Whilst browsing the internet the other day I came across this interesting book written by Vera Powell about her Leominster Childhood.
Foreword by John Windsor, Author & Broadcaster
Just as recession threatens in the UK and we’re all learning to tighten our belts, Vera Powell is sharing with us the hardships of her Leominster childhood in the 1920s and 30s. Her friend John Windsor in his foreword says, “Vera has written a book of charm, humour and faith in humanity, as well as recording a piece of rural social history that would otherwise be lost forever. It is hard to think that only 75 years ago she could have grown up in such a simple, disciplined and close-to-nature way”.
Vera Powell originally wrote the book in 2001 for her four children, so they would know something of her life and times as a child. On reading it, her son Martin decided it deserved a wider audience and so the family has self-published a small run in honour of her 85th birthday, which will be celebrated at a large party in September. For those interested in Leominster history, the 35 page book, which includes 29 previously unpublished photos,is available for £3.50 (includes postage and packing)
The book has two main sections: Mill Street, where Vera grew up, and The Farm at Deerfold (near Lingen), where she spent every summer on her grandfather’s farm and it is this latter section and Vera’s portrayal of and relationship with her strong charactered aunty, Annie Slater, that forms the emotional heart of the book. The book covers topics such as mealtimes and hunger, household chores, playtime, Saturday and holiday jobs, adult-child relationships, local characters, adventures, working on the farm, a pig killing, religion, church, chapel and school.
Please visit the website to purchase the book or view more information about it. A Leominster Childhood.

For those of you who have read the “About Us” page you may have noticed the mention of Home Swap Holidays.This is when you swap your home, car and even pets sometimes for a fabulous holiday living in someone elses house whilst they live in yours.There are people all over the world who would love to visit Herefordshire as we found out. Having done two swaps to Australia and France with Canada next on the agenda i would recommend giving it a go.We could not afford to travel to all these destinations paying for accommodation especially for a large family so what a wonderful way to holiday.
There are things you need to know though before you try it…
The most important factor I believe is COMPATABILITY. There is no point swapping your 200 year old cottage for a penthouse appartment with white carpets and sofas when you have two boys! Once you have chosen the destination you want and placed your home onto the web it is a case of trying to find the swap that suits you. You will have to trawl the web pages of numerous sites, send numerous emails,but you will hopefully hit upon a swap that you would like.
The next step is to make contact usually via email initially.You must be HONEST.You should build up a repore between you and feel comfortable with the arrangements.
I felt so comfortable with mine that we phoned each other, spoke over the MSN and emailed every week. We are now firm friends.
So the swap is on what do you do next? Well i cleaned the house from top to bottom ,it was a good excuse to have a big clear out really. I drew up a home manual to explain all of the appliances etc and left a large collection of things to do leaflets which i got from the local tourist information center.
I infomed the house insurance people and as we were swapping cars the car insurance company aswell.
I finally arranged for a friend to be at the house with the keys and show my swappers around,pointing out the little quirks that all houses have.Dont put the microwave on at the same time as the dryer you will blow the fuses etc.
Just putting your home onto a web site is not enough to get a swap, you must actively search one out, and you will have several attempts to get the right one.I know i did.
And if you are wondering did anything go wrong. We lost a beach towel out to sea and my swappers broke a candle holder in the bathroom. I did feel sorry for them as they spent a week around the antique shops trying to replace it and it only came from Boots!
Please contact if you would like to more about Home Swap Holidays.

Time appears to accelerate as we grow older but, even so, it seems hardly credible that the first “Leominster Live!” appeared five years ago.
During that time, I hope I have fulfilled the brief that my editor, Mike Robinson, gave me when he commissioned the column to appear on Wednesday 19 November 2003. Generously, he gave me the freedom to cover any aspect of Leominster life, its activities and personalities, its voluntary and commercial organisations. Occasionally, I have interspersed these with personal anecdotes when my own life experiences have been relevant.
It is a fact of life that anyone writing for a newspaper will receive more brickbats than pats on the back, and I have had my share of these. Once or twice these have been justified, when I have been guilty of less than adequate research, but one charge that I would indignantly refute is that of which I was accused last year, of advertising.
Leominster is a small town, with many of its residents having been born within it or in the surrounding countryside. As such, they have a wealth of shared knowledge – to use a political expression, they know where the bodies are buried, meaning that they know which organisations and individuals offer good, honest and reasonably-priced services – and those that don’t. However, to newcomers – as I was in June ’99 - this knowledge is a closed book and wisdom comes only by trial and error, often at a price, both in money and disillusion.
Because the Leominster Journal is very widely-read, over the years it has allowed me to reach a wide readership, many of whom have made it clear that they value my recommendations. This is why, when I have received satisfactory, even exceptional service, I have praised the providers of this service in the column. I regret the few who have seen this as a criticism of their own services but, unfortunately, I cannot patronise every shop, every tradesman or every service offered.
Obeying the old adage, I speak as I find but, if I ever win the Lottery, I shall be able to find and patronise many more services and be happy to do so.
So often, when walking the Tripod, I am recognised in his wake and often, warmingly, made aware of a reader’s regular interest in the column. Often, too, I am asked how on earth I find something to write about every week – and here, on my fifth anniversary, perhaps I may be allowed just a small boast: I have never repeated a column in its entirety.
So far, sadly, there have been few responses to requests for readers to contact me with topics they would like me to cover: outstanding individuals, charities, other community organisations, or worthwhile events for which they would like coverage.
There are, I know, unsung heroes, heroines and organisations in this delightful, friendly town who deserve public recognition of their value to their community. Please tell me about them, by email, ‘phone or letter – and help me fill columns for another five years!by Nancy Richards.

Because it tastes better
Many people buy organic food because they believe it tastes better than non-organic food. No one is quite sure why this should be. It’s thought it might be because organically reared animals and fruit grow more slowly and the fruits have a lower water content than non-organic ones.
Because it’s better for you and your family
Research suggests that organic milk is very beneficial to health and well-being. Organic milk is typically higher in vitamins and beneficial nutrients. It includes more Omega 3, vitamin E and beta carotene (which the body converts to vitamin A) than non-organic milk.
Eating organic food also means you’re reducing your exposure to potentially harmful pesticides, additives and antibiotics.
On non-organic farms, over 440 pesticides can be used. Their residues can often be found in the food they produce. The Soil Association only allows organic farmers to use four pesticides – and these can only be used as a last resort. Instead, organic farms control pests using natural predators. They maintain fertile soil using traditional methods such as crop rotation.
Non-organic animals are routinely fed antibiotics to help speed up their growth. These antibiotics are linked to bacterial resistance to the same and closely related antibiotics in humans – making any antibiotics we may take when we’re ill less effective. Soil Association standards prohibit the routine use of antibiotics.
Because it’s better for the environment
Organic farms have 44% more birds and five times as many wild flowers as non-organic ones, helping to preserve biodiversity.
The UK government has admitted that organic farms cause less pollution from sprays and create less dangerous wastes. They also admit they produce less carbon dioxide, the main global warming gas.
Because it’s better for the animals
No system of farming has higher levels of animal welfare standards than organic farms working to Soil Association standards. All organic farmers aim to keep their animals happy, comfortable and contented.
Unless they are ill, organic animals are never given antibiotics. This means that they grow at a rate that is natural and healthy. As a result they live longer and have a better quality of life. If our dairy cows are treated with antibiotics, they’re removed from the herd and their milk is not used until the antibiotics have cleared their system. Organic dairy cows produce more milk over their lifetimes than non-organic ones.

Leominster Live- Nancy Richards.

The saying ‘Sixty is the new forty’ suggests that we are living longer and remaining fit and healthy longer. Unfortunately, while bodies may remain healthy, diseases such as dementia are becoming more common. Alzheimer’s, the most common cause, affects around 417,000 UK residents.

Alzheimers is a physical disease of the brain, with ‘plaques’ and ‘tangles’ developing in the brain structure, with eventual death of brain cells. A shortage of some important chemicals – involved with transmission of messages within the brain - is also apparent. It is a progressive disease, with more areas of the brain becoming damaged over time but, although there are some common symptoms, sufferers tend to vary in their experience of the disease.

In the early stages there may be lapses of memory, and finding the right words may become a problem. There may be confusion, with names of people, places, appointments and recent events becoming forgotten. Mood swings may become apparent, with periods of sadness and anger, or of sufferers being scared and frustrated by their increasing memory loss. All this may lead to withdrawal, due either to a loss of confidence or to inability to communicate.

Research suggests that age is the greatest risk factor in dementia, with one in 14 people over 65 and one in six over 80 becoming demented. Other factors, such as environment, diet, overall general health and genetic inheritance may be involved. Of the 15,000 sufferers under 65, genetics are the likeliest cause and scientists are currently investigating this factor. In a few families, there is a very clear clear generational link, often where the disease appears relatively early . In others, dementia may develop silently for years before symptoms appear, with the onset of clinical disease requiring a trigger.

Inevitably, where a parent or other relative has Alzheimers, you may be more fearful but your own chances of developing Alzheimers are very little higher than if there was no family history of dementia. Unfortunately, there is no straightforward test for Alzheimer’s or other causes of dementia, although a tentative diagnosis may be made by excluding possible other causes with similar symptoms, such as infections, vitamin deficiency, thyroid problems, brain tumours or the side-effects of drugs, and depression..

If you are concerned about your own health, or of someone close to you, do seek help from your GP. He may recommend further specialist tests, including a blood test, full physical examination, and a detailed memory assessment and thinking skills by a psychologist, and perhaps a brain scan. Even a tentative diagnosis could help you plan for your own or a relative’s future, to benefit from the treatments that are currently available and help you to identify sources of advice and support.

The drugs Aricept, and Exelon are available for moderate dementia and, at your GP’s discretion, for people in the early stages. Some research suggests that certain vitamins and supplements may have a preventative effect. Dementia is a vast and complicated subject but the Alzheimers Society on their website www.alzheimers.org.uk provide a wealth of information on all relevant topics

St Mary’s Church, Kington, was packed for Kington Choral’s recent stirring performance of Mendelssohn’s ELIJAH on 18th October. This was the first time that soloists Elisabeth Wingfield (soprano), Frida Osterberg (alto), Richard Strivens (bass/baritone) and Georgina Pochin (soprano), have sung with KCS, and there was a welcome return for Michael Clee (tenor) and the superb organist Peter Dyke (from Hereford Cathedral).

The next KCS dates for your diary are Saturday 20th June 2009, when KCS and guest soloists will be performing a triple bill of Gounod’s Mass of St Cecilia, Elgar’s From the Bavarian Highlands, and E.J.Moeran’s Songs of Springtime. Moeran has Kington connections so the choice of his music is apposite.
The autumn concert will be on Saturday 17th October 2009 featuring Beethoven’s Mass in C-major and Mendelssohn’s Hymn of Praise. Don’t miss them !!

KCS is a large (75-strong) choral group which meets each Monday night in Kington for rehearsals. New singers will always be welcome, both experienced and those new to choral music – just telephone the Music Director Maureen Twiddy on 01544 370666

By Nancy Richards Leominster Live.

Years ago, my younger son would sing and jiggle happily to the Davie Clark Five number, “Bits and Pieces” and, not fully recovered from my recent illness, this week’s column will be composed of bits and pieces, each not a column in itself but, I believe, of interest to readers.

Last week, the Journal’s cover story was a return to a problem that continues to frustrate those of us who love Leominster and want it to flourish as the tourist-attraction for which it is so well-designed. In one of my first columns, I attacked the selfishness of those dog-owners who allow their pets to foul areas where people walk and children play. Julie Saxon, of the Grape Vaults, has lamented the fact that a campaign five years ago resulted in only a temporary lull in this disgusting practice.

Most serious is the mess that is often left on Sydonia and the Grange, where children play. Encams, which runs the Keep Britain Tidy campaign, estimates that the dog population produces 1,000 tonnes of faeces a day, with far too much of it left in places where it can cause the potentially serious infection ,human toxocariasis.

The infection, which lasts between six and 24 months, is frequently carried on the hands but, also,, through inanimate objects such as wheels of toys, soles of shoes etc., affecting mainly children between 18 months and five years. Eye disorders are the most commonly reported complaint associated with Toxocariasis, although other symptoms are vague aches, dizziness, nausea, asthma and epileptic fits.

“There does not seem to be a particular problem in Leominster”, said a Council spokesman. Tell that to those of us who live here!

The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 allows local authorities to designate any public land as poop scoop areas where dog owners must clean up after their pets but, as always, the problem is to catch the Phantom Foulers. For the elderly, stooping to collect their pets’ leavings may be a problem but www.scoopstick.com offers the No Stoop Scoop Stick or, if money is tight, J Mart sell a long-handled brush-and-dustpan for a mere 99p.

A less serious problem but very annoying to Internet Users is the ever-increasing volume of Spam email. Sent to a Spam Folder, it can be deleted but still has to be checked for the occasional genuine mail that slips through. Gnashing my teeth at offers of Viagra, debt resolution etc., I have found a way of reducing the flow by using the Unsubscribe facility at the bottom of most such emails, although often in the smallest, faintest print. Using this opportunity, within a week, the Spam in my mailbox has lessened from a flow to a trickle.

A recent forwarded ‘funny’ for all those who hate their day-job: the leaflet enclosed with a Johnson&Johnson rectal thermometer reads:
‘ Every Rectal Thermometer made by Johnson &Johnson is personally tested and then sanitized . ‘ The only suitable comment to that is ‘Ouch!’

Tyrrells’ latest adventure into the world of innovative and mouth-watering flavours delivers nothing short of a local match made in heaven. ‘Dorothy Goodbody Ale & Mature Cheddar Cheese’ is the latest new winter seasonal potato chip flavour from Tyrrells – available from October 1st 2008.

In their search for the perfect Real Ale flavour, Tyrrells turned to Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) award winners Wye Valley Brewery for inspiration. Many pints of ale later, Tyrrells chose the brewery’s ‘Dorothy Goodbody Golden Ale’ as the perfect component for their new winter potato chip flavour. The Tyrrells seasoning specialists then set to work on turning the Ale in to a format that could be applied to their chips. The result is a fantastic, rich tasting chip, which is seasoned whilst still warm to give maximum flavour. Tyrrells also went a step further in their attempts to create a local winner, by featuring Wye Valley Brewery owners, Peter and Vernon Amor in the front-of-pack photograph.

‘Ale & Cheese’ joins established favourite ‘Beef & Horseradish’ to form a truly delicious winter potato chip duo.

Proud to be the only small chip maker in the UK to grow their own potatoes and turn them into delicious potato chips at Tyrrells Court Farm in Herefordshire, Tyrrells are in complete control from seed to chip. The potatoes are individually inspected, sliced and cooked in small batches, before being delicately seasoned with flavours such as Lightly Sea Salted, Sea Salt and Black Pepper and for the more adventurous – Ludlow Sausage & Wholegrain Mustard and Sweet Chilli & Red Pepper.

Tyrrells Ale & Cheese and Beef & Horseradish Potato Chips are available in 150g bags from quality retailers nationwide between October 2008 and April 2009.

For more information: Cath Henley This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Tel: 01568 720244 Fax: 01568 720455
www.tyrrellspotatochips.co.uk

Let us know your favourite flavours. Have you ideas of your own. Comments can be made here.

Leominster Live!” on Wed. 2nd October 2008by Nancy Richards.
Once upon a time, cricket was played on the Grange, with a pretty little pavilion as a retiring room. Sadly, the cricketers departed and the pavilion became dilapidated, a haunt of characters whose sole exercise tended to be the lifting of a bottle. Colourful as some of the characters were, their presence hardly enhanced the attraction of the Grange to visitors.

Then the charity Marshfield and the Leominster Regeneration Co. co-operated in financing and organising the regeneration of the old pavilion and, in summer 2006, the Pavilion Café was opened as a Community Interest Company. Now, with shining chrome tables and chairs set out inside and outside on the sloping lawn, the former eyesore is now truly an asset to Leominster, with a view across the green sweep of the Grange and its guardian, Mr. Granger. Open from Monday to Saturday during the summer, although closed on Saturday during the off-season, the café is a welcome haven for visitors and locals alike.

The Pavilion combines the old-fashioned charm of its exterior with the clean lines and bright décor of the interior. Traditional café fare - pots of tea, freshly-made sandwiches, mouth-watering cakes and a delicious range of ice-creams, is augmented by modern varieties of coffee: latte, cappuccino and cafetiere. Prices are very competitive, the latter, costing only £1.50 for two cups and my afternoon treat, a pot of tea, toasted tea-cake with real butter, was great value at only £2.50.

Although the company is a community enterprise, the directors Jonathan Pitt and Holly Holroyd and Emma Standing, run it as efficiently as any commercial enterprise. Holly’s background in banking and Emma’s in retail – years at Bookers in Hereford – have given them the knowledge and the flair to make a success of the café. Sarah Davey, a serene and lovely lady, assists part-time, as does Jason Stitchbury and other helpers from Marshfield. Jason, a tall and striking figure in his black outfit, is obviously very happy in his work, making light of setting out tables and chairs at opening time and stacking them at the end of a busy day.

To my delight, there is also a plant stall outside the café, with a range of plants, all of which are donations and very welcomed. I bought a very beautiful rose begonia at the bargain price of a mere 70p and donated two plants, propagated from cuttings in my own garden.

On a recent visit, reflecting upon the Pavilion as a venue for a real tea-party, I asked if that were possible. Yes, a fairly small party could be accommodated and Holly would be happy to discuss this - she and Emma can be contacted on 01568-615159.

Already, plans are being made to decorate the café and its surroundings for Christmas and, having met Holly and Emma and their helpers, I am sure that this lovely little building will be a magnet for visitors and locals alike in the colder weather ahead. From a dilapidated eyesore to a shining, welcoming asset, the Pavilion Café is a tribute to its founders and its staff.

Well that’s it: A year in the planning and all over in the blink of an eye. As the dust settles on yet another Shobdon Food Festival we’re left reflecting on what was a great weekend. We had our busiest Saturday ever as visitors poured in to our idyllic showground almost from the second we opened the doors at 10am. They enjoyed a wide variety of produce from around the region and beyond and were able to sample and buy everything from water to wine and from pork to pastries.

Our new bespoke demonstration theatre was more popular than ever with a packed programme of cooking displays and culinary talks. There were also flower arranging and farriery demonstrations, a creative dance display by children from the local Primary School and a variety of evening events and concerts. Over fifty classic cars, vintage tractors and other farm machinery attracted loads of interest throughout the weekend and the live music and a mini beer festival added the final touches to what was a culinary celebration of Herefordshire and the Marches.

100% of profits made are donated to local charities and good causes and early estimations indicate we will be splitting up just under £7,000 this year which is a fantastic effort by our amazing team of volunteers.

We would like to thank everyone who helped over the weekend. Putting on an event of this size takes a tremendous amount of work and it simply wouldn’t be possible without dozens of volunteers. We would also like to thank all the local businesses who supported us as well as everyone who donated produce or prizes - it is very much appreciated!

Finally - an early word on the 2009 Shobdon Food Festival which as ever will take place on the last weekend in June. Next year is our fifth anniversary and plans are already forming to make it bigger and better than ever - watch this space!
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.shobdonfoodfestival.co.uk