Sarah Evans, a local artist, spent a week working with our school to produce a silk painted canvas for each of the six areas of learning, writes Scarlett and Maurice, Montgomery School Express Arts Reporters.

These canvases were designed by the pupils to show their vision for: Maths and Numeracy; Expressive Arts; Science and Technology; Humanities; Health and Wellbeing; and Literacy, Language and Communication.

Fab in Year 3 said: “I liked working with Sarah to make work to show off our ideas for the new curriculum for everyone to enjoy.”

Mischa in Year 5 added: “I learnt that we could use silk as a medium to paint on. I enjoyed doing the backgrounds using different textures.”

Ms Griggs, headteacher, added: “I would like to thank the Arts Council for Wales for funding the artist’s residency as part of the Learning Recovery Grant. The canvases are now on display in the school hall to show what ‘A Curriculum for Wales’ means at Montgomery School.”

Walkers visit

A small group of walkers from Whitchurch, Hampshire visited two fellow “Walkers are Welcome” towns on a short July break.

After heading to their town’s namesake in Shropshire, they came over the border to Montgomery where they were met by Mark and Sue Michaels and Brett and Jill Kibble from Walkers are Welcome Montgomery.

Mark and Sue had met Mick and Jackie Browne when they had made a special ‘Watership Down’ visit to the Whitchurch area to celebrate their Ruby Wedding Anniversary last summer.

The film has a special association for Sue and Mark as it was the film they saw on their first date as a couple.

Whitchurch is a longstanding Walkers are Welcome town and Montgomery is looking forward to strengthening links between the towns.

Mick said: “This was my first visit to this beautiful little town - and also my first experience of Wales in the sunshine.

“Thanks to Walkers are Welcome Montgomery for your hospitality and a lovely walk including the opportunity to touch a toe on the Offa’s Dyke long distance path in its 50th anniversary year.”

He added “Both the towns we visited are surrounded by glorious walking and cycling countryside. I would encourage everyone to discover somewhere new to get outdoors in 2021.”

Bunners celebrate show stall award

The Bunners team had a great day at West Mid Showground on Saturday, scooping the trophy for Best Small Trade Stand at the Shropshire County (Livestock and Vintage Machinery) Show.

The categories were judged by West Midlands Agricultural Show trustee Phil Thorneycroft and presented by trustee Rhea Alton.

Fitness classes return to town hall

As restrictions are eased, Montgomery Town Hall is able to be used in more of the usual ways, including four different weekly fitness classes.

Jodie Bocking first started teaching in Montgomery Town Hall in 2014 after taking an exercise to music qualification.

She has since qualified in a number of different areas of fitness and taught in Welshpool and Montgomery for several years.

Jodie was keen to continue to support clients during the lockdown period, and offered an outdoor bootcamp on the football field in Montgomery last summer, along with an outdoor clubbercise class in Forden.

Now the town hall is open again, Jodie is offering popular Clubbercise and Pilates classes, which take place on Thursday evenings, with Clubbercise at 6-6.50pm and Pilates 7-7.50pm (£5 for Clubbercise, £7 for Pilates, and £10 for both).

Jodie said: “I truly believe that exercise is so beneficial to our physical, mental and social wellbeing, especially after the effects of being in lockdown.

“I make my classes fun, friendly and effective and feel that exercise should be an enjoyable experience.

“It’s been amazing to be able to start teaching face to face again.”

Booking is essential for classes with both Jodie Bocking and Steph Bates, who offers full body pump classes on Sundays and workouts using step boxes on Wednesdays.

Post box relocated for safety reasons

The post box in Montgomery has been moved from its former position on the B4385 outside the Ivy House Cafe and Montgomery Post Office into Broad Street.

It can now be found adjacent to the town council noticeboard, which is situated between the Montgomery Spar and Montgomery Fish Bar.

This move was in response to dangers of vehicles stopping adjacent to the box on the B road to make use of it and pedestrians using the box next to a busy through road.