Statues and the Regimental Exhibition

I was in Hereford on Saturday to see my Young Man off at the station, and when he had gone I had a bit of time before getting the bus back to Hay.
So there was time for a little light shopping (I had a gift voucher for Marks and Spencer to use, which I turned into a rather nice pair of navy linen trousers).
Then I went up to Doughties, to see if they had any pom poms - I'm making some knitted rabbits and so far I've made little pom poms for the tails, by wrapping the wool round a fork, but I thought I'd try some ready made. The assistant was very helpful - we were both on our knees by the display as she pulled out the reserve stock, and as the pom poms were 10p each, I only spent £1 at the end!
Then it occurred to me to wonder if the Hereford Beer House was open (I was going to go into the Lichfield Vaults, but it was heaving with people), and I treated myself to a bottle of Anchor Porter - they have a very good range of American beer there. For unusual British beers, I can go to Beer Revolution in Hay.

So then I wondered what was new in the charity shops. I got as far as the Town Hall, where there was a sign pointing to a Regimental Exhibition, so I went in.
There were photos of the Herefordshire Regiment, and medals, and uniforms - and a bomb disposal machine - and displays about the SAS, all in quite a small space to the side of the main entrance. There was also a display about Allen Lewis, VC, and the statue that's proposed for Hereford city centre.
I got talking to one of the chaps looking after the exhibition, who told me that he had been appointed General of the Hay Armed Forces by King Richard Booth (he'd also been in the real British Army), and he told me that they have almost raised enough money to make the statue, and the sculptor is starting work. She's already done a maquette, and done a lot of research on the uniform. The chap said that this will be the third new statue in Hereford over the last eight or so years - there's Elgar looking up at the cathedral (made by the same sculptor as is working on the new statue), the Hereford bull beside the Old House, and soon, hopefully, Allen Lewis, VC. He said it would be nice to see another statue, representing another aspect of Hereford's history - "Maybe Nell Gwynn!" he said enthusiastically.
I was chatting to him for so long, I had to hurry across to the bus stop at Maylord Orchards to get home.