South Shropshire Journal - 01-Dec-2022

FEARSAIRED OVER LOSS OF 999 BASE

Councillors saythatpatients couldsuffer if site is relocated

SouthShropshirecouncillorshavevoicedtheir fearsabout thepotential loss of aWales AirAmbulancebaseacrossthe border in Powys.

They fear thelossofthe airbase at Welshpoolwill impact on alllocal patients.The proposalswould see theclosuresofthe Welshpooland Caernarfon bases andthe crews combined into anew NorthWales site.Bossessay that move would allow them to provideabetterser vice.But opponentsfearthe move wouldmeanitwould take longer for crewstoreach emergenciesinMid Walesand Shropshire ShropshireCouncillor forBishop’s Castle Ruth Houghton said: “Air ambulances operateonboth

DAVIDTOOLEY david.tooley@mnamedia.co.uk

sidesofthe border accordingtocir cumstanceand availability

“Addinganother 20 minutes plus flighttimetopotential rescue flights wouldcreatea potentially biggap in capability,not just in Mid MidWales butShropshiretoo.”

ShropshireCouncillor forClun NigelHartin said themove could hitfundraising forair ambulances

He said:“TheWelsh AirAmbulanceand theWestMidlandsAir Ambulancebothoperate in our area andmanycommunity councils andlocal groups fundraise forboth.

“Itwillimpactquite significantly on themoney raisedfor thelatterif they went aheadwiththisproposal.”

ShropshireCouncillor forChir

bury andWorthen HeatherKidd said airambulancesfromWelshpool aresometimesusedinher area

Shesaid: “Thisprovidesgood cover on both sidesofthe border to areasofShropshirewhich have verypoorterrestrial ambulanceresponse timesnow andhistorically.”

Acrossthe Welshborder,Powys County Councillor forChurchstoke DannyBebbalsosaidhewas concerned aboutthe loss of theair base

ThefourLib Demcouncillors have askedfor aspecial meeting with airambulance leaders.

WalesAir Ambulancebossessaid making themovewould allowitto attend morethan500 extra emer gencieseachyear. Theservice said moving north couldsee dailyhours extended from 12 to 18 andtwo crewsand twohelicopters able to fly from thenew base

‘Careat home will help easeA&E pressures’

Health bosses in Shropshireare ad vising residents to practise self-care when possiblebecause A&Edepartmentsare settoget busier overthe coming months.

NHSShropshire, Telfordand Wrekin launched acampaignthis week recommending thatmedicine cabinets at home arekeptstocked

Dr IanChanfromthe organisa tion said:“This winter allNHS serviceswill be very busy,sowemust

allplayour part in accessingthe rightcarefor ourhealthcareneeds.

With A&Edepartments andminor injury unitsset to getevenbusi er overthe coming months, we’re asking people acrossthe countyto practise self-carewhere possible.

“Looking afteryourselfwhen you’re feelingunder theweather is easy if you alreadyhaveawellstocked, andlocked, medicinecab inet.You canget advice andpur

chasemedicines at littlecostfrom communitypharmacies,aswell as many otherstores, rather than gettingaprescription.”The advice comesas health bossescontinueto deal with pressures on services Anditalsocomesas thetrust responsiblefor Shropshire’smain hospitalswas namedfourthfrom bottom in anationalranking of trusts on performance.

l Rankings –Page4

Festival proves awinneras town supports newinitiative

From festive marketsinthe town centre,toaFestivalofLights show at Ludlow Castle,there wasafull programmeofeventsfor people of allagestoenjoy throughout last weekend.

Thetownwas said to be “heaving” with people,withthe community browsing thedifferent markets andactivitiesonoffer

Tish Dockerty,fromLudlow ChamberofTrade andCommerce, said it wasan“exceptional” event, despitethere being“bigboots to fill”fromthe lossofthe Ludlow MedievalChristmas Fayre.

Shesaid: “Itwas arealeffortand thetowncametogether.

“There were bigboots to fill,but therewereplentyofvisitors.”

TheFestivalofLightsevent at Ludlow Castle wasespecially popu larwithfamilies,Tishadded.

Shesaid: “The lightshow was full of young families whowere veryexcited andthere waslotsof positive feedback from people “Itwas veryfamily-orientated “The weatherwasn’tasbad as originallyforecast, butitwas blus tery.”

Tish wasmanaginganartisanmakersmarket in theBeacon

Roomsat thecastleonSaturday, wheretraderssoldtheir owngifts andproducts.

Sheadded: “I didgointotown, it wasabsolutelyheaving,itwas abuzz. People were parkingamile or twoout of town andwalking in “There wasa real sense of occa sion

“There waslotsgoing on and plenty forpeopletodo andsee.”

VariousactivitieswereheldatSt Laurence’s Church as part of the winter festival,including afestive fair.

Andatractor runwas held on Friday eveningthrough thetown. l Bright –Page6

Sally Doddand CaseyHarringtonfromBlueBottleCrafts at thefestivefair held at St Laurence’sChurchaspartofthe town’s winter festival

Organisers of anew winter festival forLudlow have celebrated itssuc cess afterthe communitycameout in forcetosupport it

Stacey Taylor from A&ICreations at St Laurence’sChurchfestivefair

Manfacescourt in collision case

Aman hasappearedincourt in connection with thealleged hitand-runroaddeath of a26-year-old man.

ChristopherCarloman,57, ap pearedatTelford Magistrates’ CourtonTuesday,accused of fail ingtostopand report an accident in relation to thedeath of Will Rogers Mr Rogers,26, waskilled on April 30 on theB4368 at Diddlebury However,nofurther progress was made in thecaseasitneedstobe heardinfront of adistrictjudge Carloman,ofBlakemore, Brook side,Telford, wasgranted uncondi tional bail

Testsonriversprompt a‘superbugs’ warning

Newresearch flagsupworries aboutantibioticresistance

GAVINMCEWAN LocalDemocracy Reporter

Astudy of theWye and otherrivers in areasof intensive livestock farminghas foundtheycontain

ShropshireCouncilisasking

forpublicviews over itsplansto putspeed cushions in Sandpits Road in Ludlow

Theplansare to create five pairsofcushionsapproximately 65 to 75mm high.Theywould be placed to thesouth east of Hen leyRoad

Aplanillustratingthe propos alsmay be inspected at Ludlow Libraryoronline at shropshire. gov.uk andanyonewishing to make representationsshould send aletteroremail to Shrop shireCouncil by December 15

Ticketsall gone forKaiserChiefs

TheKaiserChiefs gigatLudlow Castle next summer is asell-out success

Theindie band,fronted by Ricky Wilson, will play within thewalls of thecastleonJuly21.

GemmaEngland,general man ager at Ludlow Castle,said: “We areonceagain blownawaybythe demand.Following thesell-out Bastillesummer 2023 date,Kaiser Chiefs nowjoins thebill as thesec ond sell-out announcement of the Within theWalls series.Wecouldn’t be more excitedtobeworking with Future SoundGroup to bringthese exciting events to Ludlow.”

ConservativeMPfor Ludlow PhilipDunnesaidthe studyhigh lights “the risk in ourriversfrom emerging antimicrobialresistance” resultingfromroutinely giving an tibioticstofarmanimals

“Thisisanothergoodreasonwhy water qualitymonitoringneedsto be ramped up to avoidpeoplebe coming gravelyill,” said Mr Dunne, whochairsthe parliamentaryenvi ronmentalaudit committee

WorldAnimalProtection (WAP) workedwiththe Alliance to Save OurAntibiotics andthe Bureau of InvestigativeJournalism(BIJ) to test water andsedimentfromwa terwaysnear12poultry andpig farms, includinginthe Wyevalley.

Therespected Fera Sciencelab foundthatE.coliand S. aureus bugs in thesamples showed resist ance to aclass of importantantibi oticsknown assulfonamides,more so downstream than upstream of thefarms, “suggesting resistance is entering theenvironment from thesefarms”the BIJsaid.

Aspokespersonfor theDepart ment forEnvironment Food and RuralAffairs (Defra)said: “Anti bioticssales foruse in livestockare at theirlowesteverlevel andweare committedtobuildingonthese re ductions.”

National FarmersUnion policy managerSarah Faulkner said Brit ishfarming “isaleaderinthe re sponsibleuse of antibiotics”,adding: “Farmers continue to workhardto protectanimalhealthand welfare using alternative strategies.”

MP isimpressedbystudents

Ludlow MP PhilipDunnehas praisedthe behaviourofpupilsat asuccessfulschoolinhis constitu ency

Mr Dunnevisited Cleobury Mor timerPrimary School

At theschoolhewas introduced to theschoolassemblybyYear6 teacherNicolaMountjoyand met theschoolcouncil

Mr Dunnesaid: “I wasveryen couraged to seeCleoburyMortimer Primaryinsuchgood shape, with some 270childrenonthe school roll this term

“The children were really well behavedand engaged during the assembly

“I also hadaverygood meeting with membersofthe school council whoasked lots of goodquestions

“I have agreed to seeifthe inno vative police cadets initiative can resume at theschoolnextyearat MrsMountjoy’srequest.”

MrsMountjoy said:“Thechil dren andstaff really enjoyedhear ingabout Mr Dunne’sexperiences of governmentand lifeasa politi cian.

Questions

“The school councilloved asking himquestions and findingout that elements of ourelectionprocess replicatereallife.

“Itissobeneficialfor thechil dren enjoyed meetingsuchan inspi rational visitorand it givesthema belief of what they couldachieve in thefuture.”

Counciltax couldbeset to rise by 4.99 percentfor some residentsasShropshireCoun cilpreparesfor ahugeinfla tion-driven deficit.

ButneighbouringTelford & Wrekin says it will freeze its taxrise forthe next twoyears, although it will levy foradult socialcare.

ShropshireCouncil’s Con servativecabinet member for finance, Councillor Gwilym Butler,has confirmed thead ministration will be considering thebiggest rise possible

Have your say on storeplans Road safety set to be boosted

Public consultationdrop-in ses sionsare beingheldthisweekon aproposedMarks &Spencer food hall on theedgeofLudlow. Thenew storewould be opposite theEco Park at SheetRoad

Theconsultationevent is tak ingplaceatthe Ludlow Assembly Rooms. The firstsession washeld yesterday(Thursday)between 12pm and4pm andthe second ses sion is runningtoday from 10.30am and4pm.Moreinformation is avail able at foodhallconsultationludlow co.ukand comments should be sent to info@foodhallconsultationlud low.co.uk.

Increase likely on your taxbills Walkersare still strollingon

Membersofacommunity group arecelebrating 35 yearssince it was firstlaunched.

Morethan20peoplejoined Bishop’s Castle Footpath Walk ingGroup to celebratethe oc casion.Theywereled by Cath erineMurphyand Judith Payne whowerethere at that initial ‘tester’ walk 35 yearsago

As with theinitial meeting, membersofthe groupdiscussed plansfor thenextyear, includ ingwalks andlaunching the websiteofthe Bishop’s Castle WalkingFestival2023inthe newyear.

antibiotic-resistant“superbugs” which couldposeathreatto humanhealth.

Pupils on theschoolcouncilatCleoburyMortimerPrimary School welcome theirlocal MP Philip Dunne during hisvisit

Town rotary club is boosted as anothermemberjoins up

DAVIDBANNER newsroom@mnamedia.co.uk

Church Stretton Rotary Club haswelcomed anothernew member.

DavidBennett said he wanted to have an active involvementwith charitable organisationsthatsup ported thecommunity

He joined Mayfair’steamofvol unteers about threeyears agoand canbeseenineitherofthe reception areasofthe twobuildings most days of theweek.

Having learnt agreat deal about thecommunity andits needs he de cidedhewanted to give back more supporttothe widercommunity whohad helped himthrough some challengingtimes

He hastaken on othervoluntary rolesinthe communityincluding developmentofMayfair’s Youth Club,Mayfair’s book sales, anda smallrolesupportingShrewsbury YouthService

Mr Bennettsaid: “I have become averyactive member of thewider communitywithhelpand support from Church StrettonRotaryasmy confidencehas grown. Ihavegained alot from my membership of rotary, andIbelieve what you putinyou getout by beinga member,the more Idothe moreIget out.”

Commissionfor artworkatparkisawarded

MEGANJONES megan.jones@mnamedia.co.uk

Thecommissionfor an artinstallation at anew business park has been awarded.

Midlands-basedPlanetArt has wonthe commission forthe work at theparkinBishop’sCastle.

JulieEdwards andRon ThompsonfromPlanetArt have worked together fornearly30years.The companyhas specialistexperience in creating workinpublicspaces andcommunities

Thecommissionwas open to lo calcreativesand apanel of local representativesfromBishop’sCas tleshortlisted five submissionsand chose thewinner.The winningdesign is alaser cutspheremadefrom stainlesssteelwithLED lighting

Ruth Houghton,Shropshire Councillor forBishop’sCastle, said:“Thesubmissions received for this commissionwerevariedand interesting. However,the selected sculpturefromPlanetArt really captures thehistory,culture and landscapeofBishop’sCastleand its surroundings

“Itwill be astrikingcentrepiece forthe newBishop’sCastlebusi-

ness park andIlookforward to theunveiling ceremony in thenew year.”

Thecouncil-owned park secured £1.27million European Region al Development fundinglastyear whichincludedthe provision of a publicrealm artworkpiece Construction of thesitebegan at theend of June 2021 andhas re cently been completed. Thesculp

Concertcashtohelpfoodbank’swork

Fundingwas donatedtoa food bank from asuccessfulFlanders &Swann concert.

TheLudlow LiberalDemocrats, whoorganisedthe event, recognisedthatnot everyone who attended theconcert at thetown’s Assembly Roomswould want to supportthe party, so donations were puttowards theLudlow Food Bank

Atotal of £485 wasraisedand DavidGaukroger presented the resultingchequetoRuthDavies, food bank co-ordinator.

Ms Davies said of thefunding: “Weare very grateful forthe donation,which will allowusto buyseasonalfoodsand treatsfor Christmas.”

Mr Gaukrogersaid: “The concert wasinaid of Ludlow Liberal Democrats.

“Butwerealisedthatnot everyonewho wished to attend thecon cert wouldwanttosupport us so

we thoughthelping thefood bank wouldbeagreat idea.”

As well as beingchairmanof Ludlow LiberalDemocrats,David is an accomplished pianistand composer

He wasjoinedinthe concertby

internationaloperatictenor,Kim Begley.Eleven originalFlanders &Swann songswereperformed, together with threespecially composed songs.

“I am afraid my last song, whichwas critical of thelastfour Conservativeprime ministers, provoked amemberofthe audi ence to shout‘shameonyou’”, addedDavid

“Kim,who hasperformed in allthe majoropera houses in the world,had neverbeenheckled be fore,but rose to theoccasion

“I thoughtthe wholeepisode wasveryironic.

“IfanythinginBritain is shameful todayitisthat, in a countrywithsuchwealthand wherethe gapbetween rich and pooriswideningrapidly,more andmorepeopleare findingit impossible to manage withoutusingfood banks,evenhouseholds wherebothadultsare working.”

Events areplannedtobuild up to thebig switch-on

Businesses andorganisations arerallyinground to make this year’s Christmaslightsswitchon in Bishop’s Castle amajor event.

Awhole weekendoffun and events hasbeenarrangedinthe town.The mayor’sChristmas quiz is taking placeatthe Six Bellsthisevening (Friday) Awhole dayofactivitiesis

plannedfor tomorrow.There will be acraft fair at thechurch, a flea market at thetownhall, and Father Christmas will join illuminatedtractorsand alantern parade to switch on thelights at 6pm.

That will be followed by fire works andcarol singingaround thetree. Thecommunity hub is holdinganopenhouse,while

Christmas will be celebrated at theWeighbridge Museum from noon to 5pm.

At 6.15pm thecarnival’s bouncy ball bonanzawilltake placewhile theevent will concludewithJohnKirkpatrick’s Carolling andCrumpetsshowat SpArCat7.30pm andthe Christ masDecks at theVaultsuntil late

ture is scheduledtobeunveiledin early2023.

JulieEdwards said:“We areinspired by thetown’shistory,the buildings, therurality, farming communityand theculturalrichness theareahas to offer. To us, Bishop’s Castle hasits ownunique andspecial littleworld,and we wanted ourdesigntorepresent that.”

Winter fuel bill supportishailed

Ludlow MP PhilipDunnehas welcomedaboosttowinter fuel payments.

Morethan11.6million pension ershavestarted to receiveupto £600tohelpwiththeir energy bills throughthe winter months.

Mr Dunnesaid: “Pensionersare some of ourmostvulnerable residents in SouthShropshiresoitis welcome news that 24,495pension ersinthe Ludlow constituency will receiveanadditional£300.”

TheMPadded: “Costofliving payments have also been avital lifelinefor many as we face infla tionarypressures causedbyPutin’s invasion of Ukraineand theenergy shockthatfollowed.”

Lawyer gives taxguidance

Alawyer says families in Shropshirecould be hitbythe freeze on theinheritance taxthreshold announcedbythe Chancellor.

JonathanEdwards,anassociate with FBCManby Bowd ler, said rising inflationand theincreaseinpropertyprices post-pandemicmeant thefreeze waseffectively astealthtax on thehard-earned savingsand assets of families in thecounty.

He said:“We anticipate a flur ry of inquiriesabout how people canbetterprotect theirassets forthe next generation such as by usingtrustsorlifetimeand charitable giving.”

WINDOWS

Sketches of theartwork whichwill be installedinBishop’s Castle

LocalLiberalDemocrats Kathy Cowell,David Gaukrogerand PeterSellhandoverthe cheque to food bank co-ordinatorRuth Davies

Strike plansare beingprepared

Health organisationsset to be hit by this month’sNHS strike action have said they arecontactingthe patients potentiallyaffected RoyalCollege of Nursingstaff at both Shropshire Community Health Trustand theRobertJones andAgnes Hunt OrthopaedicHos pitalatGobowen votedinfavourof strike action

National strikesare duetotake placeonDecember15and 20

Detailswill be setout soonon whichserviceswithinthe NHSwill be exempt from theaction.

Services deemed “life-preserv ing” and“emergency-type care” will continue on strike days

Stacey Keegan,chief executiveat theRobertJones andAgnes Hunt OrthopaedicHospital, said:“We areinthe processofworking on our business continuity plans, ensuring we maintain patientsafety, andwill contactanybody whowillbedirectly impacted in duecourse.”

Covidboosters for3mpeople

Morethanthree million people in theregionhavenow hada Covidbooster jabthisautumn

TheMidlandsisthe first region in England to hitthe milestoneand hasachieved 3,003,647ofthe country’stotal vaccinationsof15.3million

So far, more than 853,858 autumn boosterappointments in theEastMidlandsand over 787,604 appointments in theWestMidlandshavebeen booked sinceSeptember 12

Many more people areget ting theirvaccinationsthrough walk-inclinics.And thoseyet to take up theoffer arebeing urged to come forward.

People aged 50 andover,the severely immuno-suppressed andfrontline health andcare workers canget vaccinated

TheNHS is also rolling out this year’s fluvaccine

Manisfacing imagesclaims

ABuilthWells mancharged with indecent images offences will be dealtwithatthe crowncourt

Robert Adamsdid notenter pleas to four chargeswhenheappeared at LlandrindodWells Magistrates CourtonWednesday last week

Magistratesindicated anot guilty plea on hisbehalftoacharge of holdingasocialmedia account in anameother than Robert Ad amsonJuly6,2021, whichhewas prohibited from doingbya sexual harm prevention order

Notguilty pleaswerealso entered to charges of making threecategory Aindecentphotosand twocategory Cimages of achild betweenMarch 1, 2019 andJuly6,2021, andpos sessing 17 extremepornographic images involvinganimals between March 1, 2019 andJuly6,2021.

Thecaseagainst the45-year-old of TanyCastell wassenttoMerth yr TydfilCrown Courtfor aprelim inary hearingonDecember 21

MP welcomes figuresonstaffing

AShropshireMPhas welcomed figuresthatshowmoredoctors andnursesare nowworking in theNHS in England.

Almost 4,000 more doctorsand 9,300morenurses areworking in theNHS compared to September 2021,including 958 more doctors and1,457 more nurses in theMid lands. Daniel Kawczynski,the Shrewsbury &AtchamMP, said:

“The pandemic hasresultedina

procedures–but we must ensurethat patients getthe care they need

“Therefore,Iamdelightedthat 958new doctorsand 1,457new nurseshavebeenrecruited in the Midlands as part of arecruitment drivethathas seen more doctors andnursesworking in theNHS than ever before.”

Councilpartnership boostsadoption

Apartnershipinvolving four local authoritiesiscontinuingtomakea difference to thelives of children in care,council bosses have said TheTogether4Children adoption agency brings together Telford& Wrekin Council, Shropshire Coun cil,StaffordshireCountyCouncil andStoke-on-TrentCityCouncil.

Thepartnership,which launched in September 2020,isnow helping to find morepermanent families

forchildrenwithinthe region.A newwebsite andsuccessfulmar ketingcampaign, focusing on find ingadopters forchildren in sibling groups andother prioritychildren, resulted in over 720inquiriesfrom potentialadopterslastyear.

By creating alargerpoolofpotentialadopters, closer working and pooled resourcesthe agency has foundpermanent homesfor more than 200children sincegoing live

Hospitalstrust is fourth from bottom in newNHS rankings

DAVIDTOOLEY david.tooley@mnamedia.co.uk

Thetrust responsible for Shropshire’smainhos pitals hasbeennamed fourthfrombottomin anationalranking of trusts on performance.

Shrewsbury andTelford Hospitals NHSTrust (SaTH) is dogged by low rankings on many keyissues.Analysisofofficialdataranks SaTH as 117thout of 120inEng land forits overallperformance againstkey duties of care to itspatients

They indicate that thetrust is “failing to meet everysingleone of itstargets”.

Problems includenearly6,500 people waitingtobeseenatA&E formorethanfourhours

Andinambulance delays the fig ures show people in life-threaten ingsituationssuchaschoking or cardiacarrestwaiting an average of more than eightminutes foran ambulance, andfourhours 55 minutes forfalls or fractures. Response timesare meanttobeseven minutes andtwo hours respectively

SimonWhitehouse,the chiefexecutiveofthe Shropshire,Telford andWrekinIntegrated Care Sys tem(ICS),admitted thereare “very genuinechallenges”but that he sees “some greenshoots” in theway thehospitals areorganised.

“Ifwehaveahospitalthatis full then theability to ourelective

care is compromised,”hesaid. He said that at themoment theway theacute hospitalsdealwithboth emergencyand elective care on two differentsites needstobeimproved, includingintransferringpatients into andout of hospital by ambu lances

SaTH andWestMidlandsAmbulanceService areworking together to trytospeed up themovementof patients

This includes theadditionoftwo newambulancereceiving areasat Telford’sPrincessRoyal Hospital (PRH)and theRoyal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH).

Floorcapacityat RSHisalso be ingexpandedtoimprove access for GP referralsand is expected to be operationalthismonth

SaTH says it is working closely with localauthoritiestoexpedite

thedischarge of medically fitpa tients

Recent pressures on thesystem have seen thenumberofpeople who are fitfor dischargeatthe two hospitalsrisingfrom70-80 to more than160

Bosses at thehospitals saythe new figureshighlightthe need to make progress on thecontroversial £312 million Future Fithospital transformationprogramme They saytheyrecognise thecon cernscomingfromthe community in Telfordover thelossofaccident andemergency care at Telford’s Princess RoyalHospitalbut that things cannotgo on theway they are.

Nick White, thechief medi calofficerofthe ICS, said Future Fit’shospitaltransformationpro gramme,where A&Ewould be

at Shrewsburyand plannedcare wouldbeat Telford, is a“better way of doingthings”

“Itisreallyimportant to havea set-up wherewecan maximise what we have got,”hesaid, addingthat such achangewould help thehospitals to recruitand retain staff, and that Telfordwould retain a24-hour A&Elocal model, an enhanced ur gent emergencycareservice Health chiefssay they areplanning aseriesof‘roadshows’ to ex plainthe transformationplans and theirreasons forwantingchange.

Dr Whitesaidthe care would be basedon“what people actually need”ratherthanasystembased on geography. He said patients are routinelytransferred from hospital to hospital anyway,and they have done that withoutincident, includ ingmovingintensive care patients andcrash victimstospecialist units.

“I understand people areworried about losing something,”he said.“It is aperceptionofwhattheyneed.”

Thehospitaltransformationpro gramme hasabudgetofsome £312 million andhealthleaders sayit hasbeenconfirmed as notbeing in the“newhospital” building programme.Simon Whitehousesaid that localpoliticians have worked hard to protectthatbudget, which is building abusinesscase. Work hascommenced on thenextstage of thenationalapprovalprocess,includingthe developmentofanOut line Business Case.Thisisplanned to be completed by theend of June l Benefits –Page22

Vast majority of people back twoA&Esinsurvey

Theoverwhelming majority of people questioned in asurveyby campaignerssay Shropshireneeds to have twofully-functioningA&E departments.

Atotal of 96.3 percentofthose questioned in arecentsurveyof 1,500peoplewereinsupport of Shropshirekeeping both itsA&E departments.

Thecurrent Shrewsbury &Tel ford Hospital NHSTrust Future Fitproposals wouldsee theRoyal Shrewsbury Hospital become the county’s only full A&E.

Underthe plans, urgent care services wouldstill be availableat thePrincess RoyalHospital, but

emergencycarewould be delivered primarilyfromRSH’s newpur pose-builtemergency department

ShropshireGreen Party ‘Healthy Greens’group asked more than 1,500peopleacross11 Shropshiretowns if they thought Shrewsbury andTelford A&Es should remain fullyfunctional.

People in Bishop’s Castle, Bridgnorth, Church Stretton,Cra ven Arms, Ludlow,Market Dray ton, Much Wenlock, Shrewsbury, Telford, Wemand in Whitchurch were askedthe question:‘Should both Shrewsbury A&Eand Telford A&Eremainfullyfunctioning A&Es?’.Ofthose,96.3per cent

respondedin supportoftwo fully operationalA&E departments. 100per cent of people in Telford respondedwitha‘yes’.The lowest supportcamefromMarket Dray tonat92.7per cent

Senior nurse ClareNash, co-lead of HealthyGreens, said bossesand boardmembersat SaTH must “respondtothe consistent andstrong messagefrompeopleacrossShrop shire.”She added: “The livesand optimalrecovery of critically ill or injuredpatientswill be at serious risk if they areforced to travelto thewestsideofShrewsburyto theonlyA&E in theplans forthe wholeofShropshire.”

SaTH is ranked 117thout of 120trusts in Englandaccordingtoanalysis

Green Partymembers protesting againstproposed healthcare changesinShropshire

backlogofoperationsand

Unique artcan be bought as shop opensup

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

Anew shop is open in Llandrindod Wellsoverthe weekends leadingup to Christmas.

TheOld Beaufort Gallery, nowStiwdio Celf oGwmpas,onTempleStreet,isopentothe public Celf oGwmpas’sartists networkisinvitingeveryonetocome andsee an arrayofworkfrommember artists.

Artistsshowingtheir workinclude Rhiannon Ashcroft, DebBunker, Lucy Burden,Geraint Edwards, Graham Haslock, Ames Petrossi, Jane Masonand Jane Titley

Visitors will be abletobrowsecards,prints, originalpaintings anddrawings, sculpture, artefactsand craftitems

Theart groupsaidthe shop will allowthemtobuy somethingveryspecialand unique forfriends and family, or just go to look andsay hello.

Runbythe artiststhemselves, visitors maywell seesome work in progress too.

JaneMason,Celfo Gwmpas artistsnetworkco-ordinator, said:“We aredelightedthatwecan open ourdoors to thepublicatlast.

“Asalocal arts charityweare dependentonthe generosity of others to supportthe workwedo, providing arts activities forthe communityand supportinglocal artists.Apercentageofall thesales will go to thecharity andIhopepeoplewill visitof us beforebuyingtheir Christmaspresents.”

TheshopisopenonFridays andSaturdays from 10am until4pm untilDecember 24

Lawyer warnsofthe dangers of drink-driving

AShropshirelawyer haswarnedChristmas revellers andWorld Cupfootballfansnot to drink-drive. With thetwo majoreventsrunningalmostside by side this year,motorists drivingunder theinflu ence areamajor concernfor theauthorities StephenScully, of Lanyon Bowdler, specialises in drivingoffencesand said that as people will be getting together forChristmas parties, drivingthe morning afteradrink wasa real danger

He said:“It’s really importanttobeaware of therisk of beingoverthe legaldrink-drive limit themorning afteradrink.Whenever alcoholisinvolved,it’sreallyimportant to be awareofhow it canstill be in yoursystemthe next day.”

over jobs,pay andconditions.

TheTransport Salaried Staffs’Association(TSSA)isballotingmorethan1,600 operational, station, controland manage ment staff, forstrikeactionand action shortofstrike.

Ballotswill be held throughout Decemberwithresults duejustbeforeChristmas, bosses have said

Acourse fortrainee firefighters hasbeen suspended afterrecruitsweresuspected of cheating in an exam, fire chiefs have said Midand West WalesFireand Rescue Service said it haslaunchedaninvestigation Thecourse hadbeentakingplace at the Earlswood Training Centre,JerseyMarine,Neath Port Talbot,where firefighter recruits areput theirthrough theirpaces afterhavingpassedaselection process.

The fire serviceconfirmed to theLocal DemocracyReporting Servicethatthe current course hasbeensuspended because recruits were suspected of cheating in an exam.Itisnot clearhow many of therecruits were suspected of doingso.

Floodlights appeal hopes fora bingofunding boost

Ajuniorsportsgroup whichisraising mon ey forportable floodlights that canbeused by alllocal teams will be hostinga bingo evening.

Knighton’sJunior Sports Association is holding theChristmas bingoevent at KnightonCommunity Centre on Friday next week

Doorswillopenat6.30pm andeyesdown will be at 7pm.

Allproceeds will go to thesportsassociationtopurchasethe winter equipment so theyoungsterscan train throughout the year.Organiserssaidthere will be some greatprizestobewon andthere will be a barand araffle.

Rhiannon Ashcroft,GrahamHaslock,Lucy Burden andJaneMason at theshop.Photo by TedEdwards

Americans look forWales details

Wales’sWorld Cupexploits caused ameltdownonaPowys travel blog ger’swebsite –withconfusedAmericansaskingifWales is acountry

Kieren Windsor, wholaunched WalesGuidebook online at walesguidebook.comover thesummer, sawa581 percentsurge intrafficto hissiteafter Waleskickedoff their campaign againstthe USA.

The30-year-old hasnow hadto undergoa hastyupgrade to stop his websitefromcrashingafter hisarticle, ‘IsWales acountry?’ quickly pickedup tractionfromAmericans whotooktoGooglefor research Topinquirieshavebeen‘what language do they speakinWales? Is WalesEngland? Is Walesgood at soccer? WhereisWales?

Internet surfersfound alot of answersonKieren’sblog, which provides aguide to thelandofhis fathersand aims to turnup the gems hidden amongthe best-known holidayhotspots.

Cupbringing

pubs aboost

Beer salesare up by 50 percent thanks to theWorld Cup, pubs groupMarston’s said TheWestMidlands-based companysaidthe tournament hadprovideditwithahuge boost.

Andwithpeoplereturning to theirlocal aheadofChristmas, it says momentum is buildingfor arecoveryinthe pubs industry.Marston’s is oneof thebiggestpub operatorsin Shropshireand MidWales,with scores of businesses servingup drinks andmeals

It says that forEngland’s first twoWorld Cupgames,against Iran andthe United States,totallike-for-likesales on those days were up around 30 percent compared to 2021.Italsosaw a similarupturninits MidWales pubs when Walesplayedthe USA.

Long hours for region’s workers

Workersinthe region areworking some of thelongesthours in the UK.

Research forsearch engine op timisation agency Clickslice found that menworking full time average 38.9 hoursin theregion. Forwomen it is 37.5 hours.

Womenworking part time aver age20and men19.3. ForWales it is 37.5 formen and37for women.For part timers it is 17.3 formen and20 forwomen.

Clickslice also foundthatthe cost of living crisis is having asignifi cant effect on thewellbeing of many workers,withnearlyathird seek ingextra hourstomakeendsmeet.

Overall31per cent reported working more hoursand extra shifts over thelastfew months be causeofthe increasedlivingcosts.

Joshua George,chief executiveof Clickslice said:“Make sure to use yourannualleave andtakeregular breaks to avoidworkfatigue.”

Town’s tractorrun wassuchabrightidea

Scores of tractors litupLudlow when OrletonYoung Farmersdrove them through thetownilluminated in lights

Thespectacular procession of ag ricultural and4x4 vehiclesonFri dayeveningdelightedspectators

young andold andwas part of the town’s Ludlow Winter Festival at theweekend

Thereweresome tightcorners for bigvehiclestomanoeuvre around buteveryone of theskilled drivers took them in theirstride.

It madefor an impressive sight with theclassic oldertractors

SUEAUSTIN

iain.stjohn@mnamedia.co.uk

dwarfedbytoday’s enormous ver sions.

Ludlow Town Counciljoinedthe praise forthe event, with callsfor a repeat next year

Aspokespersonsaid: “Whata fantastictractor runaspart of the Ludlow Winter Festival

“There were so many tractors andlotsofsupportersall through town.”

Driverspaid£10 to take part in

theparadeand therewas also a raffletoboost fundsfor theclub’s charityappeal.

Thenew winter festival overthe weekendincludedfestive markets on theSquare, abar andpizza event at St Laurence’s Church andthe Christmas lightsswitch-on Variousevents were held in the town’s historic castle includinga Festival of Lights show

Allthe events at theweekend were geared towardsencouraging people to shop localand support town businesses as thevital Christ masseasonapproaches.

Membersof rotary club play part in project to planttrees

RotariansinChurch Strettonhave contributed to theplantingoftrees andbulbs.

Rotarian Julian Hargreaves in vestigated thepossibility of partic ipatinginanationaltree-planting projecttomarkthe Queen’sPlati numJubilee

However,thisfailedtomaterialise duetodelaysinidentifyingthe legalownership of theland, theclub said

Church StrettonRotaryClub membership officerDerek Smith said:“Nottobedefeated,itwas agreed that thesmall fenced-off area of land adjoiningRussell’s Meadow wouldbecalledContemplationCorner.

“The development hasnow been completedbyplantingtrees and 800crocusbulbs in what will be a wildflower area in thecentre

“Inaddition, turf wasstripped androtavated in readinesstoplant avariety of shrubs

“Thisprovedtobea very successfulteameffortthatincludedChris Davies of TheRagleth Inn who came with hisrotavator andthe council’s outdoorteamwho provid ed compost.

“ArboristSandraWhitlockadvisedonwhattoplant andThe Stepping Stones team planted the trees

“Local rotariansassisted togeth er with othervolunteers

“Councillor Sheila Davies proved to be an excellentteamco-ordina tor.

“Contemplation Corner will enablepeopletoenjoy aquiet space, to simply contemplateand admirethe views.”

Jobs putatriskasfurniture scheme’s storeclosesdown

Theclosure hasbeen announcedofa South Shropshire socialenter prisestore that saves people asmall fortune in thecostoffurniture.

Wrekin HousingGroup hasdecided to closeThe FurnitureScheme in Ludlow

Thehousing groupsaidthe scheme is moving to an online service only,putting up to sevenjobs at risk

Councillorshavevowed tostart a campaign to save theservice,which they sayisvital to people during a cost of living crisis

Councillor HeatherKidd, who represents nearby Chirbury and WorthenonShropshireCouncil, says sheplans to getthe issueon theagendaofacabinet meetingof theunitary authority.

“Itisaveryserious issueinSouth Shropshire,”she said “Wehavesimplygot to find away

DAVIDTOOLEY david.tooley@mnamedia.co.uk

forwardbecause of thecostofliving crisis

“Peopleare goingtoneed access to cheaperfurniture.

“I am seriouslyworried aboutit because other housing associations have hadtheir rentscappedbythe Governmentsotheywon’t want to know aboutthiskindofservice

“Wehaveto find away forward throughShropshireCouncil or whatever.”

Councillor Kidd said theservice trulyprovedits valueduring flood inginLudlow, when newfurniture wasgiven to homesinthe area

Councillor forLudlowNorth at ShropshireCouncil Andy Boddingtonsaid: “Our town wouldnot be thesamewithout thefurniture scheme

“Established more than 20 years ago, it waspioneering.

“Unwantedfurniture wouldbe

collected andrefurbished.Some furniturewould be sold,raising fundsthatwereploughedbackinto thescheme.

“Other itemsweregiven, fora smallfee,toresidents in need

“Atits height, thefurniture scheme hadashop, theRenaissance Centre on TowerStreet, as well as itslong-establishedwarehouse andshopatthe bottom of Weeping Cross.

“There isaplanfor an outreach scheme from Shrewsbury and Oswestry butwehaveyet to seedetails.”

Aspokesman forWrekinHousing Groupsaid: “Following areview, we have takenthe decision to closeThe FurnitureSchemestore in Ludlow, andinsteadmove to supporting Ludlow with an online presence.”

Thestaff will “where possible” be offeredthe chance to redeploy to othersites

Wrekin also runs twosimilar furniture schemesinthe county under

theReviive brand. Thespokesman addedthatWrekinwill “continue to supportour Reviive stores in Shrewsbury andOswestry”.

Giving more detailsonthe deci sion,the spokesmanadded: “Unfor tunately, despiteour best efforts, theFurniture Scheme in Ludlow hasnot been able to breakeven fi nanciallyinthischallenging retail climate.

“The FurnitureSchemewill still be availabletoresidents of Ludlow andthe surroundingareavia our expanded online delivery service.

“Weare sincerely grateful to the employeesand volunteers whohave provided astellar servicetothe community.”

Setup in 1994, theorganisation reuses andrecyclesitems donated andpassesthemontosomeof themostexcludedmembersofthe communitiesofSouth Shropshire, helpingpeopletobegin to buildan independentlifeand home without increasingtheir debt

Farm vehicles both bigand smalltookpartinthe tractorrun through Ludlow on Friday evening

Informationhub launched to boost maternityservice

MEGANHOWE Community News Reporter

Thetrust whichruns Shrewsbury andTelford hospitalshas launched a Facebookpageoffering maternitycarefor women andfamiliesinthe county.

TheShrewsbury andTelford HospitalNHS TrustMaternityInformation Hubwill be used to shareup-to-date health andpregnancy advice

It comesafter maternityexpert DonnaOckenden’s report,published in March this year,found 60 areas whereimprovements couldbemadeto maternityservicesatSaTH.

Thenew hubwill includeinforma tion on changes to services,improve mentsand innovation, staffachieve ments, patientexperiencesand will give people theopportunityto find out more about theroles acrossmaternity services at SaTH

AnnemarieLawrence, director of midwiferyatSaTH, said:“Thelaunch of theMaternity InformationHub Facebook page marksanimportant step forwardasitallowsustoshare improvements within ourservice and theachievements of ourcolleagues, both in teams andasindividuals

“Crucially, it also provides afurther wayfor us to putthe care we provide at theheart of what we do,allowing us to communicatedirectlywiththose usingour services andtohearabout thethingsthatare importanttothem. Only by listeningand responding to

serviceusers canweconsistentlyimprove andprovide trulybespoke care.”

EmilyEvans,chair of TheShrop shireand Telford&WrekinMaterni ty Voices Partnership, said themove should have apositive impact on well being. Shesaid: “Thisgreat development from SaTH will allowwomen andservice userstoshare experiences andneeds andwill have apositiveimpact on wellbeingbyallowingthemto actively engage with theservice.”

People with anyquestions or ideas forcontent forthe socialmediachannel cansendthemtosath. commsteam@nhs.net.

Commissioners’ anniversarymarked

The10thanniversary of theintroduction of Police andCrime Commission ershas been recognisedinPowys Dyfed-Powys hashad twoPolice andCommissioners in thelast10 years.

ChristopherSalmonwas elected in November2012. CurrentPoliceand Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelynwas elected in 2016 andre-elected in 2021

Mr Llywelynsaid: “Thisisalandmark forPoliceand CrimeCommissionersacrossEngland andWales as we celebrate10years sincethe first

election back in 2012.There have been threeelections forPoliceand CrimeCommissioners in theDyfed-PowysPoliceforce area andIam sincerelyprivileged to hold theoffice of PCCfor an area Igrewupand live in

“Itisagreat honour to be thepub lic’srepresentativewithinpolicing andthe localcriminaljustice system andIoften refertomyroleas abridge betweenthe public andthese important services

“Thisisa duty andresponsibility I takeveryseriously.”

Social groupgets aMagic Little Grant

APresteignesocialgroup hasreceived agrant to help with itscosts

TheCircleisbased at theYouth Centre in Presteigne.Itreceiveda MagicLittleGrant throughthe part nershipbetween Localgivingand the Postcode CommunityTrust

Thetrust is acharity funded by players of thePeople’sPostcode Lottery andthe moneygivenwill go to wardsthe costsofthe venuehire.

Thegroup said this grantisvery welcome as it contributestoestablish ingthe continuation of theorganisation whichisimportant to thewellbeingofisolatedand vulnerable people

in andaroundPresteigne, Knighton andnearbyvillages

Nowawell-establishedproject run by Presteigne andNortonCommu nity Support, TheCircleisopenona Tuesdaymorning forpeopletomeet together in afriendly, supportive and accessible place. It provides an opportunitytomeetothers, have achatover refreshments, andtakepartinactiv itiessuchaschair-based exercises, gamesand quizzesplusthe occasional outing.Openfrom10am, allare welcome,and thereisnochargealthough donationsare appreciated.For more information, call 01544267961.

Health boardis fined£160,000 by court

Ahealthboard hasbeen fined £160,000 afterthree employees were diagnosedwithHandArm VibrationSyndrome (HAVS)

PowysTeachingHealthBoard required itsemployees to routinely operatehandheldpow er toolssuchaslawnmowers, strimmersand hedgecutters withoutcarryingout an assess ment of therisks from exposure to vibration.

Hand-arm vibrationcan cause apermanent andpainfulnumbness andtinglinginthe hands andarms, andalsopainful joints andmuscle weakening. Thereis also evidencethatitmay cause

Changingclimate‘a big threat to roses’

ArenownedShropshire flower growingbusinesshas spoken of theimpactclimate change is havingonits roses

DavidAustinRoses is famous globally forits blooms

Butthe ongoingchallenges of global warmingand theincrease in pests meansthe business has been forced to retire popular flow er varieties, includingthe MunsteadWood andAShropshireLad Paul ConstantineofDavid Austin Roses said:“We cannot standstill andobserve as we seediseases andpests evolve as conditions and climates change,threatening the health andsuccess of some of our most popularvarieties.”

carpel tunnel syndrome.Aninvestigationbythe Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found therewas no monitoring, or any estimate of exposuretovibra tion,even though employees, particularly during thesummer months, operated handheldpow er toolsfor several hoursa day.

It also foundthe health board hadfailedtoproperlyassess thelevelsofexposuretoits employees andthatinformation, instructionand training given to staffwas limited.Further more, it uncoveredhow requests from itsown occupational health department to conductarisk

assessmenthad beenignored PowysTeachingHealthBoard pleaded guilty to breachingthe Health andSafetyatWorkAct It was fined£160,000 andor deredtopay costsof£5,599at WrexhamMagistrates’ Courton Tuesday last week

CarolShillabeer,healthboard chief executive, said:“Powys Teaching Health Boardfully acceptsthe verdictand we apol ogise to affected staffand their families.Wehaveensured that learning hasbeenput into ef fect,and we have made crucial improvements to preventsuch events from happeningagain.”

Maggie haspride in herartisticwork Musician

John to entertainattheatre

JohnKirkpatrick will be presentinghis Carolling andCrumpets Show at SpArCTheatre in Bish op’s Castle

An eveningofmidwinter music is promisedfor thevenue tomor row(Saturday)from7.30pm

Aspokespersonfor SpArCsaid: “Takingits titlefromJohn’sunforgettablesongtelling the Na tivity storyfromthe pointofview of theanimals in thestable, this show is aheart-warming look at thetimeless ritualsfound in the folkloreand folk musicofEngland at midwinter.

“Thisisalso theofficiallaunch of John’s newalbum –Joy &Jubilation,out on Fledg’ling Records.”

Ateenager whowas selected as thewinner of aPride-themed T-shirtcompetition at Shropshire’sspecialistorthopaedic hospital hasnow seen herdesign broughttolife.

To celebratePride Month in June,the Robert Jones andAgnes Hunt OrthopaedicHospitalhelda design competitionwhere the chil dren of staffwereencouraged to design Pride-themed T-shirts Maggie,13, thegranddaughter of RoeWalsh,operating depart ment practitioner,was selected as thewinnerbythe Shropshire Telford andWrekinIntegrated Care System LGBTQIA+ andFriends Network.

TheFacebookpagewill have information about maternity care

JOYCEWATSON

Iwas honoured to be invitedto Buckingham Palace on Tuesday foraviolenceagainst women conference hosted by Camilla, QueenConsort

It is the firstmajor reception theQueen Consort hashosted, so it is significant that shehas chosentospeakout on this is sueduringthe United Nations’ 16 days of Activism againstgen der-basedviolence.

Iattendedasimilar eventwith herafew yearsago –the Queen Consort began this workin 2009 andvowed,uponher hus band’s accession, that shewould continue to raise awareness about rape,domestic abuse, and violence against women.

Amongthe guests were royalty andpoliticians, dignitaries –including broadcastjournal ists FionaBruce,EmmaBar nett andLorraineKelly –and experts. Themostimportant guests were thesurvivors and theirfamilies.

Over thepastfew weeksIhave hosted andattendedevents around Walestohighlight gender-basedviolence, workingalongside theNational Federation of Women’sInsti tutes-Wales to recruitsupport forthe WhiteRibboncampaign, whichasksmen to neveruse, excuse or remain silent about violence againstwomen.

In thelastyearalone,10women in Waleswerekilledbya man, or aman wasthe main suspect in theirdeaths. Killing is themost extremeformofviolence, yetall around us –inhomes, workplac es,schools andonthe street women andgirls aresubjected to harassment,threats andcoercion.Thisepidemic must end.

At theSeneddonWednesday I askedthe RuralAffairs Ministerabout theAnimalWelfare Plan forWales.Launchedthis time last year,the five-year strategy aims to improve the qualityoflifefor allanimals in Wales. Ihighlightedthe useof breedingcages forgamebirds, as well as theconsultation on CCTV in slaughterhouses, whichopenedlastmonth.You cansubmityourviews until February 6.

On thetopicofconsultations, theWelsh Government also wantstohearfromyou about how to make school uniforms more affordable.Options on the tableinclude scrappingschool branding altogether andusing free-of-charge iron-onlogos Youcan have yoursay on these proposals–and otherissues–at gov.wales/consultations

How to avoid joining Britain’s Type 2Club

If youdon’t have type 2diabetes, thechances areyou know someone whohas.

By 2030,DiabetesUKpredicts that five-and-a-halfmillion people in theUKwill have thecondition

Andthe West Midlands is one of theworst areasaffected,withobe sity levelsinurban areasespecially above thenationalaverage.

Thebestadvice, as always, isto preventthe conditionfromhappen ing in the firstplace

Thereare some really simple ways to reduce yourriskofdevelop ingtype2 andimprove your over allhealthatthe same time

DietitianDrCarrieRuxton, who also works with theTea Advisory Panel, hascarried outextensive re search on thecondition

He says:“Diabetes is acondition whereblood sugarlevelsrun out of controldue to alackofthe hormone insulin, leadingtodangerous health complicationssuchasblind ness andkidneydamage.

“Morethanninein10 cases are type 2diabetes, whichunliketype1 is preventablebecause it’s linked to ourdietand lifestyle.”

So,whatsteps canwetaketo avoidjoining those statistics?Here areafew tips

1. KEEP AN EYEONYOUR WEIGHT

Everyone knowsweightisanissue Whileitisn’t everything when it comestohealth, beingoverweight canimpactyourchances of develop ingtype2diabetes.

“Withmorethantwo-thirdsof adults in theUK carrying toomuch weight, it’s ashockingstatistic that you areupto80times more likely to develop type 2diabetesifyou areobese,comparedwithhaving abodymassindex under22,”says

Dr Ruxton.“Scientists thinkthisis because thebodycells of overweight people become increasingly resist anttoinsulin, forcingthe body to

Dr Ruxton says anew report by theTea Advisory Panelfound simpledietstrategies,suchasdrink ingblack or greentea daily, can help boostour intake of polyphe nols –“naturalbioactive plant compounds, whichhelptostabilise blood sugarlevelsand reduce in flammation”.

Astudy in BritishMedical Jour nalfound that having morethan threecupsoftea dailyisassociated with lowerriskofType2diabetes.

4. TAKE BREAKS BETWEEN MEALS

Dr Ruxton suggestsalongerfast betweenmeals is better forblood sugarcontrol

Iamdelighted that ameasurethatcolleaguesand Ihave called forwas this week formallyadoptedbythe Govern ment whichwill help to clean up theUK’srivers, seas,and waterways.The Department for Environment, Food andRural Affairshaveannounced anew measurethatcould supportlo calinitiatives inShropshireand acrossthe countrytotacklepol lution usingmoney raised from finespaidbywater companies. Fortoo long these companies andothershavecontributed to shocking levels of waterpollu tion andhavelargely gotaway with it.Refunnelling record levels of finestoimprove nature –the ultimate victim of poorwa terquality –sends aclear signal that thepollutershouldpay to cleanupthe mess

Ourriversand seas bringnature into ourtowns andvillag es,createspacesfor recreation andhelpmakeour communities morebeautiful places to live Butpollution toooften stops people enjoyingthese important naturalassets. Thereare no quick fixes: ourVictorian sew erageinfrastructureisageing andnot designed to cope with today’sdemand. Butthere’s far more we candotoclean up our rivers andseas, andI’m pleased to seethe practicalproposals on whichI have been working adoptedby Governmenttoac celerate ourprogresstoward resolvingthese long-term chal lenges

keep producingmoreand more. This overuseexhauststhe pancreas –the organin thebodywhere insu linismade–and theproductionof insulinthendwindles.”

2. GETINTO FITNESS

There’snogetting over thefactthat exercise helps, even if it is just a walk to theshops andback.

“A report in theWorld Journal of Diabetesfound that,while vigorousexercise wasbestfor cutting risk,evenwalking foratleast 30 minper daylowered theriskby around half,” notes Dr Ruxton “Whatweput into ourbodies, how we recharge,and howwemove are thethree keypillarsofmaintaining ourhealth. Irecommend acombina tion of cardiovascular andstrength trainingfor optimal fitness.”

3. DRINKING TEAHELPS

Maintaininghealthy blood sugar levels couldbevital forhelping keep type 2diabetesatbay

“A plan whereyou sticktowater, regulartea or herbal tea between 7pmand 11am givesyourpancre as abreak andhelps to stimulate fatburning.Ifyou can’tfacethat, trytokeepyourcarbs formeal timesonlyand sticktolow-sugar, high-protein snacks, such as nuts, seeds, cheese,yoghurt,ordark chocolate,”she says

5. TRYWHOLEGRAINS

Astudy published inDiabetologia foundthateatingmore fibreisas sociatedwithareduction in type 2 diabetes risk of around a fifth.

Many people pull afacewhenyou mention fibre, butthere is plenty of food outthere that is healthyand also enjoyable to eat.

“Fibre is foundin wholegrain bread, pasta, andriceaswellas oats, beans, vegetables,and fruit,” saysGP, Dr Gill Jenkins.

“Scientistsbelieve that wholegrain cerealtypes arebet terfor blood sugar controland re ducing theriskofdiabetes, butall sourcesare good forgeneral health

“Weshouldaim for30g aday,but intakesinthe UK arecurrently less than half of this.”

Since2015, theEnvironment Agency hasconcluded 56 prose cutionsagainst water andsew eragecompanies,securing fines of over £141m. At present, mon ey from finesimposedbyOfwat andthose arisingfromEnvironmentAgencyprosecutions is returned to theTreasuryfrom whereithas notemerged to in vest in water quality. Underthe newplans, fundsraisedfrom fineswill go to Defraand will be invested directly back into en vironmentaland water quality improvementprojectstohelp fix thesourceofpollution

Thegovernmenthas toughened up finesagainst pollutingwater firms. This is expected to seea sharpincreaseinthe millions raisedby finesand sanctions. Thenew measureannounced this week will ensure thatthe millionsofpoundsraisedfrom these fineswill be re-invested in schemesthatbenefitour nat ural environment, such as creatingwetlands, re-vegetating riverbanks andreconnecting meanders to themainchannel of riversunder thenew government plans. Thereisstill along waytogotoensureour rivers areasclean as we wouldlike, butthisisanother step along this path

PHILIP DUNNE

Diabetes levels areincreasing

Leavers now appear to have buyer’sremorse

Despite 56 percentofleavers confessing to buyer’sremorse, Rishiand Jeremy (officiallyat least) refuse to contemplate aSwiss-style singlemarket agreementwiththe EU

This wouldsalvage some thingfromthe catastrophic fol ly of Brexit Time,perhaps, foradou ble-decker limerick ride to the sunlituplands?

“For thetribe of Europhobic Tories Wholongfor lost Albion glo ries, Play Beggar My Neighbour With themovement of la bour, Andspreadmostmendacious of stories;

Whocontend that thefateof thenation Lies in splendid white-cliffed isolation, May find that such yearning, Or dramatic bridge-burning Aregesturesofself-immola tion”

IanBarge,Ludlow

UK is nowback onthe frontline

Iwonderhow many of your readersknewthere wasa demonstrationoutside oneof themanyUSbases in theUK?

Iwas there, alongwithoth er campaigners, whomanaged to getrid of theUSnuclear weaponsatUSAFLakenheath in early2000 afternumerous incursions,vigilsand protests over many decades.

Butnow they arecoming back,withnoopendemocratic discussion in Parliament and nor with thelocal authorities whoare goingtohavetodeal with theconsequences

TheUKhas no controlover American defence policy,yet we couldbethe victimsoftheir decisions.

Do you not find it extraordi nary that aforeign powercan placeweapons of mass destruc tion on oursoilwithnoover sightfromour elected repre sentatives?

Nuclearwar couldbreak out by design or morelikelyby mistakeormisunderstanding, especially in situations where negotiationhavebrokendown.

TheUKisonceagain on the frontline.

Additionally,there is the

PICTURE FROMTHE ARCHIVE

problemofthe enormous car bonfootprint of theUSAir Force, one of thebiggestpollut ersinthe world

Thenew jet fighters at Lak enheathare F35-As,and they burn 22 gallonsofjet fuel per minute, when flying in their leastfuel-intensivemode.

It is insane to be bringing US nuclearweapons back into theUKunder thecontrolofthe US

We need to be dismantling ourown weaponsofmassde structionand we urgently need to be co-operating with every single nation on this fragile planet to stop runawayclimate change

We have been warned that ‘the world is on track fora tem perature rise of between 2.4 and2.6 degreescentigradeby theend of this century’ andthe latest climateCOP waspathet ic

Thedevelopments at Laken heathare actively promoting theexpansion of thefossilfuel industry,acceleratingthe nu cleararmsraceand turning theUKand Europe into anu clearfront line,even more dan gerous than theColdWar was.

AngieZelter, Knucklas

Outrageous bill fortaxpayers

How on earthcan thegovern ment justify paying £6.8 mil lion aday to housemigrantsin hotels?

This is an outrageous amount,and it’s thetaxpayer whoisforking out, thesame taxpayerwho is struggling to keep up with hikesinfood, fuel, mortgages–and thesametax payerthathas thevote.

BrendanEllis, Leominster

Teachmaking do andmending

Idon’t want theworld to go backwards, butwemustpre pare to make do andmend. Startnow andteach the youngstershow to do it.How to live with feweraids, live well andlivelong.Enjoy asimpler life

BAFlowers, Newport

France’s ‘school of power’ should be adoptedhere

We have an economic disaster No pointinstating the obvious. Theonlything left to specu late on is how we canrestruc ture forthe future.How can we buildaviablefoundation on whichtoplacethe future of financialservicesand look to preserving aviableheritagefor future generations? Onething that didstrikemewas thean tiquated structureof‘Oxbridge style’ qualificationsofour poli ticians.Iwould speculatethat currentdisciplines need re structuringtothe French sys temwhich is more intense both in conceptand application.

TheFrenchevencreated a TV series called “ecole de pou voir”which roughlytranslat ed means“school of power” so they have actually translated conventional economic disci plineintoasubject in itsown rightand regard it as such We should tryit.

RobinLloyd,Ellesmere

thewriter’sname, address and telephone number. Letterswill only bepublished anonymouslyinexceptional circumstances.The editor reserves theright to condense or amend letters

Youngsters in Culmington, near Ludlow,had areal fire enginetoplayonafter ownerLionel Amos of Ludlow broughtittoafeteinthe villageinAugust,1972, andleftitthere for amonthafterwards. Playing at firemenwereMelvyn Humphreys,Phillip Green, Nigel Humphreys,Duncan Sutton and DavidLloyd

Knife scheme wins topaward

West Mercia Police’s SteerClear programmehas received nation al recognition, winningaHoward League CommunityAward 2022

SteerClear is atargetededuca tion andengagementprogramme aimedatyoung people whoare be lieved to be in some wayconnected to knife-relatedcrime,orthere are concerns they maybecome involved.

Officers will visitthe young per sonathome andworkwiththeir families or carers, inviting them to monthlyworkshops held in thelocal community, in ordertosafeguard them andprevent criminal activity in thefuture.

SteerClear,fundedbythe police andcrime commissioner anddeliv ered by West Mercia Police,was a winner in the‘Liaisonand Diver sion’category.

ChiefConstable PippaMillssaid: “Congratulations to everyone in volved in theaward-winningSteer Clearprogramme.”

Back hospice andbuy cards

Abiggest ever rangeofChristmascards at Hope House chil dren’s hospiceshops means people cansendspecial season’s greetingswhilesupportingseriouslyill children

This year’s cardsshowbeautifullocal scenes, whilethere arealso both modern andtradi tional cards. Therange includes English, Welshand bilingual cards.

Packsofcards rangeany wherefrom£2.50 to £3.95. Cardscan be purchasedonline at hopehouse.org.uk/christmas card-shop. Youcan also support Hope House by purchasing ticketsfor itsBumperChristmasRaffle. With ticketsjust£1 each you couldwin ajackpotof £6,000 whichcan be takenasa lump sumor£500amonth for ayear, as well as asecondprize of £2,500

Pooldemolition move is backed

Theproposeddemolitionofa swim ming pool at aRadnorshireprimary school hasbeensupported by town councillors.

Ademolitionnoticefor theswimming pool building andplant room at Presteigne County School has been submittedtoPowys County Council.

Thenoticealsoreferstothe dem olitionofapre-fabricatedmobile teaching unit with a flat roof

Presteigne andNortonTown Councilconsideredthe notice at its Novembermeetingand agreed to supportthe application.

Thecouncil also debateda proposal to demolish an existing outbuilding at Westering, Stonewall Hill andits replacementwithan ancillarydomestic building

Membersraisednoobjectionsto theapplication by Mr RSawle providing acondition is included that thebuildingremains ancillaryto themainproperty.

Grantsupportsdrink firm’s worktoreducewaste

Radnor Hills,aproducerofminer al watersand soft drinks,has been awardedagrant to furtherits commitmenttoreduceits impact on theenvironment

ThePowys-based companyhas used agrant from WRAP Cymru’s Circular EconomyFundtopart-fi nanceanew filler forits produc tion lineswhich canproduce 100 percentRPETproducts alongside itsexistingportfolio

RPET,orrecycledpolyethylene terephthalate, is made of recycled PETthatcomesfrompeoplerecyclingtheir plasticbottles andcon tainers.

Bosses say that thebeautyis

that it canberecycledover and over again, decreasing theamount of plasticwaste that enters land fills, saving energy andreducing carbon emissions.

Radnor Hills, whichwas founded in1990, supplies more than 250 UK wholesalers andsome of the UK’s biggest supermarkets

Thenew filler is an automatic filling machine forstill andcar bonatedsoftdrinks. It is capableof producing22,000bottles perhour in avariety of differentformats, including330ml,500ml,750ml, onelitre and1.5 litres as well as beingableto fittwo differentcap formats–plain andsportscap

William Watkins, managing di rector andfounder of Radnor Hills, said:“Ourpledge to theplanetis that we will constantly improve wherever we cantobecome more sustainable andprotectthe envi ronmentaroundus.

“Our commitment ranges from ourzerotolandfill on site policy to theintroductionofstraw-free cartons andcompletelyrecycledplasticbottles.”

HuwLloyd,businessaccount managerfor WRAP Cymru, said: “Weare working allaroundthe world to fightthe causesofclimate change to promote amoresustain able future.”

Planswould see69homes builtifapplication is approved

KARENCOMPTON

karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

Planstobuild 69 homes in LlandrindodWells have been lodged with PowysCountyCouncil planners.

PARHomesLtd wantstodevelop twosites to thesouth of Llandrin dodlakeonlandatLakesideAve nue.

On aparceloflandtothe north of Lakeside Avenue,PAR intendsto build35homes.

They wouldbeamixture of two andthree-bedroom terraced and semi-detachedhouses, three-bedroom bungalows, andthree and four-bedroom bungalows.

On aparceloflandtothe south of Lakeside Avenue,the firm wants to build34homes. That wouldbea mixtureoftwo-bedroom semi-detached houses, three-bedroom semi-detachedand detached bungalows,three andfour-bedroom detached houses andone-bedroom flats.

AgentLiamGriffithsofAsbri Planning Ltdsaidinaplanning statement: “The layoutlocates the proposed dwellingsin cul-de-sacs similartothe builtdevelopmentin thesurrounding area

“Eachpropertyhas associated carparking accessed directly from thehighway andageneroussized rear garden.”

Adecision by Powysplannersis expected by January10.

Somestationsare more busy than others

Birmingham NewStreethas maintained itsposition in thetop 10 busiestrailway stations

Andarural stationin Powysis one of Britain’sleast used.

Morethan22.6million passed throughBirmingham NewStreet, puttingitjustbehindEuston, with 23 million

Manchester

Plaque unveiledatrestoredhome

An elegantRegency villain Shropshirehas been restored, with ablueplaquehonouring its most famous former resident ThepropertyinMuchWenlock hasnow been turned into two modern dwellingsinaprime loca tion at theentrancetothe town

AndlastweekShropshire’’s High SheriffSelinaGrahamunveiled aplaquetothe most re

nowned former residentofthe house –church archaeologistand writer DHSCranage.

Cranagelived from1866until 1957 andeventuallybecamethe DeanofNorwich.

Cranage’sworkhas never been supersededand he went on to createwhatisstill themostcomprehensivearchitectural accountof allShropshire’schurches

thestation wasusedbyanestimated41.4million passengers in the12monthstothe endofMarch

Thetotal at Waterloo is up from 12.2 million during the previous Covid-affected year,but wasbelow half theestimateof86.9 millionin 2019/20.

CardiffCentralkeptits status as thebusiestrailway stationin Wales, with 7.5million entriesand exits.

Collegeinvitefor course open day

Acollege inShropshireisholding aSaturdaymorning open eventto promote itsgrowing range of adult educationcourses

TelfordCollege’s session will take placefrom10amto12.30pm on December 10 andwillprovide informationabout shortcourses, sector-specificprogrammes, and distance learning

Many of thecoursesare free to thosewho qualifyfor financial

support. Hotdrinks, refreshments andmince pies will be servedatthe event.

Beckie Bosworth, TelfordCol lege’s head of employer engage ment,said: “Thisisa fantasticopportunitytolearn how we canhelp jobseekers into employment,orupskill existing staff.”

Formoredetails,ortoregister, go to telfordcollege.ac.uk/event/adult open-event-december-2022/

HuwLloyd from WRAP Cymruand William WatkinsfromRadnorHills

NEIL LANCEFIELD

Greenguide will help in battle to save environment

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

Work on walkingand cycleroute to start

Work on an improvedwalking andcycling route betweenLla nelweddand Builth Wellswill beginonMonday.

Theroute forthe shared use path wasagreed during consul tation on Powys’sActiveTravel NetworkMaps.

To be funded by theWelsh Government Safe Routes in CommunitiesGrant,the scheme will mark the firstphase of es tablishing an active travel route connecting Builth Wellsand Llanelwedd.

highways crossings, onecrossing theA483onthe corner from the Llanelwedd Arms Hotelacross to theJewson’sentrance, and theother crossing theA483from StationYardacrosstothe show ground side ofthe road

Thepathbetween through StationYardwill be renewed with an improvedsurface accessiblefor pedestriansand cyclists andthe path between thecrossingopposite theshowground and Llanelwedd PrimarySchoolwill be widened.

is greattosee plansfor these safer routes forcommunities being implemented,”saidCouncillor Jackie Carlton, cabinetmember foragreener Powys.

Agreen

guidefor Powys hasbeenproduced.

Aftermuchpreparation andexpert input, PowysActiononthe Climate Emergency(PACE)has produced an interactivewebsite

Bosses say it will enable anyone to getinvolvedand shareideas on how individualscan make smallbut significant contributionstohelping fight thecrisisaffectingthe climateand nature

“Fromtakingeasysteps to make sure yourbankorpension fund is not investingyourmoneyinplanet-wreckingbusiness, to knowingwhich phone to buytominimise itsenvironmental footprint, we want alltoshare ideas andexperiences” said theproject co-ordinatorDiana Allen.

“Whereveryou live in thecounty, thereare simple,small,low or no cost tweaks people canmake, andthe more that follow yourexample,the more effect it has. Powysisabig county, andthiswebsite aims to bringpeople andcommunities together,as‘Team Powys’

“Greencommunity organisations andbusinessescan list on thesiteand create theirown page.Organisers of environmentfriendlyeventscan post here –all forfree. Online is agreat waytonetwork everycornerofour largecounty”

PowysCountyCouncil cabinet member foragreener PowysCouncillor Jackie Charlton said:“We allknow

that theworld’s temperatureisrising, we allknowwehaveaclimate emer gencyonour hands, butthatdoesn’t mean to saythatwecan’t do some thingabout it

“There hasnever been abettertime foryoung andold,townand country, to come together andjoinforcesto secure asustainable andprosperous future

“The greenguide is here to help all of us do justthat.”

Thelaunchwill be online on Mondayat7.30pm

Formoreinformation visitpacepowys.cymru

Town readytosparklethisChristmas

Asparkling Christmasevent will take placeinKnightontonight (Fri day)

Thefestive funwill startfrom6pm andthere will be plenty of experiences andactivitiesfor allthe family.

It is hoped Santawill be able to visit andhewill be driven around on a sleigh pulled by ared Ferguson tractor.

Theevent will take placeonthe firstlatenight shopping nightbefore Christmas forthose shopsthatwish to take part

KnightonMayor Councillor Mark

Coxill said:“On theNarrows and roundthe clockwillbethe band and hopefullycarol singing.”

He added: “Theneveryone will be invitedbacktothe CivicCentre,part of whichwill be transformedintoa Santa’sGrotto.

“There will be achancefor thechil dren to meet Santa, andhemay even have broughtsome treatswithhim “Festive refreshments will also be served.”

AChristmas treeand afestive display of lighting have been erected and putin place.

Santas stepping up to support causes

Scores of Santas will be toppingup theirsteps around LlandrindodWells lakeonDecember 11

They will be taking part in the first SantaFun Runhosted by TheLakeside Boathouseand LlandrindodCom munity Events from 10am until3pm Therun wasdue to be held on De cember 10 butorganisers changedthe date to enable localpeopletotakepart in sporting events.The funrun will also be awalkand acrawl to ensure it is totallyinclusive forall.There will be an easy routeofabout 1.5k around thelakeand then onto thecommon for an obstacle course,and aharder route

of approximately2.5karoundthe lake,upthe stepsintothe woodsand back to thelakeand onto thecommon forthe obstacle course.The SantaRun will be raisingmoneyfor St Michael’s HospiceinHerefordand Llandrin dodCommunity Events.Placescan be booked on theeventbritewebsite Therewill also be aSanta’s grotto at TheLakesideBoathouse tomorrow (Saturday) andonSundayand on De cember 10-11and on December 17-18 from 10.30amuntil 3.30pm Thecostis£2.50 perchild with agiftand to book aplace call 01597 824604

Expected to be completed in approximatelyeight weeks, the scheme will consistoftwo safe

Firm contributes £438m to region

An internationalbusinesswith afactory near theWelsh border contributedmorethan£438mil lion to theregion’seconomy last year

FiguresshowMondelezInter national,which includes Cadbury, added£438.5million in grossval ue to theeconomy in 2021.The figure is outlined in itseconomic report Making the RightImpact.

Thereportdetails thebusiness’s total£933m economic contributionin theyeartothe UK economyfromits sitesincluding three in theWestMidlands.

Thereare Cadbury sitesat Chirk, near Oswestry,and at Bournvillein Birmingham

“Following consultation and thedevelopment of thecounty’s Active Travel NetworkMaps, it

“The Active Travel (Wales) Act2013aimstomakeWales awalking andcycling nation Theserouteswithinour local areaswill improve road,pedes trian, andcyclist safety.This is particularly true forfamilies walkingtoand from school and this route betweenLlanelwedd andBuilth Wellsprovidesadirect safe routebetween thetwo communitiesand Llanelwedd PrimarySchool.”

Flooding risk up as concretespreads Winter vouchers ‘will bepaidout’

TheGovernmentis“insistent” energy suppliersmustensure vouchersdesignedtohelpcustomersthrough thewinterreach their intended targets, theBusiness Secretaryhas said GrantShappssaidhe would meet with supplierstoensurethe vouchersare paidout

Thesupport is £400 over six months–paidininstalments of either £66 or £67.

Foramajorityofhouseholds this amount will be takenoff au tomaticallyfromtheir bills. But customers whoare on pre-payment meters will be given vouchersthattheyhavetoredeemata PayPoint outlet

Thousandsmorehomescould be at high risk of surface floods driv en by urbanisation in thecoming decades, governmentadvisers have warned

Areportfromthe National In frastructure Commission warns thenumberofpropertiesin England at risk of surfacewater flood ingcould rise from 325,000 today to 600,000 in thenext30years

Withoutaction, therisk of surface water floodingcould increase as climatechangebringsmore intense andfrequent heavydownpours, newdevelopmentputsmore pressureondrainagesystems and paved-overfront gardensworsen water run-off, thereportsaid.

Thenew guideisaimedathelping to preserve thePowys environment andits beautiful landscapessuchas DyffrynTanat.Photo:Diana Allen.

Leek is granted protectedstatus

Wales’snationalvegetable andemblem,the WelshLeek, hasnow been grantedofficialprotection.

Theveg hasbeengivenProtected Geographical Indication UK GI sta tus. TheUKGIschemewas estab lished in 2021,following theUK’s withdrawal from theEU, anden surescertain food anddrink prod ucts cancontinuetoreceive legal protection againstimitation and misuse

From now on,Welsh Leekssold with theUKGIlogowill promote theheritageand cultureofWales andprovide theproduct andcon sumers with certification of quality anduniqueness.

Theapplication forWelsh Leeks PGIstatuswas ledbyPembrokesh ire’sPuffinProduce.Itbecomesthe thirdnew Welshproducttoachieve thehighlysought-afterUKGIsta tus, followingonfromGower Salt MarshLamband Cambrian MountainsLamb.

Common land useinspotlight

Theprioritiesofcommon land rights holdersin Waleshave been championed in anew re port launched by NFUCymru at theRoyal WelshWinter Fair

TheShaping WelshFarm ing’sFuture: NFUCymru’s Pol icyPrioritiesFor Common Land document outlines thespecific challenges andopportunities forWelsh farmerswithcommon land at this time of agricultural policy reform in Wales.

Almost 10 percentofagricul turallandinWales is registered common land,providing valua blegrazing forrightsholders

Managed by farmingfamilies overcenturies,commonlandis also importanttowider society forthe ecosystemservicesand wellbeingbenefits it provides andisa keyfeature of cultural heritage,languageand tradi tions, thereportsaid.

Politicians and union meet up

Farmers’ UnionofWales (FUW)of ficials said they have held construc tive meetings with Membersofthe Senedd at theRoyal WelshWinter Fair Concerns were highlightedabout theAgriculture (Wales)Bill,sus tainable farmingschemepropos als, theWater Resources(Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations2021, anda varietyof animal health issues,including Bo vine TB.

Joining theFUW fordiscussions were Jane DoddsMS, PeterFox MS, JamesEvans MS, CefinCampbell MS andMabon ap GwynforMS, as well as SamKurtz MS

Regardingthe Agriculture (Wales)Bill,union officials outlined eightkey amendments whichthe FUWbelievesare essentialtoen surethe economic stability andvi ability of farmingfamiliesinWales areprotected in future support schemes.

Crowds flocktofairtoenjoy a rightroyal winter wonderland

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

Crowds flockedtothe RoyalWelsh Winter Fair at Builth Wellsthisweek to enjoycompetitions, festivitiesand shopping.

Oneofthe finest primestock showsinEuropegot underway at theRoyal WelshShowground at Llanelwedd to acoolbut drystart

Bucket hats, bobble hats and scarveswerethe order of theday as visitors browsedaroundapacked schedule of competitions,exhibi tionsand displays andtookthe chance to pick up unique and origi nalChristmas gifts.

Oneofthe most special guests this year wasSanta andsomerein deersand therewerespectacular fireworksand late nightshopping to enjoy.

Newtothisyear’sevent wasthe bacon, burger andsausage compe tition whichwas judged by Men Be having Badlyand Bobthe Builder star Neil Morrisey, alongwithSteve MorganofMorganFamilyButchers andmulti-award-winningwriter anddirectorPhillip JohnfromCar diff

Therewas also newcattlebreed classesincluding theAberdeenAn gusand Shorthorncompetitions anda steerand heifer sectionfor each breed

Thefood hall hosted theverybest Welshproducersshowcasing their produceand tempting visitors to

trythe wide varietyofculinaryde lights on offer.

Thetwo-day eventwas official ly opened by regenerative farmer andwell-knownlandowner Dafydd WynneFinch from NorthWales

He grew up on thefamilybeef andsheep farm whichheconverted to adairy farm in 2003.

He andhis farm managerCarwyn Rhys Davies nowmilkJerseyCross cows,focusingonmilksolid prod ucts andbutterfat forcheese-mak ing. Dafydd is also currentlyinthe processofbuildingacheeseproduc tion facility on Anglesey.

OnePowys family took home a haul of prizes at theWinter Fair for their floral artdisplays.

LizEdwards of Beulah came sec ondfor herAll Hallow’s Eve floral displaywhileher mumFreda’s ex hibit washighly commended. Liz also gained threethird prizes for herspace travel, sparkleand spiral floral exhibitsand hergrand-daugh terEvieEdwards,eight,won second prizefor herwinter garden display.

TwoPowys pupils wonprizes in theFarmers’Union of Wales’ Christmas card design competition.

Children from primaryschools

acrossWales hadbeeninvited to submit afarming-themedChristmascarddesigninaid of theDPJ Foundation,the FUW’scurrent presidential charity.

TheEnglish category waswon by LaylaWilliams, 10,fromLlan bister PrimarySchool, Llandrindod Wells.

TheWelsh category waswon by LifeTaranenko,nine, from Dolafon School,Llanwrtyd Wells.

Thecards canbepurchased ei ther from theFUW’s head office by calling 01970820820orfromre spective FUWcountyoffices.

Shepherd Erniechosenasthisyear’schampion

ErnieRichards, ashepherdnear Clyro, haswon theNFU Cymru/ NFUMutualWelsh Livestock Champion of theYearAward

He wasannounced thewinner at theRoyal WelshWinterFairin Llanelwedd

Thecompetition hasbeenonthe lookoutfor itseighthwinner and recognises thekey role agoodlive stockmanager canmaketoalive stockfarmand to thewider Welsh livestockindustry.

Despite notbeing from afarm ingbackground, Ernie’spassion forthe agricultural industry be ganata young agewhere he spent weekends andschoolholidaysat

hisgrandparent’ssmallholdingin Hereford

Afterleaving school,Ernie workedonvarious mixedfarms as well as attendingHolme Lacy AgriculturalCollege before doing afour-year degree in agriculture andanimalscience at Aberyst wyth University

Erniecurrently works as ashep herd forStuartMorrisand family on theirsheep farm near Clyro. He hasmanaged the flockof1,000 pedigree Lleynewesfor thepast seven years. Erniealso does gen eral farm tasksincluding livestock handling,farmmaintenance and is taking on more of arolewithin

thefarmbusiness.Ernie liveson thefarmwithhis girlfriend Anna andtheir young sonHarry

Ernieisalso part of asheep discussion groupwithFarming Connectand theHCC Meat Qual ityProject,isonthe currentNFU CymruNextGenerationGroup andheisalso part of theFarmer Time Scheme, andworks with four to seven-year-old pupils to educate them aboutfarmlife.

Erniewas presented with the prizeof£500, sponsoredbyNFU Mutual, andaRoyal Welshen graved crystaltrophy, by thechair manofNFU Cymru’slivestock boardRob Lewis.

Glascwm farmer Annie Lewis with apedigreelimousinowned by Colin HarrisofDevon.PhotosbyAndyCompton

Massivecrowdsenjoy the attractions atthe firstday ofthe RoyalWelshWinterFair

Thefairwas officially openedby DafyddWynne Finch

Lauren Kinsey-Owenand Sian Healey with thewreaths they made in theYFC competitions

Erniereceived hisaward during areception at theNFU Cymru headquarters on theRoyal Welsh Showground at theWinterFair

FredaJames andher daughterLiz EdwardsofBeulah took home a haul of prizesatthe Winter Fair

Councilpaysout £4,000 to homeless manwho wasforcedtoliveina car

DAVIDTOOLEY david.tooley@mnamedia.co.uk

Acouncil hasbeenorderedtopay £4,000 to aShropshireman who wasforced to live in a carafter notbeing given suitable accommodation.

TheLocal Governmentand So cialCareOmbudsman foundthat ShropshireCouncildid not understandits responsibilities towards him.

TimDraycottapproachedthe au thoritywhenhebecamehomeless in theautumn of 2021,and he waspro videdwithinterim accommodation. However,hesoonmovedout as he said he wasunabletostand proper ly andinpainbecause theceilings were so low. Thecouncil made no furtheroffer of interimaccommodation,eventhoughitlater told him it couldhavedoneifasked Mr Draycottmovedtolive in his car, with no access to facilities,and spentsome time living in agarage over thewinter

TheLocal Governmentand So cialCareOmbudsman investigated

thecaseafterhehad been through thecouncil’s complaints process.

TheOmbudsman’s investigation foundthe councildid not review the suitability of theinterim accommodation when Mr Draycottcom plained. This meanthemissedout on achancetohavebeenoffered an alternative.

Theinvestigationalso foundthat once thecouncil hadaccepted its main housingdutytohim in Janu ary2022, it wrotetohim butdid not offerhim anytemporary accommodation.Thismeant he washomeless

formuchlongerthanheshouldhave been hadthe councilacted properly MichaelKing, Local Government andSocial Care Ombudsman, said: “Thiscasehas highlightedacon cerninglackofunderstanding at ShropshireCouncil of itsstatutory duties towardshomeless people in thecounty. Whereacouncil hasa duty to provideaccommodation it should make awritten offer, spec ifying an actual placeofaccommodation.Sending aletterwhich simplyacceptsitowesadutyisnot enough –itshouldthengo on to make an offerofaccommodation.

“I look forwardtothe council acceptingthe recommendationsI have made in my report,and hope when they areput in placethatoth er peopleinthe county arenot left in such distressingcircumstances.”

TheLocal Government andSocialCareOmbudsman remedies injusticeand shares learning from investigations to help improve pub lic, andadult socialcare, services.It said in this case thecouncil should apologise andoffer himsuitable temporaryaccommodationunder itsmainhousing duty

It should payhim £500 forthe distress anduncertaintyhewas putin, andacombined £3,500 for

thetimeitfailedtoprovide suitable accommodationbetween October 2021 andJuly2022.

TheOmbudsman hasthe power to make recommendationstoimprove processes forthe widerpub lic. In this case thecouncil should providetrainingorguidancetoits housing team to ensure they understandits duties to provideaccommodation underthe HousingAct

Aspokesman forShropshire Councilsaid: “The LocalGovernment Ombudsmanhas issued a report followingits investigation of acomplaint againstShropshire Council. We have accepted the find ings of thereportand will abideby theactions requested

“Weare disappointed that de spitetryingtoworkwiththe indi vidual to addresstheir concerns we were unabletocome to aresolution We will be reviewingour processes in lightofthe Ombudsman’scom mentsand will ensure allstaff un dertakerefresher training.

“Wewill report to theLGSCO on anyfurther actionstaken andcop iesofthe report will be available forpublicinspectionatShrewsbury Libraryfor threeweeks starting on December 2.”

Watercompany planningwork to mainssupply

Awater companyisplanning majorworktorenew awater main in aMid Walestown.

Hafren Dyfrdwy said the workwould take placeinMontgomery –onPoolRoad, Princes Street,and Bishop’s Castle Street –duringApril.

In alettertoresidents, Cath erineWebb, thecompany’s community communications officer, hasapologisedfor thedistress andinconveniencecausedby multiplewater main bursts in recent years.

Theburstshaveled to anum berofroadclosures, cuts in the water supply,and restoration work. Shesaid: “The likelihood of more problems occurringincreasesasthe yearspass, so we’regoing to be replacingthe oldpipes alongthese roads, in Montgomery with some brandnewones.

“Thismeans that there’ll be some short-term inconvenience –but theadvantage of having thisworktakeplace will be worth it andsecurethe network forthe future.”

Ms Webb said that astart date will be confirmed once a trafficmanagementplanhas been agreed with PowysCounty Council.

TimDraycottlived in agarage

Manis finedfor breach of order

ALlandrindod Wellsman claimed acar crashand anew job hadled to himbreaching hiscommunity order.

Paul AnthonySmith failed to comply with therequirements of an ordermadebyLlandrindod Wells MagistratesCourt on July 13

The40-year-old of Mill View Close failed to attend office appoint mentsonSeptember 20 and27and hadfailedtoprovide acceptable evidence within therequired time, LlandrindodWells Magistrates Courtwas told on Wednesdaylast week

Representing himself,Smith said he hadhad acar crashand he had foundanew joband hadalot going on.Heapologisedfor thebreach.

Magistratesallowed theorder to continue so he cancomplete the 55 hoursofunpaidworkand re habilitation.Hewas fined£50 and orderedtopay £60 costsfor the breach

County pubis settoreopen

Apub in Shropshire is setto reopen itsdoors afterstanding emptyfor morethanfouryears

TheActon Arms in Morville is settoreopennextyearafter adealwas agreed betweenDar wynHomesLtd andLandywood Estates, whichjoinedforcesto buythe site

WhileLandywood, whichalreadyrunsThe Malt at Landywood in CheslynHay,Walsall, will look afterthe pub, Darwyn is settobuildatrioof five-bed room houses behind it.Outline planning permission forthe homesand therefurbishment of thepub –which wassupport ed by Morvilleresidents –was grantedinAugustlastyear. Butnow,the site’s newowners arepreparing to submit their detailed planning applicationto Shropshire Councilinthe comingdays.

Authoritybacks candidates drive

KingtonTownCouncil is encour agingpeopletostand forelectionin May.

Therewillbe15vacancies as everymember will have to standfor election at theend of this four-year period.

Those whowishtostand forelection will need to putinnominations andthe paperworkisexpected around March.

Town clerkLiz Kelso told coun cillors: “Beforethe last election we didencourage peopletostand as a councillor andweput on an open session with displays about the counciland it wasquite an interesting waytoengagepeopleand re sulted in some newmembers.”

Sheadded: “Soitwould be agood idea to do that againaroundFebru aryorMarch before the election is called.”

Membersagreed to putonan open eventfor prospectivecouncil lorsinthe new year

Nurserythanked forits supportfor charity

ALlandrindod Wellsnursery has been presented with acertificate afterraising morethan£2,000for acancercharity

FirstSteps Nurseryraised£2,080 forthe BrackenTrust Cancer Support Centre during ‘pinkweek’ re cently

Theearly yearsroomwas spon soredtowalkaroundthe lake in LlandrindodWells

Some children walked nine miles over theweek.

Thechildreninthe toddlerroom walked around theblock,which amounted to onemilea day, andthe

karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

babies were sponsoredtodance to thesongBabyShark

FirstSteps Nursery ownerThe resa Millssaid: “A massivethank you to allthe parentsand friends forthe amazingsponsorshipraised forthe BrackenTrust Cancer Support unit

“Thisisanessential servicein Powysfundedcompletelybythe communitytosupport people with cancer andtheir families. Iamvery

proudofeverychild whotookpart in this event.”

Thetrust’s fundraisingmanager JayneGriffithspresented athank you certificate to TheresaMills, watched by trustchairmanReg Cawthorne

Jaynesaid: “Whata fantastic amount FirstSteps Nursery raised It will go alongway to give many people free treatment at theBrack en Trust. Everyone at thetrust thanks everyoneatthe nursery, the children, theirparents andcarers, staffand friendsand supporters, so much.”

Councilexpecting taxboostsfrom therise in empty home payments

PowysCountyCouncil’s finances will receiveaboostinnextyear’s budgetas hikestocouncil taxpay ment forholiday homesand longterm emptypropertiescome into force.

Thecouncil’s cabinetmeeting wastoldthe changes of policy will seeanextra 778bandDproperties broughtintopay either theextra 75 percentor100 percentpremium, whichthe ownerwillneed to payon topofthe normalcouncil taxbill

Butcouncillorswerewarnednot to rely on thenew fundingstream fortoo long.

Setting thecouncil taxbaseis an annual legalrequirementand starts theprocess,which will finish usuallyin late February or early March

Financeportfolio holder Coun cillor DavidThomassaid: “The councilhas determined to increase the50per cent premiumonlongterm emptypropertiesto100 per cent andtoincreasethe 50 percent premiumonperiodicallyoccupied dwellings(second homes/holiday homes) to 75 percent. Thecouncil taxbasecalculation includes apro jectionofthose properties,totalling 778bandDequivalent, expected to be subjecttothe newpremium ratesduring2023-24.”

Head of financeJaneThomas said:“Thegrowthin thecouncil taxbasewill generate extra reve nue. However,asmuchofthatis attached to thepremiums, we are not consideringthatin itsfullextent as theaim of thepremiumsis to deliver achange, so we can’trely on that.” Councillorsunanimously approvedthe counciltax base

LengthyNHS wait cuttotwo weeks– as boygoesprivate

A16-year old boygivena near three-year wait for ahospital appointment will nowbeseennext week –after hisgrand parentsstepped in to payfor aprivate consultation.

Theboy hadbeenreferredfor a urologyappointment at Shrews bury &Telford Hospital NHSTrust by hisGP, buthis fathersaidthey hadbeenstunned to find outhe wouldnot be seen untilJune2025 –awaitof951 days

Nowthe father hasrevealedthat whileunabletopay forthe appointment himself,the boy’sgrandpar ents have offeredtopay £250 for aprivate consultation,which will take placeonWednesday

He said they were extremely grateful butaddedsimilar situationswould forcemorepeople to seek privatecare–withsome not

DOMINIC ROBERTSON newsroom@mnamedia.co.uk

able to afford it.Headdedthe familyhad beenadvised hisson’s condition,while notlife-threatening, mayrequiresurgery –opening up more potentialissueswithwaiting lists.

Theboy’s fathersaidheunder stood theNHS wasfacingarange of issues,noneofwhich areeasy to solve, butsaidthatitwas de pressing to seethe difference in the waitingtimefor theprivate consul tation

“I do have adegreeofsympathy forthe government,”hesaid.

“The NHSisamonolithic structure that hasobviouslygot inherent weaknesses andinefficiencies,and it is difficult to manage asystem that hasthe fifthlargestworkforce in theworld,Ibelieve

“Withanageingpopulationand thedemands that hasonthe system,combined andcompounded

by thesocialcaresystemwithbed blocking,and then compounded by Brexit andthe European staffthat used to staffthe servicethatno longer do, furthercompoundedby Covidand theadditionalpressures, Idohaveadegreeofsympathywith whoever is responsible forthe NHS. Icannot imagineanew government coming in tomorrowcould simply wave amagic wand to solvethe problems of theNHS

“Butfor ordinaryfolks in acost of living crisis, even on an aver agewage–whentheyencounter a healthcare problemand aregiven an option of an initialconsultancy yearsdownthe line –thenthe private option to turn that two-anda-half year wait into atwo-and-a half-weekwait, it is depressing.”

He addedthathedoubted they wouldbeabletoaffordprivate treat ment followingthe consultation, even with help from othermembers of thefamily–withthe costslikely to stretchtothe thousands.

He said:“This is just an initial consultation to look at what the problemis. TheGPhas said it could be asurgicalremedywhich privately wouldcostthousands.”

Followingthe report detailing the wait encounteredbythe family, anotherShropshireman,Andrew Jones,61, came forwardtosay he hadalsoreceived an appointment forthe same date

Thesituation hasbeendescribed as “appalling”bylocal health campaignerGillGeorge, of Shropshire Defend OurNHS, whosaidthe trustleaders should “hangtheir headsinshame”.

In astatement Shrewsbury andTelford Hospital NHSTrust (SaTH),apologisedfor thesituation andsaiditwas working with other healthcare providerstotry to re duce thecurrent wait times.

Sheila Fryer, interimdeputychief operatingofficer, said:“We recog nise that thecurrent waitsare not acceptable.”

JayneGriffithspresentsa thankyou certificate to FirstSteps Nurserywatched by thestaff andthe children

KARENCOMPTON

Newcategories andfresh criteria will be addedto business awards

Ahostofnew categories will be added to ShropshireChamber of Commerce’sbusinessawardsnextyear.

Thechamber will officially launch its2023businessawardsin January–withnew-look categories andnew criteria

SalopLeisure in Shrewsbury will host thelauncheventfor the2023 competitionat5.30pm on January 26.Itwill includedetails of allthe awards to be handed outatthe busi ness celebration, whichwillbeheld on June 23 at Telford’sInternation al Centre

The2023competition will in cludethe return of long-running categories including Companyof theYear, Best NewBusiness, Best SmallBusiness, andOutstanding CustomerService

Therewill also be new-look categoriesfor Global Business, recognising internationaltrade,and a return of theBusinessInThe Community award.

“The Shropshire ChamberBusiness Awards are firmly established amongthe largesteventsoftheir kind in thecountry,withahisto ry stretching back more than 20 years,”saidchief executiveRichard Sheehan.

“Shropshirebusinesses aregoing to be facing significant challenges over thecomingyear, so it’s more importantthanevertocelebrate andrecognise oursuccess stories.”

Launched in 2001,the ShropshireChamber Business Awards have attracted audiencesofupto 900 people forthe black-tiecelebration. Aico of Oswestry wonthe covetedCompany of theYearaward this summer –retaining itstitle

Festivefestivalhas toptasty treats forall

Kington’sfestive food anddrink festivalwilltakeplace tomorrow (Sat urday) from 9.30amuntil 3.30pm

ProducersfromHerefordshire, Powys, Shropshire,Worcestershire, Gloucestershire andthe Midlands will gather to offeragreat shopping experience as thetownstartsthe festiveseason.

About100 artisanexhibitorsare expected,selling awiderange of goods such as wine,cider beer,apple juice, spirits, charcuterie, gourmet mushrooms, chocolateand fudge

Othertreatsinclude patisserie, spices,cheese,sauces, nuts, olives,

KARENCOMPTON

karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

marshmallow, puddings,fermented food, pies, meat andgame, bread, preserves,and oils. Therewill also be books, Christmas trees,wreaths, flowers, potteryand wicker.During theday,local choirs will be singing festivetunes andstreet entertainerswill be performing Establishedin2004withjust 15 stands,the festival hasnow ex panded andcoversthe Market Hall, thecoach house, PlaceDeMarines,

CloudNinecar park,the National Farmers’ Union carparkand Mill Streetcar park.

Thefestivalhas attracted many newproducers this year.But those lookingfor theirold favouriteswon’t be disappointed either as many will be returningaftermanyyears

RepresentativesfromKington’s French twin town of Marinesare also making atripoverwiththeir French goodies.The eventisfree of charge,parking will also be free andaparkand ride servicewill be in operationfromthe doctor’s surgery,startingat10am.

Family hitwithanother wait forcareasdaughtertaken ill

Shropshire NHScam paignerDarrenChilds hashad hisworst nightmare repeat itself –when hisdaughterfellill and facedlongwaits forvital care.

Darren andCally Childs’s oneyear-old daughter Myla hitthe headlinesin Januarywhenshe stoppedbreathing during apro longed seizureand hadtowait37 minutes foran ambulance.

Theirexperiencebegan Mr Childs’s non-stop campaigningfor better NHSfunding

Thenightmare happened again on Tuesdaylastweek, with a 30-minutewaitfor paramedics and beingtoldofa10-hour wait in A&E.

Bosses at theRoyal Shrewsbury Hospital apologisedtoall patients experiencing longwaits fortreat ment.Theysay children areusu ally given priority andhaveasked

SUEAUSTIN sue.austin@mnamedia.co.uk

anyone with concerns to contactthe Patients Advice andLiaisonService team

Mr Childs,aLudlow Town Coun cillor,said: “Wewerein Bridgnorth when at 11.45amMylastarted fitting again– just likeshe didin January. Shewentgreyand her lips went blue.It wasclear shewas struggling to breathe. That firstsei zure only lasted abouttwo minutes –but then as soonasitstopped, shestarted to have more seizures, called acluster seizure.

“Werang999 straight way. Of course we did. Your child’slifeisat risk andyou want theexperts there straightawaytoput things right.

“Butknowing theambulance servicecouldn’tguarantee afast response we decidedtotakeMyla to Bridgnorth Hospital becauseat leastthere wasagoodchancethat there’dbesomeone therewho could

give heroxygenand tryand gether stabilised.

“Wedrove to Bridgnorth Hospitalwhere thestaff were amazing They dideverything they could, but they couldn’t getMyla’soxygenlev elsbackupand stabilised.

“Ittookhalfanhourfor that am bulancetoarrive. That feelslikea lifetime when you’rewatchingyour childstruggling to breathe.”

When they arrivedatA&E Mr Childs said therewere11ambulances parked outside.

“I knew that wasreallybad news That meantanA&E that wasfull, stretchedtobreakingpoint –or worse than that,” he said

“Mylawas seen by atriagenurse in A&E. Thenurse told us it would takearound10hours before Myla couldeven seea doctor.Thatisn’t emergencycare.

“Mylagot lucky. Whilewewaited,her oxygen levels gradually stabilisedand returned to normal. Shewasn’tright–but it beganto

feel that theimmediate life-threateningepisodewas over.Werang ourGPbackhome in Ludlow,and we were promisedanimmediate appointment. That felt less of arisk than waitinghourafterhouratthe hospital.Wedrove Myla back to Ludlow andsaw ourGP. Myla’s now back home,onantibiotics,and she’s OK.But we’rescared. We’vegot an NHSthathas been underfunded andunderstaffedfor years. We need emergencyactionnow.”

Hayley Flavell, director of nurs ingatThe Shrewsbury andTelford Hospital NHSTrust,said: “Our urgent andemergency care servic es remain undersignificant pres sure,and we apologise to patients whoare experiencinglongwaits for treatment.Our staffare working incredibly hard to ensure that our most clinically urgent patients are prioritisedand that anychildren whopresent in ouremergency de partmentsare seen as quicklyas possible.”

Transport study to be carried out

Consultantshavebeenappointed to carryout atransport studyin Kington.

HerefordshireCouncil has final isedthe appointmentofthe consultants andtheir work will take place overthe coming weeks.

Thestudy will includefurther consultationwiththe town council.

Kington’sDeputyMayorCouncil lor ElizabethBanks said thestudy needs to cover thetownand the area of thebypassincluding up to thedoctor’ssurgery

Town councillorsalso said surrounding parishes should also be included in thestudy as they also impact on transportwithinKington anditshouldconsidercar parking andparticularly residents’parking.

They also questioned whether electric carchargingand cycleracks should be included in thestudy

Thecouncil’s comments were submitted to HerefordshireCouncil to inform thetransport study.

Step up to help support charity

TheNSPCC’s Shropshire branch hasannounced fund raisingactivities.

Communityfundraising managerJenny Sedgewick said: “The NSPCCreliesonpublic donationsfor themajorityof itsincome,which is whythis Christmas we’recalling on peo pleinShropshiretosupport the NSPCCand Childlinetoensure we canbethere forchildren whenever they need us

“Our Walk forChildrenfundraiseristakingplaceonDecember21. Whetherpeoplewalk alone or in agroup,everybody’s invitedtojointhe 5K walk dur ingthe longestnight of theyear. We’reaskinglocal buildingsto lightupgreen that night, so peoplecan plan theirwalks around alandmarkintheir area.”

Formoreinformation contact jenny.sedgwick@nspcc.org.uk

Writingcontest delightfor Ben

AShropshireartistiscelebrating aftercomingrunner-upinaninternationalnature-writingcompe tition.

BenCrane,49, from Cound, is de lightedhis 8,000-wordessay about theinterplay betweenfalconry, Covidand thenatural world caught theeyesofthe judges

He is oneofsix finalistschosen by judges forawardsinThe Nature Chronicles Prize.

Thecompetition wasonlyrecently introduced andawarded as part of theKendalMountainFestival.

Hisessayhas nowbeenpublished as part of an anthologywiththose of theother finalistsinThe Win ners of theFirst Nature Chronicles Prizewhich is availablethrough Amazon.Ben said:“Ihavebeen writingfor 20 yearsand primarily this involvesmylove of falconry.I have hadmyworkprinted in vari ousmagazines butthisismy first competition.”

Therewill be plenty of Christmas cheeratKingtonFoodand Drink Festival.JoHilditchfrom British Cassis,one of thefestival sponsors, is picturedatapreviousevent.Photo by Andy Compton

Councilbacking tree programme

Presteigne andNortonTownCouncilhas joined an ambitious giveawayto fightclimate change

Thecouncil is taking part in the My Tree,Our Forest initiative,a WelshGovernmentand Coed Cadw projectwhich will offereveryhouse hold in Walesa tree, free of charge

Thetowncouncil is oneof50 hubs locatedacrossWales where peoplecan collecttheir tree.

Alltrees will be native,broadleaf species that will grow into small-me dium sizedtrees suitable forgar densand smallerspaces, andwill come with planting instructions.As they mature they’lllockupcarbon, fightthe effectsofclimate change andsupport wildlife.

Thehub,sited at TheOld School, Hereford Street,Presteigne, will be open to thepubliconSaturday morningsfrom10amuntil 12pm andWednesday afternoons from 4pmuntil 6pmeachweekuntil De cember 14

Santaspecial trains on track

AMid Walesheritagerailway will endwhatitsayshas been agood year in festive stylewith twodaysofSanta Special trains on December 10 and11.

Trains will leavethe Corrisrailway stationat11am, 12.30pm,2pm and3.30pm,and advanceticketsales areadvised on corris.co.uk

Railway society chairman RichardFoynsaidconsiderable progress on anumberoffronts hasbeenmadebyvolunteers andpartners,following two yearsofdisruptioncausedby Covid.

He said the firstquarter saw an importantpartofthe im provements to Corris station completedwithanew platform andtrack layout, whichincluded atraversertoallow locomo tivestorun roundtheir trains.

Harassment claimisdenied

ALlandrindod Wellswoman,who hasdeniedcausing harassment and alarmtoneighbourswhile subject to aCommunity Protection Notice, will face atrial in thenew year AmyJohnson, 25,deniedfailing to comply with thenoticebycontinuing to cause harassment,alarm or distress towardsneighboursat LonCwm,Llandrindod Wells, when sheappearedatLlandrindod Wells MagistratesCourt on Wednesday last week.

Theincidents arealleged to have happened on September 16,17and 19

Magistratesadjourned thecase foratrial on February 1atLlandrindod WellsMagistratesCourt Therewillalsobeanapplication fora criminal behaviourorder at theconclusionofthe proceedings.

Johnsonwillremainonuncondi tional bail untilthatdate. Shewill still be subjecttothe Community Protection Notice

Rowena is selected forartistresidencyposition

Elan Links in MidWales andMid landsArtsCentre (MAC)have awardedtheir 2023 artist residen cy to Birmingham-basedartistRowena Harris

Rowena said:“Iapplied forthe residency to exploreparallels be tweenthe waythe Elan Valley manages water’s energy as adesign forhealthfor Birmingham sincethe 19th century, andthe waythatbodieswithenergylimitingdisabilities also manageenergy as method forhealth.

“Through exploringand de veloping newworkthatengages theenvironment throughrest–through managing reservoirs of

energy –Ihopetoformanintimate connection betweenbodiesmanag ingenergyatdifferent scales.”

MACcurator Roma Piotrows ka said:“MACisdelightedtobe partnering with Elan Valley for this artist residency exploringour relationship with thenatural envi ronmentinayearour programme focusesonsustainability

“We’re proudtobeworking with Birmingham-basedartistRowena Harris, whoseproject will encompass thethemesofremotenessand connection,and provideanalter native trail at theElanValleyfocusedonaccess andinclusivity for people with disabilities.”

Rowena will spendfourweeks in theElanValleyand four weeks in Birmingham,buildinglinks be tweenbothlocations

Rowena will show theirworkor workin progress at theWatershed ExhibitionatMAC in thesecond half of 2023

Curatedbypreviousresident artist Kate Green, Watershedwill show workfrompreviousresident artistsatthe Elan Valley

This prestigiousartistresidency opportunityhas been made possiblethankstoNationalLottery Heritage Fund,MAC Birmingham and theElanLinks projectpartners

Second hotelin county will be used to houseasylumseekers

SUEAUSTIN sue.austin@mnamedia.co.uk

Asecondhotel in Shropshireistobecomean asylum dispersalcentre.

Thehotel,which is settohouse single males, is in theOswestry area andwill startacceptingthe arrivals this month

Shropshire Councilsaysithas not been part of theplanningfor themove andsaysitisinvestigatingwhether thereisalicensing is sueinregardtothe hotel becoming ahouse of multiple occupancy.

It says it is keen to be involved andhas also said that threeGP practicesin Oswestry have come forwardtosupport themen.The council hasjustbeennotified of the decision

In alettertocouncillors, the council writes:“Although we were made awareofthishotel in advance of its‘go live’dateofDecember8, we didnot give consent to this and have notbeenpartofthe planning “Althoughthe responsibility for this contingencyhotel sits firmly with Serco–councilsdo notreceivefunding –weare keen to be involved andsupport Serco/arrivals as much as possible to ensure this is as smooth an experience as we can make it.All arrivals need to be reg isteredwithaGPand have ahealth assessmentand threeGPpractices in Oswestryhavecome forwardto support. Atthe moment Sercoare telling us thatthiswillbea second, single male hotel.”

At thechequepresentation

Kind couple give charitya fundingboost

ABuilthWells couple have donat ed more than a£1,000 to acancer charityafterhostingaminifesti valintheir back yard in memory of theirson Maynardand SuePeterspre sented thechequefor £1,062 to representativesofBuilthWells CommunitySupport

The‘Rock forour Community’ gigwas held in memory of their sonMorien, knownaffectionately

Hospice eBaysiteproving abig hit

From Pokemonand aSecond WorldWar helmet throughtoroy al potteryfeaturing King George VI andQueen ElizabethII, asellingpageoneBayisproving akey tool forSevernHospicetoraise much-needed funds.

Ffion Seymour, Severn Hos pice’sEcommerce manager, said: “Our supporters aresogenerous, andbecause of theirkindness, we

receiveinterestingand varied do nationswhich we then sell on our eBay site.

“Everything we sell in our eBay shop enablesustoprovide outstandingpalliativecareto localpeoplelivingwithincurableillness.Wealso have 30 high street shopswhich help add£1.5 milliontowards thecarewepro vide.”

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

locallyas‘Moz’,who died in April 2019 aged 34.Theyalso held a communityrafflemegadrawat thesummer event.

Builth Wellsbandthe New Deadlyheadlined theminifesti valatthe couple’s DragonsDingle home

Maynardsaid: “Itwas agreat eventand we wanted to do some thingfor Builth WellsCommunity Supportbecause they have done so much forpeopleinthe Builth Wellsarea.”

Aspokespersonfor Builth WellsCommunity Supportsaid: “ThanksgotoMaynard andSue andall helpersand sponsors for thesecommunity fundraising events.”

Consultation on pollution regulations

FarmersinWales arebeing encour aged to engage with NFUCymru afterthe launch of theWelsh Government’sconsultationonanimportantpartofthe thecontrolof agricultural pollutionregulations WelshGovernmentMinisterfor RuralAffairs Lesley Griffithshas announced a12-week consultation on alicensing schemefor farming businesses to applyfor alicence forahigherannualholding organ-

ic nitrogenlimit of up to 250kg/ ha,subject to crop need andoth er legalconsiderations. An earlier move to introduce atighter,170Kg/ ha organicnitrogenlimit hasbeen delayeduntil April1 although other regulationswill come into force from January1.AledJones,the NFUCymru president, said:“There is concernoverhow the170kg limit couldaffectWelsh farming’spro ductivecapacity.”

Rowena Harris

Darwin manuscript maysellfor £800katauction

An ‘extremely rare’manuscriptin whichrenownedSalopian Charles Darwin defendshis theory of evolution couldfetch up to £800,000

It features asummationofone of themostinfluentialtexts ever written–Onthe Origin of Species –which provided thefoundation forhumanity’smodernunder standing of lifeonearth

Thenotewas carefullypre paredbyDarwin, whowas born in Shrewsbury in 1809,inresponse to arequest from HermannKindt –the editor of theAutographic Mirror –for thepurpose of it being re-printed inhis magazine

Whilesome of Darwin’s notes andmanuscripthavesurvivedover time,the biologist wasknown to discardpages andworking drafts insteadofarchivingthem.

To have amanuscriptsurvive in such good condition–and with hissignature writtenout in full is rare,especially from aman who oftenabbreviated hissignature to Ch, Ch.DarwinorjustC.Darwin.

Prof Johnvan Wyhe,who cu ratesthe scholarlycollection knownasDarwinOnline, told theBBC:“He includes apassage that appearsinthe thirdedition of On theOriginofSpecies.It’sa

really favourite passage, because he’s trying to make thepoint that people might find histheoryunbe lievableand outlandish,but they said thesameabout Newton and gravity, andnobodydoubted the existenceofgravity anymore.”

Thecorrespondence between Darwin andKindt datesbackto autumn 1865,fouryears afterthe publication of thethird editionof On theOriginofSpecies.

Sotheby’s expect themanuscript to sell forbetween £600,00 to £800,000

Theonline sale is open forbid ding up untilFridaynextweek.

Satisfaction over thestateof roadsisrising, survey says

ELEANOR LAWSON eleanor.lawson@mnamedia.co.uk

TheNationalHighways and Transportsurveyfound satisfaction with the wayShropshireCouncildeals with potholes rosebyseven percentage pointslastyear, with asix pointincreaseinsatisfaction with thecondition of road surfaces

Therewas also aseven percentagepoint increase in satisfaction with thecondition of thecounty’s roads generally

Respondents also indicatedthey felt thecouncil wasdoing more to repair roadscomparedtoayear ago.

Each year thesurveyasksaran domsampleofatleast 3,300residentsin111 councilareas fortheir views.

Shropshire Councillor Richard Marshall,cabinet member forhighways,said: “Wewelcome the find ings of this year’s survey,which provideevidence that anew ap proach to how Shropshire Council maintainsits highways, that was introduced last year,isalready havingan impact

“Weneededtotakeaboldnew approach to thechallenges thenet workwas presentinguswith.”

Pubisdoing itsbit forfestive toycampaign

ASouth Shropshirepub is helping spread some festivecheer to young sters.

TheJournal’s sister paperthe ShropshireStarisonceagain running itsChristmas ToyAppeal.

Thenewspaper is appealingto generous readerstodo theirbit to help by donating brandnew toys, gamesand gifts. This year it is teamingupwithShropshire-based Joule’sbrewery forthe firsttime,

Reservoirsare fillingupafter rain

Theautumn deluge hasseenres ervoir levelsrise rapidly accord ingtowater companies.

Levels in reservoirs,including those servingthe West Midlands, areupbyabout 20 percentcom paredtothe summer

Droughtwas officiallydeclared in August acrossmostofEngland followingthe driest July for50

yearsand thedriest first half of theyearsince 1976.SevernTrent appliedfor adrought status in the summer,but never imposedany restrictions on water usageand recent heavyrainfallhas helped to replenishstocks. Thames Wa terlastweekannounceditwas liftingthe hosepipe banitimposedinthe summer

MARK ANDREWS

mark.andrews@mnamedia.co.uk

with four of thecompany’s pubs of fering to collecttoys.

Andthe KingsArmsinChurch Stretton is oneofthe collection points forthe toys

Thedonations will be distributed to four good causes.The goodcauses includethe MovementCentre

near Oswestry,the HarryJohnson Trust, TelfordYoung Carers and thechildren’swardatShrewsbury andTelford HospitalsTrust

In thepast, theappealhas enabled stafftoensurethateverychild in hospital on ChristmasDay will receiveapresent

Theappealhas seen more than 5,000 giftsdistributed amonggood causes sinceitwas firstlaunched in 2015

Better mobile phone linksare on way

MidWales is set to getbettermobile phonecoverage over thenextcouple of years.

NewExtendedAreas Services mastsare to be installedacross Montgomeryshirewiththe aimof seeing 4G coverageboostedto95 percentacrossWales CraigWilliams, MP forMontgomeryshire, hasreceived an up date from theHome Office on the progress of installing themasts to

eliminatethe majority of mobile signal ‘not-spots’withinthe constituency.

Theinfrastructureispart of the world firstSharedRural Network programmebetween theUK Governmentand theUK’sfourmobile networkoperators.The programme will also allowrural residents to access competingmobilecontracts, with coverageboosted forall major networkproviders

Costofcharging vehicles in council’scar parks settorise

Electric vehicledriverscan expect to be hitinthe pocket as Powys County Councilisset to increase its charging priceby85per cent Cabinet member foragreener PowysCouncillor Jackie Charlton is expected to take adecision today (Friday) underdelegated powers to putthe priceupfrom35p perkWh to 65pper kWh.

Thedecision is aresponse to the increaseinenergypricesand the cost of living crisis.It will be implemented as soonaspossibleoncethe decision hadbeenconfirmed

Areportsaid: “Whilstitisnot a statutorydutyfor theauthority to provideelectricchargers, this in frastructure does provideasignif icantsocialvalue that benefits our communitiesbothenvironmentally andeconomically, whilst helping to facilitate de-carbonisation and theuse of renewableenergy. There arecurrently 13 carparks across Powys. Allbut one, have apairof fast 22kWhchargers. Theone car park in Crickhowellhas asingle 22kWh chargerdue to capacity within thecar park andthe availa bleelectricity supply.Eachcharger is able to charge up to twovehicles at atime.”

Thereportsaysthe increase will alignPowys to otherlocal author itiesand the“market rate.” The report said:“Whilst asignificant increase,the proposed tariff will benchmarkagainst otherneigh bouringauthoritiesand reflectthe currentincreases in energy costs. Thecouncil will continue to addsocialvalue within ourcommunities whilst recoveringasignificant ma jority of thecosts incurred.”

Thereportexplainsthatifthe priceremains at 35pper kWh thecouncil wouldmakea loss of £16,800over thewhole 2022/23 fi nancialyear. Charging at 65pper kWhwillprovide an extra £4,300 forcouncil coffers.

Butthe report explains that this is unlikely, “asenergycosts will increase from April2023.”Due to this, thecostofchargingwillbe keptunder review

Head of financeJaneThomas saidthe decision will reduce a fi nanciallossfor thecouncil.

Tree competition

People arebeing invitedtohavea wander through thedecorated trees andhaveacuppa at theLlanwrtyd Christmas treecompetitioninSt James’ Church from 10am tomorrow(Saturday).

They canevenvotefor theirfavourite tree.

They canfollowthiswithatrip into Narnia at theLlanwrtyd Wells Heritage andArtsCentre where they’llgothrough thewardrobe doorsintoaworld of wonder.

On December 11 people canbuy Christmas presentsand food treats, andvisit Santa’sgrottoatthe Llanwrtyd ChristmasFair. Therewill be 20 stalls in Victoria Hall from 2pmuntil 4pm. Therewill also be a raffle, mulled wine,mince piesand more

Shropshire residents are increasingly satisfied with thecondition ofthe county’s roadsand work to repair andimprove them,accordingtoanational annual survey.

Themanuscript. Photo: Sotheby’s

Mike Darch-Williamsand staffmemberLucy Fox ready to take donations at theKingsArms inChurchStretton

Police warning of scam tactics

Police in Shropshireare warning of thedangers of shopping on social mediaas figuresrevealyoung peo ple areatriskoffraud

Anew report from theNational AuditOffice revealed fraudac counts foraround41per cent of all crimeagainst individuals, arise of 12 percentover five years.

Around 45 percentofthe reports of money lost through socialmediascams last year involved online shopping

West Mercia Police areasking online shoppers to be wary of fraud when shopping.

Apolicespokespersonsaid: “Fraudstersoften impersonatereal online retailersvia lookalikeweb sitesonFacebookorInstagram. Deceptive adsare acommon tactic If people aremakingapurchase on socialmedia,theyshouldcheck merchantreviews andsearchfor re cent shopping scamsamongst simi larretailers.”

Tourismgroup is set to meet

Membersofthe independent tourismorganisationfor Mid Walesare beingurged to attend an annual meeting.

Changes to thetax criteria forself-catering accommodation,aproposedtourism taxand thestatutory registration of all visitoraccommodationinWales will allbeonthe agenda at Mid WalesTourism’s meetingat TheBrigandsInn,Mallwyd on Thursday next week at 11am

Thegroup’s chiefexecutive ValHawkins said:“Ihopethat as many membersaspossible areabletoattendthe annual meetingtohearthe important updates, give theirviews and help shapethe directionofMid WalesTourism in thecoming year

“It’simportant that allMid Walestourism businesses are awareofthe changes.”

Severn Trent helpingincrisis

Severn Trenthas ramped up support forcustomers whoare struggling financially.

The firm haschanged theincome thresholdfor itssupport package to allowmorecustomers to access savingsofupto90per cent on their billsinthe face of surginginflation.

Severn Trentunveileda £30mil lion fund in Maytohelpanother 100,000 customers on lowincomes, adding to itsexistingschemethat supports 215,000 customers in need

It said 20,000 customershad al readyapplied forthe extrasupport, butthatithas nowincreased the annual income cut-offtojustunder £19,000 from £16,000 previously to allowmorepeopletoaccess the scheme.Italsoannounced apro gramme to help addresspoverty acrossthe West Midlands,which will seeitoffer workexperienceto 300childrenbythe endofnextAu gust,risingto500 by 2032

Students offersupport as lecturersstrike

University lecturersand support staffinShropshirehavetaken part in strike action over payand workingconditions.

Apicket formed at Harper Adams University on Thursday last week wherestrikersweregiven mince pies by students andhot drinks by management to sustain theircam pusprotests.

Deena Webster,who chairs the Harper Adamsbranchofthe University andCollege Union(UCU), said:“Harper Adams is traditionally not apicketingcampus, we have hadlow numbersbefore.

DAVIDTOOLEY

david.tooley@mnamedia.co.uk

“Butwithinthe last fewyears we have grownstrongerand theturnoutshowsthe strength of feeling.

“Wehavelotsofsinglemothers andfamilymemberswho have to trytopay theirmortgages andput food on thetable

“Wedonot getlotsofmoney, in fact we have hadaneffective 33 per cent paycut compared to what it should have been to coverinflation since2009.”

TheNationalUnion of Students addedits supporttothe national action

Locally22-year-old food produc tion anddevelopment students Jo Flower andPahaghiotaHolecame outtogive mincepiestotheir re spected lecturingteam.

AHarperAdams spokesperson said:“We respectthe rightofemployeestotakepart in strike action andremain, as acommunity,com mitted to ensuring that students arenot disadvantaged andthat theireducational outcomesfor this academic year will be achieved.”

Merrymarkets aiming to bringin Christmascheer forall to enjoy

People canget into thefestive spirit at atown’scelebrations.

Therewillbemerry markets, Christmas-themedentertainment, andaMistletoe QueeninTenbury Wells. Thetown’sMistletoe Festival will be held tomorrow (Saturday) from 10am to 6pm.

It will includethe traditional crowning of theMistletoe Queen, stalls, music, amistletoe ceremony, workshops andmore.

On Thursday next week,Ten buryWells Christmas Marketstake placefrom1pm to 7pmatTesco Market Placeand at thehistoric RoundMarket in Market Square Stallholders will be selling local artisanproduce,arts, crafts, and perfectChristmas gifts. Late-night shopping also takesplace on the eveninginthe town

ForevenmoreChristmas entertainmentThe Regalwill be hosting Tenbury’sall-comedy pantomime RobinHood from December 14 to 31.Councillor BridgetThomas,a ward member forTenbury Wells at MalvernHillsDistrictCouncil, said:“We arereallylooking forward to theChristmas celebrations in TenburyWells.The market town is knownasthe UK’s capitalofEng lish mistletoeand thefestivalisreally popularwithplentyofthingsto do forthe wholefamily.”

Councillor Lesley Bruton,award member forTenbury WellsatMal vernHills District Council, said: “Wewould encouragevisitorsand residents to enjoy allthe festive entertainmentTenbury hastooffer.It is also awonderful opportunityto shop locallyfor Christmasgifts and treats.”

Meetings aretold of worries aboutriskof floodingintown

Knighton flood cam paigners have metcoun cilofficialsand fire ser vice officers in abid to tackle issues in thearea.

TheKnightonFlood Groupmet PowysCountyCouncil andNatural ResourcesWales (NRW)represent atives to talk aboutthe stateofthe town’s infrastructure

They spokeinparticularabout theStation Road wall andthree culverts whichthe WylcwmBrook flowsthrough

Agroup spokesperson said: “Whilethere is no quick fixtosome of theissuesand some questions left to be answered,itwas apositive they came to seethe group.

“The NRW flood modelling for thetownisdue to be released soon andfromthat, this will enable them to applyfor fundingtodealwith some of theissues.

“Asamatterofprioritythe wall alongStation Road will be ad

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

dressedearly in thespringinthe hopeacontractor is foundtodothe work.

“The culvertswill be inspected by thecountycouncil andaction will be takentoclean them as re quired.Theyare fullyaware if theseculverts blockthere will be catastrophic floodinginthe town, namely theculverts behind the KnightonHotel,Bowling Green Lane andStation Road.”

In thelong-term,NRW andthe countycouncil arelooking at flood relief up thevalleyand areworking with theSeven RiversTrust

Thegroup also recently metAssistantChief Fire Officerfor Mid andWestWales Fire andRescue ServiceCraig Flannery,and group managerTeri-AnnParry

Thegroup made acasefor Knighton’s fire stationtoreceive wading status,including thenec

essary trainingand equipment

Groupmember Robert Edwards presentedevidencedemonstrating that wading status is desperately needed.Thatincludedphotographs, amap of the flood zone andthe 174 properties affected andevidence theStation Road wall is at risk of collapsing andcausing catastrophic flooding. He said thetownhas expe rienced five floodsinthe last three years, residents have been trapped in theirhomes, there is alikelihood of medicalemergencies andthreats to lifeand Knightoncould be cut off, as happened in 2020 during StormDennis.

Mr Flanneryexplained thecon straints of theservice,asresources must be distributedamong theregion’s many fire stations

Thegroup and fire serviceoffi cials agreed thelocal fire station should be equipped adequately to deal with present andpotential fu ture flood challenges

Mr Flannerysaidthe fire service

should be thelastlineofdefence andemphasismustbeonavoiding andmitigating flooding. He offered to liaise with the otheragencies.

Flood groupmembers said time is of theessence,withfurther floods inevitable,which canhavea dramaticimpactonthe affected resi dents’ emotional, physical, and fi nancialhealth.

Aspokespersonsaid: “Knighton Flood Groupremains hopeful that thetown’s flood resilience and emergencyresponse canand will be improved.”

NRWhas now completedthe model forthe RiverTemeand Cwm Brook. It is beingreviewedbyexter nalconsultants andshouldbe final isedbythe endofthisyear.

It hasalso done preliminary modelling of potentialoptions to reduce theriskof flooding, includ ingattenuation of floodinginboth catchments, with upstream storage reservoirs andnatural flood man agement, and flood defences

Students Jo Flowerand Pahaghiota Holehanded outmince piesand supporttotheir lecturers

Switching-onoflightsstarts theChristmas season in town

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

ChristmascametoLlandrindodWells on Saturdayasthe biglights switch-ontookplace.

Hundreds of people watchedthe spectaclewhich included free ice skatingonarinkonTempleGar dens, aparadeled by Santathrough MiddletonStreetand then thelight switch-onatthe bandstand.

Some youngstersworefancy dressfor theeventand others had takenpart in workshops to create eye-catchingand colourfullan terns, whichtheycarried as part of theparadefromthe busstation

At thebandstand Llandrindod WellsSilver Band playedcarolsincludingthe ever popular‘We Wish YouaMerry Christmas’asa grand finale

When membersofthe parade arrivedatthe bandstand, Llan drindod WellsMayorCouncillor Laurence Weerdmeester-Price welcomedeveryone andwishedeveryone ahappy Christmas.

He thankedthe band,the volunteers whohad helped to puton theevent,Llandrindod WellsTown Councilmembersfor theirhelpand everyone whoturnedout to support theevent andmakeitsuchamas sive success, especially thoseinfan cy dressand with lanterns

Councillor Weerdmeester Price then presentedprizestothose who hadwon in thefancy dressand best lanterncompetitions.

IvyLayton-Morris came firstin thebestlantern category andEna Turner won firstprize in thefancy dresscompetition

Thebestgroup waswon by the Bridsongroup

Thetownmayor then started a countdownand presseda golden button to unveil thetown’sfestive lightdisplay

Fortwo days at theweekend youngsters andadultswereableto enjoyfreeuse of theice rink

Followingthe success of the firstever icerinkinthe town last Christmas,Llandrindod Wells

Town Councilhad bookeditagain, with skates,askate changing area, penguins to help little ones, music, asnow machineand more.

Councillor Weerdmeester-Price said:“How wonderfulitwas to see such afantastic turnoutfor the switch-on.

“Congratulations to allthattook part in thefancy dressand especial ly to allthatmadethe superb lanterns, to me youwereall winners.

“Onceagain it mademeproud to be part of this wonderfultown.

“OnbehalfofLlandrindod Wells Town Councilthank you.”

Councillorsdisappointedoverroadconsultation

LlandrindodWells town council lorswho raisedconcernsabout the newactive travel routeinthe town do notfeeltheywereconsulted properly

They sent theirconcernsabout theroute at theAutoPalaceto Grosvenor Road andtowards Howey to PowysCountyCouncil recently

Theworkwill includewidening andimproving the surfaces of the pavements

Town councillorswerecon cerned theworkwould make the road narrow,which combined with apossible20mph zone couldcreate congestion andaccidents

At arecentmeetingGarethEvans, theactivetraveltechnician within PowysCountyCouncil’s highways department,saidcouncillorswereconsulted in August andSeptember 2021 andthe publichavebeenmadeaware of the scheme,eventhoughhighway schemesdo notofficiallyneedany consultation

ButCouncillorSteve Deeks-D’Silva said he attended theSeptember meetingbut it was moreabout theDdole Road scheme andthe Howey scheme waspre sented as somethingwhich could happen in thefuture. He said he suggested on four oc

casionshighwaysofficers should speaktoamajor HGVcontractor in theareaand it wasignored

Councillor Sian Mereduddand JamieJones said they were not consulted on theHowey scheme.

Town clerkJaneJohnston said shewas awareofthe Howey scheme because thecountycouncil consulted Disserth andTrecoed CommunityCouncil,where sheis also theclerk

Councillor Jase Hawker proposedtheyrespond to Mr Evans and saymembersdo notfeelthey were properly consultedand are disappointed

Membersagreed

Have your say on voting plans

Anew patternofelectoral divisions is beingdeveloped forShropshire Counciland residents have been in vitedtohavetheir sayabout what they thinkabout it

TheLocal GovernmentBound aryCommissionhas decidedthe number of councillorsinShropshire should be 74,the same as now.

ShropshireCouncil hasasked the commission to carryout asingle member division review

This move meansthe commission will draw up apattern of electoral divisionswhere each division is represented by just one county council lor

As aresult, thecommissionwants to hear what residentsand organi sationsthink abouttheir localarea, with a10-week consultation now launched

To getinvolvedinthe process, emailreviews@lgbce.org.ukorsend your viewstothe review officerfor Shropshire.

Help with the cost of living

Up to £865,000 is settobeinvested in communitiestohelp reduce thecostoflivingfor residents andimprove theirwellbeing.

TenburyWells is part of the MalvernHills District Council area wherethe executive committee hasapprovedplans to in vest thethree-yearUKShared Prosperity Funds(UKSPF) in four projects

Fundingwillbeusedtowards thefollowing projects:£350,000 formeasurestoreducethe cost of living forMalvernHills residents;£250,000tosupport communityorganisations to host communitybuilderroles; £130,000 to recruitanactive travelofficerand develop local cyclingand walkinginfrastructure plans; £130,000 to invest in communityarts, includingsup portingSevernArts.

Trees proposal is givenbacking

Planstocarry outworkto12trees at aKington property have been recommended forapprovalbythe town council.

Caroline Warren hasapplied for permission to carryout theworkon trees in theconservationareaat2 Castle Hill.

Areportdicussedbytowncouncillorssaidthe trees includeaLaw sonCypress,anextremely large coniferwhich it is proposedwould be removedtoopenupthe grounds.

It wouldbereplaced with amore attractivedeciduoustree.

Councillor Jon Cookesaidhe thoughtthe report wasanexcellent, really detailedreport.

He said thelocal treewarden has also looked at it andishappy with theproposals

Membersofthe town councilrec ommended approval of theplanand HerefordshireCouncil will make the finaldecision on theapplication at afuturedate.

MayorLaurenceWeerdmeester-Priceled the countdowntothe lightsswitch-on. Photos by Andy Compton

IvyLayton-Morriswon thebest lantern prize

Santacertainlyenjoyed the LlandrindodWells lightsswitch-on

EnaTurnerwon firstprize in the fancy dress competition for children

Councillor SteveDeeks-D’Silva

Iceskating fanRuby, six, with her sister Flo anddad DavidThomasat theice rink on Saturday

Spiritual question will be exploredat groupmeeting

THESTRETTONS

Issues –MikeBourkewillbeasking the question ‘Spiritualbut notreligious?’ at thenextmeeting of EngagingIssues on Tuesday andlooking at theissues involved.All arewelcome to themeetings whichtakeplace at theURC andstart promptly at 7.30pm-9pm.Admission is £3

Wreaths –JohnThomasFlorists will be running luxury wreath-making workshops from 6.30pm-8.30pm.The firstwas dueto be held yesterday(Thursday) and thenextone will be held on Monday.All of thematerials will be provided along with refreshments during theevening Costper person is £60and places needtobebooked by ringing 01694 722194,bycalling inatthe shop or by emailing info@johnthomasflorists.co.uk. Christmas treescan also be ordered.

Music –The LowerDeckers sea shanty groupwillberaising fundsfor Mayfair today(Friday)atthe SilvesterHorne Institute.Everyoneiswelcome to take theirown drinksand nibbles.Reserve your place by ringing Mayfairon01694 722077.OnDecember 9, theFriday Night at theHorne eventwill beby Graffiti Classics,the comedystring quartet, taking place at theSilvester Horne Instituteat7.30pm. Tickets cost £14for adults and£6for under18s Ticketscan be obtained from thetown counciloffices, theOutdoor Depot in Sandford Avenue, or online from silvesterhorneevents.co.uk

Trip –Caradoc Coachesisplanning a trip to London onDecember 4-5for a two-night stay at theWaldorf.Toenquire forplacesring 01694724522, or email enquiries@caradoccoaches.co.uk.

Coffee –Acoffee, cake andchatmorning will beheldatthe Maltings,LittleStretton by Lizand MikeBourkefrom10am-noon on Tuesday

Lunch –Mayfairwillbeserving Christmas lunches on Wednesdayfrom 12.30pm-2pm. Thecostis£15 per head Ring 01694722077to reserveaplace Merriment –LittleStretton VillageHall will bethe venuefor an evening of Mince piesand MerrimentonDecember 16 at 7.30pm.

Strettfest –The communityparadewas well-receivedand theStrettons Arts Forumislooking towardsa carnival parade on May27. Preparationsbegin on Januaryand those who wish to take part should contact NoelBeattie by December 14 with theirideas by emailing noelbt@ talktalk.net

Leisure –Thereisjusttime to complete theconsultation form on theChurch StrettonLeisure Centre before it closes on December16. Thereisatimetable of sessionsavailable. Thejunior gym sessionsare held everyMonday andThursdayfrom3.30pm-4.30pm during term-time, andthe spin classis held at 7.30pm-8.15pmonTuesdays. Netballclubisfrom7.30pm-8.30pm on Tuesdays,Three touch passing football is everyWednesdayfrom5pm-6pm and badminton club is from6.30pm-8.30pm on Wednesdaysduringterm-time Pickleballclubisfrom7pm-9pm every Thursday

Theswimmingclubhas multifunctional buffsfor sale at £6 at theleisure centre andPeppersinSandfordAvenue. The buffsweredesigned by local primary schoolpupils.

Rhianna

Christmascraft fair wasa greatsuccess

AChristmas craftfairinRhayad er wasagreat success,raising just over £500 fortwo greatcharities, theorganisers have said

Thefairwas held at Rhayader LeisureCentre Theeventwas organisedby Rhayader andDistrictCommunity Supportatthe Arches

Aspokespersonsaidthe event wasenjoyed by everyone whoat tended

Thespokespersonsaid: “Itwas awonderful showcaseoftalented localcrafters,artists,small busi nesses andcommunity groups, with

KARENCOMPTON

karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

raffles, stalls, Christmasgifts,re freshments andavisit from Santa Claus.

“The stalls included Rhayader Women’sInstitute,the Friendsof Hope House, Rhayader Rainbows, Rhayader Under5’s Pre-School and CylchMeithrinRhaeadr,Rhayad er ScoutGroup,Nantmel Gold en Hour,NantgwylltChurchand Rhayader Luncheon Club

“The eventraised£467for The

Arches butitalso raised£39 forthe BBCChildreninNeed appeal with theNamethe Teddystall.

“The teddy’s name wasMonica, andthe winner wasKylie-May Mor ris.”

Organisers said ahugethank you to everyone that made it such asuc cess includingthe Arches staffand volunteers,FatherChristmas,the stallholders andall thevisitorswho went alongtosupport it andmake it such asuccess.For more information on theArches, peoplecan call 01597810921orvisit thearches rhayader.com

Councillortotake breakfromhis duties following busstopissue

AKnightoncouncillor is taking a breakfromcouncil activities for threemonthsafter beingdisap pointed busservice changeswill not go ahead.

Councillor TomTaylor said theis suehas hadanadverse effect on his mental state, he will soonbe70and hisphysicalstate is notwhatitwas He said he will decide in thespring whethertoresignpermanently Councillor Taylor haschampi oned creating anew busstopand shelteratBrookside Square anda town busservice

Butother councillorsare opposed to theideaofabus stop andshelteratthe cenotaph, saying it will be dangerousand it should be aplace forreflection

Councillor Taylor’s move came afterthe council said aplantoask residents in asurveywhatthey thinkofabus stop andshelter at thecenotaphwas nownot possible Town clerkNeilKingsaidthe poweroftownand county councils to runsurveys andpolls hadbeen removedinlastyear’sDemocracy Act2021bythe WelshGovernment.

Councillor Taylor said thetown councilshouldget behind thebus stop scheme. Hisproposalwas sec ondedbyCouncillor BenButler.

ButCouncillorBob Andrews made an amendmentnot to have a busstopatBrookside Squareand Councillor DavidWilliamssaidthe moneywhich wouldhavebeenused forthe survey should be used to pay foragreen roof at thebus stop at BowlingGreen Lane.Fourmem bers supported theamendmentand only threesupported theproposal so theamendmentwas carried.

Police give reassuranceafter reportcriticisesinvestigation

West Mercia Police has respondedtoa report that claims theforce “missedopportunities” to investigateanofficer’streatment of vul nerable women.

Thedeputychief constablesaid “wewillnot letafew erode thecon fidenceofthe public”,afteranof ficerwas accusedofseveral off-duty rapes

In thereport, followinganinspec tion of theforce in September 2021, inspectors said it was“surprising” the forcehad not scrutinisedthe officer’streatment of vulnerable women.

Thereportsaid: “The forceneeds to improve theway it collects intel ligenceafterreports of sexual mis conduct.

“Wefound that theforce fails to carryout allrelevant inquiries to establishifreported behaviour

ELEANOR LAWSON Community News Reporter

presents furtherrisk to thepublic. Forexample,weidentified acase in whichanofficerwas underin vestigationfor several off-duty al legationsofrape. Butthe forcehad missed some opportunitiestoscrutinise hisbehaviourwithvulnera blefemales he hadmet during his duties.We find this surprising.”

Theinspectionalso foundthe force“hasn’t made good enough pro gresstoimprove itslinks between thecounter-corruptionunitand organisationsthatsupport vulnera blepeople. Similarly, it hasn’t made goodenoughprogresstomakesure it hasenoughofficers andstaff with theright skillstolookproactively forintelligencerelatingto(abuseof position forasexualpurpose)”

Alex Murray,DeputyChief Con stable,said: “I welcomethe report and therecommendations it has given us as aforce toaddress

“I,alongwithall ourofficers and staff, joined theforce todothe very best forthe communities anditis vitalwehavethe rightpeopleinour organisation to allowustokeepthe people we servesafeand shareour values

“Our officers areanincredible team of hard-working people,and we will not leta fewerode thecon fidence of thepublic. Part of that is ensuring we have andadhereto thehighest standardsofbehaviour in how we treat each other andthe public. We’reconfidentthatour vetting processisrobust andcom prehensive.However,the realityis that everyforce –including ourown –needstocontinuetotakeaction to root outthose individualswho should notbeworking in aposition of trustand power. We’verecently invested in ourvetting andprofes sional standardsteamtoensure we have theresourcesneededto achievethis.”

He added: “Let me assureyou,

wedo not tolerate anymemberof ourworkforce treatingpeoplebad ly or inappropriately,orany form of dishonesty. We canand do take swift action to remove officers who do notupholdour standards. On or offduty, we areprofessionals,rep resentingnot just theforce butthe police service. Thereare no ‘ifs or buts’.”

Police andCrime Commissioner forWestMercia JohnCampionsaid: “The publicrightly expectsthe higheststandards from individuals employed by West Mercia Police.

“Withinsociety corruptindividu alsexist,and we mustn’t be compla cent aboutthis. Iam reassuredthat West Mercia Police hashighstand ards of vetting to preventthese in dividualsfromenteringthe police force, andthatthoroughprocesses arein placetorootindividuals out.

“I am pleasedthisisbeing high lightedat alocal andnationallev el.I am committed to playingmy part.”

Davies,who volunteersfor the Arches,made £85onthe Arches stalland lovedevery minute of it

Kate andDaisy Grayson of TheLittlePinkTree

BettyDavies, Eira Edwards, Alan Meadand June Owen at thefair

Movieislooking at issues surroundingloneliness

When twoCalifornian film-makers decidedtomakea moviethisyear, they didn’t startbyapproaching bigHollywood stars.

Insteaditwas Shropshire people they wanted to putupthere on the silver screen.

Andtheywanted toshine the spotlightespeciallyonwhatthey seeas“thegrowing pandemic” of loneliness andisolation.The re sult is thatindividuals andfam ilies from acrossShropshireare featured in thenew thought-provoking documentary film ‘All The Lonely People’– settohaveits UK premiere in Shrewsbury,followed

by four publicscreeningsinthe town.The film,thatalso features severalAmericanfamilies,emphasising that thechallenges of lone liness andisolation areuniversal, is thelatestworkfromrenowned producer JoeApplebaum and award-winningwriter/director Stu Maddux

Joeand Stu firstbecameaware of loneliness experienced in the largelyrural county of Shropshire when –through theircontactsin England –theyheard of thehelp offeredbyAge UK Shropshire Telford&Wrekinand Shropshire Council.

“WefeltShropshirehad people from many differentwalks of life challenged by this hiddenpan demicofloneliness, butalso many organisationsthatare discovering solutions,”saidJoe

Therewill be public screenings of the film on Monday to Thurs daynextweekfrom11amatthe Old Market Hall cinema in The Square,Shrewsbury, followingits UK premiere at thevenue on Sun day.

Thepremierein Shropshire’s county townwill be attended by cast andcrew, staff, volunteers andclients of AgeUKSTW

Roguetradersenttojailfor twoyearsover£60,000 fraud

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

Leslie JamesSmith of Pershore wasprosecuted by PowysCounty Council’sTrading StandardsSer vice aftercarryingout workat a property in Felindre

Smithpleaded guilty to twooffences underthe Consumer Protec tion from Unfair TradingRegulations2008and FraudAct 2006 at an earlierhearing at Llandrindod WellsMagistratesCourt

He wassentenced to twoyears in jail by MerthyrTydfilCrown Court.

TradingStandards officers found that betweenApril 8and July 8last year,Smith hadbeenexcessively paid forconstructionworkand then failed to complete theworkcompe tently

Theinvestigation foundSmith hadcommitted fraudbyway of making afalse representation, namely hisidentity

TradingStandards officers also foundSmith hadliedabout purchasingsupplieswhenhehad not, andalso claimedthe cost of supplies hadrisenand that he required addi tional paymentwhenthose supplies hadpurportedly alreadybeenpur chased.Smith also askedfor addi tional paymentfromhis victim to subsidise workfor othercustomers

Performersdreamingoftakingtothe stage

KARENCOMPTON karen.compton@mnamedia.co.uk

Well-known fortheir charity fundraisingpantomimes, this is

firsttimetheyhavetaken

director David Pricesaid: “It’sbeenahugechallenge, butwe’ve hadsomuchfun

alongthe way. If thereever wasa time to bringpeopletogetherwith this hugely upliftingand joyous show,it’snow.”

Ticketsare availablefromthe boxoffice at theFountainInn, Builth Wellsfrom10amto2pm, Monday to Friday,orpeoplecan call 07974761309.

Busy time at primaryand secondary schools

THESTRETTONS

Schools –AtStLawrence’sPrimary Schooleveryone ischallenged to become thefastest to complete themiletrack run, andthereare congratulationstoone staffmember who hasachieved200min under five minutes.All of thefootballfans were invitedto watchthe England World Cupmatch in thehall. TheFriends of the School raised£2,000withthe food on bonfire nightand they were also serving food anddrinksatthe switch-onofthe Christmas lights. Theirnextfundraiser is on December 9atthe Christmas Fair when they wouldlikeoffersofprizesfor thehamperraffle. Outgrown Christmas jumpers arewelcomed for resale along with anyoutgrownuniform.All of the pupils had thechanceto go to seethe pantomimeatTheatre Severn this year Church StrettonSchool hasinvited Year 11 prefects to apply for theposition of head boyand head girl.The Year 7 transition festival hasbeen well-received with severalschoolstakingpart. A two-week primary netballleague has startedwithsports leadersand so far St Lawrence’s,Wistanstowand Stokesay areatthe topofthe table. Therehas also beenaprimary girls andboysfootball tournament with 10 sports leaders. There arecongratulationstothose receiving thecoaches’ player of theyearawardsat Shropshirecountyhockeyfor the212122 season

Recycling –Scrappieshas avastrange of itemsavailable forChristmas crafts, andalso hasa boxfor recyclinginkjet cartridgesfor Cuan WildlifeRescue, Toolsfor Self Reliance, anddiscarded spectacles

Stamps –The date forusing non barcoded firstand second stamps hasbeen extendedtoJuly31and commemorativeand Christmas stamps will beaccepted afterthatdate. The libraryiscollecting used postagestamps for theRNIB together with left-over holidaycurrency.

Filming –There hasrecentlybeensome filminginthe RichardRobinsonFieldon behalfofthe council’scostoflivingteam.

Academy –Longmynd MusicAcademy offerslessons forpupilsfromthe ageof four plusatthe academyinLutwyche Road.Toenquirering 07885 920133

CRAVEN ARMS

a

Homes failing to hitaskingprice

Homeshavebeenselling forthree percentbelow theiraskingprice typically in recent weeks, accord ingtoZoopla.

Formuchof2021and the first half of 2022,the averagedis countthathomeswereselling for waszeroper cent,itsaid, mean ingpropertiesweretypically achievingtheir asking price. The

property website said it expects discountstoincreasefurther in 2023.Its latest housing market report said:“Historyshowsthat when discountsreach five to six percentthispointsto flat to fall ingprices.

“It’simportant sellerswho want to achieveasaleare realistic on sellingprices.”

Performances will take placeat theStrandHall, Builth Wells, on December 11 at 2.30pm and7pm andonDecember 12 at 7pm.

Thecharities beingsupported areBuilthWells CommunitySup port,The BrackenTrust,Mason Davies’s GuideDogsfor theBlind fundraiser, WyesideArtsCentre andHeartoHelpsupportinglocal families affected by cancer

Tickets availablefor festivemusical

AShropshirementalhealthlawyer is urging peopletoput in an early orderfor ticketstosee aChristmas musicalfor whichhehas written thesongs

Andy Howarth, amember of the mental health team at GHPLegal, haslivedin Shropshirefor more than 20 yearsand regularlyindulges hispassion forart andmusic Putting on aChristmas perfor manceofACarpenter’sTaleand

dedicating allthe proceeds to the UNICEF UkraineEmergency Ap peal wasappropriate,hesays, becauseat theend of thestory Mary andJosephwererefugees.A Carpenter’s Tale will be performedat Shrewsbury CollegeArtsTheatre, London Road campus, at 7pmon December 21 and22. Ticketsare £10and canbepurchased from tick etsource.co.uk/acarpenterstale,on thedoor, or from Pengwern Books.

Faith –South ShropshireInter Faith groupwill be hosting atalkand discussion at thePilgrim Centre on Thursdaynextweek at noon until1.15pm whichwillbeled by RevGeorgeHeinz. All arewelcome,drinkswill be served before thetalk. Donations arewelcome

LUDLOW

Together –Working Together Ludlow membersweretreated to aday at Welshpooland Llanfair SteamRailway They were allowedinthe signal box wheretheypulledsome of thelevers andweretreated to atourofthe engine shedswhere some of thetrainswere being repaired. Afterlunch,whichwas kindlydonated by Vaughan’s, they had achancetohelppolish asteam engine andclean outthe boiler.Thereisabig thank youtoall of thestaff andvolunteers at therailway forlooking aftereveryone andshowing them behindthe scenesto seehow therailway is run, andtoTim for showing everyone wherehevolunteers andfor Nich,the chairand trusteeofWT, for arrangingthe trip

Atraderwho defrauded aPowys resident into paying £60,000 forsub standard construction work hasbeenjailed.

Looking forward to therelease of themovie arethe OldMarket Hall cinema’s Mike Wildeand Claire Hanmerand AgeUK’sHeather Osborneand Phil Gillam

Cast membersinrehearsal for Joseph andthe Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoat.Photo by TedEdwards

Builth WellsYoung FarmersClub Old Stagersare proving‘any dreamwilldo’ as they rehearse for theirforthcoming production of Jo seph andthe AmazingTechnicolor Dreamcoat.

the

on

musical. Theshow’s

Warninggiven on dentalcare

Dental treatment in MidWales has become atwo-tiersystemwhere the rich canaffordprivate care while thosewho areless financiallyse cure areleftonwaitinglists,the LiberalDemocrats have said During aSeneddsession,Senedd Member forMid &WestWales Jane Doddspressed theLabourGovernment on dentalcare.

Shesaidatapublicmeetingin LlandrindodWells last month, people describedbeing left in agony, sometimesfor months, duetobeing unable to seeanNHS dentist

Shesaid: “There is currentlya wait of around twoyears forpeople to be able to seeanNHS dentist in Wales. We need to seeplansfrom theWelsh Governmenttoensure that people in MidWales areableto seeanNHS dentist in ample time andare notleftwaitinginpain.

“Itisnot acceptable that currently we arebeing left with atwo-tier system.”

An amnesty on antibiotics

An ‘antibioticamnesty’isbeing held with people across Shropshireurged to play theirpart

Localhealthcareleaders at NHSShropshire, Telfordand Wrekin areencouraging members of thepublic, as well as health andsocialcarestaff,to return oldorunusedantibiotics to theirnearest pharmacy.

Pharmacies throughout Shropshire, Telfordand Wrekin aresupportingthe month-long amnesty.

Theaim is to promote thesafe disposal of antibiotics, while raisingawareness of how the misuse of antibioticshas contributed to medicationsbecom inglesseffective againstharmfulbacteria.

Theoveruseofantibiotics has ledtoarise in resistance,where antibioticsare becoming less ef fective.

Ticketsonsale forrockpioneer

Arock‘n’ roll pioneer is settoper form at avenue closetothe Shropshirebordernextautumn

MartyWilde &The Wildcats will be at theRegal in TenburyWells on September 16 next year andtickets have went on generalrelease

Martybegan hiscareerin1957 –and wasone of the firstBritish singerstoplayaleading part in the earlyground-breakingyears of rock ‘n’roll. He is celebratingan incred ible eightdecades as ahit recording artist andsongwriter.

Hishitsinclude Teenager In Love,Endless Sleep, Donna,Sea Of Love,Bad Boy, Rubber Ball andJe zebelplusahostofsongs from that era. MartyWilde andhis band the Wildcats will take fans back in time to some of themostexcitingmusical timesthe countryhas ever experi enced

Formoreinformation andtobook ticketsvisit regaltenbury.co.uk/ events/marty-wilde

Date forapprentice networkforum

ShropshireCouncil will be supportinganevent designed forpeo pleundertaking apprenticeships acrossthe region

TheApprenticeshipDevelop ment Forum, hosted by thecouncil’sUpskill Shropshire team,will take placeonFebruary8from 1pmuntil 4.30pm in theSovereign SuiteatShrewsbury Town Football Club

It coincideswithNationalApprenticeship Week andisbeing supported by theApprenticeship Ambassador Networkand OAL Limited.

This eventwill be the firstina series whichwill look to bringtogether more than 70 apprentices to networkand learntogetherin acollaborative environment, no matter what course they areon.

Airline’sprofits areonthe wayup

Holiday firm Jet2 hassaidfull-year earnings will be better than ex pected afterswingingtoa firsthalf profit, despiteahit of morethan £50million from airportchaos

Butthe airline firm,which oper ates to destinationsacrossEurope from Birmingham andEastMid landsairports, cautionedthatprofit marginsmay come underpressure given soaringcosts, includingfor fuel andstaff wages, as well as from

theweakerpound.Jet2reported pre-taxprofits of £450.7 million for thesix monthstoSeptember 30, againstlossesof£205.8million a year ago.

It said profits with currency im pactsstrippedout stood at £505 million againstlossesof£195.1mil lion

Bosses at thecompany said it was a“difficult return to normaloper ations”.

Trustshines spotlight on the work of dedicatedNHS staff

MEGANHOWE Community News Reporter

Anumberofindividuals and teamswereannounced as thewin ners at TheShrewsbury andTel ford Hospital NHSTrust Celebratory Awards

Louise Barnett, chiefexecutive at SaTH,said: “It’sbeenfantastic to shineaspotlight on thecontribution of some of ouramazing colleagues, working in frontline teams or behind thescenes, whomakea real difference forour patients and communities.”

Amongthe winnerswereEmma-JaneBeattie andthe rest of theEmergency Planning Team,for thePartneringAward.Emma-Jane ledthe team in theintroductionof SaTH’s firstlarge-scale disaster management trainingevent at the RoyalShrewsbury Hospital . Healthcare assistantRachel Bladen scoopedupthe Ambitious Awardfor herinvolvementinan improvementproject around in creasing theuse of QR codesfor pre-assessmentleafletsfor patients

TheCaringAward wasgiven to theMacmillan clinical specialist occupational therapists fortheir ‘pivotal’ role in thecaringofbrain tumour patients

TheTrusted Awardwas given to

RebeccaBromley –patient journey facilitatoratthe RoyalShrewsbury Hospital (RSH). Rebeccahas been in herrolesinceMarch 2020 –the startofthe Covidpandemic –and quicklystepped up to supportWard 32 –the Covidward.

Shesupported thewardwithany patients whowereneeding to be discharged in atimelyway to create capacity at thefront door

Sian Burley andLucyCielecki scoopedup theLearningand De velopmentAward,bothworking as trainee advanced clinical practition ersinbreastimaging

Thepairworkhardtoprovide excellentservice to patients, to support theteamand to help thetrust achievehighstandards in ShropshireBreastScreening

Samantha Petridis, from thene-

onatal unit at thePrincess Royal Hospital (PRH), wonthe awardfor Clinical Rising Star

PhilipEvans, administratorin thetherapy centre at RSH, wonthe awardfor Non-Clinical Rising Star

TheQuality ImprovementAward (clinical),was given to Leeanne Morgan, fallsspecialist nurse,who hasworkedhardtoimprove in all areasoffalls prevention andpost fall management

KevMalton, from medicaldevic es andportering,won theaward for QualityImprovement(non-clinical).

He noted that end-of-lifepatients were having delays in receiving theirT-34Syringe pumps. Addi tionally,henoted that many of the pumpshad been loaned off-site andthe currentprocess resulted in many of thepumps goingmissing

As aresultofhis project, Kev reducedthe time takentodeliver pumpsfromhours to between five and10minutes

Devaki Nayakwon theaward forInnovation, afterdeveloping a virtualpathway enabling patients to attend fordiagnosticcapture Having never been done before,this servicehas nowbeenrunningsuc cessfullysinceSeptember 2021

EthanHolmeswon theaward forVolunteer of theYear, having offeredmorethan60hours of his time sinceJulyand supporting his team throughmanycriticalincidents

EmilyEvans wonthe Partnerof theYearAward,HayleyPearson wonClinicalLeadershipAward, JohnSkelton wonthe Non-ClinicalLeadershipAward andMei-See Hon scoopedupthe Chair’sAward TheRadiology team from Princess RoyalHospitalscooped up theChief Executive’sAward,havingshown true commitment to patientcare.

SamAdjepong, an uppergas trointestinal surgeonatthe Prin cessRoyal Hospital,won theLifetime AchievementAward forhis long-standingcommitmentand skill

Warren Perksand HelenColemanwere‘highly commended’ for theirworkthroughoutthe years.

Winner of thePublicRecognition Awardwas LornaMcQuaid –a bank healthcare assistantat Princess RoyalHospital, whohas been describedasan“outstanding” member of staffwho treatspatients with “careand compassion”.

Clinicianoutlinesbenefits of hospitals shake-up

Aleading cliniciansaysthe contro versialtransformationofthe Prin cess RoyalHospitaltospecialise in thedeliveryofplanned care is akey elementofplans to upgrade acutehospitalservicesacross Shropshire, Telford&Wrekinand MidWales

treatment whilealso making the servicesmuchmoreresilient to fu ture pressures,”hesaid.

Dr McKewsaidoperationsand procedures couldtakeplaceall year round, utilising dedicated theatresand wards.

new, purpose-built, plannedcare hubatthe Princess RoyalHospital site in Telford, whichwill provide greateraccesstotheatresand re coverybeds andincreasethe numberofsame-dayoperationsall year round,”hesaid.

Thehospital

Dr SteveMcKew,divisionalmed ical director forsurgery,anaesthet icsand cancer at theShrewsbury andTelford Hospital NHSTrust, said thechanges wouldbring genuine improvements to services and reduce hospital waitingtimes “Theywillmodernise ourservices andsignificantly reduce delays to plannedsurgery andcancer

Shorterwaiting timeswill mean people canhavetreatment sooner, improvingtheir recoveryand the services wouldbeabletooperate more effectively,ensuringthatthe rightstaff,equipmentand facili ties areavailable at theright time, he said

“These plansbuildonour ex citing recent announcement that £24million is beinginvested in a

Thetransformationofhospital services will seeemergency care andmaternity andwomen’s servicescentredat theRoyal Shrews bury Hospital whilethe Princess RoyalHospitalsitewillspecialise in plannedcare. Thechanges have been criticisedinTelford whilea petition calling forthe decision to be looked at againhas brought thousandsofsignatures.

Thetrust whichruns Shropshire’sacute hospitals hasannounced thewinners of itsannual virtualawards.

EthanHolmesfromA&E at theRSH wonthe Volunteer of theYear award

transformation programme hasbeen criticised by opponentsthoughmedicssay it will improve services

Viewssought on pilotscheme Forestry values areonincrease

Theviews of Englishfarmers who have chosen not to take part in the Government’s LandscapeRecoveryPilot Scheme arebeing sought by Harper AdamsUniversity re searchers.

Theschemeforms part of theDepartment forEnvironment,Food andRural Affairs’ Environmental Land ManagementScheme. Harper Adams’sresearchteamiskeento hear from thosewho chosenot to take part,withits studyaimingto help policy-makersunderstandwhy farmersmadethischoice.

Breedenjoyingprominence

DAVIDBANNER newsroom@mnamedia.co.uk

ketsfromAldiand Asda,through to Waitroseand M&S.

Analysiscarried outbythe Aber deen-Angus Cattle Societyhas re vealed thenativebreed is thebeefof choice in thepremium meat product linesacrossarange of supermar

Robert Gilchrist, the society’s CEO,saidthe findings of themys tery shopperresearchare incred ibly encouragingand testament to thehardworkAberdeen-Angus farmersput in to producingbeef with suchahighmeat-eatingquality. “Itisespeciallyreassuringto

seesuchastrong brandpresence in both discount retailersand the more high-end supermarkets,”he said.“We’reproud to be able to fill theshelves at everyprice point.”

Theresearchlookedateightof themainsupermarketsinthe UK andtheir own-brandpremium lines of beef –looking specificallyat burgers, steaks,mince,and roastingjoints– to investigatewhether a breed wasspecified andits country of origin

Commercialforestryvalues have escalated by at least15per cent in thepastyearaccording to an industry report

Increasing demand fortimber assets driven by netzeroambitionscontributed to rising pric es in amarketcharacterisedby fewer, smaller, buthighervalue salesin2022.

Scotland “spearheaded the charge foreconomicforestry” with an 84 percentshare of UK commercialforestrysales

FATSTOCK MARKETS

Ludlow Tel: 01584872251 MONDAY

Brecon Tel: 01874622386 TUESDAY

Worcester Tel: 01905769770 WEDNESDAY

Knighton Tel: 01547528621 THURSDAY

Kington Tel: 01544230316 THURSDAY

STORESALES

KNIGHTON, FRIDAY 2ndDECEMBER

ChristmasPrize Show andSaleof2200Store Lambs kindly sponsored by DRE& Co Accountants. Sale at 10.30am.

WORCESTER, SATURDAY 3rdDECEMBER

First sale in themonth of 500+ StoreSheep,40+ StoreCattle, 4Cows& Calves,50Calves& Weanlings,GloucesterTexel Club 80 In Lamb Ewes, 77 Blue TexelSheep,20BeltexSheep,50SpotacularDutch Spotted Sheep, 20 Berrichon In Lamb Ewes &major andsignificant Reduction

Sale of theBRANT flockof40PedigreeSouthdown Sheeponbehalf of SJ Cook.Store Sheepat10.00am, PedigreeSheep from 10.30am, Calves &Weanlingsat10.45am,Store Cattle andBreedingStock at 11.30am.

BRECON,TUESDAY6th DECEMBER

Sale of StoreLambs.Saleat10.00am.Catalogue entriesclose Thursday 1stDecemberat5.00pm.

LUDLOW,FRIDAY 9th DECEMBER

Sale of StoreCattle, StoreSheep,Calves& Fodder.Catalogue entries closeFriday2nd Decemberat5.00pm.

KNIGHTON, FRIDAY 16th DECEMBER

Sale of StoreCattleinc.CullCows& StoreLambs to include Organic Stock. Sheepat10.15am,Cattleat11.15am.Catalogue entries close Thursday 8thDecemberat5.00pm.

WORCESTER, SATURDAY 17th DECEMBER

Sale of StoreCattle, StoreSheep &Calvesand WeanlingsSheep at 10.00am, Calves at 11.00am, Cattle at 11.30am. Catalogueentries close Monday 12th Decemberat3.00pm.

BRECON,TUESDAY20thDECEMBER

Sale of StoreLambs. Sale at 10.00am. Catalogueentries closeThursday 15th Decemberat5.00pm.

LUDLOW,FRIDAY 23rd DECEMBER

Sale of StoreCattle, StoreSheep,Calves& Fodder. Catalogueentries closeFriday16thDecemberat5.00pm.

mccartneys.co.uk

ORANGE STORESALES–TBCATTLE

LUDLOW,FRIDAY16thDECEMBER

Sale of StoreCattlefromTBRestricted Farms. Sale afterthe Sale at Knighton. Catalogueentries closeFriday 9thDecemberat5.00pm.

WORCESTERLIVESTOCK MARKET

SATURDAY 3rdDECEMBER

“PEDIGREEIN-LAMBDAY”

Gloucester&Borders TexelClub“ChristmasPresent”Sale

80 head at 10.30am

Showand Sale of PedigreeBlue Texel& Beltex Sheep Comprising In Lamb Ewes &Gimmers &Ewe Lambs

77 head of Blue Texelat12.30pm 20 head of Beltexat3.00pm

“SpotacularSpotties” Sale of Pedigree DutchSpotted Females 50 head at 2.00pm

Major reduction sale of theBRANT FlockofPedigreeSouthdown Sheep

40 head at approx.2.45pm

Sale of PedigreeInLamb Berrichon Females 20 head at approx.4.00pm

Online bidding via: mccartneys.auctionmarts.com Catalogues andmoreinformation: WorcesterOffice Tel: 01905769770

LAND FORSALE

AT HIGHFIELD, HORDERLEY,CRAVENARMS, SHROPSHIRE

Situatedinanelevatedposition,thislandprovidesanexcellent opportunity to purchase ausefulblock of primeand productive agricultural pasturelandand woodlandamountingtoapprox. 40.15 acres (16.25ha) in tenenclosuresset within aringfence with anatural watersuppliesand good access viaaprivate track, idealfor agricultural, equestrian,amenity andrecreational purposes

FORSALE

BY INFORMALTENDER

TENDERSCLOSE:

WEDNESDAY21stDECEMBER at 12noon Guide Price- £300,000

AT HAWKHURST,HORDERLEY,CRAVENARMS, SHROPSHIRE

Afantastic opportunity to purchasea useful blockofprime,level and productive agricultural pasturelandamountingtoapproximately 46.32 acres (18.75ha)insix enclosures set within aringfencewithanatural watersuppliesand good access viaaprivaterightofway,ideal for agricultural,equestrian, amenityand recreationalpurposes.

FORSALE BY INFORMALTENDER

TENDERSCLOSE:

WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER at 12noon Guide Price- £350,000

AT STANBATCH, Nr WENTNOR,BISHOPSCASTLE, SHROPSHIRE

Aunique opportunity to purchaseanunspoilt,highly ecological value amenityland, situated on theside of therenown Long Mynd in the sought-afterlocation ofSouth Shropshire,amountingto 16.94acres (6.86ha) of steepaccommodation pasturelandset within aringfence withanatural watersupply andgood access off acouncil-maintained road,whilst benefittingfromabreath-taking, uninterrupted, panoramicview.

FOR SALE BY INFORMALTENDER

TENDERS CLOSE:

WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER at 12noon Guide Price- £160,000 -£200,000

AMENITYLANDATBROMFIELD,LUDLOW,SHROPSHIRE, SY82JR

Aunique opportunity to purchasea countryretreatamounting to approx.3.50acres (1.42ha) of pure amenitylandintwo smallpaddocks adjacent to theA49 Shropshiretrunk road, with singlebank fishing rights alongthe RiverOnny, available as awhole or in twolots. Situated closetothe sought-aftermarkettownofLudlow, with directaccess together with asubwayconnection

FORSALE BY INFORMALTENDER

TENDERSCLOSE:

WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER at 12noon Guide Price- £50,000

AMENITYLANDATHOPESAY, HOPESAY, CRAVEN ARMS, SHROPSHIRE, SY78HD

Originally plantedasanarboretum,thisparcelofexclusiveamenity landoffersa botanical four acres incorporatingtwo lakes, astream, andavarietyofnumeroustreespecies; manywithTPO’s attached, boundbymature hedgerows. Situated in apeacefulcountry village closetothe popular markettownofCravenArmsinuntouchedSouth Shropshire,creatingabiota haven, allowing thelandto be enjoyedto itsfullpotential.

FORSALE BY INFORMALTENDER

TENDERS CLOSE:

WEDNESDAY 21st DECEMBER at 12noon Guide Price- £80,000 Further information for allthe abovelandfrom Craven Arms Office on 01588672385 or Joanna Wall on 07815099802

Newmystery shopper research hasshown BritishAberdeen-Angus beefisthe most prominent brandacrosspre mium supermarketmeat ranges.

Sustainableproduction wastheme at meat event

Theconversation focusedonpromoting sustaina blemeatproduction to combat misinformation and improve margins.

Gareth Davies,Wynnstaychief executive, said whilethere is alarge amount of uncertaintywith in thesector, thereare awealthofopportunitiesfor farmerstoproduce high qualityfood, in asustaina ble, efficientand profitablemanner.

“The complex sustainability subjectwas men tioned by everyspeaker at theevent, butthe over riding advice wastomakesmall changestoimprove efficiency,” said Mr Davies

Linked to sustainability,the challengeofindustry perceptionswas also akey topic.“Whileasanindus tryweknowthatwe’re not thebiggest contributorof greenhouse gasemissions –one of ourbiggestchal lenges is promoting this widerand challengingmis information,”MrDaviesadded.

Speaking at theevent,James RuggerifromHybu CigCymru –MeatPromotion Wales, said margins aretight andwhilethere areopportunitiesinboth sectors, much of these arereliant on improvedeffi ciency.“By making smallchanges,suchasimproving feed conversion or fertility, enhanced financialand environmentalsustainability improvements canbe achieved,” said Mr Ruggeri

Impressive property hasequestrianpotential

Arable andlivestockfarmers andpeoplelooking to establish an equine facility arebeing urged to consider aproperty near Bangor on Dee that is on themarket for£2.3million Rosemead at Royton com prises athree-bedroomedbun galowsurroundedby176 acres of arable andgrassland in a primefarming district

Thepropertyisavailable forsaleas awhole or in sepa rate lots through agents Halls’ Ellesmereoffice

Thereisgreat potentialto design andbuildayardofout buildingstosupport farming

or equestrian operations at the property whichenjoysanun spoilt,rural location

Thewell-appointed, detached bungalow hasspaciousand versatileaccommodationcom prisingamasterbedroom with en-suite anddressingroom, twofurther bedrooms,one of whichisen-suite, familybath room,livingroom, conserva tory,kitchen/breakfast room, utility room,amplestorage and alinkedgarage.

Thegeneroussurrounding gardenscomprise arearpatio area with awraparoundwalk waytothe drive, extensive

MARKET REPORT

KINGTON

SHOW&SALEOFSTORE LAMBS

Wednesday14th December 2022 Sale commences 10.00am Details ChrisPotter 07969898407

CHRISTMASFATSTOCK AUCTION

THURSDAYNOVEMBER24,McCartneys of Kingtonreport agood entryof finished sheep with an excellenttrade anddemand on allweight ranges.Lambs sold to £2.75ppk (SQQ 2.59ppk)and £130per head andCull sheepto£121per head.Anexcellenttrade throughoutonall lambs whichis good to seewithplenty of buying support. We have excellentbuyingsupportand need goodentrieseachweektosuffice thegood numbersofbuyerswehave andtheir current demand forlambsand cull ewes.Wecan easilysell 2000 lambsand 600 cull sheep each week giventhe numberofbuyersand demand we have on aweekly basis. We had agood entryoflambs whichsold to a goodtrade onthe week particularlyonthe well meatedlambs in all weight ranges with thewholesection averaging an excellent £2.59ppkSQQ. Lambsbetween 32 to 40 kg averaged 2.57ppkupto2.65ppk which averaged£98 perhead. Lambsbetween 40 to 45 kg averaged2.58ppk upto2.75ppk whichaveraged£110per head.Lambs between 45 to 52 kg averaged2.50ppk upto2.60ppk whichaveraged£122per head. Lambsbetween 52 kg plus averaged 2.39ppkupto2.42ppk whichaveraged£130 per head. We have excellentbuyingsupport each week forspring lambs andneedgood entriestosuffice thedemandwehave. Cull ewes,tups, wethers, storelambs &goats –A fairlyleanentryofcullsheepagain butselling to averygood tradeonthe week with best sheep on theday sellingfrom£95 per to £120 per head.The cull sheepprices remain averygood trade, good meated ewes sold to premiumpriceswithanexcellenttrade on everything.The besttrade again beingon theheavier well meated eweswhichsold to £121 perhead. We have excellentdemand from 8buyersonaweeklybasis with a good tradeand premiums paid to thebest meated sheep. Alltypes of ewessold to a very good trade to 8buyers with anumber of thebestmeatedcullsheepregularly selling over£95 per head depending on type for thestronger sortswiththe overall average beinga good £75per head, whichwould beverygood giventhe lean andhilltype entryofcullsheep this week.The buyers arecurrentlyrequiring allkindsofcullsheep fortheir orders, if youhave anycullsheep it is agood time to getthemsold. Continental ewes averaged £105per head up to £121 per head. Muletypeewesaveraged£69 per head andsold up to £95per head. Welsh, Speckleand smallerhilltypeewesaveraged £59per head andsoldupto£75 per head Tups averaged £80 perheadupto£90 per head. Light/StoreLambs averaged£79 per head upto £103.50per head. We have buyers for storelambs each week at Kington,please give us atry.New regulationshave come in force as from 15th Januaryregarding export of meatfromthe UK to Europe.Any livestockmeattobe exportedmusthave a declaration by thefarmer as follows“the animalshave originated from establishments that have received regularanimal health visits from aveterinarianfor thepurpose of the detection andsigns of disease”.Pleasecan allour vendors selling pr me stockthrough ourmarkets complete our “Green or Red” livestockentryforms with all ivestockwhich is sold through ourfat markets to declare that thelivestocktheyare selling complies with theabove statement. This is particularly important forvendors whoare notfarm assured.Any vendorswho cannot declare theabove statement must inform us on delivery of theirlivestock to ourmarkets as

theirlivestockwill not be eligiblefor export McCartneys at Kington,offer anon-farm livestockgrading andmarketing advice serviceonafreeofchargebasis.Kington Market is everyThursday, commencing at 11am with LambsfollowedbyCull Sheep,Lightand StoreLambs.For further information pleasecontact Gareth Wall on 01544230316or07974 143336.

KNIGHTON

THURSDAYNOVEMBER24,McCartneys reportanentryof1161 finished Lambsand 217CullEwes. More sparktothe lambtrade today with all weights in demandbut those lambsover43and upwardsmostindemand Thankstovendors forfeedingthe lambsto give us another excellentshowtoday.We hopeyou can find apen ortwo forthe Xmas Fatstockand join us fora drink inthe canteen orinthe afternoon/evening at theHorse &Jockey. Overallaverage onthe daywas 251.98ppk selling to 262ppkfor 42kg lambs achieving £110 from HE Willimas &Son & PW Jones. Also to 264ppk for45.5kg lambs, achieving £120 from SJCMorris& Sons.Top priceper head was£127for 54kg lambsfrom LewisBros. Amuchbetter ewe tradetoday with alleweswithabit of coveredtothe well meatedsorts £10per head up on last week Pleasesupport ourcullewe andram classes nextThursdayfor theXmasFatstockshow. Overall average was£62.49selling to £133 for ewes from AF Beavan&Co. Mule ewes sold to £98.50 from AJ &JAPowell.Hillbred ewesold to £70.50 from JPhillips. Forupto date market information or forentriesspeak to one of ourauctioneers JennyLayton Mills 07867 522859 KatieDavies07817 474241 or Lloyd Humphreys 07534532468.

LUDLOW

lawnswithgreat scopefor land scapingand ahot tub.

Graded 2, 3a and3bonthe AgriculturalLandClassifica tion predictive mapfor Wales, the versatile land is divided into good-sized, farmable enclo sures, allofwhich grew wheat this year apartfromone re seeded grass field.

“The sale of Rosemead pro videsaveryunusualopportuni ty to purchaseawell-appointed bungalow with substantialad jacent arable andgrassland,” said AllenGittins,Halls’chair man.

“The purchaserwillhave

theoptionofdesigning and building ayardofoutbuildings accordingtotheir exactspeci fication,whether forfarming practicesorequestrianusage

“The land is extremely ver satile andideal forcontinua tion as an arable unit or could be putdowntograss forthose with livestock.

“Itshould also be notedby thosewithhorses as it would make an excellentequestrian facility.”

Formoreinformation people cancontact Halls’ Ellesmere office on 01691 622602oremail ellesmere@hallsgb.com

237ppk.Dairy xContinental bulls generally 225ppk to 240ppk.Dairy bullsto227ppk with Holstein bulls up andover200ppk. More bullswanted next week forthe Christmas trade. Bullstobe pennedby10.30am please.

MONDAYNOVEMBER28

,Finished lambs -1443Auctioneer: Michael Thomas Tel: 07890 898239 Topprice Lambs: £168.00 Topprice Lambsper kg:300ppk SQQ Averageper kg:257ppk Agood show of lambsinterms of quantity andmeat. Export lambstaking aliftthisweek,mainlymaking 255ppk to 265ppk with atop of 300ppk Biglambs again were in demand making 250ppk to 260ppk.Meatwas definitely wanted,withleanbeing penalized.Extra lambsneededfor thenextfew weeksinthe runuptoChristmas.Freeonfarmgrading serviceavailabletel:01584 872251.Finished cattle –101 Auctioneer: Michael Thomas Tel: 07890 898239 Heifers –62Top price Heiferper head:£1887 Topprice Heifer perkg: 310ppk Averageprice Heiferper kg:254ppkSteers–39Top priceSteerper head:£1946 Topprice Steer per kg:314ppk Averageprice Steer per kg:255ppkAslightly increased entryofcattlethisweek andan increased tradetomatch.Buyersverykeen to secure numbersand were prepared to paytoobtainthe cattle required.Meatand style very much in demand today. Please remember –nopenalties forage,weight or farmassurance status. Next week Christmas fatstockwithextra cattle needed to help satisfydemand.Freeonfarmgrading service available tel:01584 872251.Prime bulls722Auctioneer: BradleyTowell Tel: 07496 263916 Topprice bull:£2054 Topprice bull per kg:284ppk Averagebullper head: £1442Average pricebullper kg:230.78ppk Prime bullsselling to aconsistently firm tradewithamixed show overall averaging 230ppk to include somemorecommon Dairytypes.Bestgrade Continentalbulls to 284ppk and£2054 with others270ppk andBeefShorthorns 248ppk. Native bulls to 238ppkfor WelshBlack andHerefords to

Limx:284ppk(620kg), 278ppk(675kg), 277ppk(675kg), 276ppk(615kg), 275ppk(685kg), 274ppk(700kg), 270ppk (655kg), 269ppk(765kg), 268ppk(725kg), 266ppk(675kg)Top GrossPrices: £2054, £1939, £1935, £1914, £1880, £1873, £1886, £1821, £1792,£1765 Brbx:257ppk(535kg), 254ppk(560kg), 249ppk(600kg),228ppk(540kg) 215ppk(535kg), 214ppk(550kg)Top Gross Prices:£1491,£1419,£1372,£1228, £1174, £1147Contx:273ppk(655kg), 246ppk(665kg), 241ppk(685kg), 235ppk(605kg), 224ppk(800kg), 219ppk(575kg), 170ppk(590kg) TopGross Prices:£1788,£1784,£1650,£1632, £1418, £1256, £1141, £1041, £1021, £1000 Traditional:248ppk(605kg), 238ppk(550kg), 237ppk(700kg), 235ppk(520kg), 233ppk(550kg), 231ppk(600kg), 229ppk(740kg),226ppk(540kg), 225ppk(480kg),225ppk(800kg)Top Gross Prices:£1796,£1690,£1655,£1638, £1383, £1352, £1306, £1278, £1219, £1217 Dairy: 227ppk(560kg), 208ppk(480kg), 206ppk(615kg),197ppk (505kg), 93ppk (560kg), 188ppk(480kg),187ppk (610kg),184ppk(535kg), 184ppk(465kg)Top GrossPrices:£1268,£1263,£1137,£1078, £996,£992, £981,£938, £910,£900 Cull cows –11Auctioneer:Bradley Towell Tel: 07496263916Top pricecow:£1126 Top pricecow per kg:165ppkAverage pricecow: £730 Averageprice cow per kg:127ppk Topprice bull:£1210 Topprice bullper kg: 127ppk Grade1Cowsto164ppk &£1126 Grade3Cowsto132ppk &£802Grade 4 Cows to 113ppk&£629Less cowsforward with trade similar on theweek. Best fleshed cows to 168ppk and£1126 forContinental xand grade3Nativecowsto132ppk.Cull bullsto127ppk and£1210.Cullsheep– 277

Auctioneer: JamesAmphlettTel:07972 653077 Topprice Ewes: £170.50Ewe average:£92.81Top priceRam:£145.50 Ramaverage:£98.50Again ashortage of ewes andtrade possibly quickerthanthe previousweek.Oncemore, Texelxeweswith shape topped at £170.50withother strong sortsmaking £140.50. Allofthe strongest Suffolks sold over£130withhalfmeatsorts over£110. TheveryheaviestMules sold over £120 with themajority over£100. Some exceptional Cheviotewessoldto£116with smaller butwellmeatedsorts at £98. Half meat Hill ewes sold around £70with thevery poorest sorts£20-£40.Strong Suffolkrams sold up to £145.50. Manymoreneeded.

LUDLOW

FRIDAYNOVEMBER25, Storecattle–278

Auctioneer: Michael Thomas Tel: 07890 898239Young feeding bullsTop price bull:£1190 Topprice bull per kg:293ppk Averagebullper head:£858Average price bull per kg:224ppkAgood yard of young bullsmet avery firm trade. Goodsuckler bred bullsattracting apremium as feeders lookto fill yards. Allbulls,ofwhatevertype, werecertainly dearerthissale.Older bu ls againwerenot penalized andhad theirown following.Morebulls neededfor Friday9th December. Prices were as follows: Aberdeen AngusXBulls to £625,£525, £300 Blonde D’Aquitaine XBulls to £700 BritishBlue X Bulls to £1085, £895,£765, £760,£750, £695,£680, £675,£620 CharolaisX Bulls to £1190, £1020HerefordX Bulls to £370 LimousinXBulls to £1135, £1110, £1090x2,

£1050, £1030, £1000, £970,£960,£900, £810,£790, £575 x2,£370Steers &heifers Topprice heifer:£1260 Topprice heifer per kg:287ppk Averageheiferper head:£835 Averageprice heifer per kg:210ppk Topprice steer:£1445 Topprice steerper kg:293ppk Averagesteerper head:£965Average price steer per kg:231ppkAsolidtrade onall the feeding cattle.Strong typesstill very much in demand as buyerstry to keep yardsfull. Young, smart heifers again hadtheir own following andtopped at 287ppk for apair of singlesuckled Limousinheifers. Native typesagain wanted as some supermarkets stillpromoting branded beef.Pleasetake advantageofthe currentbeeftrade Next Sale:December9 Free on farmselection serviceavailable tel:01584 872251.Prices were as follows: Blonde D’Aquitaine XSteers to £905 BritishBlue XSteersto£1100, £1010, £895 Charolais XSteers to £1150, £1100, £1085, £1080,£1050,£1040,£995, £990,£950, £925,£900HerefordX Steers to £940 x2,£915, £770 LimousinX Steers to £1445, £1180, £1060,£1040,£995, £960 £940,£875, £865,£860, £770 x2 Longhorn XSteers to £565,£400 Aberdeen AngusX Heifers to £820,£590, £525 BritishBlue XHeifers to £1000 x2,£975, £960,£850, £790,£730, £700 Charolais XHeifersto £1035, £1000, £930,£915, £910,£900, £860, £820,£790, £750, £745 Hereford XHeifersto£1260,£1070,£1040,£1020, £900,£840, £825,£820, £740,£725, £715, £705,£610, £600 HolsteinFriesianXHeifers to £855 LimousinXHeifersto£1180,£1100 £1000,£995, £950,£930, £925 x2,£900, £890,£880, £875,£870, £825,£805, £800, £760,£755, £750x3, £700,£600, £490, £425,£200LonghornXHeifersto£480 SalersXHeifersto£750, £620 Simmental X Heifers to £1100, £715,£650OTM feeding cattle Topprice per head: £910 Averageper head:£766Fourcowsforward topped at £910 to average£766. If youhave cowsthat will standmorefeeding, pleaseconsider this section.Storelambs–1692Auctioneer: James Amphlett Tel: 07972 653077 Mixed LambsAv. £85.92 Top£113.50 Wether LambsAv. £56.33Top £61.00 Ewe Lambs Av.£98.17Top £450.00Ram LambsAv. £82.60 Top£101.50 An absolute flyerofa lamb trade. Allprices exceedingvendors expectations. Lambsfrombiggest to smallestall very much in demand.Shortest term lambsarealshotselling to £113.50for Texelxlambs with othersat£110, £106.50 and£106withthe top 17 lots all£100or over. Generally shortest termsorts allsold over£98.Well bred mediumtermlambs tradedbetween £88and £96but possibly thedearestlambsofthe daywould be those selling from £82-£86withsome notoverly big in size

Notmanylambsselling in the£60’s this week unless therewereverysmall.Ram lambswereamuchbettertrade this week with strong Suffolksselling to £101.50 with allofthe strongestover£80.Some excellentPurebred Texelewe lambssold up to £450 with othersat£400and £340.Many more needed for thenextsaleonFriday9th December as many buyerswenthome short or empty handed. Pleaseget them booked in to getthem sold beforeChristmas

Forfurther details please contact Michael Thomas Tel: 01584872251(Work)or07890 898239 (Mobile)Bradley Towell Tel: 01584 872251(Work)or07496 263916 (Mobile) James Amphlett Tel: 01905769770(Work) or 07972653077(Mobile)Freeonfarm grading servicecontact:LouiJonesTel: 07828 921864 or 01568611174orTed Davies Tel: 07772252293

ACROSS

7. Literary prize won jointly in 1992 by Barry Unsworth and Michael Ondaatje (6)

8. School of painting initiated by Braque and Picasso (6)

10. Herring fillet rolled around onion slices and pickled (7)

11. Cruciferous plant whose leaves areused in salads (5) 12. 1854 battle of the Crimean War (4) 13. The second largest Italian city (5) 17. William, captain of The Bounty cast adrift in 1789 (5) 18. Hawaiian dance performed by a woman (4) 22. Robert, former lead singer with rock group Led Zeppelin (5) 23. Japanese island, largest of the Ryuku Islands (7) 24. Nonmetallic element, symbol C (6) 25. In communications, code wordfor the letter S (6)

DOWN

1. The peninsula consists of Spain and Portugal (7)

2. The derived SI unit of electric charge (7) 3. Enrico, Italian nuclear physicist awarded a Nobel prize for physics in 1938 (5)

4 Capital of the Madeira Islands (7)

5. Single dot on a computer screen (5)

6. US and Canadian Mennonite sect (5)

9. Antelope of southern Africa (9) 14. 1986 film which won aBest PictureOscar award (7)

15. Comtesse ---, mistress of Louis XV (2,5) 16. Alanguage of Catalonia (7) 19. The Islands was the former name of the Moluccas (5) 20. African republic whose capital is Kinshasa (5) 21. The southernstates of the US (5)

WORD WISE

VEHEMENT

former Côte d’Ivoiremidfielder at Newcastle 2010-17 (5)

Steve Scotland striker who moved from Spurs to Barcelona in 1984 (9)

Brian .’........, Ireland captain in their 2009 Six Nations Championship-winning season (9)

Upright wooden sticks that form part of acricket wicket (6)

Andy ....., former Sheffield Wednesday striker between spells at Huddersfield Town (5)

Kevin first ever player to be sent offinanFACup Final (5)

Charlie former Rangers and Scotland midfielder released by Stoke in 2019 (4)

QUICK QUIZ

Which actress plays crime solver Agatha Raisin in the Sky

drama of that name, based on the novels of M. C. Beaton?

8-ball and straight areforms of which game?

For which government department is MOD an abbreviation?

For which expression is COD an abbreviation?

In which continent is the Kalahari Desert?

Of which party was the Militant Tendency afaction?

What does an early birdcatch according to the proverb?

This puzzle has no clues. Instead, every number printed in the grid represents a letter,with the same number alwaysrepresenting the same letter.For example, if 8turns out to be aV,you can write in Vwherever asquare contains8.Using your knowledge of words, completethe puzzle.

Youngpeoplein region areurged to getmeningitis vaccination jab

Youngpeoplehavebeenencouraged to getvaccinated againstmeningi tis, as new figuresshow youngsters areputting themselves at risk Figuresshow uptake of theMen ACWY vaccine, whichprotects againstlife-threateningmeningi tis, hasbeen“worryinglylow”in partsofthe region

Around one in five students in Birmingham,Walsall andSandwell, missed theirroutine vaccineinsec ondary school,leaving localteenagersunprotected before arriving at university this academicyear.

Now, young people acrossthe re gion includinginthe BlackCountry, Staffordshireand Shropshire, have been urgedtocontact theirGPand gettheir vaccinebeforetheyattend university forpotentially lifesaving protection

CarynCox,consultantinhealth protection leadingonvaccine preventablediseases forUKHSA West Midlands,said: “Meningococcal bacteria cancause meningitis –a dangerousinflammation of the lining around thebrain andspinal column –and septicaemia(blood poisoning), whichcan both trigger sepsis

“Meningococcaldiseaseneeds urgent treatment andcan be life-threatening

“That’swhy such low uptake of thefreeMenACWY vaccineinparts of theWestMidlandsissoworrying –because it really canbeamatter of lifeand death.

“First year or returningstudents areatincreased risk of meningitis, mixing with largenumbers of other students from around thecountry andoverseas.”

Hospitalstaff complete fitnesschallenge

Hospital staffinShropshireare celebratingcrossingthe finish line afteranine-week fitnessjourney

Ateamofstaff at TheRobert Jones andAgnes Hunt Orthopae dicHospital(RJAH)iscelebrating successfullycompleting theNHS Couch to 5k programme.

Couchto5kisa runningplancre ated by new-runner Josh Clarkwho wanted to help his50-something mumget offthe couchand start runningtoo

Theplaninvolvesthree runs a week with adifferent schedule for each of thenineweeks whichin-

MEGANJONES

Community News Reporter

volves amix of runningand walk ingatthe start, to graduallybuild fitnessand staminalevels.

Thegroup,dubbedthe RJAH Rockets, launchedbackinSeptemberand have spentthe past nine weekscompleting theprogramme

They celebrated theirgraduation by taking on Oswestry’s parkrun, a five kilometre routeatHenley Wood Oneofthe eleven membersofstaff

to completethe planwas Heather Thomas-Bache,headoffundraising, volunteering andcommunica tionsfor theLeagueofFriends to theGobowen-basedhospital.

Shesaid: “I’vereallyenjoyed do ingthe Couchto5kprogramme I’mplanningtocarry on with running andhavebookeda 10kracein April2023togivemeanother targettoworktowards.”

“I thinkmyfavourite part has been completingitalongside,and getting to know,different colleaguesfromaroundthe trust,”she added.

Traineeprogramme is path into acareerhelping nature

RadnorshireWildlife

Trusthas recruitedtwo youngpeoplefor asix monthtraineeship as part of theStand forNature Walesproject.

Bosses saythe move is an “excit ingnew step”for thetrust andwill hopefullyberepeatedannually.

Thetraineeship wasset up as a scheme for18to24-year-oldsto workalongside RadnorshireWildlife Trust’steamofstaff andvolun teers.

Theaim is to provideawide rangeofactivitiessuchashands on practicalwork, research, campaigning,project planning,and digital communication, as well as the vitalprofessionalskillsrequired to take that firststepintothe conser vation sector

As part of theprogramme,the trainees receivea£500training bursary each,through thePPL Pi oneer Fund,which will cover first

KARENCOMPTON

aidtraining, safeguarding training, andany otherrelevanttrainingof theirchoice.

Silvia Cojocaru,Stand forNature Walescommunity officer, said: “Through this programme, we hope to encourageyoung people to ex ploreand developtheir skillsand knowledge.

“The traineesare acrucial part of ourStand forNatureWales team at RadnorshireWildlifeTrust,sup portingusindeliveringthe project, taking action to tackle theclimate emergencyintheir localarea, and hopefullyinspiring others alongthe way.”

SincestartinginSeptember,the traineeshaveenthusiasticallytak en part in habitat management with thereserves team,litterpicking, scything training,and species surveys, includingfor mothsand fungi.

They have also attended beaver consultations, schoolsessionsand outreachevents, in addition to creatingthe under-25 digitalnewslet tercontent

TraineeJoe said:“Throughout my teenage yearsI’vealwaysbeen interested in keepingup-to-date with climatechangeand wildlife destruction.

“I appliedfor thetraineeship as it looked likethe perfectopportunity to take that firststepintocombat ting andpreventingfurther damage.

“Aftermy firstmonth, I’ve hada good amount of experience in prac ticalconservation; usinghandtools with ourvolunteerteamand taking aone dayscythingcourse.Ipar ticularlyenjoyedthe consultation hosted by theWelsh Beaver Project. It gave me agoodunderstanding of thepotential benefits of beaver re introduction, andhow that would contribute towardsnature’srecov ery.”

TraineeCatrinsaid: “Havingre cently graduatedwithdegrees in bioarchaeology, Iambeginningto reignite my childhood passionfor wildlife. Whilemymainpassions areskeletons andbiomechanics, I am currentlytakingonthe task of learning thebasicsofspecies iden tification.”

Thetrainingprogramme is made possible by players of theNational Lottery, throughthe Community Fund -Climate Action Fund and thanks to players of People’s Post code Lottery, awardedbythe Post code Planet Trust.

RadnorshireWildlifeTrust said it wasaware of how difficult it can be to getintoacareerinconservation,climate change andsustainability as employment opportunities arefairlycompetitive

To take part in next year’s train eeship programme, peoplecan registertheir interest by emailing SilviaCojocaruat silvia@rwtwales.

Councilleader in cash warning

Acouncil leader haswarnedsome localauthoritiesinthe West Midlandsare ‘fearful’ofgoing bank rupt over thenextfew years.

Councillor ShaunDavies, the leader of Telford&WrekinCouncil, said he is hearing“everysingle day” of well-run councils having to declarethe equivalent of bankrupt cy because of acashcrisis.

Councillor Davies,who is senior vice chairofthe LocalGovernment Association,spoke followingthe Chancellor’s Autumn Statement wherecouncilsweretoldtheycould increase next year’s counciltax by fiveper cent

He said:“We areatapoint where this countryhas never been before, wherelocal government, thething thatprovidessome real frontline critical services, is on thebrink of goingbankrupt.

“And that is absolutelyterrifying forpeoplewho rely on thoseservices.”

Diesel drivers hitinpocket

Theextra cost of diesel comparedtopetrolhas reacheda newhighofnearly25p perlitre Latest figuresshowthe av erageprice of alitre of diesel in Shropshire andMid Walesis 188.9p.

That is 24.5pmoreexpensive than petrol, whichstandsat 164.4p perlitre

This is thelargestprice differenceinrecords dating back to June 2003.

Diesel hastypically cost around 5p perlitre more than petrol sincethen.

SteveGooding, director of the RACFoundation, warned that dieselcould become even more expensivein theshort-term.

He said:“Thesituation for dieseldriversisgrimand un likelytoimprove in theweeks ahead. In fact,itcould deteriorate.”

UB40 to stage giginborough

Grab aglass of RedRed Wine be causeUB40featuring AliCampbell is to performaheadline gigin Shropshirenextyear.

TheEnglishreggaebandwill headline theTelford ConcertSeries’s Saturday concertnextsum mer, featuringfoundingmember AliCampbell. Theleadsingerleft thebandin2008citingmanagement issues andreunitedwithfor mermember Astro when he left the originalbandin 2013.

Aliand Astro released threenew albums together,reachingnumber 2in theUKcharts. However,Astro died afteraveryshortillness in No vember2021afterthey’d finished theirfourthalbum

Alisaid: “Astro heartbreakingly passed just twoweeks afterwe’d finished the finalmixes,sothisis away of keepinghis memory alive.”

Fans canwatch thebandliveon July 8atthe QEII ArenaTelford Town Park

StaffatThe Robert Jonesand AgnesHuntOrthopaedic Hospitalundertook acouch to 5k fitnessjourney

Avanti is worst forcancellations

Avanti West Coastisthe worst op erator in thecountry fortrain cancellations

Trainreliability in Britain reachedthe worst level on record afteranothermonth of disruption

Theworst individual operator for the12monthstoOctober 15 was Avanti, whichlinks theWestMid landstoLondon, Manchester and Glasgow. It recorded itshighest ever scoreof7.7 percent.

Theindustry’soverall cancella tionsscore forthe UK during the12 months to October15was 3.8per cent,according to Office of Railand Road data. That wasthe poorest reliability in recordsdatingback to 2015.AvantiWestCoast said it wasaffected by short-notice cancellations duetodrivers refusing to volunteerfor overtime shifts, and hasintroduced areduced timetable. TheDepartmentfor Transporthas given Avanti untilApril 1nextyear to improve itsservices.

Inquiryinto laserattacks

An investigationhas been launched afteranumberofincidentswhere lasers have been shoneataircrafts flying to and from theWestMidlands.

Police said therehad been an increase in “laser attacks” on planes flying to andfromBir mingham AirportsinceSeptemberamiddarkerevenings.

Theincidents have occurred on flights landingbetween 6pm and7am

Some arebeing shone from as farawayasWolverhampton, with police remindingpeopleit is seriousand canbe“very dangerous”.

InspectorColin Gallier,from BHXAirport Police,said: “Safety is ourtop priority

“Shining alaser at an aircraft is nota bitoffun,itisa very se riousmatter. Ourinvestigation is ongoing.”

Programmes helpingspeech

Shropshireorganisations are launchingtwo programmes target ed at helpingchildrenwho have fall en behind in speechand language skillssincethe Covidpandemic hit.

As with children nationally, Shropshirehas seen an increase in thenumberofyoung children in childcareand school settings who need more speechand language supportsincethe pandemic hit.

Now, ShropshireCouncil and partners includingNHS Shropshire, Telfordand Wrekin andthe UK Health Security Agency,are offering supportfor practitioners, teachers,carersand parentsfor children with speechand language needs. To help tackle thedeficit, two targeted intervention programmes to enhanceyoung children’s communication have been launched in childcaresettingsand schools:Talk Boostand EarlyTalkBoost Thereismoreinformation at shropshire.gov.uk

Abusesupport scheme wins internationalaward

AShropshirecampaignersupport ingthousands of parentsimpacted by abusehas wonan international award.

Michelle John, founderofthe socialenterprise PEGS,has been awardedgoldinthe Womanofthe Year –GovernmentorNon Profit category –atthe Stevie Awards for WomeninBusiness2022.

Theresults were announced in LasVegas

Each winner is categorisedas agold, silver or bronze recipient basedonthe amount of points awardedbyapanel of esteemed judges

Michelle attracted theiratten

tion forthe workshe’s been un dertakingtoraise awarenessof ChildtoParentAbuse,aswellas supporting impacted parentsand caregivers,trainingprofessionals, andhelping developregionaland national policies

Having registered thesocial enterprise,which hasofficesin Shropshireand Derbyshirebut op erates acrossthe UK,inNovember 2019, Michelle launched its first services thefollowing March

Theteamhas nowhelpedmore than 3,000 parentsaswellas working with statutory, voluntary andprivate organisationstohelp upskill,share knowledge andraise

theprofile of this little-known form of abuse. Michelle said:“Winning this awardsees ChildtoPar entAbuse beinghighlightedonthe global stage, andI’m thrilled that this potentiallymeans more professionals beingaware of CPAand conscious of how they cansupport familiesexperiencingit.

“Italso hopefullymeans fewer parentsfeelalone andisolated, be causetheyknowthere areorganisationsout thereset up to support them andtheyknowCPA is finally getting therecognition theissue needs.”

Visitpegsupport.comfor more details.

Fitpatientsremainin hospitals becauseofcaresectorcrisis

MEGANHOWE Community News Reporter

More than 100patients fittobedischarged were taking up beds at Shrewsbury andTelford hospitalsevery dayon averageinOctober, fig ures show.

NHSEngland figuresshow an averageof138 beds perday were occupiedbypeopleready to be discharged from Shrewsbury andTel ford Hospital NHSTrust in Octo ber–upfrom129 themonth before

TheDepartmentfor Health and SocialCarerecentlyannounced an additional £500 million wouldbe spentonspeeding up therelease of patients from hospital.But health thinktankthe King’s Fund said this is notsufficienttodealwith theproblem.

DavidMaguire,senior analystat theKing’sFund, saidthe problem is “another chapterin an ongoing story” as theNHS continuestodeal with post-coronaviruspandemic pressuresand stretchedbudgets

Mr Maguiresaid: “It’snot crept up on anyone andisacontinuation of thepressures we have seen on socialcareover several years. The sector is hitting atipping point.”

He explainedthatsocialcareser viceshavebeencut duetoreduced fundingfor localauthorities,meaningmanypatientsare waitingin hospitalsfor adequate care packag es to be installed.

Membersofthe

Supportersofhospicesmash £500ktarget

Supporters of aShropshirechildren’s hospicehavehelped the charitysmash itsaim to raise half amillion pounds injust36hours.

Hope Houseand Ty Gobaith children’s hospices arecelebratinganincredibleresponse to their online appeal that sawmorethan £540,000 pledged–enoughtopay forawhole year of end-of-lifecare forseriously ill localchildren

TheFinalMomentsMatterap-

Caravans andtents galore at NEC

TheCaravan,Camping andMotorhome Show is returningtothe Birmingham National Exhibition Centre in February

Theshowwas asell-outthis year andwill feature14per cent more tentsand trailer tentsand brand newfeaturesnextyear.

It will be runningfromFebru ary21-26 andwill also featurea displayofcampervans. Visitors

will also be able to discover the best cycleroutes, walkingtrails, wild-swimmingspots andstaycation destinations

TerryDullaghan, managing di rector at NCCEvents, said: “We can’twaittoonceagain welcome thosewho love thefreedom and adventure of caravan, camping, motorhome andholiday park holi days back to theNEC.”

DOMINIC ROBERTSON ChiefReporter

peal smashedits £500,000 target at 10pm on Monday last week, with individualsand businesses from across theregioncontinuing to donate

Thetotal included a£270,000 MatchedGivingPot donatedby thecharity’s keysupporters,

whichmeant everydonationmade over the36hours of thecampaign couldbedoubled

Thecharity’s head of fundrais ingAlisonMarsh said shewas blownawaybythe generosity of supporters, especially when so many people arefacingcostofliv ingchallenges

Shesaid: “The love andsupport we have hadover thelast36hours hasbeenhumbling.”

Parentsofadult childrenstill paying

Thebankofmum anddad is becomingamajor casualtyofthe cost of living crisis as parentsare under growing financialstrain to support theiradult children,new research reveals.

Sixin10parents arecurrently financiallysupportingadult chil dren,and more than athird revealed theiroffspring wouldn’t be abletomakeendsmeetwithout this economic lifeline,accordingto

asurveybylaw firm IrwinMitchell.

Thedatafound that farfromenjoyinganeasyand secure retire ment,manyBabyBoomers,born between1946-64, andGen X, born between1965-79,werefeeling the pressure to financiallymaintain grownupchildren

Nearly half said that therising cost of living hasincreased pressure on them to supporttheir children

Michelle John

hospiceteam were delightedwith thegenerosity of supporters

Health trust givesapology to familyafter suicidetragedy

DAVIDTOOLEY david.tooley@mnamedia.co.uk

Midlands PartnershipNHS Foundation Trusthas responded to thesuicide of 26-year-oldLiam Joseph Lyes-Watsonafteracoroner orderedararely-used‘preventing future deaths’noticecompelling thetrust to reply.

Liam’s mumDiane Lyes andher partnerAndrewHeatonhad theagonyofseeingLiam’smentalhealth deteriorateashelived at home with them in Trefonen,nearOswestry.

He hadbeentippedoverthe edge by some strangersridiculing himat an eventinChester in 2021 about themake-up he hadbeenusing to cover up abirthmark on hisface.

Ms Lyes said:“He wasincrisis buttheysaidhewasn’t. Itoldthem on theday that he died that he was goingtodie at that point.

“Atthe veryminimum they should have come outand seen him buttheysaidhe wasnot engaging with them.Itwasn’tlikehewas a bitdown, theriskwas high that he wouldkill himself.Hehad the meanstodoit, he didn’t respond buttheyjustleftit.”

Job

Ms Lyes says as aresultofher son’sdeath shehas hadtogive up herown jobworking with people with Huntingdon’s diseaseacross Shropshireand MidWales because of thementalhealthelement to it

“I am not strong enough to support people anymore,”she said Liam’s father, Andrew Watson, haddiedwhenhewas aged justtwo.

Sheadded: “Mypartner summed it up forme. He said:‘Iactually felt worse from speaking to them’. Therewereno suggestionshow we mightkeepLiamsafe.”

Sheadded: “Nothing is goingto bringLiambackbut when thecor onerasked them if they woulddo things thesame, withouthindsight they said yes. Iwill be taking the issueupwiththe relevant ombuds mantoget answerstothe issues

“I don’tthink Iwill ever reach closure –theydid notmakethings easier forthose whowereleftbehind.Weare planning an eventnext year to do somethingmorepositive butthere aretoo many looseendsat themoment that beingpositive does notseemright.”

Ms Lyes describedLiamas“tall andabig,gentlegiant”who had notbeenfazed by hisbirthmark when he went to Berriewschool, or when they movedwhenhewas aged eighttoTrefonen. He then wentto high school in Llangollen before studying economicsand financeat Heriot-WattUniversity in Scotland wherehewas awardeda firstclass degree

At unihehad to overcome mental health challenges.Whenhemoved back to thefamilyhome he would traveltoChester to have hishair cutratherthantakethe risk of havinghis birthmarkseenlocally

Followinganinquest on July 19, senior Shropshirecoroner JohnEllery issued apreventionoffuture deaths notice on thetrust after agreeing that it wasappropriate to consider what happened during phone callsmadeonOctober 20 and 25 last year

He concludedthatMrLyes-Wat-

son’sdeath wassuicide with the medicalcause of deathrecorded as fatal opioid toxicity.MrEllerysaid: “Duringthe course of theinquest theevidence revealed mattersgiv ingrise to concern.

“Inmyopinion thereisarisk that future deaths will occurunlessaction is taken.”

He hadfourareas of concernincludingthata call handlerwas not trained“andneeded to take profes sional advice from acolleague who didnot then speakdirectlywiththe caller”.

Neil Carr,chief executiveofthe Stafford-basedMidlandsPartner ship NHSFoundationTrust,said: “I wouldliketooffer my sincerest condolencestoLiam’sfamily.

“Following Liam’s deaththe trust hascarried outathorough anddetailed investigationtoensurethat we learnfromthistragicincident.

“I canconfirm that theAccess team hasintroduced furtherstaff training andenhancedsupervision to itscallhandlers.

“Significant workhas takenplace to reinforcethe importance of concernsraisedbyfamilymembers

“I canconfirm that telephone callsintothe Accessservice are recorded forquality andassurance

purposes andcan be retrievedwithin 30 days.Movingforward we will use these recordings to access call informationwhenserious incidents arereported.”

In amoredetailedresponse seen by theShropshireStar, thetrust hastoldthe coronerthat“thecall handlerhas attended astress and resilience course to help them un derstand howtomanagetheir own emotionalresponsestodifficult callsreceived during theirwork”

Training hasalsobeenupdated andaddressed,theysay

“Wehavereviewedthiscasewith shift co-ordinators andagreed that Liam should have been referred to theCrisisTeamfor them to make thedecision aboutfurther action,” they added.

“Werecognise that theshift co-ordinatorshouldhavespokento Mr Heaton andlistenedtohis and Liam’s mother’s concerns

“Weapologise forthisomission andlearningfromthismissed op portunityhas been shared with theteamtoensure allattemptsare made to reengage serviceusers who disengage.”

l If you have been affected by this storyyou cancallSamaritans free on 116123

Manisre-sentenced aftercourt is told of issues with communityorder

ABuilth Wellsman hasbeen re-sentenced afterhis previous communityorder became unworkable

JasonValewas sentencedtoa 12-month communityorder with 80 hoursunpaidworkbyMerth yr TydfilMagistratesCourt on March 16 At LlandrindodWells Magis-

tratesCourt on Wednesday last week,probation officerDonna Davies saidthe 43-year-oldofCas tleRoadhad expressedconcern at thebeginningofthe order because he works away,heisreliant on othersfor liftsand he hashis children on theweekends.

Thecourt heardthatover the last couple of months, Vale has

missed one appointmentand had told theProbation Servicethathe is struggling with hisalcohol use. He hadalso told theservice that he hadsplit up from hispartner andiscurrently sofa surfing,the courtwas told MrsDaviessaidhehas complet ed 10 hoursofunpaidworkwith70 hoursoutstanding

Sheasked themagistratestorevoke thecurrent order andre-sentencehim to help himdealwithhis issues

Magistratesat thecourt revoked theorder

They re-sentenced Vale to asix monthcommunity orderwith10 rehabilitation activity sessions and a£20 fine

Castleopenlate forChristmas

Thedoors to abeautifully decorated 13th-century castle in MidWales will stay open late forvisitorsthis Christmas

Afterayearofplanningand a monthofdecorating, thestaff at PowisCastleand Garden areexcit ed to open a‘TreasuredChristmas’ in thecastletomorrow(Saturday).

As aspecialtreat this year,visitors will be abletosee thecastlelit up inside andoutside untilthe later time of 7pmuntil December 18

Festivelights will guidethe way from thecar park to thecastle, whereChristmas trees as tall as 16ft,decorated with thousandsof lights andhundreds of baubles, will transform themedievalfortress into afestive wonderland.

Each decoratedroomisthemedto adifferent part of theworld or era, from Italyand China to Tudoror ancientGreece

Formoreinformation visitna tionaltrust.org.uk/powis-castle

Drugs case is adjourned

Thecaseagainst aLlangam march Wellsman hasbeenadjournedtohearitwithother mattersatthe crowncourt

JJ Symondsdid notenter a plea to achargeofpossessing sixgrammes of cannabis at Builth WellsonJuly15whenhe appeared at LlandrindodWells MagistratesCourt on Wednes daylastweek.

The22-year-old of DanY Bryn is facing charges of as saulting awoman andresisting arrest on March 6, whichhehas admitted,atthe crowncourt in December

Magistratesatthe courtadjournedthe drugsmatteruntil December 1and sent it to Merthyr TydfilCrown Courttotie it with theother charges against Symonds.

He will remain on unconditional bail untilthatdate.

Hospice hosting acareers day

Hope HouseChildren’s Hospiceis hostingafreecareers andtraining dayfor nursesatits Ty Gobaith hospiceoutside Conwy.

Theopenday on Tuesdaywill be an opportunityfor nurses to take part in four training anddevelopmentsessionsand to find out more about nursingcareers at Ty Gobaith.

Head of care at thehospiceAngharad Daviesexplained:“We are aiming this dayat paediatric nurs es,oradult nurseswithpaediatric experience,and also newlyqualified studentnurses.

“There will be four presentationswhich go towardsContinuing Professional Development (CPD) andthere will also be time to look around thehospice, meet staff, and find outmoreabout therewards and benefits of workingfor Ty Gobaith.”

Anyone whowould like to attend should sign up online or call 01492 651900

Amentalhealthtrust hasapologisedafter an inquestheard that acall handlerwasn’ttrained to be able to deal with thedesperate pleas for helpfromthe familyof a financegraduatewho latertookhis ownlife.

Mother DianeLyeswith

aphotographofher sonLiamwho took his ownlife

Topauthorities forstart-ups

StartUp Loans, part of theBritishBusinessBank, hasnamed the toplocal authoritiesfor start-ups acrossthe UK

It is basedonthe number of startup loanssuccessfullydrawn down since2012byborrowers in their areas.

Wolverhamptonwas foundtobe thetop localauthorityfor startupsinthe West Midlands with 464 loanssuccessfullydrawn down since2012, representing2.9 in everythousandlocal adults

Telford& Wrekin wasalsointhe top five localauthoritiesin theWest Midlands forstart-ups Wolverhampton’stotal is £3.3 million.For Telford&Wrekinitis £2.4m(273loans -2.5). Shropshire had429 loans(£4.2m-2.3).

Therelease of the figurescoincid ed with thebeginningofBusiness FinanceWeek2022, hosted by the BritishBusinessBankand business supportpartners.

Funerals firm in profits dip

FuneralproviderDignity has seen profits fall this year as therehas been areduction in thenumberofdeaths nationally as Covidwanes

TheWestMidlands-based business is oneofthe UK’s larg estnationalproviders of funeral plansand endoflifeservices. It operates crematoria at Telford,Shrewsbury, Lichfieldand Stourport.

Forthe 39 weekstothe endof September underlying revenue wasdown14per cent to £204.7 million andunderlyingoperatingprofitfell68per cent to £14.1m from £43.4m

Forthe period deaths were down from 483,000to469,000

Dignitysaidthatduringthe thirdquarter of theyearits newstrategy continuedtodeliver earlypromising signsofincreases in market sharegrowth.

JLRsales up andlosses down

Jaguar Land Rover sawan11.8per cent rise in carsales in thesecond quarterofits financialyear.

Theluxurycar maker’spre-tax loss also reduced to £173 million from £302mayearearlier

JLR, whichhas itsenginemanufacturingcentre at thei54 near the Shropshireborder, sawrevenue rise 36 percentto£5.3billion.Itwas up 20 percentonthe firstquarter

Retail salesfor thequarter were 88,121 vehicles with China up 38 percentand NorthAmerica27per cent.UKsales fell sevenper cent

Theimprovedresults reflect strong modelmix andpricingwith wholesales of 75,000 up 17.6 per cent on theyear, butlower than plannedascomputerchipsupply constraintscontinued

Theproductionramp-upofNew RangeRover andNew RangeRover Sportimprovedwith13,537units wholesaled in thequarter,upfrom 5,790inthe firstquarter

Midlands team’s dealssuccess

Themergers andacquisitions

lead advisory teamatDeloitte Midlands hasreported asuc cessfulsix months in whichit completedeightsignificant deals acrossarange of sectorsincludingindustrials, manufacturing, andtechnology.

Morethanhalfofthe transac tionsinvolving overseas investors andbuyers. Theteamalso com-

pleted anumberofdeals in the technologysector.

It is confident that mid-market deal activity will be robust and hasinvested in newtalenttosup port andsustain future growth with theappointment of three newteammembers.

An experiencedmanager and twograduates will join theteam of transaction specialists

Worrying timesfor themotor trade

Asurveyhas foundthat67per cent of motortradebusinesses in the region have alreadymadeorface making redundancies before the endofthisyear.

ChoiceQuote,the motortrade insuranceprovider, surveyed 303 tradeprofessionals across theUK.

Factorsinclude rising supply costsand peopleincreasinglyput ting offcar changes duetotheir squeezed finances.Inthe West Mid

lands86per cent of theprofession alssurveyed said that theirbusiness is facing serious or veryserious issueslinkedtoinflation.

Over athird –38per cent –expect theircompany to struggleand almost aquarter (24per cent)expect tradingtoremainstagnant. Onein sixmay even close.

DerekHenry,managingdirector of ChoiceQuote,said: “It’sdefinitely aworryingoutlook.”

Pioneering firm scalesupfor batteryexporting expansion

JOHN CORSER john.corser@mnamedia.co.uk

Thebossofrenewable energy andbattery specialistAceOn says the companyisready to grow so that it canexpand itscustomerbase around theworld.

Mark Thompson,managingdirector of Telford-basedAceOn Group, is taking part in aspecial InnovateUKScale Up programme to position thecompany forgrowth as it continuestodevelop newprod ucts andpatented solutionstorespondtothe climatecrisisand the growingneedfor energy storage andnon-dieselportablegenerators.

Mark says AceOn is fiercely proud of itsroledeveloping andmanufac turing environmentally-respon sibleand sustainable products in theUK, establishing asolid supply chainfromwhich goods arethen exported acrossthe globe.

With aparticularinterestin growingits portfolioofinnovative intellectual property,the company is currentlyworking with battery cell manufacturer AMTE Power to developground-breakingsodium ion batteries, whichare more cost effective,safer andsustainable than lithiumcells.AceOn is also leadingresearchintodeveloping second lifesolutions forusedelectric carbatteries andaccelerating developmentworkonaportablesolarenergystorage system

Rangeexpands duetocoffeeshopboost

AShrewsburycoffeeshopand speciality roasterhas responded to itscustomers’loveofgreat coffeewithanextendedrange of ‘at home’coffeemachinesand other peripherals.

Locatedalongside Shrews bury’s iconic train station, Iron & Fire’s TheHatch hasbuiltaloyal customerbasesince opening18 months agoand many regulars also subscribetoits coffee at home

john.corser@mnamedia.co.uk

service. It wasdemandfromthese customers that ledtothe decision to stocka rangeofcoffeemachines andother accessories.

Iron &Fire’sfounder,Kev Burrows,said: “Our direct-to-con sumersubscriptioncoffeebusiness hasmorethantripled in size since

thestart of thepandemic.How ever,manyofour regulars at The Hatch hadasked aboutthe best machines andaccessoriestouse at home,soitmadesense to bring them exactlywhattheywant.”

He added: “They’ve been available to consumerstobuy viaour website, butnow they canchatto one of theteamfacetofaceand complete theirpurchasethere and then.”

Training provider highlights truckdrivershortage

Oneofthe UK’s leadingtrain ingproviders hashighlightedthe shortage of forklift truckdrivers –sayingitisasbig aproblem for thelogistics industry as themore publicisedissue of ascarcityoflor ry drivers.

SteveDulson, of DulsonTrain ing, said theshortage meantmany warehousesacrossthe country were unabletooperate efficiently, putting even morepressureonthe nation’s supply chain.

DulsonTrainingdeliversarange of trainingofferings at itscentres in Shrewsbury,Telford,Ludlow andWrexham and at itsrecently opened site betweenTelford and

Gailey that caters forTelford and Wolverhampton.

Thecompany also provides trainingatcustomerlocations an ywhere in theUK.

“There is abig shortage of fork lift truckdrivers, much likethe case with HGVs –sothe entire logisticsindustryissuffering from just abouteveryangleatthe mo ment,” said Mr Dulson.

“The forklift truckdrivershort ageisjustasbig aproblem

“Itishitting theproductivity andefficiency of warehouses and storagefacilities alloverthe coun trywhich meansdelaysinget ting goods out, producinganeven

greaterstrain on thesupplychain nationally “Weare runningfullyaccred ited RTITB programmes every week to deliver training andqualificationsonall themajor forklift types. This trainingisdelivered at ourcentre at RodennearTelford wherewehaveclassrooms andall thefacilities necessary fortheory andpractical preparationand ex aminations.”

OneofDulsonTraining’srecent success storieshas been James Paganwho is on theautisticspectrum.James passed hisnovice counterbalance course with flying colours.

Joanna De Ryckeand KevBurrows,directors at Iron &Fire Coffee in Shrewsbury

JOHN CORSER

Viewsare being sought on future managementof woodland areas

Residentsare beingasked to give theirviews on aplantomanagefor estryinMid Wales.

NaturalResources Wales’s (NRW)planwould seeancient woodlandsrestoredinthe Llanfair Caereinion andMeifodareaand agreater diversity of treespecies planted in thearea.

The 22 woodland blocks together covermorethan630 hectares

NRWisholding apublicconsultation to provideresidents with the opportunitytoinfluencethe future management of theforests forthe next 10 yearsand beyond BeckyHares, senior land manager forNRW,said: “By planning the development of ourforests,wecan make sure that they bringthe maximum benefittousand nature

“Wewantthe forestswemanage to be places forpeopletoplay, relax andtomakealivingin. We want to achievethatbyalsomakingsure that wildlife andthe localenviron ment thrive,alongside producing qualitytimberfor themarket

“Wewantpeople who live near Llanfair Caereinion andMeifodto give us theirviews on ourplanto make sure it’s benefitting thearea.”

Theplanscan be read andrespondedtobyvisitingNRW’s consultationwebsite on bit.ly/Mathra falFRP or residents cancall0300 0653000

Residentswho want to send feed back by postcan send it to:Natural ResourcesWales,LlanfairRoad, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, SA20 0AL.

Allfeedbackand questionswill need to be returned by December 18 at thelatest.

SingerCharlotte waitingfor plan decision

PlansbysingerCharlotte Church to turn theformerhome of Laura Ashley into awellnessretreat were duetogotocouncillorsyesterday (Thursday).

Butthe decision overthe future of Rhydoldog, in theElanValley, couldultimatelybetaken by aplanning chiefand twoPowys county councillors.

Theschemewas “calledin” fora decision by theplanningcommittee by former countycouncillor forthe area Kelvyn Curry. This followsa number of objections to theproposal,including onebyRhayader Town

ELGANHEARN

newsroom@mnamedia.co.uk

Councilonthe groundsofhighway safety.Inher report,senior plan ning officerKateBowen explains thehighway authoritybelieves thedevelopmentwillincreasethe trafficalong narrow roadsby85 percent. Shesaidimprovements to theroadsuchas passingbaysand carriagewaywidening, andvarious conditions beingapplied to thecon sent,could make theapplication ac ceptable.Her report added: “Should

membersbemindedtoapprove the application, it is recommended that the finaldecision is delegated to the planning professional lead in consultationwiththe chairand vice chairofthe committee.”

In aplanningstatement to support theapplication,agent Llinos HallettofAsbri Planning Ltdsaid: “The proposal is considered to offer adistinctive healingand mindfulness experience forits visitors and furtheraddsaveryuniqueoffer to thecounty’stourism portfolioand in turn helpsindirectlysupport the localrural economy.”

Hundredsofchildrenstill at risk of exploitationincounty

Theriskofchildren being exploitedisstill causingconcern despite thenumberofcounty linesgangs operatingin Shropshire goingdown in thelast12months, councillorshaveheard.

Apartnership includingShrop shireCouncil,policeand others have been working with about200 children this year at risk of criminalexploitation or whoare being exploited. Theaim is to help stop them becoming victimsofthis crimeor, if they alreadyare,tohelp them escape exploitation.

Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnershipsaidcriminal exploitation of children in thecounty took avariety of forms, includ ingforcingchildrentoselldrugs, become part of county linesgangs or childsexualexploitation. The formsofexploitationare oftenin-

SUEAUSTIN sue.austin@mnamedia.co.uk

terlinked. Councillorsreceivedan update from partners on how the workwas progressing.

Partners report thenumberof county linesgangs operatinginthe county hasreduced over thelast year butthere arestill 10 beinginvestigated by police with linksto Merseyside,Bristol andthe West Midlands.Hotspotsstill in the county includeOswestryand the Harlescottand Sundorneareas of Shrewsbury

“Wemade177 arrestsbetween March 2021 andMarch 2022,” apolice spokesperson said

Police said whilehousesbelieved to be bases forthe gangswere watched,other agencies maywell alreadybeworking with children whomay be at risk

Themeeting heardthat, since thestart of 2022,there hadbeen arevised pathwayapproachtothe

exploitationofchildren in Shropshire, with agencies working closely to help identify children whomay be at risk andtoreducethatriskby stepping in An Ofsted children’s services inspection this year said thepartnershipworking in Shropshirewas effectiveat identifyingchildrenat risk

SonyaMiller,ShropshireCouncil’sassistant director forchildren’s socialcareand safeguarding,said experience in Shropshire shows one form of exploitationoften leads to furtherrisk of exploitation,and during 2022 thepartnership has seen 121new children referred to it becausetheymay be at risk This triggeredaseriesofactions forpartners workingwiththe child andtheir familytoreducethe risk of exploitation

Thepartnership, throughthe newly-formed TREESteam–Together Reducing andEndingExploitationin Shropshire,was also

working to raise awarenessamong professionals, schools, families and thewider communityofthe risks surroundingexploitation,and to recognise thesigns so children at risk canbehelped. This hasfocused on events in Oswestry andShifnal, with afurther eventinEllesmere planned.

“Our approach andunderstandingofcriminalexploitation of chil dren hasdeveloped considerably,to combat thebreadth of exploitation that children areexposedto, and this is one of theprioritiesfor the SSCP andall itspartners,”Sonya said

“Exploitationofchildrenishap pening in Shropshire.

“Noone agency cantacklethis alone.

“Wemustall worktogether, andworkwiththe community, to ensureweare doingall we canto raise awareness, identify thoseat risk,and disruptthe activity that canleadtoexploitation.”

Motorist was foundtobeover thealcohol limit

ALlandrindod Wellsmotoristwas caught over thedrink-drive limit with an expiredlicence andnoinsurance.

Marcus IdrisParkinson, 43,of Pendre House,Newbridge on Wye admitted theoffenceswhenheappeared at LlandrindodWells Magistrates CourtonWednesday last week

He wasstopped by police officers on October13 on theA483atLla nelwedd.

Testsshowed 117microgrammes of alcohol in 100millilitresof breath

Thelegal limitis35 microgrammes.

Mitigating, GavinRofer said Parkinsonhad been battlingwith PTSD from histimeinthe armed services andrecentbereavements hadan understandable effect on his ability to cope

He added: “Hegivesagreat deal to hiscommunity viahis serviceto hiscountry andnow as anurse.”

Parkinsonwas given a12-month communityorder with 20 reha bilitation activity sessionsand a 12-monthalcohol treatment programme.Hewas banned from the road for42monthsbut wasoffered thechancetoattendthe drinkdrive rehabilitation course

He was fined£332and orderedto pay£85 costsand a£114surcharge Therewas no penaltyfor thelicence offenceorfor theinsurance matter although hislicence wasendorsed.

Club members givenaninsight into climbing

Probus member Mike Read said:“We learnedacompletely newsidetoTonyduringthis fascinating story.

“Today climbing is awell-formalisedsport with detailed guidebooks offering information aboutthe several routes foreachvenue,including the all-importantgrading of thedif ficultyofthe climbs.

“Tonyshowedushow allthe equipment used hasevolved over hisclimbinglifetime.

“There isnolongerknee breechesbut lycra, sheathed ropeswhich runmoresmoothly andhaveaninherentelasticity absentfromhempropes,and whichabsorbmuchofthe ener gy if called on in theevent of a slip,and ‘sticky’ footwear owing much to Formula1

“Weweretreated to akaleido scopeofclimbsfromCornwall, through thePeakDistrictto theLakeDistrictontoScotland andthe famous mountainsin Europe,withagraphic display of theeffects of global warming in theSwiss Alps over 40 years.”

MembersofLudlowProbus Club have been given an insight into climbing Club member Tony Martyr wasthe speakeratarecent meetingand spokeabout his climbing experiences.

CharlotteChurch outsideRhydoldoginthe Elan Valley

Vibrantand fruity dessert recipe is just irresistible

TV royaltyPrueonageismand making theQueen acup of tea

LAUREN TAYLOR PressAssociation

Dame Prue Leithmay be TV royaltynow,but onethingshe says she’ll “taketoher grave” is theshame of making the late QueenElizabeth II a badcup of tea.

“I couldn’t getout of thePalace how sheliked hertea,soI endedup with atraywithall these optionson it:silver teapots, ajug,bowls of lemon anddifferent sugars, milk and cream–the Palace told me to just bringeverything,” says theGreat BritishBakeOff star

“Thisisthe mostdivine, indulgent andirresistiblepud,” says Prue Leith.

“Don’t skimponthe creamor jam. Better forgoitaltogether than trytomakeithealthy!It’s best madewithripefresh apri cots.Ifusing canned fruit, roast them anyway –itwilldeepen their flavour.”

APRICOTS,ALMONDS AND CLOTTEDCREAM ON ENGLISH MUFFIN

Ingredients:

2large apricots,or3small ones

40gbutter, half of it melted

2tsp castersugar

1English muffin, split and toasted

2tbspapricot jam

1tbsp flaked almonds, toasted

1small potofclotted cream

Method: Getthe grill as hotas possible

Halvethe apricots, remove thestonesand putthe halves, stoned side up,onagrill tray. Brushthemwiththe melted butter andsprinklewiththe sugar.

Grill theapricots, nottoo close to theelementsorgas flame, foreightto10minutes untilbrown roundthe edges

Meanwhile, butter thetoast ed muffinhalvesand putthem on warm plates.Spreadthem with apricotjam andshare the apricothalvesbetween them

Sprinkle with thealmonds andserve with clotted cream.

Tip: Youcan toastthe flaked almondsin theoven underthe grill trayatthe same time as roasting theapricots, butthey burn in a flash, sobecareful Safer,probably, to standover them whileyou gently turn them in afryingpan,ortoast for threeminutes in themicrowave, giving them astirhalfway

It was1975atthe openingofthe QueenElizabeth Conference Centre in London.The Queen finally reachedLeith, whowas carrying a rather heavytray, aftergreetinga long line of dignitaries.

“I said,‘Blackorwhite Ma’am?’ Shesaidblack,soIput apiece of lemonin. She said,‘No lemon’,soI hadto fish thelemon outasI hadn’t gotanother cup– Ididn’tknow what to do with thebloodylemon!” the82-year-old recalls. “Then Itoppedupher tea with water be causemostpeoplewho have black tealikeitquite weak,and shesaid, ‘I likeitstrong’.

“Sothe poor woman gotweak lemony tea when shelikes strong blacktea. I’ll go to my grave ashamedofit!”

Thesedaysofcourse,South Af rican-born Leithisinher sixthseries of ChannelFour’sGreat Brit ishBakeOff –“thebestjob in the world”–alongside Paul Hollywood, Matt Lucas andNoelFielding, and hasjustpublished herlatestcookbook,Bliss On Toast.

Butthe controversy garnered by some of theBakeOff episodes centringoncuisinesofother countries, likethe recent ‘Mexicoweek’,has takenher by surprise

“Whatwe’re trying to do is celebrate otherpeople’scuisines, but we’veonlygot threechallenges,so obviously we’renot goingtocov er allthe things that anycountry wouldwantyou to cover,” shesays.

Describingthe popularbaking show as “tolerant, inclusive,encouragingand kind”, Leithadds: “I’m just sorryanyonewas offend ed,because that’s notinthe spirit of Bake Off.

“Itdoesmakeyou think, if [we cook]any foreignfood andit’snot regarded as asignofappreciation andcelebration,and imitationbeing flattery,thenwe’re in trouble, becauseBritishcooking hasalways been abouttakingother countries’ ideas.”

On alighter note,the funniest part of beingonthe show,she says, is that shenever understandsthe innuendos. “I’m justtoo oldand my companions arelike15-year oldschoolchildren.Theygointo hystericsoflaughter–you saythe wordsausage andtheythink it’s rude andIstart like lookinglikea complete nana becauseIdidn’tget thejoke.”

It wasa surprise to Leith–who marriedher second husband, re tiredfashion designer JohnPlayfair,in2006 –toevenbeconsidered forthe jobreplacing Mary Berry back in 2017.“Ithought,going to ChannelFour, they’d want to change everything,but guesswhat? They foundanotherold lady.”

She’djust finished 11 yearsasa judge on BBCTwo’s GreatBritish Menu andat75 thoughtperhaps it wastimetoretire, butshe couldn’t resist.Representationofolder wom en on TV is improving, sheagrees: “The ageism message must have gotthrough.”

When it comestoBritishfood though,nothing quiteencapsulates it like agoodold plateoftoast (and maybeacorrectly made cupoftea).

ForLeith, Sundaynight is the best time to enjoy it.“We’vealways hadsomethingonaSundaynight because Sundaynight is like going

back to school,isn’t it?You need comfortbecause you’refacingthe week.Sowe’ve always hadscram bled eggs andcrisp bacononSun daynights, or mushroomsontoast, always somethingontoast –it’s comforting

“Ifyou’refeeling ill andyou can’t eatanything, you canalwayseat a pieceofdry toast,”she adds.“And then you getabit better andyou want some butter on it.The next morning it’s gotmarmalade on it.”

Crucially, many arecheap to make.“We’reall verybusyand we’reall worried aboutmoneyand worried abouttime. Assembling somethingontoast is easy,stressfree anddoesn’t have to be expensive,” Leithsays.

Andinher earlyeighties, Leith isn’tslowingdown. She’scurrently on aone-woman tour around the US(coming to theUKnextyear), sharingher experiences. “People thinkofmeasthe womanontelly whoeatscakefor aliving, whichis true,but I’ve hadaveryadventurouslife,”she says

“Peopleoften saytome, ‘You’re amazingfor 82’,and thetruth is, I’mquite healthy, Ieat well,Isleep well,Ihavequite alot of energy.I thinkI’m just lucky,”saysLeith

n BlissOnToast by Prue Leith is published by Bloomsbury,priced £14.99,available now.

Turn thechicken thighs in

on an

Roastfor about 35 minutes un tilbrown andcookedthrough (a skewer should glidethrough the flesheasily).Slice each thighinto three.

Warm thenaansorchapatis brieflyinthe microwaveortoaster andspreadwithbutter.

Pile thechicken on to thebreads, seasoning with alittlesaltand pepper.Top with adollop of thereserved yogurt,the chilli andherbs.

DamePrueLeith hasjustreleasedanew cook book

BlissOnToast by Prue Leith

Bittersweetbiscuits just rightfor your teabreak

“The name amaretti comesfrom amaro, literally‘bitter’ in Italian, aftertheir unmistakablebittersweettaste,” explains Giuseppe Dell’Anno.

AMARETTI

Ingredients: Makesabout 50 250g icingsugar 90gunblanched wholealmonds 10gbitterapricot kernels 1/8tsp salt 35gegg white 1tsp vanillabeanpaste ¼tsp naturalalmondextract

Method: Place150 gramsofthe icingsugar in afood processor, add

thealmondsand apricotkernels, then blitzathighspeed forabout 40 seconds. Addthe remaining100 gramsicing sugarand thesalt, then blitzagain forafurther 40 seconds. Addthe eggwhite,vanilla

andalmond extract,thenblitz one finaltimeuntil themixture comes together in asmooth, doughy mass.Turnthe doughontoaclean anddry worktop,press it down and fold it in half afew times. Wrap the dough in cling film andleave it to rest in thefridge overnight.

Thefollowing day, placethe shelf in themiddle of theoven andpre heat it to 160°C(325°F/Gasmark 3).Lineabakingsheet with baking paper.

Take thedough outofthe fridge, unwrap it andworkitwiththe pressing andfolding action again forafew times. Divide thedough into smallchunks, aboutseven gramseach.

Roll each lump of dough between thepalms of yourhands to shape it into asmall ball,thenarrange them on thelined baking sheet,

leavingatleast five centimetres betweenthem. Form only enough biscuits to fill onebaking sheet.

Slightly flattenthe topofeach ball with yourthumb.Use aspray bottle filled with water to spray waterontothe biscuits untiltheir surfaceiscompletelywet:some droplets will drip down thebiscuits andpossiblypoolonthe baking pa per. This is perfectlyacceptable, anditwill notbeaproblem.Quick ly dust thetop of thewet biscuits with athinlayeroficing sugar andimmediately placethe baking sheetinthe oven.Bakefor 17–18 minutes untilthe biscuits area lightcaramel colour.

Remove thebiscuits from the oven,slide thebakingpaper on to acooling rack andleave thebak ingtraytocoolwhileyou shapethe next batch.

Bake offstarGiuseppeshares hisfavouritechildhood recipes

PRUDENCE WADE PressAssociation

Despitewhippingup an admirable arrayof cakes, cookies andpastriesonlastyear’sseries of TheGreat British Bake Off–impressing thejudgessomuchhe wascrowned thewinner –GiuseppeDell’Anno doesn’thavemuchofa sweettooth.

“I don’tusually getcravingsfor sweetbakes,”the 46-year-oldadmits.Instead, he’s allabout thesavoury treats. “Veryfew things give me as much pleasure as thesmell of bakedsavoury goods,likeawarm loaf of bread, or some warm focaccia.Baked focaccia. That to me is heaven on aplate.”

TheItalian baker–who is now basedinBristol –has writtenhis firstcookbook,dedicatingittothe bakesofhis homeland.Hemight nothavea sweettooth,but he still says:“Ienjoy theprocess of baking –and most crucially, thejoy of shar ingthe bakedgoodswithothers, more than stuffing my face.Idon’t dislikeanicelumpofcake–inthe processofwriting that book,Iput on 13 kilosinless than ayear… I’ve literally‘proved’!”

Many of therecipes in thebook areonesDell’Anno ategrowing up, made forhim by hisfather. “Mydad wasaprofessionalchefand baker by passion. He’s always done it with apassion –for him, it’s never been work–and he didn’t stop at work.

“Beforeleaving thehouse in the morning, he wouldprepare lunch foreverybody, then he wouldgoto work, cook andbakethe wholeday, then come back anddothe same for familyand friends. It’s been hislife effectively, sincehestarted working in hisearly teens

“I wasbornintothatenviron ment –Iremember vividlySunday mornings, waking up relatively late andmydad wasalready folding tortellini forlunch,and putting to gether thecakefor afterlunch –becauseinItaly back in theday,Sun daycakeorpastrieswereathing afterlunch.”

Butthatdoesn’t necessarily mean Dell’Annowas helpinghis dadinthe kitchenfromayoung age. “Funnilyenough, having allofthat readilyservedtome, Inever needed to learnhow to bake –because Iwas surrounded by allthatstuff every single day,”heconfesses.“It’s only when Ilefthome at 18 andIrealised it wasnot thesamefor everybody, that I’dbeenverylucky to have

allofthat– then Istarted to learn things myself.”

Hisheritagewasn’tthe only thing that made baking come easily.Before winningBakeOff,Dell’Anno workedasan engineer.“Baking is allabout beingaccurateand precise, weighingyouringredients, followingbakingtemperatures and recipes.Accuracyisa bigpart of baking,and engineersare by trade accurate people.Inmycaseeven more so,because I’mamaterials engineer –soIbakematerials.”

Dell’Annoadds: “I used to deal with very largeovenstobakeaeroplanewings –now I’mjustmaking cakesorbiscuits.”

Despite alreadybeing an excellent home baker, Dell’Annoisquick

to stress justhow much he learned from theshow

“Going on Bake Off– this applies foreverybaker on theshow –you’ve gottolearn things you’venever done before.Regardlessofhow good ahome bakeryou are, home bakersusuallyhavetheir ownskills, they’regood at afew things,but they’renot goodateverything.

“Whereas on theshow,you’vegot to do pretty much everything –from icecream to friedgoods to yeasted bakedcakes to mousses, andmany elaborate things.”

Dell’Annoaddswithalaugh: “Undeniably, alot of thosethings Ihad never seen before.It’salmost atrite thingtosay,but you geta boostinconfidence becauseeffec tively you’re forced to do things you wouldn’t even touchwitha stickotherwise.And at theend of theday,you realisetheyare not as difficult as they mightlookorthey mightseem.”

Dell’Annoaccepts he wasextremely “privileged” to havethis experience,saying: “For me,it’s been amassive form of therapy,goingonBakeOff.”

n Giuseppe’sItalian Bakesby GiuseppeDell’Anno is published by Quadrille, priced £20.

IN SEASON

by Andy Richardson

Addceleriac to your winter repertoire

We’reheading into thehardmonths of winter.The endofthe autumn glut will soon turn to nature’s toughest season as we look towards winteryrootvegetablesover De cember,January andFebruary.

Thereisstill goodfood available, however,withapples, cranberries, elderberries,and pearsall in season. There’splentyofvegetables, too.

Celeriac is adelicious addition to thetable andisarealunsung hero Its flavourissomewherebetween apotatoand celery,withnutty overtones, anditisideal mashed or addedtostews.Celeriac is easy to preparebyusing asharp knife. Just topand tail theceleriac, then useapotatopeelertoremove the rhino-toughskin. Expecttodiscard abouta quarterofthe celeriac by thetimeyou’vedonethat. It boils in 20 minutesorroastsinaround 40 minutes when cutintorough shaped chunks.Celeriac discolours quicklyoncepeeledorchopped,so

Celeriacisveryversatile

immerse in abowlofwater,after choppingtosize, with asqueeze of lemonjuice or asplashofwhite wine vinegaradded. It’s at itsbest from September to April–and now is theprime time to buyit.

Celeriac soup is agreat winter staple,ortry celeriac ovenchips fora healthiertwist.Thisrootveg works well in creamy dishes,and with cheese –try aceleriac bake with parmesancrumbsfor your next roastdinner,orkeepthings simple with atwist on mash pota toes,likeceleriacchamp.Classic remouladeistraditionally served with cold cuts of meat andcrusty bread.

Theeasiest dish of allisawhole roastedceleriac.It’sacosy, hearty recipe that screamswinter and cooksslowly fora couple of hours–andisdefinitely worth thewait.

Whileit’scooking you canmake agravy,allowingittosimmer and become rich andfull of body.Pan friedseasonalgreensand aglass of wine areperfect with it

Raw, celeriac hasfantastic crunch andanutty,celery-like fla vourthatmakes it perfectfor saladsand slaws. Cooked, it takeson aslightsweetness that works well mashed,baked, roasted or boiled It’s extraordinarilyversatile

GreatBritish Bake OffwinnerGiuseppeDell’Anno

Giuseppe’s ItalianBakes

Amaretti biscuits

GRANITE HARBOUR

BBC1, 7.00pm

Aberdeen is knownasthe Granite City,which is such astriking nickname that it’s clearly just crying out to be the setting of adetective drama. The good news is that TV bosses have now recognised that fact and are bringingusthe new three-part series Granite Harbour

The BBCisexcited at the prospect. Louise Thornton, Head of Commissioning at BBCScotland says: “Weare thrilledtohave commissionedthis new drama for the BBCScotland channel and BBC One.Audienceswillbetreated to an intriguing and captivating story with strong charactersthat will play out against the dramaticcity scapeofAberdeen and the North East.

“Weare delighted to be working with our colleagues in BBCiPlayer to bringhighquality content basedinScotland to audiences across the UK as part of our co-commissioningstrategy.”

Aberdeen isn’t the only star of thedrama though. The cast is headedbyrising talentRomario Simpson, whose credits includeNoughts + Crosses, the Lovers Rock episode of Small Axe, and the recent Star Wars spin-off Andor.

He plays Lance Corporal Davis Lindo, who has just completedhis final tour with the Royal Military Police and now dreams of being adetective at New Scotland Yard.

So, he’s abit taken aback to discoverthat he’s instead of pounding the meanstreets of London, he’s insteadbeing packed off to Old Scotland to train as aDetectiveConstable.

It’s going to be something of aculture shock for the former soldier but, luckily, he won’t have to navigate this new landscape entirely on his own. It turns out he has apotential ally in his mentor,DCI Lara ‘Bart’ Bartlett (HannahDonaldson, whohas

Scottishdetective drama previous thanks to roles in Rebus and Shetland).

She’s sharp,streetwiseand anativeAberdonian, meaning she’s the perfect persontoshow himthe ropes. However,inthe grand traditionofmaverick TV cops, she’s used to working alone, so she has an adjustmentofher own to make nowshe has a partner

The duo aren’t goingtobeeased into their new working relationship gently, as they discover their first caseinvolves the murderof one of Aberdeen’s most recognisable faces from the oil industry

The crime has stunned the city,and Lindo realises that notonlydoes he need to gettogrips with a city and force that are completely alien to him, he’s alsogoing to be dragged into acorporate battle between old and newenergy.But it also seems that this high-profile investigation may have historic roots

The supporting cast includes Dawn Steele, Gary Lewis, Fiona Bell andBhavJoshi, and the good newsfor anyone whocan’t wait to find out what happens next is thatall three episodes are available to watch as aboxset on iPlayer

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.15 Morning Live (S). 10.00 ExpertWitness (S). 10.30 Claimed And Shamed (R) (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (S). 1.00 BBC News At One; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 Doctors (S). 2.15 Planet Earth: AMonkey’s Tale (R) (S). 2.30 MOTD Live: Fifa World Cup 2022 South Korea vs Portugal. Kick-off is at 3pm (S). 5.15 Pointless (R) (S).

6.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 7.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 8.00 Sign Zone: Trawlermen: Hunting The Catch (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 10.00 BBC News (S). 12.15 Politics UK (S). 1.00

FILM: HeartOfThe Holidays (Corey Sevier 2020) Festive drama, starring Vanessa Lengies (S). 2.25 Beechgrove Repotted (R) (S). 2.45 MOTD Live: Fifa World Cup 2022 Ghana vs Uruguay.Kick-off is at 3pm (S). 5.15 Flog It! (R) (S).

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 2.00 James Martin’s Great British Adventure (R) (S). 2.30 Tenable (R) (S). 3.29 ITV Regional Weather (S). 3.30 Tipping Point (R) (S). 4.30 The Chase (R) (S). 5.30 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 5.45 ITV News; Weather (S).

NFL Show Action from New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills (S). 12.00 Shop: IdealWorld 3.00 Keeping Up WithThe Aristocrats (R) (S). 3.50 Unwind With ITV1 (S). 5.05 James Martin’s Great British Adventure (R) (S). 5.35 James Martin’s Great British Adventure (R) (S).

Sport

6.05 Countdown (R) (S). 6.45

Cheers (R) (S). 7.10 Cheers (R) (S). 7.35 Everybody

Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.00

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.30 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.00 Frasier (R) (S). 9.30 Frasier (R) (S).

10.00 Frasier (R) (S). 10.30

Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (R) (S). 11.25 Channel

4News Summary (S). 11.30

Chateau DIY (R) (S). 12.30

Steph’s Packed Lunch (S). 2.10

Countdown (S). 3.00 APlace In The Sun (R) (S). 4.00 Sun, Sea And Selling Houses (R) (S). 5.00

Four In ABed (R) (S). 5.30 Come Dine With Me (R) (S).

6.00 The Simpsons Bart falls for the wrong girl (R) (S).

6.30 Hollyoaks Juliet continues to push Peri away (R) (S).

7.00 Channel 4News (S).

7.30 Unreported World A devastating drought being suffered in Kenya (S).

8.00 Grayson’s ArtClub: The Exhibition The series’ third national exhibition, staged in Birmingham (S).

9.00 Gogglebox Theamateur critics share their thoughts on the week’s telly (S).

10.00 The Last Leg Acomic review of the past seven days (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 12.30 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun (R) (S). 1.25

5News At Lunchtime (S). 1.30

FILM: Christmas Together (David DeCoteau 2020) Premiere. Drama, starring Vivica AFox (S). 3.15

FILM:Sugar Plum Christmas (Eric Close 2021) Premiere. Festive drama, starring Jamie Gray Hyder (S). 5.00 5News At 5 (S).

PAKISTAN VENGLAND

6.00 The Early Rundown (R).

6.30 The Early Rundown (R). 7.00 Sky News Breakfast (R). 7.30 Sky News Breakfast (R). 8.00 Hope ForWildlife (R) (S). 9.00 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 9.30 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 10.00 Supergirl (R) (S). 11.00 NCIS: New Orleans (R) (S). 12.00 NCIS: New Orleans (R) (S). 1.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 2.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 3.00 Big Cats: An Amazing Animal Family (R) (S). 4.00 Will &Grace (R) (S). 4.30 Will &Grace (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30 Futurama (R) (S).

6.00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 6.35 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 7.00 The Cabins (S). 8.00 Love Bites (S). 9.00 Love Bites (S). 10.00 Dress To Impress (S). 11.00 Dress To Impress (S). 12.00 Rolling In It (S). 1.00 Family Fortunes (S). 2.00 Supermarket Sweep (S). 3.05 One Tree Hill (S). 4.00 Chuck (S). 5.00 Chuck (S).

6.00 Classic Coronation Street (S). 6.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 7.00 Classic Emmerdale (S). 7.35 Classic Emmerdale (S). 8.05 Man About The House (S). 8.35 Maigret (S). 10.25 Maigret (S). 11.35 Heartbeat (S). 12.35 Heartbeat (S). 1.40 Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.15 Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.50 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.20 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.50 ATouchOfFrost (S).

8.55 Kirstie’s House Of Craft (S). 9.15 APlace In The Sun: Home Or Away (S). 10.05 APlace In The Sun: Home Or Away (S). 11.05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It (S). 12.05 Find It, Fix It, Flog It (S). 1.10 Heir Hunters (S). 2.10 Four In ABed (S). 2.40 Four In ABed (S). 3.15 Four In ABed (S). 3.50 Four In ABed (S). 4.20 Four In A Bed (S). 4.50 Kirstie And Phil’s Love It Or List It (S). 5.55 Escape

To The Chateau: DIY (S).

11.05 The Big Narstie Show (S).

11.55 Spaced Daisy and Tim throw ahousewarming party (R) (S).

12.25 Spaced (R)(S). 12.55 Spaced (R) (S) 1.25 Spaced (R) (S). 1.50 FILM: Misery (Rob Reiner 1990) Oscar-winning thriller,starring James Caan (S). 3.45 Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas (R) (S). 4.00 Come Dine With Me (R) (S).

6.00 Holidaying With Jane McDonald: The Caribbean Jane heads to St Lucia (R) (S).

7.00 Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out The comedian explores the historic city of Oxford and the Chilterns (S). 7.55 5News Update (S).

8.00 The World’s Most Expensive Christmas Cruise Yuletide on the world’s most expensive cruise ship, the Seven Seas Explorer (R) (S). 9.00 The Big Fight Live: Kelly vs Williamson Josh Kelly vs Troy Williamson (S).

7.00

TopOfThe Pops Performances by M-People, U2 and Björk (S).

7.30 TopOfThe Pops (S).

11.05 FILM: Rise Of The Footsoldier (2007) Premiere. Fact-based crime thriller,starring Ricci Harnett (S). 1.25 The LeoVegas Live Casino Show (S) 3.25 Eggheads (R) (S). 3.50 Eggheads (R) (S). 4.15 The Funny Thing About Growing Up (R) (S).

8.00 TopOfThe Pops Featuring Eddy Grant, Jona Lewie, AC/DC, the Boomtown Rats and Abba (S). 8.30 TopOfThe Pops (S). 9.00 Elaine Paige At The BBC Archive performances by the West End star (S). 10.00 Elaine Paige: I’m Still Here Highlights of the West End star’s farewell concertatthe Royal AlbertHall (S). 11.00 Evita: The Making Of ASuperstar Suzy Klein travels to Argentina to discover the real Eva Peron (S). 12.00 Peaky Blinders (S). 1.00 Peaky Blinders (S) 2.00 Peaky Blinders (S). 3.25 Close

8.00 The Simpsons Homer’s Las Vegas “wife” turns up (R) (S). 8.25 The Simpsons (R) (S). 8.50 The Simpsons (R) (S). 9.15 Rob&Romesh vs West End The comedians trytocrack the world of musicals (R) (S).

10.15 Resident Alien Harry comes face to face with his greatest enemy Last in the series.

11.15 Late Late Show Best Of The Week Highlights of the talk show

(S).

6.00 Futurama Part two of four.Leela protests against the Wongs’ new business venture (R) (S). 6.30 The Simpsons (R) (S). 8.00 Bob’s Burgers Bob secures anew meat provider (S). 8.30 Bob’s Burgers (S). 9.00 FILM: Wedding Crashers (2005) Comedy,starring Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn (S).

6.55 Escape To The Chateau The startofthe wedding season sees Dick and Angel at their busiest (S).

SOS (R) (S).

Doctor (R) (S).

And Posy (R) (S)

Radio

11.25 Family Guy Stewie is traumatised by avisit to Santa (S). 11.55 Family Guy Meg and Quagmire become a couple (S). 12.25 American Dad! (S). 12.50 American Dad! (S). 1.20 The Stand Up Sketch Show (S). 1.50 The Stand Up Sketch Show (S). 2.20 Hey Tracey! (S). 3.00 Teleshopping 7.00 Dress To Impress David, Tunji and Ryan battle

7.55 Grand Designs

Following the building of ahandcrafted house in Herefordshire, 10 years in the making (S).

6.00 Heartbeat Aspate of vandalism appears connected to Lord Ashfordly’s godson (S). 9.00 Astrid: Murder In Paris The body of adeceased man vanishes. In French (S). 10.15 24 Hours In A&E A 12-year-old is airlifted to St George’s (S). 11.15 24 Hours In A&E Junior doctor Silas works his first ever shiftinresus (S).

12.20 Rescue: Extreme Medics (S). 1.25 8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown (S). 2.25 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.25 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.55 Close

CLASSIC FM

BBC RADIO 1 6.33am Radio 1’sBestNew Pop. 6.57 Newsbeat 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast With Greg James. 10.00 Radio 1Anthems. 10.30 Newsbeat 10.32 Radio 1Anthems. 11.02 KatieThistleton. 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Matt And Jamie. 3.00 Radio 1’sParty Anthems. 4.00 The Official Chart On Radio 1WithJack Saunders. 5.45 Newsbeat 6.00 Radio 1’s Dance PartyWith Danny Howard. 8.00 Radio 1’sFutureDance With Sarah Story 10.00 Pete Tong. 12mdn’t Radio 1’s Essential Mix. 2.00 Radio 1Dance Presents. 3.00 Danny Howard 4.00 Radio 1’sWind Down Presents. 5.00 Radio 1Relax-X1. BBC RADIO 2 6.30am The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show 9.30 KenBruce 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills. 3.30 Scott Mills’WonderYears. Thehostplays back-to-back tunes. 4.00 Sara Cox. 7.00 Michelle Visage. 8.30 Michelle Visage’sHandbag Hits. 9.00 TheGood Groove With DJ Spoony.Joyful floor fillers, soulful houseand lyrical garage tunes. 11.00 The Rock Show WithJohnnieWalker 12mdn’t Quincy Jones: FortyThousand YearsOfFunk. 1.00 TBA. 2.00 Radio 2UnwindsWith Angela Griffin. 3.00 Sophie EllisBextor’s KitchenDisco 5.00 Radio 2InConcert BBC RADIO 3 6.30am Breakfast. 9.00 Essential Classics. 12noon Composer Of The Week: Chopin. 1.00 Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert. 2.00 Afternoon Concert. 4.30 The Listening Service. 5.00 In Tune 7.00 In Tune Mixtape. 7.30 Radio 3In Concert. The London Philharmonic in Tippett’s oratorio AChild of Our Time 10.00 The Verb 10.45 The Essay: Listen Harder 11.00 Late Junction. 1am Tearjerker With Sigrid. 2.00 Downtime Symphony 3.00 Through TheNight. BBC RADIO 4 6am Today. 8.31 (LW) Yesterday In Parliament. 9.00 DesertIslandDiscs. 9.45 (LW) Daily Service. 9.45 (FM) Book Of The Week: How To StandUpTo ADictator. 10.00 Woman’s Hour 11.00 Britain’s Communist Thread 11.30 Unite 12noon News. 12.01 (LW) Shipping Forecast. 12.04 FDR’sFour Freedoms. 12.57 Weather. 1.00 The World At One. 1.45 Understand:The Economy 2.00 TheArchers. 2.15 Drama:Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Firewall 2.45 Why Do We Do That? 3.00 Gardeners’ Question Time. 3.45 From Fact To Fiction. 4.00 Last Word. 4.30 Feedback. 5.00 PM. 5.54 (LW) Shipping Forecast. 5.57 Weather 6.00 SixO’Clock News. 6.30 TheNow Show. 7.00 The Archers 7.15 Add To Playlist. 8.00 Any Questions? 8.50 APoint Of View 9.00 Past Forward: ACentury Of Sound. 10.00 The World Tonight. 10.45 Book At Bedtime: Beautiful World, Where Are You. 11.00 Americast. 11.30 Today In Parliament. 12mdn’t News And Weather 12.30 Book Of The Week: How To Stand Up To ADictator 12.48 Shipping Forecast. 1.00 As BBC WorldService 5.20 Shipping Forecast 5.30 News Briefing 5.43 PrayerFor The Day 5.45 Four Thought BBC RADIO 4EXTRA 6am TwoWay Cut. 6.30 TheMindOfMrJG Reeder. 7.00 Romance And Adventure. 7.30 Now You’re Asking WithMarian Keyes And Tara Flynn. 8.00 Parsley Sidings. 8.30 Married 9.00 Act Your Age 9.30 Bleak Expectations. 10.00 Barry Lyndon 11.00 The Reunion. 11.45 David Attenborough’s Life Stories. 12noon Parsley Sidings. 12.30 Married. 1.00 TwoWay Cut 1.30 TheMindOfMrJGReeder 2.00 Packing My Library. 2.15 Ordinary Heroes. 2.30 The Etymology Of Entomology 3.00 BarryLyndon. 4.00 Act Your Age. 4.30 Bleak Expectations. 5.00 RomanceAnd Adventure. 5.30 Now You’re Asking With Marian Keyes And Tara Flynn. 6.00 Psycho 6.15 The Haunting Of Hill House. 6.30 Musical Genes. 7.00 Parsley Sidings. 7.30 Married. 8.00 TwoWay Cut 8.30 The Mind Of Mr JG Reeder 9.00 TheReunion. 9.45 David Attenborough’s LifeStories. 10.00 Comedy Club. 10.00 ComedyClub: Now You’reAskingWith MarianKeyes And Tara Flynn. 10.30 ComedyClub: Mitch Benn’s Crimes Against Music 11.00 Comedy Club: Mark Thomas: The Manifesto. 11.30 Comedy Club: James Acaster’s Perfect Sounds 12mdn’t Psycho. 12.15 TheHauntingOfHill House. 12.30 Musical Genes. 1.00 TwoWay Cut. 1.30 TheMind Of Mr JG Reeder 2.00 PackingMyLibrary. 2.15 OrdinaryHeroes. 2.30 The Etymology Of Entomology 3.00 Barry Lyndon. 4.00 Act Your Age. 4.30 Bleak Expectations 5.00 Romance AndAdventure. 5.30 Now You’re AskingWithMarianKeyes And Tara Flynn. BBC 5LIVE 6am 5LiveBreakfast 9.00 Nicky Campbell 11.00 Chiles On Friday. 1pm ElisJames And John Robins. 2.00 World Cup 2022. 3.00 World Cup 2022. 5.00 World Cup 2022. 5.30 5LiveNews. 6.30 WorldCup 2022 7.00 World Cup 2022. 9.00 WorldCup 2022. 10.00 Stephen Nolan. 1am Hayley Hassall 5.00 5Live Boxing. BBC 6MUSIC 7.30am Lauren Laverne. 10.30 MaryAnne Hobbs 1pm Craig Charles. 4.00 SteveLamacq. 7.00 ThePeople’s PartyWithAfrodeutsche. 9.00 Tom Ravenscroft. 11.00 TheRaversHour 12mdn’t 6 Music’s IndieForever 1.00 6Music’s Emo Forever 2.00 FocusBeats. 4.00 Ambient Focus

ICAN HEAR YOUR VOICE

BBC One, 9.15pm

Stop! It’s time to give alittle respect, break those chains of love and take achance on ICan Hear Your Voice.

Sometimes the show features asurprising but wonderful guest, and that’s certainly the case with the latest episode –bona fide 1980s pop superstar Andy Bell, frontman of Erasure, is joining in the fun. He’ll be assisting regular celebrity investigators Jimmy Carr,Alison Hammond and Amanda Holden when they try to help two sisters from Leeds figure out which singers have thevoice of an angel, and who is tone deaf –simply by watching them lip-sync to awell-known tune

Andy may have more of achance of guessing correctly –after all, despite having abrilliant voice, he was forced to mime many,many times during performances alongside his bandmate Vince Clarke during their appearances on Topofthe Pops back in the day

It promises to be acracking edition of the game show which is now in its second series. Like The Masked Singer,the format started life in South Korea and has since been remade around theworld. The BBCversion is given adown-to-earth British feel by its host, Paddy McGuinness. He promises that at the startofeach programme, he’s as much in the dark about who’s good and who’s bad as the competitors and everyone watching at home.

“I like it that way because otherwise Ithink I’d be the type of person to be giving the contestants a wink,” he laughs. “It’s always asurprise at the end, and although Ihave my own opinions, Idon’t share those with the guys as I’m not there for that, I’m there to host the show.That is the job of the celebrity investigators, they are there to help the contestants

with any little nuggetsthey have spotted.

“So, on that final round, when the singer sings, whether they are good or bad, Ialways think the otherway around! Ialways think abad singer is going to be good, and agood singer is going to be bad. So, every show is asurprise for me.”

McGuinness loves the series, but perhaps not for the reasons you might think –it’s not necessarily the competition itself that prompted him to take on the presenter’s role.

“When Iheard the format and watched the American pilot, Iinstantly knew Ihad abit of free rein,” he explains. “The reason Iloved Take Me Out was because Ihad that element

“There is the script but after that you canhavefun with it, and that’s what Ican do with thisshow.There is alot of singing and dancing, all non-scripted much to theproducer’s disapproval –but Igowith it!”

Let’s hope the producer is particularly annoyed this week, because those impromptu moments are often what make the entireshow –and if Paddy can persuade Andy to take part too, then all the better

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.00 Breakfast (S). 10.00 Saturday Kitchen Live: Countdown To Christmas (S). 11.30 Nigella: At My Table (R) (S). 12.00 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 1.00 BBC News (S). 1.10 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.15 Bargain Hunt (S). 2.00 MOTD World Cup Top 10: Greatest World Cup Goals (S). 2.30 MOTD Live: Fifa World Cup 2022 (S). 5.25 BBC News; Weather (S). 5.40 Strictly Come Dancing: The Results (S).

6.45 Love Monster (R) (S). 6.50 Go Jetters (R) (S). 7.05 Hey Duggee (R) (S). 7.20 Shaun The Sheep (R) (S). 7.30 Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed! (R) (S). 7.40 Ninja Express (R) (S). 7.55 The Deep (R) (S). 8.15 Odd Squad (R) (S). 8.30 One Zoo Three (R) (S). 8.50 Newsround (S). 9.00 Deadly Pole To Pole (R) (S). 10.00 FILM: Strange Magic (GaryRydstrom 2015) (S). 11.30 Mountain Vets (R) (S). 12.00 TopOfThe Shop With Tom Kerridge (R) (S). 1.00 Britain’s Secret Seas (R) (S). 2.00 FILM: Operation Crossbow (Michael Anderson 1965) (S). 3.50 Flog It! (R) (S). 4.50 FILM: Nativity! (Debbie Isitt 2009) (S).

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.00 CITV 9.25 ITV News (S). 9.30 James Martin’s Saturday Morning At Christmas (S). 11.40 John And Lisa’s Christmas Kitchen (S). 12.45 James Martin’s American Adventure (R) (S). 1.45 ITV News; Weather (S). 2.00 Fifa World Cup 2022 Group Awinners vs Group Brunners-up. Kick-off is at 3pm (S). 5.15 In For APenny (R)(S). 5.45 ITV News; Weather (S).

6.00 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 6.15 Fifa World Cup 2022 Group Cwinners vs Group Drunners-up. Kick-off is at 7pm (S). 9.15 The 1% Club Quiz, hosted by Lee Mack (R) (S).

Pie –Don McLean Acelebration of the singer songwriter’s 1971 release (R) (S).

11.10 Sounds ForSaturday: Don McLean (R) (S). 11.45 Johnny Marr At 6 Music Festival 2022 (S).

1.00 FILM: The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola 1974) Thriller,starring Gene Hackman (S). 2.50 The Millionaire’s Gift Guide (R) (S). 3.50 This Is BBC Two (S).

10.15 ITV News; Weather (S). 10.30 FILM: Pretty Woman (1990) Romantic comedy,starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere (S).

12.45 Shop: Ideal World 3.00 Unforgettable World Cups (R) (S). 3.50 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05 Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook (R) (S).

DIRTY DANCING

(Channel 5, 6.20pm)

Jennifer

The great (if often very 1980s-sounding for a film set in the1960s) soundtrack includes the Oscar-winning (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.

NATIVITY!

(BBC2, 4.50pm)

This feelgood festive movie (which spawned three sequels and astage show) is set in overcast Coventry, where teacher Paul Maddens (Martin

Freeman) reluctantly takes charge of the nativity play at St Bernadette’s

primaryschool as afarewell gifttooutgoing headmistress Mrs Bevan (Pam Ferris). To help Paul in this hour of need, he is assigned an odd classroom assistant, Mr Poppy (Marc Wootton).

Grey plays the idealistic teenager Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman, who goes to asummer camp with her wellheeled parents. When resident dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze, pictured) needs someone to fill in for his partner (Cynthia Rhodes, whose storyline proves that Dirty Dancing isn’t as fluffyassome people remember), Baby steps in and is soon receiving lessons in love as well as lifts.

6.15 The King Of Queens (R) (S).

7.00 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.15 Frasier (R) (S). 9.15

The Simpsons (R) (S). 9.40 The Simpsons (R) (S). 10.10 The Simpsons (R) (S). 10.40 The Simpsons (R) (S). 11.10 The Bear (R) (S). 11.40 We’re Going

On ABear Hunt (R) (S). 12.15

Father Christmas (R) (S). 12.45

The Snowman (R) (S). 1.20 The Snowman And The Snowdog (R) (S). 1.55 Four In ABed (R) (S). 2.25 Four In ABed (R) (S). 2.55 Four In ABed (R) (S). 3.30 Four In ABed (R) (S). 4.05 Four In ABed (R) (S). 4.35 World’s

Greatest Train Journeys From Above (S). 5.30 Christmas At Castle Howard (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 10.00 SpongeBob SquarePants (R) (S). 10.15 SpongeBob SquarePants (R) (S). 10.25 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 10.35 Friends (R) (S). 11.05 FILM: AWelcome Home Christmas (Brian Herzlinger 2020) Premiere. Romantic drama, starring Jana Kramer (S). 1.00 FILM: AVeryMerryBridesmaid (David IStrasser 2021) Premiere. Festive romance, starring Emily Osment and Casey Deidrick (S). 2.50 FILM: Christmas In Montana (TW Peacocke 2019) Romantic drama, starring Kellie Martin (S). 4.35 FILM: Mistletoe Time Machine (Virginia Abramovich 2022) (S).

Sport

MANCHESTER UNITED VASTON VILLA

6.00 Futurama (R) (S). 6.30 Futurama (R) (S). 7.00 Futurama (R) (S). 7.30 Futurama (R) (S). 8.00 Will &Grace (R) (S). 8.30 Will &Grace (R) (S). 9.00 Will & Grace (R) (S). 9.30 Will &Grace (R) (S). 10.00 Will &Grace (R) (S). 10.30 Soccer AM With John Fendley and Jimmy Bullard. 12.00 Live WSL Manchester United vs Aston Villa. Kick-off is at 12.30pm (R). 3.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 3.30 The Simpsons (R) (S). 4.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 4.25 The Simpsons (R) (S). 4.50 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.15 Legends Of The Pharaohs (R).

6.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 6.20 Coronation Street Omnibus (S). 10.10 Dress To Impress (S). 11.10 Dress To Impress (S). 12.10 I’m ACelebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! Coming Out (S). 1.15 In ForAChristmas Penny (S). 2.00 Family Fortunes (S). 3.05 FILM: Flushed Away (David Bowers, Sam Fell 2006) Animated comedy,featuring the voice of Hugh Jackman (S). 4.50 FILM: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White And Blonde (Charles HermanWurmfeld 2003) Comedy sequel, starring Reese Witherspoon (S).

6.00 Bless This House (S). 6.35 Maigret (S). 8.10 ATouch Of Frost (S). 10.20 ATouch Of Frost (S). 12.35 ATouch Of Frost (S). 2.45 Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 5.00 Midsomer Murders (S).

8.55 Food Unwrapped (S). 9.30 APlace In The Sun: Home Or Away (S). 10.25 APlace In The Sun: Home Or Away (S). 11.25 A Place In The Sun: Home Or Away (S). 12.30 Location, Location, Location (S). 1.30 Location, Location, Location (S). 2.35

Come Dine With Me (S). 3.05

Come Dine With Me (S). 3.40

Come Dine With Me (S). 4.10

Come Dine With Me (S). 4.40

Come Dine With Me (S). 5.10

Four In ABed (S). 5.45 Four In ABed (S).

of the week takes place at Ambles House in Northampton (S). 6.50 Four In ABed (S).

7.00 FILM: Titanic (1997) Romantic drama, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio (S).

9.20

Tommy Cooper: 30 Funniest Moments

The most memorable sketches and routines from the comedian’s career (R) (S).

7.00 Raiders Of The Lost Past With Janina Ramirez (S).

7.15 Shark With Steve Backshall The naturalist celebrates the diversity of sharks in the oceans (R) (S).

7.00 Midsomer Murders

Aformer supermodel is murdered during a comic convention (S).

7.25 Four In ABed The B&B owners meet up for a final showdown (S). 7.55 24 Hours In A&E: HeartSpecial (S).

11.15 FILM: AFistful Of Dollars (1964) Western, starring Clint Eastwood (S).

9.00 Señorita 89

Valenzuela’s widow appears on television, asking for help (S). 9.45 Señorita 89 (S).

9.15 FILM: Spider-Man (2002) Comic-book adventure, starring Tobey Maguire (R) (S).

9.00 FILM: Love Actually (2003) Romantic comedy,with Hugh Grant and Martine McCutcheon (S).

9.00 Midsomer Murders

Tragedy strikes at a family friend’s wedding (S).

9.00 24 Hours In A&E A woman with asevere formofautism is brought in by her sister (S).

11.00 To The Manor Born Audrey injures her back (S).

11.30 The Young Ones The students decide to throw aparty (S).

11.30 Never Mind The Buzzcocks With Ellie Goulding, TomGrennan and Yungblud (R) (S).

RADIO 4EXTRA

11.45 Family Guy Peter and Quagmire help Mortwith his financial troubles (S).

11.00

11.10

Jane Austen’s Sanditon Edward attempts to exploit Clara’s predicament for his own ends (S).

8Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown With Joe Wilkinson, Seann Walsh, Danny Dyer and Bill Bailey (S).

THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE

BBC1, 5.30pm

Prince William’s environmental awards were inspired by President John FKennedy’s moonshot –after all, if scientists could solve the problem of landing aman on the moon, surely we can also come up with ways to solve the problems facing the Earth? So, it makes sense that this year the ceremony is coming from JFK’s birthplace of Boston. It will reveal which five environmental solutions from ashortlist of 15 finalist will be awarded £1 million each to further their work.

As Prince William points out, all of the nominees deserve praise He says: “They are directing their time, energy,and talent towards bold solutions with the power to not only solve our planet’s greatest environmental challenges, but to create healthier,more prosperous, and more sustainable communities for generations to come.”

This year,British projects have made theirway on to the shortlist, including London start-up Notpla, which makes packaging from seaweed and plants as an alternative to single-use plastic.

Co-Founder &CEO,Pierre Paslier explains: “Fourteen million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans each year.Wefounded Notpla when we discovered the solution lies in our oceanstoo. We are already replacing plastic that plagues our seas, and working with seaweed farms that give back to the environment and the local economy “Thank you for recognising us as we take our next big step and eliminate single-use plastic for good!”

Meanwhile, Low Carbon Materials (LCM) is based in County Durham and uses unrecyclable plastic waste to make concrete blocks without carbon emissions.

CEO Natasha Boulding says: “Until now, construction has been one of the hardest industries to decarbonise. With LCM, that could all change. We’ve turned concrete net zero and now we need

the world to start using it. We’re so excited to be a finalist of The Earthshot Prize and to be recognised for our work to fixour climate.”

There’s also astrong showing from the Netherlands –it’s given us the Great Bubble Barrier, which sees air pumped through aperforated tube to create acurtain of bubbles, which brings plastic up to the surface and into awaste collection system, and the City of Amsterdam Circular Economy group, which wants to see nothingwasted and everything recycled in the Netherland’s capital by 2050.

That’s an ambitious goal, but as Prince William has pointed out, big ideas and actions are needed.

He says: “The Earth is at atipping point and we face astark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet, or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve. People can achieve great things.The next tenyears present us with one of our greatest tests –adecade of action to repair the Earth.”

Hopefully,tonight’s winners will all play apart in those repairs as well as protecting the planet for more years to come.

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.00 Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg (S). 10.00 Politics England (S). 10.30 My Life At Christmas With Sally Phillips (S). 11.30 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.00 Bargain Hunt (S). 1.00 BBC News; Weather (S). 1.15 Songs Of Praise (S). 1.55 Money For Nothing (R) (S). 2.30 MOTD Live: Fifa World Cup 2022 Group D winners vs Group Crunners-up. Kick-off is at 3pm (S). 5.10 BBC News; Weather (S). 5.30 The Earthshot Prize 2022 (S).

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.20 Gardeners’ World Winter Specials (R) (S). 7.20 Countryfile (R) (S). 8.15 Landward (S). 8.45

This Farming Life (R) (S). 9.45

Saturday Kitchen Best Bites (S). 11.15 MaryBerry’s Country House Secrets (R) (S). 12.15 Top Of The Shop With TomKerridge (R)(S). 1.15 AToZOfChristmas Cooking (R) (S). 2.00 FILM:

The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger 1943) (S). 4.40 Snow Monkeys: Natural World (R) (S). 5.30 Flog It! (R) (S).

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.00 CITV 9.25 Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh (S). 11.20 Love Your Garden (R) (S). 11.50 John And Lisa’s Christmas Kitchen (R) (S). 12.50 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.00 English Football League Highlights (R) (S). 2.00 Fifa World Cup 2022 Group Dwinners vs Group Crunners-up. Kick-off is at 3pm (S). 5.15 Tipping Point: Best Ever Finals (R) (S). 5.40 ITV News; Weather (S). 5.50 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

6.00 Fifa World Cup 2022 Group Bwinners vs Group Arunners-up. Kick-off is at 7pm (S).

Dickinson 2021) Premiere. Drama, starring Patrick Gibson (S). 12.20 QI (R) (S). 12.55 Sign Zone: Question Time (R) (S). 1.55 Sign Zone: Ambulance (R) (S). 2.55 This Is BBC Two (S).

9.15 It’ll Be Alright On The Night Television disasters featuring Elton John, Bradley Walsh, Ant and Dec, and others (R) (S).

10.20 ITV News; Weather (S). 10.30 FILM: Wonder Woman (2017) Fantasy adventure, starring Gal Gadot (S).

1.05 Shop: Ideal World 3.00 MotorsportUK (R) (S). 3.50 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05 Euro 96 England vs Netherlands –ITV Football Classics (R) (S).

WONDER WOMAN (ITV,10.30pm)

Diana (Gal Gadot, pictured) is an Amazonian princess who lives on the island of Themyscira under the benevolent rule of her mother,Queen Hippolyta. During the First World War, handsome US Army spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash-lands in the sea close to the island. He tells the Amazons about the conflict with the Germans, whose forces are marshalled by iron-fisted General Erich Ludendorff.Horrified by mankind’s self destruction, Diana bids tearful farewell to her clan and prepares to head to the front, via London.

COW (BBC2,

10.30pm)

Andrea Arnold OBEhas won three juryprizes at the Cannes Film Festival forher dramaticfeaturesRed Road, Fish Tank and American Honey.Cow is her

debutfeaturedocumentaryand,asthe title suggests, exploresthe day-to-day life of adairy animal called Luma. The film opens with the animalgivingbirth to acalf,but the pair are quickly separated on an industrial farm where time is precious and the herd must be quickly and efficiently milkedfor profit.

6.05 The King Of Queens (R) (S). 6.30 The King Of Queens (R) (S).

6.50 The King Of Queens (R) (S).

7.15 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 7.40 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.05 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

9.00 The Simpsons (R) (S).

9.30 Sunday Brunch (S). 12.30 The Simpsons (R) (S). 12.55 The Simpsons (R) (S). 1.25 The Simpsons (R) (S). 1.50 FILM: Bee Movie (Steve Hickner,Simon JSmith 2007) Animated comedy, with the voice of Jerry Seinfeld (S). 3.40 Jamie: Together At Christmas (R) (S). 4.45 FILM: Deck The Halls (John Whitesell 2006) (S).

6.30 Channel 4News (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 10.00 SpongeBob SquarePants (R) (S).

10.15 SpongeBob SquarePants (R) (S). 10.25 Entertainment News On 5 (S). 10.30 NFL End Zone (S). 11.00 FILM: ACountry Christmas Harmony (Edmund Entin, GaryEntin 2022) Premiere. Romantic drama, starring Brooke Elliott and Brandon Quinn (S). 12.45 FILM: Candy Coated Christmas (Ellie Kanner 2021) Premiere. Romantic comedy, starring Molly McCook (S). 2.35 FILM: Jack Frost (Troy Miller 1998) Family fantasy drama, starring Michael Keaton (S). 4.40 FILM: Scrooge (Ronald Neame 1970) Musical fantasy,starring AlbertFinney (S).

6.00 Trolls: Trollstopia (R) (S). 8.05 The Simpsons (R) (S). 8.35 The Simpsons (R) (S). 9.05 The Simpsons (R) (S). 9.35 The Simpsons (R) (S). 10.05 Futurama (R) (S). 10.35 Futurama (R) (S). 11.05 Futurama (R) (S). 11.35 Futurama (R) (S). 12.00 Dogs: An Amazing Animal Family (R) (S). 1.00 Dogs: An Amazing Animal Family (R) (S). 2.00 Dogs: An Amazing Animal Family (R) (S). 3.00 David Attenborough’s Conquest Of The Skies (R) (S). 4.00 UFO (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R). 5.30 The Simpsons (R) (S).

6.00 Unwind With ITV (S). 6.25

Love Bites (S). 7.25 Love Bites (S). 8.15 Dress To Impress (S). 9.15 Dress To Impress (S). 10.15 Dress To Impress (S). 11.20

Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow: Christmas Special (S). 12.20

Celebrity Catchphrase: Christmas Special (S). 1.25 In ForAPenny (S). 1.55 FILM: Rio (Carlos Saldanha 2011) Animated comedy,with the voice of Jesse Eisenberg (S). 3.50 FILM: Step Up (Anne Fletcher 2006) Romantic dance drama, with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan (S). 5.55 FILM: Coyote Ugly (David McNally 2000) Comedy drama, starring Piper Perabo (S).

6.00 Man About The House (S).

6.35 Emmerdale Omnibus (S). 9.20 ATouch Of Frost (S). 11.35

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 1.50

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S). 4.00

Agatha Christie’s Poirot (S).

8.55 George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces (S). 9.55 Ugly House To Lovely House With George Clarke (S). 11.00 George Clarke’s Old House, New Home (S). 12.00 Come Dine With Me (S). 12.35 Come Dine With Me (S). 1.05 Come Dine With Me (S). 1.40 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.10 Come Dine With Me (S). 2.40 Four In ABed (S). 3.15 Four In ABed (S). 3.50 Four In ABed (S). 4.20 Four In ABed (S). 4.55 Four In ABed (S). 5.25

Come Dine With Me (S). 5.55 Come Dine With Me (S).

6.25 Come Dine With Me (S). 6.55 Come Dine With Me (S).

7.00 Christmas At Liberty The famous London department store prepares for Christmas (R) (S).

8.00 Escape To The Chateau Dick and Angel visit one of the last unexplored areas of the attic (S).

9.00 The Handmaid’s Tale June and Serena form an unlikely duo (S).

7.00 Jackanory (S).

7.10 Animal Magic (S). 7.35 Think Of ANumber

An episode of the children’s science series from 1978 (S).

Saturday Night Live Keke Palmer is on hosting duties (R).

(2006) Romantic comedy,starring Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet (S).

7.30 Come Dine With Me Essex boy Mark try to impress his new Geordie chums (S).

Helicopter Medics Medics tryto keep aman alive after he hasaseizure (S). 12.10 999: On The Front Line (S). 1.15 24 Hours In A&E (S). 2.20 Emergency Helicopter Medics (S). 3.25 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.50 Close

Radio

BBC RADIO 4EXTRA

Christmas

presents

of

LIVE: WINTER ON THE FARM

Channel 5, 8.00pm

Just before the first series of Winter on the Farm aired this time last year,presenter Helen Skelton revealed that the cast and crew were worriedit wouldn’t go ahead.

Storm Barrahad been causing havocacross the UK, following on from Storm Arwen which battered the country aweek previously,and therefore the Channel 5showwas touch and go Thankfully it did, with Helenmaking it to Cannon Hall farm in South Yorkshire and announcing: “It has been really stormy over the last few hours, but we’re here, we’re in one piece, we’re relatively warm butwe’re definitely live!”

This Week on the Farm, Springtimeonthe Farm and Winter on the Farm have all been ratings winners.

As well as hosts Helen, AdamHenson, Jules Hudson and JB Gill, there have also been appearances by other popular Channel 5personalities, including Peter Wright and Julian Nortonfrom The Yorkshire Vet, Our Yorkshire Farm’s Reuben andAmanda Owen, as well as Ben Fogle, Graeme Hall and Stefan Gates.

Skelton started her TV career in children’s television, presenting Newsround and Blue Peter on CBBC. Since then, she has presented shows including Countryfile, Lorraine, ITV Tonight, as wellasseveral major sporting events.

The 39-year-old Cumbrian has received alot of praise for her live presenting while On the Farm and admits she’s been amazed at its popularity Helen told the DailyExpress: “I’m genuinely really overwhelmed at how into and behind this programme, you know,people are.”

She also thinksthat Cannon Hall’s farmingbrothers Rob and Dave Nicholson, who one critic called “the Ant and Dec of agriculture”,are akey factor

“The reason that On The Farm is asuccess is because Rob andDave have such amassive socialmedia following, that people are able to engage so easily,” she says.

“I think it’s definitely,you know,weare learning from them.”

“Peoplewant to know aboutBritish grown tea and British grownproduce.

“A lot of those little pointers and tipswere picking up from viewer suggestions you know

“It’s definitely atwo-way street. Ithink we learn every week about–God there’s always someone messaging in about the most random stuff

“It’s alearning curve forall of us Ithink.”

Tonight, Helen and Jules begin aweek of live wintery shows from the gorgeousCannon Hall Farm with Roband Dave and their Farmy Army of experts on hand to provide anecdotes and advice.

JB joins the team over the next four nights, along with The Yorkshire Vet’s Matthew Jackson-Smith and Shona Searson.

Expect plenty of pre-festive fun, withinsights into how the farm’s animals are adjusting to the colder months, beautifully shot films exploring the British countryside, plus acelebration of local crafts and producers, food and drink, and much more.

Although we’ve had some wind and rain lately,there is thankfullynosign that this year’s Winter on the Farm will be disruptedbythe weather

However,ifHelen is still in contention to win the Strictly Glitterball by the time thislive show goes out, shemay need to do squeeze in some training,and there could be a scheduling storm brewing

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.00 Breakfast (S). 9.15 Morning Live At Christmas (S). 10.00 ExpertWitness (S). 10.45 Claimed And Shamed (R) (S). 11.15 Homes Under The Hammer (R) (S). 12.15 Bargain Hunt (S). 1.00 BBC News; Weather (S). 1.30 BBC Regional News; Weather (S). 1.45 Doctors (S). 2.15 Planet Earth: An Elephant’s Tale (R) (S). 2.30 MOTD Live: Fifa World Cup 2022 (S). 5.15 BBC News At Six; Weather (S). 5.45 BBC Regional News; Weather (S).

6.15 My Life At Christmas

With Sally Phillips (R) (S).

7.15 Bargain Hunt (R) (S). 8.00

Sign Zone: MasterChef: The Professionals (R) (S). 9.00 BBC News (S). 10.00 BBC News (S).

12.15 Politics Live (S). 1.00

Best House In Town (R) (S). 1.45 Eggheads (R) (S). 2.15 Lightning (R) (S). 2.45 Fish Town (R) (S).

3.15 The Great British Sewing Bee (R) (S). 4.15 Back In Time

ForSchool (R) (S). 5.15 Flog It! (S).

In the event of World Cup 2022 matches not being shown the following schedule is subject to change:

6.00 Good Morning Britain (S). 9.00 Lorraine (S). 10.00 This Morning (S). 12.30 Loose Women (S). 1.30 ITV News; Weather (S). 1.55 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 2.00 Fifa World Cup 2022 Group Ewinners vs Group Frunners-up. Kick-off is at 3pm (S). 5.15 ITV Regional News; Weather (S). 5.45 ITV News; Weather (S).

Fifa World Cup 2022 Group Gwinners vs Group Hrunners-up. Kick-off is at 7pm (S).

University Challenge (S). 9.00 Trailblazers: ARocky Mountain Road Trip Ruby Wax, Mel Band Emily Atack visit a ghost town (S). 10.00 Motherland It is Mother’s Day and Julia is feeling completely ignored (R) (S). 10.30 Newsnight (S). 11.15 FILM: The Company YouKeep (2012) Thriller,directed by and starring RobertRedford (S). 1.10 Sign Zone: Countryfile (R) (S). 2.05 Sign Zone: The Secret Genius Of ModernLife (R) (S).

This Is BBC Two (S).

The Big Quiz: Coronation Street vs Emmerdale Stephen Mulhernhosts the annual clash (S).

ITV News; Weather (S). 10.50 ITV Regional News; Weather (S).

Bradley &Barney Walsh: Breaking Dad (R) (S).

All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite Hard-hitting action (R) (S). 1.25 Shop:Ideal World 3.00 Cooking With The Stars (R) (S). 3.50 Unwind With ITV (S). 5.05 The Cube (R) (S).

THE COMPANY YOUKEEP (BBC2,

11.15pm)

RobertRedford(pictured) directs this thriller about 1960s radicals whose past catches up to them. Susan Sarandon starsasa housewife who, after 30 years of living under an assumed identity,turns herself into the FBI over her partinrobberycarried out by an underground militant group. Her storyprompts ayoungjournalist to do some further digging, which leads him to discover that respectedlawyer Jim wasalso once partofthe cell. Realising he is now awanted manand amurder suspect, Jim goes on the run.

ROCKYIII

(ITV4, 9.00pm)

Sylvester Stallone wrote, directed and starred in this second sequel. The world heavyweight boxing champion settles down to alife of luxury– but a

cloud appears on thehorizon in the shape of brutal contender Clubber Lang (Mr T), whodemands a shot at thetitle. However,while Rocky is eager to take on thenew fighter, his trainer Micky doesn’t want him enteringthe ring against such abrute. Entertaining drama, with Talia Shire

6.05 Countdown (R) (S). 6.45 Cheers (R) (S). 7.10 Cheers (R) (S). 7.35 Everybody

Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 8.30 Everybody Loves Raymond (R) (S). 9.00 Frasier (R) (S). 9.30 Frasier (R) (S).

10.00 Frasier (R) (S). 10.30

Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA (R) (S). 11.25 Channel

4News Summary (S). 11.30 Chateau DIY (R) (S). 12.30

Steph’s Packed Lunch (S). 2.10

Countdown (S). 3.00 Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas (R) (S).

4.00 APlace In The Sun (S).

5.00 Four In ABed (R) (S). 5.30

Come Dine With Me (R) (S).

6.00 The Simpsons Bart persuades his family to go on acruise (R) (S).

6.00 Milkshake! 9.15 Jeremy Vine (S). 12.30 Bargain-Loving Brits In The Sun (R) (S). 1.25

5News At Lunchtime (S). 1.30

FILM: Christmas Unfiltered (Sarah Sherman, ZacharyRay Sherman 2021) Premiere. Festive fantasy,starring Alison Fernandez (S). 3.15 FILM: Much Ado About Christmas (Michael Damian 2021) Premiere. Festive fantasy, starring Susie Abromeit (S). 5.00 5News At 5 (S).

Sport

6.00 The Early Rundown (R).

6.30 The Early Rundown (R).

Sky Sports MainEvent, 6.00am Live coverage of day five of the First Test in the three-match series, which takes place at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. MONDAY 47

7.00 Kay Burley (R). 7.30 Kay Burley (R). 8.00 Hope For Wildlife (R) (S). 9.00 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 9.30 Nothing To Declare (R) (S). 10.00 Supergirl (R) (S). 11.00 NCIS: New Orleans (R). 12.00 NCIS: New Orleans (R) (S). 1.00 Hawaii Five-0 (R) (S). 2.00 S.W.A.T (R) (S). 3.00

Monkeys: An Amazing Animal Family (R) (S). 4.00 Will &Grace (R) (S). 4.30 Will &Grace (R) (S). 5.00 The Simpsons (R) (S). 5.30 Futurama (R) (S).

6.00 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 6.35 Totally Bonkers Guinness World Records (S). 7.00 The Cabins (S). 8.00 Love Bites (S). 9.00 Love Bites (S). 10.00 Dress To Impress (S). 11.00 Dress To Impress (S). 12.00 Rolling In It (S). 1.00 Family Fortunes (S). 2.00 Supermarket Sweep (S). 3.05 One Tree Hill (S). 4.00 Chuck (S). 5.00 Chuck (S).

6.00 Classic Coronation Street (S). 6.35 Classic Coronation Street (S). 7.00 Classic Emmerdale (S). 7.35 Classic Emmerdale (S). 8.05 Man About The House (S). 8.35 Man About The House (S). 9.10 Maigret (S). 10.25 Maigret (S). 11.35 Heartbeat (S). 12.35 Heartbeat (S). 1.40 Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.15 Classic Emmerdale (S). 2.50 Classic Coronation Street (S). 3.50 ATouch Of Frost (S).

7.00 Christmas University Challenge Edinburgh takes on Leicester (S).

7.30 Great American Railroad Journeys (S).

What We Were Watching Grace Dent examines the television schedules from 40 years ago (S).

The Magical World Of Julia Donaldson Celebration of the life and work of the bestselling children’s author (S). 10.00 AVeryBritish Romance With Lucy Worsley Romance in the Victorian age (S). 11.00 Horizon: The Lost Tribes Of Humanity An insight into pioneering research that sheds new light on humanity’s ancient ancestors (S). 12.00 Painting The Holy Land (S). 1.00 Great American Railroad Journeys (S). 1.30 The Magical World Of Julia Donaldson (S). 2.30 AVery BritishRomance With Lucy Worsley (S). 3.30 Close

8.10 David Attenborough’s Dragons AndDamsels The world of dragonflies and damselflies (R) (S).

9.15 FILM: Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) Comedy adventure sequel, starring Eddie Murphy (R) (S).

Celebrity Catchphrase: Christmas Special Stephen Mulhernhosts acelebrity special of the classic game show (S).

6.00 Futurama (R) (S). 6.30 The Simpsons Bart befriends an ageing film star (R) (S). 6.55 The Simpsons (R) (S). 8.00 Bob’s Burgers Linda finds apotato that resembles her late grandfather (S). 8.30 Bob’s Burgers (S). 9.00 Family Guy Peter and Chris go to Canada (S). 9.30 Family Guy The men go to aranch in order to regain their sense of masculinity (S). 10.00 Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich Olivia delves into the ever-expanding world of cam girls (S). 11.00 Family Guy Peter stars in his own children’s television show (S). 11.30 Family Guy With the guest voice of Ricky Gervais (S). 12.00 American Dad! (S). 12.30

American Dad! (S). 1.00 The Stand Up Sketch Show (S). 1.30

Stand Up Sketch Show (S).

Cracker Part one of two. An amnesiac may be amurderer (S).

6.55 Escape To The Chateau Dick and Angel prepare for Angel’s parents’ 50th wedding anniversary(S).

Coastal Railways With Julie Walters The actress travels along Scotland’s West Highland Railway (S). 11.05 24 Hours In A&E A nine-year-old boy is unable to move his limbs after falling on his head (S). 12.10 Emergency Helicopter Medics (S). 1.15 8Out Of 10 CatsDoes Countdown (S). 2.20 24 Hours In A&E (S). 3.25 Food Unwrapped (S). 3.50 Close

BBC RADIO 1 6.57am Newsbeat. 7.00 Radio 1Breakfast WithGreg James. 10.30 Newsbeat. 10.32 Rickie,MelvinAnd Charlie 12.45pm Newsbeat 1.00 Dean And Vicky 3.30 Newsbeat. 3.32 Going Home With VickAnd Jordan. 5.45 Newsbeat. 6.00 Radio 1’sFutureSounds WithClaraAmfo 7.00 Radio 1’s Hottest Records Of The Week. 8.00 Radio 1’sFuture Artists With Jack Saunders. 10.00 Radio 1’sPower Down Playlist With Sian Eleri. 11.00 Rock Show With Daniel PCarter 1am BBC Introducing Rock On Radio 1WithAlyx Holcombe. 2.00 Radio 1’sFuture Alternative 3.00 Radio 1’s Workout Anthems. 4.00 Radio 1Dance. 5.00 Radio 1Early Breakfast With Arielle Free. BBC RADIO 2 6.30am TheZoe Ball BreakfastShow. 9.30 KenBruce. 12noon Jeremy Vine 2.00 Scott Mills 4.00 SaraCox 6.30 SaraCox’s Half Wower 7.00 Jo Whiley’s Shiny Happy Playlist. Jo playsher favourite albumtracks andmusical gems rarelyheardonRadio 2. 7.30 Jo Whiley.Music andchat. 9.00 TheBlues Show With CerysMatthews. New and classic blues tracks. 10.00 Trevor Nelson’s Magnificent7 10.30 Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation. 12mdn’t OJ Borg 3.00 Pick Of The Pops 4.00 Early Breakfast Show BBC RADIO 3 6.30am Breakfast 9.00 EssentialClassics. 12noon Composer Of The Week: Franck. 1.00 Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert. 2.00 Afternoon Concert. 4.30 New Generation Artists. 5.00 In Tune 7.00 In Tune Mixtape.Aneclectic non-stop mixof music. 7.30 Radio 3In Concert. Martha Argerich andMaria Joao Pires performMozart’sPianoConcerto No 10 in E. 9.00 Ultimate Calm.OlafurArnaldsshares aselection of sleep-inspired music. 10.00 MusicMatters. 10.45 The Essay:ALandscapeFor Recovery. 11.00 Night Tracks. 12.30am Through The Night. BBC RADIO 4 6am Today. 9.00 Start The Week. 9.45 (LW) Daily Service 9.45 (FM) BookOfThe Week: NightTerrors. 10.00 Woman’sHour. 11.00 TheUntold 11.30 MichaelMorpurgo’sFolk Journeys. 12noon News 12.01 (LW) Shipp ng Forecast. 12.04 YouAnd Yours 12.57 Weather 1.00 The WorldAtOne. 1.45 Please Protect Abraham. 2.00 The Archers 2.15 Drama:Death Knock. 3.00 Nature Table. 3.30 The Food Programme 4.00 The Dying Of The Ice. 4.30 Bad Blood:The Story Of Eugenics 5.00 PM. 5.54 (LW) Shipping Forecast 5.57 Weather 6.00 Six O’Clock News. 6.30 I’m SorryIHaven’t AClue. Jack Dee hoststhe comedypanel game from Croydon’s FairfieldHalls 7.00 TheArchers 7.15 Front Row. Arts programme. 8.00 Putin.The story of Vladimir Putin’s earlylife. 8.30 CrossingContinents. Current affairs reports from around theworld 9.00 Falling Stars. 9.30 Start The Week. 10.00 The WorldTonight 10.45 Book At Bedtime: The IcePalace 11.00 The Witch Farm 11.30 Today In Parliament 12mdn’t News And Weather 12.30 Book Of The Week: NightTerrors 12.48 Shipping Forecast. 1.00 As BBC World Service. 5.20 ShippingForecast. 5.30 News Briefing 5.43 Prayer ForThe Day 5.45 FarmingToday 5.58 Tweet Of The Day BBC RADIO 4EXTRA 6am Peril At EndHouse 6.30 Master And Commander 7.00 Dearest Squirrel. 7.15 APassage To India 7.30 Dot. 8.00 BrothersInLaw 8.30 Legal, Decent, Honest And Truthful. 9.00 Dilemma. 9.30 RomanticFriction. 10.00 Evelyn Waugh –Put OutMore Flags 11.00 Peril At EndHouse. 11.30 MasterAnd Commander 12noon Dearest Squirrel. 12.15 APassage To India. 12.30 Dot. 1.00 Brothers In Law 1.30 Legal,Decent, Honest And Truthful 2.00 Dilemma. 2.30 Romantic Friction. 3.00 Evelyn Waugh –Put OutMoreFlags 4.00 Peril At EndHouse. 4.30 Master And Commander 5.00 Dearest Squirrel. 5.15 APassage To India 5.30 Dot 6.00 Brothers In Law. 6.30 Legal, Decent, Honest AndTruthful 7.00 Dilemma. 7.30 Romantic Friction. 8.00 Radiolab. 8.55 InheritanceTracks. 9.00 Unreal: ACritical History Of RealityTV. 10.00 Comedy Club. 10.00 ComedyClub: I’m SorryIHaven’t AClue 10.30 Comedy Club: Dave Podmore’s WorldOfCricket. 11.00 ComedyClub: The NowShow 11.30 Comedy Club: As Told To CraigBrown. 12mdn’t Evelyn Waugh –Put Out MoreFlags. 1.00 Peril At End House. 1.30 Master And Commander 2.00 DearestSquirrel. 2.15 A Passage To India 2.30 Dot 3.00 BrothersInLaw 3.30 Legal, Decent, Honest And Truthful. 4.00 Dilemma. 4.30 RomanticFriction 5.00 Evelyn Waugh –Put Out More Flags BBC 5LIVE 6am 5LiveBreakfast. 9.00 Nicky Campbell. 11.00 Naga Munchetty 2pm 5LiveSport 3.00 World Cup 2022 5.00 World Cup 2022. 5.30 5LiveNews. 6.30 5Live Sport. 7.00 WorldCup 2022. 9.00 World Cup 2022. 10.00 ColinMurray 1am Dotun Adebayo. 5.00 Wake Up To Money BBC 6MUSIC 7.30am Lauren Laverne. 10.30 MaryAnne Hobbs. 1pm Craig Charles. 4.00 Steve Lamacq. 7.00 Marc Riley 9.00 TomRobinson. 12mdn’t Kendrick Lamar At The BBC. 2.00 Kendrick Lamar Live 3.00 Kendrick LamarTalksToMary.Anne Hobbs. 4.00 The Kendrick Lamar Playlist. 5.00 Chris Hawkins CLASSIC FM 6am More Music Breakfast. 9.00 Alexander Armstrong 12noon Anne-Marie Minha l. 4.00 John Brunning. Old favouritesand new discoveries. 7.00 Smooth ClassicsAtSeven 10.00 Smooth Classics. WithMargheritaTaylor. 1am Bill Overton 4.00 Early Breakfast.

6am Dave Berry 10.00 Leona Graham 1pm Sarah Champion. 4.00 Bush And Richie 7.00 Danielle Perry. 10.00 Jay Lawrence. 1am Dan Noble December5

your umbrella in Europe’s wettestcities!

Winter is here and, in many places,itbringsthe well-known, beautiful“Indian summer” when thesun makesthe trees shineinthe most beautifulcol ours.However,there arealso downsides: lots of rain andcool temperatures

Holidu,the bookingportalfor holidayrentals,decidedtoseek outthe cities whereitrains the most!The cities were ranked basedontheir averagenumber of rainydaysper monthaswell as theaveragedaily rainfall

Youcan be sure of onething –the generous amount of rain that these places receivedoes wondersfor how these cities look.Lush, greenlandscapes awaityou!

Bergen,Norway

Securing the number one spot as therainiestcityinEu rope is Bergen.Topping the ta blefor beingboththe city with thehighest averageraindays permonth (12.7) as well as the highestaverage dailyrainfall (8.8mm), Bergen is theoutright rainiest city in Europe.But don’tlet this putyou off. Locat ed on thesouth-western coastof thecountry,Bergenisnestled amonglushgreen mountains andimpressivefjords,makingit an ideallocationfor lovers of the outdoors.

Sunderland, UK

Thesecondrainiestcityin Europe is Sunderland which sits directly on theNorth Sea. Sunderlandhas relatively high rainfall allyearround,but es pecially in thewintermonths of December andJanuary when theaverageis15rainy days permonth.AccordingtoWorld WeatherOnline, thefewest rainydaysoccur in April(seven permonth), so you mighteven be able to enjoy aday at the beach. If it does rain,you can pass thetimeinone of themu seums, forexample.

Glasgow, UK

Duetoits northernlocation andproximity tothe Atlantic Ocean, Glasgowhas amaritime climatecharacterisedbyhumid ityand falling rainfall through outthe year.The most rain falls here in Januaryand December, andthe least in April. ButGlas gow hasplentytooffer even in badweather.Why notvisit an artmuseum or pass away the (rainy)timewitha whisky tast ingin aquaintdistillery?

Topmarketpicks to visitfor a festive city breakthiswinter

CHRISTMASMARKETS

By Sarah Marshall

Weavingthrough wooden cabins, whilesipping aglass of mulled wine, theexperienceismuchmorethan buying gifts. This year,we’ll allbe pulling ourbelts alittletighter,but that doesn’tmeanmissing outona Christmas market getaway. These festivetrips promise afun shopping experience,without breaking the bank

Toulouse,France

When:Nov 25 to Dec 25

Thepinkcitydazzles in amul titude of multi-coloured lights at Christmas,whenthe city’s annual market is held in Capitole Square Thetownhallprovidesabackdrop foraChristmas village, with stall holdersselling localcrafts, regional foods, pottery, jewellery,candles, clothing andleather goods.Inbe tweenshopping, skateona200sq metre icerink(£4 for45minutes, skatehireincluded),and warm up with aligot aveyronnais, acheese andpotatopuree with garlic

n Thefour-star Le GrandBalcon Hotel(grandbalconhotel.com) is close to thePlace du Capitole,and offers agreat breakfastbuffetwith modern rooms. Doublesfrom£95 pernight with breakfast. Eurostar (eurostar.com) from London St Pan cras to Toulouse Matabiauvia Paris with one-wayticketsavailable from £72.

Salzburg,Austria

When:Various datesin Novem berand December

Multiple marketsare held in vil lagesonthe shores of Wolfgangsee, in Austria’sLakeDistrict. Eachis distinctive: in St Gilgen,the theme is Baroque-style art;inStWolf gang there’safocus on lanterns; whileStrobl takesgreat pride in itsold-fashioned stalls with wooden

roof tiles. To make thetripa real Christmas cracker, head to Salz burg’s famous market,which is less than an hour’s busrideaway.

n Thefour-star HotelSeerose hascharmingviews acrossLake Fuschl.Inntravel(inntravel.co.uk) offers threenights’ half boardfrom £585pp (two sharing) including flights andtransfers Stratford, UK

When:December 8to11

Harkingbacktoanhistorical eraofgrand banquets andelegant attire,Stratford’s award-winning Victorian-themedmarket provides visitors with an opportunitytofeel likeacharacter in aCharles Dick ensnovel.Deckedout in fine cos tumes,traderssellgifts andseason al produce, whilea stageinHenley Streethosts aprogramme of festive performances.A novelway to expe rience theevent is on acanal boat, travelling on asix-hour cruise from Drifters’boathirebased

n The48ftTeddingtonnarrow boat (sleepsfour) is availablefor a four-day weekendbreak for£572. Fuel charge is basedonuse,ap proximately£15-£20 perday.Visit drifters.co.uk

Krakow,Poland

When:Nov 25 to Dec 26

Spread acrossthe RynekGlowny centralsquare, Krakow’s Christ masmarket is the oldest in Poland

If you’venever tasted pierogi (a type of frieddumpling) before,this is theplace to do it –along with sweettreatssuchaspiernik gin gerbreads. Claspamug of warming grzane (mulled wine)whilebrows ingfor handmade decorationsand toys,thentakea horse-drawn car riage ride around thecitytosee the Krakow Szopki,acollectionofmin iature nativity scenes

n TheMetropolitanBoutiqueHo tel(hotelmetropolitan.pl)occupies arenovated 19th centurybuilding, perfectlyplaced betweenthe Old

Town Square andthe trendyKa zimierzdistrict. Doublesfrom£53 pernight with breakfast. WizzAir (wizzair.com) fliesfromLondonLu tontoKrakowfrom£26

Lisbon,Portugal

When:Nov 18 to Jan6

Portugal’s lively capitalisideal fora festiveshoppingbreak in mild er temperatures.Wooden chalets aredottedaroundRossioSquare selling giftsand Portuguese sea sonaltreats, includingsaltcod, ra banadas(similar to French toast), porcopreto (black pig) sandwich es,dried fruitand mulled wine.A Christmas train provides enter tainment, although even bigger ridescan be foundatWonderland Lisboa in Parque EduardoVII

n Find AvaniAvenidaLiberdade (avanihotels.com/en/lisbon)on themainshoppingstreet.Doubles from £82per nightwithbreakfast Flights with easyjetfromGatwick startfromaround£66 oneway

Don’tforget

Whilelengthy queues in department stores can make Christmasshop ping abore, tradition al marketshavealways been averydifferent story.

Christmas market in Toulouse,south west France

ChristmasMarket at WolfgangseeinAustria

Horse-drawncarriageatthe Krakow market

Bergen is therainiestcity

EVANS

Of Craven Arms, passed away peacefully at home on November 16, 2022, aged 77 years.

Much lovedHusband, Dad and Grandad.

Will be verysadlymissedby all his Family and Friends.

Funeral Service at Hereford CrematoriumonSaturday, December 3at11am

Dress code optional.

Fa mily flowers only, kind donations would be appreciated for the Severn Hospice.

Of Knighton.

Passed away peacefully on November 5, 2022.

Aged 87 years.

She will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Family flowers only

FuneralService willtake placeatStEdwards Church, Knighton Monday,December 5, 2022 at 12 noon.Followed by Burial at Knighton New Cemetery.

Donations,ifdesired to, Lepracy Mission aChristian Charity

Forfurther information please contact

A.WHUGHES

THOMAS

David Richard

yndraenog, Beguildy away tragically on November13, 2022, aged 46 years.

loved Son, Brother and greatly missed by mily and Friends.

Ser vice and at St Michael’s Beguildy on Saturday, 10, 2022 at 2pm.

Fa mil yf lo wers on ly Donations, if desired, to Wales Air Ambulance or St Michael’s Churchyard Fund.

Further inquiriesto

RDMILLS AND SONS Tel01597 840241

WEILAND MargeryOlivia (Marge)

Of Presteigne.

Passed away peacefully on November 20, 2022.

EBIKES FOR SALE

&SON

Independent Family Funeral Directors

Presteigne 01544 267778

ROGERS

MaryJane (Jane) nee Beamond

Aged 91 years.

Loving Wife of thelate Herbert, much Loved Mum of John,Barbara,Anne and the late Jill and Bill. Adored Nan and Great-Nan.

She will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Family flowers only

McLAUCHLAN

Susan

(M.B.E)

Of Presteigne.

Deputy Head Mistress of Presteigne School.

Passed away peacefully on October 27, 2022, aged 83 years.

She will be sadly missed by all her Family and Friends.

Funeral Service will take place at St David’s Church Whitton, Monday,December 5, 2022 at 2pm.

Donations, if desired to, St David’s Church Whitton.

Forfurther information please contact

A.WHUGHES &SON

Independent Family Funeral Directors

Presteigne: 01544 267778

Passed away peacefully on November 16, 2022, aged70 years.

Beloved Wife of John, loving Mother of Kim and much loved Grandmother to Saffron and Alexander

Jane will also be greatly missed by her Sister Maureen and her Cousin Sally

Funeral Service at St. John the Baptist Church, Bishops Castle, on December10, 2022 at 11am.

Family flowers only,donations, if desired,toLingen Davies Cancer Appeal and Midlands Air Ambulance.

Funeral Service will take place at St Andrews’s Church Presteigne, Monday,December 12, 2022 at 12 noon followed by Burial at Presteigne Cemetery.

Donations, if desiredto, British Heart Foundation for further information please contact

A.WHUGHES &SON

Independent Family Funeral Directors

Presteigne 01544 267778.

WANTED BY COLLECTOR ENAMEL SIGNS

Old bottles, pot lids, printed stoneware, advertising items. Coins, medals, gold and silver items.Cash paid. Anything old and interesting considered 07980 469859 /01743 361786

2022

No sightings and may have got into acar. Microchipped and wearing an orange collar. Much loved and missed. 01743 271564.

Emlyn

LOST

the Express &Star and ShropshireStar, is looking forpeople with experience and enthusiasm to join its team.

We areparticularly lookingfor:

•SpecialistCrime and Courts Correspondent– Achance to work one of Britain’snewsiestregions, offering an understanding and insightintothe challenges facing police as well as covering major court cases.

•SeniorNewsCorrespondents –Reporterswith relish who will bring in hardnewsstoriesand human interestfeatures, bringing in frontpageleads and substantial online trafficand able to take on lively and interesting background news features.

These areroles forambitious, dedicatedand enthusiastic journalists with aproventrack record

As amulti-media journalist, youmustbecomfortable producing contentfor all of our printand digital platforms –fromin-depth news features forour newspapers, to breaking news articles for our websites, as well as covering storiesastheyhappen on live blogs.

We arelooking forNCTJ-trained journalists, able to deliver accurate,entertaining copy to meetstrict deadlines. Afull, clean driving licence is required.

We will also consider NCTJ Diploma trained journalistswho are working towardstheirNQJ

This is abrilliantopportunity to join our newsroom, covering a diverse, vibrantand busy patch.

Benefits include acompetitive salary, 25 days’annual holidayand the chance to develop your career at Britain’slargest independent regional news company.

If youare interestedinthisrole,pleasesend acopyofyour CV and covering letter forthe attention of theeditor-in-chief, MartinWrightbyDecember 19, to:hr@claverleygroup.co.uk

EV6GTbecomes newKia flagship

Kiahas discontinued itsstriking-lookingStinger,withthe electric EV6GT taking themantleas the firm’s new flagshipinstead.

Firstintroduced in 2016,the Stinger showcased anew,moredynamic side to theSouth Korean firm,withthe car’s 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 mak ingitKia’s fastest-accelerating car formanyyears.Itcould manage the 0-60mph sprint in 4.5 seconds.

However,the arrivalofthe newEV6 GT with its577bhp all-wheel-drive electric setuphas dashed theStinger’s performance figures. It cangofrom 0-60mph in under3.5 seconds, in fact, andtakes theplaceasKia’s most pow erfulproductioncar to date Paul Philpott, presidentand CEO of KiaUK, said:“Thelaunchofthe Stinger will go down as atransforma tive moment forKia.Its driver-focused ‘grand tourer’credentials, paired with

Kia’sreputationfor vehiclequality and

ling carfor drivers. At thesametime, it also hadatransformativeeffectonhow peoplesaw Kia.”

Kiahas stated that theStinger will remain in production in itsnative SouthKorea andall existing UK cus tomerorderswill be fulfilled.The EV6 GT,meanwhile,isnow availabletoor derahead of firstdeliveriescommenc inginthe finalquarter of 2022

Philpott added: “The EV6GTisthe ideal cartotakethe batonfromthe Stinger in theUK. Ourfutureproduct plan hasamajor focusonelectrifica tion,and globally Kiaplans to offera line-upof14EVs by 2027.Combining high-performance capabilities with an incredible design andalong-range electric powertrain,the EV6GTisan importantpartofthisplan, andatrue new flagshipfor theKia brand.”

design,madeitanincrediblycompel

KiaStinger

Kia’snew EV6GT

Winnersinthe spotlight on anight of celebration

MALCOLM FLETCHER sports@mnamedia.co.uk

Memories of thepast came flooding back as Shropshire’s biggest bowlingleaguesuccess fullyre-launched itsan nual presentation dinner.

TheSPS Whitchurch League’s 2022 titlewinnerswerehonoured at thefunctionatthe town’s Civic Centre when 110peoplewere bookedtoattendafterathree-year hiatus causedbyCovid

Guestsofhonour included reigningBritish Senior Meritchampion Callum Wraight–who plays forArchibald Worthingtonin the league –countypresident Mike Potterand Warwick&Worcester presidentPhilEllett.

“It’sbeenalongtimesince we have been able to gettogetherto celebratethe season,” said happy league secretaryJulietteSire.

“Butweremembered thosewe

have lost with aminute’ssilence

“Itwas greattohearplayers chatting andcatchingupinarelaxedatmosphere, with greatfood andafew laughs too.

“I lost my voice–whichproved tricky trying to do theraffle! –and allin allitwas alovely evening.”

County presidentPottercon curred,saying: “Itwas agood eveningcelebrating theachieve mentsofteams/clubs andindividual

players throughthe 2022 season.”

Theicing on afantastic campaign fortreblestars Woore–winnersof the firstdivision, Shropshire Star Cupand JubileeDoubles triumphs –was forkey manGaryBefftobe presentedwiththe Individual Merit trophy.

Otherindividualtitle winners: Norman Ford Classic&Under-25 Merit, Ed Proudlove (Adderley);La dies Merit, HelenHinton (District);

Over-60s Merit, Alan Boulton(Ad derley); Under-21Merit,Ben Hin ton(District); Under-15 Merit, Ben Cutler (Edgmond).

St AlkmundsTrophy, Mike Mullock(District)&Dee Simcock (Chester Rd); Doubles, GeraintWil liams&AideHumphries (Ifton); Judith Purcelltrophy, Marie& Phil Scott(Hanmer); MixedDoubles, DerekWright&MoCorley(Wem USC)

Younggunsare making theirmarkinShropshire

It’s forever been agamethathas struggledtodispelits traditionally stuffy image.

Even today, when people think of chessclubs many will conjure up images of middle-agedmen sitting in thecorners of socialclubs huddledover chessboardsinnear silence.

Andwhile there’snodenying that thegameretains many of itstra ditional virtues, when it comesto thoseplaying thetimes area-chang ing, writes PeterKitchen

Morewomen andjuniorsare play ingthe game across Britainand the world –and nowhereelseisthat more clearthanhereinShropshire.

ShropshireJuniorsChess Club’s team is in astrong position to gain promotion in its firstseasonin the

national junior online league.The team lies eighth outof32teams in division five of the4NCLJuniorOn line League with oneround to go andthe topeightgoing up

Some of theclub’sconveyor belt of talent is also making thetransition to senior chess. SamHollands, CharlieBethune andRohan Easton have joined theShrewsbury-based Telepostclub,withHollandsand Bethunemakingappearances for theclub’sEteamin division twoof ShropshireChess League

Both Bethuneand Hollands pickedup victoriesasTelepostE secureda surprise 3-2derby win over senior clubmatesTelepostD last week

Thejuniorshavejoinedalong with promisingteenagerDan

Hilditch-Love, whoassists at the junior club andhas transferred from Newporttoplaytop board for Telepost Binthe county’stop flight. AnotherofTelepost’smembersis Kate Walker,who hasmadeaname forherself in recent yearsonthe weekendcongresscircuit picking up anumberoftop prizes in theface of verystrong competition.

Nick Holmes,a spokesmanfor the club,saidHollandshad rejoined the club aftergaining experience with ShropshireJuniors,and that the youngsterswerebeing mentored by club member Paul Billingtonand beinggiven theopportunitytogain experience of over-the-board competitive chess.

He addedthe club wasdelighted to welcome a“true newgeneration

of players” whichhesaidwas a “promising show of health forthe club andthe game”.

ShropshireJuniorshavewon theirpasttwo 4NCL Junior On line League matches4.5-3.5,with HilsmarkJuniors1 theirlatestvic tims.RudiBedford wonbothofhis matches, whileHollandspickedup awin andadrawand Henry Bedford pickedupone win.

Meanwhile, elsewhereinleague action it wasagreat week forthe TelfordclubinShropshireChess League division two. TelfordA made it four wins outoffour, going twopointsclear at thetop ofthe ta blethankstoa4-1 winover New port B. AndTelford Balso enjoyed a bigwin,winningalocal derbyaway atMaddocksC4.5-0.5

Whitchurch League winnerstakecentre stageatthe awards nightastheyshowoff thespoilsoftheir success

Double trophywinnerEdProudlove is pictured receiving onehis rewardsfromLinda Potter

Edgmond’s Shirley Hadley picks up thebestkept green awardfromW&W presidentPhilEllett

League presidentIsobel Jonesand officerSimon Fullardwith theveteransinter-league shield

League chiefs move to explain afternoonplans

MidShropshireBowling League chiefs have movedtoallay thecon cernsofother leaguesabout plans to launch anew afternoondivision next year.

They have writtentoofficers of theHighley,Shrewsbury Ladies, MidShropshireSeniorCitizensand TelfordLadiesAfternoon leaguesto explainthe proposal.

Theideaofa six-a-side division forbowlers of allagesand playedon either TuesdaysorThursdays af ternoons is thebrainchildofSteve Wall,the vice-chairmanofthe Mol sonCoors-backedMid Shropshire League

Andthe league’ssecretary Mal colm Fletcher hasnow contacted officials of allthe otherleagues as they have fixtures or competitions on thosedaystotry andexplain the situationfully.

“Delegates of our25clubs have been askedtogobacktotheir clubs to seeiftheyhaveany interest in joiningsuchadivisionnextyear–andonwhich afternoontheywould prefer to play,” said Fletcher

“Wehopetoget abetterideaby ourmeeting on December6,and if thereislittleinterestthe proposals will be withdrawn.

“Butifthere is ademand, the MSBL will caterfor it –and two clubshavealready expressedaninterest andwehavea potentialsponsorinthe pipeline.”

nn nn

Aworryinglackofinterestand cancelledbowls competitions is a growingconcern forShropshireLa dies association

Trying to find remedies wasdis cussed at thebody’sjoint endof season meetingand presentation eveningwiththe Shrewsbury La dies League held at Sinclair BC in Ketley,Telford

County secretaryHelen Clee said:“It wasa veryinformalaffair.

“The main comments from my self were around thefuture–or not –ofthe county,given thesmall numbersinterested in beingconsidered (for selection)

“And thefactwewereunableto play themajorityofour competi tionsdue to lack of interest.”

Such adropininterestisdisap pointing,given that Shropshire have such agood recordinthe Brit ishLadiescountychampionship, beingrunners-uptoYorkshire last season

nn nn

Achangeofheart hashelpedease ShropshireCrown GreenBowlingAssociation’s manpower crisis Mike Potter’syearascountypresidentwill endatFebruary’sAGM andhehad previously announced that thewishedtostand as county competitionsecretary at thesame time

ButTelford-based Potter told the latest county executivemeeting that, having received pleastocon tinueinchargeofcomps, he would nowstand forre-election.

If re-elected,Potterwillbein charge of next year’s Senior County Merit, from whichfourShropshire bowlerswill qualifyfor theBritish finals

Shropshirechiefs arestill search ingto find anew treasurer anda safeguarding officerfor 2023

Howell strikes to claimawinterwin

Quality, notquantity, wasthe key to success of the firstwinter onedaybowls competitionwithknock outtiesinShropshire.

Biggunsled by Callum Wraight, DerekWright, Stuart Rutter, Cedric Bancroft andAndyArm strong contested Saturday’s promo tion at Whitchurch’s District Club

ButitasAdderley’s IanHowell whocameout on topofthe 27 en triesashebeatPhilJones of Nant wich Park Road in the final.

AndorganiserJamie Brookes, the manbehindNorth Shropshire Parks’ boomingwinterseries, was happywiththe level of interest “BeforeI advertisedthe competi

tion Iwould have been contentto getbetween 16 and20entrantsin theinaugural onedayer,”hesaid.

“Sotostart offwith27taking part is brilliantand really encour aging.

“Itwas runwiththe sixround robingroup winnersand 10 next best in theaverages progressing into a13-up handicappedround of 16

“Fromthe quarter-finals it still handicappedbut 21-up–but I’mal ways open to suggestionssoaslight change in format mightbeconsid ered

“The finalwas wonbyIan How ell– whoqualified in 16th spot!He

beat Phil Jones 21-17and therewas some greatbowling throughoutthe day.”

Thetwo finalistsand Rutter all enjoyed sixwinsonthe dayand therewerefoursuccess forWraight, Will Brookes, CraigJones,Gary Whitehalland organiserBrookes nnn n Blooming success!Clubsponsor David Austin from DavidAustin Roseswas guestofhonourat Al brightonBowling Club’s annual dinner andpresentationnight.He presented allthe prizes,including the Rigley CuptoHelen Blunt,a keymember of Albrighton’s teams in theMid Shropshire League

Club going from strength to strength five yearson

Shrewsbury School of Boxing is celebrating five yearsinexistence andisthe only club in thetownregisteredfor boxers to take part in active bouts.

They have 40 people training with them on aregular basisat theOld Grange School on Mount PleasantRoad, including17junior fighters andtwo females, with eight beingmembersbeing active in tour naments.

Recently,atNewdigate Colliery Sports andSocialClubinBedworth, Welshpool-basedLennoxMcDonald took part in theWestMidlands fi nals of theNationalAssociation of Boys andGirls Clubscompetition Boxing in the70-75kg category, the18-year-old faced IsaacVander puye of StokeStaffsABC,and frus trated himwithslippingand great

PAUL JENKINS paul.jenkins@mnamedia.co.uk

lateralmovement.

McDonald landed multiple overhand rights alongwithsomeleft hookstobring aunanimous points win.

He then movedontothe quar ter-finals by beatingQasim Khan,a national championand EnglandinternationalfromOne Nation ABC, whohad an impressive record of 26 wins from 33 bouts.

ButMcDonaldwas unfazed, and boxedwithconfidencefrombellto bell,commandingthe pace of the bout andcounteringKhanagain andagain to againclaim aunani mous points win.

Buthis hopes of progressingto thesemi-finalended in heartbreak before theboutwhenhe fractured hisright thumbinsparringand had to pull outofthe tournament

Kian Evanshad alreadyhad to

pull outofthe same tournament at thestart duetounforeseencir cumstances,but he didenjoy success in onelastmonth hosted by Brooklands ABCand held at Bag geridge in Dudley

He faced apowerful lookinghome boxer ZidanHines butstopped him in theopening round afterlanding multipleshots whichprovedtoo fast andtoo accurate forthe Brooklands boxer to respond. Athree-shotcom binationsaw thereferee give Hines astandingcount,withhis corner throwing in thetowel shortlyafter.

Paul Dowler,who helped startthe Shrewsbury School of Boxing,said theclubhad gone from strength to strength sincestartingand they were lookingtobecome more active in competitions

He said:“We arethe only club in Shrewsbury registered forladsto boxand we have eightsofar,with an 80-per-centwin rate sincewe started, whichisprettygood for

such ayoung club.

“Meand Sam(fellow coachMa jski)are tryingtobring fighters through when they areready while encouraginganall inclusivefeelto theclubwhich includes youngsters, femalesand thosewho just want to trainbut don’tnecessarily want to fight.

“Boxingtrainingisagreat wayto keep fitand forthose with thetal entordrive to go on andparticipate in tournaments, theopportunities arethere

“InLennox’scasehewas very unluckytosustain thehandinjury as he wasgoing well in thetournament –but he looked greatin his twobouts, full of confidenceand twogood forexperienced fighters Histimewill come again.”

Shrewsbury School of Boxing is open threenightsaweekfor train ing, formoreinformation call 07536 003904 or e-mail shrewsbury schoolofboxing@outlook.com

LennoxMcDonald with coachesPaulDowlerand SamMajskiand right, alongsideanother of theclub’syoungboxersJackMacken

DavidAustinpresentsthe Rigley CuptoAlbrighton’sHelenBlunt

Worfieldsignoff theseasonwith aspecial night

WorfieldCricket Club have official ly putthe 2022 season to bedafter hostingasuccessfulannualawards evening.

Theseasonreportwas present ed by CharlieFox-Davies, whosaid it hadbeenatesting year forall teamswiththe first, second,and women’s firstelevensmaintaining theirleaguestatusdespite aseason plaguedwithinjuryand availability problems.

The firstteam finished theircam paignin stunningstyle,winning threeout of theirlastfourgames to remain in theBirmingham League Division Twowhilethe secondsalso finished strongly to maintain their ShropshireLeagueDivisionOne status

Thethirds finished mid-table in SundayDivisionone whilethe women’s firstteamcontinued their rebuilding by finishing fifthinthe West Midlands WomenLeaguePre mier Division

Some of thestand-out perfor mances were by firstteambatter BasitZaman,who scored 909Bir mingham League runs, 708ofthem in boundaries.Zaman will be back in themiddle forWorfieldnextsea sonafter recently agreeing anew deal with theclub.

CharlieCallaghan scored over a1,000 runs forthe club andOllie Wood scoredaseasonhigh208

Offthe field, Jennie Joneswas presented with an awardfor long servicetoWorfieldjunior cricket whilethe eveningalso sawpresidentRichard Garbettjoinedby seven otherformerpresidentsfor a photograph.

Dawley arethe talk of the town afteranother victory

Thereisjustnostopping Dawley Town this season, whatever thecom petition.

TheSalop LeisureLeaguePre mier Division leadersturnedtheir attentions to theShropshireSat urdayChallenge CuponSaturday, butthe outcome wasthe same as usualastheyextendedtheir perfect record to 14 wins from 14 gameson theirway throughtothe semi fi nals

Visiting Broseley hadnoanswer to theirfree-scoringhosts in as they were sweptaside 6-1.

CharlieKnowles ledthe charge with ahat-trick,and wasjoinedon thescoresheetbyDanielBeddows, George Lees andsubstituteBrodie Mcleod.Asa Deangrabbedalate consolation forBroseley Church StrettonTownalso booked theirplace in thelastfour but needed penaltiestoedgeout GobowenCeltic

Ed Rogers firedCelticinfront twiceduringtheir firsthalfonlyfor thehosts to hitbackthrough Jack Briscoe andJames Hill to make it 2-2atthe break.

Therewerenofurther goalsand it wasStrettonwho triumphed 5-4 from thespot.

Hodnet’s cuphopes areoverafter they went down 3-1awaytoWest Midlands League Division Oneout fitAllscottHeath

An owngaolgaveHodnetthe ad vantageathalf-time butHeath hit back in thesecondhalfthanks to twogoals from Ryan Mansell and onefromAiden Jehu

TheSalop League action saw PreesUnitedgogoalcrazy in their PremierDivisionclash with SAHA FC

Preesplundered 14 goalswithout replywithSamuelFlorytakingthe individual plaudits with ahat-trick

Alex Kirk,JoelBrowne, Daniel Whelan andLiamMoore allstruck twice. TomClive,Matthew Owen andan owngoalcompleted therout.

MadeleySportsbagged three goalsand threepointsatthe ex pense of Ercall ColtsJuniorsEvo lution

JasonIllingworth,Shaun Davies andRyanEdwards were on target forSportswithEricMensahbag ging oneinreply forErcall.

Shrewsbury Up &Comersleft it late to secure victoryawaytoSt Martins.

Thehome side ledathalf-time afterLogan Richards hadscored direct from acorner.

Jordan Bailey equalisedfor Shrewsbury with 75 minutes on theclock andthenOwenRothwell grabbedadramaticwinnerinstoppage time

MatthewStuartbagged both goalsasWrockwardineWood JuniorsbeatWem Town 2-0.

Wood’s victorypushwas also

helped by goalkeeper Kareem Zaman saving apenalty

Therewas just onegameinDivision Oneand that sawtitle hope fuls AFCBridgnorth Development Squad beat BrownClee2-0

Thethree points left second-placedBridgnorth levelon points with leadersWellingtonAmateurs Development having played agamemore.

Saturday’s fixtures -Premier

Division: Dawley Town vSAHA FC;Madeley Sports vChurch StrettonTown; PreesUnitedv St Martins; WemTownv Hodnet; Wrockwardine Wood Juniorsv Shrewsbury Up &Comers;Ercall ColtsJuniors EvolutionvGobowen

Celtic Division One: EllesmereRangersvWellingtonAmateursDevel opment;ShrewsburyJuniorsDevelopment vErcallColts Juniors Revolution Colts.

League Cup: Ercall ColtsJun iorsRangersv BrownClee.

Bridgnorthpull clearfollowing awelcome win

Twogoals in five second-half minutes earned AFCBridgnorth apriceless away victoryatrelegation rivals Ingles

Atense affair in Leicestershire sawthe sides– whobothstarted theday on 18 points just outside therelegationzone–goalless at thebreak,withneither unableto breakthe deadlock

Butthe Meadow Men burst into lifeafterthe interval with a quickfire doublethatcould prove crucialinthe race to climbaway from thedottedline.

Firstitwas thefamiliar fig ureofnine-goal topscorerCraig Knowles, whocoollyconverted a ball in from Will Reid

And, minutes laterwithIngles shell-shocked, ShaquilleOlogiteremadenomistake to adda second afterbeing foundbyMatt Dean.

Ingles struck back shortlyafterwards to create atense finale butthe visitors held on to put threepointsbetween themselves andtheir hostsand,moreimpor tantly,seven points clearofthe drop zone

Shawbury United areasin glepoint better offthantheir countyrivalsBridgnorthafter an important 2-1 victory of their ownagainst mid-tableSmeth wick Rangers.

It wasanexcitinglateshow for thehosts, whofound themselves agoaldown, whileCianFenlon wasinthe sinbin,withjust20 minutes to play butshowed characterinbucket-loadsto spark aturnaround.

Former Shrewsbury Town youngster MarcoAdaggio slid in at thefar post fora crucial equaliser.

It gotevenbetterfor thehosts down in Ludlow as ex-TNS and Cardifffull-back Ryan Pryce noddeddownand in at theback post from acornertocomplete theturnaround.

Apostponementsaw Haughmond drop to thefootofthe tableas rivals CradleyTown pickedupapoint elsewhere.

Mond,whose clashagainst leadersDudleyTownwas washed out, aresix points from safety butdo have acoupleof gamesinhandonsome rivals

In thePremier Division, Shif nalTown closed thegap on leadersWalsall Wood, whowere washed out, to eightpointswith a2-1 home winover Stourport Swifts.

Thewin wasinspiredbyAFC Telfordloanyoungster JezAbbey, who fireda first-half brace.

Whitchurch Alport versus Highgate United and Market DraytonTown’s home clash with DarlastonTownfellfoulto theweather.

EllesmereRangers were dramatic late winnersinthe NorthWestCountiesLeague Edward Case Cupsecondround

It appeared theSwans were headingout thanks to a1-0 defi citatCheadle Town,but quickfire goalsfromJackHarrisand Karl Bailey inside the final10 minutes turned thetie

PresidentRichard Garbettisjoinedbya number of WorfieldCricket Club’s former presidents at theawardsevening

Run-machine Charlie Callaghan with presidentRichard Garbett

JennieJones receives herlongserving awardfromGarbett

OllieWood,who scored aseason high 208, picks up hisaward

NICK ELWELL

nick.elwell@mnamedia.co.uk

Howzat foranight?

JONESBACKS HIS MENTOHIT BACK

Ludlow head coach MikeyJones is backing hismen to get back on trackafter they were knockedoff topspotin Regional 2WestMid lands.

A22-21 reverse at home to titlerivals Old Halesoniansmeant Ludlow slippeddowntofourthinthe standings,level on points with Malvern andWalsall,whilelastSaturday’s visitors movedintopoleposition.

Thesetback wasThe Linney men’sthird defeat in four outings, having started theseasonwithsev en straight wins

They will be lookingtobounce back on Saturday when they welcome Walsallinanother top-of-thetableclash

AndJones is backinghis troops to respond.

“Wehavefallenoff topspotnow andweare notfavouritesany more,” said Jones.

“Other people won’tbetalking about us as much,other than to say that we lost,and I’mOk with that “Wehad beentop of theleague fora whilebut nowthe pressure is offusalittlebit

“Wehavetwo home gamesonthe

bounce,big games, beforetravelling to Wolverhamptoninthe last game before Christmasand theplayers will be up forthose.And I’mbackingthemtobounceback.”

Jones hadnocomplaintsabout Saturday’s result as

“Wedidn’tdeservetowin,” he admitted

“Wewerenowhere near wherewe need to be

“Wehaven’t gota settled side at themoment.There arealot of differentcombinationseachweek down to injuries andavailability

“That is causingsome of the problems, butthe mentalityisalso letting us down

“Wekeepgivingawaycheap penalties andthatishurtingus.

“I have spoken to them about it andsohas theskipper

“Weneeda reaction now. We have to getbacktothe sort of rugbywe canplayand not letother things af fect us.”

Raife Hughes andRhysPerkins scored Ludlow’s triesagainst Stoke last Saturday with therestofthe points coming from thebootofWill Hodnet

Colts’ cuphopes dashed

On arainsoddened pitchitwas always goingtobeatough test andafternineminutes Coltsfound themselves 1-0down.

Ludlow cantake heartfromloss

Ludlow showed furthersigns of im provementintheir latest Midlands Hockey Division 4Westoutingbut arestill searchingfor their firstwin of theseason.

Third-placed Harborne were the visitors andany notion they had of an easy afternoonagainst base ment boys were quicklydispelled Ludlow produced arguably their best displayofthe season as they were edged out2-1

It wasthe home side whomade an impressive startand they rocked theirpromotion-chasing visitors with an earlygoal.

BrendanPratt wasthe manon target with just five minutesonthe clock. ButHarbornerallied and twostrikes either side of half-time nosedtheminfront

Forthe last 30 minutes Ludlow putthe visitors’goalunder constantpressurebut failed to find the breakthrough

Ludlow areontheir travels on Saturday when they head to ninthplaced Lichfield.

Clee Hill aiming to bounce back

Clee Hillwill be lookingtoget back on track in rugby’sCounties 2MidlandsWest(North) on Saturday

They head to Oswestry on thebackofsuccessivedefeats againstShropshirerivals, the latest of whch sawthemlose 42-7 to Newportseconds last Saturday –alossthatsaw them slip to fifthinthe table.

Therewerepre-match concerns that thegamewould go aheadfol lowing heavyrain, butitdid and thesides served up an impressive spectacle.

AndalthoughColts eventually went down 3-0toayoung

Thehosts responded butcouldn’t find away through before thebreak

In thesecondhalf, Coltsstart ed to pressmorebut were keptat bayand andwithHerefordcreating chancestheysoongot theirsecond.

Thevisitorsadded theirthird late on

Ludlow Town Coltssaw theirHer efordshireFootballAssociation County ChallengeCup hopesended by Hereford FC

Hereford, theycan be proudoftheir display.

Ludlow Coltstaketothe pitchwith theirunder-10s sideasmascots

NICK ELWELL nick.elwell@mnamedia.co.uk

Ludlow’s Raife Hughes bursts away from thescrum

Picture: Trevor Patchett