AUGUST
Zoo slams shut its moving plans
A HUGELY controversial proposal to site a zoo close to Clifford Chambers was dropped.
All Things Wild had been planning to move its wildlife parkfrom Honeybourne to Willicote Farm and Equestrian Centre on the B4632 Campden Road just outside Stratford. The plan was first put forward in January 2022, prompting strong arguments both for and against. But after nearly three years, the company decided to stay in Honeybourne.
Victoria Faller, project development manager for All Things Wild, told the Herald: “Our decision to stay in Honeybourne is driven by the tremendous support we’ve received from Wychavon District Council and our local MP, Nigel Huddleston.
Cats, cats everywhere
SIXTY-THREE stray cats and kittens were reported to have been taken off the streets of Middle Tysoe since April as the village tried to deal with a feral feline problem.
Some residents were concerned their small village was becoming increasingly overrun with cats and – potentially – more were on the way as pregnant females give birth.
It’s not certain why there are now so many cats in the village, but there could be a link to Covid.
Villager Beki Benjamin and fellow volunteer Becky Hancox are part of a group of people in Middle Tysoe who were rescuing the cats, feeding them and finding them new homes. “We believe it all began during the Covid lockdown,” said Beki. “People started to feed homeless and hungry cats, some of which might have been abandoned during Covid.
BID’s bid for a return is successful
THE Stratford Business Improvement District (BID) is to continue representing businesses in the town after an appeal calling into question the legitimacy of a ballot held in February was unsuccessful.
The election saw 75 businesses from the 138 that voted back the BID and its business plan.But the result was challenged by BAGS (Business Action Groups Stratford) which wrote to Michael Gove, the then communities secretary, to argue that the ballot of local businesses was invalid.
They pointed out that BID had raised the rateable value threshold for voting from £9,500 to £15,000, thus disqualifying 110 businesses from taking part, and had expanded the geographical area of the BID to include the Maybird Centre, off Birmingham Road, and Morrisons supermarket, off Alcester Road.
The government decided to allow the election to stand.
A tall story
EIGHT-year-old Joshua Allen broke an eight-year record after growing the tallest entrant in the annual sunflower-growing competition organised by Shipston Rotary.
Joshua’s prize specimen reached the giddy height of 15ft 3in to scoop first prize – a £10 voucher he’s spending on Lego.
Joshua Allen with his record-breaking sunflower.
Joshua’s green fingers have helped him grow very large sunflowers before, and he’s previously finished second and third in the competition, but this time his entry was head and shoulders above the rest.
The world record is 30ft 1in, set by a grower in Germany in 2014.
Keeping the kitchen cooking
STRATFORD’S Net Zero community kitchen will keep running for the next 18 months and employ a part-time manager after securing £19,000 in grants.
The kitchen has been run by Net Zero Stratford and a team of volunteers for nearly a year every Friday at the Ken Kennett Centre.
Grants from the Heart of England Community Foundation’s Inclusive Communities Fund, for £6,472, and from the National Lottery’s Communities Fund, for £12,408, mean it can continue using surplus food from supermarkets to produce healthy, tasty and low-cost meals for Stratford residents, including vegetarian and vegan options.