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A Newsletter for the Villages of King's Thorn, & – April 2010

The Evergreen Club DIARY DATES FOR APRIL 2010 The first trip this year will be on TUESDAY 13 THTHTH APRIL to the 10 TH APRIL – Bring and Share Social for the Dinnens TH National Memorial Arboretum at 13 APRIL – Evergreen Club Outing TH Alrewas. The very varied 13 APRIL – Whist Drive LBVH 17 TH APRIL – Flicks in the Sticks memorials are set in an attractive 19TH APRIL – Pop In arboretum of over 50,000 trees, 20 TH APRIL – Save The Castle Public Meeting offering pleasant walks. A land 20 TH APRIL – Much Birch WI train also tours the site (£2). There 23 RD APRIL – Much Birch Village Market is a good restaurant. 23 RD APRIL – Beetle Drive LBVH The cost is £10 for members (£12 23RD & 24TH APRIL – Halfway Community Theatre for non-members). The number to ring is 01981 540932540932. ADVANCE NOTICES The pick-ups are : 8th MAY – Riding for the Disabled Open Day Fonteine Court 9.00 5TH MAY – LBPC Meeting Peterstow (Broom Farm lay-by) 9.05 13 TH MAY ––– PACT meeting Axe and Cleaver 9.15 M B Church bus stop 9.20 Tump Lane (bottom bungalows) 9.25 Refreshments served from 7.00pm. friends and neighbours. Everyone is The Park, Wormelow 9.30 Tickets available in advance or on welcome, please come and support Tump Lane (middle) 9.35 the door - for further info or to the campaign. Poor Clares Convent 9.40 book tickets please call Bryony ______Kings Thorn bus shelter 9.45 Connolly 01981 541274. Coach Depot Brandon 9.50 WIWIWI ______The April meeting of the WI takes THTHTH Whist Drive Pop In place on TUESDAY, 20 APRIL Our next Whist Drive at Little Birch This month’s Pop In at Much Birch in Much Birch Community Hall at THTHTH Community Centre is at 2.00pm. 7.30pm. The speaker is David Till, Village Hall is on TUESDAY 131313 TH APRIL. We shall start at 7.30pm. on MONDAY 19 APRIL. whose subject is ‘A visit to The entrance fee is £1.50 Excellent ______Argentina’. Visitors and potential new prizes and refreshments will be Public meeting available. New players are always members are always welcome. For The Save the Castle Inn Campaign further information about Much welcome. is holding an open public meeting ______Birch WI please contact Kath Watts, at Little Birch village hall on 01981 540382 or Jennifer Jones, THTHTH Flicks in the Sticks TUESDAY 202020 APRIL at 01981 540698 SATURDAY 17 TH APRIL at 7.30pm 7.30pm. The meeting has been ______——— BRIGHT STAR PGPGPG organised to update the This is a finely crafted, terrifically community on the progress of the MuchMMMuch Birch VillaVillagege MarMarketketketket well performed and subtly told tale campaign to get the Castle Inn The April Market will take place on RDRDRD about the forever-stalled reopened so far, to provide a FRIDAY, 23 in Much Birch relationship between John Keats forum for people to voice their Community Hall between 2.30pm and his Hampstead neighbour, views on the direction of the and 4.30pm. Fanny Brawne who he was not campaign and get involved, also to All the usual stalls will be there and, able to marry because of his formally ratify the in addition we will also have Cake poverty. campaign committee. It also Angels, who make delicious cakes, Tickets £4 (£3 under 16s) provides an opportunity for local including a selection for allergy people to get together with their sufferers. Please join us in showing our Community Hall between 10.00am Church Choir for many years and a support of local suppliers of meat, and 5.00pm. We hope there will Church Warden for a while. John cheese, bread etc. and enjoy be lots of work to see and to has been on the P.C.C. and has refreshments sold in aid of inspire. Members will be giving organised the Area Warden Scheme MacMillan Cancer Support. You demonstrations of their particular and Christian Aid for the Parish for will also find a variety of crafts and field of expertise at various times a number of years. a Fair Trade stall. For further during the day. Refreshments will He is involved with Fairtrade over details please contact Kath, 01981 be available throughout. a wider area and is on the Deanery 540382. ______Synod. Their friends will have the ______Have Your Say! opportunity to say goodbye to them at a Bring and Share Social PACT stands for Partners and LBVH Beetle Drive Evening on SATURDAY 10 THTHTH AAAPRILAPRIL RDRDRD Communities Together. It gives you This is on FRIDAY 23 APRIL at 7.00pm. at Much Birch the chance to tell your local starting at 7.30pm. Community Hall. We all wish them authority, police team, and other Entrance: £5 per team (table of an enjoyable and healthy future life four) nibbles included! There will local organisations about issues that in Madley. be a draw and a bar. cause concern in your A warm welcome to Much Birch to ______neighbourhood, and how we can ROBIN and HANNAH DALE and all work to together to address children ELIZABETH and Halfway Community Theatre them and make an We are pleased to announce that FREDERICK. They moved into even better place to live. Topics Minstercote in February from our next show 'TRIAL BY JURY which come up include: *** Re- PLUS! will take place at 7.30 pm in . cycling *** Traffic speeding *** NIGEL LINDON took up residence Much Birch Community Hall on Dog fouling *** Local roads *** RDRDRD at Firethorn, Much Birch a few FRIDAY 232323 and SATURDAY Litter and street cleaning *** Anti- THTHTH weeks ago. He runs his own firm of 242424 APRIL. Come and enjoy the social behaviour. G & S Trial by Jury! and a great builders with a particular speciality IF YOU DON’T TELL US, celebration of an English St Georges of building and adapting properties WHO WILL? for people in wheelchairs and with Day. Tickets can be bought from To find out more please visit other disabilities. He is a newcomer Audrey Crowte on 01981 540432 www.herefordshirepartnership.com from the beginning of March and to Herefordshire and we hope that /pacts or e-mail us at he has an enjoyable life here. He as usual, the cost includes a hot [email protected]. supper and is £10 a head (£5 for hopes to participate in village uk or telephone us on 01432 activities. under 14's). Don't forget to bring 261792. your own drink and a glass. We Having spent several weeks in The next PACT meeting for Hillside, FRANK SHORT has would urge you to book early as Hereford Rural South is on tickets are limited. We look decided not to return home to THURSDAY 13 THTHTH MAY at 7.00pm. forward to seeing you there. Tump Lane but to live at at Much Birch Village Hall, Charnwood Retirement Home in Celia Brown ______Much Dewchurch. He will still be BingoBBBingo quite near his friends and no doubt Gardening Club Following the “Special Easter will continue to give us all the local TH On WEDNESDAY 28 APRIL our Bingo” the next Bingo at LBVH will news! We wish him happiness there good friend Mrs. Dot Skyrme will be the “Special Christmas Bingo”Bingo”. and better health than he has demonstrate flower arrangements Details to be posted later in the enjoyed recently. with reference to the annual Show year. It is sad to report the untimely classes. As usual the meeting starts ______passing of COLIN WEALE of Tump at 7.30pm. in Little Birch Hall. Lane at the age of 51 years after a New members are always Local News short stay in hospital. His funeral welcome. For more information DR. JOHN DINNEN and REV. service was held on 16 th . March at Phone Helen Fox 541004 or John JUDY DINNEN moved in February the Crematorium and was Bryant 540316. from Minstercote, Much Birch to conducted by Rev. Mark Johnson ______their new home in Madley, which and the following is taken from his will be closer to Judy's work in the address. A date for the diary. Ministry in the Madley Group of On SATURDAY, 8 THTHTH MAY the Colin was born at 14, Tump Lane in Parishes. They will both be greatly 1958 and spent most of his life in ladies of Much Birch WI and missed by the Much Birch Llangrove WI are staging an Art this house. He was the third son of Community for which they have Betty and John with older brothers, and Craft Show in Much Birch worked tirelessly. Judy was in the David and John. John senior was a keep it in good working order. He those members of the committee fireman while Betty stayed at home loved his bikes and the sense of who organised it, to those who to bring up the family and, like freedom that he got from travelling donated refreshments and to those many wives at that time, did fruit around on them though his who provided a variety of picking in the summer months for disability meant that he wasn’t able entertainment on the ‘open mic’. Col. Howorth at Court Farm. to ride as much as he would have Thanks also to Nick for working his Sadly, Betty passed away 23 years liked. socks off behind the bar! We look ago. Although Colin struggled with his forward to seeing you all at the He attended Much Birch School disability for so many years, it was next pub night on May 22 nd . then moved on to Haywood a shock when he complained of ______School (now the Wye Academy) chest pains and was rushed into until he was 15 years of age. He hospital just a couple of weeks ago. Adrian Harvey then took up an engineering His condition seemed to improve After postponements due to illness apprenticeship at Denco, which set after the medication was sorted and weather, Adrian’s talk finally th him up in a trade for life as he and he talked of coming home. took place on 25 February and it enjoyed being a practical ‘hands Sadly, he then took a turn for the was well worth waiting for. It on’ craftsman. Later, he worked for worse and with his family around represented an enormous amount Northern Dairies in Grandstand him died early on that Tuesday of research work by him on a Road and Rexam on the Rotherwas morning. subject in which he has a real Estate, where he remained until ill- Such was the respect in which Colin interest; in fact he is writing a book health forced him to retire early. was held, that many of his on the Civil War in Herefordshire The problem was stiffness in the contemporaries, friends and and the subject of his talk was a back and hips, which dogged him neighbours joined the family for chapter from this. for many years. On some of the the funeral and it was most He told us how the Scottish Army ‘good days’, he could get up and appropriate that generous under the direction of Lord Leven help his father and drive the car collections and donations were came to be sent down to but on many other occasions, he given to the County Air Ambulance Herefordshire in the summer of could not get out of bed, which in his memory. Colin will be sadly 1645 from the north of , was very frustrating. missed by all his friends and supposedly to help the Whenever possible, Colin pursued acquaintances and we send our Parliamentarians trace the several of his hobbies. He was a sincere sympathies to his father, movements of Charles I. The keen photographer and was John, his brothers, David and John Parliamentarian army had particularly interested in aircraft and their families. meanwhile been sent to the south- and visited the air tattoo at There are a number of friends in west. After laying siege to and Fairford for several years. He later hospital at the present time and we acquiring Canon Frome Court, the took the photographs at his friends’ hope that they will all recover home of the Hopton family, the weddings and produced very good quickly and be able to return home Scots headed south, the main body quality prints and albums on his as soon as possible. We also reaching Mitcheldean and a smaller computer. He also travelled in a remember those who are suffering force going to Ross. After various helicopter to take shots of long term illness and those who secret meetings, involving three landmarks in Herefordshire. care for them. Scottish officers and a Royalist Colin’s greatest passion was for ______courtier, Leven decided to get his motorbikes and in earlier years army away and besiege Hereford. Pub night on February 20 ththth with his brothers, spent most Barnabas Scudamore, a younger This was a huge success with well evenings and week-ends riding all brother of the owner of Holme over 150 packed into the village around the district and beyond, Lacy, was the military governor of hall in the course of the evening. It much to his mother’s great concern. Hereford. Leven based his army on was a very enjoyable occasion with Later, he became interested in the Bartonsham meadows where they excellent beer (until it ran out!) and County Air Ambulance and were well protected by the river on excellent company. The Save the supported many of their 3 sides and a high bank which they Castle Campaign committee are fundraising events, including the built on the fourth (the remains still very grateful for this groundswell heli-bull, which was photographed to be seen at the back of the houses of support. It only goes to show in many locations around the on Park Street). They built a what a need there is in the village county. Until recently, he kept his temporary bridge across the Wye for someone to drop in and have a Harley Davidson in the front room (the Old Bridge being held by the drink and a chat and how in Tump Lane and when his health Royalists). Their main problem important it is for cohesion of the allowed, he would work on it to was lack of food – they had not community. Thanks are due to been paid for many weeks and most of their cavalry, who Parish Initiative – Clerk to chase Parish. Contact details are: Liz normally went far afield to acquire progress of outstanding work Callwood 540081 or food by various means, had been again. [email protected] sent elsewhere. In addition, Parish Plan – Two Parish ______Barnabas Scudamore had Councillors and a resident met with MBPC previously ordered the destruction Herefordshire Council to th of all food stores and crops within investigate the process of creating a Report on meeting 4 March easily walkable radius of Hereford. Parish Plan. A summary of the A49 --- Road Safety Issues Scottish outposts had been placed meeting, giving the step by step There are serious concerns on Dinedor and Aconbury hills to process and the reasons to create a regarding speed along the A49 at watch for any Royalist relief Parish Plan was presented. The Much Birch following a number of coming from the west; almost Parish Council supported the serious incidents along this stretch certainly they too would have tried creation of a Parish Plan for Little over recent months. to raid neighbouring areas. What Birch with an invitation to In recent weeks the concern has was able to be gathered was taken Aconbury Parish to produce a joint been highlighted again by a parent to a ‘depot’ at Wormelow tump. plan. Aconbury Parish to give who had experienced a near miss A diet of green corn and green feedback after their next Parish accident whilst waiting to escort apples (it being July) would have Council Meeting on 22 nd April. her children across the A49 towards had a deleterious effect on the After this date, a public meeting is Tump Lane due to an HGV army. Eventually the Scots were to be organised inviting Lynda travelling at speed. Police were forced to lift the siege. Wilcox from HALC to inform informed and the incident was The events in Herefordshire, residents and request volunteers to debated at the last Parish Council including the secret negotiations, help with the creation of a Parish meeting which was also attended rumours of which eventually got Plan. by parents. The Clerk was asked to out, seriously damaged Parish Councillor Vacancy – Two take the matter up urgently with relationships between Parliament residents, so far, have written a Herefordshire Council and the and the Scots. Adrian suggested summary on why they should be Highways Agency. A request that this probably had a decisive selected to fill the vacancy. A would also be made for a member effect on the outcome of the war. decision is to be made by the next of the Herefordshire Highways Adrian’s talk was very well Parish Council Meeting. Department to attend the next th received and we found his scholarly Place Shaping Paper Consultation – PACT Meeting on 13 May at yet clearly presented and illustrated Questionnaire to be completed and Much Birch Community Centre. account both very informative and returned by 12 th March. (see separate item) Parishioners most enjoyable. Local Transport Plan Consultation - who wish to air their concerns and ______Questionnaire to be completed and parents of school children attending returned by 12 th March. Much Birch School are encouraged LBPCLLLBPC Any Other BusinessB usiness to attend this meeting. Report of the Little Birch Parish CSO Fiona Witcher reported a Speed Indicator Devices Council Meeting held on burglary in Kings Thorn and SIDs will be in place during April & Wednesday 333rdrdrd March. expressed disappointment that the May at various locations in Much No interests were declared. latest PACT meeting was poorly Birch. Minutes of the meeting held on 13 th attended. Update of Parish Plan January were read and signed as a A site visit at the Parish Field is to There will be a Steering Group true record. th take place on 13th March. meeting on 25 March at Much Matters Arising The Chairman is chasing Birch Community Hall. Village Hall – Refurbishment of the Herefordshire Council on two Parishioners are encouraged to gents’ toilets is almost complete. current issues. come along to this important The grant for £1,600 from the The Castle Inn Campaign meeting, which will influence the Lottery has been confirmed for the Committee is organising a public future of the Parish, including funding of insulating the Village meeting on the 20th April to matters such as planning issues, play Hall. The Pub Night was deemed a update local residents. areas, public transport or anything success with a follow up planned Date of Next Meeting perceived that the parish needs. for 22 nd May. WEDNESDAY 555THTHTH MAY Planning application Parish Lengthsman – The second Parish Clerk The Granary, Minster FarmFarm, Much agreed day of work has been Please contact the Parish Clerk with Birch. Revision of application completed and an invoice any issues concerning Little Birch DCSW2005/3085/F to incorporate received. existing lean-to for additional living space. Application Unsupported Correspondence. Leicester and Welsh sheep, vehicles towing trailers late at Parish Councillors had previously commonly known as Mules, and night, especially if it has a quad been given the correspondence list, had tags on bearing the number bike on board, and contact the the contents of which were noted. 300463. Sheep farmers take note! police immediately." Parish Clerk There are a couple of items that Bogus Smoke Detectors If you have any queries on Parish have been circulated on The Fire Brigade have received Council matters please telephone 'Ringmaster' in the past week that information from the Clerk on 01432 870874 or you ought to be aware of - for Police and Wolverhampton write to: Mrs Kath Greenow, those of you already receiving Trading Standards Department that Hackford House, Dinedor, Ringmaster, I apologise for the the following company is selling Hereford HR2 6PD. For more duplication, for those that don't, battery powered smoke detectors information on Much Birch Parish please sign up! Go to door to door claiming that each Council please visit our website at www.herefordshire-community- smoke detector is connected www.muchbirchparish.org.uk messaging.org to register. directly to the customer's local fire ______Quad Bike Thefts station. Clearly this is misleading Police in Herefordshire are asking and members of the public who MB 100 Club Draw farmers and owners of quad bikes have had these detectors fitted may (A fundraiser for the continued development of the Community Hall) to be on their guard after a number not dial 999 if they think their The March draw took place on of thefts of the machines in recent smoke alarm is connected directly Tuesday, 9 th March at Much Birch weeks across the county. to their local fire station. The Community Hall Since Monday 22nd February, company is based in Cannock, and The winners were: some seven quad bikes have been could be operating throughout the 1. No. 37 – Mrs. K. Dawson, King’s stolen from farms and isolated region. Thorn outbuildings, the thieves going to The company concerned is:- Switch 2. No. 85 – Mrs. P. Rogers, Little some lengths to break in, cutting On Security, Unit 6, West Cannock Birch padlocks to barns and gates. Way, Cannock Chase Enterprise The next draw will take place on The thieves have stolen from rural Centre, Cannock WS12 0QW. (No SASASATURDAY,SA TURDAY, 10 THTHTH APRIL at locations in Pixley, Dormington, phone number available) 7.30pm. in MB Community Hall. Preston Wynne, Cradley, Trading Standards are currently John Jones – Chairman Knill, Bishops Frome and investigating the company - all ______Wellington Heath and on each enquiries regarding this matter occasion the quad bike was clearly should be directed to NeighbourhoodNNNeighbourhood Watch the intended target. Wolverhampton Trading Standards Crime trends Detective Chief Inspector Sean Department on 01902 550101. If A commercial garage in Orcop was Paley, Head of Herefordshire CID, you have any information broken into over the past two said, these offenders have shown regarding this company, or similar weeks and approximately 10 some determination to get at the scams please contact you local catalytic converters and 4 large property they want but there are Trading Standards Departments reels of electrical wire were stolen. still things that owners can do to (Hereford Environmental Health A garage premises on an industrial prevent theft or to make the goods and Trading Standards telephone estate in Kingstone was broken into un-sellable. Consider the use of number is 01432 261761) overnight 9th/ 10th March and a lighting and/or cameras in Not Sure? Don't Open The Door blue Saab convertible X254ABL vulnerable areas, paint your A national campaign to promote was stolen, using the keys that were postcode in large letters on all the the risks posed by distraction in the premises, the vehicle had mudguards of the vehicle or burglars was launched by the been in for repair. Also taken were consider having the machine Association of Chief Police Officers some socket sets, a computer and chipped with an electronic tag on 4th March. Under the banner of £20 cash. which makes it easy to identify Operation Liberal, an initiative that There have been several instances when found." police forces across the UK started of sheep rustling in the north of the "Police patrols are out actively a few years ago, a series of four county over the past few months, it looking for these offenders but we posters will be in evidence at key now appears that they are coming need the help of the public to act locations. to this side of the county. Eight as additional eyes and ears. The Each poster carries a positive ewes in lamb were stolen from a key factor is vigilance. Please report message depicting how elderly farm in Michaelchurch Escley over any suspicious activity or vehicles people kept out distraction burglars the past three weeks. The ewes in the rural areas when you see it. who were using different types of were a cross between blue faced Write down the numbers of modus operandi: water, energy supplier, police officer and lost ball a sign in the window stating that delivery of the Newsletter is all in the garden. they are not known and should go done by volunteers. It is delivered John called police when a bogus to their neighbours address to to around 500 households free of meter reader did not give the present their credentials. The charge - just £2 per year per password that John had pre- neighbour then returns with the household would nearly cover the arranged his electricity company. caller to supervise the visit, if annual outlay. John refused the man entry and appropriate. CSO Pete Knight from ______called the police. Jean called Bromyard said, "The scheme is Items/CopyIteIteIte ms/Copy police when two men said they common-sense and gives Please may I have items for the were from the "Water Board" considerable reassurance to the MAY issue via email attachment in which, of course, no longer exists. householder, allowing good Word format to: Water company officials always neighbours to do their bit for the [email protected] or by have ID with them, which these community as well. If you'd like to hand or post to Mrs. S.E. Mathews, two did not. Police arrested them know more about the free scheme, Folly Cottage, Little Birch, HR2 and they are now behind bars. contact CSO Pete Knight at 8BD. by Harbans had two men at his door Bromyard or your local policing      claiming to be police officers team on 0300 333 3000. 181818 THTHTH APRIL wanting to come in. He was ______     suspicious and made them wait Your Officers based at Peterchurch Please mark your envelope outside whilst he checked with his Local Police Officer “Kings Thorn NewsletterNewsletter”””” local police station who informed PC 799 ______him they were bogus. They decided Andrew Bundy to leave the scene when Harbans Mobile 07855 385 844 made them wait. Community SuppSupportort Officers Mary was the quick-witted Please note CSO 6173 neighbour who saw a suspicious Fiona Witcher there are new couple calling at her neighbour's Mobile 07779 141 232 house, claiming they were looking CSO 6993 advertisements for a ball in the garden. Mary Kevin Powell noted their car's registration Mobile 07779 141 232 this month. number and called the police. It EEE-E---mailmail turns out they were known herefordruralsouth.lpt@ distraction burglars. westmercia.pnn.police.uk We can all play our part in Answer phone --- 01432 346756 thwarting the activities of LLLocalLocal Police Officer distraction burglars - being vigilant and watching out for neighbours, ______recording registration numbers of Your Local Representatives suspicious vehicles, always asking East ––– for ID from callers that you do not JOHN BULBECK 540178 know, checking who out who Central ––– callers say they are with their BOB PETERS 540670 company and agreeing pre- West ––– arranged passwords with utility BETTY PHILPOTT 540614 companies. Above all, there is a ______CLASSIFIED simple message to remember - if ADVERTISEMENT you're not sure, don't open the Newsletter by email door. Thank you to the new reader who Wanted to purchase any Nominated Neighbour Scheme has elected to receive the small piece of land (not for Police in Bromyard are looking to Newsletter by email. Please do building) in the Kings Thorn expand their Nominated consider it. A lot of shoe leather is or Birches area. Please Neighbour schemes in the town, expended in the delivery. contact 01981 540669. and across the county. The scheme Donations are always welcome to works by elderly or vulnerable help cover the cost of printing and householders asking a neighbour to the paper used; this amounts to deal with unexpected callers at the over £100 per month. The door for them. Callers are met with production, printing, collation and