Three Counties NOW - November/December 2019

Three Counties

Now

Beautiful New Properties Available to buy in Stoke Lacy

FABULOUS FIREPLACES THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS HAMPER CHOOSING THE RIGHT SCHOOL NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2019 | ISSUE THREE

PI C I’M K M FR E U EE P

See page 9 for more information

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HOMES • GARDENS • FOOD & DRINK • WALKS • HEALTH & BEAUTY • WHAT’S ON • COMPETITIONS

n 2 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

Three Counties

08

Now 12

14

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2019 HOME & GARDEN 08

Fabulous Fireplaces

12

Nature Notebook

16

HEALTH & BEAUTY 14

18

The Perfect Christmas Hamper

FOOD & DRINK 16

Eat In or Eat Out This Christmas?

GOLDEN YEARS 18

24

Will You Be Lonely This Christmas?

EDUCATION 22

Choosing the Right Secondary School

OUR EVENTS DIARY 24

What’s on?

THREE COUNTIES

NOW 01905 723011

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22

EDITOR

DESIGN

CONTRIBUTORS

Dawn Pardoe PW Media & Publishing Ltd dawn@pw-media.co.uk

Paul Blyth paul@pw-media.co.uk

Daisy Bennett Frances Weeks Clearwell Caves Hereford Choral Society Vamos Theatre Worcester Festival Choral Society

ADVERTISING Emma Cox 01905 727902 emma@pw-media.co.uk

2nd Floor, Richardson House 24 New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DP

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without permission. Colour transparencies, prints or any pictoral media for this publication are sent at owner’s risk and whilst every care is taken, neither PW Media & Publishing Ltd or its agents accept liability for loss or damage. No editorial submissions will be returned unless accompanied by a Self Addressed Envelope. DISCLAIMER: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that adverts and articles appear correctly, PW Media & Publishing Ltd cannot accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the contents of this publication. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of its publisher or editor. Please note that if you enter a competition in the Three Counties Now magazine t @ThreeCountiesNOW | G ThreeCountiesNOW | w www.nowmagazines.co.uk 3 n your name and address may be forwarded to the host of said competition.

THE LATEST NEWS FROM YOUR AREA Hereford Choral Society’s autumn concert will be An English Idyll Hereford Choral Society © Karen Friedman

Hereford Choral Society, conducted by Geraint Bowen, will present an evening of beautiful, but thought-provoking, 20th-century English music in its autumn concert with the Hereford Sinfonia orchestra in Hereford Cathedral on Saturday 16 November at 7.30pm.

The three choral works in this concert were written in consecutive years from 1936 and it is easy to identify different reactions in them to the tensions of the time. Serenade to Music

by Ralph Vaughan Williams was originally composed for 16 named soloists, but later arranged in a choral version, which is the one to be performed in this concert. It sets Shakespeare’s words from The Merchant of Venice saying that ‘he man that hath no music

in himself [is only] fit for treasons, stratagems and spoil’ and that music and harmony come from the heavens.

Harmony, this time of the human kind, is the central theme of John Ireland’s These Things Shall Be, which provides an aspirational view of mankind. It is a setting of a poem by J Addington Symonds which may have raised eyebrows, particularly in 1937, with its opening reference to the rising of ‘ ...a loftier race than e’er the world hath known’; but the central tenet is that ‘Nation with nation, land with land, unarmed shall live as comrades free’.

Ireland’s stirring music is uplifting throughout, also aspiring to a harmony that would have seemed distant when it was first performed.

There is no doubting the darkness and sense of foreboding in Vaughan Williams’s Dona nobis pacem. Its premiere in 1936 fell two days before the anti-Fascist ‘Battle of Cable Street’ in London’s Whitechapel and will have reflected those dark times and a desire for peace. The texts were taken from the Mass, three poems by Walt Whitman, a political speech, and sections of the Bible, providing a powerful and dramatic work, ultimately leading to its uplifting and optimistic ending: ‘O man, greatly beloved, fear not!’

Soloists in the choral works are Rebecca Hardwick (soprano), Susanna Spicer (mezzo), Paul Smy (tenor) and Malachy Frame (bass/baritone).

The concert also includes one orchestral piece, George Butterworth’s Rhapsody on A Shropshire Lad, written as a postlude to his song cycle of the same name and premiered in 1913. It is credited with influencing the rhapsodies of other English composers of the period, including Ralph Vaughan Williams.

Tickets are priced at £10-£25, with two free tickets per adult for children under 16. They are available from the Box Office at the Courtyard Theatre, Hereford, HR4 9JR, tel 01432 340555, Email boxoffice@courtyard.org or via the Hereford Choral Society website: www.herefordchoralsociety.org.

COUNTDOWN TO CITY’S NEW FESTIVALS Four brand new festivals are set to take place in Worcester in 2020, showcasing national and international creative talent whilst supporting local emerging work.

The first of the four festivals is Worcester Light Night, taking place across the city centre on the evening of Thursday 16 January from 5.30 - 10pm, just 100 days from now! Light Night will be a free to access night where, using light, the city will be animated via installations and live performances.

Atmosphere, the second new festival will take place on Saturday 25 April. Atmosphere is a festival with a strong focus on the environment and the world we live in. It’s a festival to learn and question with a mix of

discussions, talks and live performances either inspired by the environment or with a clear message about the environmental and natural world.

Atmosphere will be followed by the third festival, Disrupting the Norm which will take place from 6 – 11 July. This will be a free to access festival with a range of events taking place throughout the week across the city.

The festival will feature a mix of pop up events and accidental art - making the everyday less ordinary in a fun and playful way for the duration of the festival.

Festival will be a 10 day city wide festival

The fourth of the new festivals is Worcester’s International Story Festival which will take place in October. The International Story

Anyone wishing to keep up to date

n 4 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

dedicated to stories; old stories, new stories, our stories, other people’s stories. Narrative will be at the heart of everything within the Story Festival. A mix of free to access and ticketed events will make up this festival; using indoor and outdoor unusual spaces across Worcester.

All

four

festivals

are

funded

through

The Arches – Worcester project by the Department of Culture Media and Sport Cultural Development Fund. n

with festival news can do so by visiting www.thearchesworcester.co.uk/about

HOME & GARDEN

Cele brati 37 ye ng in bu ars sines s

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HERE & NOW

Second Food Bank Opens in Ledbury Area leave the EU and there are long delays at the ports, they can cope with not only a problem with supply, but also any increase in demand.

Local people have been so generous with their donations of food and money at their Harvest Festivals that for the next month or two, there will be no problem. In the long term, however, the picture will be less certain until the future is clarified, and we know whether there will be a problem getting fresh food in from the EU.” Last year, the Food Bank was handing out an average of 40 handouts a week, for a yearly total of around 2,000 handouts.

The Ledbury area has a second food bank, which opened in Bosbury mid-October, in a climate of rising need.

New analysis shows that Ledbury Food Bank provided food for double the number of needy people in September 2019 as it did in 2018.

support, which we are delighted to be able to provide, and some come because they are what are now called ’JAM’s – ‘just about managing’. We welcome them all!”

Spokesman for the food bank, Martin Ham said, “We do get unexplained variations in the monthly take-up of food, but this one is dramatic.

He added: “At this time of year we have plenty of food as Harvest Festivals around the district have provided us with all we need – for now. At present we are only short of Christmassy items of all sorts, so that we can make Christmas a bit special”.

“Many of those who come have been floored by the unexpected and need short-term

Mr Ham added: “Ledbury Food Bank feels that in the short to medium term, if we do

But if the trend this autumn become the norm, the average figure could feasibly double.

The new Bosbury Food Bank, at the parish hall, was described by Mr Ham as “the first trailblazing example in this area of a food bank bringing food to the people rather than inviting the people to travel to a central food bank”.

He added: “The reason for setting up in the Bosbury area is that it helps people with the cost of transport. The cost of even a short or medium ride is significant either by car or by bus, and it takes time. n

Barclays to Continue

Service Through Post Offices MP Jesse Norman has expressed his delight at the news that Barclays has agreed to continue to offer a full range of services through Post Office counters, especially cash withdrawals.

Many local residents, especially those in rural locations without cashpoints, had been dismayed when Barclays announced that they would stop allowing Post Office cash withdrawals.

At the time Monmouth MP David Davies said: “Last year 15 million cash withdrawals were made from Post Offices by Barclays customers. Ending the ability to get cash from the Post Office is going to make life incredibly difficult for many people.

The decision will hit rural communities especially hard. Already bank branches are closing and cash machines are disappearing, the Post Office was the last resort for some customers who need cash.”

Mr Norman recently posted: “Fantastic news that after a great deal of close discussion Barclays have agreed to offer the full range of services again through Post Office counters!!

“Will make a huge difference across my constituency from Hay to Hereford to Ross.” n n 6 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

‘More than enough’: Ludlow’s mayor calls for a halt on charity shops

The mayor of Ludlow has said that there are enough charity shops in his town.

Councillor Tim Gill was speaking in support of fellow councillor Andy Boddington who said ‘enough is enough’.

There are currently nine charity shops in the town and Councillor Gill said he would like to see the same incentives that the charity shops enjoy, such as lower business rates, extended to new business.

“My view is that we have more than enough charity shops in Ludlow. If we have any more Ludlow runs the risk of losing its individuality. n

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HOME & GARDEN

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Contura wood burning stoves n 8 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

HOME & GARDEN

Three Counties

Now

If you would like to advertise in our next issue please contact our sales team.

Emma Cox Tel: 01905 727902 Email: emma@pw-media.co.uk

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HOME & GARDEN Whether you’re looking for a traditional fireplace or modern alternatives, there are plenty to choose from. Get cosy this winter as we look into choosing the perfect fireplace for you.

Ancient dwellings had the basic open fire pit dug into the centre of the room. It wasn’t until around the 11th Century that the chimney was invented, allowing smoke and fumes to escape safely. Early fires in the home were used for practical purposes; heating the home, cooking and a place for people to gather around. It wasn’t until the 19th Century, that the fireplace began to gain a more visual interest. Gone were the basic brick and stone built hearth and in came the more intricate wood, marble and granite surrounds. The firebox containing the fuel was of cast iron construction and bordered with decorative tiles. The Victorians wanted to create a centre piece that was more visually appealing.

During the 20th Century, more simplistic design became fashionable, electric fires were popular and the grand designs of the Victorian and Edwardian eras were slowly going out of fashion.

Many homes started to remove their hearths and surrounds after the introduction of central heating systems; seen as a more efficient way at the time of heating your home. The focal point of the room was now the television, making the grand fireplace designs redundant.

Ethanol choice. The most eco-friendly way, Danish stove and outdoor living brand, Morsø

bio ethanol fuel is a type of alcohol (toxicated so it becomes unsuitable for consumption), which is turned into a fuel for bio fireplaces.

Completely renewable and green fuel with a natural flame, it can come in traditional or modern style, with no ash or mess. The fuel is produced from food waste and burns cleanly.

As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, it’s time to transform our homes into a warm and gorgeous haven of cosiness.

One of the best ways to raise your home’s temperature this winter, is with the ecofriendly and portable bioethanol fireplace by Danish manufacturer, Le Feu (below). Keeping your home snug and stylish all year round, this hygge inspired fireplace is made from recycled cast iron, powered by bioethanol fuel and emits no smoke, making it a fantastic choice

and require no cleaning, making the choice perfect for a modern home.

for the environmentally conscious.

If you are looking for a more traditional look to your home then a wood burning stove or fire pit could be the solution for you. Wood burning appliances have come a long way with regulations being tightened to help reduce emissions. Proper ventilation is the key. Due to poor quality solid fuels releasing the most smoke, be sure to choose sealed glass fronted appliances such as stoves as the best way to burn solid fuel. And if the electricity goes out in your home, your wood fireplace can be beneficial helping keep warm, cooking and seeing in the dark!

as does not require the need for a chimney

Modern homes are heated by gas central heating, but many homeowners are finding that it can be inefficient and are looking to save costs, eliminate pollution, and improve the health and safety of our homes. People are now seeking to heat their homes in a more cost effective way, looking for eco friendly ways to get warm in the colder months.

Modern fireplace styles are sleek, simple and intricate. Choosing an electric fireplace is seen to be the most energy efficent way to heat the home. The E-NEO3C Electric from ACR Stoves (shown left) is a contemporary styled stove with the distinctive feature of two side window panels allowing the flame effect to be viewed from the sides as well as the front of the stove. Standing on an open cupboard base to give additional height and presence, this makes an ideal choice for open plan living and conservatories.

Gas fired fires for the home also use little energy and are inexpensive to run. No smoke is produced with flueless gas fires are 100% efficient. They produce continuous heat n 10 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

Le Feu is a really clever bio-ethanol fireplace, which makes it perfect for those that are unable to install a traditional fireplace or log burner. Powered by burning natural bio ethanol fuel, Le Feu doesn’t emit nasty emissions into the atmosphere so you can cosy up in front of your contemporary fireplace feeling guilt-free! Easy to install and designed with 360º rotation, position your bioethanol fire anywhere you choose and save on floor space! n

By Daisy Bennett

HOME & GARDEN

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NATURE NOTEBOOK

Wild and Well Volunteering for The Wildlife Trusts isn’t just great for wildlife, it’s good for you too, as nature and wellbeing manager, Dom Higgins explains.

Volunteers are incredible people.

Where would The Wildlife Trusts be without them? They help us to manage our nature reserves, run events, raise vital funds for conservation work and inspire countless people to take action for nature. By giving up their time they have chosen to help local wildlife and wild places to recover and thrive.

Good for nature, good for you We all know that our volunteers do wonderful things for wildlife, but did you know that volunteering with your Wildlife Trust increases your health and happiness? Part of the secret to volunteering must be the feel-good factor you get from joining in. Giving increases our feeling of self-worth. It gives our lives meaning – a sense of purpose.

KEEP UP TO DATE Herefordshire Wildlife Trust @HerefordshireWT t HerefordshireWT G www.herefordshirewt.org w

There’s plenty of hard evidence, too. An evaluation carried about by The University of Essex found that the mental wellbeing of more than two-thirds of Wildlife Trust volunteers improved after just 6 weeks. Those new to volunteering, or starting with poor levels of mental wellbeing, made the greatest improvements. Those already volunteering with their Wildlife Trust had higher levels of mental wellbeing to start with but continued to improve.

n 12 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

And it’s not only the volunteers who feel better; there are also benefits for the wider community. By creating a new wetland or wildflower meadow that gives local people more access to nature, volunteers are providing a public health service!

Nature on prescription It’s time to recognise the value of nature for wellbeing, both in terms of health and economics. To really see the benefits of this approach, we need a change of mindset. Nature volunteering is a great start, but we can go further.

We also need investment in targeted programmes, specifically designed to improve mental, physical and social wellbeing. A return of £6.88 for every £1 invested in targeted Wildlife Trusts programmes strengthens the argument for ‘nature on prescription’ to be standard practice for GPs and NHS mental health providers, supported by specifically allocated NHS funding.

By giving nature a larger role in our everyday lives, we can create a healthier and wilder future. n To find out more about volunteering with Herefordshire Wildlife Trust contact Rachel Hibberd: r.hibberd@herefordshirewt.co.uk

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The Perfect Christmas Hamper Delve into these Christmas treats and create your own hamper for family and friends.

Whether it’s their favourite tipple or something to satisfy their sweet tooth, make them merry by buying these fabulous gifts.

PECKHAM IPA - £2.10 Brick Brewery started life in the shed of founder Ian Stewart’s garden in Peckham. The name Brick Brewery is a nod to the bricks of the railway arch in which the brewery began its life and which now houses the Taproom. www.brickbrewery.co.uk

GARDEN BIRD COASTERS SET OF 4 - £14.95 Based in the Cotswold countryside Sam Wilson creates drawings & bold linoprint designs inspired by her printmaking and illustration background. www.samwilsonstudio.com

ALMOND & ORANGE MINCEMEAT - £4.60 A great twist on a British classic.

Simply prepared with fresh Bramley apples, plump vine fruits, lively citrus and a measure of brandy. This mincemeat does not contain any suet so it is suitable for vegetarians. www.rosebudpreserves.co.uk ST. PETER’S BREWERY WHISKY BEER - £3.50 The new St Peter’s Brewery Whisky Beer is a superbly balanced golden beer with smokey overtones and aromas of peated malt, combined with a measure of award-winning whisky from The English Whisky Co. – the first English Whisky distillery in over 100 years. The new beer is available to buy from www.stpetersbrewery.co.uk and The English Whisky Co. shop and www.englishwhiskyco.co.uk

GINGERBREAD FUDGE TIN - £7.96 This rich and creamy traditional fudge is made with real butter from an age-old Scottish recipe, but with a festive twist of sticky treacle and spicy ginger. www.cartwrightandbutler.co.uk

LILLYPUDS ZINGER GINGER PUDDING - £7.95 Searching for a delicious alternative to Christmas pudding? Then look no further than LillyPuds’ new Great British Favourites range. www.lillypuds.co.uk

n 14 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

NORDES ATLANTIC GALICIAN GIN £39.95 Nordés uses the iconic white Albariño grape and local botanicals such as sage, laurel and samphire, this savoury gin takes the drinker on a journey through its origins: the breeze of the Atlantic, beautiful coastal landscapes, vineyards and historic heritage. The ice bucket is ideal for cocktails & at home G&T. www.masterofmalt.com

Three Counties

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If you would like to advertise in our next issue please contact our sales team.

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FOOD & DRINK

Eat In or Eat Out

This Christmas?

What do you picture when someone says Christmas dinner? Are you in the comfort of your own home surrounded by your family or are you in a cosy pub enjoying a stress-free meal?

Eating Out? Research shows that the amount of people choosing to dine out for Christmas is on the rise. The amount of people eating out for Christmas dinner has been steadily rising year on year. The amount of people that dine out for their Christmas meal rose by 43% last year with the British public choosing a cosy pub or luxurious restaurant over their own dining rooms.

What is it about eating out that’s got us hooked?

Perhaps the idea of cooking for your extended family and friends is just too daunting for some.

Being treated and waited on is a much more relaxing way to spend the festive season.

For others the idea of spending a couple of hundred per head on Christmas dinner at an already expensive time of the year is simply too much and not in the spirit of Christmas.

We all like to think that our decorations are the best, but let’s be honest sometimes there’s nothing better than a cosy pub topped off with a roaring fire and traditional Christmas decorations, what could be more British than that?

has a bit more meat on it and scores well in the

The cost of eating out can turn people off the idea, but not to worry. Whether you’re a fan of Marcus Wareing and fancy his 6-course menu for £375 a head; or fancy a cosy Christmas down at your local pub for an average price of £40 per person. There really is something for everyone, no matter what their budget.

dominated the mass market partly because

Eating In? With the vast array of delicious goodies available from local suppliers for Christmas dinner deciding what to have can be a huge undertaking all by itself.

flavour department. Finally there’s the white turkey, a great, big, bosomy bird that delivers slice after slice of pristine white meat but can be short on flavour if not sourced carefully.

These

white

feathered

birds

originally

when plucked their white feathers left white stubs. Unlike the Norfolk Black which when plucked leaves a host of black specks to spoil the look of the breast to some eyes. Allow 500g of bird weight per person.

Or

maybe

you’re

looking

to

have

a

vegetarian or vegan main course. 2019 has truly been a great year to be vegetarian with several stores increasing their selection of meat free options. Which means you won’t just be handed extra vegetables to

With the stress of wrapping those lastminute presents and catering to the needs of your fussy relatives it’s no wonder people are turning to restaurants for their festive fix.

Having someone else prepare an extravagant roast for the whole family helps to take the strain away from the designated chef.

Should this be the year you have a goose?

The meat is very rich and moist, the fat left in the pan after cooking is fantastic for roasting potatoes and baking. But delicious though it is, a goose is a bony bird and that means small portions for a family of half a dozen keen eaters. Allow 700g of bird weight per person.

fill your plate. From roast stuffer cauliflower

Eating out means each person can choose what they want to eat. Even the fussiest of eaters can pick and choose their favourite bits, letting you relax and enjoy the festive feast.

The last decade has seen a comeback from the Norfolk Black – great flavour, but this is a bird with big bones and a grudging amount of meat. Or there’s the Bronze turkey, this one

This will ensure your food meets all the

n 16 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

to butternut squash & beetroot wellington, you’re sure to find something to make the meat eaters jealous.

Whatever you decide, order from your local butcher or grower, do it in plenty of time so it arrives in your kitchen in perfect condition. families’ expections. n

FOOD & DRINK

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GOLDEN YEARS

Will You Be

Lonely This Christmas?

The adverts tell us it is the most wonderful time of the year, but for many people the festive season serves to heighten their feelings of loneliness.

The traditional christmas images

Century living. “For example, parents have

occurring at certain times like Sundays, bank

of family and friends together;

encouraged their children to move hundreds

holidays or Christmas. Or loneliness can be

of eating, drinking and being

of miles away to get an education or to

chronic; this means someone feels lonely all or

merry are at odds with the actual experiences

get a job to better themselves. That’s what

most of the time. Loneliness is linked to social

of thousands of people across the country.

parents want, for their children to do better

isolation but it is not the same thing. Isolation

For some, the reality is bereavement, the

than them. “But a consequence of that is that

is an objective state whereby the number of

breakdown of relationships or health issues

there might be older people or grandparents

contacts a person has can be counted. One way

can amplify feelings of isolation at this time of

who are sitting alone because their family is

of describing this distinction is that you can be

year. On the BACP website, BACP-accredited

hundreds of miles away at the other end of the

lonely in a crowded room, but you will not be

psychotherapist Madeleine Bocker said “for

country with their own work/life pressures.”

socially isolated.

The Campaign to End Loneliness state there

So how can we help people to not feel

are 1.2 million chronically lonely older people

isolated this Christmas? Danuta added: “It’s a

in the UK and 9 million lonely people. They

difficult one – you can’t assume that if people

state there are different types of loneliness:

are by themselves they want someone to

emotional loneliness is felt when we miss

pop round. Where some people might want

the companionship of one particular person;

company, there are people who don’t want it.

often a spouse, sibling or best friend or social

“Be aware of who your neighbours are and

loneliness is experienced when we lack a

if they are on their own. Have a meaningful

wider social network or group of friends.

conversation. Ask them how they spent their

people who are not part of that, it can be very painful. “In the first instance, people will not want to be asked to go out and to start making contact as they are most likely ashamed of being lonely. It can be very hard.”

Indeed, the holiday season can exacerbate feelings of loneliness for many people, says BACP member Danuta Lipinska. “The commercialism

and

materialism

around

the holiday has helped to these feelings

holidays in the past.

of loneliness and isolation for people,”

Loneliness can be a transient feeling that comes

she said. “It’s become an issue around 21st

and goes. It can be situational; for example only

n 18 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

CONTINUED OVER THE PAGE

GOLDEN YEARS

t @ThreeCountiesNOW | G ThreeCountiesNOW | w www.nowmagazines.co.uk 19 n

GOLDEN YEARS

Loneliness can lead to health issues, as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigerettes a day, more visits to your doctor surgery so why not try speaking to a local BACP counsellor or psychotherapist about loneliness this Christmas as a present to yourself www.bacp.co.uk is a good place to start.

On their website Madeleine Bocker gives her tips to end loneliness for you to try: • Have compassion with yourself. We know people don’t always want to be asked to go out and to make contact.

• Don’t judge yourself. Everyone feels lonely sometimes, but it doesn’t mean you are not a really loveable person.

• Pets are loving to their owners and can improve mental well-being. Having a dog, for example, takes you out of the house for walks and the benefits of fresh air, meeting people and getting exercise.

• At the start of the week plan out your highlights in your diary to look forward to. Maybe going to the cinema, your

favourite TV programme, a visit from or to a friend.

• If you think you haven’t got someone, the world is full of people who think they haven’t got anyone either. Try to be pro-active and invite people to visit or make contact with neighbours.

• Physical touch can be very good. Things like applying moisturiser, brushing your hair or massaging your feet. Book a massage or a head massage with your hair cut.

• Think how you can add value and meaning to your daily life. Think about what you like to do or how you could use your time. What about volunteering for a charity, starting a business or taking up a hobby?

• If your family has moved away or you can’t be with them, keep in touch with them via Skype, FaceTime or similar apps.

• If you are feeling really low, talk to your GP and find a good therapist. n

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We offer: • 24 hour Nursing Care in a warm and friendly environment • Single and Double Bedrooms (Ensuite) • Specialist Care for Nursing, Dementia and Palliative/End Of Life Care • Weekly Activities Package, Day trips and Visits to the pub arranged • Large Gardens where you can watch our resident Shetland pony, cat and chickens go about their day.

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Contact Carol or Vicky on 01562 710 809 or visit us at Yew Tree Place, Romsley, B62 0NX n 20 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

GOLDEN YEARS

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Winners

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EDUCATION

Choosing the Right

Secondary School

Choosing the most appropriate secondary school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will have to make for them.

Therefore, it is essential that you start considering the options in advance. While academic success rates will play an important role in your ultimate decision, it is equally as important to visit a school in order to ensure that it is the right choice for your child as an individual. Here are a few tips on what to look out for when you begin to make this all important decision.

Entry Requirements

are continually looking further than academic

It’s a good idea to find out whether any

results when deciding who to accept.

Before the Open Day: Academic Achievement While everything on this list is important, nothing will give you a better idea of how well a school operates than its academic record. If a school delivers particularly good (or bad!) academic results, there is a reason for that.

Ensure you attend an open day and discuss with appropriate members of staff what their curriculum includes and how that will benefit your child. Remember, Ofsted reports are available to view online.

schools in your area have entry requirements.

If they do, these may serve as a sensible guideline as to its suitability for your child.

Behaviour The easiest way of figuring out how behaviour is in a school is by visiting it. Observe how

During the Open Day: Travel

the children there behave as they make their

Consider how far your child will have to

way to lessons and how they act in class.

travel and how they will get to school. If a

While you can’t expect high school children

school is more than a mile away, how will

to be entirely sedate, if you suspect that bad

your child get there? Are there buses from

behaviour would interfere with your child’s

your area? These practical considerations

education it’s a good idea to look elsewhere.

are as important as the academic ones.

This may also help in narrowing your list of potential schools down.

College and Career As your child continues through his or her academic career, they will have to start

Extra Curricular Activities

thinking about what they are going to do after

Excelling in extra curricular activities will

they leave school. It is crucial for a high school

become an asset to your child as he or she

to offer college and career advice, supporting

continues through their education. Be sure to

your child through their post-school decisions

find out exactly what potential schools have

as well as their GCSE exams. Remember to

on offer. Remember, colleges and universities

find out what services are available. n

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EDUCATION

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What's On

NOVEMBER Tuesday 5th The Annual Pembridge Village Bonfire and Fireworks Display Gate opens at 6.00pm. Bonfire lit at 6.30pm.

Fireworks start at 7.00pm. Free entry for all, this is a ‘not for profit’ event and everyone who supports and works for this event is a volunteer. There will be donation buckets on the night, donations are greatly received as this enables us to pay for next years fireworks and other Pembridge Village community projects. As always there will be a marquee with hot dogs and burgers available, and a bar serving drinks. Why not make a night of it! STRICTLY NO SPARKLERS PLEASE.

Wednesday 6th A Christmas Fair Lyde, Arundel, Hereford, HR4 7SN. 10am3pm. Stalls, refreshments, raffle to be drawn on the day.. All proceeds go to support Herefordshire Samaritans. Thanks to Mr & Mrs R. Watkins, Lyde, Arundel. Entry: £5.00

Saturday 9th FURZIE Wool Sculpture Courses Needle-felt an animal at Trumpet Corner Gallery and Tea Room near Ledbury. Course cost £55 and includes: A full day 10.00am – 4.30pm and all materials, a light lunch, tea and coffee. You will learn how to needle-felt with wool and how to make a wire armature.

There is an option to purchase felting tools and mat before or after course. To book: Phone 01594 516906 Email: felt@furzie.co.uk www.furzie.co.uk

Sunday 10th Sourdough Bread Workshop Learn how to make your very own sourdough bread from just flour, water and salt at The Mint Shed, The Hop Pocket, Bishops Frome, WR6 5BT. This hands-on workshop with Peter Cooks Bread will remove the mystery behind the world of sourdough. We’ll explain the basic principles, leaving the complex jargon at the door. You’ll learn how to make and look after your own starter with a lifetime guarantee. We’ll then guide you through each step of the bread-making process.

From kneading, to proving, to shaping, and of course baking. Including how to make your very own party centre-piece Focaccia. And while we’re at it, we’ll explain just what goes into your average ‘sourdough’ supermarket loaf. Be warned, you’ll never want to go back. You’ll leave armed with a box full of your own sourdough bread, a pot of Peter Cooks Bread starter, and all the information and recipes you need to recreate your own sourdough bread at home. The workshop

takes place in our commercial bakery at the Hop Pocket, just a short drive from Ledbury and Malvern. Refreshments and snacks will be provided throughout the day, along with a hearty lunch. Maximum workshop size: 10.

Cost – £150 hello@petercooksbread.co.uk to arrange payment by cheque, BACS or to redeem a gift voucher.

the open-air ice rink, the Christmas Market at Gloucester Quays is a must visit. Visitors can expect to find stalls selling beautiful bespoke gifts, tasty tipples and entertainment from Victorian characters. Feel the festive magic with carols and Victorian fairground rides, as well as getting the Christmas shopping completed. www.gloucesterquays.co.uk

Tuesday 12th

Saturday 16th

Ludlow Christmas Fair Ludlow Christmas Fair is an excellent opportunity for Christmas Shopping under one roof. Over 55 stalls at Ludlow Racecourse Bromfield, SY8 2BT Ludlow Christmas Fair is an excellent opportunity for Christmas Shopping under one roof. Over 55 stalls selling a wide and varied range of items that would be perfect for Christmas presents (Father Christmas does not visit us, and while some stalls sell specific Christmas items, the majority do not). All money raised goes towards the Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry.

Hereford Choral Society’s Autumn Concert - An English Idyll Hereford Choral Society, conducted by Geraint Bowen, will present an evening of beautiful, but thought-provoking, 20thcentury English music in its autumn concert with the Hereford Sinfonia orchestra in Hereford Cathedral. Soloists in the choral works are Rebecca Hardwick (soprano), Susanna Spicer (mezzo), Paul Smy (tenor) and Malachy Frame (bass/baritone). The concert also includes one orchestral piece, George Butterworth’s Rhapsody on A Shropshire Lad, written as a postlude to his song cycle of the same name and premiered in 1913. It is credited with influencing the rhapsodies of other English composers of the period, including Ralph Vaughan Williams. Conductor: Geraint Bowen.

Tickets are priced at £10-£25, with two free tickets per adult for children under 16.

They are available from the Box Office at the Courtyard Theatre, Hereford, HR4 9JR. Tel 01432 340555

Thursday 14th Cake Decorating & Sugarcraft Demonstrations Ludlow Sugarcrafters (formerly Ludlow British Sugarcraft Guild) are hosting a demonstration by Tony Warren, a leading sugarcraft artist and author. He will be making a Christmas rose and a miltassia orchid. All are welcome - you don’t have to be a sugarcrafter to enjoy the session at the Whitefriars Community Centre, Whitefriars Road, Ludlow SY8 1RG, 7.30pm start. Admission is £6.00 for visitors. Tea, coffee and biscuits are included. Contact Doreen Auger on 07415 138504 for further information.

Thursday 14th - Sunday 24th Gloucester Quays Christmas Market Drawing in a whopping half a million people in 2018, the Victorian Christmas Market will be returning to Gloucester Quays once again from Thursday 14 November to Sunday 24 November 2019. Featuring over 150 festive stalls, tasty food and the return of

Bromyard Fireworks Display Bromyard’s very own firework spectacular, fun for all the family. Come down to the Rifle Range Bromyard Football Club HR7 4NT. Bromyard’s very own firework spectacular, fun for all the family. We have a bonfire at 5.30pm followed by a fireworks display. www.bromyardfestivals.co.uk

Saturday 23rd November Monday 23rd December 2019 Christmas on the Farm Cotswold Farm Park. Playing host to Father Christmas and his cheeky elves, Cotswold Farm Park launches Christmas on the Farm,

>> n 24 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

Three Counties

Now

If you would like to advertise in our next issue please contact our sales team.

Emma Cox Tel: 01905 727902 Email: emma@pw-media.co.uk

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What's On

Archie and the Unicorn, Christmas at Clearwell Caves If you are looking for something lovely to do with the family this Christmas, look no further, it’s here on your doorstep!! Here is something very special and different; a real Christmas Grotto experienced as you walk through impressive underground caverns.

Wonderful colourful displays have been created by the Caves in their own inimitable style and of course there’s a chance for everyone to meet Father Christmas. This super Christmas event is popular with so many families because of wonderful displays, that this year will be telling the story of Archie and the Unicorn. Children see Father Christmas and from 2-14yrs old, they choose a present, then you follow the story through the Caves; like walking through a pop-up

book. Half-way through the caverns, there are Christmas stalls selling fun decorations and stocking fillers, or you can visit the underground café, for hot drinks and cakes, before continuing the journey. There is ample parking.

The Cave’s Christmas event runs from 29th November to 24th December 2019. Then after Christmas 27th to 31st December for displays only. Booking is online at www.learwellcaves.com/ events/#event-calender. There is a magical late evening every Friday until 8pm. Popular times are filling fast so make sure you book before dates are filled.

for the 2019 festive season. Offering a magical experience for both children and those who are young at heart, Cotswold Farm Park will host Father Christmas and his elves this festive season. Taking place on various dates from Saturday 23 November until Monday 23 December 2019, children will get the chance to enter Father Christmas’s luxurious grotto to meet the man of the moment, before enjoying access to the Toy Room to choose a gift and see a photograph of themselves with Santa.

Youngsters will also be able to peek inside the elves’ workshop, and make their very own Christmas Eve box, and then explore all of the fun activities on site at the farm park – making an idyllic festive day out for the whole family. This event books up fast, so families wishing to enjoy the ultimate Christmassy day out are advised to book online as soon as possible. Visitors can also personalise their grotto experience, thanks to an online questionnaire that’s sent to guests nearer the time of their visit. www. cotswoldfarmpark. co.uk. Prices vary, with entrance ranging from £7 for members, through to £24 for standard entry. Tel: (01451) 850307

Thursday 28th November Sunday 1st December

28th November 2019

Cinderella You’ll have a ball at everyone’s favourite pantomime, Cinderella! This magical, familyfriendly show will be packed with spectacular costumes, magnificent sets anda coachload of hilarity, slapstick, song and dance that all make a trip to The Courtyard anunmissable Christmas treat. What’s more, with not one but two devious dames in the shape of theUgly Sisters, this year’s show is set to be double the fun! Prepare to boo, hiss and cheer–oh yes you will!–in this sparkling festive treat.

Hay Festival Winter Weekend Hay on Wye, Herefordshire. Festival magic for all the family. Enjoy Hay Festival Winter Weekend and the start of Advent in Hay on Wye. Hay Festival Winter Weekend is an annual festival of ideas just before Christmas in Hay-on-Wye. Events take place at venues around the town, and include a wide range of author conversations, music, comedy and performance, as well as workshops for young people. The programme also includes: The switching on of Hay Christmas Lights where local choirs will sing and there will be mince pies and mulled wine. Hay Winter Food Festival is on Saturday in the Market Square with over 40 local exhibitors.

All this and a spectacular line up of talks and music and poetry, visit the website for more information on all this and to book tickets.

PRICES APPLY AT INDIVIDUAL EVENTS. www.hayfestival.com/winterweekend

Worcester Victorian Fayre The Victorian Fayre was first started back in 1992 by traders from picturesque New Street and Friar Street. Now in its 27th year, the Fayre may have grown a lot but it has stayed true to its traditional roots with plenty of Victorian themed characters, festive treats and a wonderful atmosphere.

This year there will be almost 200 stalls across the city centre, selling local arts and crafts, delicious street food and gifts.As well as a wonderful array of stalls, we are looking forward to a fantastic programme of entertainment. Look out for Victorian characters in Gin Lane, lofty entertainers on stilts, brilliant musicians on our stages and buskers on every street corner. There really is something for everyone and we hope you have a wonderful time! Worcester Tourist Information Centre Tel: 01905 726311. Email: christmas@worcester.gov.uk

Friday 29th November Saturday 11th January

DECEMBER Friday 6th FURZIE Wool Sculpture Courses Needle-felt an animal at Trumpet Corner Gallery and Tea Room near Ledbury. Course cost £55 and includes: A full day 10.00am – 4.30pm and all materials, a light lunch, tea

n 26 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019

and coffee. You will learn how to needle-felt with wool and how to make a wire armature.

There is an option to purchase felting tools and mat before or after course. To book: Phone 01594 516906 Email: felt@furzie.co.uk www.furzie.co.uk

Friday 13th Christmas Murder Mystery Burton Court, Eardisland, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 9DN. ‘Who Killed Santa?!’

Back by popular demand – a Christmas Murder Mystery. The evening will commence with reception drinks whilst you meet the actors. This will be followed by dining in our festivally decorated medieval Great Hall. A Three Course seasonal menu will accompany the entertainment. The actors will mingle onto each table and provide clues and fun interactions as the plot thickens… A murder will take place and it is up to your table to work together as a team to find out ‘who dunnit’. This event encourages a great team building exercise and prizes will be given to the winning table. This unique experience is available at only £45 + VAT a head and will include: Reception drinks; House Wine on Tables; Three Course Meal; and fabulous Christmas decor throughout our main rooms. www.burtoncourt.com

Sunday 15th Santa Run Hereford Maylords Orchards, Hereford. Join hundreds of Santas dashing through Hereford on Sunday, 15th December. Choose from a 2.5k or 5k course. Each route is fully signed and marshalled. At the finish line, you’ll receive a medal, bottle of water and later the chance to check your time online. Children aged five and over are permitted to enter the 2.5K (please be aware this involves crossing West Street). Children aged eight and over are permitted to enter either the 2.5K or 5K. An adult must accompany anyone under the age of 16 for the duration of the event. For full details see the website www.st-michaels-hospice.org.uk

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n 28 | Three Counties Now | Issue Three | November - December 2019