PAGE 22 • FESTIVE NEWS • DECEMBER 2018
By Tracy Morriss
Deputy Town Clerk
It has been another busy year for Hereford City Council working on many
new community projects and continuing to support and expand other already
existing projects.
March saw the opening of the Silver Room in the Mayor’s Parlour part of
the Mayoral Suite. Before this the City’s silver and charters dating back to
1189 were in a vault in the basement . Visitors could only see these treasures
by appointment and if able to negotiate the winding staircase down to the
basement which itself was unfit to store important relics. The Silver Room
is fully accessible, and the purpose built environmentally conditioned
museum units ensure this priceless collection will be preserved for
generations to come. The Guild of Guides volunteers are on duty on a
Monday and Wednesday. Groups can be booked outside of opening hours
through the Mayor’s Secretary.
The Tourist information Centre in the Butter Market has gone from
strength to strength providing information both for residents and tourists
alike and has a range of items for sale.
Following regular ongoing consultation the Hereford City Community
Led Plan has been updated and new objectives guide the City Council with
improvements. A copy of the plan is available at the Town Hall or on line
www.herefordcitycouncil.gov.uk
The City Council continues to work on the Hereford Area Plan with an
array of partners shaping the future look and feel of the City. The plan will
identify housing and employment areas, areas for recreation and
conservation as well as setting planning policies for the future. Fourteen
community projects have been supported with grants.
Hereford has twinned with the Polish city, Jaworzno. The new partnership
will enhance co-operation between the two cities, offering opportunities for
businesses and community groups to establish links and exchanges. Contact
the Mayor’s office to register your interest.
The City Council worked in partnership with the Skate Park on Holmer
Road to develop a community project to show case and promote local art
by students from Hereford Art College and local artists. Two plinths were
built free by Trueland Construction, Cemex and Tudors. The first sculpture
by the art college, The Rotherwas Angel in memory of the thousands of
women who made bombs at the Rotherwas munition factories in two world
wars, was unveiled in July by the Lord Lieutenant, Lady Darnley. It will
shortly be moved to a permanent location at Rotherwas. Any local artists
interested in displaying their work should contact the skatepark directly.
Hereford City Community Group Achievement Awards
The great work of our City’s community groups was celebrated at the
annual Community Group Achievement Awards organised by Hereford City
Council.
The Youth Project Award awarded by Hereford City Youth Council and
supported by Kidwells was won to the Wellbeing Ambassadors. Supported
by the CLD Trust this group of young people have given 349 hours of
volunteering time, have been involved in many initiatives showing
dedication, commitment and desire to improve mental health services and
get the voice of children and young people heard..
The Communities in Bloom Award awarded by Hereford in Bloom was
awarded to The Country Park Supporters at Belmont who develop and
maintain the park. The prize money was used to plant a new oak tree. The
park is a great community asset.
The winners of the Community Group Achievement Award 2018 were the
Tupsley Whitehouse Community Hub. The Hub, formerly the Whitehouse
pub caters for young and old, ranging from activities for children during the
school holidays, bowling, snooker, lego, social evenings, and afternoon drop-
ins. It is run entirely by volunteers.
Second place went to Putson Community Association. The group have set
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up a community café at Saxon Hall supported by
50 plus volunteers and benefiting more than 2000
people within the local community. The café is run
by Echo, a group supporting people with
disabilities..
Third place went to South Wye Development
Trust. whose Community Meals project has been
running for 8 years and delivers a community
meal every 6 weeks where people between the
ages of 60 to 90 are brought together to socialise.
Hereford City Youth Council
The Youth Council, now in its third year.
represents the city’s young people.. For example,
it has members on the Hereford Area Plan
committee to ensure young people have a say in
shaping the future of their City. It also stages an
annual Youth Conference to ensure the youth
voice is heard. Healthwatch have consulted them
on their thoughts and ideas with regards to the
mental health services for young people. The
youngsters also take part in lots of fun activities.
Hereford City Sculpture Trail
The City Council in collaboration with Garth
Lawson and the Hereford College of Arts have
produced a sculpture trail promoting tourism and
arts, heritage and culture as well as fitness and
wellbeing in the City of Hereford. The booklet is
made up of two trails taking in sculptures in and
around the City. The trails are made up of a three
and three quarter mile walking trail and a 12 mile
cycling trail both starting and finishing at the
Town Hall. The booklet has proved very popular
with residents and tourists alike and the project
has been featured in national magazines. You can
pick up a booklet from a number of venues in and
around the City including the Tourist Information
Centre in the Butter Market and Hereford Town
Hall.
Reach Out – a new radio station for Hereford.
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Having identified a need to bring all areas of the community together
REACH OUT was formed on the back of a Prince’s Trust Business in the
Community Project and a Reach Out charity event in 2017.
It also identified that the charitable and volunteer sectors needed a platform
to connect with the larger community and address issues of people in
communities suffering loneliness and isolation and so Reach Radio was born.
The Reach Out website and Reach Radio will be the one stop shop for all
communities.
Reach Radio will bring the community in to homes and businesses
promoting community events, signposting, promoting groups, the work they
do, the projects they deliver, promote volunteering opportunities, deliver
training to support volunteers in their roles and events .
.Hereford City Council awarded £10,000 to purchase and install
equipment for the radio station based at Saxon Hall, Putson as well as
training for volunteers. Once the project is fully established in the City it
will be rolled out across the County.
Groups, organisations and charities are encouraged to participate with
Reach Radio and invited to contact the station manager to find out how they
can get involved and produce material for broadcasting.
Winners of the Community Achievement Awards (top) Whitehouse Community
Centre created out of a pub. (Above) Saxon Hall Community Centre at Putson.