POPULAR bandsman and entertainments agency founder Derek Wells has died at the age of 80. Derek, who died on December 14, was born in 1940 to Stan and Phylis Wells in Moreton in Marsh before the family moved to Evesham. He attended Bengeworth Junior School and on passing his 11 plus exam in 1951, moved to Prince Henry’s Grammar School. Derek’s lifelong interest in music was already evident, as he sang in the church choir at St Peter’s in Bengeworth, while money left by great-grandmother Fanny Hopkins was used to buy his first saxophone. Derek was taught to play the instrument by George Hands, a member of the Music Makers Band.
A FINAL decision on whether to controversially build more than 70 homes on the site of a former Victorian hospital should be made this week having been delayed because of missing information in the application. Planning officers at Wychavon District Council have been waiting for important documents about drainage from developer ilke Homes about its plan to build 76 ‘modular’ homes built on the site of the former Evesham Sanatorium off King’s Road near to Evesham Marina. Councillors meet again today (December 10) to make a decision with the district council’s planning officers again recommending the plan should be approved. A decision could not be made by the district council’s planning committee last month as the information had not been provided.