Worcestershire News

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PODS presents… Miscast

Have you ever wondered what it would look like if your favourite performers tackled the roles they were never meant to play?

Get ready for a show packed full of musical theatre magic, unexpected twists, and pure, unadulterated fun! Pershore Operatic and Dramatic Society (PODS) is thrilled to present Miscast, a brand-new fundraising cabaret that is guaranteed to be one of the highlights of your autumn.

For one day only, our talented performers will step into roles they have always dreamed of playing, but never had the chance. From Wicked to The Book of Mormon, Chicago to SIX, join us for much loved musical theatre numbers, some unexpected dance routines and plenty of good humour as we turn traditional casting on its head.

Miscast takes place at Number 8 on Saturday 12th September, with two performances:

  • Matinee: 2:30 pm

  • Evening: 7:30 pm

This isn’t just a show; it’s an invitation to share in the joy, laughter, and creativity of our community. Every ticket purchased directly supports PODS, helping us raise vital funds for our future productions and helping us continue to bring live theatre and entertainment to the local community.

It’s daring. It’s vibrant. It’s beautifully unconventional. Whether you’re a die-hard musical theatre fan or are looking to enjoy some fantastic entertainment in good company, we would be delighted to welcome you.

Tickets are just £10, making it a lovely opportunity to gather a few friends and enjoy something a little different.

Tickets are available now from the Number 8 Box Office:

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Celebrating 200 years of the Moreton-In-Marsh Tramway

,The Cotswold Line Promotion Group is delighted to be helping
commemorate this important anniversary with two special events. We
hope that as many members and supporters as possible will be able to join us in celebrating this significant chapter in our local history.

Bank holiday Monday 31st August 2026
Tramway 200 Commemorative Plaque Unveiling
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Moreton-in-Marsh Co-operative Store
The CLPG has commissioned a commemorative plaque to mark the
bicentenary of the tramway. The plaque will be installed on the corner of the Co-op building in Moreton-in-Marsh, close to the route of the original tramway.
We are delighted that our President, Lord Faulkner of Worcester, has
arranged for the plaque to be unveiled jointly by Lord Redesdale and
himself. The Redesdale family has a long and historic association with Moreton-in-Marsh, making Lord Redesdale’s participation particularly fitting for this celebration of the town’s heritage. We are also grateful to the Co-op for supporting the event by opening its café and providing some light refreshments for attendees.

Saturday 5th September 2026
Moreton Show – Tramway 200 Exhibition Stand
A week later, CLPG will be attending the Moreton Show with a special
stand dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Moreton-in-Marsh
Tramway. Working in partnership with the Shipston Museum, we are fortunate to be able to display a spectacular LEGO reconstruction of Shipston Station incorporating features of the tramway. This impressive model is certain to attract interest from children, families, railway enthusiasts and anyone interested in local history.
Exhibits will include:
• The story of the Moreton-in-Marsh Tramway and its development
• Original tramway rail and track components
• Information about the work of the Cotswold Line Promotion Group
• The LEGO model of Shipston Station and Tramway

This promises to be an excellent opportunity to share the tramway’s
story with a wider audience and celebrate an important part of our local heritage.

Spread the word and put these dates in your diary and come along if you can! Monday 31 August 2026
Plaque Unveiling at Moreton-in-Marsh Co-operative Store
2.00 pm – 3.00 pm
Saturday 5 September 2026
Moreton Show – Tramway 200 Exhibition Stand

We hope you will join us in marking this very special anniversary and
look forward to seeing many of you there.

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A summer of events at local animal shelter

Local animal rescue shelter, WARS, based at Hawthorn Lane, Newland, is promising a fun summer packed full of events for locals to enjoy and get involved in.

The first weekend in June saw their annual Fun Dog Show and Fete which was a huge success, raising more than £4600 for the charity.

Next up

Friday 21st August, the charity is hosting their Summer Coffee Morning from 11am-1pm. This is a regular event at the shelter, with four usually hosted each year, and they always offer a great opportunity to meet and mingle with likeminded animal lovers while enjoying a cuppa and sampling some freshly baked cakes. All are welcome, and those attending can also enjoy a bit of retail therapy as the shelter has an on-site charity shop, selling clothes, gifts, homeware, animal items, bric-a-brac and more. The shop is open daily, excluding Wednesdays, between 11am and 3pm.

To keep an eye on all that is going on at your local animal rescue, you can follow Worcestershire Animal Rescue Shelter (WARS) on social media

Check out their website www.wars.org.uk or email any queries to info@wars.org.uk

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Small Garden, Big Ideas

For a huge chunk of the country, especially younger homeowners, the average garden runs to about twelve square metres. That's roughly the size of a large bathroom. The team at British Garden Centres has put together some straightforward advice for anyone looking to get more out of a small plot this summer.

- Pots are your best friend. One of the most flexible things you can do in a garden of any size, and they are portable and changeable! Terracotta (holds up well) and fibreclay (similar but weighs less) are the best choices.

- The thriller, spiller, filler trick. It sounds formulaic, but the results rarely look it, as the combination of heights and textures does most of the work for you! Plant something tall and dramatic in the middle (the thriller), something that trails over the edges (the spiller), and something bushy that fills the gaps (the filler)

- The only way is up. Living walls have become genuinely practical in recent years too. It is low maintenance and looks great year-round! Jasmine, honeysuckle, clematis, and roses are the classic climbers, all reliable, all fragrant. A trellis or two is usually all you need to get them started.

- Make it sensory. Scents, sounds and textures make a big difference! Plants like lavender, rosemary, thyme, and jasmine all work well in containers and kick in properly on a warm evening, no matter the size. Grasses and bamboo add sound, adding calmness to your garden. Lamb's ear and moss are worth including just for the texture.

- Grow your own. Kitchen gardens used to feel like they needed space, but they don't! Tomatoes, salad leaves, dwarf beans, cucumbers, radishes, and most herbs are perfectly happy in pots on a sunny balcony, and there's something genuinely satisfying about cooking with things you've grown yourself.

- Somewhere to sit. A lot of small gardens end up as display-only spaces that nobody actually uses! A single chair or a small bistro set makes an outdoor space feel like a room rather than a feature. If storage is tight, folding or stackable furniture is well worth considering.

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Great Western Railway named among country’s top 100 apprenticeship employers

Great Western Railway has been named as one of the country’s top 100 apprenticeship employers. The train operator joins an elite group of employers recognised by the Government for delivering outstanding apprenticeship programmes.

With more than 70,000 employers in England offering apprenticeships, GWR Human Resources Director, Ashley Bray, said securing a place in the top 100 was a significant achievement.

Ashley said: "Combined with becoming the first train operator to achieve Platinum accreditation for our apprenticeship programme, this recognition reinforces our commitment to creating real opportunities for diverse young people from our local communities to build rewarding careers in the railway."

The Top Apprenticeship Employers 2026 rankings, produced by the Government and careers platform Higherin, celebrate organisations demonstrating excellence across three key areas:

  • Achievement: supporting apprentices to successfully complete their programmes

  • Commitment: offering a diverse range of apprenticeship opportunities, particularly for young people.

  • Reviews: providing an outstanding apprentice experience

Earlier this year, GWR became the UK's first train operator to achieve Platinum status in the Investors in People ‘We Invest in Apprentices’ accreditation. Working in partnership with Exeter College, GWR launched its vocational apprenticeship programme in 2016. Quest apprenticeships were introduced in 2020, enabling existing colleagues to gain recognised qualifications alongside their day-to-day roles.

Today, GWR offers more than 17 apprenticeship programmes across its network, supporting more than 300 apprentices in a wide range of roles.

Sophie Carter, 22, from Plymouth, pictured above, was the winner of the inaugural Sir Andrew Haines Apprentice of the Year Award at GWR’s own internal recognition programme this year.

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An Evening with Melvyn Hayes - Live Interview

Number 8, Pershore's community arts venue, will host a special evening with veteran British actor and author Melvyn Hayes on Friday 11th September at 7.30pm.

With a career spanning over fifty films and countless television and theatre productions, Melvyn Hayes is best known to television audiences for his long-running role in the BBC sitcom It Ain't Half Hot Mum, and for appearing in the classic film Summer Holiday alongside Cliff Richard. Now 91, he will be interviewed live on stage by his daughter, Charlie Hayes, in a warm and candid conversation covering his remarkable career and his memoir, It Ain't Half Late Mum. The book charts Melvyn's personal reflections on a life in showbusiness, family, and growing older with humour and honesty. Copies will be available to buy on the night, with the chance for audience members to have their book signed. Audiences can expect stories from behind the scenes of a career spanning generations of British film, television and theatre, as father and daughter take to the stage together for an intimate and entertaining evening.

Event details:

What: An Evening with Melvyn Hayes — live interview and book signing

Where: Number 8, Pershore

When: Friday 11 September, 7.30pm

Tickets: Available via the Number 8 Pershore website

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Kids travel free – the most scenic places under-16s can reach for free this summer

This August, under-16s can travel on local buses for free to help tackle the cost of living. Families can enjoy cheaper days out this summer, thanks to the government providing free bus travel for 5-15 year olds.

From castles to sprawling country parks and beautiful stretches of coastline, families can explore some of country’s most scenic destinations this summer without paying a penny for their child's bus fare.

This announcement builds on the £3 bus fare cap, helping people keep more money in their pockets this summer while making it easier to enjoy days out across the country.

Whether it's a walk through ancient woodland, a picnic by the water, a visit to a historic castle, or a trip to the seaside, free bus travel means the cost of getting there won't stand in the way.

Some of the scenic destinations families can reach include Hadrian’s wall, the Peak District and the New Forest.

Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood said:

"We know how hard it can be for families to enjoy their time together as they face persistent cost of living pressures. That’s why this summer, we're giving families room to breathe as children can hop on the bus for free as part of our Great British Summer Savings scheme, which is also giving money off attractions and restaurants, as well as cheaper train fares.

 "From beaches to iconic historical sights, there's loads of beautiful attractions kids can get to for free. We want everyone to enjoy their summer holidays, and by taking action, we hope no one misses out on the small plans that make life more fun."

 

Attractions kids can visit free include:

North East

  • Hadrian’s Wall: Go North East AD122

  • Bamburgh Castle: Arriva Northumbria X18

  • Northumberland Coast: Arriva Northumbria X18

North West

  • Lake District (Windermere, Ambleside, Grasmere): Stagecoach Cumbria & Lancashire 555, 599

  • Peak District (via Buxton): High Peak 58, 199

 East Midlands

  • Chatsworth House: Stagecoach 218 (from Bakewell & Sheffield)

  • Peak District National Park (Bakewell/Castleton area): High Peak 199, 272

West Midlands

  • West Midlands Safari Park: Diamond 292, Diamond 125

  • Warwick Castle: Stagecoach 15, X17, X18

  • Stratford-upon-Avon: Stagecoach X18

South East

  • Seven Sisters Country Park: Brighton & Hove buses 12, 12A, 12X

  • Stonehenge: Salisbury Reds X7

  • New Forest National Park: morebus X3, X6

  • Eastbourne - Coaster 12

South West

  • Lands End – Go Cornwall bus - 1A  

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The Lark Ascending in Inkberrow

On Saturday 19th September Inkberrow’s beautiful Norman church of St. Peter will again resound to a 40-piece symphony orchestra – the Inkberrow Sinfonia. This well established concert is given by a carefully selected group of musicians, comprising both professional and semi-professional players under the direction of Richard Laing, our regular maestro and a nationally known conductor. Over the years these concerts have raised thousands of pounds for the various charities including the Chernobyl Children’s project and St. Peter’s Church Fabric Fund. This year funds will be raised for the National Youth Orchestra to assist talented young musicians.

The highlight of the concert will be Vaughan Williams’s The Lark Ascending, a most beautiful and moving piece which has frequently topped the charts in the Classic FM Hall of Fame. Scored for solo violin and orchestra it depicts the song and soaring upward flight of the skylark. Our soloist, Shulah Oliver-Smith is a distinguished local violinist whose interpretation of this piece has won many plaudits.

The concert will also include an orchestral suite by Gabriel Fauré, Masques et Bergamasques, Beethoven’s 8 th symphony, and a Romance for violin by Dvořák, again played by Shulah.

Inkberrow Sinfonia, St. Peter’s Church Inkberrow, Saturday 19 th September, 7.30pm.

Tickets £15 available from Jenny Powis, 01386 792909 or powis.david@gmail .com

Also from Simply Fresh, High St. Inkberrow (cash only) or on the door (credit cards

accepted)

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A few words from … Dame Harriett Baldwin MP

MP Calls for High Street Support as Councillors Weigh Up Free Town Parking

Proposals to scrap parking charges in Tenbury Wells for the summer have been put to local councillors as West Worcestershire MP Dame Harriett Baldwin calls for high street businesses to receive more help. After the MP raised a constituent’s suggestion for free parking in the popular market town with Malvern Hills District Council, the local authority advised that individual councillors could use their own ward budgets to subsidise car parking. Supporters argue that more free parking would draw visitors to Tenbury, increase accessibility, and invigorate high street businesses. Local councillors have backed the measure, saying it would cost Malvern Hills District Council around £8,000.

Dame Harriett said:

“I frequently visit Tenbury’s independent shops, cafes and pubs which attract visitors from all over to our historic town. We all want to see Tenbury’s vibrant high street thrive, and these businesses are vital for local jobs and prosperity. There has been a local campaign to put on free parking for the summer which has made its way into my postbag. I raised this suggestion with the Chief Executive and local councillors have been told they could cough up from their ward budgets to cover the cost. The town has had a challenging time recently with the road works and the Rochford landslip closing one of the routes into the town, so local councillors may wish to do this.”

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August 2026

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Designers and printers of fine books

We design and print magazines, leaflets, gift cards and business cards to your specifications

The Hughes family has been involved in the production of fine books for over fifty years and has established a unique role in the production of a wide range of short run and limited edition books.

We assist the author, advising on style, page layout, typeface, colour illustrations and binding techniques. We use the latest technology and our skilled typesetters and printers produce high quality products at competitive pricing using a wide range of quality materials.

Our books are distributed all over the world and we have received work from the UK, USA, Africa and Asia.

Wedding RSVP card with peach and beige floral design, inviting guests to respond by June 1st, 2026, for Rachael and Adrian's wedding.
Two overlapping annual reports, one for Pershore Abbey and another for a community event called What's On, with visible details including the year 2026 and a nighttime cityscape background.
A stack of business cards and a literary newspaper titled 'Pershore Times' inside a white card holder.

We also offer book repairs and bindery services

An old, worn-out, stack of three antique books with tattered, discolored leather covers, placed on a flat surface.
Two hardcover books stacked on top of each other with black covers and gold lettering, titled "TOM JONES VOL. 1" and "TOM JONES VOL. 2". The top book has a decorative green and gold marbled endpaper visible at the top.

To discuss your project, contact:

print@hughes.company

or

01386 803 803

Our Book Collection

Designed in-house

Thought Plants
£9.95

‘Thought Plants’ is a new collection of writing and poems exploring ideas, events and everyday life. At times serious and thoughtful, at others enjoying the whimsical, lighter side of things. It has grown surprisingly well from early seeds and a fertile imagination.

Reg Moule Gardening Diary 1
£10.00

This is the first of Reg’s gardening handbooks, designed to be both a guide to people just starting their gardening journey and a handy reminder for more experienced gardeners.

It contains a Monthly Jobs Guide and advice on an array of things you are likely to be doing in your garden, including: seed sowing, feeding plants, looking after roses and lawns, pruning, growing fruit vegetables, hanging baskets and bedding plants, as well as choosing compost and a ‘right shrub, right situation’ section.

The Cotswolds & Beyond
£20.00

This book contains not only a fine collection of Cotswold landscape paintings by the late Peter Hodge, for which he was best known, but also images and insights from his many and diverse forays into graphics, surrealism, ceramic and textile design.

Told with down-to-earth honesty and humour, he comments on the paradoxical quirkiness of creating art; balancing integrity and enthusiasm with the demands of making a living in the precarious world of artistic endeavour.

Cover of a book titled 'Golf and the Rose: A Centenary of English Amateur Golf' by Richard A Latham, featuring a lush golf course landscape with trees, a tower in the background, and a blue sky, overlaid with a white rose emblem.
Book cover titled 'Common Grounds' by Richard Pennell, showing a rural landscape with tall grass, a tilted windmill, a small shed, and a lake or pond in the background in black and white.
Book cover titled 'Challenges & Champions: The Royal & Ancient Golf Club 1754-1883' with an illustration of a historic town with buildings, a church tower, and people walking on a path.
Cover of a book titled "Swing Time: A Celebration of Golf and Music 1870 to 1939" by Rand Jerris and Peter N. Lewis, featuring vintage illustrations of people playing golf and a woman with a hat.
Book cover titled 'The Prairie Raynor' with a golf course, green, red flag, trees, and a white house in the background, authored by John Moran and Rand Jerris, Ph.D.
Book cover titled "Reminiscences of Golf on St. Andrews Links" by James Balfour, published in Edinburgh in 1887, with a blue background and red title panel. The cover also mentions illustrations by Thomas Hodge and plans of the Links.
Book cover titled 'Why are there Eighteen Holes? St Andrews and the Evolution of Golf Courses 1764-1890' by Peter N. Lewis, featuring a watercolor painting of a historic building in a rural landscape.
Book cover titled 'Practical Golf Greenkeeping' by W. K. Gault, published by Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, Ltd., Edinburgh with a price of 2 shillings.
Cover of a book titled 'Grass Routes' with a landscape view of a golf course, rolling hills, and a sunset sky.
Book cover with navy background titled 'Reminiscences of Golf and Golfers' in yellow text.
Book cover titled "Some Golf in 1888" with a maroon background and yellow border and text.
A blue background with a gold border and centered gold text reading 'Some Golf in 1897'.

Four generations of printing

Printing is a family way of life for a Pershore business. When you choose Hughes & Company, you can be assured that you are not only getting top quality service, but you are also getting the benefit of four generations of experience.

Alan Hughes’ grandfather was a printer, so was his father and mother. You could say it is in his blood. Alan draws on experience gained in all aspects of the industry, from working as an apprentice with his father to becoming Managing Director of a UK software company developing computer typesetting systems for a global market. He then managed a large multi-business group in South Africa, before returning to the family business. With his son, Andrew, ‘the fourth generation’, they carry on the tradition of offering quality printing services for any job, no matter how large or small.

Members of the Royal Family and the late President H.W. Bush have had books which were produced by Hughes & Company and, recently, two books won prestigious awards in the United States.

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