Sustainability

Fri - May 9, 2008

Bike Week 2008 - 14 to 22 June

It's almost here. Running from 14-22 June, it's the biggest cycling event of the year with thousands of events allover the country. CycleHereford’s annual bike-fest around town invites individuals of all ages to 'Cycle Hereford'. Just bring yourselves and a roadworthy bike to the meeting points below and enjoy the freedom of the bicycle, good company and fresh air! All rides are FREE and led by experienced cyclists.

Sunday 15 June - ‘Breinton Springs Picnic Ride’ - 2.30pm start
Meet at West Door, Hereford Cathedral. A gentle ride to Breinton
Springs for a picnic by the river, using mostly minor roads with a chance to visit Breinton Church en-route, before returning to the Cathedral. This ride is suitable for children accompanied by an adult. Don’t forget to bring a picnic if you’d like to! We aim to leave Breinton at 4.20 to give us plenty of time to get back to the city. For details tel Mark on 01432 353275 or 07882410759

Tuesday 17 June -’Cross Town Rides’ - 6.30pm start
Meet in front of the Shirehall, St Peter’s Square. We will test the proposition that the bicycle is the best way to get around in Hereford. How many times can we cross Hereford in an hour (riding at a dignified pace and not jumping red lights)? For adults who would like to cycle more often. For details tel Paige on 01432 277857, co-ordinator@herefordshirefoe.org.uk

Wednesday 18 June - ‘CycleSeeing’ - 7pm start
Meet at Tourist Office, 1 King St, Hereford (by Cathedral). An evening’s jaunt around Hereford discovering unusual features and sites in the city. For details tel Martin 01432 353971, megilleland@hotmail.com

Friday 20 June - ‘Hereford City Trail’ - 7pm start
Start from The Volunteer Pub, Harold Street, St James. Not suitable for children. This leisure ride for fairly confident cyclists will take people around the city, via main and side roads but also exploring quiet attractive routes, taking in lovely views and key destinations en route; approx 1.5 hours. For details tel Mark 01432 840848 cycling@image.cix.co.uk

All events have been registered with National Bike Week and are fully insured for public liability through them.
www.bikeweek.org.uk

Download a poster of events from here. BikeWeek08rev1-compressed.pdf

Posted at 08:32 am Top

Wed - December 12, 2007

Sustrans Connect2 wins £50 million - Hereford wins new pedestrian and cycle bridge!

This just in from Herefordshire Council: "The result will be formally announced on the ITV news this evening though some of you may have seen it on the lunchtime news. I'd like to echo the words below from Sustrans Chief Executive, John Grimshaw MBE and thank everyone involved - we've had a tremendous amount of support for our project and it was very encouraging when the emails came in from all quarters offering support and urging people to vote.

A process that has been echoed nationally 79 times and even locally, the Wye and Severn rivers between them boast five Connect2 schemes in all: Diglis Lock, Worcester; The Severnside Gap in Shrewsbury; our own Hereford -Rotherwas bridge; Wye and Monnow crossings in Monmouth; and a further Wye crossing at Tintern.

More thanks still are due to the very many people and organisations who got behind Hereford's Connect2 scheme and helped get the message out and about too. The whole process has been a testament to the power of community working and we look forward to the project getting under way soon. Thanks again for all your efforts - you were all magnificent! PLEASE PASS IT ON! Together we have won £50 million. (£350k for Hereford's scheme).

From John Grimshaw, Sustrans CEO: “This is a fantastic Christmas present! We are delighted that Sustrans’ Connect2 has proved itself the peoples’ favourite in the public vote and won the £50million from the Big Lottery Fund. We are immensely grateful to Herefordshire supporters and everyone who got behind Hereford’s Connect2 scheme to bridge the gap between Rotherwas and Hereford to make their votes count.

As a massive public consultation exercise Connect2 has engendered a huge amount of goodwill from all sectors. It has confirmed our belief that people want to walk and cycle more when given the right surroundings. But the hard work starts now and there will be a huge amount to be done to make sure we fulfil all our obligations to the Big Lottery Fund. Ultimately the real winners will be those thousands of people who will now be able to Connect2 their shops, schools, workplaces and each other every day!”

More details at www.bikeradar.com.

Posted at 02:46 pm Top

Sun - October 28, 2007

Voting lines now open for Connect 2!

If you want a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Wye to Rotherwas, Sustrans need you to vote for Connect2, one of 4 projects competing in the Big Lottery Fund's: The People's £50 Million Contest on ITV this December. Only one project will win the £50 million - help make it Connect2. Register now to be advised on when and how to vote. www.sustransconnect2.org.uk

Posted at 03:26 pm Top

Wed - August 8, 2007

27 September is Connect2 day

We reported in May on the bid for funding for a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the River Wye by Sustrans, the UK's leading sustainable transport charity. Things have moved on and the Hereford scheme is now through to the final 79 community based schemes that in total will form the Sustrans Connect2 bid for the 'Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmarks: The Peoples Millions' competition. The Connect2 project is being considered alogside five other projects and a televised public vote on ITV1 between Christmas and New Year will decide which of the six projects submitted will win a single multi-million pound grant. Sustrans are planning a national Connect2 day on Thursday 27 September to raise awareness and Hereford will be playing its part. Look out for details in the local press and on our website. Herefordshire Council has confirmed their support for the scheme and a local steering group has been established which as far as possible will become the custodian and sponsor of the scheme. The St James and Bartonsham Community Association are pleased to be part of this group and recently attended the first meeting. Please register your interest by telephoning 0845 0581373 or visiting www.sustransconnect2.org.uk. Read our earlier entries here.

Posted at 11:43 pm Top

Thu - July 5, 2007

Riverside Walk to close for 24 weeks

Just when we getting used to the idea of having the Victoria Bridge back, the Council are about to close the Riverside Walk for the rest of the year to enable flood defence works to proceed. Yes, these are the works that the Campaign for Better Flood Defences are still asking to be improved following the earlier pathetic and devious attempts at 'consultation' by the Environment Agency (EA). The full sad story is online at www.bishopsmeadow.org.uk, where you can register your view on the scheme. The latest is a consultation of just 400 households in Hinton (why only them?) as to what to do with the King George Vth Memorial Gates currently on Hinton Road. Earlier schemes simply had these 'disappearing'. This consultation gives two choices; neither option is satisfactory so what option do the people then chose? This is another clever method of fooling the public into thinking they have been consulted, when of course they have not. The real consultation took place months previous and the EA yet again have not listened and the Local Authority has yet again capitulated. Why should a government agency be allowed to run rough shod over our heritage? The EA are not a heritage body, the whole sorry mess is engineering led, is cheap indictment of everything that is wrong with public service. Oh, and yes, they are still going to cut down all those wonderful trees, despite earlier assurances to the contrary ...

Posted at 10:32 pm Top

Thu - June 28, 2007

Herefordshire Friends Of The Earth - join in and enjoy their Summer Outing!

Herefordshire Friends Of The Earth will be making a visit to PEAT on Wednesday 4 July 2007. Primrose Earth Awareness Trust is an environmental education charity, working to raise awareness of sustainable food production and other sustainable living practices. They aim to encourage a respect for the earth and an appreciation of the interdependence of people, plants and the environment Website: www.primrosetrust.org.uk
Food: Bring and Share Picnic.
Time/Place: 6pm at Canal Road Day Centre carpark OR alternative arrangement with Melodie Winch.
Travel: Please let Melodie know if you are planning to go so she can co-ordinate car-sharing.
Contact: Melodie on 01432 850647 or Email: style.winch@virgin.net
Where is PEAT: 5 miles from Hay-on-Wye in the village of Felindre.
Note: There will be no FOE Meeting in AUGUST, but remember that the next meetings at Canal Rd Day Centre will be on:
5 September 2007 with a presentation by CRAG (Carbon Reduction Action Group)
2 October 2007 - Guerrilla Cinema hope to show two of their latest films relating to Transition Towns & Peak Oil

Posted at 11:35 pm Top

Tue - May 15, 2007

Legal challenge against UDP lodged in High Court by Dinedor Hill Action Association Ltd

The Dinedor Hill Action Association Ltd yesterday, 14 May 2007, lodged a legal challenge in the High Court under Section 287 of the Town and Country Planning Act, against the allocation of land for housing at Bullinghope in the Herefordshire Council Unitary Development Plan. This challenge has been made because we believe that the Council has manipulated the democratic UDP process to allocate land at Bullinghope for housing with the sole purpose of using money from the developer to pay for the Rotherwas Access Road. In doing so, the Council has:
• ignored the findings of the UDP public enquiry
• not given adequate consideration of the impact of development in this location
• prejudiced a proper countywide strategic assessment of the location of future housing
• proceeded with construction of the Rotherwas Access Road without sufficient funding in place and will therefore be unable to properly and impartially consider a planning application on the site because it has a direct financial interest in granting approval. The Dinedor Hill Action Association has given careful consideration, and taken detailed legal advice, before proceeding with this action. The Grounds for legal challenge selected by DHAA barrister is that the Council have not proved need for extra housing and, if such need were proved, have not given grounds for selecting Bullinghope over all the other proposed UDP housing sites that were rejected.

Speaking today, the Chair of the Dinedor Hill Action Association David Millar said ”It is with regret that we feel it necessary to take this very serious action. However, we believe that proper democratic processes have been overridden by the Council, and that a legal challenge to the UDP is the only avenue remaining to ensure proper consideration of this allocation of housing”. For further information contact: David Miller (chair of Dinedor Hill Action Association Ltd) on 01432 273995 or press office: press@dinedorhillaction.co.uk or visit www.dinedorhillaction.co.uk

Click on 'Read more' for background information.

Background Information

The development and adoption of the UDP is a detailed and lengthy process, during which assessment of potential sites for different uses, including future housing should be undertaken. It was only at a very late stage in the UDP process, and after the Government turned down funding for the Access Road which describing it as ‘poor value for money’, that, the Council without due process and proper consideration of its impact, allocated land for housing at Bullinghope. The Council stated clearly in UDP literature that the allocation was proposed with the sole purpose of gaining money to pay for the road.

As part of the UDP process, a full public enquiry is held by a planning inspector. The inspector expressed concern about the hasty selection of Bullinghope saying that:

“Bullinghope should not be regarded as an automatic strategic location for future growth” (para 5.14.15); and also that “allocation of 300 houses at Bullinghope would be premature and would prejudice open discussion of alternatives for the city”

He was explicit about his reasons for NOT allocating land at Bullinghope for housing:

“I consider that the proposed development would be a material and unjustified incursion into the open countryside surrounding Hereford. It would be significantly harmful to the rural character and appearance of the area and, in the circumstances that I have described, an unwarranted accretion to the south of the city. I have no hesitation in recommending that the proposed allocation should not be pursued under the unitary development plan.” (para 5.14.36 Inspector’s Report)

The Council ignored the inspector and voted to include the allocation of land for housing at Bullinghope.

Our detailed concerns

The Dinedor Hill Association have a number of concerns that have prompted us to take this action:

• the Council have waived the normal requirement for a developer to provide 30 to 50% of the housing as affordable for local people, in order to maximise money for the road. This principle should be challenged.

• the council failed to satisfactorily answer objections raised by individuals and organisations, including the Government Office for the West Midlands.

• following the election the new Conservative administration has announced a ‘major road and house-building programme’, and are specifically promoting the model of Bullinghope as a way for funding such road-building programmes. It is important that this model is properly tested

• the new local Councillor for Hollngton ward, was elected specifically on a mandate of stopping the housing at Bullinghope and the linked use of money from the developer to pay for the road. This demonstrates the strength of local concern which has been ignored to date.

• The Council has started building the road without having all the funding in place, and are relying on money from the housing developer to pay for it. This means that they will not be able to give proper and impartial consideration of the future planning application, because they have a financial interest in approval.

• the selection of land at Bullinghope was done in isolation from proper consideration of potential sites around the whole county. It is an inappropriate location for a number of reasons, including:

• allocation of this land will inevitably lead to further development of several thousand houses spreading out from the current southern boundary of Hereford to the line of the access road.

• it will greatly increase traffic on the A49, the Holme Lacy Road, and further increase congestion into Hereford City Centre

• it will destroy the landscape setting of Hereford City and the historic setting of Dinedor Hill for ever.

Posted at 01:27 pm Top

Wed - May 2, 2007

Sustrans River Wye bridge scheme is through to the final selection stage

We are very pleased to announce that final list of Connect2 projects has just been published and the Hereford scheme is one of just 80 to be on the that list (from over 400 originally submitted) and which will be presented to the Big Lottery and taken forward to the live television vote during Winter 07/08. It is these projects that will be made reality should Connect2 be succesful in the vote. Sustrans have been delighted by the positive reaction to Connect2, the time and hard work invested and the impressive quality of the schemes. Also, the extremely strong reaction to Connect2 from the public. Sustrans have received thousands of pledges of support from individuals, communities and organisations and Hereford has been no exception to this - this is great news! For the full details click on the logo and read our other articles under Sustainability.

Posted at 12:32 pm Top

Wed - April 4, 2007

Hereford Pedicabs set to launch free taxi service!

Cycle Hereford reported a little while ago the exciting news that Hereford is to get a free, pedal powered, zero emission taxi service, keeping things simple and fun, honest and green. Hereford Pedicabs are now almost ready to start this valliant enterprise and are holding a launch party to which everyone is invited. This will be at The Courtyard, Hereford between 6pm and 8pm on Thursday April 12 and it'll be a relaxed occasion where you can meet Ben and Will, see the bikes, hear of their plans and generally support a great project! Their website will be online soon but you can follow the build up to the launch of this exciting venture on their blog here

Posted at 10:53 am Top

Fri - February 23, 2007

Bishops Meadow breaking news - breakthrough with Environment Agency

The Environment Agency have agreed that it "would benefit all parties" to hold a further day of exhibition next Wednesday, 28th February. This is now confirmed as running from 11am to 6.00pm at The River Room at Left Bank (please note revised time of 6pm).

As you will understand it is crucial for hundreds of people to turn up at this consultation. This is especially welcome as a major frustration of local people is that the so called consultation last year was so poorly publicised that most people didn't even know it had taken place. We will keep you posted or visit the emerging campaign website at www.bishopsmeadow.org.uk.

Posted at 08:41 am Top

Wed - February 7, 2007

Sustrans launch bid for new cycle bridge over River Wye at Bartonsham - we need your votes!

There are around 140 Sustrans Connect2 projects shortlisted across the UK - and Sustrans want your comments, opinions and feedback on the one that matters to us ie altering the river bridge currently carrying only sewerage pipes just east of Bartonsham to allow pedestrians and cyclists to cross the river and join existing and new cycle routes. The 140 shortlisted projects will be narrowed down to about 75 by May 2007 so your opinions count and your vote is vital. Please click on the connect2 logo for information and a map and then click on the 'Pledge your support' button to do just that. Please forward this on to anyone you think will be interested.

We will be following progress closely over the coming months and and will be updating this story as and when we have more details. Click on 'Read more' for background info on Sustrans and Connect 2.

What is Connect2 about?

Connect2 is all about connecting people to people, people to places and people to pride in their local community. This nationwide community project aims to create a more active and positive future for ourselves and our children.

How will Connect2 make a difference?

Sustrans, the charity behind Connect2, is working with partners around the UK to overcome long-standing barriers such as busy roads, railways or rivers that are dividing communities and making it difficult for people to travel by foot or bike as part of their everyday lives.

This might mean building a foot or cycle bridge just for people over a river or railway, creating a pleasant path for people that by-passes the by-pass, or linking up existing traffic-free paths. Each solution will be inspirational in design but sensitive to the character of the area and the needs of the local community.

Connect2 and the Big Lottery Fund

Connect2 is one of the projects competing for a single multi-million pound grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks: The People’s Millions competition. The winner will be decided by public TV vote in Winter 2007/08 and we hope that Connect2 will be successful in going forward to this vote and, of course, in then winning the grant which will make our Living Landmarks vision a reality.

Before then, we will be working with communities such as yours to develop each Connect2 scheme and gather local support. This will help us make our final selection of schemes that will become the Connect2 Living Landmarks community project we take forward through this final selection process.

This is a great opportunity for Connect2 and for your community. Connect2 could transform the way people move within your community and have a positive impact on people’s health and the environment now and for generations to come.

Who are Sustrans?
Sustrans is the UK’s leading sustainable transport charity working on practical projects so people can choose to travel in ways that benefit their health and the environment. We are the charity behind the National Cycle Network, Safe Routes to Schools, Bike It and TravelSmart, all projects that are changing our world one mile at a time.

Posted at 09:50 am Top

Sun - January 7, 2007

St Owen's Street contraflow cycle lane 'consultation' is under way

We're back and the year is off to a bad start already as we learnt today that Herefordshire Council announced, very quietly, that the St Owen's Street cycle contraflow consultation is under way, with the usual indecent haste. They're promoting the scheme no one wants, the one where cyclists are sandwiched between pedestrians and cars as in King Street. If you're a cyclist, a pedestrian or a motorist, you'll have probably had a near miss there, its a good example of bad design which musn't be repeated. There is to be a one day public exhibition of the scheme this coming Monday, 8 January, from 9.00am to 6.00pm at the Town Hall and written comments have to be submitted by 15 January "in order to maintain the scheme proposal programme". The proposed plan is available to download; click on the link below. We'll be back with more news on this very shortly but in the meantime, please head over to the Cycle Hereford website here for up to the minute news or their forum here (you'll need to register to comment). Update: covering letter now also available to download.

Update 17 January: CYCLEWAY CONSULTATION EXTENDED. Herefordshire Council has decided to extend the consultation period to 2 February. Please take this opportunity to respond if you didn't manage earlier because of the stupidly short time scale.

StOwensStPlan(560k).pdf

Consultation Letter page1.pdf

Consultation Letter page2.pdf

Posted at 07:12 pm Top

Wed - December 6, 2006

Stay Of Execution for former W I Market

Hereford Country Market, formerly known as the W I Market, has ben spared the axe for a trial period of four more months. Having found replacements for three key management positions, it is hoped that a new enthusiasm will keep it open. The market is always in need of producers of homegrown FRUIT, VEGETABLES, PLANTS, JAM, CRAFT and at the moment, competent COOKS to maintain its high reputation for top quality home made cakes, quiches, scones & sausage rolls. In future there will be emphasis on good healthy cooking which is in great demand. Like many other traders, the market has been hit badly by recent inaccessibility through High Town and by the increase in the number of supermarkets. Unless the customers come to buy the produce, it can no longer remain viable, so the motto USE IT OR LOSE IT certainly applies.

The Hereford Country Market is held every Friday morning, opening at 7.30am in St Peter’s Church Hall, opposite the Shirehall.

Posted at 11:30 pm Top

Thu - September 28, 2006

OFFICIAL OPENING OF VICTORIA BRIDGE

Exactly 108 years to the day after Hereford’s well-known Victoria footbridge was opened, the landmark is to be officially re-opened following a £725,000 repair and restoration project. The bridge was made available to the public a month ahead of schedule, on Wednesday, September 6, and has already attracted a lot of positive comments from users who approve of the return to the bridge’s original colour scheme. At the same time, a new riverside sculpture, called “A Fish’s Eye View,” will be unveiled adjacent to the bridge.

Cllr John Edwards, Chairman of Herefordshire Council, will declare the bridge officially open at 2pm on Friday, September 29. Dignitaries invited to the official opening include descendants of Augustus Edwards, the local businessman who was the prime mover in original proposals to build the bridge.

The Victoria Footbridge was built in 1898 to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria the previous year and was formally opened on September 29 1898, by Lady Emily Foley, and was then handed over by the Bridge Committee to the Citizens of Hereford. Before the footbridge was built a ferry, the Princess Mary, transported people across the river Wye at this point. Read more for the full story ...

Cllr Brian Wilcox, Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation), said: “This project has not been without its problems – vandalism and high water levels following heavy spring rainfall could have held up progress – but I’m happy to say that despite this, work was completed ahead of time.

“The bridge is now restored, looks splendid and is again well used by the people of Herefordshire and visitors to the City.”

Cllr John Edwards, Chairman of Herefordshire Council, said: “It’s excellent timing to be officially re-opening this very important piece of Hereford City’s heritage.

“The history of the footbridge is fascinating and was recently the focus of a heritage open day at the Castle Green Training Centre. The exhibition attracted more than 500 visitors on the day and can now be seen on display at the Hereford City Library and Museum.“

The restoration work has been carried out to make the footbridge as close to the original as possible, but strengthening parts where necessary.

Restrictions on the way the work was carried out were applied as the River Wye is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.

In addition the Environment Agency imposed a strict time limit for the work to be carried out.

The bridge will be temporarily closed for several minutes during the ceremony.

VIEW FROM A RIVER BANK

A specially commissioned piece of public art depicting a fish’s eye view of the River Wye is to be unveiled at a popular beauty spot in Hereford.

A steel monument illustrating life form the bottom of the river, called “A Fish’s Eye View,” has been installed along the banks of the River Wye, in king George’s Playing Field, next to the newly restored Victoria Bridge.

The sculpture, which depicts reeds, ripples in the water and fish, has been installed beside the footpath.

Designer blacksmith Chris Brammall, who trained at Hereford College of Art and Technology, beat off strong competition from 17 other artists to secure the work.

He hopes people will be encouraged to take a closer look and walk underneath the sculpture – which will give them the impression they are looking up from the bottom of the river, similar to a fish’s view from the bottom of the river bed, while walking along the path,

“The work was commissioned after the success of four other pieces of public art in King George’s Playing Field,” said Cllr Roy Stockton, Cabinet Member (Community Services).

“Under that scheme, known as the City Carver Scheme, four old trees, which had to be felled because they were diseased and presented a danger to the public, were transformed into works of public art.

“Wooden sculptures were carved from the old stumps including a leaping salmon and diving otter.

“Unfortunately the life shell of these carvings was only ten years due to natural decomposing and whilst two still remain, the frog and Mappa Mundi Tree, the otter and leaping salmon have been destroyed.

“This new work will replace these two popular carvings and because it is made of steel it will have a much longer life expectancy so that generations of families can view and enjoy it,” added Cllr Stockton.

Chris Brammall was inspired to create “A Fish’s Eye View” after public consultation, which involved a representative from St. Martin’s Residents Association in the selection panel and Mr Brammell presenting his ideas to the Association.

Posted at 10:13 am Top

Fri - September 22, 2006

Introducing Cafe Green Debates - starting Tuesday 14 November

Posted at 12:45 am Top

Wed - September 6, 2006

Vicky Bridge re-opens!

Yes, you read it here first, the Victoria Bridge was unofficially reopened to the public this evening at 6.16pm. Pictured here holding back the hordes are Herefordshire Council Officer Martin Jackson, responsible for the work (and celebrating with an ice cream) and Rob Poulton from Consultants Owen Williams. In the background are Contractors vacuuming the bridge (yes, vacuuming). Resplendent in its authentic cream paintwork (the bollard is to be repainted as well) and with a new timber deck the bridge looks fantastic. There are still bits to finish but the important thing is that we can use it again. Opened well ahead of schedule, our thanks go to all concerned for working so hard to achieve this. Also pictured are the very first people to use the bridge. Don't forget that if you want to find out more about this project and the history of the bridge, go along to the Victoria Footbridge Heritage Open Day this coming Saturday, 9 September at the Castle Green Training Centre, Castle Green, adjacent to the bridge. 10am - 4pm. If you have been affected by the work, are a local resident, a visitor or interested in engineering, history, ecology or environmental management, then come and find out more about Victoria Footbridge and celebrate the refurbishment of one of the city’s most popular landmarks. See our story below for full details.

Posted at 07:29 pm Top

Wed - August 16, 2006

Fairtrade and the Three Choirs Festival

During the Three Choirs Festival visitors to Hereford had many opportunities to sample both Fairtrade goods and local produce. Throughout the week the parishioners of St Peter’s church in the city centre provided ploughman’s lunches and Fairtrade tea and coffee and there was a chance to buy Fairtrade crafts and chocolates at the Traidcraft stall. St Nicholas’s Church also had a Fairtrade stall.

As a patron of the Hereford City Fairtrade Group, Bishop Anthony and Mrs Kathy Priddis ensured that their guests received Fairtrade coffee and tea and ate excellent locally grown food. “Buying Fairtrade products is a simple way of ensuring trade works for farmers and producers in developing countries and it fits well with buying local food too” says Dr John Dinnen of the Hereford Fairtrade Group. Hereford has been a Fairtrade City for two years and Herefordshire is now the first Fairtrade County in the Midlands.

Posted at 10:22 am Top

Wed - July 26, 2006

Fairtrade at St Peter's for 3 Choirs Festival

During the 3 Choirs Festival, 7 – 11 August, Fairtrade @ St. Peter's will be selling food and snacks, crafts and gifts. Available 10.30am to 2.30pm. Herefordshire is now an accredited Fairtrade County. Hereford City gained Fairtrade City Status in 2005. www.herefordshirefairtrade.org.uk
MAKING FAIRTRADE HEREFORDSHIRE'S HABIT

Posted at 10:47 pm Top

Wed - May 31, 2006

Jaba on bikes - National Bike Week 17 - 25 June

National Bike Week runs from 17 - 25 June and the Community Association has teamed up with Cycle Hereford to arrange events for all ages and skills, as listed below. Prior to that, the guest speaker at the 5 June CA meeting (Riverside Centre, 7.45pm) will be Paula McGivern, a qualified cycle trainer and volunteer Sustrans Ranger, who will be showing a short film about cycling in Copenhagen and talking on ‘Cycling in the City - using your bike to get around Hereford’.

Bike Week 2006 events (all fully insured)

Monday 19 June - 6.30pm start from The Volunteer, Harold Street. ‘How to get to everyday places by bike in town', approx 1 hour. Family friendly, all ages and abilities welcome including accompanied children. Please ring Paula McGivern, Sustrans Volunteer on 353214 to book a place.

Thursday 22 June - 6pm, Hereford Wheelers Come and Try It 10-mile Time Trial, contact S Edinborough, tel 269700, stuarted@waitrose.com

Friday 23 June - 7pm start from The Volunteer, Harold Street. ‘Hereford City Trails', approx 1.5 hours. Confident cyclists welcome to explore hidden routes. Just turn up and learn all about plans for cycling facilities in the City.

Saturday 24 June - 3pm, official launch of Cycle Hereford, Castle Green Midsummer Fayre, lots of surprises! See www.cyclehereford.com for more details..

Sunday 25 June - 9am start (note revised time) from The Volunteer, Harold Street. Leisurely ‘Black and White Trail through some of North Herefordshire’. All on road, about 45 miles. so experienced riders only, tea/coffe stop mid morning and back in Hereford by about 1.30pm. Contact Tim, tel 340107.

Posted at 09:04 pm Top

Wed - May 10, 2006

Work starts on Victoria Bridge ...

... and a prize if you've seen any workmen there yet. According to the latest press release from Herefordshire Council dated 4 May, work started on 2 May, which in itself contradicts this well concealed sign on the bridge at the moment, which one could be forgiven for thinking means the bridge is to close forever. They also reveal the cost of the work; a truly staggering £725 000.00!!!! In true Council speak, Cllr Brian Wilcox, Cabinet Member (Highways and Transportation), said: “Victoria Footbridge is a significant local landmark, well used by pedestrians within Hereford City. Special measures have been adopted to minimise disruption to the public while allowing work to continue." How do those measures work then, because if its closed and there is no temporary alternative, then there is going to be MAXIMUM disruption to the public.

Posted at 03:22 pm Top

Grants for Renewable Energy Generation

Fairtrade Fortnight in Hereford Area

Request for battery recycling bins binned by Council

Does your business stock Fairtrade goods?

Widemarsh Street pedestrianisation: last call for your views

Turn newspaper into plant pots

First Fairtrade clothes now on sale

A-Z of Supermarket Woes

MP Paul Keetch ‘HASSLED’ by new campaign group questioning his loyalty to US company ASDA-Walmart

Herefordshire Friends of the Earth - October Newsletter

Get Fruity With A Tree!