Teme Valley Times June/July 2021

June/July 2021

FREE Issue No. 88

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E-type 60 12 - 13 June 2021 9am — 5pm

Super 60s displays — E-types, Minis and Scooters • Hillclimb excitement • Live theatre events • Specialist exhibitors • Art, fashion and lifestyle

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Teme Valley Market New Kit for Tenbury United Tenbury United have a new home strip, courtesy of Tenburybased sponsors dhjh Accountants. Photo shows Tim Giles from dhjh (2nd from left), with (from left) Dan Spear, Aaron Morris and Matty Clent.

On May 9th the Teme Valley Market held its first full market since December last year so in addition to a range of local food and drink you could come away with many non-foodie items such as hanging baskets and plants.

The market is held at The Talbot inn, Knightwick and the next market is scheduled for June 13th, from 11am to 1.30pm. You can ring 01886 821235 to check details.

World’s oldest E-type 9600 HP is the oldest Jaguar E-type in the world. It is also the only remaining prototype and it appeared at the Geneva Motor Show for the E-type’s official launch in 1961. Locally-owned, it is set to be the star attraction at the E-type 60 event to be held at Shelsley Walsh on June 12th/13th see advert on the front page.

Community Shop for Orleton?

9 Hole Pay & Play Golf Course in attractive parkland setting

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A steering group, consisting of Liz Mackay, Miles Dearden, Mark Simmons and Ann Turtle, has been set up to look into Orleton’s village shop becoming a Community Shop, including exploring purchase options and investigating what loans and grants might be available.

The shop has been for sale for some time but health problems have added a note of urgency to the situation.

For more information, email SaveOrletonShop@gmail.com or ring Liz on 07484 679671 or Mark on 01568 782347.

We’re here to help Think local www.caleb-roberts.co.uk 62 High Street, Bromyard, Herefordshire, HR7 4AE T: 01885 483436 E: bromyard@caleb-roberts.co.uk

Other branches available at Brecon, Builth Wells, Dorrington, Knighton, Welshpool, Whitchurch

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Knowle: Sales Closed, Banks Open!

Audrey Taylor, the energy behind the popular Knowle Sports Club sales, recently gave us an update. The sales have, for many years, raised much needed funds for the upkeep and improvement of Knowle playing fields, which are the home of Clee Hill United Football Club.

She commented, “The support from local people in the form of donations to the sales over the years has been superb but the sales are now permanently closed. We do still have Clothes Banks at the site and we can still take books - so remember us when you are having a clear out - we are just up the Tenbury to Clee Hill road on the left.”

The Knowle sales have been a useful source of second hand items for nearly thirty years. Audrey began organising sales from the sheds at the playing fields site in 1992; before that she had started off fundraising by selling a few items from home. Latterly the sales were held on the first Saturday of the month from 8am - 11am and the sheds will be remembered as veritable Aladdin’s caves for those seeking bits and bobs or even things they never realised they needed!

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Victory Hall Back in Action!

Clows Top Victory Hall Committee eagerly made preparations for the long-awaited reopening of the Hall, which took place on Sunday 23rd May, with a special event. The Hall’s facilities provided a stop for over 1,000 cyclists taking part in the Mad March Hare Cycling Event, which started and ended at Longbridge, Birmingham.

The Hall had been closed for over a year. During this closure the Committee had carried out redecoration and improvement works, including measures to

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The Mad March Hare Cycling Event normally runs in March but was moved to May this year. The course is 66 miles; Clows Top is midway.

Victory Hall Committee Chairman Roger Dyer said “It has been a long time since we had to close the Hall doors so we saw this opportunity of helping the Mad March Hare Event as a real boost and makes all our recent efforts worthwhile.”

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Why get involved?

by Dr Ken Pollock, former Worcestershire County Council Councillor Why would anyone want to get involved in local politics, as it appears to bring a lot of bother and little reward? After 12 years as County Councillor for Tenbury Division, I may venture an opinion.

Any political organisation needs to listen to its constituents and one way of doing that – the best way – is through elected representatives.

Over those years I was in touch by email with more than 400 residents and, with luck, I may have helped some of them. Writing about 750 reports to parish councils means that those councillors heard about what was being done at County level, and some of the reports ended up on public websites.

Such is the way of communicating with the modern electorate, alongside local papers such as the Teme Valley Times and social media.

Elected representatives are probably the best way of getting your views heard by those in authority - you voted them in, so they’d better listen to you…

So how did it work out this year?

Despite having been in power nationally for 11 years, the Conservatives in Worcestershire did very well, increasing their seats from 41 to 45 (out of 57) while Labour collapsed from 9 to 3.

Malvern Hills was a bit out of step, returning only 3 Conservatives out

of 8 seats, alongside two Greens and two Independents and one Lib Dem. One of the Greens replaced the retiring Prof John Raine in Malvern, but she, Natalie McVey, lives in Tenbury, where she is also a town councillor; she is also a Malvern Hills District Councillor.

Three sitting Conservatives were defeated; the three successful ones are all new to County politics. Why this apparent rejection of sitting councillors? For myself, I was deselected, probably due to my living, for personal reasons, in Cheltenham. We recently looked over six houses in the Teme Valley, but failed to buy one. David Chambers takes over my seat. He is Chairman of the West Worcestershire Conservative Association that de-selected me, and several other serving Councillors.

Shropshire indulged in a similar cleansing of the stables, but the Conservatives retained control, with 43 councillors out of 74.

Nevertheless, they lost six seats, including the then Leader Peter Nutting. Staffordshire, by contrast, returned 57 Conservatives out of 62, up 6 on the day. There were no elections in Herefordshire.

I am sure the Conservatives, old and new, will do a great job of running Worcestershire, as they have in recent years. It was a privilege to

play a part in that.

The Tenbury Division, which I represented, is unusual in containing as many as 18 town and parish councils; this keeps their elected representative busy, trying to stay in touch.

Over the last few years, Tenbury has seen a good many changes: a significant transformation with the Public Realm work, but it took a long time and there were some fractious discussions; the Teme Bridge has been refurbished and is good for decades more; the High School has become an academy and the results are excellent.

Certainly, any success is due to the efforts of many people, not just the elected representative's. Left undone so far is a comprehensive flood protection system, but that depends on the Environment Agency. It's easy to duck some of the hard questions in a complicated society like ours…

What are the most common problems? Planning and housing are covered by the District Council, so those contentious areas rarely affect a County Councillor's brief.

Road repairs and the state of

pavements are frequent concerns, and such matters take a lot of time and a large percentage of council tax spending, but well behind “looked after” children and adult social care.

Sometimes one can make things happen and then residents are pleased. But is success here the result of someone else’s problem being pushed down the priority list? Maybe, but that is for others – the officers – to worry about. Your councillor should put you first, and never mind the rest…

Is it all selfless altruism? Well, no!

There is some cachet to being an elected representative and being respected by the public. Doing good, when possible, also helps, and brings its own rewards.

Overall, it has been a most enjoyable period for me. I have met great people and sometimes helped them and society in general. Maybe I have left the place a bit better? Pastures new beckon, but the rewards and challenges of the last 12 years will never be forgotten!

Teme Valley Times: our main circulation area and how to contact us Phone: 01584 781762 Email: temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk Online: www.facebook.com/temevalleytimes Post: Teme Valley Times, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8LW Editor & Publisher: Chris Dell.

Deputy Editor: Lucy The Teme Valley Times is locally-owned and independent. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure that what we publish is accurate but no responsibility can be accepted for any errors, omissions, changes or cancellations. Check all information before making a commitment or a special trip. The contents of this publication (words, images & adverts) are protected by copyright. If you wish to reproduce anything you must first obtain written consent from the publisher.

    

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Village Hall For Sale

Pensax Village Hall hasn’t been used for some time and it is now for sale, with planning permission for change of use to a residential dwelling. This will be a big change for a building that has been part of the community for so long. It was opened in 1911. Those present at its official opening included Stanley Baldwin, who had become MP for Bewdley in 1908, and went on to become Prime Minister in 1923. He continued as Bewdley’s MP until 1937.

In the 1970s the Hall began to be used as a Thrift Shop, where people could buy or sell, or simply meet to socialise. Many people will remember it for this role, which it fulfilled for 45 years.

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Knightwick is on the Way! The Via Beata is a ‘way of blessing’ route that runs from Lowestoft to St David’s. It passes through Worcester, Bromyard and Hay on Wye and the project has chosen the Talbot at Knightwick as a ‘way-station’ destination.

A special bench (see photo) inscribed with the words ‘Love keeps no record of wrongs.... Love never fails’, was commissioned to mark the Knightwick way point and it was unveiled with accompanying singing and dancing outside the pub on May 24th.

Steve Eggleton from Via Beata supplied the following: “The project has been running since 2009, and is well on the way to establishing a trail of art-works across the U.K. from Lowestoft in the East, to St. David’s in the West. The art-works/sculptures are designed to communicate the Christian Gospel of Jesus in an attractive and accessible way to people of all ages.

The art-works are being produced in a variety of ways. Some of them have been commissioned from professional sculptors. Some have been made in a workshop environment with church or community groups, youth camps and at festivals along the route.

The way-stations are being linked by existing footpaths, trails and rights of way, to make a complete trail for walkers/cyclists/horse riders, and even donkeys! The carved bench at the Talbot Inn at Knightwick was made by a local team of volunteers here in Banham, Norfolk. It depicts Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan. It also bears the words of St. Paul’s wonderful summing-up of genuine love

(1 Corinthians 13) that is so often read at weddings.

The parable illustrates this kind of godly love. It also chimes with the location of this way-station, since some years ago, Annie Clift, (who runs the Talbot Inn) once took a herd of donkeys on a sponsored walk from North Wales to Knightwick. The story of the Good Samaritan features both a donkey, and an inn.

It is a powerful parable which Jesus told in reply to cynical lawyer, who posed the question ‘Who is my neighbour?’

Like many of Jesus’ parables, this story has many layers. It ultimately speaks of Jesus himself, who gave up his life to redeem all of us who find ourselves beaten up, and lying on the side of the road in one way or another. He is always ready to come alongside, and is only a simple prayer away.”

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Local Accountant extends welcome Tim Giles FCCA of dhjh Tenbury Wells LLP is delighted to welcome Jo Unwin FCCA as a business Partner. Jo Unwin qualified as a Chartered Certified Accountant in 2014 and gained her fellowship in 2019. Jo has been working at dhjh since 2018 and is keen to expand the practice whilst maintaining the excellent customer service that they currently provide.

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View of the new hall by drone specialists Airscape Solutions

Stuart Ward (L) and Ron Wylde - two nephews of men who did not return from WW1

New Eastham Hall up and running!

The new Hall at Eastham was completed and ready to serve as a polling station for the May 6th elections. Thursday coffee mornings have restarted and the community garden, with benches and tables, is taking shape. Inside the hall, the Eastham & Orleton Great War Memorial Board is up on the wall, having been cleaned and restored by Kieran Elliot.

The hall has a kitchen, meeting room, main hall and broadband access. There are ideas of setting up fitness classes, ballroom dancing and table tennis. If you would like an excuse to pop down and have a look at the new hall, the village fete is on August 15th.

Rum from the Midlands!

Memorial Board restorer Kieran Elliot with Josie Ward, who organised the restoration

The main hall

The kitchen

Ludlow Hospital League of Friends Update

A new British White Rum named ‘Jester’ has been launched by Stratfordupon-Avon based Shakespeare Distillery, one of only a handful of distilleries in the UK to create their rum in its entirety onsite.

Rum’s unique flavour and alcohol comes from fermentation and the distillery’s fermentation is a 7-day process in which a unique combination of yeast, water and molasses bubbles away slowly. The rum is then twice distilled, and the result is white rum of 40% ABV. It is available in three bottle sizes (50cl, 20cl and 5cl) and a spiced version is also available.

We tried the unspiced version, which we found approachable, warming, fresh but mellow, and with hints of vanilla, caramel and nutmeg.

The following update is courtesy of Peter Corfield, Chairman of the League.

“The continuing effects of Covid-19 meant we were unable to meet for our November AGM last year or for routine quarterly updates. Hence we changed the format of our newsletter to allow the Trustees to present a précis of the Trustees Annual Report along with extracts from the Financial Statements, which would normally be presented at the AGM.” The Easter Weekend brought treats and Easter Cards to Ludlow Community Hospital, thanks to the League of Friends and Tesco. Peter said “Traditionally we have distributed Cards and Easter Eggs to our in-patients in Dinham Ward and our renal dialysis patients (who attend the unit three times a week). This year, because of Covid restrictions our members were unable to enter the Hospital but happily the staff stepped in to make sure all patients had their treat! We were also generously assisted by Dave Ashton, Manager of Tesco Ludlow, and his staff, with the contribution of the Easter Eggs. It was a wonderful gesture and yet another example of Tesco’s generous support for the Hospital and other local charities.”

The League has also announced the provision of two additional public access defibrillators. Purchased by the League, they will be installed at St Peter’s Church and the Methodist Church by LudlowDefib4You, who will also maintain the new total of eight defibrillators provided by the League - units are already located at The Mascall Centre, Homecare, Rockspring, Tesco, Assembly Rooms and Vision Homes.

The League will fund replacement batteries, electrodes and readikits of consumables for the next few years, whilst

familiarization training courses will continue to be provided by LudlowDefib4You. Recently the League has underwritten the costs of repair and refurbishment to two benches sited opposite the New Road entrance to Ludlow Hospital. One of the benches will commemorate the fundraising support for the hospital by the late Cyril Martin, of Clee Hill, over 25 years ago.

“Cyril used to organize walks and tours around the Clee Hill and Ludlow districts to raise significant funds for patient comforts and improvements to the facilities at the hospital.

The bench will be fully restored, courtesy of Graeme Perks and Ludlow War Memorial Committee, and a suitable commemorative plaque will also be provided” added Peter.

And finally, an appeal has been launched for more people to get involved with the League. Over the past 15 years, membership has dwindled from 1500 to 700 and there has been growing concern that the running of the League of Friends has become too dependent upon a diminishing number of activists who are getting older. The League said “We are re-shaping our Executive Committee and our Trustee Board and new opportunities will arise as a result.

We welcome new initiatives and ideas and all offers of help and there are no onerous or long-term commitments” If you would like to join the League or are interested in helping you can contact Peter Corfield, Chairman of the League of Friends on 01584 318468 or visit www.friendsofludlowhospital.co.uk

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Tenbury MP Harriett Baldwin

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Philip Dunne MP at a vaccine clinic at Ludlow

Local MPs support Volunteers West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin is encouraging local people to get on the starting blocks to take part in next year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. The event is scheduled for July and August and over 13,000 people will take part in helping to run and manage the games. Local people can find out more by visiting the games website: www.birmingham2022. com/get-involved/volunteering Harriett said “It is widely acknowledged that the London Olympic and Paralympic Games were made significantly better by the amazing army of volunteers and I know of many local people who took part in those games and took those skills into the next chapter of their working lives. I am sure that this will appeal to people of all ages but I hope young people will, in particular, see this as a way to learn new skills as well as taking part in a fabulous international sporting event. I hope people will be inspired to take part and that some of the 13,000 helpers will come from West Worcestershire, helping to make the Commonwealth Games 2022 a stunning success.”

Philip Dunne, MP for Ludlow, is joining local charities in

Ludlow Sainsburys The outline of the new store, expected to open before Christmas, is taking shape at Rocks Green, near the A4117/A49 roundabout. The store is expected to offer 17,665 square feet of fitted-out sales area within a 31,478 square foot building.

In addition, electric car charging points and 169 car parking spaces are anticipated.

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thanking volunteers for their hard work supporting people and communities across South Shropshire as part of Volunteers’ Week 2021. Now in its 37th year, this year’s Volunteers’ Week celebrates those who have continued delivering vital work as volunteers over the past 12 months and also those who usually volunteer but have not been able to because of the pandemic.

Mr Dunne said “These past 18 months have really shown the importance of volunteers to the community in South Shropshire, many of whom decided to volunteer for the first time. This has complemented the exceptional work of regular volunteers in local charities and organisations across South Shropshire, who selflessly give up their time for causes about which they passionate, but may have seen their efforts disrupted by the pandemic. From NHS and vaccine volunteers, to those who supported neighbours who needed food and medical deliveries while shielding, and all others who give up their time, I want to thank everyone who has gone above and beyond to volunteer in the community.”

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The Queen’s Green Canopy This a UK tree planting initiative to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee which will mark Her Majesty’s 70 years of service to the Nation.

Her Majesty The Queen joined The Prince of Wales for the first Jubilee tree planting in the grounds of Windsor Castle in March. During Her reign, The Queen has planted more than 1,500 trees all over the world.

Everyone from individuals to Scout and Girlguiding groups, villages, cities, counties, schools and corporates will be encouraged to plant trees from October 2021, when the official tree planting season begins, through to the end of the Jubilee year in 2022.

The scheme will help people learn about the best way to plant trees so that they survive and flourish for years and people are urged to use the summer to plan their tree planting projects so they will be ready for October.

On the Queen’s Green Canopy website, a special interactive map has been created to track the Jubilee tree plantings. When planting season arrives in October people will be able to upload images showing their newly-planted Jubilee trees onto the map so that everyone can share and inspire others, as well as creating a green canopy of projects to cover the country.

The tree planted by His Royal Highness represents the first Jubilee tree on the map and four plantings by Royal Mail at sites in England (Portsmouth), Northern Ireland (Belfast), Scotland (Glasgow) and Wales (Swansea) are highlighted.

Also identified is the set of six Magnolia trees planted at Harrogate’s Army Foundation College in memory of “Captain Tom”. The trees, planted by junior soldiers in March, offer a fitting tribute to Captain Tom, who was Honorary Colonel of the College before his death at the age of 100 in January this year.

Some planting projects, such as those by schools and community groups, can apply for free saplings (from June) through the Canopy’s website; these are available on a first come first served basis and over 3 million are to be made available. Other planting ideas include copses, avenues and single trees. There will also be the opportunity to commemorate loved ones through the donation of a Jubilee tree.

As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will highlight and showcase 70 amazing and irreplaceable Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom, and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.

Ambassadors for the initiative are Baroness Floella Benjamin DBE, Alan Titchmarsh MBE, Dame Judi Dench DBE, Monty Don OBE, Lady Mary Peters DBE, Dame Katherine Grainger DBE, Nigel Owens MBE, Bertie Gregory and Peter Rabbit™ Full details of the many wide-ranging aspects of the project and how people can get involved are available on the Queen’s Green Canopy website.

Buildings have been named to mark Jubilees and Tenbury’s ‘Jubilee Buildings’ can be found on Teme Street

Trees have been planted in the past to mark Jubilees and this example, planted in 1977 to celebrate the Queen’s 25th Jubilee, is across the road from Jubilee Buildings

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Wines to Share with Friends Britain is moving out of lockdown so we have chosen some wines that might be enjoyed with friends. They cover a wide price range, from a couple of European whites at under £5 to a famous French Classic at over £20. Hopefully there's something to suit most occasions, whether a quiet drink on a warm evening, or a celebratory meal as people are able to enjoy eating together once more.

Prices were checked in May 2021 but are subject to change.

Tesco White

Tesco Finest Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2020 12.5 Zealand £8.50 An enjoyable example of a New Zealand Sauvignon Bla fresh wine offers clean grassy/citrus flavours.

Tesco Finest Viré Clessé 2019 13.5% France £12 Viré-Clessé, from the Mâconnais subregion of Burgund made with Chardonnnay grapes. Dry, with a green app aroma and with minerality, this was more popular with tasters than with others.

ALDI These Aldi wines are included in Aldi's Around the World Case, available for £42.94 online.

The case also includes a Canadian Rosé (£9.99) from the Niagara peninsula, but we didn't try this.

Tesco Finest Sancerre 2020 13% France £14 Universally liked, this dry crisp wine offered tropical fla Classy, with some minerality and with good balance, th be enjoyed by itself or with a meal.

White Fiano Castellore 2020 12.5% Puglia £4.99 Fiano is a local grape in Sicily and southern Italy and this was an enjoyable example. Dry, fresh and fruity, with notes of honeydew melon and white peach, it stood up well to roast lamb rather than being overwhelmed by it.

Rosé

Feteasca Regala 2020 11.5% Romania £4.99 This Romanian local grape makes an unusual white that it fresh, zingy, zesty and cleantasting, with a sherbet edge and a long finish. Might be enjoyed, lightly chilled, chatting to friends on a patio one warm evening.

Tesco Finest Cotes De Provence 2020 12.5% From the south of France, this was neither t aromas of warm strawberry fruits and flavo and strawberries. Elegant and nicely balan

Red Buenas Vides Criolla Grande 2021 13.5% Argentina £5.99 Criolla Grande may not be a well-known grape but it's said to be the third most planted in Argentina, not far behind Malbec. Described as being from "The high altitudes of Argentina's Mendoza region", this light to medium bodied wine delivers soft tannins with red fruit flavours.

Tesco Finest Amarone Della Fruity, with redcurrant flavo

Paraiso Sur Organic Syrah 2016 14% Chile £9.99 Dry and juicy, with notes of bramble and blackcurrant, this is a straightforward Syrah, but organic.

Tesco Fine A famous classic, from th from a blend of grapes, d Classy and smooth, comple be enjoy

Specially Selected Criollo Tannat 2019 14% Uruguay £6.99 Traditionally from south-western France, Tannat is now grown in many other countries - including in South America, and particularly in Uruguay. Dry, with dark fruit flavours, and smooth tannins, this was universally popular with our tasters.

Probably at its best with a meal.

ASDA White Extra Special Albarino Rias Baixas 2020 13% Spain £7 Albariño is an unusual white wine grape that is grown in the north of Spain and Portugal; this example is from Galicia. Bold and lively, with flavours of lemon and notes of sherbet; unusual but enjoyable. Well worth trying!

Extra Special Pouilly Fumé 2019 13% France £11 From the Loire area, this well-known wine is made from Sauvignon Blanc. Clean and refreshing, with rounded firm flavours, this could be enjoyed on its own or with food.

Red D'Arenberg d'Arry's Original Grenache Shiraz 2017 14.5% Australia £12 Dry enough to be easily taken for a French Syrah, this offers firm tannins with dark red fruit flavours. Easily enjoyed, especially with a meal.

Jacob's Creek Double Barrel Matured Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 14.5% Australia £12 Unsurprisingly there's the oak suggested by the 'double barrel matured' tag but there are also complex flavours and a smooth finish. Those barrels include Irish whiskey barrels, which comes through on the palate. Not a typical Cabernet Sauvignon, this would be an interesting choice for those who would like to try their Cabernet heavily oaked.

TEME VALLEY TIMES

13

Tanners ‘Back Roads of France’ Explorer Case £75.00 (plus £8.50 delivery) White

5% New

Tanners Gascony Dry White 2020 11.5% £8.80 Made from a blend of Colombard, Trebbiano, Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc, and suitable for vegans, this fresh wine offers citrus and floral aromas and flavours of peach and nectarine. Zippy and enjoyable.

Henri Ehrhart Reisling Grand Cru Kaefferkopf 2018 12.5% £13.90 100% Riesling, from the Alsace region, with aromas of lemon, green apple and conference pears, this differs significantly from a typical German-style reislings. With plenty of flavour and good balance this could be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food.

anc, this

dy, is ple h some

avours. his could

Domaines Schlumberger Pinot Gris 2017 13.5% £18.50 Les Princes Abbes. 100% Pinot Gris from the Alsace region.

This bottle got the thumbs up from everyone.

Smooth and easy to drink, with grassy and floral notes and with flavours of ripe pears, coupled to a long finish, this could also be enjoyed as an aperitif or with food.

% France £8 too dry nor too sweet. Fruity with ours of pear drops, mango, pineapple nced.

Rosé Tanners Cotes de Gascogne Rosé 2019 12% £8.80 This blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tannat, Malbec, and Pinot Noir is suitable for vegans. Aromas of wild strawberries and are followed by fresh and fruity but dry flavours. Decidedly quaffable, we enjoyed this with kedgeree.

Red

a Valpolicella 2017 15.5% Italy £18 ours and some spice, this should go nicely with a roast or a casserole.

est Margaux 2015 14% France £22 he southwest of France, this is made dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. ex with soft tannins, this might well yed with a traditional Sunday lunch.

Red

Orbitali Amarone Della Valpolicella 2017 14.5% Italy £16.00 From the north of Italy, Amarone is usually dominated by Corvina, which is rarely grown outside Italy. The grapes are dried before fermentation and the wine is matured before sale.

The result is distinctive, with cocoa or dark chocolate flavours. Best with food - we enjoyed this with venison.

Julienas Domaine du Clos du Fief 2017 13% £15.40 100% Gamay, all the tasters liked this.

Dry, with plenty of flavour, but no harsh tannins. Juicy and fruity.

Chenas Remi Benon 2018 13% £13.50 100 % Gamay, this was light and bright, so might appeal to those who don't like a heavy or tannic red.

14

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Tenbury Museum is open again After being closed for over a year and a half, Tenbury Museum reopened on Saturday May 22nd. The closure was due to the combination of the museum’s usual winter closures, and the impact of the Covid pandemic.

Newly-displayed items include a set of taps from the bath that was placed beneath the floor of the Pump Rooms when the building was restored. These were ‘unearthed’ during post-flood work at the building. As they were heavily corroded it has taken many hours to bring them to their current tidy-looking condition.

Newly on sale was a booklet by local resident Jim Franklin; this records some of his memories from the 1950s. See page 16 for more information. Pens and ‘local vintage film footage’ DVD’s were also for sale.

Speaking about the Covid closure, Tracey Morris, Trustee, commented that during the Museum’s 19 months of shutdown, volunteer steward numbers have dropped and they would love to welcome new helpers.

If you have a couple of hours a week to spare, or even once a fortnight, and have an interest in local history, then please contact the Museum. All training is given.

Future openings are planned to be the same as in previous years: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays 11am - 1.30pm, Sundays and Bank Holidays 2pm - 4pm, until Sunday 31st October.

During June, entry numbers are limited to six at any one time and Covid-19 practices will be in place, including hand sanitising, Track and Trace, and wearing masks.

Jill Malek (left) and Tracey Morris, waiting to welcome the steady stream of visitors

The recently-obtained bath taps

Robert Robinson, of Robinsons Cider, was first off the mark to purchase copies of Jim Franklin’s new booklet!

TEME VALLEY TIMES

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15 Teme St, Tenbury Wells. 01584 811728 CLEE HILL FISH & CHIPS Chips, Fish, Sausages, Chicken, Pies, Kebabs, Pasties, Scampi, Curries.

Pickled mussels & cockles.

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Closed Sundays.

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Are you looking for: Wooden Crafts; Hand painted or carved signs; Local History DVDs, CD or History Books of Titterstone Clee Hills & North Herefordshire Villages; Guided tours of the Clee Hills & Orleton Village; or Lectures by a Shropshire Lad? Contact Ann and Alf Jenkins Publications: email alfjenkins07@gmail.com or ring 01568 780398 or call and see us at The Damsons, SY8 4HW.

PHIL GRAY Dairyman/Newsagent For all your National, Daily, Sunday and Local Papers, Magazines.

All Milk, Dairy Products, Eggs, Soft Drinks, Waters etc.

Delivered to your door 7 days a week

15

100 Years of The Royal British Legion Saturday May 15th was the Centenary of the Royal British Legion (‘RBL’). The Legion was formed in 1921 to create an organisation capable of looking after the interests of the millions of service personnel who had returned from the battlefields of the First Word War, many with injuries and disabilities, to a Britain where unemployment was high and there was little help for veterans, their families, or the wives whose husbands had lost their lives in the service of their country.

Undeterred by rain, the Tenbury & District Branch of the RBL marked the occasion with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tenbury War Memorial, followed by a short service in St Mary’s Church. They were joined for this by Lt Col Patrick Holcroft LVO OBE, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire.

The Lord Lieutenant laid a wreath and also gave a short address to the congregation. The Tenbury RBL Choir sang the hymns and the Branch President, Major Richard Fox, and Richard Jones, a Branch member, gave short talks on their memories of the RBL in Tenbury and Clifton-on-Teme and how their families had been involved.

The talks given by the Lord Lieutenant and the Branch members highlighted the work of the Royal British Legion in their continuing support of veterans and War Widows, of the Poppy Appeal, and of the major role played by the Legion in keeping Remembrance to the fore.

At the Cenotaph in London on May 15th, the centenary was marked with a special event recreating the moment 100 years ago when the British Legion was formed. RBL National President Lieutenant General James Bashall CB CBE laid a wreath and was joined by representatives from the Navy, Army, RAF and Merchant Navy, along with a military widow.

The RBL has championed Remembrance since 1921 and has 177,000 members spread over 2,500 branches in the UK and a further 78 worldwide. Their website - www.britishlegion.org.uk - has fascinating stories, archive photos and facts about its 100 year history, including its formation, the adoption of the red poppy, poppy factories and much more.

You can also donate online.

Lt Col Patrick Holcroft LVO OBE lays a wreath

Let your Milkman do the Walking!

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Lt Col Patrick Holcroft LVO OBE pays his respects after laying a wreath

Lt Col Jim Keating OBE, Vice-Chairman of Tenbury RBL, pays his respects after laying a wreath

Walking Church update

Newspapers, Magazines, Maps, Cards, Toys, Sweets, Drinks, Wrapping Paper, Local Books, Laminating, Fax Service, Batteries, Stationery, Dry Cleaning, Photocopying (colour/B&W).

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A view during the Stoke Bliss/Wolferlow walk

Robert Barlow sent us these words about how the last year has gone for the walking church.

“When Teme Valley Walking Church held its first walk just before the first lockdown we had no idea what sort of year we would have. With Lockdown, Walking Church went online with recorded reflections from walks. These have attracted views in the hundreds. As Covid regulations eased and varied we were able to restart walks, but socially distanced and with limited numbers, sometimes there were ‘rule of six’ walks and sometimes one to one walks.

In this strange year, Walking Church has held eight physical walks with an average of eight participants. We’ve been joined on those walks on different occasions by ten different people who would not usually be part of our congregations on a ‘normal’ Sunday. We know that there have been well over 500 views of the online Walking Churches, with very many more looking at posts about the walks. We’ve explored the beauty of the Teme Valley. We’ve heard about its past and its present. We’ve thought about Christian faith, enjoyed each other’s friendship and benefited from the exercise.

Emerging from lockdown means that Walking Church can be considered an organised outdoor group sporting activity. We meet on the afternoon of the third Sunday of the month at 2.00pm.”

For more information email Robert Barlow rhyselane@gmail.com

16

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Books Alfred Watkins’ Herefordshire in his own words and photographs

The Welsh Marcher Lordships Volume 1: Central & North 1

with a biographical introduction by Ron & Jennifer Shoesmith

(Including Radnorshire, north Herefordshire, Shropshire, Montgomeryshire, Denbighshire & Flintshire)

This fascinating book, extending to over 200 pages, is heavily illustrated with a marvellous selection of period photographs.

Examples include “Loading the steam wagon at the Watkins’ Imperial Flour Mills in 1905”, “The Freemen’s Prison which adjoined the Booth Hall in Hereford, shortly before it was demolished”, a “Gardner-Serpollet car in 1908”, “Pembridge, looking west along West Street in 1901”, “Hovels on Broadmoor Common, Woolhope, around 1890” and “The ruins of Crooked Well Mill, Kington, in c1886”. For those with an interest in Herefordshire in bygone times, it’s worth buying just for the photographs.

Alfred Watkins (1855–1935) was born in Hereford and lived all his life in Herefordshire. The core of this book

by Logaston Press is an unpublished manuscript by Watkins entitled The Masefield Country, of 1931 – an evocative piece about Herefordshire and the area around Ledbury, inspired by John Masefield’s glowing speech in praise of his native county when he accepted the Freedom of Hereford in 1930, after becoming Poet Laureate.

The piece consists of stories gleaned from Watkins’ meetings with a variety of people on his travels, and reflects on three poets with Ledbury connections: William Langland, Elizabeth Barrett Browning and John Masefield.

It is full of asides, insights, wryly amusing anecdotes and deep feeling, coupled with respect for the rural wisdom of ‘men of the soil’, expressing his feelings for Herefordshire as a whole, and concern that it should sustain its traditional values and native wisdom in a fast-changing world.

Alfred Watkins’ text is prefaced by an introduction to his life and work, and followed by a section on his pioneering photography and developments in photographic equipment. This extended revised edition includes more than 200 of his photographs of Herefordshire.

Available from bookshops, or online at www.logastonpress.co.uk Published by Logaston Press at £15.00

Memory Lane - Tales of an Errand Boy in 1950’s Tenbury Wells

by Jim Franklin This A5 booklet effectively takes the readers on a walk up and down the main streets in Tenbury in the 1950’s. It starts on Cross Street, includes the market square, goes on to Market Street and then up and down Teme Street. Along the way, Jim recalls the shops and businesses that were trading at various points. He has many memories of the shopkeepers, business people and characters in Tenbury, many of whom he delivered to, while he was the errand boy of Gaius Smith’s large emporium on Teme Street. Jim worked there every night after school, and all day Saturday, for 10 shillings. Those were the days!

This booklet would be an ideal accompaniment to a stroll down Tenbury’s streets providing a useful insight into the life of a market town in its busy heyday.

Priced at £3.50 and available from Tenbury Museum, Cross Street, Tenbury Wells, WR15 8EG.

by Philip Hume. Published by Logaston Press at £15.99 Today, if people envisage the Welsh Marches, it may be the picturesque and peaceful area straddling the English/ Welsh border adjoining Shropshire and north Herefordshire that comes to mind.

However, in the mediaeval period, the Welsh Marches were defined by the nearly fifty Marcher lordships that extended from north Wales and the Dee estuary down to the Severn estuary and across south Wales to the coast of Pembrokeshire.

For nearly 500 years the Marcher lordships and their lords were at the centre of events that affected the history of England and Wales, and there were scenes of conflict, devastation, and conquest.

The Welsh Marches became a unique border region between Wales and England, with its own laws and with exceptional powers exercised by its lords. It was referred to as ‘Marchia Wallie’ and was politically separate from both Wales and England.

The Marcher lords were barons of England and held their lordships from the king, yet they were not subject to many of the institutional and legal structures of the English Crown. Within their lordships, they claimed and exercised many of the powers which the king exercised elsewhere in his kingdom.

Some of the Marcher lordships were lands that had been conquered from the Welsh (in some cases, only after a 200 year long struggle for control, in areas such as modern-day Radnorshire); others were lands granted by Edward I after his conquests of native Wales in 1277 and 1282-83; whilst others, such as Wigmore and Richards Castle, had originally been in England, but their powerful lords succeeded in withdrawing the lordships out of the shires of England, and into the March, where they could exercise the independent power of a Marcher lord.

The primary aim of the book is to provide a broad-ranging synthesis of the history of the Marcher lordships for the general reader.

The book describes the distinctive features and amazing powers of the Marcher lordships, and how they evolved in the context of the significant events in Wales and the Marches that shaped their development between 1066 and 1282.

Richly illustrated with maps, family trees, colour photographs of castles, abbeys and artefacts, this 300 page large-format (242x171mm) book provides an extensive account of the history of the Welsh borderlands during this period.

The book also includes histories of each of the 20 Marcher lordships in the region, including Wigmore and Richards Castle, with a list of the lords and ladies who held them.

“Philip Hume has set a high standard in developing a new popular history of the lordships of the Welsh March.”

– Dr Paul Dryburgh

Available from local bookshops, or post-free from www.logastonpress.co.uk

TEME VALLEY TIMES

17

Bathing water pilot welcomed Philip Dunne MP has welcomed a Philip Dunne by the pilot scheme to deliver bathingriver Teme in Ludlow quality water in the River Teme at Ludlow, as part of a package of measures announced by water companies.

The River Teme is one of two large scale pilot projects announced by Severn Trent Water to introduce bathing quality water. These pilots will be delivered through £78m of funding, and will focus on significantly reducing the frequency and impact of discharges from 25 storm overflows and wastewater treatment works storm tanks; installing ozone disinfection processes at three wastewater treatment works; deliver river water quality monitoring at both trial locations and a water quality app for the public to help make decisions about river use; and farmer engagement to provide advice.

Philip Dunne, who has previously highlighted the need to address sewage pollution in rivers caused by storm overflows, said “I am delighted that the River Teme at Ludlow has been selected by Severn Trent to be one of the first two sites for a large scale pilot project, helping to deliver bathing quality water. I met members of the senior management team last summer in Ludlow, visiting the sewage treatment works as part of research into measures to end sewage pollution of our rivers.

So I am very pleased that this plant will receive new investment to reduce storm overflow discharges into the River Teme. We also discussed options for considering the River Teme as a pilot for securing bathing water quality around Ludlow. So I was delighted that Severn Trent proposed such a scheme for the Teme in its bid to Ofwat for Green Recovery Challenge funding.”

Mr Dunne added “While details need to be set out clearly, this is a very positive start and I look forward to working with the company in bringing together other interested parties and land managers in the catchment to begin to engage in delivering bathing water quality on the River Teme. These proposals include tackling pollution arising from storm overflows, which was at the heart of my Private Members Bill to end sewage pollution. So I am hopeful that these £78m pilots will show not only an improvement in water quality for wild swimming, which is becoming increasingly popular, but also wider ecological benefit to the Teme.”

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National Park proposal submitted A proposal for a National Park for the Malvern Hills area has now been submitted to Natural England. Under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, Natural England has a duty to consider which areas in England meet the criteria for designation as a National Park.

The document proposes “a National Park designation for the region at large”. The proposed area is bounded by the TenburyBewdley road (A456) in the north, the river Severn in the east, the A438/M50 in the south, and the B4214 Ledbury-BromyardTenbury road in the west.

The proposed park would cover about 270 square miles, about the same size as the existing Exmoor National Park, and it would include Tenbury, Great Witley, Martley, Clifton upon Teme, Dunley, Holt Heath, Bromyard, Upton upon Severn, the St John’s area of Worcester, Holt Heath, Malvern, Eastnor and Longdon.

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18

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Honda Civic 1.0

This tenth-generation Civic is a striking car.

Longer and wider than previous models, with sportier and more aggressive styling, it certainly has a lot of presence. This was particularly true of the example I drove because it was finished in eye-catching 'Brilliant Sporty Blue Metallic' - a £550 option.

There is no longer a diesel option for the Civic but there is a choice of two petrol engines. At just one litre, the smaller of these may indeed sound small, but this just shows how much things have changed over the past ten years or so. Rated at a very respectable 126PS, it provides sufficient power for normal driving, and given the car's looks and size, few would assume there was just one litre beneath the bonnet!

If you want more performance, the 1.5-litre alternative would be the one to go for. With 182PS, it's significantly livelier than its smaller brother, and it cuts a couple of seconds off the 0-60 time.

Whichever engine you decide on, it's available with either a six-speed manual gearbox, or a seven-speed CVT automatic.

The CVT models are fitted with 'paddles' so if you want to change gear for yourself you can.

These did their job well, particularly if pressing on, when the exhaust can take on quite a sporty note.

This Civic has a quality feel to it, summed up by the doors closing with a solid 'clunk' rather

than a lightweight 'clank'. The tailgate also shuts nicely. Details like these really matter in terms of the day-to-day pleasure of living with a car.

There's quite a spacious feel inside the car and the boot is large enough to offer a decent amount of luggage space without having to fold the back seats down. If you do need any more space, folding the seats is easy and straightforward. The luggage blind is a neat touch. It rolls up side-to-side rather that the usual fore-and-aft, meaning you don't have to remove the blind if you want to make full use of the car's load-lugging potential.

There's a good range of one-litre models and I drove an 'EX' with automatic transmission, which costs around £27,400 on-the-road. The EX really does come with an extensive specification. This includes heated front seats, leather interior (with some particularly nice perforated leather in the front), LED headlights with washers, and an adaptive damper system.

Moving down the range a notch would take you to the 'SR'. It's obviously not as generously equipped as the EX, but it costs around £3,000 less, and still offers features such as dual zone climate control, a rear parking camera, rain-sensing wipers, powered mirrors and privacy glass.

The entry-level model is the SE. Despite saving you almost £2,000 compared to the

SR, this comes with one-touch electric windows, dusk sensing lights, front and rear parking sensors and an eight-speaker sound system. There is also the 'EX Sportline' model at £27,055; as the name suggests, this brings an even sporter look to the Civic.

One quirk of the 1.0 CVT model was how well it rolled and it took a bit of time to appreciate just how much sooner the driver needed to release the accelerator in order to allow the car to shed speed naturally, rather than finding it necessary to also use the brakes.

Where running costs are concerned, the 1.0 CVT EX I drove averaged 43mpg during steady driving, but making full use of the available performance would see the economy drop significantly.

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Skoda Kamiq Monte Carlo

SKODA SKODA KODIAQ 18 18 KODIAQ 2.0 TDi Edition DSG, blue, 16,000 miles . . £25,995

SKODA KAROQ 18 18 KAROQ 2.0 TDi 150 4x4 DSG Edition, grey, 24,000 miles . . £23,350 19 19 KAROQ 1.5 TSi 150 SE, grey,17,500 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £19,995 18 18 KAROQ 1.0 TSi SEL DSG, green, 6,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . £19,750 19 19 KAROQ 1.6 TDi SE, grey, 19,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £19,450

SKODA YETI

17 17 YETI 1.2 TSi SEL Drive DSG Auto, silver, 18,000 miles . . . £15,750 17 67 YETI 2.0 TDi SE Drive, black, 25,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . £15,450 17 17 YETI 2.0 TDi SEL, beige, 25,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £14,995 17 17 YETI 1.2 TSi SE Drive, beige, 30,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . £13,850 16 66 YETI 2.0 TDi SEL, grey, 9,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £13,495 14 14 YETI 2.0 TDi Elegance, grey, 56,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £9,995

SKODA FABIA

19 19 FABIA 1.0 TSi SEL, grey, 29,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £11,995 16 16 FABIA 1.2 TSi SEL Estate, white, 30,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . £8,995 14 64 FABIA 1.6 TDi SE Estate, blue, 60,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,995 14 64 FABIA 1.2 SE, blue, 61,000 mile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,750 14 14 FABIA 1.2 TSi SE, red, 37,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,450 13 63 FABIA 1.6 TDi SE, beige, 48,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,450 13 13 FABIA 1.2 TSi Elegance, beige, 80,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,250 14 14 FABIA 1.2 S, silver, 64,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,995 12 12 FABIA 1.6 TDi SE Plus, blue, 75,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,450 09 09 FABIA 1.2 HTP, red, 47,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £2,995

SKODA CITIGO

18 18 CITIGO 1.0 SE, beige, 12,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £8,250 18 18 CITIGO 1.0 SE, blue, 14,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £8,250 18 18 CITIGO 1.0 SE, red, 16,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £8,250 16 66 CITIGO 1.0 SE, silver, 19,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,450

SKODA OCTAVIA

18 67 OCTAVIA 1.6 TDi SEL Estate, grey, 41,000 miles . . . . . . . . £11,995 17 67 OCTAVIA 1.6 TDi SE Tech Estate, grey, 53,000 miles . . . . £11,495 17 17 OCTAVIA 2.0 TDi SEL Estate, grey, 60,000 miles . . . . . . . . £11,495 16 65 OCTAVIA 1.6 TDi SE Business Estate, grey, 80,000 miles . . £8,495 11 61 OCTAVIA 2.0 TDi SCOUT, grey, 130,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,250

STR ANGERS IN THE CAMP

14 14 HYUNDAI ix35 2.0 TDi Auto, black, 50,000 miles . . . . . . . . £8,995 12 12 VW UP! 1.0 SE, red, 35,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,595 09 09 KIA PICANTO 1.0 SE, blue, 70,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £2,250

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It always helps if a car looks good and Skoda have certainly got this right with the Kamiq Monte Carlo. In red and black, with a panoramic glass roof, it's quite an eye-catcher, and the looks carry through into the interior, with sports seats and red metallic trim.

Of course, it's no use if a car offers nothing more than good looks but it's no surprise that the Kamiq also delivers a generous helping of practicality and userfriendliness, these being qualities that are routinely associated with Skodas.

The Monte Carlo is the top model in the Kamiq range, sitting above the S, SE Drive and SE L models. There are two engines to choose from, a three-cylinder one-litre with 110PS and a four-cylinder 1.5 with 150PS. Each is offered with a choice of manual (six speed) or automatic (7 speed DSG) transmission and I drove a 1.5 litre automatic, which sits firmly at the top of the Kamiq range.

The DSG gearbox works well, with many of the changes hardly being noticed. The 1.5litre engine is technically interesting, because during light-load conditions it runs on only two cylinders, helping to improve fuel economy; the computer displayed an average of 46mpg after a few hundred miles of mixed use.

Don't let that 'Monte Carlo' tag give you

the wrong idea. Under the skin this is a typically family-friendly Skoda, delivering everyday practicality despite the sporty name. With the 1.5 litre engine it unsurprisingly goes quite well, as evidenced by the book top speed of 131mph, but the real benefit of this engine is its acceleration and overtaking ability, giving it the potential to cover the 0-60 sprint about two seconds faster than the one-litre.

For many though, it's the Kamiq's sheer ease of driving that will be of greater importance. The very light steering and light controls help make it as easy to drive as many smaller cars which is as welcome in town as it is on long journeys. It's also a good car for four adults as there's generous leg and head room for rear passengers and the glass roof gives them a nice airy feel.

The suspension is relatively soft, which also helps comfort, particularly on badlysurfaced roads, meaning this Kamiq is as 'at home' on mediocre B-roads as it is on sweeping A-roads. If you prefer a sportier ride, there is a 'Sport Chassis Control' option. This lowers the ride height by 15mm and includes 'Drive Mode Select', so a firmer ride can be selected when required.

Being the range-topping model, the

Simply clever - the lid of the washer bottle turns into a funnel once opened Monte Carlo naturally comes with a very high specification and its features include full LED headlights and a customisable instrument display, which allows you to select the appearance you prefer - a neat touch.

On-the-road prices for the Monte Carlo range are: £24,015 (110PS, 1.0TSI, manual), £25,265 (110PS, 1.0TSI, automatic), £25,460 (150PS, 1.5TSI, manual) and £26,710 (150PS, 1.5TSI, automatic). This is before adding any options, and the options list is extensive.

If you don't need quite as much style as the Monte Carlo can offer, the Kamiq range starts at £18,755 for a Kamiq 'S', with a 95PS version of the 1.0TSI engine, but if it's the 1.5-litre engine you're after, the starting price is £22,430 with 'SE' specification.

20

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Honda Jazz Hybrid

The Jazz has been with us for years, so most people will be aware of the model, in one form or another. It's been a journey of steady evolution, unlike some cars where an utterly different car is launched, but still using the same name.

In some ways the Jazz today remains what it always was: reliable, practical, worthy. However, the Jazz Hybrid I drove recently has taken several steps forward compared to previous versions. Between them these improvements greatly increase the car's appeal.

There's nothing unusual about a hybrid these days but Honda built them over 20 years ago so they have more experience than many. There are two types of hybrid. A PHEV is designed to be plugged in and once fully charged it offers a range of perhaps 30 to 40 miles in electric mode. A self-charging hybrid, such as this Jazz, takes a different route: the battery is much smaller and it is charged automatically during ordinary driving.

Advantages of the self-charging approach include not needing to plug the car in, and many drivers don't have convenient access to a socket where they park. Self-charging also means there's no need for a big, heavy,

expensive battery pack.

The hybrid system isn't just about improving fuel economy - it also improves performance, because an electric motor, powered by energy stored in the battery, can help the petrol engine during acceleration. This can provide a useful boost for overtaking. Coupled to responsive automatic (CVT) transmission, the result is nippier performance than you might expect, underlined by the car's 0-60 time of around nine seconds.

Fuel economy was also impressive, something you might not expect from such as responsive car. Driving in a relaxed manner for 300 miles in varied conditions saw the Jazz average 65mpg commendable indeed, particularly for a 1.5-litre petrol-engined automatic.

Performance and economy makes a good start, but in a car like this it's a safe bet that buyers will also want comfort. The Jazz manages this too: the suspension delivers a pleasantly supple ride, providing a useful level of isolation from poor road surfaces. And despite this, it steers nicely and corners reassuringly well, so it's not a problem if you want to up the pace.

Of course, you may also want space - space for adults in the back seats, perhaps? Again, not a

problem, indeed there is more rear legroom than you'll find in many bigger cars. If it's space for bulky items that's important to you, the Jazz still has those 'magic seats' in the back. With these you can either stow luggage under the seat squab, or you can fold the seat up, cinema style, then use the footwells for quite tall items.

Alternatively you can fold the rear seats down in the normal way to create a generous load platform, making this Jazz a practical and versatile load-lugger.

Other plus points include the good view out, doors that open nice and wide to ease access, egress, or loading. It's easy to drive, and there's a good turning circle - handy when you're parking in tight space. Overall this is an impressive car.

Recommended on-the-road prices start at £18,985 for the SE. This is well-equipped, despite being the entry-level model, with standard features including cruise, auto wipers, auto headlights, alloy wheels and more.

I drove a mid-range SR (£20,585); upgrades for this include front and rear parking sensors.

Move up another notch, to the £22,185 EX, and you also get 16 inch wheels (rather than 15 inch), heated seats and a rear view camera.

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Citroën C4 130

Launched in February of this year, this new C4 is an interesting addition to the Citroën range. It combines striking styling with a wide choice of power units: petrol, diesel or electric. Citroen have a reputation for doing things differently and this C4 is no exception. It's not just the styling that's unusual, there is also a different suspension set-up, termed 'Citroën Advanced Comfort', which has what Citroen term 'Progressive Hydraulic Cushions'; it provides a more compliant ride than most cars, and this helps deliver greater comfort.

The supple ride is particularly beneficial on badly-surfaced roads where the C4 I drove certainly did an

impressive job of dealing with pot holes. Even road faults that would have sent a harsh bang through most cars were dealt with impressively well. And despite the ride feeling as soft as it did, the body movement was controlled well enough to allow quite sporty driving.

It's an impressive system that deserves to be used more.

The C4 rides a bit higher than many cars. This not only gives the driver a better view out, it also makes it easy to get in and out. In this sense the car feels like a crossover, and the plastic trims around the lower parts of the car reinforce this impression.

However, the style of its hatchback rear make it obvious that this isn't a crossover, at least not as we know it.

It's also a convenient size being big enough to feel spacious, but small enough to make it easy to park.

The car I drove had a 130PS three-cylinder 1.2-litre engine and a six-speed manual gearbox. The midrange power was

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particularly impressive. This really helped with overtaking and meant this C4 could pass slower-moving traffic with an ease generally associated with larger-engined more powerful models. And all this without needing to rev the engine hard!

High gearing, good levels of sound insulation, and the fuss-free ride all combine to produce a relaxed feel.

Cruising at 60mph in top gear sees the engine spinning at a mere 2000rpm and the noise level is much the same as is it would be in an electric car at the same speed. This helps make it easy to chat when cruising at 60 to 70mph. Even the windscreen wipers were whisper quiet!

Fuel economy was also an impressive feature and I found it was easy to return 45 to 50mpg crosscountry, a good figure for a petrol-engined car with this level of overtaking ability.

Pricing is competitive and the C4 comes in four levels: Sense, Sense Plus, Shine and Shine Plus. Entrylevel is the Sense, which starts at just over £21,000, with a 100PS petrol engine. The range-topper is the

Shine Plus, costing over £28,000 with a 130PS diesel engine and eightspeed automatic transmission. The midrange Shine I drove retails at a little over £24,000, and neat touches included a 'heads up' display. This showed the car's speed, and some other information, including the current speed limit - courtesy of the car's sign recognition system. The view out of the almost coupé-style hatchback rear meant that the reversing camera, which worked well, was particularly welcome.

If you think of the C4 as a distinctive and comfortable alternative to the mainstream offerings you won't go far wrong. This C4 did most things well and many people will appreciate the car's comfort, restrained noise levels, and generous midrange urge. Taken together, these qualities help make the C4 a surprisingly capable choice, even for long cross-country journeys.

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TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £395,000 An individual and versatile detached house in an elevated and private setting.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Three Reception Rooms, Conservatory, Master Bedroom with Ensuite, Four Further Bedrooms, Bathroom, Cloakroom, Attractive Gardens, Double Garage, Driveway Parking. EPC Rating C.

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £285,000 A spacious mews style house in a very popular residential area within walking distance of the town centre.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Two Reception Rooms, Three Double Bedrooms, Bathroom, Shower Room, Mature Gardens, Garage, Driveway Parking. EPC Rating D.

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £385,000 An immaculate and well-appointed detached house in a most desirable cul-de-sac.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Two Reception Rooms, Conservatory, Four Bedrooms, Bathroom, Cloakroom, Attractive Gardens, Double Garage, Driveway Parking Spaces. EPC Rating D.

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £275,000 A spacious semi-detached bungalow on a generous corner plot.

Kitchen/Diner, Sitting Room, Master Bedroom with Ensuite, Two Further Bedrooms, Bathroom, Level Gardens, Carport, Driveway Parking.

EPC Rating C.

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS – GUIDE PRICE: £230,000

TENBURY WELLS – GUIDE PRICE: £165,000

An appealing semi-detached house on a generous corner plot.

Kitchen/Diner, Sitting Room, Three Bedrooms, Shower Room, Level Gardens, Ample Driveway Parking, EPC Rating D.

A mid-terraced house within level walking distance of the town centre and with views across the River Teme meadows.

Kitchen, Living Room, Three Bedrooms, Bathroom, Cloakroom, Gardens, Integral Garage, Parking, EPC Rating D.

TENBURY WELLS – GUIDE PRICE: £145,000

TENBURY WELLS, WORCESTERSHIRE – GUIDE PRICE: £100,000

A semi-detached bungalow on a popular small development conveniently situated within level walking distance of the town centre.

Kitchen, Living Room, Two Bedrooms, Wet Room, Communal Gardens and Parking Area, EPC Rating C.

A mid-terraced character cottage with garden in the town centre.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Living Room, Two Double Bedrooms, Shower Room, Cloakroom, Cottage Garden, EPC Rating F.

TENBURY WELLS, WORCESTERSHIRE – GUIDE PRICE: £100,000

TENBURY WELLS, WORCESTERSHIRE – GUIDE PRICE: £90,000

A spacious and charming period apartment within the town centre Conservation Area.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Living Room, Two Double Bedrooms, Bathroom.

EPC Rating E.

A ground floor retirement apartment in a prime position on a popular development which benefits from a warden service, resident facilities and an alarm system conveniently situated within level walking distance of the town centre. EPC Rating D. Kitchen, Spacious Living Room, Double Bedroom, Shower Room, Easy Care Garden.

Tenbury Swimming Pool 50th Anniversary

The average life of a community pool is 25 years, so it is with much excitement that the trustees of the Tenbury Community Pool are pleased to celebrate our recently renovated facility’s 50th birthday!

The last 12 months have been incredibly challenging for the community and it is wonderful to see the refurbished Tenbury Swimming Pool and its new facilities being used by previous members and those wishing to take part for the first time. The town is certainly embracing the new feel of the whole building.

New easy access steps into the pool

In the Beginning Who would know that the open meeting held on the 21st September 1966, organised by the Rural District Council to consider the question of building a swimming pool in the town, would result in our modern facility 50 years later?

The question of raising money was of paramount importance and a considerable number of suggestions were made, including the formation of an ‘Entertainments and Carnival Committee’ and a ‘Draws and Lotteries Committee’. A festive carnival was immediately arranged for Whit Monday in May 1967 and it was also agreed that a weekly draw be held in and around the District and would be called the ‘High Dive’.

To help manage the journey to achieving the pool the Tenbury and District Swimming Pool Guild was formed. One young volunteer was Alan Dale who The new now celebrates being a trustee for over 50 years! reception By early 1970 funds amounting to just over area £20,000 had been accumulated, planning permission had been obtained and estimates for building had been received with the lowest being £43,550. Final grants from various trusts and organisations were being received, over £6,000 had been received in personal loans and discounts on some of the estimates for construction had been negotiated. On the 9th June 1970 work started on construction of the pool with a final cost of £68,000.

How things have changed. The recent refurbishment with state-of-the-art ventilation, air conditioning, new changing rooms, a studio and a welcoming reception cost £430,000.

This followed 3 years of fundraising and grants from local and national trusts, loans of £20,000 from two trustees and local fundraising. TCP would still welcome more funds to ensure the sustainability of the building for future generations.

Back to the present The centre has new and exciting sessions including Mini Splash twice a week, family bubble sessions, aquafit and adult swimming lessons as the country slowly gets back to the new normal. Not forgetting the popular swim school and our early morning swimmers. It is also pleasing to see the schools come back for their important swimming lessons and the local care homes trying out the pool for the first time, making use of the accessible changing rooms and the new pool steps.

Ivan Horsfall-Turner, Managing Director of Freedom Leisure, said “We are delighted to be managing Tenbury Swimming Pool on behalf of the Tenbury Community Pool as it reaches its 50th Anniversary. This much loved community facility has been enjoyed by generations of local residents and visitors and has played a key role in teaching many of them to swim. Given the Email Tenbury Community Pool at particular challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic info@tenburypool.co.uk or phone over the last 15 months the availability of the 01584 819653 if you have any pool and its impact on physical and mental suggestions or are able to volunteer to help wellbeing is arguably even more important us to maintain the Pool for future generations. now than it has ever been”.

Tenbury Swimming Pool, Gym and Studio