Newsletter for King’s Thorn,The Birches & AconburyA newsletter for the villages of King’s Thorn, Little Birch, Much Birch & Aconbury March 2014. First published 1977

April NewsletterPlease send copy for the April

Newsletter tobirchesnews@gmail.com orwritten contributions to JohnBryant at Bramley Bungalow,

Aconbury Close by 18th. March

Diary DatesFebruary

26th Gardening Club LBVH28th David Lim Steiner Academy

March4th Pancake Evening LBVH5th Little Birch PC LBVH11th Evergreen Club AGM MBCH13th Flicks in the Sticks MBCH14th Annual Quiz LBVH21st Quiz Much Dewchurch VH22nd Flicks in the Sticks MBCH26th Gardening Club AGM LBVH28th Village Market MBCH

April4th Summer Show reading LBVH25th & 26th Halfway Community

Theatre MBCH

Summer SunshineVariety Show(July 3,4,5)

Bring out your bannersand flags, good cheer andstrong voices for anevening of entertainmentand participation! Anotherwonderful evening plannedwith a bar and supper.The first meeting for readthrough will be on Friday

4th. April at 7.30pm at LBVH. If you are aregular performer or have a 'hidden' talent foreither performing or backstage, have a poem ortwo tucked away then please come along andjoin us ALL OVER 16s WELCOME

For further information RingJenny 01981 541198 or Jane 07541347931

Little Birch Village HallAnnualQuizFriday March 14th.

7.30pmQuestion Master

Kath WattsTeams of up to four people.

Entry £2.50 per person including light supperAdvance booking appreciated.

Call Robyn 540264There will also be a quiz at

Much Dewchurch Village Hallon Friday March 21st

Can the same team win both?

Pancake EveningLittle Birch Village Hall

March 4th. 7.30pmAll Welcome

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HALFWAY COMMUNITY THEATREAre are pleased to announce their Spring Concert:

“Thank you for the Music”Come and join us for a couple of hours of music

and laughter!The Concert will take place on Friday 25th and

Saturday 26th April 2014 in Much BirchCommunity Centre.

Please note that whilst the show on the Friday willbe at 7.30pm to include the usual light Supper(please bring your own drink and glasses) the

show on the Saturday will be at 2.30pm to includea delicious TEA in the interval

Tickets at £10 each (both performances) areavailable from:

Audrey Crowte – Phone 01981 540432Little Birch Village Hall Pantomime

An audience of all ages was delighted by thisyears colourful pantomime Goldilocks and theThree Bears. It was an excellent performancefrom all the cast especially by the children whoplayed acrobats and jugglers.The Three Bears and the gorilla were a hugesuccess with adults and children alike. NastyBlack Jack was so convincing that one little girlwas frightened and had to be taken out in tears.It was a traditional family pantomime with a happyending and lots of audience participation. Duringthe Saturday matinee performance there was apower failure towards the end so Goldilocks in herwedding dress was viewed by emergency lightsand torches. Amazingly everyone stayed in theirseats and the finale was sung without music.A very big thank you must go to Jane Bolam asinitiator and director for her work, to Bob Chanceand team who worked so hard for weeks on thescenery and Geoff Nichol and crew who had thelighting and scenery down to a fine art. PatriciaKelly, stage manager, organised everything sowell and Margaret Scrivens was the prompt,requiring absolute concentration from start tofinish of the performances. Thanks also to all theother people behind the scenes for without themthere would have been no show.How lucky we are to have such a talented team.

Please can we have another show soon!Message from Roger ThomasI am sending this E­mail on behalf of my wifeEdna who was in the audience last night to seeGoldilocks and the three Bears. She thought itwas superb­the best village pantomime yet. Shehasn't stopped talking about it yet, and thismorning folks in Swansea, Cambridge, Londonand Cheltenham were told how good it was..Edna couldn't have enjoyed it more had it been aLondon Palladium production. So please pass onour congratulations to the production team, thecast. the set designer and the set builders,wardrobe and makeup, for a show that the villagecan be proud of.

Talk on the Women of RotherwasOver 40 people came to Little Birch Village Hall tohear about the part women played in themunitions factory at Rotherwas in WW1 andWW 2.

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Julie Orton­Davies told us how the factory wasbuilt in Hereford as it had sand, gravel and waterand also, they thought, plentiful workforce. Theyadvertised and had a recruitment day but still hadto import workers from elsewhere who were founddigs, though hostels were built at Redhill in WW2.The workforce was two thirds women and therewas great camaraderie between them thoughsometimes difficulties arose between locals andincomers. The job was well paid but dangerousthough ‘Health and Safety’ did not feature apartfrom ensuring no sparks could be produced.Inhalation of fumes obviously affected lungsthough some lived to a ripe old age. Trains fromRoss and buses brought in people from all overthe county. They had a good social life within thefactory.Much of the information Julie gave us came fromthe memories of old people who were interviewedrecently. They were unsure about speaking oftheir experiences because of the perceived needfor secrecy which was obviously impressed onthem at the time. It seemed that they all enjoyedworking there despite the risk of death fromexplosion and bombs. These events were notreported at the time. The women were proud oftheir work for the war effort.Julie’s talk concentrated mainly on memories ofWW1 but her research is a work in progress. Sheis keen to talk to anyone who has knowledge ofpeople with experiences of WW2.If anyone does know someone who worked therethen, please ring 540791 and I will put you intouch with Julie.

Local NewsCongratulations go to Mrs MARY PRICHARDerstwhile of Hollybush Lane, who celebrated her97th birthday on February 11th. We trust that shewill enjoy a few more healthy years.Congratulations are also sent to LYNETTE andJOHN ROBERTS who recently celebrated theirRuby Wedding Anniversary and Lynette alsocelebrated her ??th birthday.It's good to report that KATIE POWELL (neeTurner) has recently joined Okells Solicitors inRoss on Wye to practise family Law. Katie is amember of Resolution which is an accredited bodyof family lawyers who all abide by a code ofpractice and aim to resolve family disputes in anon­confrontational manner. Katie has beenpractising law in Gloucester for the last few yearsand is now pleased to be back in her homecounty.Tim and Mary Jones from the The Wriggle KingsThorn, are pleased to announce that thechristening of their grandson Maximus HedleyJohnson aged 16 months, took place at LittleBirch Church on Jan 26th at 2pm.A big thank you to both Rev Mark Johnson who

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conducted the lovely service , and to Church Farmfor their assistance with the parking !!The day went really well and celebrations latercarried on at Hereford Rowing Club.Knights in Shining ArmourI would like to say a huge thank you to GrahamRussell, Tim Betts and another gentleman ina silver 4WD who came to my rescue lastThursday, 23rd Jan when I broke down onWrigglebrook Lane. It was a rather grim affair asthe cause was a resident rat in my engine who gotcaught up in the workings! Suffice to say he is nomore..not a pleasant job for the garage! Howeverit did give the lady at the insurance company agiggle when she asked if there were any injuries!From now on I shall be keeping my garden birdfeed in a lockable rodent­proof metal container asadvised by a friend....good advice for anyone who

feeds the birds or keeps chickens I'm also sendingmy terrier on a rat­catching course!Once again many thanks to my knights of theroad! Carol Walnut CottageGenerous donations made to the Newsletter overthe last few months are gratefully acknowledged.

Two contrasing sumissionson the same subject

(What should readers believe?)The WeatherThe weather has now been the dominant topic ofconversation over the first 2 months of 2014. Manytheories have been advanced for the 'climatechange', including man's creation of so called'greenhouse gases'. The fact is that the climatehas always been changing over 11 or 40 yearcycles. If one reads Paul Damari's excellent 'TheHerefordshire and Worcestershire Weather Book,the extremes of rainfall, drought, frost and snowhave been noted since 1125. In fact the 12thcentury was noted for 'famine and floods' and the13th century recorded extremes of 'frost anddrought'. 1483, also known as 'The Great Water',was noted for its continual monsoon­like rains andthe water levels rose so rapidly that some peopledrowned in their sleep It would be boring to list allthe record breaking low and high temperatures

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and how so many animals, trees and humanswere killed by the extremes of the climate. Soplease read the book. When disasters happen, aswith the current flooding of many areas, lessons ofhistory have not been learned and coordinatedplanning for such contingencies must be agreedand implemented.Is our sunshine being controlled?What would you do if you could control theweather? Many would suggest possibly divertingfloods, reducing storms or creating moresunshine. However, an increasing number ofresearchers around the world are discovering thatour weather is already being controlled and it’sbeing made cloudier. One such person is formerdoctoral researcher David Lim. He explains:“Many aeroplanes leave persistent contrails overHerefordshire which form manmade cloudconditions that reduce sunshine; there is alsosubstantial evidence to suggest that persistent jettrails might contain toxic heavy metals that arelinked to illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, respiratorycomplaints, heart damage, sore throats andheadaches. Our atmosphere is being used as agrand laboratory without public consent–observation suggests ‘geoengineering’.”Geoengineering involves altering the Earth’sclimate system in order to moderate the effects ofmanmade climate change. UK Government’s

Regulation of Geoengineering (2010) and theSolar Radiation Management GovernanceInitiative (SRMGI) detail the science andgovernance surrounding a highly controversialproposal to inject millions of tonnes of sulphurparticles (and possibly aluminium) into theatmosphere using aircraft. The aim is to reflectsunshine away from Earth using manmade clouds(Solar Radiation Management). However, manyresearchers and scientists warn of the numerousrisks involved and even suggest it’s happeningalready, prior to any public consultation.A member of public from Hereford has teamedwith David to organise a talk to raise awarenessof geoengineering. “This is an extremely seriousissue. Many jet trails fail to dissipate like theyused to and frequently form crosses, T­shapesand entire grid patterns in the sky. People need tostart asking some important questions”, saysDavid.His talk entitled ‘What are those Lines in the Sky:the Geoengineering Puzzle’will be held on Friday28thFebruary,7pm at Birch Hall, The SteinerAcademy Hereford, Much Dewchurch, HerefordHR2 8DL. Local photographs, videofootage,engineering patents and environmentaltest results will be presented. For moreinformation visit:http://www.naturalskies.blogspot.co.ukContact:Donatella Lecci Address: Aclands,

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Barack hill, Little Birch, Hereford Land: 01981540613 Email: donatella.lecci@gmail.com

Police NoticesKingstone And ThruxtonSometime overnight between the 19:00 on the 2ndof February and 08:30 on the 3rd of February atrailer was stolen from a farm premises. Aneighbouring property was also targeted and theoutbuildings were broken into various toolsincluding a hedge trimmer and strimmer werestolen.HoarwithyOn the 20th of January between the hours of 11:00and 12:00 a Twose transport box was stolen from afarm in Hoarwithy.Little DewchurchA parcel that had been delivered to a property inLittle Dewchurch was stolen between 11:00 and17:00 on the 21st of January.Little BirchA set of ladders were stolen off a vehicle parkedoutside a property in the Little Birch area. Thisoccurred sometime between 17:00 on Monday the3rd February and 09:30 on Tuesday the 4th ofFebruary. Sometime since November a propertyhas had approx £250 of heating oil siphoned fromthe tank. This has taken place sometime sincethe 28th of November at a property in Little Birch.Positive PolicingI have added some advice below regardingunwanted callers at your address and on thephone. Please take a look.. It may not be relevantto you but it will be relevant to someone you know.PCSO 6993 Kevin PowellHereford Southside and Rural SaferNeighbourhood Team

South Wye Police StationNot Sure? Don’t Open the Door!How to stop unsolicited telephone calls andmailOlder people may receive a disproportionatenumber of telephone calls. These can be from avariety of sources but all have in common the factthey are unsolicited and may also appear to befrom an ‘official’ organisation or a company sellinggoods and/or services. In most cases the callerwill be seeking information such as personaldetails including bank details; usage rates (if theysay they are from a utility company) or otherpersonal information. Many of these types of callscan be reduced by removing your personaldetails from publically available sources.Registering with the Telephone PreferenceService (TPS)The TPS is a free service that gives you theopportunity to select who contacts you bytelephone. Once registration is completetelemarketers are legally bound not to call you.Registration takes about a month to becomeeffective and can be made online atwww.tpsonline.org.uk or via the telephone on 0845070 0707. You will remain registered unless you

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and prevent fraud. There are two versions of theelectoral register•a full register is used for elections, preventing anddetecting crime and checking applications for loanor credit agreements•the edited register is available for general saleand can be used for any purpose. The editedregister can be bought by any person, companyor organisation and can be used for commercialactivities such as marketing.Your name and address will appear on the fullregister and you can choose whether to appear onthe edited register. To opt out of having yourdetails appear on the edited register you shouldenter a in the ’Edited Register’ box. You must askeach person named on the form if they want to optout of the edited register. Further information canbe found at www.gov.uk/electoralregister.Telephone DirectoriesAll telephone numbers are listed in telephonedirectories and are available via DirectoryEnquiries. Your details can be excluded from theseservices by electing to be ex­directory. This willmean your details will not be listed in theTelephone Book and not be available via DirectoryEnquiries or via the internet. This is a free serviceand you can sign up by calling 0800 800 150

change your telephone number or personal details.Register with the Mail Preference Service(MPS)The MPS is a free service which supports the rightfor people to choose the mail they wish to receive.Registering with this service will prevent the receiptof unsolicited direct mailing sent from companieswho are members of the Direct MarketingAssociation. It will not stop mail from overseas,unaddressed materials or those addresses to TheOccupier. Registration to thisfree service can be made online atwww.mpsonline.org.uk or via thetelephone on 0845 703 4599Electoral RegistersEach year, between August and November, localauthorities deliver electoral registration forms to allhomes in the UK. There is a legal requirement tocomplete these forms, which list all of the peopleliving at your address on 15 October. Once theforms are completed and returned then you areeligible to vote. A new electoral register ispublished on 01 December each year. Theelectoral register is a list of the names andaddresses of everyone who is eligible to vote. It isused by credit reference agencies to verify details

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between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday.Further information can be found atwww.bt.custhelp.com.192.com192.com is an internet based search tool to findpeople. The web site uses information held onElectoral Registers and Directory Enquiries.Searches can be conducted on the web site andthe information provided includes amongst otherthings full names, addresses, phone numbers andother occupants of the dwelling. Also provided areage guides, property prices, aerial photographsand family records.Personal details can be removed from the website listings by completing the form referenceCO1. This can be found at www.192.com thengoing via the ‘help button’ to ‘the removal ofpersonal details’Personal detailsIt is important to remember to protect yourpersonal details. Do not give any personal detailsincluding bank details to anyone either in thestreet, on the doorstep, over the telephone or onthe internet as these details can be used to stealyour identity. This may also cancel anyregistration with the TPS or the MPS'King's Thorn and Little Birch Gardening Club

On March 26th the AGM will take place at LittleBirch Village Hall at 7.30pm to receive reportsand elect officers for the new year. Theprogramme for 2014/15 will be presented. Newmembers are always welcome and the annualmembership fee is £10. On April 23rd, Mrs JuliaScott will be giving a talk entitled

' Good health and Herbs'.This will be followed in May by Jon Mason whowill demonstrate the art of making 'hangingbaskets and containers'.Further details from John Bryant (01981)540316.

Little Birch Village Hall CommitteeCommunity Book Exchange/Lending LibraryThe next meeting for the “Book Exchange” will beon Saturday 8 March at Little Birch Village Hall.All members of the community are invited to joinus for this enjoyable monthly event which offersnot only a wide range of books and DVDs (to suitall ages and interests,) but also an opportunity tomeet others and exchange recommendations for

“a good read”.A warm welcome, tea and coffee will be providedand we look forward to meeting up with regularand new visitors to the Book exchange.There is a charge of £1 per adult towards the costof the hire of hall and refreshments. We lookforward to seeing you on 8 March 2014.Whist DriveOur next Whist Drive is on Tuesday11 March atLittle Birch Village Hall. We shall start at7.30.p.m.The entrance fee is £2.00.We are always on the ‘look out’ for new membersincluding those who are new to Whist and otherswho may not have played for some time. A warmwelcome, good company and enjoyment of anevening of Whist may be just what you need!Excellent prizes and refreshments will beavailable.Annual Pancake eveningShrove Tuesday 4 MarchHomemade pancakes with a variety of deliciousfillings, savoury and sweet!£2.50 for two and 50p for each additional one youcan manage!We look forward to seeing you there.

Much Birch WIMuch Birch WI holds meetings on the thirdTuesday of each month, at 7.30pm in Much BirchCommunity Hall.The March meeting takes place on 18th whenGraham Wren will tell us about The Countryside inthe 60’sTo whet your appetite, in April the subject of theevening will be ‘Cooking in Private Service’ withJanet Wall.The Open Meeting, to which husbands, partnersand friends are particularly welcome, is on 17thJuly when the subject will be .... ‘How old did yousay you were?’ What an interesting subject!!Visitors and potential new members are alwayswelcome.

Much Birch Village MarketMBVM takes place on the 4th Friday of the month(except December, when it is the 3rd Friday), inMuch Birch Community Hall, between 2.30pm and4.30pm.The March market is on 28th. Stalls will include;The Squeaky Pig, award winning suppliers oflocally reared rare breed pork, sausage, includingGluten free (to order) and bacon. Moor Meals,

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award winning, local suppliers of Dexter beef,ready meals and pies. Llandinabo Farm shop,Castle Cheese, and Mr.G’s chutney and preserves.Hopefully, our vegetable stall will be back.There is a Fair Trade stand and craft stands.Dan will be back to sharpen your knives and tools.Refreshments and ‘take home cakes’, theproceeds of which go to MacMillan CancerSupport, are supplied by Chris and Peter.Please support our producers who bring local

food and crafts almost ‘to our door’.(PS. It would appear that, nationally, we are beingencouraged to ‘Buy British’. Even better, ‘BuyLocal’ and help the Herefordshire economy.)If you would like to have a stall, or to find out moreabout the market, please contact Mark on 01432278026 or on the day, Kath on 01981 540382

Much Birch Parish CouncilParish Clerk Mrs Alison Wright, Longfield HouseGooses Foot, Kingstone,Herefordshire HR2 9NETel. 01981 250860Email: muchbirchclerk@hotmail.co.ukPARISH MEETING – at the Parish Meeting held onthe 6th February 2014, at the Much BirchCommunity Hall. There were a number of parents

and residents present who raised concerns overthe new yellow line restrictions in the vicinity of theMuch Birch School. The Parish Council resolved tocontact the Highways Agency, and HerefordshireCouncil, in regard to these concerns. There wasalso discussion over the ongoing problems beingexperienced with the roads in relation to potholes,erosion and general flooding. The public are askedto report any blocked drains, ditches, gullies andareas of flooding so that they can becommunicated to the relevant officers responsiblefor addressing the issues. Please contact the Clerkor your local councillor, whose details are advisedhere. PCSO Kevin Powell was also in attendanceand he gave an update on local crime trends onbehalf of West Mercia Police.A reminder that:­Your Much Birch Parish Councillors are:­Cllr Alison Cook (Chair) Jasmine Cottage,Wrigglebrook Lane, Kingsthorne, Hereford, HR28AW, e mail thecooks@wyenet.co.uk Tel. 01981540703Cllr Steve Turner (Vice Chair) The Underhills,Hollybush Lane, Much Birch, Hereford, HR2 8HX,e mail turnersofcrossways@btinternet.com andTel. 01981 540090Cllr Andrew Crum Anfield House, Barrack Hill,Kingsthorne, Hereford, HR2 8AX, e maila.crum@btinternet.com Tel. 01981 540002Cllr Jon Norris Whitewells, Laskett Lane,Much Birch, Hereford, HR2 8HZ, e mailjon@jonnorris.co.uk Tel. 07944 301250Cllr Keith James The Slinget, Tump Lane, MuchBirch, Hereford, HR2 8HP, e mailkeithjamesphotos@btinternet.com Tel 01981540171Full minutes of the meetings and information etc.

can be found on the Parish Council websitefollowing the link found in this

summary.www.muchbirchparish.org.uk.

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St Michael’sHospiceBecause of YOU…This year St Michael’s Hospice is celebrating it’s30th anniversary. Since 1984St Michael’s has revolutionised the provision ofpalliative care in Herefordshire and thesurrounding counties and the EducationDepartment has also played a role in thedevelopment of palliative care nationally.Because a life­limiting diagnosis affects the wholefamily, St Michael’s has developed a wide range ofservices allowing Hospice doctors, nurses andsocial workers the time to support patients andfamily members. The In­Patient Unit iscomplemented by clinics and services whichprovide people with the care they need, whether inthe community, their home or the at the Hospice.Groundbreaking initiatives like ‘Saturday Club’ givechildren who have a parent or family member witha palliative diagnosis the chance to attend a clubspecifically designed to meets the needs of youngpeople.It costs £4.2 million each year to provide all theseservices and incredibly most of this money comesfrom the local community. It is this extraordinarysupport which makes St Michael’s Hospice much

more than a just a building. St Michael’s is lovedby the community and it’s that love that makes itpossible for your Hospice to offer the highestquality of palliative care.Later this year St Michael’s Hospice will beopening the doors to a brand new In­Patient Unit.The new state­of­the art building will ensure thecontinued provision of palliative care for the localpopulation for generations to come. St Michael’sHospice would like to thank everyone who hasplayed a part in making the redevelopment of theHospice possible.To find out more about your Hospice visitwww.st­michaels­hospice.org.ukSponsored dog walksBring along your pampered pooch to oursponsored dog walks and support your localHospiceHereford 5km walk ­ Wyevale Garden CentreSunday 9th MarchLeominster 4km walk ­ Bridge Street LeisureCentreSaturday 22nd MarchLedbury 5km walk ­ HJ Pugh’s field (oppositeLedbury RFC)Saturday 5th April

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The three routes will pass through some ofHerefordshire’s most picturesque fields,woodlands, riverbanks and country lanes andthere is always a real sense of community spirit atthe heart of this ever­popular event. After eachwalk there will also be a variety of doggyentertainment to keep the whole family amused.Paws for Thought Dog Display Team will givedemonstrations of dog tricks and skills. You caneven display your own dog’s talents in the Have­a­Go Agility and Doggy Dash competitions. Therewill also be many doggy­themed stalls from localbusinesses for you to browse after the walk, soyou will be supporting your local community aswell as your Hospice. Bouncy castles andorienteering will keep children entertained whileadults have time for a drink and taste somedelicious locally produced food.Individual walksPre­entry £5 per adult­£3 per child under 16.On the day £7 per adult ­ £5 per child under 16.Three walksPre­entry for all three walks £12 per adult / £7 perchild under 16.For more information www.st­michaels­hospice.org.uk/EventsMuch Birch WI had an excellent speaker inJanuary from St. Michaels Hospice giving us aninsight into what it hopes to achieve now and whatit hopes to achieve in the future, giving us fulldetails of the extra building that is currently underway. One of our members, Margaret was so proudthat her son is the architect of the whole wonderfulplan. It is amazing that this is all funded by thecitizens of Hereford with help from variouscharities.

Our NHS Medical RecordsThe February Newsletter included informationabout the controversial NHS proposal on the useof our medical records. A more detailedsubmission was received for this edition but it wasnot included because of the announcement thatthe proposal has been postponed for six months.

Much Birch ChurchPew CoverngsThe PCC of Much Birch Church would like toreplace the present carpet coverings of the pewswith red foam padded upholstered cushions andwould welcome donations or sponsorship towardsthe total cost of £2,372. We have 18 pews whichwould cost £126.36 each and the single shorterone at £98.28. We would be grateful for anydonation towards the total cost and it is notnecessary to sponsor a single pew unless youwould like to. Please forward any donation by postto Churchwarden Sylvia Jones, Chelston Grange,Much Birch, HR2 8HR. Or by hand toChurchwarden Janet Thomas. All donations andsponsorship can be Gift Aided. We look forward toyour support.Forthcoming Fundraising Events2nd May ­ Ladies and Children’s Fashion Showand Clothes Sale

tjs@me.com

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Church Services in MarchSun 2nd March L. Birch 11am. CW CommunionSun 9th March M. Birch 9.15am Family Communion

L. Birch 11am Morning WorshipSun 16th March M.Birch 10.30am. Wormelow Hundred

Benefice Service.Sun 23rd March M.Birch 9.15am Matins

L.Birch 11am Family WorshipSun 30th March M.Birch 9.15am CW CommunionMothering SundayFawley Chapel 11am BCP Communion

And FinallyA couple of philosophical

questions posed by the MordifordBard at the Wassailing evening.

1. Is it possible to experience dé­ja vu for the first time?

2. Are Blackpool hallucinationsreal?

18th May ­ Plant Sale and Coffee Morning31st May ­ Rhayader and District Male VoiceChoir with soloist Jayne SwannPlease put these dates in your diary and if duringthe next few weeks you are cultivating seedlingsand plants we would be very grateful if you couldconsider growing one or two extra to donate to ourPlant Sale.