Friday 19 February 2016

Hit me with your best shot...



It`s so easy to take, and share pictures these days, isn`t it? I`ve been in Ludlow about a year now and find I`m forever taking shots of the castle, because a bit of drizzle or a shaft of sunlight can make it look completely different. The same goes for the fabulous river views you can capture throughout the year in and around the town ; from leaping salmon.....serene swans....a mother and her ducklings, or angry, swollen waters rushing under the Ludford Bridge --different day, different scene.

But what`s your favourite image of Ludlow? A wooded walk? The beautiful houses and timbered buildings? Views of the hills from the top of town?




So here`s the deal. Hit me with your best shot--either tweet it to @LiveLudlow or email it to ludlowlive@outlook.com .

We`ll pop a selection right here on the blog....and the best one gets a voucher for coffee and cake in town. How`s that. (A shot for a shot....see?)

You`ve got until 5pm next Thursday, February 25th.

OK? Go on then......get snapping!

Thursday 11 February 2016

Ludlow`s Loudwater Studio: something to shout about



Nikki Hook and the team at Ludlow`s Loudwater Studio love getting messy. And they like nothing better than encouraging other local people to join in and get messy too.

`We have all kinds of ages and groups visiting us,`Nikki said, `from people with a range of visual impairments and learning disabilities to home-schooled children and careworkers who might come in for a break.`

On offer: space and support to create, build, craft, sculpt...and make music. Because as well as a huge table and other work areas ideal for creative fun, Loudwater`s got its own recording studio, complete with microphone and mixing desk.

`There`s so much here,` says business development manager Nikki,` but the sad thing is that even though we`re here for the local community, some people don`t even know we exist.`

But that`s something that Nikki, soon to celebrate a year at Loudwater, has been working extremely hard to change, spreading the word about what`s on offer by liaising with local groups, and keeping a strong presence on social media .

Behind the space is Vision Homes, providing support in Ludlow and across the Midlands. The studio has had funding from the National Lottery too, and charges visiting groups and individuals on a sliding scale, depending on their circumstances.


And despite the array of beautiful paintings, cardboard models, pom poms and even bird and bug boxes adorning the walls, it`s not all about paint and paste. One of Nikki`s latest enterprises is the Twiddle Mitt, designed especially for people with Alzheimer`s and similar conditions. `I first saw these at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital while visiting my dad, who has dementia, ` she explained. The mitts not only keep hands warm for people who might be less mobile, but provide interest and stimulation with their different textures and decorations.` 

Nikki made the mitt she`s modelling, in about a day. And now she`d love other local people to get involved by using her pattern, and any spare wool, buttons or ribbons they might have, to create mitts for other people with dementia. And apart from knitters, Nikki would love to hear from you if you can volunteer an hour or two of your time at the studio, just off Bromfield Road.

You can contact Nikki and the team on 01584 877272, read more on loudwater@visionhomes.org.uk or catch them on Twitter @LoudwaterLudlow.




Thursday 4 February 2016

Love is in the air....



....everywhere you look around !

So has anything grabbed your eye so far?  Have you been tempted to splash out on something special for the love of your life? Ludlow Live discovered great displays around town... from the heart bunting and window displays at Tiger Lily...to the array of options from pinnies to mugs at Emporo`s....and the (almost inevitable) red lingerie at Bodenham`s (ooh la la....!) But we LOVED the greeting for the whole of Ludlow painted on the front of the Oxfam shop (top left)...with a pout from Marilyn herself..and even a little red dress for that romantic dinner for two, maybe....

But how about something different this year? Ludlow Live braved the chilly wind whistling through the market for this week`s Friday Feature....and found Julia Sinclair; who could put your loved one`s name in the frame for Valentine`s Day.

Julia, along with partner Chris Owen, make up FotoScript; with their Names-in-Pictures and Words-in-Pictures. They have a whole library of photographs of simple, everyday objects in the buildings and nature around us...which resemble letters of the alphabet. Put them all together ....and the result, as Julia shows, might well be L.O.V.E.




Julia, once a hairdresser and jewellery maker; along with former sound man, now photographer Chris are still relatively new to Ludlow, having moved here from Cirencester and before that, Horsham in West Sussex. Their home is just moments away from the market square, making it reasonably easy to bring their work over, and set up their stall. `It`s a lovely place, laid back, with friendly people, ` says Julia. And on offer? Words or names featuring eleven or fewer letters, displayed in one of the most original ways you could think of. So......play it safe and go for `love`. Or find out if the team have the name of the one you love in stock. And PS. They`re not averse to a challenge. `The most unusual name we`ve put together so far, ` says Julia...` has to be Zyzyx.`





Want to find out more about FotoScript and have a look at their work? Catch Julia and Chris at Ludlow Market, or give them a call on 07900 603024. 

Fancy getting your story, passion, product or project on next week`s Friday Feature? Tweet us @LiveLudlow or drop us an email:  ludlowlive@outlook.com

And thankyou for dropping by!!