Old Apple Tree we Wassail thee, and hope that thou will bear Hats Full, Caps Full, 3 Bushel Bags Full - and a Little Heap under the Stairs.
When: Saturday 6th January 2024. From 6pm for a 7pm start. Torches will be lit at 7:30pm. Where: Westons Cider Visitor Centre, Much Marcle HR8 2NQ
Silurian Border Morrismen will bring their popular Wassail once again to Much Marcle. Dancing will be at 7pm followed by an atmospheric torch-lit procession into ancient cider orchards. After the Ceremony of singing, carousing and general merriment there will be food, music and Mummers at the Visitors Centre.
This popular event raises much needed funds for St Michael's Hospice at Bartestree. As last year, we are selling tickets for only £10 (under 16s free). This has the advantage of keeping numbers at manageable levels and raising even more money for the Hospice.
We invite you to join us on the 6th to share in a ceremony bursting with fire, poetry, weird gifts, ancient songs and lots of laughs. Add in a bit of Silurian's vigorous Border dancing and you've got a great night out for the whole family.
Silurian would like to remind all participants that darkness, mud, cold and REAL fire are involved - come prepared.
Aldi has recently introduced self-scan checkouts (robots) in its Ledbury store, though they are often non-operational (as in the photo to the right).
The number of ‘normal’ checkouts has been reduced from 7 to 5 to accommodate seven robots (three of which can now accept cash: all accept cards). These incorporate cameras - the upper screen in front of the user displays their image while they’re using the machine. I have asked Aldi customer services (by email) some pertinent questions:
Why are images of customers being shown without their consent on these checkouts? I am wondering why you appear to be recording customer activity.
How do these checkouts ascertain if an item has a discount (eg. when an item will be out of date at the end of that day)?
Aldi’s first reply evaded both these questions, so I queried the legality of recording images of customers without their consent (I could not see at the time any warning notices that recording was taking place). This evoked the following response:
“In relation to self-service checkouts, after an initial trial in a few selected Aldi stores, our self-service checkouts have proved popular with customers, so we are making these available in further stores. Rest assured that our colleagues will still be on hand if you need them. In fact, self-service checkouts mean that our store staff can spend more of their time on the shop floor helping customers while they shop.
“Also, we do still have the regular manned tills in the store. The screens you are referring to are used as a theft deterrent however, please be assured that these do not record sensitive information such as your card details.”
Ah-ha! To be effective as a theft deterrent, images would have to be recorded to provide evidence. Whilst it would be expected that any recording is erased immediately after an honest purchase, there has been no statement that this is the case. On 9th October, I followed with a request for an assurance footage of legitimate transactions would be deleted. No relevant response has been received to date - just a survey form asking me how I felt about my customer service 'experience', to which I replied negatively...
I am currently researching the RHM study into the effects of eating Mycoprotein [Quorn] which was carried out in 1985 at Toxicol Laboratories, Bromyard Road, Ledbury.
If you were involved in this study, in any way, I would be interested to hear from you. Thank you.
Please contact me at:
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After the enforced closure due to Covid restrictions, the Club is once again up and running with a friendly and enthusiastic membership. The club is now in its 27th year of operation and has around 80 members from Ledbury, Malvern, Ross-on-Wye and other parts of Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.
We walk most Thursday mornings starting at 10:00am. The walks are usually around 5 miles in length and generally start within a 15 mile radius of Ledbury town. From time to time, walks start from a pub in the area that will provide food, drink and relaxation after the walk is over. Just occasionally, there are longer walks or on days other than Thursday, but these are not frequent.
We meet at a start point given in the Club programme, which also gives an indication of the distance and time to reach the start point from Ledbury. Any car sharing arrangements are made on an informal basis between members.
The walks programme can be obtained from the Club Secretary or the Walks Organiser whose contact details are given below.
The Club has also produced a series of leaflets outlining nine different walks which either start from the town centre or within a short distance of the town. With the sad closure (at present) of Ledbury's TIC, these leaflets are currently only available in season from the town's Heritage Centre in Church Lane. Complete sets of leaflets can also be bought direct from the club (email details below) - but we regret we cannot sell individual leaflets in that way.
Ledbury Walkers' Club Chairman Rob Hooper (01531 640093) Secretary Brian Hudson (01531 631911) Treasurer Gordon Harris (07890 555258) Walks Organiser Sandy Rowley (01531 634884) Or email to:
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The club constitution states that all walkers, both members and visitors, walk at their own risk. Please also note that the club constitution does not permit members and visitors to bring their dogs on club outings.
We walk on defined public footpaths and bridleways shown on the Ordnance Survey 1:25000 scale maps. These can be muddy and the terrain rough. Visitors who wish to walk with the club should ensure they have adequate footwear, and are properly clothed and equipped for the conditions.
The Ledbury Walkers' Club is not affiliated to the Ramblers Association.
126 fines for 83 people - including the Prime Minister. That’s the level of criminality Boris Johnson oversaw when he and his staff broke the laws they asked the rest of us to follow.
And yet most of his MPs don't care.
Last night we projected this film on to Parliament to remind us all why this cannot be normalised. Thanks as ever to Gavin Esler for the voice-over.
Response to a foolish professor (12)
Aldi has recently introduced self-scan checkouts (robots) in its Ledbury store, though they are often non-operational (as in the photo to the right).