What’s on and News
More village news can be found in The Chimes and on our Facebook page.
Summer Fete – July 20th
Over £800 was raised at this year’s summer fete. Thank you to everyone who came, the stall holders, everyone who donated items for the stalls, the cake bakers, musicians and helpers who helped make it such a success. The bake a cake which looks like your pet was great fun. Some souls were brave enough to attempt the lego walk and much fun was had on all the games including the human fruit machine.
Lego Club – July 6th
Join us in the Millennium Hall from 10.30am to 11,30am for our lego club. All children (big and small) welcome. 50p per child,
Midsummer Madness – July 5th
MORE MIDSUMMER MADNESS Friday 5th July, 7pm Come for another evening of music and laughter. Free of charge but donations are welcome towards a new catering unit in the church. Refreshments provided, bring your own wine, and don’t forget a £1 coin to play ‘The Game’.
Church Spring Cleaning – June 22nd
New lighting is being installed in the church. It is wonderful but the new up-lights do rather highlight the cobwebs in the church. Despite the efforts of the cleaning rota folk and our team of electricians hoovering the roof as they go, the building will need a good brush and polish when they finish. We hope to have a spring clean on Saturday June 22nd at 11am. Many hands make light work, so if you can spare a little time to help it would be great. Olivia’s hands will also be there to make the lights work and give us a preview of the system and all its clever settings.
WI 105th Birthday – June 11th
The WI is having a 105th Birthday Reunion Party on Tuesday 11th June, from 8-9 pm. Anyone who has ever been a member is invited.
M50 roundabout resurfacing June
May 7th Parish Council meeting
Seven councillors, the clerk and 14 members of the public attended the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council on May 7th. Mark Rusby was re-elected as chairman and Mike Tyers was re-elected as vice chairman. In the public section the council was asked if the white lines which were in the middle of the road could be reinstated. This is a matter for Herefordshire Council as the highways authority. The Council has over £30,000 in its bank accounts which includes the first tranche of the annual precept.. All invoices were authorized for payment. The asset register was approved and a small group will consider the need for a health and safety inspection of assets. If anyone in the village has a background in health and safety and risk assessment and would like to help they should contact the clerk. The only planning applications were certificates of lawfulness which do not allow for comments. All the council’s policies and procedures are due to be reviewed by April 2025. Andy Parr was re-appointed as the footpath officer. Claire Newman was re-appointed as the website coordinator. The council will continue to meet bi-monthly on the first Tuesday of the month. Two expressions of interest were received for the lengthsman’s contract. Each received a detailed questionnaire on experience, insurance and equipment etc. One questionnaire was returned by Wayne Reed, the existing lengthsman and he was awarded the contract. The council will apply for Herefordshire Council’s lengthsman’s grant of just under £3,000 to help fund the work. Balfour Beatty has installed the white gates and bases for the speed detection signs as part of the traffic calming project. The council will check the work to date has followed the agreed plan. All villagers were urged to report pot holes, fly tipping and highways issues in the Parish to Herefordshire Council. New gates have been installed on the footpath which goes under the M50. The next meeting is at 7pm on Tuesday, June 4th.
May meeting of the WI
Easter
The church was beautifully decorated for Easter. A huge thank you to all our volunteer flower arrangers.
Parish Council Meeting – April 2nd
Five councillors, 13 members of the public and a clerk from HALC attended the Parish Council meeting on April 2nd. During the closed section the councillors appointed the new clerk, Andree Mitchell who joined the meeting after her appointment was confirmed. Vicky Eldridge was co-opted onto the council. There is more than £20,000 in the bank accounts which will rise to more than £30,000 once the precept is received. An update on the traffic calming confirmed that a second phase which will include the white gates is planned. The hedge replacement application by Chicory Crops was supported. It was agreed to extend the lengthsman’s contract for two months and to put it out to tender to ensure value for money for parishioners. New steps have been installed on the footpath at Wobage. In his closing remarks the chairman thanked Helen Tinson for her support clerking the meetings. The council AGM is on Tuesday, May 7th.
New Tai Chi class
A new Tai Chi class is due to start in the Millennium Hall on April 17th. Find out more at https://www.facebook.com/PilateswithAlisonA/
Herefordshire draft Local Plan 2021-2041
Herefordshire Council has launched a consultation on the draft Herefordshire Local Plan (Regulation 18) 2021 – 2041. The local plan sets out the planning framework for the county for the period to 2041 and covers issues such as housing provision, the economy, retail and town centres, infrastructure provision and the environment. It will also set out policies by which planning applications will be determined, in addition to allocation land for new housing and commercial development and associated infrastructure.
The deadline to respond to the consultation is 20th May. We invite you to read the consultation documents carefully and submit a response via the Commonplace website. To help illustrate the policies and to put them into context, an interactive map has been published alongside the draft plan.
To accompany the plan, we are publishing four background papers on some of the strategic policy areas to provide further information on how the policies have been developed.
As part of the consultation, we are also asking local residents to provide feedback on the current design of the built environment in Hereford and the market towns and how this can be improved through a Herefordshire-wide design code. More information on the National model design code and how to create design code can be found here.
In addition to the information provided online, members of Herefordshire Council’s strategic planning team will be available to speak to in person at several locations across the county throughout late March and most of April.
All consultation documents and further information of dates and locations for roadshow events are available on the Herefordshire Local Plan webpage.
A New Local Transport Plan for Herefordshire
- An overarching strategy setting out how investment in transport will help to achieve the economic, environmental, health and social ambitions of the council;
- An implementation plan setting out a programme of schemes and projects which will include a wide range of types of transport interventions
Lego Club – May 4th
Traffic Calming – Update February 2024
Herefordshire Council awarded Upton Bishop a Traffic Calming Grant of £125,000 which is to be delivered by BBLP week commencing 4th March 2024 for six nights between 20.00hrs and 06.00hrs.
Based upon proposals made by the Upton Bishop Traffic Calming working group, Herefordshire Council have approved a scheme which includes:
- Improved terminal signage & gateway road markings;
- Improved warning signs and road markings, including Upton Crews & Phocle Green;
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Installation of SIDS bases at approved sites;
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Installation of Village gates;
- Verge narrowing programme through the village.
These are the final plans:
Carol singing Christmas 2023
A huge thank you to everyone who turned out and sang carols in the village before Christmas. We started with the Big Sing at the Millennium Hall on Thursday, December 14th and were rewarded with mince pies and mulled wine for our efforts. On Tuesday, December 19th there was community carol singing at Phocle Green and The Crews. The three sings raised more than £200 which will be split between the Air Ambulance and church funds.
Carol Service – December 17th
Christmas Fayre
Congratulations to everyone involved in the Christmas Fayre. We raised over £2,000 for church funds and the hall was packed from start to finish. There was a fantastic hamper raffle. The cake stall made over £200 and Father Christmas was kept really busy by all the small people who wanted to visit him. There was wonderful craftwork on display, cards with photos from around the village, a tremendous display of bric-a-brac and lots of toys including an enormous carrot. You could guess the weight of three cakes, or the numbers of sweets in a jar, find hidden treasure, have a lucky dip or play games of chance. There was a tremendous tombola with lots of prizes too. You could have your face painted or you could just sit and enjoy a coffee and a mince pie. Market to your Door was in the car park selling wonderful local produce too.
LOCAL HISTORY ARTICLE
This month in the Chimes Online the Ashbourne Family Saga continues with Edward in East Prussia visiting Alexandra. Does Emily’s health deteriorate and what happens when Aunt Roberta arrives in Herefordshire? Find out only in the http://www.thechimes.org.uk and select INFO. Extras & Blogs, then select Historical Blog.
Christmas trees at Chicory
The Christmas trees have arrived at Chicory Crops. There are lots of lovely trees in all different sizes. Bit, if you want one you had better be quick before they are all snapped up.
Herefordshire Council changes to refuse collections Christmas 2023
Music for Ukraine – November 10th
The Music for Ukraine night was a great success. Hosted by The Blue Mesnies and joined by Rye with Doug and Julie, we all enjoyed an evening of Rock and Pop, ending with us joining in with Tony Ayres’s Ukraine Song. KT came to give an interesting talk about her adventures delivering supplies to Ukraine and told us that our donations make a real difference. Every tin of food they deliver is a meal for someone who might otherwise have gone hungry that day. With ticket sales, raffle, delicious cakes and bucket collection, £400 was raised for Ukraine and the church. A huge thank you to all the musicians and to everyone who helped make this such a great night.
Women’s Circle – October 24th
The next meeting of the new Women’s Circle will be at 7pm on Sunday, October 24th.
Theft from the church
A thief has stolen a number of coping stones from the churchyard wall. If you are offered any please report it to the police.
Millennium Hall AGM – Oct0ber 12th at 6pm
Village Eco Map
Our village has its own eco map. Bravo, all those who maintain their spaces with wildlife in mind and have added them to the map. The village now has areas where orchids, newts, black poplar trees, corncrakes, damselflies, butterflies of all colours and barn owls are making a comeback. Can we join these up and increase numbers and variety? Contact uptonbishopecomap@gmail.com to tell us what you’re doing and seeing.
October 21st – BENEFICE PRAYER DAY
2023 has been chosen as the diocesan year of prayer, and we felt we should take the opportunity to mark it with a prayer day of our own. This will be a very special day with something for everyone.
Come to the whole day and treat it as mini-retreat or just dip in to one or two individual sessions.
More details nearer the time or contact Jane Ayres.
September 30th – An Autumn Fayre and Fun Produce Show
Congratulations to everyone who took part in the Autumn Fayre and Fun Produce show. The Millennium Hall was full of wonderful vegetables, tantalising cakes, glorious floral displays and incredible works of art. It really showed that Upton Bishop is full of some very talented people. Congratulations to Gill Harper on winning the overall prize. And a huge thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make it a success. It raised more than £750 fo0r church funds.
September 16th – Little Swallows 20th Birthday Party
Little Swallows celebrated its 20th birthday with a party in the Millennium Hall on Saturday, September 16th.
September 2nd – Market to your Door
Market to your Door will be at the Millennium Hall from 10am until 12 noon on Saturday, September 2nd selling local produce and goods. There will also be coffee and cakes.
October 2nd – Harvest Festival
The village harvest festival service will be in the church at 10.30am on Sunday, October 1st. Please bring donations of dried and tinned goods for the Ross larder.
September 17th – Women’s Circle
A new Women’s Circle will meet for the first time on Sunday, September 17th between 7 and 9pm in the Millennium Hall. It will offer a safe, non-judgemental space for women to connect, heal and learn from each other and it is open to all women. There are limited spaces. Please contact Amy on 07867 7 61108 for more details. £10 donation.
September 30th – An Autumn Fayre and Fun Produce Show