The Bridge May 2020
May in the Forest The sun is shining, the apple blossom is out and I’ve seen three Slow Worms enjoying the heat under one of our pieces of corrugated iron down the track. I love May: it is spring and summer, with the freshness of one and the heat of the other. May takes the accelerating growth, warmth and day length of April and leaves it with a full complement of summer bird visitors joining the rest of our wildlife in the serious business of breeding. (By the way, the ‘mystery bird’ which delighted me with its trilling song all around our garden turned out not to be a rare summer visitor but a common Wren, singing its heart out in the effort to retain its territory and mate/mates.) This month is spectacularly marked by the arrival of Bluebells. They are predominantly woodland flowers and look delightful under a canopy of newly unfurled, bright green leaves of oak, beech or other deciduous trees. They have to flower, seed and replenish the energy stores of their bulbs before the shade becomes too dense. Consequently they won’t be found under evergreens, whether conifer, holly or yew, which never allow enough sunlight to reach the ground. They may enjoy a sunnier spot for a while after an area of forest has been cleared, as long as the woodland soil with its store of native plants is still there and the micro-climate remains sufficiently damp. They reproduce both by seed and multiplication of their bulbs. One of our regular magazines often carries an advertisement aimed at landowners which promises ‘excellent prices to thin out specified areas (of wild woodland plants) – very little disturbance caused’. I’m sure this can be done in a sustainable way, allowing the plants to replenish themselves, but I can’t help feeling concerned. The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 made it illegal to uproot any wild plant without the landowner’s permission, but there is a great demand for wild flowers in gardens and amenity planting which may tempt woodland owners to let the diggers in. I hope you’ll enjoy the photo of Bluebells in the Wyre Forest (near Beaucastle in this case – thank you, Mick Farmer) and be able to experience the sight and smell of the flowers in a bluebell wood near you without disturbing them. The Wild Garlic or Ramsons also burst into flower in lush, damp areas of woodland this month. The plant’s smell makes it easy to identify and it has become popular with foragers: picking the leaves in small quantities before the flowers open can give a delicious salad, wilted greens or pesto. But beware – the plant is poisonous to dogs and cats! Linda Iles
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Editorial News
The Bridge is the community voice of Bewdley Visit us at www.bewdleybridge.org.uk
A new month, a new format, and a new method of getting through the day. It's difďŹ cult to know what to write this month; usually I am happy to burble on about one of life's little quirks, but not any longer. However hard we try to maintain a semblance of normality, normality has taken a hike and is well over the horizon. As for any situation we ďŹ nd ourselves in, there is good as well as bad to be found. I'm really hoping that all of us here in our town will make a note of some of those good things happening during this most demanding time. We need to remember how when we needed them, so many people stepped in and took on jobs that desperately needed doing but would otherwise not have been done. I'm not going to mention them; I want us all to take a moment to remember them. Some quite small - a smile, a joke, an enquiry - some much bigger; regular shopping trips, personal visits, letters and emails to a large circle of isolated people. Let's instead remember some of the things that had less to do with us and more to do with nature showing what it can do if it's left alone. I rather think the birds have been cheerier this Spring. I have a thrush who acts as my alarm clock in the grey early morning light. My friend loves blackbirds and has been generously serenaded with several round the house. Surely the spring owers have bloomed more ferociously along the hedgerows than last year; blackthorn, wild cherry and my apple trees have shown what they're made of. People report the deer in the forest seem to be bolder and more ready to show themselves; the greening of the trees has once again reminded us that amidst the grief and fear of this time there is renewal all around. Here at the Bridge we don't go in for poetry. But once, just this once, may I share a poem that Philip Larkin might have written for us here in our town by the forest. The Trees The trees are coming into leaf Like something almost being said; The recent buds relax and spread, Their greenness is a kind of grief. Is it that they are born again And we grow old? No, they die too, Their yearly trick of looking new Is written down in rings of grain. Yet still the unresting castles thresh In fullgrown thickness every May.. Last year is dead, they seem to say, Begin afresh, afresh, afresh. And may I wish, to you and all your loved ones, that your lives too may eventually begin afresh. Margaret 3
Bewdley Churches
All services in church buildings are currently suspended. Please see contact details below should you need support from a church. Church of England Parishes of Bewdley and Wribbenhall Rector: Rev Megan Gibbins www.bewdleyparish.org.uk
Bewdley Baptist Church
Bewdley Methodist Church
High Street Church Office 01299 403267 www.bewdley.baptist.org.uk
High Street Revd Sue Levitt 01299 826641 www.bewdleymethodists.org.uk
Holy Family Catholic Church
Religious Society of Friends
High Street Local contact Deacon John O’Brien Parish Office 01299 822633 www.stwulstanstourport.org.uk
(Quakers) Meeting House Lower Park
www.bewdleyquaker.org.uk
Riverside Church St George’s Hall, Load Street www.riversideelim.com
Sharing your news with us To share your news and photographs or advertise an event, please contact:
editorial@bewdleybridge.org.uk To advertise your company, please contact:
advertising@bewdleybridge.org.uk 4
Community News
Bewdley–In–Kind
KEEP KEEP Y YOURSELF OURSELF S SAFE AFE Don’t let anyone into your home that you don’t know. Ourr community Ou Our community volunteers volunteers will will have have I.D. I. I.D. D. to confirm confirm who they they are. are are They wont need to enter your home. Ourr service Ou Our service is FREE OF OF CHARGE CHARGE CH ARGE
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Support Group you you at home but you to get to out? Is Coronavirus Coronaviruskeeping is keeping at home butneed you need get– out? – We We are to help with thingsthat thatyou youneed, need, so so give give us aa shout! are herehere to help with thethe things shout!
HELP PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE TO YOU
RELIABLE, SAFE, DBS CHECKED COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS
Help is on hand if you need someone to: Get you some shopping Pick up prescriptions Post letters Run other errands you might find useful Or if you just want to telephone for a friendly chat from time to time
All we ask of you, is that you don’t hesitate to call us when you need a little help. Our service is FREE OF CHARGE We wont call by unless you have prearranged this with us Our Community Volunteers won`t need to enter your home Volunteers will have ID so you know who they are.
CALL US NOW OR SEND A REQUEST FOR HELP ON FACEBOOK
Corrine Bailey tel 07533 185734 Helen Mosley tel 07813 321304 Maureen Raybold 07970 271811
* Anna Downes tel 07967 728588 * Jo Bloom (via Facebook) * Sharon Weston 07773 335524 (Safeguarding)
YOU CAN ALSO SEND YOUR REQUEST BY PRIVATE MESSENGER VIA FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/groups/637082610170508
COVID COV COVID COVIDID-19(Coronavirus) 19(Coronavirus) Support Group Support Group
Crisis Support Support for for Residents Residents of of Bewdley & Surrounding Bewdley Surrounding Area Area
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BEWDLEY BEWD BEWDLEY LEY -IN IN-KI KIND KIND ND
Community News
What a kindly thought from Oak Cottage, in the forest.
LIVE WYRES Social Singles Group Coronavirus It is an incredibly difďŹ cult time for us personally, as a nation, and across the world. The main thing is that we must stay safe and well and look out for each other. Unfortunately, due to the changing situation and Government advice, it is with regret we feel it is both necessary and sensible to postpone or cancel some of the Live Wyres upcoming events. As soon as we have updates on any of our events, we will post on Social Media. We have no idea how long this Pandemic will last, but Live Wyres hope you and your families stay safe and well, and we look forward to meeting you all soon! 6
Community News
A Memoir
Enid Stanley
It was a shock to read in Network of Enid’s death on 2nd April, especially as we had had a chat on the phone only a few days earlier and she sounded as bright and chirpy as she always did. I cannot remember not knowing Enid - or her husband, Gordon. It feels as though we have always been friends. We met either through Church or through St. Anne’s School and our children are of similar ages. Enid ran Sunday School for many years and I helped during some of that time - as also at various different times did Pat and John Prosser’s daughter, Bev; Jeff and Janet Bishop’s daughter, Nicola; Dave and Joyce Maggs’ daughter, Alison; Mike and Leonie Robinson’s daughter, Gill; and Margaret and Dennis Layton’s daughter, Frances; also David’s and my daughters, Rebecca, Susie and Rachel. My forgettery is improving, so sincere apologies if I have missed anyone. As well as preparing and teaching lessons each Sunday, Enid organized many happy social occasions. In summer we had games in the Hole Farm fields, followed by a picnic with tasty supplies from Enid while we all sat in the barn on bales of hay which Gordon had arranged there for us. Once we hired a coach and went to the Blue Bird Toffee Factory grounds near Clent and picnicked there. I can’t remember what the occasion was, but I do remember the fun we had and I also remember Kath Brame proudly bearing a colourful flag, which Joanna and/or Gillian had made for the event. At Christmas, our parties were held in St. George’s Hall with wonderful help from the children’s parents. On another occasion we spent a lovely weekend at Beddgelert with the local Sunday School children. This was arranged through Vic Shepherd - another of Enid’s helpers. He, Wendy and Robert used to live in the bungalow in the lane leading to Bewdley’s cricket pitch. Vic was a traveller in carpets and through his work had made friends with the Minister at Beddgelert, an experienced mountain rescuer. We slept on thick gym mats on the Village Hall Floor. The children had been instructed to take torches with them. Needless to say, at bed-time silence did not reign and once it was dark a myriad rays from torches of differing sizes began to sweep the room like searchlights! As Enid slowly sat upright to remind everyone that we had to be up early in the morning, I caught a glimpse of her greatly enlarged shadow dancing on the walls and, suffused with laughter, hurriedly hid beneath my blankets. A fat lot of use I was! Thank you, Enid, for your hard work, help and friendship. Even though I didn’t see you very often latterly, I shall miss you. Sue Brown
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Community News
Bewdley - Welchgate NHS clap
by Phil Lea, Welchgate
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Community News
Plastic Free Bewdley We are very conscious that most of the local businesses offering to refill people's water bottles will now be closed. Our hearts go out to you at this difficult time and hope to see you reopening as soon as possible. And I am sure that the last thing on your minds at the moment is reducing the amount of throwaway single-use plastics. We are of course postponing the launch of Plastic Free Bewdley though we will continue to do what we can while keeping isolated as much as possible. Meanwhile, below is some advice that we have been sent by the Refill Scheme. This of course will be most relevant to those of you that are not running pubs and cafés but there may be something of interest for everyone. Best Wishes John R Rhymer Supporting local businesses It’s going to be more important than ever to support local businesses. Here are a few suggestions for keeping it local from the comfort of your home: •
Many local businesses have started doing home delivery – consider ordering from them before visiting a supermarket.
•
Sign up for a local veg box and have your veg delivered to you so you don’t need to go out. You don’t need to have contact with the delivery person and you’ll be supporting a local business.
•
Get your milk delivered – organisations like Milk & More also deliver dairy, bread and veg so you could stock up on everything in one go.
•
The Plastic Free Shop, which is our 1% for the Planet partner, offers home delivery on household items (including cleaning materials).
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If you are self-isolating and have run out of some monthly essentials, you can get organic, plastic-free period products delivered to your door by Organic Mondays.
Bewdley Floral Art Club Our May and June demonstrations have been cancelled due to the present situation with coronavirus lockdown. Our July demonstration is with Beverley Artiss and I am hopeful this can take place. However it will depend very much on the government guidelines.
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Community News
Rainbows! Ellie Hooper has been keeping herself busy during the Covid-19 lockdown whilst raising money for local charities. Her crochet rainbows can be seen on the railings at Severnside South. After being contacted by a number of local residents who saw the rainbow display by the river, Ellie said: “My crochet rainbows seemed to be very popular, so I decided to start making them to order; I’m donating all the profits to agencies in Bewdley who are offering emergency food to families who need it. I’ve been overwhelmed by the response so far and have sold over 80 rainbows over the last week, donating 50% to charity. I’m only looking to cover the cost of the yarn, but my time is free.” You can order your crochet rainbow for £5 each (with 50% going to charity) by contacting Ellie elliehooper56@googlemail.com or by calling 07973 677080. You can also download the pattern for free via her Facebook page Ellies Little Gems.
St. George’s Hall Café Customers The world is very surreal at the moment and many of us are feeling isolated and a little scared. It is very important to keep our spirts up by keeping touch with family and friends and we can do that by telephone or FaceTime. Here at St George’s Hall we have a wider circle of friends and acquaintances who are our regular customers at the café. We enjoy the banter and cheery chats with you, and we miss you at the moment. We are thinking of you all and hope you are keeping safe, well and fit. We are fortunate to live in Bewdley where we have lovely walks on our doorsteps. So, stay home, stay well, stay safe and join us to celebrate with coffee and cake (and Val’s bread pudding) when this is all over. St. George’s Hall Café Volunteers 10
Community News
Transition Bewdley Repair Café Bewdley Repair Café sessions are not running during the current pandemic. However, our repairers are continuing to carry out repairs on their own items and encouraging others to try when safe to do so. Despite our best efforts, repairs occasionally prove to be impossible for a variety of reasons. Volunteer repairer Phil Harris recently tackled a bread maker – a type of appliance rarely seen at our Repair Café sessions, which suggests that they must be pretty reliable – but as Phil reports: “This machine had been half-way through baking a loaf, when all the sockets in the house went off, caused by the safety RCD in the electrical distribution board tripping out. As it couldn’t be reset, the owner tried unplugging the bread maker from the wall socket. Power could then be restored, thus proving that the bread maker was at fault. On examination, the bread maker had developed a virtual ‘short-circuit to earth’, a serious condition. Dismantling the machine however proved more difficult than most, being held together by ‘snake-eye’ security screws at the bottom of six-inch deep holes. A special tool was quickly made and the screws were taken out, but only then did I realise that a further eight screws needed to be removed from inside the machine itself, and access to these screws was obstructed by the element! Eventually I got far enough inside to be able to test the element itself, finding it short-circuit as expected, meaning that the electrical insulation within the element itself had broken down, allowing electricity potentially to flow to the metal body of the machine and present a shock hazard to the user. Fortunately, we can rely on fuses and/or RCDs to protect us from electric shock in such cases. The element is made of what we repairers call “Unobtainium” and so, sadly, the machine is destined for recycling.” The ‘tripping’ of an RCD or circuit breaker happens very quickly in order to disconnect the supply and prevent an electric shock, but a single faulty appliance can black out the whole house, which can be quite confusing at first. It is then a matter of identifying the cause, by unplugging appliances until you find the faulty item! However this tale also highlights how some manufacturers seem deliberately to make dismantling their appliances as difficult as possible to discourage repair by third parties, something that the Repair Café Foundation has been highlighting for years. Good design, with future repairability in mind, costs no more than the poor design, which has led to the throw-away culture that the Repair Café movement is trying to change. Phil is a qualified electrical engineer. We would not encourage people to delve into the insides of electrical devices unless they are competent to do so. At the Repair Café, we PAT test electrical items to make sure they are safe to be used. Save up your appliances as we will be back after the present pandemic makes it safe to do so.
Community News
Repair Café - The Clock Repairer Phil Harris has been volunteering as an electrical and electronics repairer at Bewdley Repair Café since it started in 2016, and has assisted in the early sessions at Kidderminster, Stourbridge and Kinver. Phil also volunteers at the Black Country Living Museum, restoring vintage radios and antique clocks, and with an increasing number of clocks being brought in for attention, Phil has recently joined Bewdley’s clock repair team, assisting our long-established clock expert Peter Archer. Phil enjoys the challenges that this type of work poses: “The sheer variety of clocks and watches that we’re asked to repair is remarkable, and at every session we see something different. Last month alone, we had several mechanical watches, some quartz watches, a cuckoo clock, two 400-day ‘anniversary’ clocks, a Smiths mantle clock with a rare ‘floating balance’, a modern alarm clock, a travel clock and an unusual electro-mechanical alarm clock. Previous sessions have featured American clocks, synchronous electric clocks, railway clocks, quartz clocks that play birdsong on the hour, carriage clocks, a clockwork kitchen timer and many others. Like most devices, repairing clocks and watches calls for specific skills, and the number of independent clock repairer businesses and shops has dwindled, largely through the retirement of the proprietors. However, it has to be recognised that the cost of repairing a clock is often out of all proportion to its value. Commercial repairers need to charge at least £25 per hour to make a living, and typically a thorough overhaul of a traditional mantle clock can take ten hours or more of skilled work and cost £250, a figure which few clock owners can afford or justify. At the Repair Café, we volunteer repairers are obviously limited in the amount of time we can spend on one individual clock. However we have a high success rate, and we are often able to get a clock or watch working again or at least diagnose faults and give advice, although we frequently have to tell owners that their timepiece may need a more thorough overhaul in the near future, and that they should consider consulting a professional repairer, such as those who advertise in The Bridge magazine.” Many old and antique clocks are now family heirlooms, and hold significant sentimental value for their owners. It is worth remembering that a typical mechanical clock running day-in, dayout will ‘tick-tock’ maybe 30 million times in a year, and its smallest internal wheel will rotate at least a million times in the same period. Clock mechanisms are relatively robust and can run for some time without attention, but not forever! It is widely recommended that clocks should be cleaned and oiled every couple of years, and thoroughly serviced every five years. This helps prevent wear from building up to the point where it becomes really costly to repair. With clocks, as with most mechanical devices, preventive maintenance really pays dividends. The Repair Café will return to St George’s Hall as soon as we are able.
Community News
School Days Most children are no longer able to be at school as I write this. That prompted me to think about my own school days and in particular what I learned there that I still find useful. Well, in spite of the old statement trotted out when this sort of topic comes up, - "I've never used long division once I left school", I found I still use quite a lot of what I learned as a child. Here's some of my acquired wisdom. My infant school taught me that it is Very Dangerous to wave scissors around; that plasticine tastes awful; that sharpening pencils is one of life's quiet satisfactions. I could already read when I started school, so I learned that grownups don't know everything. My teacher seemed to suppose that Pat would sing to mother. If my brothers were anything to go by; this was rather unlikely; "Pat, whine to mother" was more like it, and he was equally unlikely to sit on a mat. I also learned not to sit in front of Angela who had a fascination with my plaits and spent far too long undoing them; on one occasion she cut a lump off one. (You see - 60 years later and it still rankles.) I don't remember much else from my Cedar Road Infants days that can be notched up as lasting learning. On to Junior school. I learned that Sums was a black pit of terrifying unknowing; that I couldn't wrestle inexplicable numbers into any logical shape. But well done, Mrs White; there is one thing I learned in that school that hand on heart has stood me in good stead ever since. We learned our tables. Every morning we chanted the twelve sets over and over till even I could remember them. Go on, ask me seven nines. I can answer quick as a flash. Twelve elevens? I'm your woman. And it is truly useful if I'm calculating the relative merits of a Bogof deal in Sainsburys or whether it would be a good idea to buy two pairs of shoes at once. When I was ten, we moved out of the town into a tiny village. Now I shared my classroom with another fifteen junior-age children who all shared the same classroom and teacher, Mr Smith, while his wife taught all the infants next door. These farming children had no particular interest in learning about Charles Dickens or Good Queen Bess, but were able to tell me what the AI man had done yesterday, (a clue: nothing to do with robots), why they had a lamb in the platewarming oven in the kitchen, and what went into cattle cake. After an interesting year, secondary school beckoned. For what, if anything, I learned there you will have to wait till the next instalment. Margaret Ashmore 13
Community News
Patient and Family Support Line Lead chaplain David Southall has set up a patient and relative emotional support helpline. The helpline provides assistance for county patients and their families in Worcestershire's hospitals, including the Worcester Royal Hospital. It offers a listening ear during a time when hospital ward visiting is restricted. The support line will run 24 hours a day and seven days a week. It will provide a listening service and emotional support as well as being able to signpost callers to other helping services within Worcestershire. Rev Southall said: “If you have someone you are concerned about in the hospital and want someone to listen to you, then this phone line can help. We are here for those patients and relatives who are unable to see one another due to the current situation. We can relay messages, hear peoples stories and provide support in what, for many, is a very distressing time.” The number of the support line is 0300
303 3544.
When I joined the newly formed Covid 19 support Facebook group, the brainchild of Corinne Bailey, I had no idea a month or so on I would be working with 60+ volunteers and helping to support our community in ways I could not have imagined. After chatting in the Facebook group on line, four of us met to discuss the on-coming crisis. We talked about the issues that may arise if the country was to be locked down (we were not at that time).
Bewdley In-Kind
We acknowledged that people would struggle to get food - at the time we were going through the big pasta and toilet roll hoarding phase! People would struggle to get prescriptions - the pharmacies were already starting to become overwhelmed. We talked about the impending job losses and the fact that the existing charities would not be able to cope with demand, as many of their volunteers would be within the age range considered to be the most vulnerable. In four weeks we have managed to build a fabulous team of around 60 volunteers, all DBS checked, who are keeping in contact with people regularly and helping with shopping, collecting prescriptions, emergency food parcels, specialist medicine collections amongst other things. Not all of our volunteers are able to go out, some are in isolation themselves but were determined to ‘do their bit’. We have volunteers working from home taking referrals and phoning people who are isolating and have no network of family or friends. That phone 14
call a few times a week makes such a difference to people who would otherwise have little or no human contact.
Bewdley In-Kind
We have a team of dedicated individuals from all walks of life, working round the clock to help to establish the team, examine avenues for funding and importantly getting help quickly to those who need it. We have leafleted the whole of Bewdley to reach those without access to social media. We have been touched by the generosity of people in our community. The links we have forged with St. Anne’s Church who have been collecting for the Franche food bank, who in turn are supplying us with emergency food parcels. Also, St.George’s Hall who offered us the use of a room for storage. Who could ever have imagined that a local estate agent would be offering their doorstep as a collection point for our food donations. Nice one, Richard and staff at Eden Estates ! Anyone who is a regular visitor to Bewdley’s wonderful Repair Café will know Phillip who is one of the veteran repairers. Whilst in isolation himself he wanted to offer his services to the community and will be available, on the phone, to help people who are having difficulties with anything electronic. The wonderful Ellie Hooper has a little cottage industry going making the delightful crochet rainbows and raising money for the Bewdleyin-Kind. I hope your fingers recover, Ellie! Jo Bloom, the woman who is determined that ‘nobody is going hungry on my watch’ collecting and distributing food to the people who need it. Her white van is a sight to behold, bursting at the seams with all kinds of food donated from supermarkets. The people to thank are almost too many. It has been said that it takes a crisis to get a community to come together and it would appear that it is very true. The team are so proud of being part of such a fantastic group of volunteers and will be forever grateful to those who have dropped everything to come on board with us on this journey. Some of them are fitting this work around their day jobs. As of today we have got help to over 260 people within the community and many of those are receiving regular contact, assistance and regular calls to ease anxiety at these troubling times. Yes we are all living through the worst of times but what a fantastic community to be a part of. I only hope that the links we are forging with members of the community continue in some way when we get back to normal, whatever that normal will be! We gain strength and fulfilment when we are part of a sharing, caring community, and Bewdley is certainly that, and more! Maureen Raybould Our website is www.bewdleyinkind.org.uk 15
Do you recognise anyone?
Just wondered if the attached picture would be of any interest to your readers. It’s some sort of Children’s Party at Wribbenhall Parish Rooms, probably about 1950. On the right hand side of the picture, I can pick out my aunt, Mrs Lilian Bridgeman, my grandmother Margaret English, who both lived in Castle Lane and a friend of my mother’s, Mrs Joyce Purcell, who lived in Northwood Lane. I was born in 1950 in Wribbenhall and can’t see myself on there, so I wonder if the there are any other 70 plus, long time Bewdley inhabitants who can recognise themselves? Regards Neil Sollom
Rock Pathfinders Free guided walks along our footpaths and bridleways taking 2-3 hours, off the roads and into the countryside. Our programme of group walks is cancelled during the current health situation. Please see our web site for updates as soon as the situation improves. Meanwhile, keep well and keep walking in our glorious countryside. Everyone Welcome For our full program visit www.rockpathfinders.uk please note new web address or ring Alan on 01299 400304 or Jan on 01299 832571 16
What I Did In he Lockdown An adult version of a well-known school essay. Gosh, I've been having fun! When I have phoned or emailed people, I have waited till their defences were down then asked the killer question: What have you been doing that you wouldn't have done under ordinary circumstances? Here's some of the answers. To spare their blushes I haven't named the guilty parties. I dangled two lumps of barley straw in my water butt to keep the water sweet. I climbed up some steps to empty the cupboard above the wardrobe. I found my old school sweater there. I gathered up all the pieces of material I have accumulated over the years, filled two bin bags and am waiting to give them to a school. I cut the hair of my son and his dad. We've bought three pigs. They are called Rasher, Digger and Spot. Instead of getting Easter eggs for my grandchildren, I sent them all a crisp £10 note in an individual envelope with an individual old fashioned letter to each one. I've painted the outside wall of the shed in the garden. I was going to do it when we moved here. That was fifteen years ago. I've got in touch with someone I haven't spoken to since we left secondary school twelve years ago. I made lunch using several things I didn't even know were in the larder. They were a tin of anchovies, a nearly-empty packet of macaroni and a tin of marrowfat peas. It tasted - strange. I found an old blouse my mum gave me years ago crammed into an old suitcase. I was going to make something useful out of it, then I thought, What the heck, and put it in the bin. I cleaned the living room window then took the curtains down and washed them too. I've cleaned the limescale off all the taps in the house. They look terrific now. And one from me: I've tidied up our Bridge website: deleted the spam and junk and answered all the outstanding emails. Margaret
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Times may be hard this year and we can't get out and about to take photos of this year's May, so we thought it might be nice to remind us of other Maytimes that have appeared in the Bridge in past years.
Pussywillow has been dropping its furry paws everywhere. This tree is ready to shed any time now May blossom: this apple tree produced a fine crop of James Grieves apples five months later. The froths of cow parsley have almost disappeared along the road edges and in the hedgerows. To be replaced by the larger wild carrot.
With our churches closed and locked, here's a reminder of happier times at St Leonard's church, Ribbesford one May morning a few years ago.
The trees seem at their most riotous at this time of year as they explode in an exuberant green.
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The May bank holiday sunshine brought out the crowds, the summer dresses and the cupcakes. And look! They're all hugging!
Quintessentially English, an oakwood with a shimmering blue carpet of bluebells. You can almost smell them.
A family from the Black Country having a day out in Jubilee Gardens. Ice creams and picnic at the ready!
Let us hope that a stroll down one of our North Worcester shire lanes will soon be something we can all enjoy.
A cherry tree whose fruit probably won't get much further than the nearest flock of birds. A tree that used to be very common in orchards round here, now more often seen singly still growing in a hedge.
And finally, something that has turned into a symbol everywhere to express our gratitude to all who are working so hard and so bravely for us at this time. A rainbow stretches across our river and town.
Arley School celebrated one of our May festivals with some maypole dancing on Severnside South. 19
Hunkered down for the duration - Bewdley in lockdown
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Short Walk - Round the Maypole Piece approx 3km
From Load Street, cross Bewdley Bridge on the right hand side and continue along the road to Beales Corner. Take the Stourport Road and then bear right along the riverside path to the right of the houses, and follow that path along the river until you cross a metal footbridge (you will have walked past a fence on your left enclosing the Bewdley School). Turn left and go through the gap in the fence into the playing field. Keeping the trees to your left walk along the edge of the field to Stourport Road. Go straight across the road and along a track towards the railway viaduct. There is an interesting modern house on your left as you go under the viaduct after which you turn immediately left. This path goes up alongside the railway line and then turns right. Continue uphill on this path. The path will flatten off with a field on your left (this is the Maypole piece) and, initially, woods on your right. It then drops downhill between gorse bushes. When you reach a cottage on the left, the path becomes a track which leads to Kidderminster Road. Once you reach the main Kidderminster road, turn left and return to the town centre passing All Saints’ Church and Wribbenhall Parish Room. Russ Fauset 21
Short Walk - Trimpley Lakes approx 4km
From the centre of Bewdley drive towards Kidderminster and then turn left along Northwood Lane, just past the garage and Co-op. Continue along Northwood to the end of quite a narrow road to a point where there are spaces for about 5 cars at the top of a sharp incline. Leave the parking area, following the river upstream. This is one of the nicest sections of the river in our area. The path turns to the left near some chalets and enters the Trimpley area after crossing a stream with a gate. Turn right uphill until you come to a road. Follow the road a short distance and turn right through a gate crossing the railway line. Continue straight on. The path starts to swing to the left and joins another path where you continue straight on up the hill. At the road go straight across and continue in the same direction until you come to a signpost where you turn left. Follow this main track all the way towards a cottage. At the cottage gate, go right and then immediately left into a field and follow the field round to the left around the cottage buildings. Go straight across the field. Climb the stile and continue down the path. Eventually there’s a cottage to the right and a path junction. If you want to continue to Arley, turn right and that path leads to the footbridge over the river. Alternatively, turn round and retrace your steps back to the car. Russ Fauset 22
The Bridge will be back once the lockdown is lifted
No social distancing rules were broken in the production of this magazine. Keep safe!