Month: September 2021

Herefordshire Council’s admission process for primary school reception class places for September 2022 are open for children who were born between 1 September 2017 and 31 August 2018.

Applications can be made online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/reception-class-admissions

Please note that late applications could result in not being offered a place in a preferred school.

You must still apply for a reception class place, even if you already have a place in the nursery associated with your preferred school.

If parents or guardians experience an issue with their online application, please call the council’s school admissions team on 01432 260926 / 261574 or email schooladmissions@herefordshire.gov.uk

The closing date for all primary school reception class applications is midnight on 15 January 2022.

The site is the online home of Herefordshire Biological Records Centre (HBRC), a Herefordshire Council-hosted service whose main aim is to hold all available data on the county’s wildlife sites and species. While the information helps inform decision-makers on planning and ecological matters, the new website will also provide opportunities for people in Herefordshire to become more closely connected with the world around them.

A website full of worms and woodlice

HBRC, in partnership with Cultivating Learning and Nature CIC, were recently awarded £98,900 of Heritage Lottery funding and it’s this that has made the new website possible.

The timing of its launch coincides with renewed interest in the natural world, brought about by people slowing down and better appreciating its many benefits during the lockdown of 2020. The site will be regularly updated with news of the service’s findings as well as the events it puts on to encourage people to explore the natural world. Held at different venues throughout the county, the events currently include: a fungi discovery day; a course on earthworms; a chance to learn more about reptiles; and an opportunity to discover the wonderful world of woodlice!

Jane Tavener, an ecologist at HBRC, says:

“This is such an exciting project to be involved in. While there are clearly many sad and negative sides to the pandemic, one of the really positive effects is how it has revitalised people’s interest in the world around them. Working from home – and being stopped from using public transport for a while – meant that more of us have been walking and cycling over the last 18 months or so. Such simple activities literally slow us down, so we can’t fail to take more notice of nature. And this renews our interest in the creatures that share our world. There even appears to be more understanding of how important plants and animals are. We simply cannot manage without them!

“Our new website will help even more people in Herefordshire appreciate how intricately connected we are with our natural world by informing them about the species on their doorsteps and further afield.”

Talk Community has launched a new online falls prevention resource, to coincide with Falls Prevention Awareness Week (20 – 24 September).

The annual awareness week aims to highlight the different measures older people can take, to try and prevent themselves from having a fall.

Talk Community’s free online resource is full of fantastic information, top tips and short films, which will help more people in Herefordshire to see what they can do to look after themselves and reduce their risk of falling, especially as they get older.

The top five tips to help you stay steady and prevent a fall, are:

1)  Stay active, eat well and keep hydrated

2)  Remove trip hazards in your home and garden

3)  Always wear well fitted footwear

4)  Be aware of raised shop doorways, pavement changes and uneven surfaces

5)  Regularly review your medication and have your eyes and ears tested

Councillor Felicity Norman, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Wellbeing, said:

“It is estimated that 1 in 3 adults aged over 65, who live at home, will have at least one fall a year, with around half of these having more frequent falls.  Although the majority of falls don’t result in serious injury, there’s always a risk that a fall could lead to medical complications, hospitalisation or loss of independence.

“The launch of the new Talk Community falls prevention resource is a great way to help more people stay healthy, active and independent for longer and gives families additional support to help older loved ones.”

To find out more about what you can do to help reduce your risk of falling, visit www.talkcommunitydirectory.org/falls

The library is currently closed due to the ongoing repair works at the Bromyard Centre, but Herefordshire Council has been working with Bromyard Town Council to organise a temporary system that will operate from the Town Council offices.

Beginning on Monday 20 September, customers can access the service between 10am and 1pm on Monday and Wednesday mornings at the Bromyard Temporary Library, The Old Vicarage, 1 Rowberry St, Bromyard HR7 4DU.

Cllr Gemma Davies, Cabinet member for Commissioning, Procurement and Assets, said: “Libraries are incredibly important as centres of culture and education, but also play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and community cohesion. The closure of the Bromyard Centre has been tough on local residents, so we are delighted to be able to offer this new temporary click and collect service.

“We would like to thank Bromyard Town Council for hosting the service and helping us to ensure that the residents of Bromyard continue to have access to a library service.”

For more information please visit our website.

The free swimming lessons for adults are part of a £6million investment through Herefordshire Council’s Covid-19 recovery plan to encourage activity and improve wellbeing in the county. Halo will be opening up the pools in Ross, Ledbury, Leominster and Hereford for the free weekly 30 minute lessons from September.

Learning to swim can be life-transforming as gaining the skill builds confidence and opens doors to fun in the pool with family and friends.

“What most non-swimmers have in common is the false belief that they’re the only adult who has never learned, or that a past bad experience in water (way back at school even) will get in the way,” says Alex Haines, Halo Partnership Manager. “We see that thinking change every time an adult gets in the pool, realise our instructors understand their anxiety and suddenly feel the thrill of lifting their feet off the bottom and making to the other side of the pool. They tell us every time how empowering that is.”

Alex went on to say, “There’s no time limit (or judgement) on how long it takes or how nervous you are. The lessons are free until you make that first 25m length, and we know you will. In fact the low-impact nature of swimming makes it the ideal exercise for those who don’t fancy an exercise class or the gym treadmill but want to stay strong, flexible and fit. Once they’re swimming, new swimmers don’t want to stop.”

Amy Pitt, Assistant Director -Talk Communities Programme at Herefordshire Council said: “The impact the pandemic and the disruption it caused has had on mental and physical health and wellbeing is becoming clear. Exercising with others is one of the best ways to help overcome this and we are delighted to work with local social enterprise and registered charity Halo Leisure to fund this wonderful initiative that is all about getting more people more active, and improving wellbeing.”

For more information contact your local pool or visit the Halo website.