Teme Valley Times Christmas 2015

Christmas 2015

MISTLETOE SEASON - IT’S AIRPORT HERE AGAIN! Burford Nurseries TRANSFERS or local caBS 1 PaSSenger uP to 7 PaSSenger vehicleS

NORDMANN NON-DROP

Birmingham airport heathrow airport gatwick airport all other uK airports on request l

l l l l

Flight delay or early arrival we will track your flight online and be there as you arrive - no extra charge!

We will meet and greet you at airport arrival - no extra charge!

Early morning / late night flights no extra charge!

Weekend flights - no extra charge!

Vehicle Exclusivity

CHRISTMAS TREES

IN STOCK NOW

(We won’t put you in a vehicle with a stranger!)

CliffSlade JohnMoore 07920 200 715

Choice of sizes, up to 15 feet (4.7 metres)

Tenbury Auctioneer Nick Champion with some of the holly and mistletoe that went under the hammer at the first of this year’s Holly and Mistletoe sales, held on November 24th at Burford House Gardens. For more photos, see page 3.

cliffandjohn@hotmail.co.uk

www.cliffslade.co.uk

Ludlow Road (A456), Burford, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8HF www.burfordnurseries.co.uk

PREMIUM QUALITY

Call us or visit us at: 38 Teme Street, Tenbury, WR15 8AA. Tel: 01584 810322 110 Corve Street, Ludlow, SY8 1DJ. Tel: 01584 872421 St Matthews House, Market Street, Craven Arms. Tel: 01588 672776 Email: enquiries@dykeruscoe.co.uk Website: www.dykeruscoe.co.uk

Foxwhelp, Kingston Black, Brown Snout and Tom Putt are just some of the traditional Teme Valley cider apple varieties skilfully blended to create Robinsons Flagon Cider. It’s medium dry, variably hazy and gently sparkling to retain that delicious flavour.

Cider just as it should be.

Quantities are limited and you won’t generally find Robinsons Cider much beyond the great local pubs in the immediate area. For the story of Robinsons Cider and a full list of stockists, do take a look at our website.

The locals reckon Robinsons Cider is well worth seeking out.

Discover it and enjoy it for yourself.

2

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Oh Yes It Is!

Local Services

Yes, the pantomime season is racing ever-closer and after last year’s success with Aladdin, this year’s show at The Regal in Tenbury will be Jack and The Beanstalk. The promoters promise that this will be “even bigger and better” than Aladdin, with beanstalks, giants and even the odd cow! Set in the English countryside, not far from Tenbury Wells, this show will give people the chance to enjoy the mayhem and comedy of traditional pantomime, with a cast of actors, singers, dancers, babes and musicians.

Described as “A giant of a pantomime, with a fantastic professional set, luxurious costumes and great special effects”, tickets to Jack and The Beanstalk are selling so quickly, that some shows are already close to being sold out!

Written and directed by Ben Crocker, one of the UK’s leading pantomime writers and directors, this year’s production will see over 30 local young people from the Regal’s Musical Theatre School taking part. s

Chris Davies did a magnificent job of promoting the panto at Tenbury’s Applefest

Advertise from £11/issue with a 6-issue series. Email temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk or ring 01584 781762

Tenbury

The Lights

Bromyard

The local area puts on an impressive show where Christmas Lights are concerned, with towns such as Tenbury and Bromyard punching well above their weight. Once the lights are on you can’t help but feel that Christmas is just around the corner, and a good-quality display is surely part of what’s needed to help attract visitors and shoppers at this time of year.

CORINNE FROST Dip RAM, LRAM

Experienced Professional Cellist

Associate Member of CBSO Co Principal of ESO Musical Director Volante Strings

Available for: Cello Lessons, Ensemble Coaching, Recitals, Care Home Musical Therapy, Funerals, Musical Portraits

Hanley Broadheath 01886 853099 07976 286570 www.corinnefrost.com

How to contact the Teme Valley Times If you want to advertise, or if you have an event to promote, please book your space in our next issue as soon as possible! You can book adverts by phone, by post, or by email. We can design your advert for you and we can take photographs if required.

The Teme Valley Times is independent and locally-owned. It is not part of a large publishing group. * print run

10,000 copies per issue*

Phone: 01584 781762 or 07946 270523 Post: PO Box 11, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8YP Email: temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk Website: www.temevalleytimes.co.uk

Editor & Publisher: Chris Dell Deputy Editor: Lucy Every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the contents of this publication were accurate at the time of writing, but no responsibility can be accepted for any consequences of any errors or omissions or for any changes. Always check all information before making a special trip, or before booking any accommodation or making any other commitment.

It is important to remember that changes can, and do, occur from time to time, possibly without notice.

The contents of this publication (words, images and adverts) are protected by copyright. If you wish to reproduce anything, you must first obtain written permission from the Publisher. l l

3

Teme Valley Times

Holly and Mistletoe

Tenbury St Mary’s Tenbury’s Holly and Mistletoe auctions are an institution, almost a part of the fabric of the town. Nick Champion has been the auctioneer for over 30 years but the sales go back much further than that. They are run on three consecutive Tuesdays, this year’s dates being Nov 24, Dec 1 and Dec 8, and traders come from far and wide to stock up, ready for the Christmas trade.

It’s not just holly and mistletoe that are on offer, associated goods such as wreaths and Christmas trees are also sold at the auctions.

Each year these sales bring people into the area, and year after year they create useful publicity for the town, due to the media coverage they generate.

When Tenbury’s cattle market closed there was a question mark over where the sales would be held in the future, and there was even some concern that they might be lost to the area, but fortunately the current site, at Burford House Gardens, seems to be working well.

St Mary’s Church held their Winter Fayre on Saturday November 21st. As soon as the event opened the church was bustling with visitors. There was a jovial festive spirit to the event and you could sit in the pews and take in a performance of the children’s choir. There were some bargains which could make lovely gifts and even wrapping paper and decorations to go with them! Children’s toys, jigsaws, face-painting, golf putting, books and a diverse collection of bric-a-brac, preserves and cakes could all be found. A lucky dip, lucky jars and bottle tombola gave the chance of a surprise win and there were lots of mince pies to enjoy as well as cups of tea! Another lovely social event, which is as much about meeting up and saying hello, as it is about finding a few things for Christmas.

Free Parking Malvern Hills District Council is offering free parking on Tenbury’s pay and display car park on Fridays and Saturdays from now until Christmas Eve. Phil Grove, Leader of Malvern Hills District Council, said “We are thrilled to be able to offer free parking once again, and hope this will encourage people to shop in our wonderful town to support the great local businesses we have here.”

The Stockton Cross Inn Kimbolton, Leominster, HR6 0HD

Under new management Call in, ring or email for menus etc see our facebook page for details of live music and events

email: info@stocktoncross.co.uk

Christmas Party Bookings now Being taken

Traditional Christmas Menu available from December 1st 2-course £16.95 3-course £19.95 OR Alternative ‘Traditional Pub Meals’ Menu, individually priced from £7.95 Courtesy Car will be available

01568 612509

You must pay us a visit and see the lovely presents we have on offer for Christmas at very reasonable prices 61 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells WR15 8AE 01584 810552 www.casaportuguesa.co.uk

4

Why not advertise your Local Event or Club in this section? Adverts start at £10, for a small advert with up to 28 words. Extra words are 25p each.

Martial Arts The Kajuen Ryu, multi-style Martial Arts club for all

What’s On!

For more information about advertising, please email temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk or ring 01584 781762

Teme Valley Times

Successful and well established club offering a variety of disciplines. Positive, friendly, learning environment.

Wednesdays, Aiki-Jujitsu at Sport Martley, 7pm for juniors & 8pm for adults Sundays, Aiki-Jujitsu at Shrawley Parish Hall, 9.30am for all ages Thursday OR Friday evenings, Kickboxing at Gym HQ in Tenbury Wells (above The Bridge Hotel) for all ages New members always welcome at any of our classes Contact Pete or Amy on

01584 781433 or 07711 699279 sensei@kajuenryu.com

www.kajuenryu.com

Mr Thom’s finest chocolates sweets and ices

Struggling for present ideas this Christmas?

Mr Thom’s 01584 819328

Traditional Also a great range of cut fudge! sweet jars, finest Belgian hand made We can gift wrap everything to chocolates and novelties. save you time this Christmas.

Come o n in and s ee Mr Thom !

25A Teme St

u

Tenbury Wells

5

Teme Valley Times

Best Sporting Pub

• Fresh Bread • Specialist Bread Takin • Cream Cakes Christmg a • Pork Pies Orders s • Quiche • Savouries Now! 25 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells Call the shop on 07772 743570

FLOWERS by FIONA

19A High Street, Cleobury Mortimer

Holly wreaths to order & festive arrangements, candle / table posies.

Tel: 01299 272995

Add a bit of spice to Christmas with cinnamon sticks, orange slices & fresh pine.

The Farm Shop

Ashford Bowdler, SY8 4AQ

Open Wednesday-Saturday 9am-4pm Vintage items, upcycled furniture, unusual gifts, homemade cakes and refreshments, jams and pickles, local and home grown produce, rare breed pork.

Camping and Caravanning, five coarse fishing pools, all set in beautiful countryside. During December we will be selling wreaths and Christmas trees.

Contact Sally 07837 644896 or Helen 07875 923436

Why Not Collect Fresh Eggs From Your Own Hens ?

WYNNE’S OF DINMORE

The Poultry Store & So Much More!

• Laying Hens – P.O.L From £10 • Pet/Poultry & Animal Housing • Walk-in Enclosures & Aviaries • Feed (inc feed with wormer) • Bedding • Equipment • Supplies • Hardwood Woodchip in bags Pygmy Goats & Miniature Pet Pigs Fresh Eggs £1.60 dozen

info@wynnes.co.uk - Tel: 01568 797314 www.wynnes.co.uk

Underlining the quality of the pubs we have in and around the Teme Valley, the Countryside Alliance, in conjunction with Country Life magazine, have awarded the “Britain’s Best Sporting Pub” title to The Talbot at Knightwick.

The Countryside Alliance explained that “This competition aims to celebrate traditional pubs and hotels which have a long history of support for country sports whether they host a hunt meet, a shoot lunch or welcome fishermen” and added “Support for the local community is a driving factor, as is the warm welcome available for sportsmen and women (and working dogs). We have all been to a pub after a day in the field where a warm welcome awaits and it is a well-established and comforting part of our rural heritage.”

Post Office Move?

The proposal to close Tenbury’s existing Post Office in Teme Street and replace it with a new Post Office facility at Bowketts, on the Market Square, has attracted a lot of comment. The six-week public consultation period started on October 14th, with the end date being November 25th. Major changes would include the new Post Office being open at lunch-times and on Saturday afternoons, and in addition a selected range of Post Office services would be available throughout Bowketts normal trading hours, which could well offer customers much greater flexibility.

Peregrine Poisoned

It was recently confirmed that a peregrine falcon, found dead in a Clee Hill quarry some months ago, had been poisoned. The Police are appealing for information and the RSPB and the Shropshire Peregrine Group (SPG) have offered a reward of £1,000 for information leading to the conviction of anyone involved.

On June 15th 2015 a dead adult male peregrine was reported at the base of the breeding cliff. The body was passed to Natural England for tests, which showed that the bird was poisoned with diazinon, an organophosphate. Peregrines were also killed by diazinon in 2010 and 2011.

John Turner of the SPG said “The female parent also disappeared and we are concerned she may have also been poisoned. The situation was made even worse as the two chicks in the nest also died with the loss of the parents.”

Wildlife Crime Officer for West Mercia Police, Constable Julian Ward said “There have been previous incidents in this area and the illegal use of poison poses a risk to wildlife and to people. We believe somebody in the local community will have information about who is involved and we would urge them to contact police.”

Information can be reported to the Police on 101, quoting reference 649S of 15/06/2015, or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

BRIAN’S BUTCHERS CHRISTMAS MEAT TURKEYS - CAPONS - GEESE - DUCKS ROLLED TURKEY - CHICKENS BEEF - PORK - LAMB PORK PIES - COOKED MEATS

Old Bank House, Clows Top. 01299 832349

6

Three-legged Race

Teme Valley Times

At the end of October, Busty Brazilian Babes, Super Heroes, Hallowe’en creatures and more all turned out to take part in the Market Tavern’s three-legged fund-raising race. The great costumes made for an arresting sight for motorists as they passed through Tenbury Wells, with a wonderful variety of ‘couples’ making their way from hostelry to hostelry, starting at the Tavern and finishing at the Bridge. It was obvious that three-legged racing isn’t all that easy, but techniques did seem to improve as competitors became more and more relaxed! The event raised money for local charities.

Meal Deal Fridays 6pm to 8.30pm Temevale Alpacas - Trekking Experience Explore the beautiful Teme Valley countryside in a unique style.

Our trekking adventures provide a 2.5 hour experience you will never forget and will very likely wish to repeat time and again. Whether as an individual trekker, with family or friends or as a member of a larger organised group. You will choose your own Alpaca from our herd, learn about their adorable and inquisitive characteristics and prepare the Alpaca with halter and lead ready to start the trek! He or she will be very friendly, gentle and biddable.

Alpacas are led by the trekker on a halter and lead and they gracefully enjoy the trek as much as the person leading.

We run Alpaca Trek adventures throughout the calendar year.

2 for 1 - cheapest meal free Bring your own wine / beer!

Reservations only

See our trekking video on our website.

Recent customer feedback: “...This is something unique and would appeal to people of all ages, an opportunity to meet an alpaca and trek through fantastic countryside with excellent knowledgeable hosts. Fantastic experience. Excellent hospitality. Would definitely recommend.....”

Our Alpaca Trekking Experience includes an insight into the wonderful world of Alpacas followed by the 3 mile trek and light refreshments on return to Temevale. Prices: Adult £20 Child (under 16) £10 Santa’s Grotto mini-treks available Nov 28th to Christmas Eve.

Temevale Alpacas, Eastham, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire WR15 8NW

01584 781352

www.grabbedbythealpacas.co.uk www.goglampingintheuk.com

6 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells.

07786 011066

7

Teme Valley Times

9 MARKET STREET, TENBURY WELLS, WORCS 01584 810107

Est. 1963

MONDAY – MOBILING SERVICE SALON OPEN: TUE, THUR, FRI & SAT

Bonnie’s Pet Supplies

Tenbury - 01584 811240

Bromyard - 01885 482114

l

Established 1985

l

Friendly, Knowledgeable Staff

l

Certified Pet Nutritionist

l

Bulk Orders Welcome

l

Christmas Toys, Stockings & Gifts

l

Rock Knit & Natter

Sarah Jumped Sarah Field, of Dunley-based Fields Mitsubishi, recently helped raise money for mental health charity Mind by jumping out of a plane, with instructor Geoff Wood, from 13,000ft above Hinton Airfield in Northamptonshire.

Sarah said “The most terrifying bit was while we were in free fall and you’re seeing the plane and the ground, but once the parachute had opened and it all became very gentle and sedate it was a lot better. The views were incredible – it was like a patchwork quilt beneath us – and we had the best weather there’d been for a jump for a long while. I also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has donated. People have been extremely generous, and the money raised will go a long way to helping with the fantastic work that Mind does. It’s a charity that means a lot to me, so I’m enormously grateful.”

If you wanted knitted goods for babies or young children you could have done a lot worse than make a bee-line for Rock Knit & Natter Group’s Christmas Fair at Rock Village Hall on November 21st. There was also a wide range of other items, such as traditional knitted tea cosies, and just a couple of pounds could buy a unique hand-knitted item!

You could also buy little gift boxes, made out of old Christmas Cards, at only 20p a box - another lovely item. Lots of other crafts were available and there was a draw for a Christmas cake, a hamper raffle and a tombola.

Trimpley WI were there with jars of apple and clove jam and apple and cinnamon curd, among other things. Light lunches were on offer if you were feeling peckish, and allin-all it was a really friendly event.

Wide Range of Pet Food and Pet Care Products

E-mail: bonniespets@hotmail.com

We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year OpENiNg TiMES: Sat 19th Dec: 9am - 3pm Mon 21st , Tues 22nd & Wed 23rd Dec: 9am - 6pm Thurs 24th Dec: 9am - 3pm Fri 25th to Mon 28th Dec: CLOSED Tues 29th & Wed 30th Dec: 9am - 6pm Thurs 31st Dec: 9am - 3pm Fri 1st Jan: CLOSED Sat 2nd Jan: 9am - 1pm Check our Facebook page for our November & December Offers!

67 Teme St, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8AE

01584 810657

soapoperahairandbeauty@hotmail.co.uk

The Summer Reading Challenge is a national campaign run by the Reading Agency to encourage youngsters to read books. It takes place every year during the school Summer holidays and the aim is to get children aged 4 to 11 to read six books from their local library during the holidays. It is free to enrol and nearly all libraries in the UK run the scheme. This year’s theme was ‘Record Breakers’ and on November 7th a special awards ceremony took place in Tenbury Library, for children from Tenbury and Burford Primary Schools who had completed this year’s challenge. Tenbury’s Mayor, Cllr Mark Willis, congratulated winners and presented them with a certificate and medal.

FREE advice on prepaid funerals

Family Funeral Services A private family business for over 130 years

24 hour service offering sensible funerals at sensible prices

Memorials Floral Tributes Guaranteed funeral plans available

Seasonal Greetings from the Team at Hoskins Watch our Facebook page for news of our New Office for the New Year!

% Cleobury Mortimer: 01299 879090

Summer Reading Give your loved ones the gift of planning ahead with a Golden Charter funeral plan through Hoskins Family Funeral Services

Ludlow: 01584 872048

8

Tenbury Applefest

Teme Valley Times

The Applefest has matured into a relaxed autumnal festival that celebrates the English apple and the fruitfulness of the local countryside. Its wide variety of stalls, including local producers, local groups, ‘food to go’, choirs, Morris dancers, apple juicing, fairground rides, classic vehicle displays, and arts and crafts mean there is plenty of interest and entertainment to keep the family (young and old) occupied even for those who aren’t interested in apples!

The huge Apple Marquee filled a central spot on the site and once again Nick Dunn and his team at Frank P Matthews selected, picked and displayed the stunning collection of over 300 varieties of apples, pears and quinces.

It’s something of a military-style operation according to Nick, and if you do get the opportunity to chat with Nick you will very soon discover that he is a veritable walking encyclopedia when it comes to trees and fruit!

It seemed that one could point to any apple in the display and he would have a nugget of information, just waiting to be passed on. Members of the Marcher Apple network were also on hand, to help identify apples and provide advice on apple and pear tree husbandry.

Tenbury’s Millennium Orchard had a stand where they were fund-raising with a tombola, and giving away bags of apples to make a nice apple crumble. This community orchard is looked after by a team of volunteers and they would dearly love to have just a few more (hopefully younger!) helpers.

If you might be able to help, you can ring Peter or Beryl on 01584 811719.

Hundreds of apples were on display

Dewdulip Seedling, a rare local variety, was on show

Paul Smith of “Well Dressed” was there, with bowls and boards, as well as a range of pickles and dressings

Bowkett’s Supermarket

Plenty of comestibles were on offer

Market Square. Tenbury Wells.

WR15 8BL. Tel: 01584 810351 email: info@bowketts.co.uk www.bowketts.co.uk

Order your festive turkey from us before close of business Saturday 5th December and enjoy a saving of *£1 per kilo!

*excludes bronze

av ail A ab ls le o to or de

r:

Place your order at our butchers’ counter or telephone 01584 810351 - our friendly staff are waiting to take your order u White barn reared turkey 10lb to 19lb u u Venison joint or diced u u Cockerels 6.5lb to 12lb u u Pigs in blankets - as many or as few as u Duck - whole or breast u you want (we’ll make them for you) u u Guinea Fowl u u Pork pies - home-made 2lb or 1lb u

and much more which you will find on our website www.bowketts.co.uk and in-store next to the butcher’s counter

Christmas opening times Thursday 24th Christmas Eve 7am - 4pm Closed Friday 25th Christmas Day Closed Saturday 26th Boxing Day Sunday 27th open as normal 10am - 4pm Monday 28th (Bank Hol) 9am - 5pm Tues 29th & Wed 30th open as normal 7am - 8pm Thursday 31st New Year’s Eve 7am - 4pm

The Bowkett family and staff wish all our customers a happy and peaceful New Year and thank you for your valued custom

9

Teme Valley Times

Little Hereford Christmas Fayre

The shortage of spaces in the car park at Little Hereford Village Hall on November 22nd would have alerted passers-by to the activity going on inside the hall. Stalls included tombola, bric-a-brac, cakes and preserves. Local author Wilma Hayes had her novels on sale, with news of her latest project, The War Diary of Lieutenant William L Hayes M.C. 1915 -1919. He began as a volunteer private in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in 1915 and ended the war as a Lieutenant with a military cross and German wife. There was a huge collection of hampers to be won, so some would be going home with a surprise treat. It was great to see such a sociable fund-raiser.

Tinsel Tuesdays

On ‘Tinsel Tuesdays’ in December, free parking is on offer from midday on major car parks in Ludlow, including Castle Street, Smithfield and Lower Galdeford. There will also be a Traditional Christmas Gift Market, starting at 10am, specialising in local artisan and craft-made items. Dates are December 8th, 15th and 22nd, and many shops will be open late on the 22nd, when there will be singing around the Christmas Tree at 6pm.

Tenbury Wells

30 Teme Street Tenbury Wells 01584 810545

For Quick, Safe & Easy Cash Withdrawals, Banking, Paying In (inc Lloyds) and Bill Payments.

Commission-free Foreign Currency: Euros, Dollars, Turkish Lira & more

Fighting Spirit Award It’s not often that you get to meet a successful cage fighter such as Alex Reid, but local resident Amy Jones did just that at a Fighting Spirit Awards ceremony at the National Sports Centre, Lilleshall, on October 24th when ‘Fighting Spirit Awards’ were given to people with disabilities who have succeeded in martial arts.

Alex presented Amy with a cup and certificate to recognise her ‘Fighting Spirit’ in continuing to progress well with martial arts and despite having been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2009, she gained a probationary 1st Dan Black Belt in 2014.

Amy, who was born and raised in Tenbury, is involved in martial arts through the Kajuen Ryu (“the Orchard School”) and she is a founder member of the Tenbury Teme Valley Band and a trustee of the Equine Market Watch (Sanctuaries) UK charity. The Kajuen Ryu holds classes in Tenbury, Martley and Shrawley and they specialise in selfprotection, based around Jujitsu.

Coffee and Bingo!

On October 31st, the Lanman family organised a coffee morning at St Michael’s Village Hall near Tenbury Wells, in aid of the Air Ambulance. Cakes, books, bric-a-brac and a raffle added to the fund-raising, as did games of Bingo! The event was held in memory of Mr George Lanman, who died 12 years ago, and who always supported the Air Ambulance.

Muriel Lanman said “The coffee morning was a great success, raising £1,032 for this very worthwhile charity. The Lanman family wish to thank everyone most sincerely for their support, by attending the event, and for the donations of every kind that were received. It is the most money that the family has raised from a single event for the air ambulance, and as the coffee morning is an annual event, the target is set rather high for next year, but with your help once again we will do our best!”

Amy Jones with Alex Reid

10

Teme Valley Times

Martley Applefest The Chantry School’s fifth Applefest was held in October.

This event continues to offer a variety of apple-based activities, with something for the whole family. Entry was again free. Roaming poets recited apple-themed poems and there was a short but sweet apple play, written by John Townsend. Other attractions included music, a farmers market, apple juicing with a large replica Victorian apple press, a good display of apple varieties and lots of cakes, biscuits, jams, jellies and pickles - many with an apple theme, but the pickled celery was particularly nice! Add in the wool spinning, students’ fund-raising stalls, Abberley Young Farmers Club stall, corn dollies, and lots of foodie items including ice creams and candy floss and the event was certainly worth a visit.

On the Teme Valley Apple Group’s stand, Wade Muggleton explained that the group is on the look out for information on rare apples of the local area.

Orchards were widely distributed across the Teme Valley until relatively recent times and a number of varieties originated locally, but some have almost disappeared and little is known about their origin.

Two of the Teme Valley’s almost-forgotten apples are Amy Jones’ Seedling and Haughty’s Red. Amy Jones’ Seedling is an early-season eating apple with a skin of red streaks over a yellow-pale green skin. The fruit seems to be of varying shapes and sizes even on one tree.

There is anecdotal evidence of it being grown in several local orchards in the area in the 1930s but it appears to have fallen from favour since WWII. Haughty’s Red is a red eating apple that is believed to have originated in the Eastham area and whilst it is held in the national collection in Kent, it has yet to be rediscovered locally.

Wade said “It would be a real shame if part of our local heritage disappeared altogether. If any readers can shed any light on these forgotten fruits the Teme Valley Apple Group would be delighted to hear from them.

Either contact the Secretary on 01584 810479 or email contact@worcestershireorchards.co.uk

(L to R) Alec Wall, John Edwards and David Spilsbury of the Teme Valley Apple Group, with rare Amy Jones’ Seedling apples

Book your Christmas Party with us - small or large, we seat up to 60! u Festive Menu available Wed-Sat until 16 Jan 2016. Call in or see Menu online. u Christmas Party Evening 5th December: Welcome Cocktails, 3-course meal, DJ, £29 pp - book early! u Open for Drinks Christmas Day 11am - 1pm u Live Music Boxing Day Evening

A scene from the play

Pressing apples

Cleobury Mortimer Carpets Ltd Gareth Leach

01299 270095 - 07739 186163

www.cleoburymortimercarpets.co.uk Stockists of: Victoria Carpets, Cormar Carpets Alternative Flooring

Collecting apple juice

www.temesideinn.co.uk

01584 711070

Teme Valley Times

11

12

Teme Valley Times

Heightington Apple Pressing

The Bell ~ A proper pub with real food ~

Heightington Village Hall was a hive of activity in early October during the annual apple pressing. Each year a mill, pressing equipment and a pasteuriser are made available to local people, so they can get their apples juiced, rather than - in many cases - see them go to waste. An enthusiastic team of volunteers help with the work and there was a steady stream of people arriving at the hall with their apples.

In the time it took to have a leisurely chat with friends, enjoy the refreshments on offer and learn about the process, there were bottles of juice ready to take home. Some people took the juice home to freeze, others were going to try cidermaking and others were simply planning to drink it! Community pressings such as this are not only a convenient way to produce juice, they are also a convivial way to bring people together.

01299 896677

A warm welcome and six superbly-kept real ales plus Robinsons, Oldfields and a range of real ciders & perries.

Group bookings and functions welcome 27 years in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide CAMRA 2015 Worcestershire Pub of the Year Local Produce, Home-made Food Daily Blackboard Menu Sunday Lunch £9.50 Sandwiches from £4.50 Tue-Sat Lunch Specials £6.50 Closed Monday lunch (except Bank Holidays)

l l

l l l l l

People bring their apples

l

CHRISTMAS OPENING TIMES

Christmas Eve: 12-3 & 5-11 (food 12-2) Christmas Day: 12-2 (no food) Saturday 26th: 12-5 (food 12-3) Sunday 27th: normal hours Monday 28th: Drinks all day (food 12-3) Dec 29th/30th: normal hours New Year’s Eve: 12-3 and from 5pm (food 12-2) New Year’s Day: open from 12 noon (food 12-3)

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR John & Trudy Greaves and Ian welcome you to The Bell at Pensax, Abberley, Worcs, WR6 6AE On the B4202 between Clows Top and Abberley

This piece of equipment chops the apples

A bucketful of chopped apple

The chopped apple is pressed

Local legal advice Property sale, purchase and disputes Wills, estate planning and tax l Powers of Attorney and “Living Wills” l Commercial and Agricultural l Prenups, cohabitation and separation l Divorce and finances (Court process, mediation and collaborative) l l

The apple juice is collected

The apple juice is decanted from the ‘barrel’

South Shropshire Roofing www.southshropshireroofing.co.uk RE-ROOFING SPECIALISTS

★ SLATING ★ STONE TILING ★ SHINGLES ★ ★ TILING ★ LEADWORK ★ REROOFING PROPERTIES DOWN THE TEME VALLEY FROM FELINDRE TO WORCESTER

FOR OVER 35 YEARS

Tel: 01547 530434 Fax: 01547 530751 Mob: 07968 232709 email: southshropshireroofing@gmail.com

The finished product!

Telephone 01584 810575 post@norrismiles.co.uk www.norrisandmiles.co.uk

THE KINGS HEAD Cross Street, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8EG 16th Century, Cosy, Traditional Pub Welcomes You

Tel: 01584 810804 Lovely new function room/club now

available for hire for parties & events Wide range of Real Ale Cask beers Various Ciders Bar Meals, Veggie Specials Children and Dog friendly Car Park at rear Bar Billiards, Darts, Dominoes Live Music most Weekends Open Mic Night on 1st Thursday of Month Folk Night on 3rd Thursday of Month Old Time American Country Music Night, 4th Weds of Month

Look out for our Christmas Craft and Vintage Fayre and Folk Music Open Mic on 5th December 1pm5.30pm; lots of stalls and Christmas music in the warm with winter warmer hot food available

Follow us on facebook at Kings Head Tenbury Bookings now being taken for Christmas meals & parties!

13

Teme Valley Times

£750 for Hospice

Great Witley Fair On November 21st the Great Witley Christmas Craft Fair gave local residents a chance to raise money for the Stoke Association, whilst trying to find highquality gifts from the art and craft world - all without needing to fight your way into a city centre.

Inside the Village Hall there was a wonderful range of ideas for that special gift and with ample refreshments and cakes to choose from, you could take time out from browsing and consider your wish list in comfort! You could learn about how the beekeeper knows where the bees have been and if they are producing borage or heather honey, and honey soap, heather honey fudge and borage honey were all on sale, as were cuff links, earrings and jewellery.

The stall holders were keen to talk about their crafts and share ideas, so it could be quite an interesting experience even if you were just browsing.

The Lamp at Cleobury Mortimer held a charity event for the Severn Hospice on Friday October 23rd, when half of the evening’s takings were donated to the charity. This raised a magnificent £750 and a cheque was presented to Jayne from the Severn Hospice. The management at the Lamp expressed their thanks to Aaron Booton for the evening’s entertainment, and to everyone who was involved.

Ukulele Concert The Cleobury Mortimer branch of the Royal British Legion has held a number of events recently and on Friday October 23rd, Branch Members and friends met in Cleobury’s Parish Hall to enjoy a performance by the Bridgnorth Ukulele Band. Numbers included Elvis’s ‘Good Luck Charm’, Buddy Holly’s ‘You Won’t Matter Any More’, Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ and George Formby’s ‘Leaning on a Lamp Post’, so Memory Lane was well travelled!

The Codfather Open Seven Days a Week

At the end of the second half, the band seemed reluctant to hang up their ukes, and the audience were keen to hear more, but after a couple of encores, the evening eventually came to an end. The evening was organised to raise money for the Poppy Appeal and the Appeal will benefit by over £500!

Free local delivery

Fish & Chips - Kebabs - Pukka Pies 6 Prospect View/Rock Lane, Ludlow

01584 875096

01299 271 517 All-Day Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea Available 7 days a week Hot & cold takeaway service Selling Ashley’s bread and cakes in the bakery department High Street, Cleobury Mortimer Mon-Sat 7am-5pm, Sun 8.30am-4pm

We would like to wish all our customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

DOG WALKING SERVICE

For all your dog walking and pet needs, if it’s short walks, long walks, pet sitting or to pop in to feed while you are away, a pet taxi to take your pet to the vets Give us a call or text 01584 811030 or visit www.tenburywellsdogwalking.com Fully insured & DBS checked, prices start from as little as £5!

Orleton Post Office & Stores "Your local store for almost everything"

01568 780263

14

Teme Valley Times

Leominster Quilt Show Leominster Quilters held their ‘Quilts in the Marches 2015’ exhibition over three days in the Royal British Legion Hall in Leominster. A feast of amazing craft work could be seen, with tens of quilts on show, so it was well worth the £3 admission fee!

Refreshments and light lunches were available so you could take a break from looking round the displays and rest your feet awhile. The variety of work was stunning and visitors could vote for their favourite quilt. Thanks must go to the organisers and exhibitors for creating the event.

Each quilt had a short description pinned to it, such as the title of the quilt, an explanation of where the pattern came from, why the quilt was made, or where - or by whom - it was fashioned.

This year there was an additional display of two patchwork bed covers courtesy of Leominster Museum. Offered to the Museum by Elizabeth Thomas of Woonton Court Farm, Leysters, who is also a trustee of the museum, the covers are enormous, roughly 10ft by 10ft. Not strictly quilts, as they are not made up of three layers stitched together, they are over 200 years old and remarkably well-preserved, with the quality of the workmanship, particularly in the ‘broderie perse’, being outstanding. They were made by Catherine Hutton, a novelist and letter-writer, who was born in 1756 to William Hutton, a Birmingham-based bookseller.

Continuing the heritage quilt theme, a ‘Suffolk Puff’ quilt, completed in about 1956, was on display, courtesy of Carol Clare from Yarpole, whose Grandmother Annie Archer made it.

Carol remembers her Gran working on the quilt in South Wales during the 1950s, using scraps of material from school dresses, blouses and curtains!

We’re open over the festive period!

Tenbury Wells

Leominster

Christmas Eve New Year’s Eve Christmas Day Boxing Day New Year’s Day

Ludlow

Bishops Castle Christmas Eve New Year’s Eve

7am - 10pm 10am - 2pm

Christmas Day Boxing Day New Year’s Day

7am - 10pm 10am - 2pm 8am - 9pm 9am - 9pm

Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve

9am - 9pm

Don’t forget your milk!

Christmas Day

7am - 6pm Closed

Boxing Day

10am - 6pm

New Year’s Day

10am - 6pm

Abberley Xmas Fayre

15

Teme Valley Times

On November 14th, Abberley got the Festive Season off to a flying start with their Christmas Fayre, in aid of Abberley churches. Held in the village hall, there were lots of foodie things and craftwork, providing an opportunity to come away with some early, lovely, local gifts for Christmas.

Santa tucked himself away at the back of the hall where he was visited by a stream of youngsters. There was a massive tombola and various draws or raffles, so you could be in with a chance of winning a hamper, Christmas cake or Christmas pudding. Books were the bargains of the day at 10p for a soft back or 20p for a hardback, and buyers responded with enthusiasm, so the stall looked decidedly sparse even before the day ended.

Local apple growers Louisa and Bill Ballard (Stud Farm Fruit) were selling their produce including red Galas and beautiful Bramleys (some of which won 1st Prize at the Malvern Autumn Show in the ‘Heaviest Apple’ category), ‘Cloudy Apple’ juice, Ballards toffee apples and chocolate-covered apples. They supply apples to supermarkets and wholesale markets across the UK and it was nice to have the opportunity to buy on the doorstep, with zero food miles! You could even order a bespoke batch of their toffee or chocolate apples for your own celebration event.

Christmas cup cakes and reindeer biscuits looked too delicious to last till December 25th and you could buy Christmas Sleigh favours or a raffle ticket for a stunning Santa & Sleigh table decoration, or take part in the silent auction, or come away with a Christmas balloon!

The Medieval Abberley Revealed project, funded by a £50,000 HLF grant and run by the Abberley Hills Preservation Society, had a display covering some of the project’s findings and visitors could help lay out a mosaic representing the local hills and features.

Working on the mosaic

Twinning Hits 30!

The first recorded town twinning arrangement is thought to have been between Keighley (West Yorkshire) and Poix du Nord (Nord, France) in 1920, but the modern concept of town twinning was conceived in 1947, in the wake of the Second World War. It was intended to foster friendship and understanding between different cultures and former foes, as an act of peace and reconciliation, and to encourage trade and tourism.

Founded in 1985, the French Twinning Association of Tenbury Wells this year celebrated its 30th Anniversary of being twinned with Pont du Casse, a French town of a similar size and population.

Members of the Association gathered at Tenbury Library in early November to present Tenbury’s Mayor, Cllr Mark Willis, with a framed copy of the ‘Renewal of Twinning Oath’ to mark the occasion. After a visit to France earlier this year, a return twinning visit from the French is scheduled for 2017 and the new Mayor of Pont du Casse is keen to see more youngsters and families involved in the exchange. The visits are usually made over a long weekend in May and the Association would like to hear from you if you might like to host a family.

An exhibition entitled ‘Thirty years of Twinning.....and still going strong’ Peter Cole (left) Chairman of the Twinning was erected in the Library’s gallery space to tie in with the anniversary, Association presenting the framed 30th Anniversary including photographs taken on trips to Pont du Casse, as well as declaration to Tenbury’s Mayor, Cllr Mark Willis timetables of activities that had taken place during some of the visits.

Tel: 01299 272 785 or 01299 271 313 l l

l

l

l

THE LAMP Bangladeshi & Indian Cuisine

Full Licensed & Air Conditioned Restaurant Open 7 Days a week (inc. Bank Holidays) 6pm to 11pm We are taking bookings for large parties Sunday to Thursday. Set menu will apply - 5 course meal at £14.95 per head, minimum 10 persons.

Free Home Delivery on all orders over £15 within 5 miles and orders over £50 within 6 miles.

Open Christmas Day: 12.30pm to 6pm Find us on Facebook: Lamp Inn Cleobury Free WiFi in the Restaurant.

15a High Street Cleobury Mortimer DY14 8DG

The experts for Personal & Business Travel

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2 Teme St, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8BA

Tel: 01584 810850

Award Winning Executive Chef The Curry Life Chef Awards 2015

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all customers old and new

Smarty Pants & accessories

rs king Fille Ideal Stoc Available om Fitting Ro

ItAlIAn RAnge & ex-StoRe clothIng dIRect FRom FAShIon houSe, ‘beAutIFul’ RAnge oF ‘m&S’ Fleece nIghtdReSSeS, FAb ScARF gIFt SetS, men’S boxed gIFtS, tootSIeS SoFt SlIppeRS, wIde RAnge oF lAdIeS’, men’S & chIldRen’S undeRweAR, coStume & glItzy jewellRey, coSmetIcS & much moRe.... cAn’t See whAt you need? IndIvIduAl oRdeRS tAken!

Teme CourT, Teme ST, Tenbury WellS between Tourist Info and TAbS Tearoom

01584 811285

16

Teme Valley Times

Est 1989

FARM SUPPLIES LTD READY FOR LAMBING??

WE STOCK:

VOLAC VOLOSTRUM, VOLAC LAMLAC, SPRAY MARKERS, IODINE, LUB GEL, CASTRATING RINGS, LAMB KICK-START, MULTI LAMB EWE BOOST, DISPOSABLE GLOVES, PROLAPSE SPOONS, EWE TRUSS, LAMB BOTTLES AND TEATS

Ploughing Match

WORMERS, FLUKICIDES & FLY CONTROL PRODUCTS IN STOCK OR QUICKLY AVAILABLE fULL RANGE Of hIGh qUALITY ANIMAL fEEDS AND SUPPLEMENTS fOR ALL LIVESTOCK AND COMPANION ANIMALS OPEN: Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm Saturday 8am to 12.30pm

Tel: 01299 896399

Depot: The Goat House, St Michael’s Farm, Stourport Rd, Great Witley, Worcs WR6 6JB

It was almost shirt sleeve weather for the 68th Stoke Bliss & District Agricultural Improvement Society’s ploughing match and cookery, produce and handicraft show in late September.

The weather was glorious, and the views from the fields at Warren Farm, Bringsty were spectacular once the early morning mists had burnt off.

Ploughing is of course the main part of the day’s activity, with tractors of various ages and sizes ploughing, and with horses also in action. Classes for trailing ploughs, mounted ploughs, three furrow or more hydraulic lift ploughs or ploughing in compliance with the Ferguson system as manufactured by Harry Ferguson 1946-1956 were offered.

A total of 62 ploughmen took part and the overall champion of the day was Mark Nixon, aged 15, who was presented with the Sir Archer Baldwin Perpetual Challenge Cup. With numerous homecraft, produce, photography, floral art and children’s classes to look at, plus art and craft stalls, a bar, and satisfying home-made lunches, it would have been easy to settle down for the day and enjoy the truly rural atmosphere.

A fun dog show kept many dogs busy for an hour or so and Fly’s Home-made Dog Treats were available to purchase, perhaps as rewards for dogs who had been especially good!

Flavours of chicken & oat, cheese, liver, peanut butter, honey and even gluten free variants could have dogs licking their lips in anticipation. You could even take a sample and try them for yourself! This annual event is a firm favourite in the calendar.

A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA!

Firewood Seasoned logs Barn dried Ready to burn Free local delivery 01584 890993 07970878224

Paul Harding Tree Services

WHY NOT JOIN A MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY OR A FRIEND AS A MEMBER OF THE TENBURY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY? n £20 for Single Membership, £30 for dual membership n £35 for family membership (2 Adults & 2 Children aged 5-16 yrs) n £40 for Family membership (2 Adults & 3 Children aged 5-16 yrs)

Enquiries to Rose: 01584 810818 or Tuesday & Friday mornings at the Tenbury Agricultural Society office, 3 Market Street, Tenbury Wells.

Saturday 6th August 2016 Put the date in your Diary!

See the amazing “KANGAROO KID”, Sheep Show, Paws for Thought Dog Team, National Young Farmers Tug of War Finals PLUS LOTS, LOTS MORE!

Enquiries to Rose: 01584 810818

www.tenbury-countryside-show.co.uk

17

Teme Valley Times

Autumn Show On October 24th, the distinct aroma of hops drifting through the air outside the Penlu Sports Clubhouse in Burford might have told you that the Tenbury Agricultural Society’s Autumn Show was under way, showing that Autumn was truly with us.

Scarecrows and glowing pumpkins welcomed people to the hall, which was packed with tables laid out with hops, apples, and pears, including cider apples and perry pears. The judges had done their job, including tasting the various perries and ciders and spirits of the hedgerow. As usual the show produce was auctioned off and Nick Champion, General Secretary of the Society and Auctioneer, encouraged everyone to bid up during the sale, with some finding themselves bidding without even raising an arm! It was all great fun and at the end of the day local charities benefited from everyone’s generosity.

This annual friendly event is a great display of commercial Teme Valley produce and it’s good to reflect on what a productive area we live in and to survey the different varieties of fruit and hops brought together under one roof, perhaps while enjoying a glass of Robinsons cider.

CODER TYRES LIMITED AuTO SERvICE CEnTRE

Mon-Fri 8.30 - 17.30 Sat 8.30 - 12.30

01584 879200

4 Tyres 4 Batteries 4 Exhausts 4 Pre-MOT work 4 Suspension 4 Punctures 4 Welding 4 Servicing 4 Wheel Balancing 4 Locking Wheel Nut Removal 4 4-Wheel Laser Adjustment

www.ludlowtyres.co.uk UNIT O CODER ROAD, LUDLOW BUSINESS PARK, LUDLOW SY8 1XE

The Tree Shop A comprehensive range of fruit and ornamental trees direct from the grower.

The widest range and highest quality trees in the UK!

Christmas Trees available from early December Berrington Court, Tenbury Wells, Worcs WR15 8TH

01584 812800 treeshop@fpmatthews.co.uk Burford l Tenbury Wells Worcs l WR15 8HS

T: 01584 811831 info@nomark.co.uk

www.nomark.co.uk

Tenbury Sheep Sale Nick Champion provided us with this report on the 7 November Sheep Sale. The store lambs met a terrific trade with all types showing an improvement by £2 to £3 per head and particularly dearer the many lightweight smaller lambs with still very few selling under £50. Top price was £70.50 with stronger stores generally selling from £60 to £70, medium stores from £56 to £60 and small stores from £42 to £56 and mini tailenders from £26.50 to £40.50. The overall average was £56.64.

In the show section the judge M. Simcock awarded the prize for the best pen of store lambs to some Texel x from M/s W & C Amphlett, Clee Hill which made £66.50.

General Prices for Store Lambs: Suffolk x sold from £30 to £70 from E. J. Morris; Texel x sold from £35 to £69 from Mrs B. Davies; Charollais x sold from £46 to £63.20 from Miss S. Levi; Rouge x sold from £42.50 to £54.20 from H. E. L. & H. M. Bradley & Son; Beltex x sold from £55.50 to £63.80 from Mrs M. Morgan; Mule wethers sold at £52 from R. Dahn & Son; Romney wethers sold at £58.50 from N. & J. Denniston; Kerry Hill wethers sold at £44 from J. B. Jennings; Welsh wethers sold from £31 to £35 from B. Broome.

Ewe Lambs. Only a few pens were left for breeding selling to a top of £70.50 for Suffolk x North Country Mule from M/s Goddard,

Eardiston with others at £66 and £69. Lleyn sold to a top of £67 with others at £60 to £62.50. Jacob sold at £45.50 and Soay at £26.50.

Cull and Grazing ewes, Wethers and Rams. A cracking trade throughout on a mainly grazing entry with very few strong meaty ewes on offer. An exceptional top price of £96 for some Beltex ewes from G. D. & S. A. Sutton and the overall average was £55.20. Suffolk x sold from £44.50 to £78.50; Mules sold from £20 to £75; Texel x sold from £34 to £70; Beltex x sold from £50 to £96; Charollais x sold from £52.20 to £70; Ryelands sold at £52; Jacobs sold at £39.50; Welsh sold from £16.50 to £48; Rams sold from £50.50 to £75.

Breeding Ewes. Two pens of continental x yearlings from J. C. Smith, Mamble made £90 and a pen of Jacob yearlings sold at £65.50.

Breeding Rams. A Lleyn yearling made £120.75 and a Blue Texel x Lleyn 2 year old sold at £107.10.

Lots of great Christmas gifts for quad owners on our website!!

Keep warm on your quad this winter with Handlebar Muffs and Heated Grips!...

Make feeding Sheep and Cattle easier with the Logic Feeder Ask about a demo of this machine and see the advantages over a wheel-driven feeder!!

Sales of New and used ATVs

All sizes of Quad tyres at competitive prices!!!

www.nomark.co.uk Sales of new and used ATVs l Excellent parts back-up for all Yamaha ATVs and for most other makes l Comprehensive range of attachments to make your quad bike a real workhorse l Full workshop service and repair facilities l

18

While It Is Yet Day On October 15th there was barely room for the assembled throng to raise their glasses to the success of Averil Douglas Opperman’s new book at Orphans Press in Leominster.

Averil grew up in Dublin in a Quaker family and started her writing career in The Irish Times where she covered everything from fires and weddings to Parliament and the courts, but these days she lives in Eastham.

‘While It Is Yet Day’ is Averil’s first biography and it also marks the return of Orphans Press to publishing. It tells the story of prison-reformer Elizabeth Fry. Averil said “I have tried to keep this Elizabeth Fry biography light to appeal to young people and those who are not avid readers of history or biography. I hope it inspires a new generation and gets people talking about Elizabeth Fry and learning more about her before she vanishes further into history when her face comes off our £5 note in 2016.”

Teme Valley Times

Wildlife in the Marches There are a great many books that are no better than average; there are rather fewer books that are genuinely good; and only a small number can truly be termed ‘wonderful’. Mark Lawley’s book falls into this latter category, delighting not only with the range and depth of its written content, but also with the quality, variety and quantity of its photographs.

As the title suggests, this book deals with the wildlife of the Marches, but the interpretation of ‘wildlife’ is decidedly wider than one might anticipate. Rather than merely cover the relatively obvious, such as the birds, bees, butterflies and dragonflies, this book also covers ferns and fleas, fungi and molluscs, and a very great deal more, giving it an extraordinary spread. As you leaf

through the book you can see a Pink Waxcap and a Fluted Bird’s Nest Fungus almost rubbing shoulders with a Hazel Dormouse, Frog Orchid and Sand Martin Flea, not to mention liverworts and lichen.

The author’s knowledge and enthusiasm could be said to leap out at the reader, with information being imparted on every page, but with a writing style that avoids a ‘dry as dust’ approach.

It seems ungenerous to find fault with such a magnificent book, but it might be appropriate to caution that this is a heavy book, with about 370 relatively large pages, so it’s probably best left at home, not taken with you as reference material when you’re out exploring!

The author lives in Ludlow, has degrees from Cambridge, Durham and Reading, and has published extensively on both natural history and the history of natural history.

Wildlife in the Marches is published by Marches Publications of Ludlow at £32.50.

Heritage at Bayton

Averil Opperman at the book launch

Bayton Church was the venue for a Heritage Open Weekend event that focussed on local mining.

The event was so well Hunthouse Colliery, 1963 attended that it was hard to find a parking space, but there was a warm welcome in the church with refreshments, as well as copious and well-illustrated displays.

Hunthouse was just one of the pits to be mentioned. Mining there came to an end in the early 1970s when flooding occurred, then in 1979 the site was cleared and became M&M Timber, which still exists there today. In the 1990s planning permission was sought to restart mining but there was local opposition and the application was refused. This was a fascinating exhibition that will have given many people an insight into the relatively recent past.

Helping you stay safe at home this winter WORCESTERSHIRE with peace of mind for the whole family TELECARE

My mum deserves her independence at home - so does yours Help is at hand at the touch of a button, 24 hours a day, every day.

WorcestershireTeleCare

Personal Alarms and Assisted Living Technologies

0345 130 1469 or visit www.worcstelecare.org

19

Teme Valley Times

Claudio (masked)

Much Ado - not Nothing On Saturday October 3rd, Ludlow-based ‘Here to There Productions’ brought Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing to the Regal in Tenbury Wells. A trailer for this much-loved classic rom-com was filmed in the gardens of Burford House and the pro-am team brought together professional actors from the Appletree Theatre Company in Ludlow with amateurs from across four counties.

Set in Spain in 1939, just after the end of the Spanish Civil Benedick - hung over and moping War, the production featured speciallywritten Spanish-themed music by Little Witley composer Jane Whittle.

There’s a huge sense of fun about the play with a great story-line and plenty of laughs and giggles along the way. The younger men are just back from the fighting and the women are delighted to see them and share the celebrations.

There are plenty of witty exchanges and a romantic story-line; there’s the comic and pretentious constable Beatrice and Benedick Dogberry, played by local Bromyard during rehearsals Ringmaster Chris Barltrop, and his dim- Chris Barltrop as Dogberry witted buddy Verges. Plots by friends to trick Beatrice and Benedick into admitting their love for one another add intrigue, as does a villainous conspiracy to defame a bride!

The whole thing was larger-than-life and was played at a fast pace.

Morgan Rees-Davies as Benedick was excellent; in particular his hangover scene was well interpreted, and his transformation after overhearing friends talking of Beatrice’s love for him was hugely amusing. Sarah Palmer was suitably feisty as Beatrice, and Hero and Claudio truly believable. An enjoyable evening with some very memorable moments!

The Roebuck Inn Under New Management of Mother and Son Di & Ade Albert. This local family, born and bred in the area, has served the community with outside bars and catering through Xenia Hospitality for a number of years.

Di and Ade welcome customers old and new to The Roebuck Inn. A traditional village pub which has a bar, lounge and restaurant for you to enjoy local drinks and homemade food from locally sourced ingredients. There are also three newly-refurbished guest bedrooms.

Located next door is The Roebuck Shop.

Open from 7am until 6.30pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am until 12.30pm at the weekend, selling a large range of everyday items including newspapers.

ar The B n is ope until m 11.00p

01584 711827

Open for drinks ever y da

y

Light lunches served Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 12pm-3pm and for evening meals 6pm-8pm Food served 12pm until 8pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a roast all day on a Sunday

bRImfIeld, ludlow, SY8 4ne

TheRoebuckInnbRImfIeld@gmaIl.com

Booki n are be gs taken ing for th e Chris tmas menu

Teme Valley Times

A Bottle of Port this Christmas? SPAR Offers Port is a classic Christmas favourite, and it’s hard to beat a nice drop of port after the meal, or perhaps with the mince pies, cheese or chocolates, depending on personal taste. Various styles are available, from the ‘everyday’ ruby port that has been a staple of many a drinks cabinet through the years, to the less well-known, such as true vintage ports and tawnies.

Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) ports are bottled when mature, rather than bottled young then matured in bottle. This provides the convenience of being able to simply open the bottle and pour, rather than needing to decant, as you would with a true vintage port, due to the sediment it throws in the bottle.

Tawny ports are more widely appreciated these days, with some people drinking them in place of sherry.

Port also has the advantage of being very reliable - a real asset if you’re buying a bottle as a gift!

Co-op 10yr Tawny (£13.99). With a nutty and less sweet taste, this had a tempting boldness and firmness and we found it easy to enjoy.

but then it was also the most expensive bottle we tried. It’s nicely firm and drinking well now, with good balance and decidedly classy.

Croft 10 Year Old Tawny (Majestic £19.99 or £17.99 when you mix and match any six bottles) Significantly more expensive than the Coop’s, but with a rounded full silkiness, and a refined smooth taste, darker and with a nice freshness. Very nice!

Tesco finest* LBV Port 2009 (£10.00) is an enjoyable example, from Symington, with a nice firmness and good flavour.

Maynard’s Vintage 1989 Port (Aldi £19.99) is interesting, not least because of its age, but 1989 could hardly be called a great year for port. It’s certainly pleasant, but some younger ports are better. So it’s partly a question of how keen you are to try a 1989 port.

Sainsburys TtD Special Reserve Port (£10.00) is essentially a premium blended Ruby that has been matured for between four and six years in very large oak vats.

The result is sophisticated and civilised, smooth and full, and really rather good.

Sainsbury’s TtD 1998 Vintage Port (£20.00) was perhaps our overall favourite,

Tesco finest* Vintage Port 1997 (£16.00) is a proper vintage port from a good year. Although it’s already enjoyable, it is perhaps a little young, and if you felt minded to, and if you have the right storage conditions, you could lay down a case or two for the future.

Waitrose Fine Tawny Port (£8.49) is an enjoyable example, offering elements of sweetness, dryness and fieryness, making it decidedly quaffable.

Waitrose LBV Symington Family Estates 2010 (£10.99) is moderately assertive with a bit of a bite at the end. Whether this is a good thing entirely depends on how you like your port, or on what you’re eating with it.

Local SPAR stores will have a range of wine offers in the run up to Christmas and we tried out a few of them. Prices are guidelines only, as each SPAR store can set its own prices.

We tried two reds, a 2009 Ursa Maior Rioja (normally £10.49, but £7.50 until Dec 2nd) and a Valpolicella Ripasso (normally £10, but £8 from Dec 3rd to Jan 1st). Either should go nicely with the turkey, especially with the brown meat. Oak is very prominent in this Rioja so if you prefer something a bit lighter, the Valpolicella would be the one to go for.

We also tried two whites, a Verdicchio and a Muscadet.

Taking the 2014 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico first, this is usually £8, but it’s £6.50 until Dec 2nd. This is a clean, fresh wine, with a hint of almonddominated marzipan. Verdicchio is not a well-known grape but there’s plenty of it in Italy. The Muscadet (Les Deux Roches Sevre at Maine) is normally £7 but it’s £6 from Dec 3rd to Jan 1st. This is made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape, another variety that many won’t have heard of. It’s a traditional ‘sur lie’ version, so it’s been bottled directly off the lees, rather than, for example, having been filtered. There’s a pleasant floral/ star fruit aroma but the wine is drier and sharper than the aroma suggests. If you described it as being somewhat towards a Chablis you wouldn’t be far off the mark.

With Christmas and New Year only weeks away, it’s the time of year when many will think of a bottle of bubbly.

Perlezza Prosecco is £6 until Jan 1st (normally £9) and this Italian fizz has a soft grapey flavour, which many could enjoy on fun occasions or when celebrating. If you fancy pushing out the boat a bit, SPAR Marquis Belrive Champagne is £16 (an ‘everyday low price’ line, not a Christmas offer) which would be a useful option for people who like their Champagne to be on the dry side, sharp and fresh, with flavours of green apples.

Sweet News

COTTESWOLD DAIRY

In excess of 500 different traditional, retro old fashioned weigh out jars, modern sweets, including a large range of sugar free sweets & local homemade fudge & brittles.

Newspapers, Fresh Bread (white, brown, wholemeal, granary plus small white/wholemeal), Butter, Eggs, Cheddar Cheeses, Welsh Yoghurts, Broken Biscuits, Potatoes, Spring Water, Fruit Juices, Elderflower and Elderflower & Gooseberry Pressés, Organic Double Cream, Organic Butter - plus Fruit, Vegetable and Salad Boxes!

Household Items including Cling Film, Foil, Refuse Sacks, Freezer Bags, Toilet Rolls, Kitchen Towels, Easy Logs (compressed sawdust) - ALL DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR!

Traditional Sweet Shop and Newsagent

We pride ourselves on service and aim to satisfy each customer’s individual requirements.

Bring this advert into the shop and claim a 10% discount off your sweet purchase. or Place an order via our website and use the discount code Teme 10 at the checkout and receive a 10% discount.

153 Corve St Ludlow 07855 808343

www.thesweethouse.co.uk

More than just milk!

We offer a full range of milk including Channel Island, Sterilised, UHT, Soya, Flavoured, Organic (whole, semi, skimmed), goats (whole, semi) - in traditional returnable glass bottles or recyclable plastic containers.

Areas covered include Tenbury, Menithwood, Clifton-on-Teme, Whitbourne, Bromyard, Stoke Prior, Kington, Presteigne, Leintwardine, Shobdon, Yarpole, Ludlow and Much Wenlock, plus many places in-between.

To see if we deliver in your area or for a copy of our full product list call 01584 811857

www.cotteswold-dairy.co.uk

TEME VALLEY TIMES

SKODA

Citroën DS3 Cabrio

SKODA YETI

There’s something about open-top motoring, a certain joie de vivre if you like. Perhaps that explains why the French have built so many of them? Take the DS3, for example. It could be described as an ‘ordinary’ car, in much the same way as, for example, a Honda Jazz, but would Honda produce a cabriolet version of the Jazz? Probably not, at least not in the foreseeable future.

The DS3 Cabrio uses a powered fabric roof, not one of those fancy metal foldaway-into-the-boot roofs that Peugeot favour. It’s a bit more back-to-basics, but it does echo Citroën’s heritage, in the form of the iconic and much-loved 2CV. The cabrio function operates in two stages - you can simply retract the roof itself, or you can also fold down the back window section. The rear window is a ‘proper’ one, not the floppy piece of thin plastic that is sometimes found in soft-tops. This system worked well, but with two drawbacks. With the roof AND rear window folded, the view in rear view mirror is restricted by the folded roof that’s piled up at the back of the car. The other issue is the boot. This isn’t desperately small, but access is via a rather awkward ‘hatch’ - better seen than described - which restricts what you can get in. If this is important to you, check it out before you buy.

We drove a DStyle Nav Cabrio BlueHDi 100. ‘Blue HDi’ refers to the three-stage control system that cleans up the diesel engine’s

emissions and ‘100’ refers to the car’s power output in metric horsepower.

The engine is the wellproven Peugeot/Citroën 1.6-litre diesel, which suits the car well and delivered an average of 64mpg while we were driving it. It’s not the fastest thing on four wheels, but the Cabrio is also available with a 120hp version of the same motor, plus a choice of three petrol engines (82hp, 110hp and 165hp), so there’s probably a power unit to suit your requirements.

It’s a lovely car to drive if you want to take a gentle cruise along country lanes, with the roof down, listening to the birds and bees.

It’s also a good car in town, with its ease of parking, but if you’re looking for a racy little number, this isn’t the car for you, as the handling and suspension haven’t been set up for sporty driving.

However a DS3 DSport 165 might be worth a look?

On the other hand, if you’re simply looking for a car that can drop its top and provide enough space for four modest-size adults, this DS3 Cabrio might fit the bill. The range starts at £13,295 and the car we drove retails at £20,090, including £495 for optional metallic paint.

12 12 YETI 2.0 TDI SE AUTO 4x4, grey, 18,000 miles . .

14 14 YETI 2.0 S TDI, beige, 8,000 miles. . . . . . . . . . . .

12 62 YETI 2.0 TDI SE 4x4, grey, 25,000 miles . . . . . . .

13 13 YETI 1.2 S AUTO, silver, 11,800 miles . . . . . . . . .

12 62 YETI 1.6 TDI Greenline, silver, 11,000 miles . . . .

12 62 YETI 2.0 S TDI, red, 15,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . .

12 62 YETI 1.2 S TSI AUTO, silver, 33,000 miles. . . . . .

10 10 YETI 1.2 TSI AUTO, grey, 17,000 miles . . . . . . . .

£15,995 £15,495 £14,500 £13,995 £11,950 £11,750 £11,750 £11,150

SKODA OCTAVIA 08 08 OCTAVIA 1.6SE, silver, 40,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . £4,995 04 54 OCTAVIA 2.0 TDI Elegance, beige, 54,000 miles. . £3,450

SKODA FABIA 13 13 FABIA 1.2 TSI Elegance, white, 10,000 miles . . . .

12 62 FABIA 1.2 TSI SE Estate, green, 22,000 miles. . . .

12 12 FABIA 1.6 TDI Elegance Estate, grey, 64,000 miles 12 12 FABIA 1.2 SE, silver, 25,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12 12 FABIA 1.6 TDI SE Estate, beige, 50,000 miles. . . .

09 59 FABIA 1.4 16v Level 3 Estate, silver, 59,000 miles 08 08 FABIA 1.2 S, maroon, 41,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . .

£8,995 £6,995 £6,995 £6,650 £6,250 £5,250 £4,495

OTHER MAKES 12 62 VW CADDY 1.6 TDI, white, 39,000 miles . . . . £7,000+VAT 10 10 VW CADDY 1.6 TDI, blue 40,000 miles. . . . . . £4,995+VAT 14 14 VW UP 1.0 MOVE, 5dr, red,13,000 miles . . . . . . . . £6,650 09 09 TOYOTA YARIS 1.3 Automatic, grey, 33,000 miles £4,995 08 08 NISSAN MICRA 1.3, 5dr, red, 42,000 miles . . . . . . £3,995 05 06 RENAULT KANGOO VAN 1.9 TDI 4x4, 99,000 miles £2,995

OVERTON SERVICE STATION HEREFORD ROAD, LUDLOW. Tel. 01584 872584

SEAT Leon ST Cupra SEAT’s Leon Cupra has been creeping up the power scale for some time, with the most recently-announced version claiming 290hp, up from the previous 280hp. It’s debatable whether an extra 10 horse power makes much difference at this level, but the extra power doesn’t affect the car’s flexibility, economy or emissions and there’s always a temptation to want more when you’re looking for performance.

We drove the ST (‘estate’) version, a car that combines the practicality of a family-size estate with the get up and go of a seriously sporty model. It also offers a restrained appearance, something many will prefer to overtly racy looks that might invite unwanted attention.

There are two remarkable features about this car. One is how quickly it goes, the other is how quickly it stops. If anything the brakes are even more impressive than the performance, which is exactly as it should be.

Obviously you can do little more than scrape the surface of this car’s potential, given its 155mph top speed, compared to the maximum speed limit of 60mph on ordinary single carriageway roads. However, all this power can deliver real benefits, even when the car is driven with proper respect for today’s speed limits.

The most obvious benefit is how quickly you can pass slow-moving traffic. Come up behind a 25mph tractor on a country road and the Cupra can accelerate so quickly that you can pass in a moment, so gone are the days of having to wait miles to find a long enough straight to get past safely. This truly is a very quick car and you could be in for a surprise even if you’re familiar with cars such as Subaru’s STI. Another benefit is that you can overtake while driving up hills.

Even in a reasonably powerful car a hill can take the edge of performance, but with 290 horsepower under your right foot, it takes a pretty steep hill to have a big impact. And it’s impressive how it flies up hills even in top gear; gone are the days of changing down a couple, while watching the speedo take a nose-dive.

And of course, you always have the benefit of those wonderful brakes. Hopefully this is something you’ll never need, but one day they could save the day and turn what could have been a nasty accident into a simple near-miss.

Connecting 290hp to the Tarmac is always going to be a bit of a

challenge when only the front wheels are driven, but the Cupra has an electronicallycontrolled limited slip differential which does a commendable job of finding traction, and minimising torque steer, when accelerating out of tight corners.

You might expect all this performance to come at a cost in terms of fuel economy, but we found it easy to top 40mpg and

when staying with the flow of traffic on main roads that could rise to 45mpg.

It even comes with a good level of equipment, including excellent LED headlights, and with a generous amount of luggage space, so there are few sacrifices in day-to-day driving, though the wide tyres and big wheels do increase road noise.

To sum it up, a Leon ST Cupra is a real

wolf in sheep’s clothing. On the one hand it’s wickedly fast, but on the other it’s a practical family estate that copes well with ‘normal’ use, whether commuting or taking the family to the seaside. And it does all this for less than £29,000, or around £30,000 if you want an automatic. How impressive is that?