Month: May 2024

Two local charities that support residents’ health and wellbeing have been named as Herefordshire Council’s Chairman’s official charities.
The announcement means St Michael’s Hospice, Hereford, and We Are Farming Minds will receive the Chairman’s fundraising support during his time in office.

St Michael’s Hospice has been providing high quality care to the Herefordshire community since it opened its doors in 1984. The Hospice offers free support in a home-from-home environment for patients and their families.
We Are Farming Minds was created to support the Herefordshire agricultural community. The charity raises awareness about mental health and aims to remind farmers that they are not alone.

Councillor Roger Phillips, Chairman of Herefordshire Council, said: “There are so many deserving causes in the local area, but I wanted to show my support for two charities that I have personal connections with.

“I know the important contribution and support that St Michael`s provides to so many residents and their families, and coming from an agricultural background I understand the particular struggles and stresses of the farming community.

“I hope that my support will raise the profile of both of these deserving causes and as a result the charities gain additional financial help from other organisations.”

Natasha Walshe, Events & Community Fundraiser at St Michael’s, said: “We are delighted to receive the news of the chairman’s support.

“We rely heavily on the support of our wonderful community, so we’re very grateful to the Chairman for helping raise the profile of St Michael’s.”

Sam Stables, Director of We Are Farming Minds, added: “We are extremely grateful to Councillor Phillips for choosing We Are Farming Minds as one of his chosen charities. Our team is looking forward to working with him over the next two years to raise vital funds to support our Herefordshire farming community.”

More information about St Michael’s Hospice is available on their website st-michaels-hospice.org.uk

To find out more about We Are Farming Minds, visit the wearefarmingminds.co.uk website.

The Department for Education (DfE) has today announced that Herefordshire will get a new special school for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The DfE revealed the locations of 16 new special schools and the council is delighted that Herefordshire’s bid has been successful and the county is included in the list.

The announcement follows the government’s spring budget pledge to provide £105 million to build new special free schools across England.

The new Herefordshire special school will build up to catering for 80 children and young people, aged 2-16 years with complex autism and severe learning difficulties.

Councillor Ivan Powell, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

“We’re delighted that our special free school bid has been approved by the Department for Education. This support will enable us to expand the number of specialist education places in Herefordshire and enable more pupils to attend a school within their local community and to thrive in an educational environment that meet their needs well. We know this will have a significant and positive impact on these pupils and their families.”

More information about the plans for the new school, including details on the proposed location and the timings of the project, will be announced in the future.

Herefordshire Council will receive £750,000 from Arts Council England, thanks to its Government-funded Capital Investment Programme.

The funding is going towards supporting the major refurbishment and extension of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery, located on Broad Street, to create a state-of the-art museum and art gallery for Herefordshire.

The redevelopment of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery is a flagship project for the Herefordshire Council and Stronger Hereford. Once complete, the redeveloped museum and art gallery will significantly enhance the county’s cultural offer, support community engagement and attract new visitors to the area.

The project will extend and transform the Grade II-listed museum building on Broad Street. The new museum and art gallery will include new galleries and display spaces, temporary exhibition spaces, the restoration of the historic Woolhope Club Room and new commercial areas. All areas of the museum will be fully accessible with lifts and full flat access throughout.

Councillor Harry Bramer, cabinet member community services and assets, said:

“This funding will enable us to continue providing high quality creative and cultural experiences for people in Herefordshire. Museums are no longer just repositories of artefacts; they are dynamic spaces for learning, creativity and social connection. This funding will ensure that our county museum is the cultural centre it has always aspired to be.

“When it opens, the new museum and art gallery will offer visitors a new experience with a variety of exhibitions and events, and showcasing remarkable collections such as the Herefordshire Hoard. We are grateful for the support of Arts Council England and our other funders, whose investment is enabling the transformation of Hereford Museum and Art Gallery.”

The refurbishment of the museum and art gallery has also received funding from Herefordshire Council, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the Stronger Towns Fund.

The Capital Investment Programme supports the Arts Council’s mission to ensure communities across the country have the infrastructure where creativity for everyone can thrive.

Darren Henley, Chief Executive, Arts Council England, said:

“This infrastructure investment will help a whole range of different cultural organisations across England to flourish, increasing opportunities for people to enjoy creatively excellent cultural events close to where they live. It’s particularly important that we’re making this happen in communities where cultural investment has historically been low.”

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, Minister for Arts, Heritage and Libraries, said:

“Cultural venues enrich our lives, and it’s vital that their infrastructure matches the excellence of the creative work that goes on inside them.

“Our funding is helping both to create new venues and to adapt existing ones to make them more accessible, helping to deliver the Government’s plan to make sure that everyone, no matter where they live or what their background, has access to excellent, life-changing cultural opportunities.”