find January news and information about Isobel's Oak on this link.

We are already well into 2019 and I hope our many wildlife spotters will continue to send in sightings to Julia. Check out the news for December last year on this link.

If you were wondering what was happening in the great outdoors in Lyonshall, wonder no more. Thanks to our wildlife watchers overseen by Julia Evans there is a month by month update of sightings on our Country Diary page, click here.

Many thanks to all contributors and a good 2019 to all our readers.

Look out for local news here