The Big HAF Day – Thank You!
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for The Big HAF Day this half term!
It was fantastic to see so many children, young people and families coming together to enjoy a day packed full of creativity, activity and fun. From face painting and forest school to coding, ceramics, martial arts and more, the energy across the event was incredible. Your enthusiasm helped make the day truly special.
We would also like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the brilliant organisations, groups and activity providers who took part. Your time, passion and creativity brought the event to life, offering families memorable experiences and the chance to try something new. We couldn’t have done it without your support.
Keep your eyes peeled as we prepare for this Easter’s HAF offerings.
The Big HAF Day was funded by the Department for Education.
Welcoming a new Hub for Leominster
A warm welcome to Leominster Wellness Club, who are the latest organisation to become a Talk Community Hub. Leominster Wellness Club is based at Grafton House in the centre of town.
The hub operates every Tuesday and Thursday between 11am-1pm and everyone is welcome! Alongside a cuppa and a friendly chat, attendees can enjoy crafting activities as well as access to information and advice to support wellbeing. Alongside this, residents are invited to join the Leominster Wellness Club for their weekly wellbeing walks on Wednesdays from 10.30am.
If you’d like to find out more, please visit the Talk Community Directory.
Risk Outside the Home (ROTH) Conference 2026
The GET SAFE multidisciplinary team is hosting the Risk Outside the Home (ROTH) Conference 2026, a full‑day online event focused on safeguarding risks that occur beyond the family environment. This year’s programme will look at emerging themes including AI and exploitation, online harm, and the wider challenges faced by children, young people, and vulnerable adults in the community.
The conference takes place on 18 March 2026 from 9.30am to 5pm and will run online via Microsoft Teams. The event is for professionals and attendees can join for the whole day or drop in and out of sessions as needed. Booking is available through Eventbrite.
Back to school – 5 things you can do to help manage winter illness
As children and young people return to school, it’s important to be aware of the winter illnesses currently circulating. A few simple habits can help keep children, families and classrooms healthy. Visit the The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) blog to read about some of the simple actions that parents of school aged children can take to help protect their families and those around them.
Herefordshire Citizen Bat Project
Herefordshire Mammal Group (HMG) has secured a small grant from FCC Environmental to run a citizen science project during 2026, helping local communities and interested groups understand and record their local bat populations. HMG are hoping that established local groups and Councils interested in recording Biodiversity will join in and use the loan bat detectors to record bat activity in their area. The ‘optimal’ survey season for bats is late April to mid-September.
To launch the project, HMG have organised an Introduction to Bats and the Citizen Bat Project for Thursday 26th March 2026, 7:30pm at Bartestree Village Hall (HR1 4BY). If you would like to attend, send a representative of your Group/Parish/Town Council, or register to receive further information on Citizen Bat, please contact h.citizenbat@gmail.com
Please speak to Orange Button wearers about your mental health
Orange Button wearers are local people from all walks of life who are ready to listen if you’re struggling with your mental health, having thoughts of suicide, or worried about someone else. They’re trained to talk openly about suicide, listen without judgement, and point you towards helpful support and resources. They’re not counsellors, but they are approachable, understanding and ready to help.
There are now more than 1,000 trained Orange Button wearers across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, making it easier than ever to find someone who will listen when you need it. If you’re over 18 and interested in becoming an Orange Button wearer yourself, you’ll need at least three hours of suicide prevention or mental health training (including Mental Health First Aid) within the past two years. Find out more about The Orange Button Community on the Talk Community Directory.
If you’re in crisis or need urgent mental health support, you can call 111 and select the ‘Mental Health’ option. For further mental health support, please visit the Talk Community Directory.
Herefordshire Garden waste collection service
Herefordshire Council has opened subscriptions for its new fortnightly garden waste collection service, launching in March. The scheme replaces single‑use green sacks with a 240‑litre brown wheelie bin or reusable sacks for properties where a bin isn’t suitable. Collections will run throughout the year with a short break at Christmas, and all garden waste will be composted locally and turned into soil improver available from household recycling centres.
The new service aims to make garden waste disposal easier and greener while supporting the county’s wider recycling goals by reducing reliance on single‑use plastics and increasing local compost production.
A subscription costs £60 per year plus a £10 delivery fee for your bin or sacks. Residents are encouraged to sign up now to ensure they’re ready for the start of collections and to help the council plan routes and container deliveries. To find out more and to sign up, please visit the Herefordshire Council website.
What’s new on the directory?
As the days brighten and we start to see the first signs of the season ahead, it’s the perfect time to get out, connect with others and try something new. This week, we’ve added a wonderful mix of activities, events and community meet‑ups to the Talk Community Directory, including:
Afternoon Tea – Holme Lacy Village Hall
WOW Family Forest School Session
British Gas Energy Trust – Pop up Stand
Stay and Play South Wye Community Association
Community Café at Belmont Community Centre
Belmont Community Centre – Talk Community Drop in