Cheque presentations will take place at the Lamb Inn on Wednesday at 8pm to representatives of ten organisations benefitting from the West Malvern Festival - WestFest - held on August Bank Holiday.

The final surplus reached nearly £3,000, with grants to: Friends of St James's Church (church fabric fund) £400; Leapfrogs Playgroup £250; West Malvern Football Club £250; St James' CE Primary School £250; Adelaide House £245; Village Hall £150; Mother and Toddler Group £150; After School Group £145; Allotment Association £50; Community Woodland £50.

The balance of around £1,000 will be retained for next year's WestFest, which is already being planned. A committee has been formed consisting of Richard Penhaligon (chairman), Glen Harnden, Rob O'Neil, Colin Robinson and Jon Ward. It is hoped that there will be a good turnout at the Lamb on Wednesday to show local support and appreciation of this highly successful venture.

At its meeting last week, the parish council agreed unanimously to support county councillor Jeremy Webb in resisting a proposal to combine the present Malvern Hills Highways Partnership into a larger body with Worcester City.

It was felt that if this were to happen, Malvern's interests would be bound to be to be swamped by Worcester's greater highway problems. Councillors agreed that if there had to be amalgamation of local partnerships, it would be better for Malvern Hills to join up with another rural district in Wychavon.

The council also decided to replace the bench on the playing fields which was vandalised in the summer with one made of recycled plastic, similar to the one beside the''hole-in-the wall' cashpoint at Waitrose in Great Malvern.

Don't forget: Tomorrow's (Saturday) Christmas bazaar at the village hall from 10am-1pm; the cricket club quiz, also at the hall, starting prompt at 7.30pm (with fish and chips at half-time). With Christmas approaching, recycled cards are on sale at the church at the very modest price of 20p each.