THE Wells and Wyche Playgroup leaders are grateful to everyone who kindly donated nearly new baby and children clothes and items for their recent sale. They are thrilled to have raised a wonderful £138. The money has brought them up to their target for buying a set of outdoor playsuits for the children to wear for outside activities.

Congratulations are due to playgroup leaders who walked in the Lions Charity Hill Walk on May 17. Well done everyone who took part.

Your village correspondent had the great honour of being asked to judge the Handwriting competition at The Wyche C.E.Primary School on Thursday, May 21 then return to the school on the afternoon of May 22 to help give out the prizes.The whole school of 140 pupils had originally taken part and teachers had reduced the entries to six from each age-group. All the entries were neatly displayed on a board and 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes were awarded to the best three entries in each group. It was an extremely difficult task knowing that everyone had done their best and that neat hand-writing comes more naturally to some than others. After the prizes had been presented, your correspondent donated a book to the School Library that she had hand-written and one of the pupils presented her with a beautiful pink orchid.

This Sunday’s Band In The Park is Lydbrook Band from the Forest of Dean with their specially prepared concert of music written by Sir Edward Elgar and arranged for brass bands. The concert takes place in Priory Park, Malvern from 2.30pm until 4.30pm.

Sunday is the final date for all items to be included in the summer issue of the Wells News. Please send your copy to the editor, Mike. He can be contacted on (01684) 563824.

After all the planning by a great number of people, Malvern Walking festival is kicking off tomorrow (May 30) with half a dozen walks, some of which needed booking in advance. There is the Midsummer Hill walk of 3.5 miles from Hollybush Car Park starting at 2.30pm tomorrow (May 30) that does not need to be booked in advance. It is being led by Dudley Brook who will be passing on archaeological details along the way. The walking festival lasts all week with several walks daily of various grades of difficulty, some which need booking and some which do not and all the walks are free. The Tourist Information Centre has leaflets giving full details and outlining walks that need to be booked in advance. You can register on line at www.malvern-hills.info or telephone the TIC on (01684) 892289.

Polling stations open early on Thursday, June 4 and stay open during the evening so that you can cast your vote even if you are out at work all day.