Latest news with #BBCHerefordandWorcester
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Herefordshire: Shoemaking by hand is a 'dying art', says shoemaker
An artisan shoemaker who has been making shoes by hand for more than 15 years has described it as a "dying art".Lisandro Serra Delmar makes barefoot shoes, or minimalist-style footwear, full-time at his workshop in Kingstone, Herefordshire, where it can take between three and five days to make one shoemaking has been described as an endangered craft, with fewer than 35 professional shoemakers currently thought to be working in the Delmar, who is self-taught, said the key to shoemaking was to "not compete" with other companies that were mass producing shoes. "There are people who really appreciate it and are willing to pay more for something that has a soul," he said."Shoes are a living work of art that you wear." Mr Delmar set up Gaucho Ninja, named to honour his Argentinian heritage and work within martial arts, in Spain in 2015 before moving to the UK four years business produces barefoot shoes, which allow feet to move and flex as naturally as Delmar told BBC Hereford and Worcester the idea came out of his own experience as a martial artist."I felt like the type of shoes I needed to wear were more like gloves," he Delmar said some traditional methods to create shoes, such as the "on a last" moulding process by hand, could take up to an hour, while machines in the footwear industry only take about 30 said his business still cuts shoes by hand using traditional tools, including an 80-year-old round knife from the US."Making shoes by hand is such a satisfactory thing. We see a shoe, and we take it for granted that it's something easy. . . something affordable and cheap," he said."For me the joy is to see the eyes of the person when they try the shoes for the first time." Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Your Voice Your Vote: Worcestershire's 'poor quality' roads
Ahead of local elections, Worcestershire's main political parties have responded to motorists' concerns about the state of the county's 57 seats on the county council are being contested on Thursday 1 part of its Your Voice, Your Vote campaign, the BBC is looking at the issues that matter the most to of polling day, the county's five main political parties set out their transport pledges in BBC Hereford and Worcester's local election debate. "We seem to have a lot of roads that are deteriorating … A-roads in particular," said Melfyn Williams, who runs a courier business in Worcester."It's not just potholes, they need resurfacing."The C-roads don't look like they've had any work done at all. My question is what are we going to do about it?"The Conservative-run council has a statutory duty to repair dangerous defects - or potholes - within five or 28 days, depending on their severity. "I have become increasingly concerned about the cost and poor quality of work carried out on our county roads," said Robert Forbes, from Kenswick, a village near said inadequate repairs by council contractors and utility companies had led to "severe road surface degradation, repeat work required to rectify problems, unfinished work, no checking of work quality by council inspectors.""Bromsgrove has been blighted by traffic issues for many years," said another resident, Gareth Hughes."Current works on the A38 Eastern bypass … are seen as being a complete waste of money by most, which will have no impact on traffic issues and may well cause further problems." Party pledges Ahead of polling day, BBC Hereford and Worcester used its local election debate to ask representatives from Worcestershire's five main political parties what they would do to improve the county's roads."Elect a Liberal Democrat councillor. We won't tell you what we'll do, we will listen – as I have listened to my residents – and we will make improvements in areas that work for you," said Liberal Democrat candidate Mel said her party would also look to carry out a "complete overhaul" of the county's public transport system."This is a big priority for the government…we have committed to repair 7m potholes over the next year, £1.5bn of funding" said Beverley Nielsen, who is a candidate for Labour in the council she accepted road maintenance was a priority for the council's current Conservative administration, she called for a greater focus on getting people out of their cars."70% of journeys are under five miles so there's a really big potential," she said. "Having lots of traffic means roads deteriorate quicker. So the obvious solution is better public transport and better active travel," said Green candidate Matthew added his party would prioritise improving surfaces such as pavements and bike lanes."As someone who cycles I notice where there are bad surfaces…often the worst are the few areas where we do have some bike lanes.""We're investing in all modes of transport, to the detriment of none," said Conservative Simon Geraghty."We are keeping roads and pavements in a good condition.. we're in the top quartile (25%) across the country."We're investing £64m over the next three years to keep them that way."While he welcomed investment in walking and cycling infrastructure in urban areas, Reform candidate Max Windsor-Peplow said active travel was a "much more difficult reality" for Worcestershire's rural areas."That is where some of our roads are in the worst condition," he said."We are seeing technologies produced by JCB and manufacturers that repair potholes quicker. Those need to be investigated".He said Reform had pledged any "spare" money the council had would be prioritised for roads. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Preparations under way for 'special' RHS Malvern Spring Festival
The organiser of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival has spoken of how it feels like "a home from home" as preparations for the event near their Dufton, show lead, said gardens were "absolutely flying up" at the Three Counties Showground, where the Worcestershire festival begins on 8 of the UK's first flower shows of the year, the event will see more than 100,000 people flock to the site to view gardeners' creations of all shapes, sizes and Dufton told BBC Hereford and Worcester the annual event felt like "one big family" and its welcoming nature encouraged people to return year after year. "It holds a special place in a lot of people's hearts and feels like a home from home," she for this year started the day after the 2024 show finished, with Ms Dufton describing it as a "365-day process". She said timing and planning were key in setting up the show, along with keeping an eye on the weather forecast."It's having a plan A, B and potentially C in your back pocket but experience teaches you that," she 2025 festival marks Ms Dufton's third year as its lead organiser and she said it was among the best events she had ever worked on, despite it being "quite a weight" on her shoulders."You have a blank canvas and off you go - you can imagine what you want and work out how you want to create it and bring things to life," she RHS Malvern Spring Festival beings on 8 May and will run until 11 May. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
24-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Ex-Royal Marine completes nearly 6,000 burpees in 24 hours
A former Royal Marines commando has raised about £13,000 for charity after completing almost 6,000 burpees in 24 Grant, from Pershore, Worcestershire, undertook the burpee challenge, where someone squats, places their hands on the floor and jumps back into a push-up position, over Saturday and Sunday. He did the feat for The Royal Marines Charity which he said helped him overcome mental health issues years after he left the marines, having completed two tours in Afghanistan and been a part of the 2003 invasion of Grant told BBC Hereford and Worcester he fell short of his target of 10,000 burpees, making it to 5,896, but said the challenge was never about the number. "It was all about the charity and raising funds for an incredible cause," Mr Grant said. He said it was an "incredible challenge", despite feeling sore afterwards, adding that many of his Royal Marines brothers were there to help him "fight through". Mr Grant was part of the 40 Commando unit which took part in the Battle of Al-Faw in Iraq in previously told BBC Hereford and Worcester about how his wife called him while he was deployed and told him she was pregnant."The mixed emotions of having to get ready for operations and having this in the back of my mind all the while…it was quite difficult to focus on the job at hand," he said. 'Through dark times' Years after he left the Royal Marines, Mr Grant started working for the ambulance service, which he described as a "rewarding" job but said it unearthed some of his explained he would get short-tempered, had trouble sleeping and started having flashbacks, adding: "My world folded in."Mr Grant said if it had not been for his family and the charity, things "would be different".Of The Royal Marines Charity, Mr Grant said: "They're just incredible people. They are so selfless."They helped me through some dark times and I wanted to give back to the charity so others could receive the treatment I did." If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, help and support is available by the BBC Action Line. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Runner diagnosed with cancer resumes fundraiser for late sister
A runner diagnosed with cancer while fundraising in his sister's memory has said he is still determined to reach his target. Mark Radon planned to raise £10,000 for St Michaels Hospice in Hereford after it cared for his sister Jo before her death aged 39 in 2023. But his running plans were put on hold when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma last year. However, Mr Radon, who has so far raised about £3,000, has resumed his feat and said he wants to complete 2,025 miles (3,255 km) during 2025 as he recovers from chemotherapy and regains his fitness. The irony he contracted cancer while raising money in his sister's memory after she also had cancer was not lost on him, he he said he had been very committed to the fundraising target."Fortunately my mind was already there anyway, all I needed to do was to keep nurturing it and the running helps with that and the fundraising helps with that," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester. "Seeing the figures go up for St Michaels helps with that and having my family and friends - they help with that," he Radon explained his late sister and the care she received at the hospice had been his main motivation."So many families like mine rely on those fine nurses to care for them and their loved ones in these dark times," he said. He also worked in a hospice during the Covid-19 pandemic and seen "the hard work that goes into it". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
