Teme Valley Times Christmas 2021 - online at www.temevalleytimes.co.uk

Farming and Clarkson!

by Dr Ken Pollock, former Worcestershire County Councillor Farming is under attack. It may be the main activity in the Teme Valley in Worcestershire, but there are many around who seem to think it is endangering the planet, not to mention human health.

What is the truth behind the headlines?

Whatever comes out of the COP26 conference in Glasgow, it is hard to see any conclusion that does not involve a big change in our farming practices. Our diet is under attack.

We are told we eat too much meat, and dairy is dangerous.

Never mind that Nigella Lawson gave up being a vegan after just two weeks: Extinction Rebellion has scaled the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs building to demand a plant-based future.

Defra has decided that farmers should not get paid according to their land holdings. Under the EU’s CAP, the bigger the acreage, the bigger the handout. So, as we are

no longer in the EU, Defra, in the person of its Minister, George Eustice, has decided to scrap that idea and pay farmers according to the “social good” they do.

That sounds very sensible, but the detail is yet to come. How would it work? In year one, Defra pays you for all the hedges and trees you have, because they enhance biodiversity. And in year two? Do they assume you have the same length of hedge and number of trees and hence pays you the same amount? Suppose you grubbed up some hedges or planted a lot more trees?

Then apply the same principle to the farmed acreage. You get paid for enhancing the structure of the soil one year – but in year two?

Pretty soon you see that Defra would need to inspect every field in every farm every year – and in detail – to ensure that you, as a farmer, were only getting paid when doing the right thing

(whatever that might be…)

Pretty soon you come to the conclusion that an acreage payment is simple and repeatable.

We benefited when living in Great Witley with about five acres. Defra used an aerial photograph to measure our acreage, which meant we were a bit underpaid, as the hill was steep, so the true area was greater than measured. No matter.

At a recent Cheltenham Literature Festival talk, James Rebanks discussed the subject, applying it to his Lake District farm. He looked forward to getting paid for all the enhancement he had engineered in his fields and streams. He did, though, query why a farmer might get paid for that sort of improvement – a new hedge or the like – and yet also get money for a new slurry store. The latter indicated the farmer was seeking to farm more intensively, and that should not be encouraged or supported.

I disagree. My doctoral thesis was

on the spreading of animal slurry on the land, and I see nothing wrong with that in principle. Better to store it, and then apply when it’s most valuable, rather than every day.

Encouraging good intensive farming is not incompatible with biodiversity, promoting natural features, clean streams and woodland. The nub of the issue is that since the war, with its tight food rationing, our governments have been keen to keep food cheap. Hence it decides to subsidise farmers directly, and the public benefits with cheap food.

Thus Jeremy Clarkson can own 1,000 acres, but make just £144 at the end of the year. Not an incentive to continue working hard in such an isolated and often unrewarding environment. That said, Jeremy’s television farming series on Amazon was both amusing and highly instructive about farming. The farming community, including my wife’s family and our farming friends, agree with James Rebanks that it has done more good for farming in Britain than 30 years of the BBC’s Countryfile.

I found that doubly ironic, as I, with two colleagues, wrote the brief for Countryfile and I dreamt up the name. The BBC wouldn’t let me run the series, as they said I was too imbued in farming. So, in my view, it has turned out to be Blue Peter for grown-ups. So I transferred to Top Gear and, with Jon Bentley, introduced Jeremy Clarkson to television – and he seems to have done quite well since then…

Teme Valley Times: our main circulation area and how to contact us Phone: 01584 781762 Email: temevalleytimes@yahoo.co.uk Online: www.temevalleytimes.co.uk 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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K SDPOT THELUIDN LOW LT QUALIT Y PRINTIING, SENSIBLY PRIC CED GR APHIC DESIGN•COLOUR/BL ACK & WHITE W COPYING WEDDING STATIONERY•POSTERS•FLYERS MAIL SHOTS•BUSINESS STATIONERY•C ALENDARS NOTEPADS•BROCHURES•POSTC ARDS•LOGOS BOOKS•BOOKLE TS•NEWSLE T TERS• LE T TERHEADS PERSONAL STATIONERY•COMPLIMENT SLIPS 22 CODER ROAD, LUDLOW BUSINESS PARK, LUDLOW, SHROPSHIRE SY8 1XE

Tel. 01584 877399 printing@theinkspot-ludlow.co.uk www w..theinkspot-ludlow.co.uk The Ink Spot Ludlow Ltd

Holly & Mistletoe Sales Nick Champion held sales on November 23rd and 30th, in the splendid setting of Burford House. These sales are thought to have been held for about 160 years but only moved to Burford House in recent years. As well as holly and mistletoe, the sales included wreaths and Christmas trees.

Nick Champion commented that “Trade was very strong on the holly and the fir wreaths. Best quality well berried holly was in short supply and very dear as was the best variegated. The mistletoe was of better quality and met a solid demand.”

Nick Champion inspecting some of the Holly

Nick and Sophie Champion with some of the wreaths

Variegated Holly wreaths

Before the sale began

Mistletoe laid out ready to be sold

An idyllic farm venue located in the heart of rural Shropshire between Tenbury Wells and Cleobury Mortimer near the historic town of Ludlow.

Surrounded by acres of woodland and breath-taking scenery. Giving you the perfect back drop for the photos of your special day.

One of the lots of mistletoe

Next Issue!

Due to the ongoing Covid situation, the next issue of the Teme Valley Times is scheduled for publication in early April 2022. If you have a story for us, or would like to book an advert, you can contact us by emailing temevalleytimes@ yahoo.co.uk and advertising space should be booked by mid-March and editorial should reach us by late March.

If you are holding an event, why not invite the

Teme Valley Times? If you’ve already held an event, or if you have some news, why not email something through to us? Just get in touch if you need more information.

Running an event? Why not advertise it in the Teme Valley Times? Adverts for local events start at just £10 in our “What’s On!” section. £10 covers a small, simple advert with up to 25 words and if needed, extra words are 25p each.

Wedding packages.

Room hire for parties, christenings and funeral teas.

To arrange a viewing please contact us John and Moira Roberts Tel no: 01584 781292 Email: thebarnatdinthill@yahoo.com Website: www.thebarnatdinthill.co.uk

Carole Clayton 07971 543790 01584 890007 01905 27862 Local Independent Funeral Celebrant Celebrant@hoskinsfuneralsdirect.co.uk FB: @preciousmemoriescelebrant Twitter: @WorcsCelebrant LinkedIn

CLEE HILL FISH & CHIPS Chips, Fish, Sausages, Chicken, Pies, Kebabs, Pasties, Scampi, Curries.

Pickled mussels & cockles.

Open 6 days a week, lunch & evening.

Closed Sundays

01584 891076

LOCAL SERVICES Advertise in this section from £84 for a 12 month period. This is for the smallest, simplest black & white option (for an example see the 'Fencing' advert below). This section is for businesses that provide a service at the customer's premises. Examples include plumbers, electricians, plasterers, washing machine repairs and lawn mowing.

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

FENCING

C.A.STACK FLAT ROOFING

Agricultural, equine and domestic.

Over 25 years experience.

Free estimates.

Contact

We specialise in all aspects of roofing including:

Neil Bradley Call 07929 273744 Or 01584 881484

• Rubber Roofing • Felt Roofing • New Builds • Extensions • Roof Repairs • Porches • Garages • PVC guttering & repairs • Garden sheds and summer houses

CROFT CARPENTRY For all your carpentry needs including joinery and property maintenance.

Call Andy 07875 338193 or 01584 890123 or email croftcarpentry@yahoo.co.uk www.croftcarpentry.co.uk

Please feel free to call 07779 164497 or 01568 612616 for a free no obligation quote www.stackroofing.co.uk

TEME VALLEY CLEARANCES House, garage, shed & business clearances.

Removals & rubbish disposal.

We also buy and sell furniture and other items.

Based in Tenbury Wells, covering Worcestershire, Shropshire & Herefordshire.

Waste Carriers Licence.

RYAN PARKES: 07951 666 877

DELIVERING FRESH COTTESWOLD MILK IN TRADITIONAL GLASS BOTTLES MAY WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF DELIVERING TO YOU? Milk also available in 1 litre & 2 litre polybottles at competitive prices for homes & businesses. Please call or email us to arrange a delivery or if you require further information.

01584 811857 info@temedairy.co.uk Teme Dairy Ltd, Tenbury Wells Business Park

BODEN & SON DELIVERIES Supplying Cleobury Mortimer and surrounding areas with doorstep deliveries of Mawley Milk, fresh local bread, fruit & vegetables from the market, wild bird feed and many other items.

Please contact us for further information.

Tel 01584 891550, mobile 07968 328312 email n.bowden30@gmail.com

DAVID TOVSKI Maintenance & Renovation Services Professional Painting & Decorating (Interior & Exterior) • Carpentry & Flooring • • Tiling & Plastering • Reliable Experienced Local Tradesman.

Fully Professional & Friendly Services.

Fully Insured. All enquiries welcome, please Tel David:

07874 624593 01584 892069

Barbara from the Environment Agency was there to help answer questions from the public

Visual of the proposed wall and walkway between Kyre Brook and Pump Rooms

Bridge hit - again!

The old Grade-Two listed Eastham Bridge, built in the Georgian era, served the area well for over 200 years. It suffered a partial collapse in May 2016, fortunately without anyone being injured, and a replacement bridge opened to traffic in 2017.

This new bridge is less than five years old, but passing vehicles have already hit it a number of times. The photographs, taken on December 4th, show some of the damage that was sustained on a recent occasion.

People discussing the information on the display boards with Environment Agency staff

Visual of the proposed wall and walkway alongside Temeside House and the river Teme

Tenbury Flood Defences Public Consultation The Environment Agency held two public engagement drop-in sessions in the room at the rear of Tenbury’s Regal cinema, to share information on the proposed Tenbury Wells Flood Risk Management Scheme. The sessions ran from 12.30pm to 7pm on two days - 24th and 30th November.

When we visited the exhibition on the 24th, a steady stream of residents took the opportunity to view the exhibition and give comments and feedback on the scheme, as a whole or on specific elements. There was a lot of information to assimilate and all the staff present were helpful and informative.

The first board showed the predictive-modelling results of the proposed scheme and how the floodwater entering the town is planned to be halted by the various barriers, walls, floodgates and earth banks. The difference between the before and after maps was quite striking.

Other boards displayed visuals of how the various walls, earth banks, flood gates etc would look. All the critical areas were covered: Pump Rooms & Kyre Brook, the Burgage, Teme Bridge & Temeside House, Riverside Walk, St Mary’s Church, Church Street & Church House, Church Street footpath, Riverside Mews, Riverside Café and Bridge Cottage, Market Street, Humble Brook & Orchard Court.

There was also an indicative design for the establishment of a community orchard on scrubland between the river Teme and the footpath beyond Cralves Mead. Before leaving, people were asked to fill in a questionnaire. This asked various questions including whether you supported the scheme, did you have any current concerns about the various elements and how useful you found the event.

See our facebook page for up to date information FULLY ATTENDED, TEMPORARY HOURS 9AM-5PM MONDAY-FRIDAY

Books Kyre Manor and Church - a History This is the title of a new book by Maggie Kingston.

A long labour of love, the book was launched by Maggie at St Mary’s Church, Kyre on October 16th.

The book begins in Saxon times and takes the reader through to the present day. Packed with information which would reward careful study, this well-produced book also has some interesting illustrations.

All proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards the restoration work on the Lady Chapel window, scheduled to start in spring 2022.

Stone mullions in need of repair

To purchase a copy (£10) you can e-mail Maggie mdk46@phonecoop.coop - or phone 01885 410431.

Stained glass detail: ‘King David’ from the Lady Chapel window

What’s On!

The Good Beer Guide Author Maggie Kingston at the book’s launch in October

2022 SAVE THE DATE FOR NEXT YEAR SATURDAY OCTOBER 1ST, 2022 CONTACTS 01584 810502 / 01584 890007

It can be hard to find a great pub that serves interesting, well-kept real ale, but The Good Beer Guide might be the answer. It surveys 4,500 pubs across the UK and it highlights pubs selected by CAMRA members as places to savour good beers from small breweries, as well as cask-conditioned lagers and world beers. Some pubs are highlighted for serving real ciders too. It’s the UK’s best-selling guide to pubs, bars and clubs where you can enjoy a great pint and the West Midlands region contains 237 pub listings this year, with 34 newly-listed this year.

With approaching 900 pages, this is something of a bargain at £15.99 - or even less if you’re a CAMRA member. The Good Beer Guide 2022 is available from CAMRA’s shop: https://shop1.camra.org.uk/ product/the-good-beer-guide-2022

Conquest Theatre Bromyard SCREENINGS - December / January / February Thurs Dec 9th Dec 11 & 12 Wed Dec 15th Sat Jan 1st Wed Jan 19th Thurs Jan 27th Thurs Feb 3rd

ROH Nutcracker (live broadcast), 7pm Andre Rieu “Christmas with Andre”, 7.30pm & 3pm ROH Tosca (live broadcast), 7pm NY Opera Cinderella (English translation), 5.55pm Exhibition on Screen Raphael Revealed - one of the three Renaissance greats, 7.30pm NT Live Leopoldstat, 7pm ROH Romeo & Juliet, 7pm

FILMS - December / January / February Fri Dec 17th Fri Jan 7th Fri Jan 21th Fri Feb 4th

Summerland - a romantic wartime period drama 12A, 8pm Official Secrets, featuring Kiera Knightley, 7.30pm The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain, starring Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald 12, 7.30pm No Time to Die, 7.30pm

LIVE ON STAGE - January / February Sat Jan 15th Sat Jan 22nd Sat Jan 29th Fri Feb 11th Feb 17-26

Bromyard Windband New Year concert, 7.30pm A Soul Story - Soul Manifesto - music through the decades, 9 piece band, 7.30pm Race Night (Conquest fundraiser sponsored by Strickland Wealth Management) enjoy a glass of fizz and a picnic...place your bets...they’re off! 7pm Neil Mayo Quartet, 7.30pm Conquest Productions - Hi De Hi comedy for all the family, 7.30pm

For full details visit www.conquest-theatre.co.uk or call the box office 01885 488575 Why not treat your friends and family to a Gift Voucher available from the Box Office.

A big thank you to all our patrons who have stayed with us during these trying times, we look forward to an exciting New Year and wish you all a very happy, healthy Christmas and 2022.

Full disabled facilities including loop system

Ludlow Sainsbury’s opening The official ribbon cutting to mark the opening of Sainsbury’s new store at Rocks Green took place on 30th November at 8.50am, just before the doors opened to the public at 9am.

Councillor Imogen Liddle, Chair of Ludford Parish Council, and Viv Parry, Shropshire Councillor for Ludlow South and Deputy Mayor of Ludlow, did the honours surrounded by staff from the store. Before the ribbon cutting, Viv and Imogen each said a few words. Viv recounted how she had canvassed every single house, asking ‘Do you want a shop like this here?’ and that only 6 households said no. She also stressed that with developments like this it is always important to ask residents, and that ‘you should never do anything unless you ask’. In a statement she added “I’m very pleased to welcome Sainsbury’s to the Ludlow and Ludford community.

They’ve always taken into consideration everything that was asked of them and the 95 new jobs at the store are really helping the local economy”.

Nigel Fox, Store Manager (L) presents 5yr old Lottie Wells with her framed bag

Children from Ludlow Primary School had taken part in a competition to create a design for a hessian ‘Bag for Life’ and, before the official ribbon cutting got underway, the runnersup and winner of the competition were presented with Argos gift vouchers.

Winner Lottie Wells, whose design was used, was also Enjoying the new store - Len given a framed bag. 500 Rees with his bag and bread! of the bags were available free of charge to the first customers through the doors.

The 19,564 square foot store houses Sainsbury’s, Argos and Habitat under one roof. A statement added that it is Sainsbury’s most energy-efficient store. One of the first customers through the door, Len Rees, said ‘I’m impressed - with the reception and the staff. The store looks good - but I’m having to go without my roast dinners as there’s no café!’

Imogen Liddle (R) and Viv Parry cut the ribbon

TALTREES CENTRE, WORCESTER ROAD, TENBURY WELLS, WR15 8JA

01584 781361 taltreesstoves.com MONDAY - FRIDAY 9am - 5pm. SATURDAY 9am - 4.30pm CLOSED SUNDAYS & BANK HOLIDAYS

Squirrel helping raise funds The recently appointed manager of The Squirrel, Sheet Road, Ludlow has offered to help raise funds for Ludlow Community Hospital in conjunction with The League of Friends. James Grant, who previously managed similar licensed premises in Malvern, said “My wife and I worked together with Midlands Air Ambulance by running quiz nights, raffles and other events and helped raise more than £5,000 for them since Autumn 2020. We want to do the same here and Ludlow Community Hospital seems to be a worthy cause.”

The Quiz will be running every Wednesday and booking on 01584 879940 is recommended.

Peter Corfield, Chairman of The League of Friends, said “It is good to have The Squirrel on board now that the social distancing rules are relaxing. James has outlined a number of events, starting with a Quiz Night on Wednesday 3rd November 21, with prizes and discounts on in-house dining. We are currently discussing with the Hospital authorities how best to use this income to provide additional facilities for the Hospital Staff as a thank you for their hard work and dedication during the pandemic in the hospital and the community.”

Further details on The Squirrel, Ludlow, facebook page.

m o s d e e n l l a We

. . . o t d r a w r o f k o o l o t g ethin

We know how hard it’s been to plan for a holiday during these last 18 months... that’s where Traveltrail can help.

Traveltrail is looking forward to helping you plan that longed-for break away. Maybe a sun-kissed beach, safari, cruise, city break, escorted tour, searching for the Northern Lights or an Antarctica Expedition - and everything in between.

As well as overseas trips we sell holidays within the UK, from hotel breaks to selfcatering lodges and cottages, narrowboat breaks, Christmas markets, coach holidays and day trips.

For those special occasions...Birthdays, Anniversaries, Weddings, Christmas. Can’t decide what to buy? Why not give a Traveltrail Gift Voucher. The voucher can be used for many things, for instance a theatre break, holiday, flight or even an airport hotel and parking.

Traveltrail opened its doors in Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, in September 1996. We are proud to be an Independent Travel Agency and pride ourselves on our hard work and individuality to get the right holiday for our clients.

We look forward to helping you plan your next trip Please call Traveltrail on 01584 810850 email: traveltrailtenbury@travmail.co.uk www.traveltrail.co.uk

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24 Hours

Sympathy, Dignity, & Respect, Always.

It costs nothing to talk Call Stephen at any time.

Hoskins Family Funeral Services Bromfield Road, Ludlow, SY8 1DW

01584 872048

Photographic Exhibition Tenbury Photographic Club held an exhibition of members work on October 6th in St Michaels Village Hall near Tenbury. Visitors were encouraged to enjoy the photography as well as ‘delicious homemade cakes and beverages’!

Members of the club were there to chat about their work and explain the processes and inspirations involved. The club was formed in 2017; it meets fortnightly in Brimfield village hall at 7.30pm. If you might like to join, they say the first two visits are free. For more information visit tenburyphotographicclub.co.uk

Simon Lusty, Chairman of the club, with his technically exquisite compositions

J. G. BANFIELD & SONS LTD TRADITIONAL IRONMONGERS Still here after all these years!

WINTER SUPPLIES Wellingtons, Snow Shovels, Logs, Kindling, Firelighters, Antifreeze, WD40 IRONMONGERY Hand Tools, Brushes, Rollers, Pen Knives, Wicks, Torches, Ladders, Electrical fittings, Bulbs, Locks, KEY CUTTING, Candles, Door and Gate Furniture HOUSEHOLD NEW arrivals of crockery, Mason Cash, Glasses, Tea Pots, Ovenware, Clothes Dyes, Cutlery, Utensils, Buckets, Household Chemicals, Weighing Scales AND LOTS, LOTS MORE!

27-37 Teme St, Tenbury Wells 01584 810403 Ian & Sue Sparey • • • • •

Detail of one of Simon’s compilations one person, five poses, blended together

Burford Village Hall Christmas Market Held on November 27th and organised by the hall committee, this market was a great opportunity to find some lovely and unusual gifts in the run up to Christmas. It was buzzing when we attended, with a good variety of stalls plus tea, coffee and cakes, or a hot lunch of baked potatoes with various fillings.

An excellent raffle and tombola added to the fun and Tenbury Town Band struck up around 1pm, with ‘Santa’ being on hand for visits from 2-4pm. Great fun!

Woodburning & Multifuel Stoves Stove Spares & Repairs Glass, Ropes, Bricks, Baffles, Cleaners Chimney Liner Kits & Flue Pipes Electric Stoves

Elf hats, elf costumes and Christmas jumpers were the order of the day for helpers!

01886 812452 www.is-stoves.co.uk Showroom & Online Shop Steps Farm, Clifton upon Teme, Worcester, WR6 6EN

The Village Stores Clifton upon Teme Groceries - News - Lottery Off Licence - Mobile Top Ups

01886 812303

Mimi's Plaice Chips, Fish, Pies, Burgers, Kebabs, Pizza, Garlic Bread, Drinks, etc.

Local delivery Service 25 High St, Cleobury Mortimer 01299 270107

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

23 Teme Street, Tenbury Wells

01584 810230

From left: Pam Oliver, Hazel Saunders and Yvonne Thomas from the embroidery club which meets in the hall on the 3rd Saturday of the month

Ryan Parkes setting up his display of Christmas trees and wreaths

Festive shortbread and mince pies

Dot Byrne of Twinkle Twinkle was displaying her ‘star’ tree decorations, recycled from aluminium drinks cans

Handmade tree decorations

Attractive woodworking and reasonably priced - medium sized bowls were around £15

AUDIOLOGISTS EXPANDS SERVICES IN LOCAL TOWNS Business is booming for Andrew Bird Hearing as it has expanded its healthcare services into Tenbury Wells and Bromyard.

The independent hearing company has increased the services it offers after becoming a firm favourite with local communities. It now offers all its high-quality healthcare services at Andrew Jelley Opticians. The company’s certified and experienced audiologists look forward to welcoming both new and existing clients.

They offer an extensive range of services to meet all hearing needs. This includes free-ofcharge no-obligation hearing examinations, microsuction ear wax removals, hearing aid repairs and accessories, alongside routine advice.

Company owner Andrew Bird said: “We are proud to be part of the thriving communities in Tenbury Wells and Bromyard, and to play a part in both towns’ ongoing growth. We have been able to expand because of our loyal and faithful clients. They tell us they like our personal approach and client-focussed service.”

Andrew Bird Hearing is a family-run business set up in 2007 and currently have in excess of 9000 clients and hold clinics in 30 centres across the south west.

Its audiologists are licensed to dispense products from a wide range of manufacturers, but they do not believe in pushy tactics or pressure

sales. The business prides itself on getting to know its clients so they can dispense hearing aids to best suit their hearing loss and lifestyle.

Their main aim is ‘to give people the gift of sound to help them lead better lives.’

Why would I need a hearing test?

It’s a question that many people routinely ask, when in fact, comprehensive hearing examinations should be a regular part of your healthcare. All adults should have their hearing checked on a regular basis, in the same way that they go for annual medicals or vision check-ups.

While the frequency of testing depends on your risk of hearing loss, no one should leave it longer than a few years between tests. Without regular screenings the consequences can be significant; people can find themselves suffering from depression, social isolation and even missing out on career opportunities because of hearing loss they didn’t know they had.

Andrew said: “Hearing tests are often overlooked by people when in fact everyone should be having periodic hearing tests throughout their adult life. Don’t wait until you think you have hearing loss as early diagnosis could be crucial. The earlier a problem is detected, the more successful the

• Andrew Bird Hearing operates from the Andrew Jelley Opticians in Teme Street on Thursdays and from the Bromyard Practice in the High Street on Wednesdays.

• To make an appointment, call 01242 262551 or email info@andrewbirdhearing.co.uk • For more information visit the website at www.andrewbirdhearing.co.uk treatment. Don’t put it off any longer! No matter what your age or hearing ability, it is always a good time to get a hearing test.”

Adults can suffer noise-induced hearing loss if they are excessively exposed to loud sounds, such as music or work-related noise. People

We’re a family-run independent hearing company.

We offer a personal service to meet individual needs.

We’ll always put you first!

• Free hearing examinations • Hearing aid repairs and accessories • Microsuction ear wax removal • Routine help and advice You’ll find us in Tenbury on Thursdays and Bromyard on Wednesdays

Call: 01242 262551 Email:info@andrewbirdhearing.co.uk Visit: www.andrewbirdhearing.co.uk

can also be suffering from age-related hearing loss without even realising it. The loss can be so gradual that they may not realise they are turning up the volume on the television or regularly struggling to hear people talking.

Eastham Christmas Fayre In the last few weeks Father Christmas and cheerful Elves have been popping up in locations up and down the Teme Valley. On December 4th we found them in Eastham Memorial Hall during the Christmas Fayre. Much merriment and seasonal spirit made for a lovely event. Lots of Santa hats were in evidence (including a ‘Bah Humbug’ option!) along with plenty of gift ideas including mini hampers for ‘Dad’ or the four-pawed friend in your life, pairs of novelty thermal socks, stunning crystalline pottery pieces, bottles of organic apple juice (£2.50), Tropic beauty product gift boxes and outside the hall you could find ‘bearded’ bird boxes, bird feeders and log reindeer.

Bruce Osborne had brought along a collection of Marmite memorabilia, for which donations went to hall funds. Ample festive refreshments included hot soup (£1.50), a large mug of hot chocolate with Baileys (£2) and mince pies. A stunning-quality extensive prize raffle surely encouraged many to help with fundraising. The Smiling Goat cheese shop, Mike’s Sandwich Bar, Lanes of Stanford Bridge, Angel Gardens, Tenbury Fish Bar, The Barn Farm Shop, Wyre Pie Company, Andrew Francis Butchers, Shorty’s Beauty Studio, The Fox at Broadheath, Hamper Fayre and others donated the many prizes for the raffle.

The event was raising funds for the hall and the Midlands Air Ambulance.

A ‘cracking’ Mrs Catani

Reindeer Hot chocolate mixes

Fruit box raffle prize from The Barn Farm Shop

Beryl Lewis, Father Christmas and Liann Flight

Marmite Memorabilia

The Pickle Lady’s ‘Blow your Socks Off’ pickle

Handmade Christmas Gift Fair Each year artist Ann Wallace opens her studio at Berrington for two weekends in November for an art and gift fair.

The studio is packed out with gift ideas - many unusual and unique. Some items are raising money for charities, including the pieces from the Woolpack knitters of Leysters, who raise money for the Air Ambulance charity amongst others, and a basket of delightful crocheted birds was raising money for the church in Middleton-on-the-hill.

Original art, prints, pretty ceramics by Harriet Little, willowwork stars (large and small) by Alisha Davidson, festive giftbox packaging, glasswork, needle felt gnomes and cacti, shoulder bags, decorative money gift wallets called for fastidious browsing! The pictures show just a small selection of what was on offer.

Read it Online!

The Teme Valley Times, the local free paper, distributes thousands of copies of each issue through a network of over 100 stockists. Indeed, over the past 15 years more than 800,000 copies of the Teme Valley Times have been distributed.

In addition to the printed paper, there is also an online edition, which has recently grown to have more pages than the print version. To read the online edition please visit the paper’s website: www.temevalleytimes.co.uk

Little Hereford Christmas Fayre Run as a fundraiser for the hall, this fayre is always a fun, vibrant event with lots of gifts and Christmas goods to be found. For this year Christmas jumpers were out in force and lots of merriment accompanied the event - which ran for just a couple of hours. It is amazing what can be found: a Limited Edition Meerkat (£2), a large jovial looking Father Christmas (£10), Christmas bunting (£4), boxes of 6 large Christmas Crackers (£1), hessian Christmas sacks (£5), packs of 16 baubles (£1), Christmas pyjamas, toy Dachshunds (£5), beautifully wrapped packs of a fruit jelly and a chutney (£1.50), jars of Mulberry fruit spread or Apple

Butter with cider, wreaths, mince pies - the list seems endless. In addition, a tombola and a grand hamper raffle, with umpteen hampers to win, meant that helping with fundraising was indeed a bit of fun.

Lindridge School Autumn Fair Dalton James (L) and Harmony Fletcher (R) help out on the hot soup and mulled apple juice stall Christmas Jumpers out in force Festive bunting

Pudsey Bobbie Matulja (R) - artist in residence for the day

A packed hall, not long after opening

Santa

Diane Davies (L) and Carole Collier (R) with gift packs from Smarty Pants and Smart Fellas of Tenbury

The Luke Skywalker Meerkat

Pat Monk with her craft stall and delightful Dachshunds

The Snowman looking for a home this Christmas

The Friends of Lindridge School (FOLS) held their successful inaugural Autumn Fair on November 6th at the school and neighbouring church. The day dawned bright and dry, if a little breezy, and the event was soon buzzing as visitors arrived, quickly filling up the parking.

There were lots of activities to enjoy, and the old and young enthusiastically ‘had a go’, whether following the scarecrow trail around the school grounds or trying their hand at welly-wanging, archery, a Pumpkin Hoopla, Hook an Apple, Lucky Dip, bottle tombola or apple throwing.

Delicious hot soups or mulled apple juice provided warming Spongebob sustenance for those outside. Cakes and hot drinks were served in a classroom for those wanting to sit and chat in a warmer setting. Craft activities and an inflatable ‘obstacle course’ bouncy castle, which had to be squeezed into the school hall due to the strong winds, provided more fun.

The Scarecrow competition had an impressive entry of 13 scarecrows. These results were determined by public voting on the day. Key Stage 1: 1st Sophia Rimmer, 2nd Caitlin Wyse, 3rd Sammy Mapp. Key Stage 2: 1st Imogen Sellars, 2nd Pippa Burt, 3rd Cameron McEwan. The winners each received £5 and the runners up a badge.

In the neighbouring church, stalls were selling stationery, greeting cards, skincare products, pickles, chutneys, chocolates, books, art and handmade doggie treats.

Treasurer of ‘FOLS’, Nicky Webb, commented “The Fair took a staggering £953.53 in just over 2 hours, with £588.01 of that pure profit which will cover the cost of a pantomime for the children for next Christmas so thank you so much to everyone who Success in the apple throwing! contributed.”

Christmas at Tesco Tesco's TV advert says "This Christmas, nothing's stopping us", not even snowy weather or the threat of Santa being quarantined. Here are a few ideas to help whet your appetite!

Tesco Finest Irish Cream Liqueur Lebkuchen Spiced Gingerbread 70cl 17% £12 The spiced gingerbread flavour balances the cream well and adds a really nice twist to the traditional Irish Cream Liqueur.

Recommended.

Tesco Finest Premier Cru Champagne Brut NV 12.5% £21 An IWSC 2021 Gold medal winner and IWC Great Value Champion Sparkling Premier Cru Champagne sounds a perfect addition to any Festive celebration and this example is produced for Tesco

by Union Champagne in Avize, using Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from the Côte des Blancs area, south of Epernay.

Aged for 36 months, the extra maturation results in elegant flavours of citrus, green fruits and brioche with a fine mousse.

Tesco Mixed Lebkuchen 600g £2 Mini Lebkuchen in several fun shapes Christmas trees, baubles, hearts, halfmoon crescents. All variously decorated with dark chocolate or icing and sprinkles.

Tesco 'Free From' Salted Caramel Smash Bauble 158g £4 Just the thing for sharing, this hollow salted caramel choc bauble - about 90mm diameter contains white and milk choc buttons. Free from gluten, wheat and milk and suitable for vegans.

Tesco Finest Cognac XO 50cl 40% £35 XO (extra old) denotes the minimum age of the youngest brandy used in the blend - currently 10 years. A warming cognac with a fiery aroma and vanilla notes giving way to a firm finish. Ideal addition to Christmas puddings and mince pies.

Tesco Finest Dessert Semillon 2017 37.5cl 11.5% £6 From Australia’s De Bortoli family winery this is a good example of this type of dessert wine - not too sweet, with a fresh bold personality.

Tesco Milk Chocolate Truffle Sprouts 150g £3.50 A great way to enjoy your 'sprouts' this Christmas! These ganache truffles encased in thick white chocolate with a green finish could make a fun festive gift.

Tesco Finest Côtes Du Rhône Villages Signargues 2020 14.5% £8/£7 Clubcard Another IWSC 2021 Gold medal winner! The dry summer produced small, concentrated and extremely ripe berries of Syrah and Grenache, resulting in this intense, full-bodied traditional red. A spicy aroma is followed by dark flavours and smooth prominent tannins on the finish - perhaps one for wine enthusiasts. Very quaffable!

Tesco Cream Liqueur Flavour Popcorn 200g £1.50/£1.25 Clubcard This toffee-coated, glutenfree popcorn has been given a festive twist with Irish Cream flavour. So crisp and moreish it's hard not to settle down and munch through the whole packet!

Tesco Finest Valle De Colchagua Merlot 2019 14.5% £8 All three tasters loved this stunning Merlot. Very tasty and approachable, packed with luscious flavours of ripe blackberries, plum and blackcurrants plus a little drying bramble and with Ribena-like aromas. The long finish is quite fruity, with a hint of vanilla.

Tesco Finest Orange & Maple Wreath £8 A solid substantial stollen (approx 600g) packed with sultanas and raisins topped with glacé cherries, candied orange, maple flavoured icing and gold shimmer.

Subtle orange flavours and definitely one for the sweet toothed!

Tesco Finest Black Forest Christmas Puddings 800g £10 The Black Forest theme sees lots of glacé cherries, Belgian chocolate chunks (8%), brandy, and a shot of Kirsch as well as cider (8%) included in the pudding.

Topped with whole almonds, glacé cherries and a syrup sauce.

Tesco Finest 6 Crumble Topped Mince Pies £2 A lovely crisp buttery crumble puts the finishing touch to these mince pies which have a brandy, cognac and port infused filling - a delicious alternative to a normal mince pie.

Free parking and festive events on offer across Malvern Hills District Shoppers will be able to take advantage of free parking during the festive period thanks to Malvern Hills District Council.

The council will be spreading some festive cheer by offering free parking in all of its car parks all day on Saturdays throughout December.

The offer has been introduced to encourage shopping locally during the festive season and supporting your local independent traders.

Traders across the district took part in a poll to decide which days they would prefer the free parking and the majority of the vote was for all day on Saturdays.

Visitors are being encouraged to take advantage of the events on offer.

They can search for the perfect Christmas gift as Tenbury Wells will be hosting late night shopping until 7pm on 9 and 16 December.

There is also festive events on offer such as the Christmas Augmented Reality Trail, Tenbury Christmas Markets, Tenbury Wells Santa Parade, carol performances and more, as well as other events across the Malvern Hills district.

Cllr Daniel Walton, Portfolio Holder for Tourism and Economic Development at Malvern Hills District Council, said: “We are keen to attract shoppers and support local businesses across the three towns during the festive period. Free parking plays a role in bringing extra trade during this important time for retailers and we hope it will encourage everyone to support their local traders and our town centres.”

Shoppers are encouraged to follow Government guidelines and to wear masks in shops and public transport.

Visit www.visitthemalverns.org/christmas for more information about the festive events on offer across the district this month.

Council urges people to have their say on town centres More than 1000 people have had their say so far on the future of the town centres in the Malvern Hills District.

Malvern Hills District Council launched a consultation at the end of September to gather views to guide its five town centre transformation plans. These will be for Barnards Green, Great Malvern, Malvern Link, Tenbury Wells and Upton upon Severn.

The deadline for responses is 31 December and the council is urging residents, students, businesses and even visitors to take part and give their views.

The questions ask how people are using their high streets, what improvements are needed and what can be done to support businesses on the high street now and in the future.

The town centre transformation plans will set out a vision for the future of each retail centre, identifying the different challenges facing each one and the opportunities available. They will then be used to attract inward investment from both the public and commercial sector, as well as guide planning decisions.

The results of the consultation will be ready in January and it is aimed that the

plans will be signed off by spring 2022.

The plans are part of the council’s Five Year Plan commitment to help revitalise the town centres as they come under attack from the rise of online competitors, out of town retail parks and changing consumer habits.

Cllr Daniel Walton, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development on Malvern Hills District Council, added: “We’ve had an

amazing response to the consultation so far and we want to keep that momentum going. We are urging anyone that hasn’t taken part to take ten minutes out of their day to answer the survey or add a comment to the ideas board. The results will help guide the town centre transformation plans which will set out a vision for the future”.

Visit letstalk.malvernhills.gov.uk/ towncentres to take part in the consultation.

Tenbury Wells

Tenbury Wells Late Night

Christmas Shopping 9 & 16 December 2021, until 7pm

9 Dec Christmas Markets

www.visitthemalverns.org/christmas

16 Dec Live Music

Malvern Hills District Council

16

TEME VALLEY TIMES

Christmas at

La Fleur de Chocolat Teacakes £3

Hamper Fayre These days we are spoilt for choice with a pleasing but almost endless range of options when it comes to artisan food and drink so it can be time-saving to visit a shop where artisan producers are supported and their products are stocked in depth. Hamper Fayre in Tenbury Wells is one such shop and staff have a knowledge of their products which can lend further interest and confidence to the choosing of a gift or the contents of a hamper.

To fire your imagination, here is just a small selection of items that can be found in their shop.

Highly-trained award-winning pastry chef turned artisan chocolatier, Jacqueline Keenan launched her company in 2014 and has never looked back. She is passionate and enthusiastic about creating exotic hand-crafted products including teacakes, caramels, chocolates, chocolate bars, snack bars and macarons.

The company is based in Herefordshire and we tried four of her luxurious teacakes - lemon meringue pie, vanilla, rhubarb & custard and mango, coconut & lime.

The large teacakes (about 3 inches across!) all have a lovely light, yet firm, classic marshmallow mousse and a buttery soft shortbread crumble base. Then there is the superbly crisp dark chocolate shell, which makes a satisfying crack when you take a bite. Finally, the combination of the bitter dark chocolate with the mousse and the varied sweet fillings, sprink and contrasting chocolates completes the yum factor!

A 'La Fleur de Chocolat' Teacake is truly a king among teacakes. In short, the best teacakes our resi connoisseur has ever tried and even if you've never liked teacakes, maybe these might win you over! There's even a Christmas Pudding version - ideal for the festive season, perhaps?

More info at lafleurdechocolat.co.uk

Chilli Zoo Produced not far from Tenbury, these marvellous tomato-based chilli preserves are surely a must for chilli lovers, and maybe even for those who aren't quite sure they really like chilli, as the hotness can be quite subtle. They could also be a great way to liven up the cheeseboard this festive season.

Chilli Jam with Vietnamese Coriander 225g £3.50 Smooth, refreshing taste with lovely forward coriander, balanced nicely by the delicate heat from red Thai chillies.

Excellent with brie.

Chilli Jam with Cumin 230g £3.50 Opening the jar releases the great aroma of cumin. Super! Chilli heat more prominent from the Mexican pequin chillies. Really good with a mature cheddar.

Smoked Chilli Jam 230g £4.50 Described by one of the tasters as "jam, tomato and smoke"! Gentle heat comes from the chipotle chillies.

Pineapple, Lime and Chilli Marmalade 225g £3.50 Bursting with pineapple and lime flavours this marmalade is just the job on a winter's day - generously spread on a piece of toasted wholemeal bread. Gently warming.

La Vita Sociale Prosecco 11% £10.50 A sweetish soft Prosecco smooth and gentle and very quaffable -a contrast to some of the more challenging extra dry versions.

More info at chillizoo.com - photos by Jeff Fuge of Objective Ingenuity

Artisan producer David France describes this as Premium Cider and we wouldn't disagree with that. Painstaking handpicking ensures only the best quality, organic cider apples get to be pressed.

Varieties grown include Kingston Black, Dabinett, Harry Marstons Jersey, Hereford Redsteak, Yarlington Mill, Ashmeads Curnel and Tom Putt. Slow cool fermentation and mechanical filtering follow and the distinctive tastes of each cider are entirely down to David's palate, taste buds and blending skills.

Gun Dog Gin Liqueurs Produced using British gin and top-quality Herefordshire fruit, these well-balanced gin liqueurs have gained many Great Taste awards. All flavours are available in 50cl, 35cl and 5cl bottles. We tried them all neat but you can try adding crushed ice, or top up with champagne or Prosecco.

More info at Gundog-gin.co.uk

Damson 21% 50cl £25 A classic - sweet damson aroma with a lovely, not too sweet, balance between the gin and damson. Splendid.

Blackcurrant 21% 5cl £5.50 Spot on aroma of blackcurrants and the taste has great structure reminding one of freshly picked blackcurrants.

Raspberry 22 % 5cl £5.50 Just like consuming fresh raspberries! True and accurate flavour.

Rhubarb 20% 5cl £5.50 Lovely rhubarb aroma spot on for freshly cooked early Yorkshire rhubarb. Taste is likewise fresh smooth rhubarb.

One definitely for rhubarb lovers!

Quince 21% 5cl £5.50 Lovely taste of tart, golden quince

Fletchers Cider

Clee Hill Sunburst 12% £22.49 Grape varieties of Seyval, Solaris and Rondo go into this pinkyorange sparkling wine from Ludlow Vineyard. This is a likeable sparkling English alternative that is very refreshing, with initial hints of orange and sherbert sweetness before a nicely dry finish. Worked surprisingly well with a selection of cheeses.

Original 5.4% 500ml £3 This is very lightly sparkling giving a tickling pettiance in the mouth. Lovely clean fresh appley taste, slightly sweet. No artificial sweeteners, added colours or flavourings. Very drinkable.

Medium Sweet 6% 750ml £7 Medium apple sweetness with tannic finish. Reminded one taster of eating an apple with the strong presence of the flesh and peel. Full bodied, so great with food.

Medium Dry 6% 750ml £7 Stunning. Quaffable. Clean. Bright. Gently sparkling on pouring. Lightly tannic.

Red Oak 6.8% 750ml £7.50 Matured in oak barrels, this is a serious cider. The obvious tannins are not dominant and this cider was one tester's

favourite with a so

1802 6%

Excellen bit of spa year that their farm beginnin being m

Vintage

With big tasty stil element nicely ba with smo food or b

More in

TEME VALLEY TIMES

17

Food & Drink Gift Ideas Three Tuns Brewery It was back in 1642 that a brewing licence was first issued at this Bishop's Castle based brewery and it is claimed that Three Tuns is the oldest working brewery in Britain. The mini 1888 Victorian Tower is still used in the brewing process, the 'brew' being moved by gravity before coming to rest in the fermentation room in the original brewhouse.

We tried their tasting case of beers.

kles

Tasting Case £30.00 This mixed case of 12 x 500ml Bottles includes at least two of each beer from the brewery's core collection: XXX, Solstice, Best, Stout and Cleric's Cure. A great mix of tasty beers which might make any beer lover happy over the

ident

The Ludlow Nut Company

e. Firm, full and rich it goes well oft blue cheese.

% 750ml £7.50

The company was started in 2004 by Helen and Bob Graham who 'escaped' to Ludlow from London. Since 2018 it has operated from a modern unit on the outskirts of Ludlow. We took a look at a couple of their gifts.

Confectionery Collection Gift Tray approx 750g £15 A luxury selection of whole dark chocolate

Fire Mountain Chocolate

festive period!

Cleric's Cure 5% With an inviting sweet honeyed aroma, this beer is a real smoothie! Sweet with good balance between the hop, spice and malt.

Best 3.8% A smooth, tasty, hopped bitter - but not too hoppy. The aftertaste is like a 'bitter' but the journey to the end is wonderfully malty.

Solstice 3.9% Pale, fresh and sharp with obvious hop. Might also suit many who usually drink lager.

XXX 4.3% Light, malty with little hop and a multifaceted mix of sweetness and vanilla - very enjoyable!

Stout 4.4% Not as dry or sour as some stouts - perhaps

almonds, dark chocolate covered crystallised ginger, dark chocolate Brazils - plus milk chocolate covered Brazils, raisins and peanuts. A good grouping of dark and milk choices, the almonds being particularly tasty.

Fruit and Nut collection Gift Tray approx 600g £15 Walnuts, cashews, whole dried apricots, deglet nour dates, whole cranberries, whole almonds. Different - but no less enjoyable!

Nicely crunchy walnuts, cashews which combine well with the cranberries, soft chewy apricots full of flavour, succulent dates and sweet almonds.

Both collections (contents may vary) are presented in a light cardboard 6-section tray and come with 'A gift for you' tag. - great gifts, or enjoy at a festive get together.

partway towards a heavy mild? Dark, creamy and very nice!

More info: threetunsbrewery.co.uk

Tanners Tanners Late Bottled Vintage Port 2015 19.5% Half Bottle £9.80 Full and luscious but still with a bit of fire this port is very unlikely to disappoint.

More info: www.tanners-wines.co.uk

Ilchester Cheeses

More info: www.ludlownut.co.uk

Clun Forest Spirits

nt fine cider. Smooth, appley, with a arkle. Very nice. 1802 marks the t Edward and Anne Fletcher built m in the Wyre Forest and the ng of the 220 year history of cider made on the farm by Fletchers.

Marmite Cheddar Cheese 180g £2.15 This really does taste like cheese and Marmite - a 'love it' or 'hate it' addition to the cheese board. It reminded one taster of eating Twiglets!

e Still 6% 1 litre flagon £10

g aromas of apple peel this very ll cider has a strong cider apple t. Incredibly smooth, having a alanced dryness and 'appleness', ooth tannins. Again, good with by itself.

nfo at Fletcherscider.com

From 'farm to bar' is how this ethical Cameroonian chocolate bar brand is described. The bars are made from cocoa beans harvested from trees growing in the fertile volcanic soil of the active volcano, Mount Cameroon - hence the name Fire Mountain. This single origin chocolate uses high grade Trinitaro beans. The bars (30g/60g) are made in the UK and Italy and use the minimum of ingredients.

70% Dark Chocolate Bar 60g £5.29 Just the right balance of dark bitterness and smoothness with a 'scorched earth' finish.

Cocoa solids 70% 37% Milk Chocolate Bar 60g £5.29 Nicely smooth, milky, rich with an enduring earthy finish. Cocoa solids 37%

David France

More info: www.bigbarn.co.uk or sales@firemountain.uk

Cheddar Cheese with Chilli and Lime 200g £2.20 Mike Longmore founded this small batch artisan gin and spirit venture in 2017. Designed and built by Mike himself, the micro-distillery is fed with only natural ingredients and botanicals and Clun Valley spring water.

The gins (and Mike!) can be found at the weekly Friday market in Ludlow. His gins are complex and powerful, with bold botanicals on the nose and the palate. Great for the serious gin lover!

Trio of Gins £29.99 Yard Arm Very tasty, nice bitterness distinctive. Turns almost creamy with tonic.

Three Knocks Aroma of damp pine forest then a smooth, golden taste leading to a classic bitter finish.

Elderflower Very aromatic, reminiscent of sweet pear drops plus a hint of Turkish Delight. Taste of fresh herbs - very warming

More info: clunforestspirits.com

Strong lime flavour jumps out on first tasting, followed by 'not too hot' chilli.

A fresh and zingy cheese board addition.

Mature Cheddar with Caramelised Onion and Port Wine 175g £2.20 Caramelised onion flavour is very strong and forward, the port is subtle and in the background.

Vegan Festive Selection £6.00 Following a successful Christmas 2020 launch this 'cheeze' pack makes a return for 2021. All of the cheezes are coconut based and fortified with vitamin B12 and calcium. The pack includes Melting Mature, Blue and Mexicana.

Christmas at ALDI A great range of drinks....

Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé 13% £6.49 A dryish spritzy rosé with a hint of ripe comice pear and rhubarb flavours. Goes very well with food like roast salmon with garlic.

Specially Selected Buenas Vides Malbec 2020 14% £5.79 (75cl bottle), £11.99 (1.5 litre magnum) This is a pleasant and relatively simple Malbec with a bit of fruitiness - though not a lot - and with obvious tannins, but without being harsh. Quite dry, so many might prefer it with food.

Winemaster’s Lot Châteauneuf Du Pape 2019 15% £19.99 This Châteauneuf is more traditional than some.

Dry with obvious tannins it has aromas and flavours of blackberry, bramble and blackcurrant. Dark, tannic and lovely - but be aware of the 15% alcohol level!

Iskall Tamova Lime Vodka 37.5% £12.99 If you like lime you might love this vodka as the lime is well forward - or enjoy it with lemonade.

Veuve Monsigny Champagne 12.5% £13.99 As ALDI say, "A bestseller and highly acclaimed award-winner from the small, consistently excellent Champagne house Philizot & Fils. This blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier has been aged in cellars to enhance its complexity, elegance and length"!

Organic Prosecco Rosé 2020 11.5% £8.49 This lively, firm Prosecco comes in a fun shaped bottle and offers aromas of wild strawberry and cranberry. Serve well-chilled as an aperitif or indeed anytime it takes your fancy!

A Hamper for Christmas?

Specially Selected Pinot Grigio 13% 2020 £5.49 From Italy’s Delle Venezie region, this is a very pleasant Pinot Grigio which would be widely enjoyed. It has a certain flavoursome complexity with all the elements working together. Smooth with hints of pear, lime and ripe eating apple on the palate. Excellent value.

Winemaster’s Lot Sancerre 2019 13% £12.99 Enjoyed by all the tasters this Sancerre is classy and well-balanced with warm buttery aromas and lemony flavour and dry finish. Very good.

Winemaster’s Lot Pouilly-Fumé 2020 13% £14.99 A grassy aroma with a distant hint of citrus leads to flavours of green apple merged with zest-free grapefruit. A very enjoyable Pouilly-Fumé.

Winemaster’s Lot Vacqueyras Blanc 2020 13.5% £9.99 Another unusual white from ALDI. The grapes include Grenache Blanc and Clairette and it's a bit like a flavoursome cross between Chablis and an oaked chardonnay. Surprising, but liked by all. Peachy, floral, sherbet flavours, ending with a subtle hint of oak.

ALDI unveiled its 2021 range of "online only" Christmas hampers in October and it will be no surprise if some have sold out before you read this!

We took a look at ALDI's range-topping 'new for 2021' £149.99 Ultimate Decadence Hamper. The large (60x41x37cm) traditionally-made wicker hamper, complete with ribbon and tag, arrived in a very appropriate 'Let the Feast Begin' box. Neatly packed inside the hamper was an extravagant selection of chocolates along with wines, fizz, preserves, crackers, and more - a total of 37 items to be precise - meaning there will hopefully be something for everyone!

Many of the individual products are also sold in store so, subject to availability, there are plenty of ideas for foodie gifts or just to spoil yourself.

The Ultimate Decadence Hamper which we tried contained a bottle of Veuve Monsigny Champagne, a bottle of Coteaux Varois en Provence Rosé, a bottle of Specially Selected Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Specially Selected Buenas Vides Malbec, all of which are reviewed elsewhere on this page. In addition to the drinks, this hamper also included the following.

Exquisite Florentines - a delicious selection of florentines finished in dark chocolate (with cherries), milk chocolate (with salted caramel & almonds) and white chocolate (with cranberry & pistachio). Italian

Peanut Brittle. 30 Month Matured Christmas Pudding with rum, ruby port and French Armagnac. Mature cheddar Dutch-made Cheese Bites. Dark Chocolate & Ginger Biscuit Tube containing six very nice dark chocolate covered biscuits, hand finished with crystallised ginger. Earl Grey Tea. Clotted Cream Fudge. A tin of Belgian Chocolate Biscuits - milk, dark, white and plain, using Fairtrade chocolate. Very spicy Crinkle Crisps - 'Pigs in Hot Blankets' flavour, using Ghost chillies. Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts. White Chocolate & Coconut Hazelnuts. Moser Roth Swiss Box - a beautiful assortment of pralines in milk, white and dark chocolate. Salted caramel Marshmallows coated in milk chocolate. A jar of nice tart Cranberry & Clementine Sauce. Ground Sumatran Coffee - full flavour with a touch of dark cocoa and lime. A jar of rich Strawberry Conserve. A rather good Chocolate Bombe - a chocolate sponge with salted caramel centre. 400g Swiss milk chocolate Mountain Bar rather like Toblerone. A big box of soft and succulent Medjoul Dates.

Moser Roth Luxury Chocolate Winter Desserts Collection - a strikinglooking and mouth-watering selection of 13 milk, white & dark chocolates including flavours such as 'Jaffa Cake', 'Jam Roly Poly', 'Trillionaire Shortcake' and 'Christmas Mess'. A pack of two Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Stirrers. Milk Chocolate Honeycomb.

Coarse-cut Seville Orange marmalade. Mini Panettone. A pack of Spelt & Sourdough Crackers. Luxury Iced Christmas Cake packed with brandy-soaked fruits and almonds. Sticky Fig Chutney. Chipotle Chilli Chutney. Caramelised Red Onion Chutney. Turkey & Stuffing flavour hand cooked crisps. A jar of tasty Halkidiki Colossal Olives.

New Zealand Manuka Honey. Luxury Topped Stollen.

MP calls for more Vaccination Centres

Tenbury Applefest Window Competition Results for this year’s Applefest Shop Window competition were as follows: Window Dressing Competition - judged by Kerry’s 1st Nice Things 2nd Marilyn’s 3rd The Regal The People’s Choice Window - sponsored by Robinsons Cider 1st Regal 2nd Age UK 3rd Marilyns The winner of the £25 Voucher to spend in Tenbury was Thomas Southwell.

People’s Choice winner The Regal - sponsored by Robinsons

Nice Things scored a win in the competition judged by Kerrys

Festive Coffee Morning

Di Ryan was spoilt for choice on the cake stall

Tombolas were popular with visitors and many had a surprise win!

St Mary’s Church Tenbury held their annual Festive coffee morning on November 27th. Running from 10.30am till 12 noon there was plenty to discover and enjoy, with a chocolate and bottle tombola, and a craft-work tombola (which promised a win every time!); indoor plants and pots of hyacinth bulbs for sale; a fabulous prize draw with £100 cash prize; three generous hampers, and many other prizes to be won. Lots of reasonably priced and unusual gifts could be found and the highlight of the morning was the singing by five members of Tenbury CE Primary Academy choir. Kevin Bryant explained afterwards that it was only the fourth time they had sung together - but what a beautiful harmonious sound they delivered!

Unusual gifts

Guess the weight of this beautifully iced and decorated cake and win the cake

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has called on the Government to improve rural vaccination coverage as more people are called in to get their booster jabs. Harriett quizzed Health Secretary Sajid Javid in the House of Commons about plans to get more booster vaccination centres in rural areas such as Tenbury Wells, where she has had a series of complaints from residents who struggle to get to the main booster vaccination hubs, located in settlements such as Shrewsbury, Hereford and Dudley.

The Minister confirmed that more use would be made of community pharmacies and that his Department was seeking to recruit 10,000 more people able to give jabs to extend the reach of the booster roll-out programme.

Harriett said, “Over the last year, we’ve seen amazing work getting jabs into arms to protect our way of life, and help us to get back to doing more of the things we love. Twenty million booster jabs have been delivered already nationwide but I shared some feedback that people in rural areas like Tenbury Wells were being asked to make very long journeys to get their booster shots and I know that the local team worked with the GP practices to help some people out. But the problem remains particularly for the housebound so I was keen to raise my concerns with the Minister. We’ve got to get booster jabs rolled out quickly and that means creating many more booster vaccination centres improving access for my constituents. I am relieved that the Government continues to put its faith in the booster vaccination programme rather than re-introducing restrictions and I encourage as many as people as possible to come forward to get their Covid jabs and flu jabs when invited.”

Three members of the choir

Christmas at Sainsbury's

Taste the Difference Vintage Port 2012 20% £20.00 1000 Stories Bourbon Aged Zinfandel 2018 14.5% £12.00

Taste the Difference Prosecco Rosé DOC 2020 in metallic bottle 11% £12

These are simply fun! 5 mini milk chocolate covered chocolate sponge rolls with a vanilla filling. Finished with red, green and white crunchy festive sprinkles and a white chocolate button displaying a Santa-hatted puppy's face.

5 Yule Pups £2.20

Created in 1922, Zweigelt is a relatively new grape and it's now the most planted red grape in Austria.

Firm and quite dry with some fruit - tart morello cherries and blackcurrant.

Taste the Difference Zweigelt 2019 13% £8.00

Another interesting wine that is a bit different. This strong full-bodied red has spice and redcurrant aromas, then an initial fruitiness followed by a long finish, characterised by the Bourbon barrel ageing, described by one of the panel as a little hint of violets.

Taste the Difference Winterberry, Clementine & Gin Christmas Pudding £10

Taste the Difference Pork & Cranberry Wreath £6.50

Lovely aromas of dark cherries and blackcurrants make this nice vintage port very inviting and the taste doesn't disappoint - it's smooth and darkfruited, still with some surprising sweet fieriness and a warming, satisfying finish.

Sainsbury's have an abundance of ideas for the festive shopper this Christmas.

Here is a small selection to tickle your taste buds or fire your imagination, particularly as Ludlow now has its very own Sainsbury's!

Excellent pastry with a light, fluffy, meaty, tasty, filling of pork with cranberry. Fun gold shimmer finish and star shape - this could be a satisfying Christmas Eve 'tear and share' supper or a 'star' addition to the Christmas or Boxing Day dinner! Due in store 8th December.

With a novel fluted shape, this is a most fruity Christmas pudding that looks just that bit different. Sultanas, raisins, gin (7%!) and cider go into this 700g pudding and there is an extravagant topping of winterberry sauce (blackcurrant, blackberry, redcurrant), glacé cherries, clementine sauce and apple juice infused blackcurrants.

A gift that hardly needs gift wrapping as the bottle's metallic pink mirrored finish almost does the job? A very delicate pink colour, this Prosecco is a great all round drink which could be enjoyed as an aperitif or celebratory drink.

Taste the Difference Salted Caramel & Chocolate Star £12

Taste the Difference Gingerbread Fudge £3

Sainsbury's Ruby Port 20% £7.00

Taste the Difference Alsace Riesling 2019 12.5% £11.00

An excellent bright, fruity, lively, warming ruby port made from a blend of wines from Portugal's Duoro valley. A bargain!

This is a nice, fresh, zesty and easygoing Riesling from the Cave de Turckheim winery. Hints of lemon and lime on the nose with a smooth bright fresh taste with a hint of peaches. Very nice!

An excellent, gingerbread spice flavoured fudge, made in Yorkshire would make a lovely little festive gift!

Taste the Difference 2019 Côte De BeauneVillages No 2 13% £20.00

This red, from Bouchard Aine & Fils, was a bit of a surprise!

An interesting pinot noir with silky tannins, nicely balanced with red fruit flavours and spice and pepper aromas. A very approachable pinot noir that went well with a beef & pheasant casserole.

Taste the Difference Blonde Chocolate Coated Honeycomb £3

Hard crunchy honeycomb coated with thick layer of caramelised white chocolate - for the sweet-toothed and strong-toothed among us!

A show-stopping dessert of Belgian chocolate mousse (filled with a rich salted caramel) on a bed of crumbly shortbread pieces and topped with a creamy white chocolate star and elegant gold shimmer. Due in store 20th December.

Taste the Difference Orange & Prosecco DOC Panettone £9

Beautifully presented in a festive box, this large panettone, made at the Corsini family bakery in Tuscany, is full of luscious Turkish sultanas and candied orange. With a moist light texture and delicious underlying vanilla flavour this would make a great gift or addition to the festive celebrations.

Bayton Grand Christmas Sale

Tenbury Applefest Association AGM January 18th 10.30 a.m.

The Fountain Inn

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.

Brian Link had many bargains on his Christmas goods stall

Local events at this time of year often provide an from a Daniel Hechter watch to bottles of wine. opportunity to find some early gifts or Christmas There was a healthy stream of visitors during the supplies and bargains. A fundraising Christmas morning and afternoon, some of whom stayed sale, held at Bayton Church on November 6th, to enjoy refreshments including a great choice was one of the first events in the area to set the of homemade cakes. Good weather meant you ball rolling. Christmas cards, wrapping paper, could enjoy the fantastic view from the church crackers, decorations, gifts, a ‘bring and buy’ table up to the hills and a very warm welcome awaited plus plants were all stylishly laid out around the visitors, once inside. church to entice purchasers!

A draw and a raffle also provided Catherine Abel and Lynne Ward helped more chances to help with with the draw and raffle ticket sales raising monies for Mamble, Bayton and Clows Top churches’ ‘running costs’ fund. The raffle had around 25 prizes ranging

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

           

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

                      

       

Blue Christmas!

When Elvis sang “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you” he was expressing that for many people Christmas is not an easy time.

Experiencing loss, future uncertainty or change can be difficult at the best of times, but at “Merry Christmas” time it can be particularly challenging.

For the last five years St Mary’s Church Tenbury has recognized this by providing a “Blue Christmas” service. This service has been valued greatly by those attending. It acknowledges that bereavement, relationship breakdown, loss of job, loss of health and all sorts of other circumstances can make Christmas challenging at best and miserable at worst. The service looks beyond some of the “chocolate box” associations of Christmas to find help, hope and strength.

Kevin Bryant (Licensed Reader in the Tenbury Team), who will be leading this year’s service at St Mary’s, said “I was reminded in a conversation with a GP how Christmas and New Year can be a peak time for suicide and domestic violence. I have been glad to be involved in this service in recent years which those coming have found helpful.”

This year Rochford Church has also decided to hold a “Blue Christmas” service. Robert Barlow (Permission to Officiate) said, “This is most emphatically not in competition with Tenbury.

Two separate services on two different dates gives twice the chance for people to come.”

All are welcome (as long as covid restrictions allow) to St Michael’s Church, Rochford on Wednesday 15th December at 7pm and/or to St Mary’s Church Tenbury on Monday 20th December at 6.30pm.

Further information from Robert Barlow rhyselane@gmail.com or Kevin Bryant - kevbry1957@gmail.com

Cheese and Port Hamper £52.00 This beautifully-presented hamper would make a fabulous ‘countryliving’ gift or a welcome addition to a Christmas family gathering.

Three cheeses (in the hamper we tried these were Hereford Hop, Black Bomber and Bromyard Brie) are complemented by Miller’s Harvest three-fruit (apple, sultana, date) crackers, plus a pack of lemon and oregano marinated olives, a jar of damson cheese (49% damson) and, of course, a bottle of port: a delicious, boxed, 10 year old tawny from Kopke, with deep rich flavours of raisin, sultana and date. A well-matched hamper that surely won’t disappoint. Items may vary - order and collect from store.

Legges of Bromyard was founded in 2000 by 5th-generation Herefordshire farmer Anthony Legge. It has earned a reputation for service and for locally-sourced produce. The store in Bromyard is packed with essentials and also many foodie gift ideas for the festive season. Prices are subject to change.

Visit www.leggesofbromyard.com for more information.

12 Days of Christmas This striking gift box item contains 12 different jars, made by The Bay Tree - a Devon-based firm that started as a true ‘kitchen table’ operation. Each jar has a ‘day of Christmas’ label design and each contains 35g or 40g of preserves. The box contains cranberry sauce, cider apple jelly, onion marmalade, raspberry extra jam, strawberry extra jam, blackcurrant extra jam, seville orange medium cut marmalade, lemon marmalade with gin & lime, orange marmalade with whisky, spicy tomato & caramelised onion chutney, real ale chutney, plus cider & horseradish mustard.

Christmassy Pickle (200g) A good balance of sweet and tart with cranberries, abundant juicy currants and some apple. Great with hard cheeses such as mature cheddar or Manchego, or try with turkey as an alternative to cranberry sauce.

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Accompaniments for the cheese board Spiced Apple and Onion Chutney (110g) - Quite sweet, with a nice bite to it as the ginger and mixed spices come through. Great with cheddar.

Rosemary and Gin Jelly (110g) - A moderately sweet yet tart jelly with very forward rosemary flavour. Excellent match with goat’s cheese; alternatively it brings out the buttery side of brie.

Cheeseboard Chutney (105g) - Decadently packed with fruit flavours - apples, blackcurrants, cherries, sultanas and some orange. Worked surprisingly well with Wensleydale & Cranberry cheese!

ore For m ion on mat visit infor roducts uk p e.co. ree Bay T hebaytre .t www

Boxing Day Pickle (200g) Apricots form the base of this fruity chutney, along with sultanas and coriander. Good with cold meats, pies or strong cheese.

Charming Kirsch Cherries (285g) Just the job to spoon over a mince pie or Christmas pudding - or enjoy with brandy butter or whipped cream. Or perhaps you might drain and add to a cheese board?

Whether you are treating yourself or a loved one, be sure to include Legges in your Christmas this year.

BUTCHERS

FARM SHOP

DELICATESSEN

www.leggesofbromyard.com 01885 482417 orders@leggesofbromyard.com Tenbury Road, Bromyard, Herefordshire HR7 4LW

Tenbury Agricultural Society’s West of England Harvest Show The Show, held in October in a Covid-adapted format, raised £1,000 for local charities. Having had to cancel the 2020 event, like many others around the country, the committee was keen to see the show go ahead this autumn.

However, it required some creative thinking to plan around Covid risk, according to show chairman Richard Powell, who commented “It came down to three things. Slimming down the entry classes to something that could be easily rescheduled if necessary, keeping a lid on costs, and moving it to a Covid-safe venue.”

The venue was the new tap house at Orleton Court, opened in May by the Spilsbury & Jones Brewing Company, where their craft ales – brewed on site – are served in a wellventilated Covid-adapted environment. With the show’s 50plus year history of competition in hop growing, the eight hop classes were retained, along with six for grain, and spirit from the hedgerow.

“Coming down from the usual 46 classes to 14 gave us the flexibility needed while still drawing 58 hop entries from West of England growers keen to keep things going” Richard added. The hops were judged by a panel of three: retired grower Geoff Thompson, Lupofresh hop merchants’ technical manager Rob Shieldon and Spilsbury & Jones’ brewer Tony Jones.

Tony said there was much debate between them in ordering the top three entries in each class, as all were clean, high-quality samples, free of wind and disease damage and well dried. “It was nice to see a wide range of varieties coming forward too, with new ones such as Chinook, Jester and Oliciana alongside the traditional Challenger, Fuggles and Goldings cultivars” he added.

The S. J. Adams memorial perpetual challenge cup for the exhibitor of the champion sample went to J. W. Barrett for an entry of Jester. The Edward Lewis trophy, for the hop exhibitor gaining the highest number of points in the Ledbury, Trumpet and West of England shows, was won by S. J. Adams and Sons with a total of 30 points.

The show’s finale is always the produce auction and this year it did not disappoint, despite the slimmed down format, with trays of locally grown apples and pears selling

for £20 to £40 and the highest value spirits of the hedgerow going under the hammer for £60, £70 and £100 a bottle.

Richard Powell concluded: “We are delighted that the auction proceeds hit £1,000 enabling us to donate £500 each to the Tenbury Hospital League of Friends and the West Midlands Air

Brewer Tony Jones assessing the aroma of a hop entry Burford l Tenbury Wells Worcs l WR15 8HS

Firewood Seasoned logs Barn dried Ready to burn Free local delivery 01584 890993 07970 878224

Paul Harding Tree Services

Ambulance as in recent pre-Covid times. Thanks also go to our generous supporters, Oldfields Cider, Spilsbury & Jones Brewing, Mill Farm Country Retail, Stanford Farms and Angel Gardens, which provided the food, drink and venue and contributed auction lots enabling us to maximise fundraising.”

T: 01584 811831

All Agricultural Services Undertaken

info@nomark.co.uk

www.nomark.co.uk

As Winter approaches don’t forget we do snow ploughs and salt spreaders!!

Keep warm on your quad this winter with Handlebar Muffs and Heated Grips!... They make great Christmas presents Make feeding Sheep and Cattle easier with the Logic Feeder Ask about a demo of this machine and see the advantages over a wheel-driven feeder!!

Sales of New and used ATVs

All sizes of Quad tyres at competitive prices!!!

www.nomark.co.uk l

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

FARM SUPPLIES AND CONTRACTING Ploughing - Planting - Combining - Silaging - Fencing Suppliers฀of฀pipes฀for฀Drainage฀•฀Water฀Supply Ducting฀•฀Irrigation฀•฀Ditches฀&฀Culverts Septic/Storage฀Tanks฀•฀Drinking฀Troughs฀•฀Pumps Tel: 01584 711713/711466 Fax 01584 711493 mobile 07831 311544

CODER TYRES LIMITED AUTO SERVICE CENTRE Mon-Fri 8.30 - 17.30 Sat 8.30 - 12.30 4 Tyres 4 Batteries 4 Exhausts 4 Suspension 4 Punctures 4 Pre-MOT work 4 Welding 4 Locking Wheel Nut Removal 4 Servicing 4 Wheel Balancing 4 Agricultural on site work 4 Agent for Car & 4x4 4 Diagnostic work 4 TPM Sensors 4 4-Wheel Laser Adjustment

www.ludlowtyres.co.uk

01584 879200

UNIT O CODER ROAD, LUDLOW BUSINESS PARK, LUDLOW SY8 1XE

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

The new D-Max reached UK showrooms in early 2021, with a whole host of changes from the well-known model that preceded it. There are four versions to choose from: entrylevel Utility, mid-range DL20 and DL40, and the range-topping VCross. Obviously the specification steps up a notch with each upgrade.

The DL40 and V-Cross are available as Double Cab only; DL20 as Double or Extended Cab; Utility as Double Cab, Extended Cab, or Single Cab. The Utility is available as either 4x2 or 4x4; other models are 4x4 only.

All use the same 1.9 litre engine,

which delivers 164PS and 360Nm, and all offer a 3.5 tonne towing capability.

This review is based on the VCross I drove. This was very well-equipped, as you would expect from the 'top of the range' model. Obviously there are various upgrades from the DL40 but one of the most easily seen is the distinctive gunmetal grey wheels. Tyres were 265/60R18 110H Dunlop AT25 Grandtrek, which did all that was asked of them while I was driving the car, and the V-Cross comes with a spare wheel.

Another nice touch is personalised V-Cross mats -

obvious as soon as you open the door! Manual transmission is standard but the vehicle I drove was an automatic - an option that adds around £1,500 to the cost. A reversing camera is standard on the V-Cross and it was certainly appreciated when parking in tight spaces.

This is a good-looking vehicle, with an extensive specification, and a quality interior. It also drove well. One thing that's particularly welcome is the relaxed way it cruises at 55-60mph on a decent main road - at this speed the engine is only turning over at around 1500rpm in top.

It also steered well, and the automatic gearbox provided very smooth changes and very gentle take-up when setting off from rest. For normal driving on dry Tarmac, the D-Max runs in twowheel drive but for slippery surfaces, it only take a moment to select 4x4 - the rotary knob switches between 2WD, 4H and 4L. There is also a push-button to engage the rear differential lock useful for particularly challenging conditions, and there is also hill descent control.

The instrument display is clear and includes a digital speedo as well as an analogue dial, so you can use whichever you are happiest with, and the dual zone climate control worked well and

was easy to operate. Other positive features include the headlights, which did a good job of lighting the road ahead.

On a run the display showed that the automatic model I drove was returning about 36mpg, which is in line with the official 'WLTP' fuel consumption figures, which range from 25.1mpg ('Low') to 36mpg ('high'). The figures for the manual version suggest that it might be about 10% more economical.

The V-Cross certainly shows that a 4x4 pick-up can be stylish as well as practical, and pricing for the DMax range (CVOTR, excluding VAT) is as follows: Utility - from £21,009 (single cab, 4x2); DL20 from £26,009 (extended cab, 4x4); DL40 - from £29,759 (double cab, 4x4); V-Cross - from £31,259 (double cab, 4x4). All come with a five-year (125,000 mile) warranty, and also with five years of UK and European roadside assistance.

AdBlue filler is next to the fuel cap

Isuzu D-Max V-Cross at home in the Country

Kia Stinger 3.3 T-GDi V6 GT S Recent years have seen a move towards smaller engines, hybrids, and fully electric cars. However, there are still many largerengined models to choose from, typically from high-end manufacturers such as Audi and BMW, but these will be outside many buyers' budgets.

However, there is an alternative: Kia's Stinger. It even has rear wheel drive, just like a typical BMW or Jaguar. And with a top speed of 167mph, and the ability to cover the 0-60 sprint in 4.7 seconds, its performance figures put it ahead of even BMW's £74,665 840i Coupé M Sport. And delightfully, despite its performance, the £43,000 Stinger still benefits from Kia's usual seven-year warranty.

Of course, a car like this needs to offer style as well as performance and the Stinger doesn't disappoint. Its looks attract plenty of glances and in this respect it certainly holds its own against the competition. Equally, if you take a look inside the car, you'll see the interior has a quality look and plenty of features. These include heated and ventilated perforated nappa leather seats and a Harman Kardon Premium Sound System with plenty of speakers.

A run from the Teme Valley to Wetherby racecourse via the Peak District showed that this Stinger is not only a fine performer - it is also an excellent tourer, with driver and passenger feeling as fresh on arrival as they did on departure. It certainly lived up to Kia's "GT S" moniker, with 'Gran Turismo Sport' being an entirely appropriate designation. The quietness at cruising speeds was particularly welcome on a long run. Over the return trip the computer showed the car averaged about 30mpg.

Driving pleasure is boosted by generous torque at low revs, courtesy of the 361bhp turbocharged 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine, plus a well-managed eight-speed gearbox (with paddles), good steering and powerful brakes courtesy of huge discs and red Brembo calipers.

The suspension is adjustable, so you can select a mode to suit the conditions and your preferences.

It would be easy to expect a car such as this to be largely designed for high-performance use, with everyday practicality taking a back seat.

Fortunately this hasn't happened and Kia have created a car that offers an excellent blend of qualities, including comfortable seats, a good

driving position, five doors, decent leg room in the back and suspension that can deal with poor surfaces. The hatchback layout provides easy access to a generous boot and it even has a powered tailgate.

There's a long list of safety equipment, including Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Speed Limit Information, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot View Monitor, Lane Following Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Rear Occupants Alert and Safe Exit Warning.

When it comes to parking, the 360 degree 'Around View' monitor system with parking guidance combines four wide-angle images from cameras at the front, rear and sides of the car. The result is a comprehensive bird's eye view of the space around the vehicle while parking or driving at speeds below 12mph, which helps the driver manoeuvre the car.

The Stinger undeniably brings a touch of glamour to Kia's range and it's impressive that it has managed to do this without compromising Kia's reputation for competitively-priced and well-equipped cars. Commendably, it's also fun to drive and reassuringly practical.

Suzuki Swace

This Swace is economical, easy to drive, quiet and comfortable. It's also goodlooking and splendidly practical. It might seem surprising that Suzuki have been able to launch a car that does its job so well, in a market sector that is new to them, but the explanation is simple. This is, in fact, a lightly-modified Toyota Corolla, built at the Toyota factory in Derbyshire.

The Swace is a self-charging hybrid and it comes with a 1.8-litre petrol engine and CVT automatic transmission. There are only two models. The entry-level SZ-T retails at £27,499; for an entry-level model this has a high specification, including seven airbags, dual zone automatic air conditioning, seven inch LCD colour screen, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, rear parking camera plus Apple CarPlay and Android Auto device connectivity.

For an additional £1,800 you can have an SZ5, this is the model I drove. Upgrades from the SZ-T include blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, smart door lock system, front & rear parking distance sensors, simple-intelligent parking assist, cup holder lights, and front & rear door lights; a substantial list, considering the cost of the upgrade.

You shouldn't expect a family estate to feel sporty and the Swace doesn't. Rather it exudes the qualities that are important in this market sector. It's quiet and utterly fuss-free in town, and - as you might expect from a hybrid - it routinely sets off from rest on battery power only. The petrol engine fires up as speed rises, or if the driver requires faster acceleration. Given a relaxed driving style the petrol engine joins in so gently and so quietly that even the driver might not notice!

The size of the car is town-friendly too, as the outside dimensions are compact enough to fit in a supermarket parking space, but despite this the interior feels

spacious enough for a family.

Looking at out-of-town driving, there's enough acceleration to overtake slowmoving vehicles, and when cruising there are times, even at 60mph, when it runs solely on battery power. The transition between battery and petrol power is again managed seamlessly.

The suspension provides ample control at all legal speeds but at the same time it does a good job of soaking up the humps and bumps of poor-quality roads. This blend of abilities is well suited to this type of car and makes the Swace a sound choice for cross-country journeys. There are three driver-selectable modes - normal, eco and sport - but I found that the 'normal' setting performed satisfactorily during all the conditions I encountered.

Moving to the car's technical aspects, the Swace's 1.8-litre engine offers 102bhp and the electric motor has a peak output of

53kW. The "WLTP" (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) CO2 emissions are 103g/km and the WLTP combined fuel consumption is 64.2 mpg.

However, I didn't find it difficult to better this 'official' economy on a run, with the display showing 66.3mpg after a relaxed trip to the Welsh coast and back.

Deliberately driving economically improved things further, with 74mpg on a 35 mile drive from Bishops Castle to Tenbury.

The Swace is a worthy addition to Suzuki's line-up and it does a good job of filling what was a significant gap in Suzuki's range. The fact that it is produced in such close co-operation with Toyota can only be a recommendation, given Toyota's experience with this type of car, and there is also the draw that the Swace is actually 'Made in England', only 80 miles from Tenbury!

From the past

SKODA KAROQ

SKODA CITIGO

19 19 KAROQ 2.0 TDi SE 150 4x4 Auto, black, 2,900 miles . . . . . . £25,995 19 19 KAROQ 1.0 TSi SE, grey, 20,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £19,995

20 20 CITIGOe iV all-electric auto, white, 3,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £19,995 18 18 CITIGO 1.0 SE, beige, 12,000 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 15 65 CITIGO 1.0 SE, red, 14,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,995

SKODA YETI

Vauxhall Victor, over 60 years ago

16 66 YETI 1.2 TSi SEL DSG Auto, red, 23,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £16,750 15 65 YETI 2.0 TDi SE 4x4, red, 42,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £16,250 15 15 YETI 2.0 TDi SE 4x4 Auto, silver, 50,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £14,995 14 64 YETI 2.0 TDi 140 Black Edition 4x4 Auto, white, 60,000 miles . . £14,995 15 15 YETI 1.2 TSi SE, green, 30,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £14,995

SKODA FABIA

W ill’s A uto R epairs L td Will’s Auto Repairs Ltd Tyres l Servicing l Repairs 01584 811 849 l

20 70 FABIA 1.0 TSi SE, silver, 11,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £13,995 20 70 FABIA 1.0 TSi SE, silver, 13,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £13,995 19 19 FABIA 1.0 TSi SEL, grey, 29,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £11,995 16 66 FABIA 1.0 MPI SE, red, 27,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £10,450 12 12 FABIA 1.6 TDi SE Plus, blue, 75,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,450

SKODA ROOMSTER 13 63 ROOMSTER 1.2 TSi SE, beige, 73,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,450 12 62 ROOMSTER 1.6 TDi SE, beige, 20,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £6,450

SKODA OCTAVIA 14 64 OCTAVIA 2.0 TDi SEL ESTATE AUTO, red, 60,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . £11,995 14 14 OCTAVIA 1.6 TDi SE, grey, 62,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £7,995 13 63 OCTAVIA 1.6 TDi SEL 4x4 ESTATE, blue, 90,000 miles . . . . . . . . . £10,995

STRANGERS IN THE CAMP 14 64 Berlingo Multispace 1.6 TDi VTR, blue, 39,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . £6,995 14 64 Renault Twingo 1.2, Canary yellow, 24,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £5,995 08 58 VW GOLF Plus SE 1.9 TDi Auto, grey, 56,000 miles . . . . . . . . . . . . . £4,995

OVERTON SERVICE STATION HEREFORD ROAD, LUDLOW.

Tel. 01584 872584

We Will Remember Them Dan James leading the Tenbury Firefighters in the parade

Remembrance in Tenbury 2021

Tenbury Town Band leading the parade up Teme Street

The Remembrance commemorations in Tenbury Wells are a joint venture between the Town Council and the Tenbury Branch of the Royal British Legion. The new venue for the Armistice Day commemoration, and two minute silence, was the Civic Memorial Gardens at 11 o’clock on Thursday 11th November 2021.This commemoration used to take place in front of the Regal Cinema on Teme Street.

The Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service took place on Sunday 14th November. The parade formed up on the Tesco store market place around 10am, together with the Tenbury Town Band. The Town Band then led the parade to St Mary’s Church, where the wreath laying ceremony took place at the War Memorial, prior to a service inside the church.

Wreaths around the memorial with St Mary’s Poppy Waterfall in the background

Standards lowered during the wreath laying service Kelvin Wormington laying a wreath on behalf of the Burma Star Jim Keating paying his respects after laying a wreath on behalf of the RNLI CLEOBURY MORTIMER BRANCH OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Sunday 31th October saw the Branch hold its Centennial Luncheon at the Sports & Social Club, with Colonel Chris Joynson as guest speaker. He had agreed to speak at the Annual Lunch in 2019, but heavy snow overnight forced cancellation of the whole event.

Colonel Joynson spoke enthusiastically about the work of the ‘Battle Back Centre’ at Lilleshall, where he is the Recovery Operations Manager. The centre was founded in 2009 and has already helped over 7,000 wounded ex-service personnel to regain their self-confidence and motivation after their physical injuries had been treated.

Costing over £20m to set up, and £2m a year to run, it is the RBL’s biggest investment to date. Many of those who listened to the Colonel’s talk felt that the excellent work of the centre deserves to be more widely known. Many people only think of the RBL as a focal point during Remembrance.

The Cleobury Branch of the British Legion (not ‘Royal’ until 1971) was formed in 1921, less than two months after the new national body had been created on 15 May 1921 to represent the interests of ex-servicemen by merging together three existing bodies. The branch is therefore one of the oldest in the country.

This year, they have been unable to run any of their normal outings, but it is hoped to resume these in 2022. The Branch always welcomes new members - please contact Membership Secretary Matt Sheehan on 01299 271347 for details, or join online.

FAR FOREST AND ROCK BRANCH OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Poppy Appeal and Remembrance 2021. The branch would like to express their grateful

thanks for the wonderful levels of public support for both the Poppy Appeal and for the very well attended Dedication of the Bayton Memorial Seat on 5th November, and the Remembrance Parade and Service at Rock, and the short Service of Remembrance and Peacefulness conducted at the Pensax & Stockton Memorial on Sunday 14th November.

Branch Poppy Appeal Organiser Jim Woods has been busy throughout the Appeal and was able to say “So far our running total is well over £7,100 with more due to come in very shortly. The public response has been really heart-warming and we are truly grateful for the kind and generous donations and the positive messages of support we have received.” Branch Chairman Martyn Carter was appointed as Poppy Appeal Organiser for Strensham Services on the M5, which placed considerable demands on him and his small band of assistants, but resulted in the amazing total of £13,815 in donations.

For Branch Standard Bearer May Carter, it has been a particularly busy time as she has paraded the Standard at Bayton on 5th November and at both performances of the Festival of Remembrance in the Royal Albert Hall on 13th November, before travelling back overnight to take part in the Parade and Services in Rock and Pensax.

The Parade marched from the Rock Cross Inn to St Peter’s and St Paul’s Church, where the Legion and other Standards were presented to the Clergy during the Service.

During the Service, the names of those who had served and fallen during World Wars 1 and 2 were read out by members of the Scouts and Guides. Special prayers were offered for Her Majesty the Queen who had not been able to attend the National Service at the Cenotaph in London and for the

100th Anniversary of the formation of the Royal British Legion.

The Branch meets at the Rock Cross Inn at 7pm on the second Monday of each month and is keen to welcome anyone interested in finding out more about the Legion. Contact: chairman@farforestandrocklegion.org.uk or see the Branch’s Facebook Page - Far Forest and Rock Legion Branch.

TENBURY WELLS & DISTRICT BRANCH OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Jim Keating, Branch Secretary sent us these words: “The branch is celebrating the magnificent sum raised for this year’s Poppy Appeal. The total to date stands at £16,331.30 of which £7,331.41 was raised by hard working collectors at Tesco store and £1,329.90 by our members living out at Clifton-on-Teme. The balance came from generous donations, poppy sales at four local schools, house to house sales by members and volunteers and from sales in shops, pubs, organisations and business premises. The residents of Tenbury and the surrounding district proved to be as generous as ever and dug deep at a time when prices are rising and many people are finding day to day living both difficult and expensive. So our thanks go out to all the volunteers who assisted us and to every single one of the Tenbury residents and visitors who supported us so generously over the Remembrance period. We, the Royal British Legion, salute you.”

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £385,000

A modern cottage style detached house with double garage/home office in an exclusive development on the edge of town.

Fitted Kitchen, Two Reception Rooms, Conservatory, Master Bedroom with Ensuite, Two Further Bedrooms, Bathroom, Cloakroom, Attractive Gardens, Double Garage, Garage Loft Conversion, Parking, EPC Rating E.

CRALVES MEAD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £270,000

ORCHARD COURT, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £149,950

A link-detached bungalow in a desirable residential area within level walking distance of the town centre.

Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Dining Room, Sitting Room, Conservatory, Two Double Bedrooms, Shower Room, Attractive Level Gardens, Attached Garage, Driveway Parking, EPC Rating D.

A retirement bungalow 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.

Kitchen, Spacious Living Room, Two Bedrooms, Shower Room, Easy Care Garden, EPC Rating C.

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HUGE TURNOUT AT PUBLIC AUCTION

19 TENDERS RECEIVED!

BORASTON, TENBURY WELLS - POA

CORELEY, LUDLOW - POA

NASH, LUDLOW - OIRO £695,000

A simply idyllic small country estate with handsome late Georgian residence, pastureland and ‘Smokey Dragon’ cottage - about 19.02 acres, 7.699 hectares.

EPC Rating F.

An attractively situated small farm with cottage for improvement, traditional and modern farm buildings, pastureland and woodland - about 42.61 acres, 17.24 hectares.

EPC Rating G

A blank canvas - a traditional stock farm with farmhouse and farm buildings for restoration, versatile pastureland and woodland - about 79.85 acres, 32.314 hectares.

Farmhouse - EPC Rating G.

A detached period farmhouse with three reception rooms and five bedrooms in an elevated setting enjoying outstanding rural views.

EPC Rating F.

Nick Champion and his Team are grateful to all of their clients for their continued support.

STOKE BLISS, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £425,000 A quirky and characterful detached cottage with three bedrooms and attractive cottage gardens and a detached workshop in a fantastic rural location.

EPC Rating D.

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We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year

SO TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £400,000 A splendid Edwardian semi-detached house with three reception rooms and four bedrooms in the highly sought after Conservation Area and within level walking distance of the town centre.

EPC Rating E.

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Here is a selection of properties which have successfully been sold by Nick Champion in 2021.

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OLDWOOD, TENBURY WELLS - OIRO £1,200,000

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A detached family home with two reception rooms and three bedrooms and with large level gardens in a highly sought after setting.

EPC Rating D.

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TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £375,000

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TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £395,000 An individual and versatile detached house with five bedrooms, a detached double garage, driveway parking and a garden in an elevated and private setting.

EPC Rating C.

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE: £350,000

BURFORD, TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £325,000

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £285,000

TENBURY WELLS - GUIDE PRICE £185,000

A spacious detached bungalow with three bedrooms, gardens and a detached double garage in an exclusive development within level walking distance of the town centre.

EPC Rating D.

A well-appointed detached house with four bedrooms in a desirable edge of town residential development.

EPC Rating D.

A spacious mews style house with two reception rooms and three double bedrooms in a very popular residential area within walking distance of the town centre.

EPC Rating D.

An attractive modern detached bungalow with two bedrooms and a garden within level walking distance of the town centre.

EPC Rating D.

HAMPER FAYRE Come and see us for Christmas ideas!

Local Artisan Chocolates and Drinks A visit to Hamper Fayre, by the Bridge in Teme Street, Tenbury Wells, will reveal an array of products sourced both locally and from further afield. We are supporting Local Artisan Producers from Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire wherever possible, as we believe in supporting local families and the local economy.

If you want to create a bespoke Hamper as a Gift for a Friend or Loved One then please come and choose from either Traditional Wicker Hampers or from a variety of Eco Friendly Kraft Hamper Boxes and fill them with items of your own personal choice to precisely suit the tastes of the lucky recipient!

But remember...... anything can be bought individually as we are a normal shop as well! You don't have to buy a Hamper!

Choose from Artisan Chocolates, Terrines, Pa. te/ s, Cheeses, Savouries, Nibbles, Jams and Pickles, Cakes, Confectionery and Snacks.

We can arrange for you to collect from the Shop if you want to personally present the Gift, or we can arrange for it to be shipped to anywhere in the UK by DHLCouriers. We have a range of Quality Fine Wines suitable for all occasions and palates, backed up by a huge array of Local Beers, Ciders and Spirits.

Contact Us: Mobile: 07836 263760 Landline Tel: 01584 781122 Email: info@hamperfayre.co.uk Online: www.hamperfayre.co.uk

Visit Us: Opening Times: 10.00am to 4.00pm Tuesday to Saturday inclusive.

Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Hamper Fayre 59-61 Teme St Tenbury Wells WR15 8AE

HAMPER FAYRE