Hay Handbook

Last night was the launch of the new Hay Handbook by Hay Together, a directory of local services and organisations and groups in and around Hay. It's an impressive achievement, since some of the information has been quite difficult to find out. I arrived in the middle of the presentation, given by Ellie Spencer, in the hall of the Castle. She said that they were greatly helped on their way by the Community Directory put together by Hay and District Community Support, which sadly had to close last year. There was a bouquet for the lady who did most of the work checking that all the phone numbers and addresses were right, and acknowledgements to Alison Matthews, who did a lot of work on it, and Jacquie Kennett, who did the design work.
I think it's going to be very useful - it's got all the contact details for local doctors, taxi firms, sports clubs, even down to things like the Stitch and Bitch group that I belong to.
The booklet will be available from the office on the Cobbles, the library and places like the doctors' surgery around Hay. They also have leaflets advertising their volunteering service. The office is open from 9am to 3pm on Thursdays and Fridays.
Hay Together has taken over the work with volunteers that used to be run by Community Support, so work closely with PAVO, who cover the local area. They've found places for something like 32 volunteers so far, and can also offer training and other support. At the moment, they're looking for a volunteer to work with the under-seven's football team.

On my way up through the Cobbles area of the Castle, where the Hay Together office is, I saw The Thoughtful Gardener moving his plants from the stables where he had his shop to his new premises in the building that used to be The Old Curiosity Shop. It's a bigger space - I spoke to Jacquie (the Thoughtful Gardener's partner) over a glass of wine later and she said that they were considering sharing the space with another business, maybe one that sold craft beers. They also want to start selling cider, and she mentioned Dunkertons, which is a good local brand. They're going to see the farm soon. I understand that the stables will be taken over as an art gallery.

Alison and her husband Laurence are the authors of Framespotting, a book about the way people think about problems and how to see the larger picture. They're launching their book (already endorsed by Jonathon Porritt, Rowan Williams and Michael Mansfield QC) next week at Booths Bookshop, on Friday 17th, from 6pm to 7pm.