Archives: News

Dear Parishioners,

Fundraising project to resurface Kingsland Coronation Hall tennis courts

We are writing on behalf of Kingsland Coronation Hall committee to ask for your support for a project we are undertaking early next year. We are looking to resurface the double tennis courts with a multi-purpose surface. The current surface is not fit for use at the moment as there is a lot of loose stone that makes the whole area slippy and unsafe.  The refurbished courts would be lined for tennis and netball but would also incorporate basketball hoops either side of the court.

The Coronation Hall was built in 1953 for the purpose of housing as many local groups and events as possible. It is home to the local  Pre-school who use it every day between the hours of 8.30am and 3.30pm and also Kingsland C of E school who also use it daily, whether it be for clubs after school, the playing fields for sports activities or the courts for tennis and wet play. The tennis courts were added to the hall grounds in the 1970’s to accommodate the need for a sporting facility in the village. They have been resurfaced once but other than that are original. They are free to use and are all inclusive.

The total project costs are £30,900 (inc VAT) plus a contingency fund of £4,100.00 for maintenance over the next 5 years

We have been lucky to secure 106 money totaling £15,000 to go towards the project, and we have also been granted £10,000 through the Awards for all.

Therefore we are looking to raise the final £10,000 through local donations and wondered if you would consider donating to achieve this goal. This is a project that will benefit the whole community for many years and I am sure will get a lot of positive publicity in the months ahead.

If you feel you could support us in any way please send cheques to Mr David Sowerbutts (Treasurer of Kingsland Coronation Hall), Bell House, Kingsland, HR6 9RU or for any further information ring Lisa on 07970952088.

Thank you in anticipation

Kingsland Coronation Hall Committee

Standing in Line was an incredibly moving and thought provoking event, bringing songs, poems and images from the Great War and one man’s story of going to Passendale and not coming home.

We were fortunate to host such professionals as Lester Simpson, a singer, songwriter, musician and broadcaster who has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company amongst many others.  The story came about when Lester researched his Great Uncle’s fate in the Great War, and was commissioned  by the Peace Concerts Passendale.  Mike Battison is a singer and musician, currently developing musical sessions with dementia patients as well as researching the history of folk music.  Nigel Corbett is a classical musician who has worked with many orchestras and folk groups.  Piet Chielens, the narrator, is the co-ordinator of the In Flanders Field Museum in Belgium.

Coming together, they led us into the human story behind the Great War, and then into the world of the young soldiers and the war graves in an around Belgium and France.  A very interesting evening, made special by such a professional performance.

SMAAAK would like to thank everyone who supported this event and made it possible to bring first class performers to Kingsland, as well as raising funds to benefit the church building.

The next SMAAAK event will take place on Saturday 19^th January 2019, when Bowjangles will be performing the Legend of Excalibow. 

An awful lot has changed in Kingsland and the parish since the 1930s and so we thought it would be interesting and useful to gather the memories of those who were born, lived or worked in the village and parish in the 1930s/40s and/or the 1950s/60s, so that those memories and experiences are preserved for future generations.

We’d like to give people the opportunity to tell their stories about their life in and around Kingsland and we would record the interview and store them on the community website KingslandLife and in the Herefordshire Archives, so that others can listen to them in the future.  The people we talk to would also have a copy so that their families and descendants can hear them telling their stories too.

So, we have a couple of questions…

1. Would you like to tell us about your life here? What was growing up in and around Kingsland like? What memories have you of the school, the businesses, people, the pubs, the shops, agriculture, food, housing, social activities, getting around, …. and anything else!

The interview is just a very informal conversation and can be as long or as short as you want it to be.

If you’d like to take part and tell us your stories, or would like to know more about what’s involved, please call Jackie or Sally and we can tell you more about it.

2. Would you like to help us do this project by e.g. doing some interviewing (we will have some training materials and can lend equipment), or helping do some admin and/or summaries of interviews afterwards? If so, please give us a call.

If anyone has any other thoughts on this project, please feel free to call us as well. Thanks very much!

Jackie Markham (01568 708281) and Sally Deakin (01568 708839)

SMAAAK Informal Parish Meeting and AGM

Tuesday 13^th November 2018, 7.00 pm The Corners Inn, Kingsland

All are cordially invited to express views, thoughts, ideas for future events to be arranged by SMAAAK for community interest and to assist raising funds for St Michael And All Angels Fabric Fund and to follow SMAAAK AGM.

Enquiries: David Thompsom  d.thompson@sunderlands.co.uk

Longford and North Road

Dear Kingsland Resident

It is encouraging that part of North Road (B4360) was resurfaced earlier this year. However, you will still be aware of the poor and increasingly deteriorating state of the remainder of North Road and Longford. The road surface will continue to degrade further during the coming winter months.

Councillor Sebastian Bowen would like the residents of Kingsland to continue to support him and the Parish Council with their repeated requests to have the remainder of the road through the village resurfaced. We residents can assist by continuing to write to, or email Sebastian, stating our concerns about the condition of the road that has not been resurfaced. The safety of the road users and pedestrians throughout the village is paramount.

Sebastian will use our letters and emails to assist him in the lobbying of Hereford Council to convince them of the need to commit further funds to resurface the remainder of North Road and Longford as soon as possible. Please support our local councillor by contacting him.

Email: sbowen@herefordshire.gov.uk
or           wlsb@me.com

or write to: Sebastian Bowen
The Studio Flat
Church House
Ashford Bowdler
Ludlow
SY8 4GJ

Yours sincerely

Alison Parker-Morgan

17.9.18 and a fifth!…..

ROAD CLOSURE DAYTIME ; A44 Minster Farm, near Leominster. Three-day road closure (9am-5pm) starting Wednesday Sep 19th until Friday Sep 21st for resurfacing.

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FOUR big road closures locally coming up as follows. You can see more on Herefordshire Council’s roadworks map page here

1. DAY CLOSURE A44 MONKLAND ROAD/BARONS CROSS;  Part of Barons X in Leominster will be closed Monday, 17 September 2018 and Tuesday, 18 September 2018. Road closed 09.00 hours to 17.00 hours daily

2.  DAY CLOSURE PEMBRIDGE A44: 2-week closure on A44, Pembridge Village, starting Monday Sept 17 until (including) Friday Sept 28. Road closed 9am – 5pm. No weekend closures.

3. NIGHT ROAD CLOSURE A44: Burton Court, A44, just north of junction with A4112. Six days of night resurfacing works (8pm-6am) starting on Monday Sep 17 and ending on Monday Sept 24. No Sat/Sun night working.

4. NIGHT ROAD CLOSURE KINGTON BYPASS : 2 weeks of NIGHT works on A44 Kington Bypass, starting Monday Sept 17 until (including) Friday Sept 28. Road closed 8pm – 6am. No weekend closures.

VILLAGE MILLENNIUM GREEN PUT TO FABULOUS USE

On the 18^th August the weather stayed fine which was a bonus as  “Angelfest” was held on Kingsland Millennium Green.  The Music, Craft and Cider Festival certainly lived up to its billing with a variety of stalls lining the Green selling their goods.  There was a variety of foods to be experienced throughout the day with The Angel Inn (who kindly sponsored the event) providing a bar.  Six live bands generously kept the crowds entertained through the day with a variety of music to suit all tastes.  Entry to the Green was free, however, a collection was made at the gate which resulted in the fantastic sum of £822.06 being raised which was divided between Midlands Air Ambulance and the Millennium Green to help with its upkeep.

A big “shout out” must go to all those who helped on the day along with people who generously lent equipment etc to enable things to run smoothly.  There are far too many people to thank here but they have all received letters acknowledging their participation.

It was great to see so many local people in attendance and for The Green to be the “social hub” of the village for the day.  For those of you who don’t know the Green was originally purchased by Kingsland residents to save it from being  developed for housing and to provide an informal area for relaxation, recreation and a wildlife haven for the village centre.

It is hoped that “Angelfest” will become an annual event with the 17^th August, 2019 being pencilled in for next year!

Hope you enjoyed the day

Sally Wall

Hon Treasurer KMGT

Apologies if maps look odd or aren’t working properly on the Planning Applications page and in the Village Diary event details. Seems Google have changed their terms of use (they may want some money from us!!), and our tech support at Eyelid are looking into it. Hopefully we can resolve the issue soon.

Thanks for your patience.

Grand Potato Competition 2018

On Easter Monday everyone was invited to collect a growbag and one potato, to plant the potato in the growbag and nurture it, then bring the crop back (still in the growbag) on August Bank Holiday Monday to find out who had grown the biggest potato crop – by weight.

The venue was the Angel, and 15 people brought along their potato crops for judging.  The judges, with many years of experience of such events, were Frank Morgan, Richard Matthias and David Thompson, and the assembled spectators agreed that the judges’ decisions would be final!

The weights of the potato crops were (in order of weighing):

1. Mavis Dyke 3 lbs 9.5 oz
2. Mike Hutchinson 15 oz
3. Trish Morgan 3 lbs 4 oz
4. Helen Watkins 3lbs 2 oz
5. Caroline Southgate (a)  1 lb 14 oz  (b)  1 lb 4 oz
6. Joe Cameron Swan 1 lb 9 oz
7. Rob Wheeler 1 lb 9 oz
8. Max Cameron Swan 1 lb 4 oz
9.  John Cameron Swan 1 lb 4 oz
10. Irene Wheeler 12 oz
11. Will Cameron Swan 1 lb 13 oz
12. Beth Harwood  10 oz
13. Mike Thompson   3 lbs 11 oz
14. David Thompson  4 lbs 7 oz
15. Sue Fletcher 1 lb 12 oz

Therefore, the winner of the 2018 Kingsland Grand Potato Competition was David Thompson, who won £20 and his name will be engraved on the silver spade.

2^nd Mike Thompson

3^rd  Mavis Dyke

4^th  Trish Morgan

The wooden spoon award to Beth Harwood

There was a humorous ‘Judges’ Enquiry’ into the following issues:

Mrs. Helen Watkins’ crop was of red potatoes – when the potatoes supplied were all white – the judges’ decided this was an accident and wondered whether Peter Vaughan would have a crop of half red and half white potatoes this year.

Mrs. Caroline Southgate – there were two crops of potatoes at separate ends of the growbag and the judges speculated this might require 2 entry fees!

Mike Thompson – his entry crop was grown in a different brand grow bag.  His explanation was that there were no growbags available when he tried to collect one, so he had bought one from B&Q.  As he had a good crop, the committee may decide to approach B&Q for growbags in future.

The assembled entrants and supporters requested that this become an annual event, and this was duly agreed.

SMAAK would like to thank all the entrants to this competition, and many thanks to the sponsors who made it possible – The Angel for providing the venue, Peter Vaughan for supplying the potatoes and Hintons for supplying growbags.

Remember – we will do it again next year, be ready to start at Easter…..

Two unwanted outdoor cats living in the barns at Club Hall, Aston since the death of their owner urgently need a new outdoor home before the builders arrive to demolish their home.

Female neutered tortoiseshell who’s friendly when she knows you and likes a tummy scratch, plus a more independent male black and white cat who is probably neutered.  Being fed once a day by a neighbour but need to be rehomed very urgently as she can’t take them in.

Can you find space for them on a farm/stables or anywhere that has an outbuilding they can live in? Free mousing thrown in!!

Please contact Sarah Hanson on 01568 708087 for more information.