To see the latest wildlife report and to get a recipe for Wild Table Pesto, for the brave at your own risk, click here.

There will be a Holy Communion Service in Lyonshall Church on Sunday, October 17th, at 11.00 am NOT 9.30 am as advertised in the Arrowvale Messenger.

Message from Police and Crime Commissioner - John Campion

The Safer West Mercia Policing Plan

The plan carries forward the four main aims from my first term, putting victims and survivors first; building a more secure West Mercia; reforming West Mercia; and reassuring West Mercia’s communities.

Now is the time to build on the investment, tough decisions and progress we’ve made, for the benefit of the communities, and take it to the next level. Our communities rightly expect a police service they can access and trust, and they expect to feel safer where they live and work. There is always more that can be done and I will continue to be relentless in my drive to see that happen.

This plan provides a clear strategic focus, therefore not all crime types have been included but this does not mean they haven’t been considered or that aren’t deemed important.

Click here to take part in the consultation.

Online submissions are preferable, however you can also write to us or email via the usual channels.  

The consultation is open until Monday 1^st November 2021.

Message from Police and Crime Commissioner - John Campion

The Safer West Mercia Policing Plan

The plan carries forward the four main aims from my first term, putting victims and survivors first; building a more secure West Mercia; reforming West Mercia; and reassuring West Mercia’s communities.

Now is the time to build on the investment, tough decisions and progress we’ve made, for the benefit of the communities, and take it to the next level. Our communities rightly expect a police service they can access and trust, and they expect to feel safer where they live and work. There is always more that can be done and I will continue to be relentless in my drive to see that happen.

This plan provides a clear strategic focus, therefore not all crime types have been included but this does not mean they haven’t been considered or that aren’t deemed important.

Click here to take part in the consultation.

Online submissions are preferable, however you can also write to us or email via the usual channels.  

The consultation is open until Monday 1^st November 2021.

If you spot a problem on the roads or with drainage or a footpath there are a number of ways you can report it to Herefordshire Council

Your one-stop-shop for up to date information is the Herefordshire Council website.

• If you spot a defect on the network, you’ve got two options for reporting it:
• You can raise a report on the council website, via the Travel and Transport page, then subsection Roads.
• Or, you can call our Customer Services Team on 01432 261800. For emergencies, you should always report by telephone.
• When you report issues this way, we can make sure everything is properly logged, assessed, and allocated to the right teams as quickly as possible.
• You can check the progress of a defect, or see if it’s already been logged, via the progress map on council website.

For things to do with Public Rights of Way, including reporting defects, you can check out the dedicated section of the council website. 

• You can also find up to date information about Herefordshire highway works, including road closures and diversions, on one.network.
• Balfour Beatty tweet to @HfdsStreets to let road users know about all things highways. Follow and tell your family and friends too, so you’ll always know when to take extra care.

You can also find on Facebook – check out our Herefordshire Highways page.

This year, the budget consultation is focused on how the council can best support post-covid recovery in Herefordshire and informing how the council can transform its services to ensure they are delivered in a way that is effective, affordable and environmentally friendly.

You can take part in the budget consultation and have your say on the council’s website: www.herefordshire.gov.uk/budget-consultation

The budget consultation will run until Monday 4 October 2021.

Herefordshire businesses can now support employees to walk and cycle to work with a new Active Travel Facilities Grant.

The grants can fund up to 100% of the cost of the new workplace facilities, up to a maximum of £3,000.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday 29th September. Find out more and apply at: www.herefordshire.gov.uk/travelfundgrant. 

Follow this link to discover the wildlife delights of August in Lyonshall.

The Rural Crime Team is about to begin using the Neighbourhood Matters website to disseminate crime prevention information and broadcast good news stories. P

Please sign up to the bespoke West Mercia Police Neighbourhood Matters website at www.neighbourhoodmatters.co.uk.

This will enable you to receive crime prevention notices as soon as they are posted. In addition, you may wish to have a look at the West Mercia Police Rural Matters Facebook site which already highlights our activities and includes videos, visits and advice delivered by the team across the rural parts Herefordshire.

Balfour Beatty has refreshed the Riparian Responsibilities information to further engage riparian owners to take responsibility for their ditches and drains through awareness, support and guidance.   

Where there is a lack of cooperation and there is a safety risk to highway users, or significant damage to highway, they have now put in a place a process to enable a more formal approach.

Check out these information documents;

Riparian owner good maintenance guide

Ditches and drainage - your responsibilities

Balfour Beatty has also updated the Herefordshire Council website which includes a refresher and updates the information leaflets.

Road Closure U91417 - Cabal- 13th October for gas works

Please note:

Spond Lane is closed to all vehicles and pedestrians due to a recent bridge inspection by Herefordshire Council concluding the bridge over Curl Brook unsafe.

Click here to see the latest Country Diary and an update on Lyonshall water sources.

The one-stop-shop for up to date information is the Herefordshire Council website.

• If you spot a defect on the network, you have two options for reporting it:
• You can raise a report on the council website, via the Travel and Transport page, then subsection Roads.
• Or, you can call our Customer Services Team on 01432 261800. For emergencies, you should always report by telephone.
• When you report issues this way,  everything is properly logged, assessed, and allocated to the right teams as quickly as possible.
• You can check the progress of a defect, or see if it’s already been logged, via the progress map on Herefordshire Council website.
• For things to do with Public Rights of Way, including reporting defects, you can check out the dedicated section of the Herefordshire council website.

Did you know?

• You can find up to date information about Herefordshire highway works, including road closures and diversions, on one.network.
• Tweets to @HfdsStreets to let road users know about all things highways. Follow us and tell your family and friends too, so you’ll always know when to take extra care.
• Also on Facebook – check out  Herefordshire Highways page.

As part of the continued development of Talk Community and building on the great work to date, Herefordshire Council are delighted to announce the launch of the Talk Community website - www.talkcommunity.org

The website provides key information about Talk Community including videos, good news stories and launch the summer volunteering campaign – ‘give an hour this summer,’ and provides three areas that support in bringing Herefordshire together:

• How can I help myself?
• How can I help my community?
• How can my community help me?

Herefordshire Council are also changing the name of WISH to become the Talk Community Directory, this will still provide the same great service and functionality but with some minor amendments and name change.  WISH continues to be a highly-valued resource to our communities with its success growing and experiencing a record 59% increase in website visitors in 2020, compared to 2019. The new website address is - www.talkcommunitydirectory.org

Please take the time to visit the website and if you have any feedback email talkcommunitydirectory@herefordshire.gov.uk

Due to the impact of Coronavirus over 5.5 million people are claiming Universal Credit.

Many of them are new to claiming Universal Credit having been negatively impacted by Coronavirus.

For a guide and help to claim please follow this link

Job Centre Plus Link

We all love our dogs and they are helping to keep us fit and healthy by taking us for walks. However, there have been several complaints about the amount of dog mess on our footpaths and lanes. There is a simple rule for dog owners.

Never leave dog mess where people walk. 

People walk on footpaths, tracks, lanes, pavements and verges so please remember the rule.

Never leave dog mess where people walk. 

Keep Herefordshire Warm is Herefordshire Council’s home energy advice service. By providing a freephone advice line, dedicated home energy advisors and grant funding for eligible homes, Keep Herefordshire Warm supports households to use less energy, lower their bills and make energy-saving improvements to their properties.

Homes relying on electric heating may be eligible for free first-time central heating, grants are available for insulation and support for when your boiler needs repairing or replacing. Warm, affordable homes are vital to health and quality of life – and Keep Herefordshire Warm is here to help make the winter months more comfortable.

Call friendly advisors for free on 0800 677 1432, or visit keepherefordshirewarm.co.uk

Flooding affected much of Herefordshire in October 2019 and February 2020, causing damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure. Herefordshire Council is gathering information from everyone affected to help inform future flood risk management activities in the county. To support this, the Council is asking anyone affected by the flooding to complete our survey. We would be grateful for any comments by 10 December 2020. A consolidated summary of the findings of the survey will be published on our flooding web pages next year.

Complete flood survey 

For more information on flooding, see Herefordshire Council webpages

A thank you to Herefordshire residents for following the Covid-19 rules is available through this link

An open letter from Herefordshire Council and local health partners

Keep Herefordshire Warm

As winter’s cold weather starts to bite, we all need to stay warm and healthy in our homes. For many families, higher energy bills and keeping warm is going to be a struggle in the coming months. Keep Herefordshire Warm are pleased to offer a series of short webinars aimed at helping you to support struggling families this winter.

The webinars are free and last 20 minutes with a Q&A session at the end.  You can register for each session by simply clicking through to the Eventbrite link below each topic.

They cover a range of relevant topics; 

• Health in a cold home and COVID19

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/health-in-a-cold-home-and-covid19-tickets-128386536587    

• When should you be concerned about energy welfare?- signs to look out for.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/when-should-you-be-concerned-about-energy-welfare-tickets-128389110285 

• How can we save money on home energy this winter?

 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/how-can-we-save-money-and-energy-on-home-energy-this-winter-tickets-128389657923

• What Funding is available for improving your home?

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/what-funding-is-available-for-improving-your-home-tickets-128390598737 

Early Help Hub

Herefordshire Council’s Early Help Hub offers a confidential support service to Herefordshire families with children aged 0 to 19 years. 

The Early Help team can provide families and professionals (working with families) with advice and guidance to support them through the difficult times and help them to get back on track.

Difficulties could include:

• Family relationships

• Challenging behaviours

• Domestic abuse

• Housing issues

• Struggling with finances

• Emotional and mental health

• Safety in the community

• Substance abuse

The Early Help Hub team are available on 01432 260261 (9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday, closed on bank holidays) or email earlyhelpcontacts@herefordshire.gov.uk

To find out more about the Early Help service visit: www.herefordshire.gov.uk/earlyhelp

For information about local support services for families, visit the WISH website www.wisherefordshire.org

Warmer homes Herefordshire Council is working with E.ON to help people across the county improve the heating of their homes by installing free first-time gas central heating systems in around 300 eligible residents’ homes. 

The project follows a successful funding bid by the Council to the £150 million Warm Homes Fund, established by National Grid, and administered by community interest company Affordable Warmth Solutions. 

Eligible households not connected to mains gas and currently relying on inefficient ways of heating their homes, for example electric storage or panel heaters, could be eligible for the measures, which are part of the Warmer Homes Herefordshire scheme. Subject to eligibility, where there is no existing gas supply to the property, a new gas network connection will also be provided by Affordable Warmth Solutions, usually at no cost. Still funded by Affordable Warmth Solutions, eligible properties (must be without existing central heating, unless the existing system uses solid fuel). Under this rural programme they would be able to support the installation of heating systems– e.g. LPG Gas, or Renewable heating (e.g. heat pumps or biomass systems).

For the full eligibility criteria and to apply, they would encourage any residents to call Keep Herefordshire Warm on 0800 677 1432 or email khw@severnwye.org.uk and take a look at: https://keepherefordshirewarm.co.uk/

Leominster Food bank offer support to those who meet the criteria for food parcels.

A short briefing note is attached which explains how someone gets referred and how it works. 

Please read the attached document HERE to see how to find out if you qualify. 

Contact Details: Food bank mobile is 07715410575 and email address is leominsterfoodbank@gmail.com

If you walk the Parish Footpaths for your daily exercise please stick the the public footpaths.

Keep your dog on a lead and pick up it's poop and take it home with you please!!

Please click for the  Definitive Footpath Map  and just enter your postcode.

Link to letter from Herefordshire Council Chief executive Alistair Neill - HERE

Stop Loan Sharks Helpline Information

In these difficult times its important to ensure you know who you are lending money from.

The Stop Loan Sharks helpline is available to all and full details can be found by following this LINK

Look out for local news here