Funding to deliver Natural Flood Management in Herefordshire until 2027 Herefordshire Council have received Flood and Coastal Risk Management funding that is enabling us to continue to deliver Natural Flood Management (NFM) in seven priority sub-catchments in Herefordshire until March 2027. Herefordshire NFM Pilot Project Our River Wye and Lugg NFM Pilot Project (2018-2021) was one of 26 catchment scale projects funded by £15m of DEFRA funding for NFM projects in England. Through the Pilot Project, catchment advisors worked with over 140 individual landowners, providing them with free tailored advice about the NFM opportunities available on their land. Thanks to the support of local landowners and communities, a wide variety of NFM measures were implemented through the pilot project, helping to slow the flow of water and reduce the flood risk to downstream communities. These measures included: Soil management: 60.9 hectares grassland aeration, 106.3 hectares arable sub-soiling; Over winter cover: 189.13 hectares cover cropping, 87.36 hectares under sewing maize; Water retention: 20 attenuation areas, creating approximately 4,410 square metres of additional storage, 137 leaky dams, 3 in-ditch seepage barriers; Fencing: 1,117 metres fencing to enhance channel roughness or protect newly planted trees and hedges; Trackway improvements: 26 cross drains (traditional and natural design); Tree planting: 4.78 hectares tree planting, 795 metres hedge planting (supported by Woodland Trust); and Landowner innovations: GPS system to remove need for tramlines, 2 rainwater harvesting systems, 176 hectares direct drilling, under-sowing maize drill, 0.8 hectares meadow creation, bankside willow planting, overflow wetland area, 300 metres electric fencing to protect newly planted woodland and 60 metres enhanced wetland ditch. Current Herefordshire NFM project The Pilot Project demonstrated just how successful NFM can be, and the reduction in flooding that NFM can provide to downstream communities. Given the huge potential to continue the good work and deliver more NFM in Herefordshire, a total of £1,273,600 has been secured, that will enable the project to continue in the seven priority sub-catchments until at least March 2027. This Environment Agency funding comprises Flood Defence Grant in Aid and Local Regional Flood Risk Management Committee monies. Our approach to NFM builds upon our learning from the Pilot Project: Catchment advisors from the Wye and Usk Foundation and Severn Rivers Trust will work with individual landowners, providing free tailored advice about the NFM opportunities available on their land. A Grant Scheme supports landowners and farmers in altering their land and water management practices in order to slow the flow of water and reduce flood risk to downstream communities; and We will collect evidence on the multiple benefits that can be achieved through river and rainfall monitoring, measuring moisture content in soils and determining soil health. Case studies can be found on the council’s NFM webpages. Other NFM projects in Herefordshire A local landowner, Tom Jay of Derndale Farm near Wellington, worked with members of the local community and the Head of Nature Recovery at Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Claire Spicer, to plan and design a series of attenuation ponds. The attenuation ponds aimed to hold some of the water back on the land to reduce the quantity of water flowing downstream and to help reduce the risk of flooding in Wellington. The 3 attenuation ponds were completed in March 2023 and were active during the recent flooding associated with Storm Henk. To find out more about this Environment Agency funded project, visit the Herefordshire Wildlife Trust website.   How can I get involved? There are many ways in which you can get involved with the NFM project: Own land within one of the priority sub-catchments? Landowners can get free specialist advice about how to implement NFM measures. Please email the council’s NFM Project Officer to find our more and arrange this.     Want to help collect data?  If you’re interested in volunteering opportunities such as taking photos at key locations, Modular River surveying (MoRPh) or helping plant trees, please visit the council’s NFM volunteering webpages.     Want to view river and rainfall monitoring data? We have installed river and rainfall monitoring within the seven sub-catchments. The data collected is publicly available on the TimeView website: User name: Wye and Lugg NFM Project Password: slowtheflow Rainfall data for Brimfield brook catchment is being collected and is available to view from Environment Agency monitoring station 1792.     Want to access resources for school and youth organisations? In order to help educate younger generations about NFM, we have produced two educational videos aimed at KS2 and Year 7 pupils.   Have you been affected by recent flooding ? If your property or business was affected by flooding in January 2024, please report it online with our flood incident form as this may help us secure additional flood funding support for the county and help minimise flooding problems in the future.  https://orlo.uk/n8bis   Events Past events – what’s been going on? Herefordshire Rural Business Advice day The annual Herefordshire Rural Business Advice day was held at Hereford Racecourse on 14 November 2023. There were stands representing many aspects of farming and rural business, including the council’s NFM team. The well attended event was organised by Herefordshire Rural Hub. Visit the Herefordshire Rural Hub website to find out more about the support and resources they provide. Herefordshire Flood Groups meeting Herefordshire residents already part of a flood group, interested in joining one, or considering establishing a new flood group were invited to an event on 29 November 2023 to connect with Agencies and fellow flood groups. Attendees were able to hear from some of those agencies involved in Herefordshire’s flood response such as: Herefordshire Council (including the NFM team), the Environment Agency, Balfour Beatty Living Places and the National Flood Forum. To find out more about flood-related matters, visit the council’s webpages. Upcoming events – come and join us! NFM Information Day – 6 February 2024 If you want to learn more about how the Herefordshire NFM Project is reducing flood risk, then come along to our NFM information day on Tuesday 6 February 2024 at Hereford Town Hall. The day will contain two sessions: Session 1: 09:00 – 12:00 Session 2: 12:30 – 16:30 On the day you can: Meet the Herefordshire NFM Project Team Discuss how we are using NFM to reduce flood risk Find out about how flooding is managed in Herefordshire Meet with others in your catchment Ask questions Please note, the event has a primary focus on the catchment areas within the Herefordshire NFM project, however the team will do their best to address any queries raised outside of these areas. If you’d like to attend the event, please email the Herefordshire NFM Team to book your place on to a session. Please respond by 30 January 2024.  Key contacts: Natural Flood Management Team Email: nfm@herefordshire.gov.uk Tel: 01432 260 739   Environment Agency Email: enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

 

Newsletter 25 January 2024 Living Well Roadshows 2024 are coming your way! The Living Well Roadshows are back for 2024! Age UK Worcester, Malvern Hills, Hereford and Localities have teamed up with Dementia Matters Herefordshire and Talk Community to run more Living Well Roadshows throughout January and February.  People can pop along for a coffee, chat and access a wide range of information from their expert team. Whilst enjoying a cuppa (thank you), information can be provided on: Free home energy checks and installation of cost saving measures Free information on how to improve your financial, physical and mental wellbeing Range of volunteering opportunities at Age UK H&L For more information, contact Age UK Hereford & Localities on 0333 0066 299 or email: contact@ageukhl.org or visit the Talk Community Directory Have your say on priorities for Herefordshire over the next four years Herefordshire Council is asking for your views about proposed priorities in new County Plan. The County Plan is the document that outlines the Herefordshire Council’s overarching ambitions and objectives, and how they will be delivered. The council is currently consulting with local people on a new four year County Plan for 2024-2028. Residents are being asked to think about how they would like it to feel to live in Herefordshire in 2028, and then help to shape and refine the County Plan by completing an online consultation survey. Complete the County Plan consultation questionnaire here. The consultation outlines ambitions and priorities in the following areas: People – Enable resilient and connected communities to ensure that everyone lives well and has the best start in life. Place – Protect and enhance our environment and keep Herefordshire a great place to live. Growth – Support growth across the county which builds on the county’s strengths and resources and asks respondents to consider when they should be delivered during the next four years. The consultation will close on 8 February 2024. All feedback received will be considered in developing the priorities for the 2024-2028 County Plan. If you are a member of a Community Action Network group, you are invited to attend an online consultation event taking place on Wednesday 7 February 1.30pm – 2.30pm. Please register your attendance using this Eventbrite link. Should you wish to speak to someone about the consultation or have difficulties registering on Eventbrite please contact Max Bassett maxbresearch@outlook.com Suicide Prevention Training in the Workplace If you are a Herefordshire based business or organisation, you can sign up for free suicide prevention awareness sessions. The training is delivered by Herefordshire & Worcestershire Public Health Suicide Prevention team in collaboration with the Now We’re Talking Campaign. Each session is online and last around 90 minutes. To register your interest in the training, please complete a registration form. The next free online awareness training session is on Tuesday 30th January 10.30am-12pm National Storytelling Week (go on, we’re listening) A chance to celebrate the magic of sharing stories, throughout National Storytelling Week, from 27 January to 4 February. Storytelling is a wonderful way of teaching children essential literacy skills, and a great opportunity to introduce them to the power of escaping into a story, a way to relax.  It also opens up other worlds and people’s experiences, to help us put ourselves in other people’s shoes, and understand. National Storytelling Week is an opportunity to celebrate listening to stories but also, the power of ‘telling your story’. Discover activities to celebrate Storytelling week at home from the National Literacy Trust. Herefordshire Libraries offer a number of weekly ‘BookTrust Storytime’ events at libraries across the county, you can find out more on the Talk Community Directory What’s on pages. Time to Talk Day World Café Event Herefordshire and Worcestershire Wellbeing and Recovery College are hosting a World Café event, and you are invited! The event will take place next Thursday, 1st February on ‘Time to Talk’ Day at the Arena, University of Worcester. Time to Talk Day is the nation’s biggest mental health conversation run by Mind and Rethink Mental illness. It is a day for friends, families, communities, and workplaces to come together to talk, listen and change lives. The World Café event will create a safe and supportive, informal café setting for people to explore the issue of stigma by talking about it in small table groups and put forward ideas to reduce stigma. Alongside the world café there will be a marketplace of local resources and support organisations where people can gather more information, advice or help with mental health and wellbeing. If you would like to attend you can book your place via Eventbrite and for any further queries please email: HW_WellbeingRecoveryCollege@comfirst.org.uk What’s new on the Talk Community Directory? Now the winter storms are passing (we hope), it’s a great time to get into your community, or to start planning ahead for half term activities! Visit our What’s on page to find something new, and to add your own events, or take a look at these recent additions: Warm welcome at Staunton on Wye CLaN ‘Woolly and Warm’ Workshops Preloved school uniform give away at Ross Community Gardens Rotherwas Together Community Group Playtime at Leominster, Bromyard and Hereford Popcat’s Music Time in Hereford Our socials are a great way to keep in touch with what’s on too, whether you’re • a Facebook fan • tuned in to Twitter • or instantly on Instagram Herefordshire Cares Do you want to make a difference to people’s lives every day? Working in social care is a rewarding career – to find out more about a career in adult social care, visit the Herefordshire Cares website.

 

The Herefordshire Natural Flood Management (NFM) Team would like to invite you to an NFM information day on Tuesday 6 February 2024 at Hereford Town Hall. The day will contain two sessions:

 

• Session 1: 09:00 – 12:00
• Session 2: 12:30 – 16:30

In order to ensure they have capacity (and to minimise time spent waiting), they would like you to indicate what times within these sessions you are able to attend. To book, please complete the table below and send your response to nfm@herefordshire.gov.uk by 30 January 2024.

 

Information	Please add in your response
Name of person/ people who’d like to attend
Group / organisation (if relevant)
NFM catchment area you are interested in
Availability – please indicate your availability within these sessions to attend the NFM information day on Tuesday 6th February 2024.   Session 1: 09:00 to 12:00   Session 2: 12:30 to 16:30
Questions – if you have any specific questions you’d like them to answer, please could you share these with them in advance of the event so that they can gather any additional information that may be required.
Please let them know if you have any other requirements for attending the event, in terms of accessibility or additional support needs.
If you’re unable to attend on this day, please let them know and subject to enough interest they will aim to deliver further events.

 

On the day you can:

• Meet the NFM project team, including staff from Herefordshire Council, Balfour Beatty Living Places, the Wye and Usk Foundation, Severn Rivers Trust, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and Natural England
• Find out more about how the Herefordshire NFM project is being delivered in your area – led by Herefordshire Council, the Herefordshire NFM project has funding until March 2027 to work with landowners and communities within the seven priority sub-catchments, helping them identify opportunities and deliver NFM measures within the catchments which help to reduce the flood risk to downstream communities.
• Find out more how flooding is managed in Herefordshire – roles and responsibilities? What action is already happening?
• Ask questions – Please see the attached document which give a quick overview of the Herefordshire NFM project and how it is being delivered. The following links also provide some wider information on common concerns or issues raised about flooding. If you have any questions about what they have shared or more specific questions about issues within your catchment, please come along and ask the team.

Useful websites:

• • Herefordshire NFM webpages – www.herefordshire.gov.uk/nfm
  • Natural Flood Management Hub – Information on NFM as well as an interactive map showing NFM already delivered in Herefordshire www.nfm-theriverstrust.hub.arcgis.com/pages/progress-dashboard
  • Herefordshire Council’s webpages on how we manage flooding – www.herefordshire.gov.uk/floods
  • CIRIA NFM Guide – www.ciria.org/ItemDetail?iProductCode=C802F&Category=FREEPUBS&WebsiteKey=a054c7b1-c241-4dd4-9ec1-38afd4a55683
  • Catchment Based Approach – NFM Evidence Directory – www.catchmentbasedapproach.org/learn/working-with-natural-processes-evidence-base/
  • National Flood Forum – www.nationalfloodforum.org.uk/

Interesting reads:

• CIWEM – Floods and dredging, a reality check www.ciwem.org/assets/pdf/Policy/Reports/Floods-and-Dredging-a-reality-check.pdf
• Nature Friendly Farming Network – Case study of mixed farming with 100 acres of species rich floodplain meadow www.nffn.org.uk/farmer-stories/debbie-wilkins-mixed-farming-floodplain-meadows

Please note, that the event has a primary focus on the catchment areas within the Herefordshire NFM project, however the team will do their best to address any queries raised outside of these areas.

 

Further information via these links:

Herefordshire NFM Project Overview

Herefordshire NFM Project – Drop in session POSTER

 

 

 

Have your say on priorities for Herefordshire over the next four years

Herefordshire Council is asking for your views about proposed priorities in new County Plan. The County Plan is the document that outlines the Herefordshire Council’s overarching ambitions and objectives, and how they will be delivered.

The council is currently consulting with local people on a new four year County Plan for 2024-2028.

Residents are being asked to think about how they would like it to feel to live in Herefordshire in 2028, and then help to shape and refine the County Plan by completing an online consultation survey.

Complete the County Plan consultation questionnaire here.

The consultation outlines ambitions and priorities in the following areas:

• People – Enable resilient and connected communities to ensure that everyone lives well and has the best start in life.
• Place – Protect and enhance our environment and keep Herefordshire a great place to live.
• Growth – Support growth across the county which builds on the county’s strengths and resources and asks respondents to consider when they should be delivered during the next four years.

The consultation will close on 8 February 2024.

All feedback received will be considered in developing the priorities for the 2024-2028 County Plan.

 

 

 

PCC John Campion’s preferred candidate, Kyle Gordon, has been confirmed as the next Chief Constable of West Mercia Police at the Police and Crime Panel.

Kyle was chosen by PCC John Campion as the preferred candidate as Chief Constable following a vigorous and open process in December 2023. As a current Commander for the Metropolitan Police Service, he brings a wealth of experience having held a range of roles including with the British Transport Police and Police Service for Northern Ireland.

PCC John Campion said: “I welcome Kyle’s drive to build on the progress that has been made to deliver a police service communities can trust and be proud of. I am confident that he will support me in delivering my Safer West Mercia Plan, with a renewed focus on policing with the community.”

Kyle Gordon said: “I am delighted to be confirmed as the next Chief Constable for West Mercia Police. I am passionate about delivering a community focused police service that is visible, accessible, responsive, and effective to build further on the trust and confidence we have amongst our communities.

“I am very much looking forward to taking up the role of leading the force and working with PCC John Campion and partners to deliver the Safer West Mercia Plan, whilst ensuring the communities of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Telford & Wrekin are at the heart of policing.”

 

 

Please see the latest Newsletter via the link below:

 

Talk Community Newsletter 18 January 2024

 

 

Please see the Newsletter via the link below:

Herefordshire Community Foundation January 2024 Newsletter

Have you been affected by flooding?

Herefordshire Council’s flooding emergency page includes advice and support for ‘After a flood’, including all the latest official road closures and service updates.

The council is calling for people whose properties or businesses have been flooded recently to get in touch to report your experiences, to help the council and partners to minimise future impacts of flooding problems. Read more and to report any flooding on the Herefordshire Council News Page.

Or, get in touch via email: floodrisk@herefordshire.gov.uk

Please see the latest Newsletter via the link below:

 

Talk Community Newsletter 11 January 2024

 

On Sunday 24th March, the UK’s premier ABBA tribute act, 21st Century ABBA, is coming to Malvern Theatre for a captivating evening filled with song and dance. Prepare to be transported into the heart of the iconic ABBA era as the band takes the stage with timeless classics like Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and many more. Praised as ‘highly professional’ and ‘exceptionally talented’, the show is great for all ages and promises a departure from the ordinary, offering a unique evening of entertainment that stands out from the rest.

This event is held in support of Age UK Herefordshire & Worcestershire and a proportion of the proceeds from the evening will be donated to support the charity’s work to support local older people who need it most this winter.

 

Tickets are £29.99 per person and can be purchased at 21st Century ABBA – Malvern Theatres (malvern-theatres.co.uk)