Worcester News - Stories for 24 March 2006

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Worcestershire | Archive | 2006 | March

Stories for 24 March 2006

Leisure

Theatre returns to its birthplace

Churches in Tarrington and Bromyard will host performances of a touring production backed by the Diocese of Hereford. more...

In line for award

Midland Musical Theatre Group (MMTG) has been nominated for a `best production award' for its 2005 show It's a Kind of Magic, at Malvern Theatres. more...

Pairing should be a lesson in acting

The successful stage duo of Anne Smith and Hugh Farey will be reunited when The Conquest Players revive Willy Russell's Educating Rita. more...

The history of movies... Cut!

IT will be a case of "lights, camera, reduction" when the theatrical family of a nationally acclaimed actor welcomes him home to perform in Worcester. more...

The real tale of the Bard's Jew

THE tragic, amusing and often unbelievable life of fiction's most famous Jew is coming to Pershore next month. more...

Wanted, a 17-year-old to star in stage farce

A BUDDING young actor is needed to complete the line-up for a stage production in Droitwich. more...

ON The Black Hill (PG), the film of Bruce Chatwin's novel set in the Welsh Marches and starring Bob Peck and Gemma Jones, is showing at Ledbury's Market Theatre on Wednesday (March 29), at 7pm. Tickets (£3.50/£2 students) are available on 01531 632769. more...

Paltrow stars

Proof (12A), starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins, is showing at Malvern Theatres. It tells the story of the daughter of a brilliant but mentally disturbed mathematician, who is coming to terms with her father's death. It's showing from Friday to Thursday, March 24-30, with evening performances at 7.45pm and Saturday, Sunday, and Thursday matinees at 4.30pm. For tickets, call 01684 892277. more...

Still going strong

SEVENTIES chart-toppers The New Seekers will be performing at Malvern Theatres on Saturday, April 1, at 7.30pm. The band will include classics including the number one hit single I'd like to teach the world to sing. more...

New generation show their talent

TWO of the most charismatic performers on today's concert scene are returning to Malvern next week. more...

Tim's concert is part of coursework

A MUSIC student is staging a concert including his own compositions at a Malvern church. more...

ESO landmark is celebrated

The English Symphony Orchestra is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special star-studded concert where all the performers are donating their fees to the anniversary appeal. more...

Soul fundraiser

ANOTHER soul music night to raise money for the fight against motor neurone disease will be held in Malvern on Sunday, April 30. more...

Trio at castle

Russian pianist Jan Rautio will give a concert at Eastnor Castle on behalf of the British Red Cross. more...

Boost for choir

Professional musicians will join a 130-strong choir of Malvern College pupils, staff and parents to perform Carl Orff's Carmina Burana. more...

Inn welcomes back band

MALVERN'S Pewke Band will be at the Lamb Inn, West Malvern, tonight (Friday), at 8pm. The band, reunited last year for the first time in more than 20 years, is supported by The Big Hum. more...

Present Laughter Review: Malvern Theatres

NOEL Coward's play Present Laughter was enjoyed immensely by the audience at Malvern Theatres this week, with even the set getting a laugh and a round of applause before the actors came on stage. more...

Pistol-packing Joe rocks with heroes

AS a youngster, Joe Fletcher's bedroom would reverberate with the strains of the renowned Irish rock band Thin Lizzy. more...

R&B band heads for Marr's Bar

RHYTHM and blues fans are in for a treat because one of the genre's top bands are making their way to Worcester this month. more...

Seek out a Forum date

AUDIENCES in Malvern should brace themselves for a trip down memory lane when The New Seekers come to town. more...

The Zombies are back to rock the city

IT will be the Time of The Season for a trip down memory lane in Worcester next month when mid-60s rock group The Zombies come to the city. more...

Arts in brief

DEDICATED young actors are invited to join a Malvern Theatre Players' youth theatre group. There are three places left in the group, for children aged 12 to 14, which meets on Saturdays at the Barry Jackson Rooms, Grange Road, from 10am to noon. Applications are invited from youngsters with a serious interest in acting who have already done television, film or pantomime work. For further details, call Clare Foster on 07918 617122. more...

Hollywood sent up

Huntingdon Arts has a varied programme, beginning on Tuesday (March 28) with The Reduced Shakespeare Company's Completely Hollywood. more...

News

A mountain man scales the peaks

THOSE of you who spend some of your leisure time walking the Malvern Hills may have occasionally noticed a young man on a mountain bike pounding past. The chances are that this mystery rider with the set expression is Liam Killeen, an athlete we believe is about to become a household name. more...

We want Chrissies to be in our backyards

SIR - I feel I must reply to the letters from John Hinton and Philip Evans. Clearly John doesn't understand the concept of a Nimby. Frankly, I want the school in my backyard - as do the populace of St John's with young children - so that my children can attend it. more...

VAT is holding back vital work

SIR - Gordon Brown has a deadline until March 31 to cut the VAT on building repair and improvements from 17.5 per cent to 5 per cent. Last month, the 25 EU member states agreed to allow lower VAT rates on repair, maintenance and improvement work until 2010. While several countries already benefit from these lower rates, the UK has yet to introduce them. Cutting VAT would not only benefit millions of UK homeowners and businesses by getting rid of the cowboy traders, but would also help those who cannot afford vital repairs to their homes and would also help to bring England's 700,000 empty homes back into use. more...

City could be a major attraction

SIR - What is the real price of cheap parking? I'd encourage councillors to spend £25,000 on studying options for providing less parking instead of more. more...

Why we deserve everything we get

SIR - For years I almost believed in the egalitarian intentions of people like Blair, Blunkett, Vaz, Mandelson and Jowell - politely listening as they established an army of tedious windbags who lectured us endlessly about the human rights of everybody on earth (except us, of course). more...

Where was all his concern then?

SIR - On October 31 last year, opposition MP Peter Luff supported the county fire brigade union's campaign against the creation of a regional fire control in Wolverhampton. more...

New use found for old Hydro

Park View, the hostel in Abbey Road, Malvern, shut its doors 25 years ago. more...

Picture of royal visit bring back memories

Last week's Malvern Memories picture in The Reporter, showing the visit of the queen to Ledbury in the 1950s brought back happy memories for Wellington Heath man Nick Dykes. more...

Echoes from the Past

100 years ago more...

Staff too scared of ghosts to stay

IS there a Grey Lady of Prior's Court, Callow End? asked the Gazette 50 years ago. more...

Duo's £11.5m deals in first six months

WORCESTERSHIRE-based The Armchair Property Investor, a company founded in August 2005, has engineered more than £11.5m of property deals both home and abroad in its first six months of business. more...

County businesses subdued on Budget

WORCESTERSHIRE'S business community has given what its leaders describe as a "muted" welcome to Gordon Brown's tenth Budget. more...

Trophy to honour gardening legend

TRIBUTES have been paid to a popular and well-known gardener from Stourport-on-Severn more...

Without gas all for the sake of 10p

AN Evesham family, including a two-year-old toddler, shivered through one of the coldest weekends of the winter last week - all for the sake of 10p. more...

Volunteers set for spruce-up days

ENVIRONMENT volunteers in Cleeve Prior will be taking part in more days of voluntary action sponsored by the Environment Agency. more...

Gold date for couple who metagedfive

A COUPLE who met at the age of five are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary today. more...

Have you a tale to tell about Croome?

ANYONE connected with Croome Court, its park, people or the farms and villages belonging to the Croome Estate is needed to take part in a special event. more...

Cash call to save string orchestra

MUSIC lovers are being urged to help save the Malvern-based English String Orchestra after its funding finally ran out. more...

Fire hoax calls cost a fortune

HOAX calls are costing the two counties' fire service around £100,000 a year. more...

How Worcester fell in love with wheelie bins

WHEELIE bins have proved a hit with the people of Worcester, according to a survey. more...

Despair over toll of damage on parked cars in rat-run road

A MAN is calling for his road to be made one-way after two of his parked vehicles were damaged outside his house in the past two weeks. more...

My joy as fellow peace activist Kember freed

A WORCESTER friend of Norman Kember, the British man released after spending almost four months as a hostage in Iraq, has spoken of his delight. more...

Teenager `set upon by six-strong gang'

A TEENAGER suffered internal bruising during an attack by six fellow pupils at a Worcestershire high school. more...

I won't second-guess the council over Grove Farm, says Tory leader Cameron

CONSERVATIVE leader David Cameron was in Worcester yesterday to focus on environmental issues, but refused to be drawn into a discussion on a contentious subject for the city. more...

Delight as Elgar's tune plays for young rider

TWENTY-three-year-old Malvern cycling champion Liam Killeen took the gold to the strains of another famous Worcestershire son. more...

LIAM'S GOLD GLORY

MALVERN cyclist Liam Killeen has romped home to victory in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, producing a stunning comeback to take gold. more...

Religious graffiti found on well wall

HOLY Well fountain in Malvern Wells has been defaced with graffiti. more...

Family seek the real Good Life

Tom and Barbara Good kept the nation entertained for decades with their efforts to be eco-friendly. more...

Jobs lost as slump hits firm

Seven jobs will be lost when a garden centre near Malvern closes. more...

Pub sign slashed

Animal rights activists have again targeted The Halfway House pub in Bastonford in protest at its lobster festival. more...

Children reap the rewards

CLUBS and community groups are celebrating grant awards made under a Malvern Hills Lions Club scheme, backed by the Malvern Gazette & Ledbury Reporter. more...

TV hypnotist guest at charity event

TICKETS are on sale for one of the charity social events of the year at Eastnor Castle. more...

Poet's Corner must find new home

ONE of Malvern's little secrets, Poets' Corner, tucked away high on the Wyche Cutting, needs a new home. more...

I'm retiring, MP tells WI conference

ANN Widdecombe dropped a bombshell when she visited Malvern this week. more...

Plug pulled on child sex fiend

A FORMER Malvern man has been removed from a youth radio project after it emerged he was a child sex offender. more...

Pregnant ewes taken

SHEEP worth about £2,500 were stolen from a field in Malvern. more...

Drug plants seized in raid on town flat

POLICE seized 20 cannabis plants being grown in an airing cupboard at flats in Malvern. more...

Sir Michael gets ready to bow out

SIR Michael Spicer, the Conservative MP who has represented Malvern for over 30 years, will not be standing at the next General Election. more...

Lib Dem councillor quits group

A Malvern Hills district councillor has revealed that she resigned from the Liberal Democrat party and the council's ruling Lib Dem group. more...

Vandal attack hits club hopes

MALVERN Town FC's preparations for a key FA inspection have been hit by vandals. more...

Library shuts for final work

MALVERN Library is closing for three weeks for the final stage of refurbishment to be carried out. more...

Guests on the planet and here to learn

WE talk about preserving the English countryside, yet I am seeing more and more acreage given over to miles of huge plastic tunnels and plastic ground cover to grow out-of-season produce, therefore, what a horror to view those domes (from the Eden Project) on the front cover of the Malvern Gazette. more...

School wins global award

Somers Park Primary School has received an international award for its work in developing "global leaders and global citizens". more...

Get in touch

SEVERAL of us now retired nurses are having a re-union on April 1 to celebrate 47 years to the day since we started our training at the Queen Elizabeth School of Nursing in Birmingham. more...

Good turnout is expected

A public meeting about Malvern's health services tonight (Friday) has attracted a big interest. more...

A guarantee

I read about the problems some Malvern theatre-goers have had with hearing performances at Malvern Theatres. more...

Wife of freed Iraq hostage says thanks to supporters

THE wife of a British hostage just rescued in Iraq has thanked friends and supporters at Malvern Baptist Church for their prayers. more...

Lessons learned

I VERY much enjoyed the debate about being able to hear in the theatre in last week's Your Letters. more...

Campaign aims to save the ESO

MUSIC lovers are being urged to rally round and help save the Malvern-based ESO, which ceased trading this week after 26 years. more...

Reluctant to buy tickets

THE most prominent letter in Your Letters (March 10) was the letter concerning the member of the audience who requested Timothy West to speak up. more...

Let's try and behave like reasonable, sensible people

With the very positive help of Coun Phil Groves, we have together brought the subject of toilet closures back to council for further debate on Monday, April 3. more...

Man dies in shooting

A MAN has died in a shooting in Holywell Road, Malvern Wells. more...

Becoming an unfriendly place

I find the actions of MHDC charging car parking fees at night in the centre of Malvern extraordinary, considering it professes to encourage both the theatres and visitors. more...

It's gold for Liam

MALVERN mountain biker Liam Killeen led home an English one-two as he secured a Commonwealth gold medal in the baking heat in Melbourne, Australia. more...

Sincere thanks

A SINCERE thank-you to the surgeon, anaesthetists, theatre staff and all nursing staff for their excellent care and attention to me while a patient in an immaculately clean, twin-bedded ward on Beech Two (February 17-19). more...

A monstrosity!

I SEE the trees are being chopped down in the grounds of that pleasant residential home known as Leadon Bank. What a monstrosity this is likely to be! more...

Such happy times

I READ with great interest the letter from Mr Dawe (Your Letters, February 24). How I agree with everything. more...

Back to sanity

With reference to Eddie Clark's letter (Your Letters, March 17), I to am not sure which word sums up my feelings to his recent article on the golly issue. more...

Retrograde step

I WAS horrified to discover that the public toilets in Malvern have now closed and may be sold off. more...

Discs query

WITH the end of free evening parking in Malvern Hills District Council car parks coming into force at the end of the month, how will the entitlement to two hours' free parking with residents' parking discs work should we go to the theatre or to a restaurant? more...

Time to fight back

I HAVE just received my Council Tax bill, which has gone up by a very large amount, due to the Government reducing its money to councils. Worcester-shire County Council 4.9%, West Mercia Police 4.9%, Hereford and Worcester Fire Authority 4.9%. The other three - Malvern Hills District Council, Malvern Town Council and Malvern Hills Conservators are not above the rate of inflation of 1.9%. more...

Come on board

AS the report by Jo Lafferty (Malvern Gazette, March 17) correctly pointed out, we did indeed let the elected Liberal Democrat councillors make up their own minds when the toilet closures were debated. more...

Food for thought

WE town centre traders desperately need more public/tourists if we are to survive. more...

Who to hold to account?

I have followed recent articles in the Malvern Gazette and readers' letters concerning council plans with disquiet as it would appear some of the latest MHDC decisions are a little controversial. I have seen no substantive arguments to justify them in this newspaper. more...

Chance to raise issues

UPTON residents may soon be able to tackle town councillors at regular Saturday surgeries in the Memorial Hall. These would be held every two month, with two or three members available to talk to people informally over coffee. Issues raised could then be brought up at a council meeting. The matter has been referred to the finance committee for consideration. Coun Chris Mair said: "It's about local democracy and making ourselves available to people to talk about the things that really concern them." more...

SVR's two million miles

STEAM trains have given Severn Valley Railway a milestone to celebrate after clocking up more than two million miles. more...

It would be cheaper to raise council tax

The leader of the MHDC is using a special `council logic' to justify the abandonment of free evening parking. We're being told that tax for parking is used to offset the council tax. If the net gain to the council is to be the same through either scheme, then we, the `stupid public', will be paying more through parking tax since this inevitably will introduce costs such as equipment, bureaucracy and enforcement. more...

Helen lands heavenly job

AN Upton-based public relations consultant is working on an imaginative cathedral restoration project. Helen Stallard has been commissioned to run the national PR campaign for work at St David's Cathedral, Pembrokeshire. The church's St Mary's Hall is being converted into a refectory serving local food by award-winning restaurateur Bill Sewell. more...

What we would like to hear

I feel I must write regarding Coun Di Rayner's comments about parking charges: "You can either have high council tax and free parking or high parking charges and lower council tax" (Malvern Gazette, March 17). more...

Serving up taste of Turkey

THE sights and tastes of Turkey were the attraction at the Church Rooms in Upton on Saturday. more...

Shoot bags £447 pot

REGULARS from the Kings Head in Upton raised £447 for the Injured Jockeys Association with a clay pigeon shoot. more...

Building up a picture

DOWN Memory Lane is a special event being held at Croome Park on Sunday (March 26). more...

Sue faces fury over loo vote

UPTON'S district councillor says she did not realise people were so against the closure of the town's Lower High Street toilets when she voted in favour of it. more...

New-look outdoor education centre unveiled

AN outdoor education centre that took Tony Blair sailing can now welcome more people after a major refurbishment. more...

BOSBURY Correspondent: Mrs R Krinks Tel: 01531 640076

The parish hall committee is making another attempt to find someone to take over the village shop and post office, the recent applicant having withdrawn. In the interests of the village, the committee is keen to let the premises as a shop/post office but if no-one comes forward soon it will have to consider letting the space for any other purpose. Do you know someone who may be interested in running the post office (salary £5,697pa for 14 hours per week) alongside some other activity? Anyone interested in the premises should contact the committee secretary Frank Krinks on (01531) 640076. The shop at present is 336sq ft in all, but it is planned to increase this by about a third when improvements to the village hall are made next year. more...

CALLOW END Correspondent: Mrs M Allsopp Tel: 01905 830746

THERE will not be a service at St James' Church this Sunday. As it is Mothering Sunday, there will be a joint service at St Peter's, Powick, at 11am where members of Junior Church will take part and posies of flowers will be distributed to mothers. The service will be followed by refreshments. more...

CASTLEMORTON Correspondent: Mrs R Bolton Tel: 01684 833287

ANNUAL jumble sale starts tomorrow (Saturday) at 2pm at Castlemorton Parish Hall. Please deliver any items to the hall from 10am. Gifts for raffle and cakes gratefully received, in addition to any volunteers to manage the stalls. Further information (01684) 833339. more...

COLWALL Correspondent: Mrs P Hockett Tel: 01684 564872

DON'T forget tonight (Friday) Colwall Players will be holding its annual fun quiz at the village hall starting at 7.30pm. Refreshments and bar will be available. Teams of four £6. more...

CORSE AND STAUNTON Correspondent: Mrs U Groves-Smith Tel: 01452 840273

PARISHIONERS in the parishes of Corse and Staunton have just received a ten-page questionnaire which has been drawn up by Corse and Staunton parish plan steering committee. The questionnaire will be treated completely anonymously and it is hoped it will help to advise decision-making and ensure future actions and developments are in line with what residents want. To cover the cost, grant aid is available from various government organisations. A junior questionnaire is available for 7-11 year olds, which it is hoped to distribute at schools and also via youth club and Staunton Stores. more...

Cradley Correspondent: N G Holden

Prepare to be amazed at An Evening of Magic and Mystery at Cradley Village Hall on Saturday, April 1, with local magicians Oscar and Stewart Paul. Tickets are £10, to include a chilli supper and pudding. There will also be a bar. The evening will start at 7.30pm. To book tickets, call 01886 880282 or ask at Cradley PO and Stores or Cradley Butchers. more...

GUARLFORD AND MADRESFIELD Correspondent: Mrs M Allsopp Tel: 01905 830746

THERE will be a joint service to celebrate Mothering Sunday on March 26 at St Mary's Church, Madresfield, at 11am. There will not be a service at Guarlford this Sunday. more...

MALVERN WELLS Correspondent: Mrs V Greaves Tel: 01684 566860

DO you believe the village hall is a community asset? Do you go to events at the village hall? Do you belong to a group that uses the hall on a regular basis? Do you have a special occasion coming up for which your dining room affords less space than needed? Have you seen the new upgraded kitchen? Do you care? Whether you answer yes or no to any of these questions, you are cordially invited by the village hall board to attend the AGM on Wednesday (March 29) at 7.30pm. more...

POWICK Correspondent: Mrs M Allsopp Tel: 01905 830746

LAST Sunday, during the morning service of holy communion at St Peter's, two young children were baptised by The Rev Douglas Walker. Ethan Grant Thomas, aged one, of Drakes Broughton, whose grandparents live in Powick, was baptised; and also baby Luka Roberto, supported by his family. The lesson was read by Marion Lewis and the organ played by Sally Linsey. more...

STAUNTON Correspondent: Mrs U Groves-Smith Tel: 01452 840273

THE church of St James, Staunton, was filled with family and friends for the funeral of Mrs Beryl Poole, who died at Gloucester Royal Hospital at the age of 76. more...

Welland Correspondent: Stephen Try Tel: 01684 310068

Mothering Sunday, this weekend sees the Special service for Mothers at St. James, Welland, at 11am. more...

WELLINGTON HEATH Correspondent: Mrs P Jacobs Tel: 01531 634941

THE next - and possibly the last - meeting of the parish plan steering group will be on Monday (March 27), at 8pm, at Old Mill House. Everyone is welcome. There will be discussion about the distribution of the bound copies of the plan and the delivery of the summaries to everyone at the beginning of April. There is also a proposed celebration, for all residents, of the completion of the project, which has been funded by the Herefordshire Partnership via the Small Project Fund. Copies will be available on request as CD-Roms, large print or bound copies (for £5). Please let Fanny know what you would like on 640745. more...

West Malvern Correspondent: Colin Jackson Tel: 01684 577604

This Sunday (March 26) is Mothering Sunday, which will be marked St James's Church with a special family service at 10.30am conducted by The Rev Rosemary Herbert, to which everyone - and especially families with young children will be welcome. more...

Our sixth form is simply outstanding

THE sixth form at The Chase in Malvern has been judged outstanding in every category by inspectors. more...

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Stories for 24 March 2006

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