TWO MEN from Reading have been jailed for drug offences.
Richard Hiscock, 28 and of Grovelands Road, and Paul Hedley, 38 and of Beecham Road, appeared at Reading Crown Court on Monday, April 3.
Hiscock pleaded guilty to a count of being concerned in the supply of Class A controlled drug, namely crack cocaine, and was subsequently sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
At the same hearing, Hedley pleaded guilty to a count each of being concerned in the supply of a controlled class A drug and suppling a controlled class A drug.
He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
It follows an incident in which two police officers witnessed the pair interacting with a group on Beecham Road on Wednesday, March 1.
They saw an exchange between Hiscock and one of the group, and Hiscock was arrested.
Order
Email news@rdg.today
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an incident of grievous bodily harm in Reading.
At around 10.50pm on Monday, March 27, the victim, a man in his forties, and a woman were walking along Stanshawe Road when they were approached by two men riding bikes.
A search conducted at an address belonging to Hedley found a quantity of cash and a “burner” phone which contained text messages indicating drug supply activity.
Investigating officer, PC Russell Morbey, of the Stronghold Team based at Reading police station, said: “Our Stronghold team will proactively and robustly target and prosecute offenders and our activity will be both
visible and covert aimed at disrupting and pursuing offenders involved in the supply of drugs.
“The information from the public around the drug supply offences in Reading plays an important role in developing intelligence into a proactive investigation.
“If you have any information we would encourage you to report it to us by calling 101 or through our website.”
THERE’S no point in being grown-up if you can’t be childish from time and time. And it takes a visit to Neverland for us to see it.
Reading Rep Theatre’s 10th anniversary season comes to a close with a new take on Peter Pan.
For audiences used to the Disney animation, the pantomime version played for laughs, or even Robin Williams’ Hook, to see a strippedback production can come as a bit of a shock.
There is one stage, abet with a raised level, and one small company of actors, tasked to swap roles as the action demands.
In case you’ve managed to avoid all previous versions of JM Barrie’s classic tale, this is the story of a little boy who never grew up, who one day flies into the lives of Wendy Darling and her two brothers.
He spirits them away to Neverland,
where they meet the Lost Boys - a tribe of, well, lost boys - and cross swords with the dastardly Captain Hook.
Reading Rep’s version features a young cast, with some daring choices.
Amy Ambrose, for example, trebles up. At the start, she is Mrs Darling, all sweetness and light. Then she’s Captain Hook, ready to chew the scenery, and then she’s a Lost Boy.
Similar shared roles come for Jake Ford Lane as Mr Darling and Smee, Eugene Evans as John and Cookson, and Joe Swift as Michael and Starkey.
The costume switches are minimal, relying on the actors’ cues to help us readjust to their new personna.
Only Holly Burns and Marley Lockhart, as Wendy and Peter Pan, keep to a singular role, but given this is their story, that is not surprising.
The REP company complete the cast, with Anvia Costa, Sam Francomb, David Hill, Aiden Marshall, Zoe Peters and Sharae Williams playing mainly Lost Boys and sometimes pirates.
Although Reading Rep says the show
is suitable for ages four upwards, it is a full-length play that relies on full use of imagination. The littlest little ones may find this a challenge. For those that can see past the minimal staging, this is a show that reaps the rewards. The young cast work hard to create a convincing world.
It is the perfect springtime treat and a good introduction to theatre for younger audiences.
Reading Repertory Theatre is a multi-award winning theatre, including a Pride of Reading award for its cultural contribution in 2016, with founding artistic director Paul Stacey also receiving the Pride of Reading Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2021.
It is also supporting the Pride of Reading Awards in 2023.
n Peter Pan is running at Reading Repertory Theatre from Thursday, April 6, to Saturday, April 29. Full details and access to tickets are available via: readingrep.com
As they were heading in the direction of The Gateway pub, the men dismounted the bikes and one of them assaulted the victim before leaving in the direction of Garrard Street.
He was left with a broken jaw which required hospital treatment, but has since been discharged.
TVP also reports that there has been a charge in connection with the incident.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Sophie Connor, based at Reading police station, said: “This happened in the middle of the road at the back of the train station where there are known be taxis and people waiting for taxis in the vicinity, therefore it is likely that someone may have seen what happened.
“Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101 or making a report online, quoting reference 43230138409.
“Alternatively, you can anonymously contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
TWO rear wheels were stolen from a Ford Transit van.
The incident happened in Chapel Street in Thatcham between 10pm on Saturday, April 1, and 8am on Sunday, April 2.
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses. Anyone with any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to call the force on 101, or make a report via its website, quoting reference 43230144589.
BEHIND BARS: Richard Hiscock and Paul Hedley are jailed for at least two years each after pleading guilty to drug offences.
TALKS of summer hosepipe bans have been put on the backburner after Reading experienced its wettest March on record.
Following the driest February in almost 90 years, the University of Reading’s Atmospheric Observatory recorded more rainfall in March than in the 122 years it has been taking measurements.
Last month was one of the cloudiest Marches on record, with Reading receiving just over half of the sunshine it typically gets during the month.
Dr Stephen Burt, from the university’s Department of Meteorology, said: “March's total precipitation at the Observatory site amounted to 131 mm, more than three times the March average of 40 mm.
“This surpassed the previous wettest March in 1916, when 123 mm was recorded at the university’s London Road site. March’s rainfall stands in sharp contrast to the previous month, when we had just 2.7 mm of rain in February.
By JAMES HASTINGS news@rdg.todayIT was a magnificent seventh for the latest Village Easter Festival in Reading.
Organisers said last week’s event held in pubs in the Eldon Square Conservation area was the best yet.
Diane Whitaker, a director at The Retreat said the festival is now well and truly established as a main attraction in the town’s burgeoning music scene.
“All the feedback from the bands, the pub owners and the public has been nothing but positive,” she explained.
“People were saying how much they loved wandering from pub to pub enjoying a great variety of beers while listening to the best music.
“When you hear such bad news about pubs around the country closing, events like the festival help to bring in clientele. People were saying it is a great community thing. People go to a pub and make new friends and they want to come back again and again.”
The three venues were the Lyndhurst, The Retreat while the famous After Party took place the Polish Club.
Diane, who performs in her own band, Rufus Ruffcut, said the organisers are now planning the eight festival to be held over Easter next year.
“Friday, March 31, saw 41.1 mm of rainfall in the 24 hours from 9 am. This was not only almost a third of the month's total, it was also our wettest March day on record – the previous wettest being 34.5 mm on March 14, 1964.
“The excess rainfall in March (91 mm above normal) more than made up for February's deficit (42 mm below normal). For the winter half-year October 2022 to March 2023, the total precipitation amounted to 464 mm, well above the normal for the period of 361 mm.
“Hopefully, this will ease the risk of hosepipe bans and other water restrictions this spring.”
He added that the total duration of sunshine in March was only 67 hours, well below the normal for March of 119 hours.
“March saw less sunshine than February, although this does happen from time-to-time,” Dr Burt said.
“There were only two days that could reasonably be called 'sunny', and nine on which the Sun failed to make an appearance.
“With excess rain and a lack of sunshine, March was definitely a month to forget. I'm hoping for a dry, warm and sunny April.”
ONE LUCKY resident has hit the jackpot in a Reading casino, taking home a six-figure sum.
The Grosvenor Casino on Queens Road has been able to make one man’s day after he cashed in a jackpot worth £202,000.
The winner is choosing to remain anonymous, but said that he was a regular visitor to the venue and plays a number of different games.
On the night he won, however, he was playing Three Card Poker, a simple game based on Three Card Brag.
Following his life-changing win, the anonymous winner said that he was looking forward to paying off his mortgage and would spend the remaining sum on family and friends.
Corrinne Kolatsi, general manager at Grosvenor Casino Reading Central, said: “This is an astounding win, we are so thrilled for the winner.
This prize money is one of the highest jackpots we have paid this year so far.
“Here’s to many more winners as the year goes on.”
Grosvenor Casino is also launching a Champion of Champions tournament, with £500,000 worth of prize available for weekly roulette and blackjack tournaments.
These take place on Thursdays and Sundays and are free to take part in, leading up to a grand final between the top five players.
The casino also offers food and entertainment, as well showing live sports fixtures and hosting the usual casino games, including poker. n More information about Grovesnor Casino is available online via: grosvenorcasinos.com/localcasinos/reading
By JAMES HASTINGS news@rdg.today
THIS year’s Berkshire Egg Run was a roaring success with 452 bikes, trikes, quads and scooters delivering 1,826 Easter eggs for children across the county.
Bikers and supporters gathered early on Good Friday at Stadium Way in Tilehurst before setting off for Abbey Rugby Club in Emmer Green.
The ride, now in its 17th year, is organised by Thames Vale Vultures Motorcycle Owners Group Easter with eggs distributed by the Rotary
Club and Southcote Children’s Centre.
The marshalled convoy passed through Pangbourne, Whitchurch in Oxfordshire, and Sonning Common.
Michael Weal, a member of the Thames Vale Vultures bike club thanked those who took part and the many businesses
which donated Easter eggs.
“The Egg Run was sadly missed during the covid lockdown so it was wonderful to see so many people turning up,” he said.
“It is a real family event with many riders dressing up in all sorts of fun costumes and crowds lining the streets cheering them on.
“The number of eggs donated is amazing and each and every one means a smile for a child somewhere.”
Families enjoyed watching the bikers go by Debbie Evans, in costume, ready for the off. The route was well marshalled by volunteers, keen to ensure children received eggs this Easter
A BOROUGH charity that helps children learn to read, has received a grant from a Berkshire foundation.
ABC to Read assists children to catch up with reading, and helps to raise their self-confidence and self-esteem.
Berkshire Community Foundation (BCF) has awarded the charity a grant of £5,000.
Made possible by a donation from Wellington College, this investment is in addition to previous grants awarded by the Foundation in recognition of their ongoing support of the charity.
Marcia Rowlinson, ABC to Read CEO, said: “Regular support from BCF has enabled us to invest in our local children for the long-term.
“This latest grant will be directed towards an education gap that is still prevalent.
“Training our volunteers thoroughly gives the children we work with the best possible chance for success and we are immensely grateful to BCF for their ongoing support.
“It enables us to support local youngsters with excellence.”
Addressing literacy in primary school aged children is essential to improving their future opportunities.
On average, 360 children are encouraged and mentored by an ABC to Read volunteer every year, with 12,000 hours invested into improving not only their reading ability but their enjoyment of the pastime as well as their general attitudes and confidence.
The charity currently has many vacancies for volunteers to work with the increasing number of children who need catch-up support.
ABC to Read actively seeks people to take part in training, and encourages schools in need of additional reading support to sign up for ABC to Read mentors.
n For more information about training days or joining the scheme as a school or volunteer mentor, people should contact: info@abctoread.org.uk, or log on to: www.abctoread.org.uk
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an incident of assault which took place in Reading in the early hours of Saturday, April 8.
At around 12.05am, a man in his forties was assaulted by another man while riding the 17 bus along Oxford Road.
The victim sustained serious leg injuries requiring hospital treatment, but has since been discharged.
Thames Valley Police have arrested a 44-year-old man on suspicion of Section 18, grievous bodily harm with intent, who remains in custody.
Investigating officer, PC Samuel Offord, said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to please come forward.
“Anyone with information can make a report online or by calling 101, quoting reference 43230153414.
“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or report via its website.”
FIRE and Rescue Service crews were called to a boat fire last month.
The river-dwelling vehicle was well alight when crews arrived at 8.39am on Sunday, March 26.
Teams from Theale, Mortimer, Whitley Wood, and Caversham Road s were sent to the scene near Padworth Lane, alongside the Water Rescue Unit from Caversham Road Fire Station and one RBFRS Officer.
Two firefighters put the fire out using a hose reel.
Crews were on the scene for around three-and-a-half hours.
CARGO bikes could be a familiar sight on Reading’s streets from next year, as a company aims to reduce pollution and cut costs.
Pedal and Post currently operates in Oxford, and is eyeing its Thames Valley neighbour for its expansion plans.
It says that if delivery companies switched to using cargo bikes instead of diesel vans for the first and last mile of deliveries, it would save the NHS and other government services more than £4bn by reducing the costs of congestion and air pollution.
And it says businesses could benefit from quicker deliveries at a lower cost to their profits and the environment.
It has launched a £500,000 crowdfunding campaign on ethical platform Ethex to support its expansion plan.
It comes as research from the Department for Transport has found that a third of all urban deliveries could be done by cargo bikes or ecargo bikes, while a report looking at the impact of van pollution by researchers at Just Economics found that the hidden social and environmental costs associated with diesel vans total £2.46 billion in London alone. If a third of those costs were saved from switching to zero emissions cargo bikes, the savings in health and
1 2
environmental would be £4.25 billion across England.
The costs are derived from savings from reduced congestion, less air pollution, better health outcomes for riders, and fewer accidents and greenhouse gas emissions from switching from diesel vans to cargo bikes.
Chris Benton, the CEO of Pedal and Post, said: “We want to support Reading to join the Cargo bike revolution. The potential to clean up our air and grow the UK economy is huge. Pollution from diesel van deliveries costs the NHS nearly £25,000 across the lifetime of the van, compared to around £150 for an electric cargo bike.
“We know that cargo bikes can deliver more parcels per hour than the average van, and produce 92% less greenhouse gas emissions per delivery, so it is a no-brainer to make the switch.”
The company was launched 10 years ago and delivers 1,000 parcels a day across the city,
employing 23 people. It works with established delivery companies such as DPD, Yodel and Riverford to handle their smaller packages.
It says this saves 100,000 van miles every year as their cargo bike couriers navigate Oxford’s medieval streets.
In the coming five years, the company plans to increase its revenues to £5.5m, create 140 jobs, increase the number of parcels delivered to 8,000 a day and save 400 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Jamie Hartzell, chair of Pedal and Post, said: “The potential market here is huge. We know that internet retail sales grew by 47% in 2020. But while getting goods delivered to your home at a click of a button is easy and time saving at a time when we are all under pressure, it comes at a significant cost to our health and the environment.
“Electric cargo bikes are a crucial part of the solution to speed up deliveries and make our air safer to breathe.”
WE BUILD BRANDS beaconagency.co.uk
PLANS to build 620 homes on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office in Reading have been approved.
The Reading Metropolitan is on in Caversham Road, next to a retail park.
At the end of March last year, Reading Borough Council’s planning committee approved the development subject to a Section 106 legal agreement being agreed.
If the developers Hermes Property Unit Trust failed to do that, the project would have been refused.
This agreement has now been signed, and the developers can submit a reserved matters application providing details of how it will look.
To view the application, search for application 182252 on Reading Borough Council’s planning website.
FANCY dress is encouraged for an extreme run taking place in Earley on Sunday, April 16.
The Saturn Running Yabba Dabba Run is an up-to seven hour endurance challenge, with participants able to choose their length.
The event starts at 9.30am, from the Wokingham Waterside Centre in Thames Valley Park, and the route goes along the Thames Path.
The course is 40% grass, so trail
3 4
shows are recommended especially if there is wet weather in the runup to the event.
There will be a goody bag for participants at the finish line, while medals are awarded to all participants who complete one lap, and special pins are available to those who complete a half-marathon or more.
n For more details, or to book, log on to: www.evententry.co.uk/saturnyabba-dabba-run
Rates Comedy Club is bringing stand-up comedy back to The Purple Turtle with a line-up including headliner Arielle Souma, a French-Ivorian comedian who is described as “hilarious and
The show takes place on Friday, April 21, and will feature up-andcoming comics, as well as seasoned TV performers.
Attendees can expect to be
guided by MC Carl Richard, as he sets the stage for a night of laughter and fun.
Advance tickets for the show are priced at £12.50, with early bird tickets available for £9.99.
The Purple Turtle, is in Gun Street, and the laughter starts at 7.30 pm. ID is required to enter The Purple Turtle.
VISION OF THE FUTURE: The planned Reading Metropolitan development on Caversham Road Picture: Hermes Property Unit TrustREGULARS of a Reading town centre pub toasted the landlord and his team last week, after they were awarded a top honour.
The Alehouse in Broad Street has been named Pub of the Year by Reading and Mid-Berkshire CAMRA.
It has previously won cider pub of the year in 2012, 2013 and 2022, and was runner-up of the pub of the year award in 2019.
Winners are voted for by members of the real ale society, and is the most prestigious award the group can offer.
The recipient is then put forward to the regional contest, with the best in class then going on to compete for the national pub of the year title.
A shortlist of 10 pubs was whittled down to five finalists, with members asked to consider several criteria before making their decisions.
This includes quality and condition of the beers, promotion, and knowledge of them, the service and welcome, community focus, and an overall impression.
CAMRA’s pub of the year award Picture: Phil Creighton
The other finalists were The Bell in Waltham St Lawrence, The Bull Inn in Sonning, The Fox and Hounds in Caversham, The Nags Head in Reading, and The Retreat, also in Reading.
Carl Mellors, the landlord of The Alehouse, was presented with his award at a short ceremony held on Wednesday, April 5.
He said: “It’s brilliant.
“Winning is something I’ve
A GROUP of budding female cricketers from Reading will begin their quest to play at Lord’s next month.
The charitable arm of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has launched a project aimed at giving students at state schools the opportunity to play the sport.
The MCC Foundation Hubs programme gives more than 3,200 state school children in 77 locations across the country access to free weekly cricket sessions, mental health training, nutrition awareness and strength and conditioning.
The Reading Girls’ Hub was set up three years ago with 16 girls selected for this year’s programme.
Sessions are held at The Forest School in Winnersh, run by a team of coaches, including former England international Beth Morgan, and aim to give girls
BURGLARS stole a games console when they broke into a Calcot home earlier this month.
been aiming for since I took the pub over, it’s great to have finally got the accolade.
“The fact it’s something people voted for is absolutely marvellous. It’s a vindication of the way we’re running the place and the way my staff are working.”
He was particularly taken by an online review he had read just before he was presented with the award.
“Somebody just said, ‘It’s a great little place with staff who know what they’re talking about and care about what they’re selling’.
“That’s it at the end of the day – we’re looking to sell good beer, and we make the effort to ensure we know what we’re doing.”
And Mr Mellors is not resting on his laurels – the visit from the regional judges will be anonymous.
“They will turn up out of the blue and assess the place,” he said. “So, we’ll keep going, but keep trying to improve and there are things I want to tweak to improve.
“We’ll keep moving forward.”
He added: “I’m a happy man, a very happy man.”
The Bell has won Cider Pub of the Year and will be presented with its award this weekend.
The theft took place between 9pm on Saturday, April 1, and 1am on Sunday, April 2.
They entered via a window of the house in Oliver Drive.
Once inside, they took an Xbox.
Anyone with any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to call the force on 101, or make a report via its website, quoting reference 43230144300.
A WALK around Woodley will unpack its aviation heritage.
Taking place on Tuesday, April 18, historian Ann Smith will lead the circular route around the town, stopping off at listed buildings, the forge and a pub.
This is an opportunity to discover Woodley’s history, and the role it played in the Second World War.
Lasting around two hours, it will start at 2pm, and is organised by Berkshire Family History Society.
Pre-booking is essential and places cost £5 or £4 for members.
n For more details, log on to: berksfhs.org
the chance to develop their skills, love of the game and increase the numbers playing cricket.
Nearly a third of those who take part in the programme across the UK are girls, up from 16% in 2019.
MCC Foundation Hubs Lead for Reading and Slough, Adam Davidson, said: “The programme is vital to helping girls get into the game given there are limited opportunities for them to play in school.
“We’ve seen the interest in the girls’ programme grow over the last couple of years and those who have been with us in that time have really improved.
“The programme is now a pathway for those girls who are good enough and have the ability to play at a higher level.”
The team are now preparing to take part in a national
competition against other hubs across the UK.
If they make it, the final will take place at Lord’s on Saturday, July 29.
Raabia Akhter, one of the coaches on the programme, said: “It’s really important these girls get the opportunity to play cricket, and the MCC Foundation Hubs programme does that.
“It’s not just about the cricket though. The programme helps the girls improve their confidence, they get to meet new people and you can also see the benefits that being part of a team gives them.
“I’ve really seen the bonds that have built between the girls over the last 10 weeks and for them to get to Lord’s would be a dream come true.”
n For more information on the MCC Foundation Hubs programme, log on to: www.lords. org/mcc/mcc-foundation
CHEERS: The staff of The Alehouse were joined by regulars to celebrate winning Reading and Mid-BerkshireA MOTORBIKE was stolen from a home in Rectory Road, Streatley.
The thieves struck in a 10-minute window between 9.55pm and 10.05pm on Monday, April 3.
The bike is a black and blue Honda motorbike.
Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses.
Anyone with any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to call the force on 101, or make a report via its website, quoting reference 43230147617.
A TALK will unpack the story of a Victorian merchant banker and politician.
Michael Radley will lead the session looking at Sir Charles Rose, who went on to develop the Hardwick estate, which is organising the event on Thursday, April 20.
The talk will also feature Miriam Rose, discussing the history of the estate’s former owners.
The event will take place at the Packing Shed, the Tolhurst Organic Market Garden, near Whitchurch. It starts at 7.30pm, and there is a suggested donation of £3 per person. n For more details, search for Hardwick’s Modern History on Facebook.
By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today
RESIDENTS in Reading showed solidarity with educators and paid their respects to Ruth Perry with a walk in her memory on Saturday, April 8.
Ms Perry was the head teacher at Caversham Primary School, Reading, for 13 years, but was found dead in January.
Her family said that she had taken her own life just weeks after an Ofsted inspection, and just days before the school was expected to drop from an “outstanding” rating down to an “inadequate” rating.
More than 100 people gathered close to Caversham Primary School before walking to Christchurch Meadows, where a number of contributors gave spoken tributes to Ruth.
Organiser James Denny said at the event: “Whilst I didn’t know Ruth personally, I’m familiar with her legacy, and I know how much this means.
“This is about all of you and your chance to say thank you to Ruth, and to stand in solidarity.”
Attendees took part in a minute’s silence, and then two young pupils at the school were invited to speak.
Each thanked her for her work, with one saying: “She was the best teacher we ever had,” and another saying: “She taught us a lot.”
A former pupil also gave a tribute, thanking her “for making the school safe and secure,” explaining “we trust our educators, as we did with Ms Perry – she was fantastic.
“I thank her for everything she did for me, and for making the school experience enjoyable.”
Mr Denny then gave a reading of a short prose poem by Michael Rosen, examining how a focus on data can warp the assessment of learning objectives in schools.
It had been tweeted by Rosen in early 2018.
It was followed by a poem from Nikki Alling, which Mr Denny read outside of Ofsted as part of previous protests.
While the walk itself was in memory of Ruth only, without any protest, Ms Perry’s death has called Ofsted inspection practises into question, with politicians, parents, and school staff across the country raising concerns.
Ms Perry was described in a joint statement by the council and Brighter Futures for Children as a “hugely respected, experienced and a wellestablished figure at Caversham Primary.”
The event saw a large attendance from friends, former pupils and supporters
The crowd applaud a moment during the speeches in tribute of the Caversham headteacher
A moment of reflection from one of the young attendees
A COMPANY offering full-fibre broadband to Reading and Wokingham homes says it is committed to offering fast, affordable internet to all homes, with a special social tariff available.
4th Utility is a challenger brand to many of the established providers in the UK and, as the installation of ultrafast broadband rolls out across the boroughs, is starting to provide services to residents. It is not currently available everywhere, as installation works continue.
The firm’s CEO Tony Hughes (pictured) says it is committed to keeping prices low and offers 30-day rolling contracts, something that sets it apart from larger firms.
Its social tariff is £13.99 a month, one of lowest on the market.
He said: “Digital inclusivity is hugely important in helping reduce the digital divide across the nation, that’s why it is vital broadband providers offer competitive and affordable deals for all.
“We believe there should be better access to more affordable options. In this day and age, broadband is something we all need to live and thrive – it’s an essential part of everyday life.”
Mr Hughes said his firm also offers a variety of regular broadband tariffs at some of the fastest speeds available.
And he said his firm’s decision to offer rolling contracts was better for the consumer, rather than being locked into contracts that rise on an annual basis.
“As a company, we believe if you cannot consistently deliver high quality for the price you are charging, then the consumer should not be expected to continue paying when there are better options out there,” he said.
“If people don’t like the service, they should be able to leave and not be tied in for months or in some cases years. Consumers should have flexibility and choice.”
n For more information, log on to: the4thutility.co.uk
The crowds came together for a moment of reflection People took advantage of the fair weather to join the eventA FAMILY-friendly cycle ride returns to Reading this Saturday, April 15.
Kidical Mass Reading starts at King’s Meadow, and will take in a 4km (two-and-a-half mile) route.
It is suitable for all ages, and will cater for the smallest riders pace.
Safety marshalls will be on hand to ensure the event goes without a hitch.
Participants should gather at the Thames Lido for 2pm. n For more details, or to contact organisers, log on to: kidicalmassreading.co.uk
FIRECREWS were called to extinguish a kitchen fire in a block of flats.
The incident took place on Sunday, April 2, at an address in Wensley Road.
The alarm was raised at 6.19pm, and Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Crews from Caversham Road, Wokingham Road, Whitley Wood and Theale fire stations were sent to the scene alongside an Aerial Ladder Platform.
Upon arrival, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus discovered and extinguished a small kitchen fire on the seventh floor of the building. Crews were on the scene for around 25 minutes.
THERE will be a full slate of candidates from the Liberal Democrats in this year’s local elections in Reading.
The party says it is demanding a fair deal for the town, and will campaign on both local and national issues.
This includes highlighting what it says is “the deteriorating funding and ever-more alarming rhetoric” from the government.
It also wants to bring to an end Labour’s rule of the council.
The party says its 17 candidates believe there is another way, using the examples of Liberal Democratled councils across the country, from York to Torbay.
This includes policies on creating better roads,
environments, public services and more affordable houses.
The party also says the top six councils in the country for recycling are all led by Liberal Democrats, including South Oxfordshire.
Manifesto promises include introducing a red tape challenge, aimed at creating local growth.
It wants to sell off surplus council buildings to save money, and is pushing for more transparency in council
finances.
It wants to boost Neighbourhood Action Groups, and improve youth services by boosting funding.
Crime hotspots would see infrastructure improvements for facilities such as gates and lighting.
On housing, it would aim for 30% of developments to be affordable, and see empty homes brought back into use. For recycling, it would introduce a glass collection
service.
On transport, the Reading Lib Dems would seek to introduce a Low Emissions Zone in the town centre, and look for alternatives to a third bridge over the River Thames.
It wants to see 20mph on all residential roads and would tackle inconsiderate parking while putting pressure on police to address speeding concerns.
In a statement, the Liberal Democrat leader on Reading Borough Council, Councillor
Meri O’Connell (Tilehurst) said: “Now more than ever, it’s vital to have Liberal voices on our council.
“Every Liberal Democrat elected this May will be a champion for their local area who will work tirelessly all year round for their communities.
“I see first-hand the incredible work my Lib Dem colleagues put in on the council, and on councils nearby which we lead, like Wokingham and South Oxfordshire.
“Reading is a progressive town crying out for Liberal voices and hard-working community champions. I’m proud of the range of ages, experience and backgrounds our candidates bring to these elections – and will bring to the Council, if they’re elected.”
The party is also urging voters to remember to bring valid voter ID to the polling station with them on May 4, and to check the Electoral Commission website to see what forms of ID are valid and how you can get them for free.
The Reading Liberal Democrats says it deplores the policy, saying it is a pointless waste of public funds. n Its manifesto can be seen at: www.readinglibdems.org.uk/ about/manifesto
A HIGHER minimum wage for Reading’s care workers will help tackle staff shortages in social care say the Liberal Democrats.
The party says new research shows there are 330 job vacancies in Reading’s social care sector, meaning there is a vacancy rate of around 9.2%, or just under one in 10 roles.
These staff shortages are leading to patients being left stuck in hospitals waiting for social care, contributing to record-breaking waits in A&E and treatment delays which the party says is dangerous.
The Liberal Democrat wants social care workers to be paid at least £2 an hour more than the current minimum wage, bringing their pay up to at least £11.50 an hour today, and £12.42 from April.
They say the proposal would benefit up to 3,100 people working in the social care sector in Reading.
Cllr Anne Thompson is standing for election in Tilehurst.
She said: “The social care crisis is having a devastating impact on vulnerable people’s wellbeing, and contributing to record long waits at A&E, and terrible delays in receiving treatment.
“Too many people in Reading
CALL: Reading’s Liberal Democrats want a premium added to adult social care wages to help meet demand Picture: Alexa from Pixabay
are stranded in hospital beds because there simply aren’t enough care workers to look after them at home or in a care home.
“The first step to fixing this mess is to pay those working in social care more, to prevent the exodus of workers to supermarkets and other better paid jobs.
“I have seen first-hand the incredible job that care workers do day in and day out. This is a skilled and crucial job and it should be paid more.”
The view is backed by leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey, who visited Reading earlier this month to learn more about issues facing the health sector in the town.
“It is heart-breaking
that millions of elderly and vulnerable people across the country are struggling to get the care they need and deserve,” he said.
“Our NHS is collapsing and social care is completely broken after years of broken Conservative promises.
“The Conservatives’ neglect of social care services has caused an exodus of staff to better paying jobs.
“Our plan for a Carers’ Minimum Wage would tackle these chronic staff shortages in social care, and help take pressure off the NHS.”
n Also standing in Tilehurst: are Gabriel Berry-Khan (Green), Casey Byrne (Conservative), and Len Middleton (Labour and Cooperative).
READING’S ruling Labour party offers “a consistent and aspirational vision” for the town.
The group has launched its new manifesto ahead of the local elections on Thursday, May 4, and said it builds on its stewardship of the council, offering financial stability and is attractive to external investors.
Among its achievements include the new swimming pool and gym at Palmer Park, Rivermead taking shape, the Green Park railway station being weeks away from opening, and the revamping of Reading West station.
The party is also planning to build 400 new council homes, while retrofitting existing ones to make them cheaper to heat.
VISION: Reading Labour says its manifesto for the local elections builds on its stewardship of the council, offering financial stability and is attractive to external investors
The manifesto also promises investment in “easy, realistic, cheap, and sustainable new travel options for residents”, including the cycle lane on Shinfield Road, as well as new facilities for Bath Road and Castle Hill.
“Our priority remains helping
Reading realise its potential and creating new opportunities so that everyone who lives and works here can share in the benefits of our amazing town’s success,” council leader Cllr Jason Brock writes in his introduction.
Other commitments,
previously announced, include the development of a new central library and creating a new communityfocused performance space at The Hexagon; working towards Reading becoming an accredited Living Wage Town, and delivering a
£26.3 million bus service improvement plan.
The party is also pledging greater biodiversity in the town’s parks, and tougher enforcement against fly tipping.
Labour is also seeking powers so that Reading Borough Council can enforce speed limits, reducing speeding in neighbourhoods. It is also committed to exploring a third crossing over the River Thames to help reduce traffic and boost public transport to the north of the borough.
Among its biodiversity pledges is one to ensure the Kennet Meadows is protected so it can act as the borough’s largest carbon sinks, encouraging bird life and providing an educational resource.
If re-elected, Labour would seek to maintain its small grants pot for community groups, capped at a total of £200,000 per year. It would also bring more community centres back into council management, and create a new centre in Whitley Wood.
In all, there are 90 pledges in the manifesto.
n For more details, or to view the manifesto, log on to: readinglabour.org.uk/readinglabour-manifesto-2023/
A FUNERAL directors that covers Reading and Wokingham boroughs will be holding its annual service of remembrance later this month. The event is open to the public and invites attendees to reflect, remember and celebrate loved ones who have passed away. There will be an opportunity to light a candle during service which is suitable for both secular and multi-faith congregations.
The Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin in Chain Street will be the venue for AB Walker & Son’s event on Saturday, April 22 from 4pm. Refreshments will be serviced afterwards.
THE owners of a café at Reading’s railway station are rebranding and are seeking permission from the council to install new signage.
The Pumpkin Café on platform seven is to become a Café Local, changing the signs.
Earlier this year, SSP applied for a licence to sell alcohol at a proposed Café Local at platforms 8/9, which will be subject to a committee hearing on April 13 after an objection from a commuter.
n To view the application, search for application 230281 on Reading Borough Council’s planning website.
Picture: Dijana Capan; DVision ImagesITOOK my nine-year-old to Manchester to see Lizzo last weekend.
Lizzo is an American singer, rapper and flutist.
It was a pre-30th-Birthday present from my cousins, who we went with.
Three hours and 47 glorious minutes on the train, I was delighted to have some time to simply sit, with nowhere to be. No school run, no meal prep, no taking the car back to the garage because the engine warning light has come on again.
My sole role for this journey was to exist as a passenger.
I planned to stare out of the window, possibly read. Maia had other ideas.
“Shall we play Dobble?”
“In a minute darling,” I say, eyes closed, more relaxed than I’ve been in weeks.
Sitting down with no immediate obligations often elicits this response.
“Mummy!”
“Hmm…”
“This is meant to be our quality time together!” This was true. There’d been several moments leading up to this weekend where I’d promised her she’d have me all to herself. And not the unconscious me.
“Dobble it is…”
I foolishly didn’t reserve seats which meant sitting in reserved ones and praying their occupants didn’t arrive. Thankfully, we were only booted out once.
We met my cousin Rachel and checked into our hotel. This is not a sentence I get to say very often. I can’t remember the last time I stayed in a hotel and even exploring the bar and gym we wouldn’t be making use of felt like a luxury.
Rachel is like sunshine in human-form.
Her and Maia ran up and down the corridors of floor 18, racing and dancing, practising their moves for Lizzo. We did not befriend the occupants of our neighbouring rooms.
After an obligatory souvenir purchase – you’re not a tourist until you’ve bought a magnet – we met up with my cousin’s husband and went for dinner in the Northern Quarter before heading to the arena.
Unfortunately, as we were booking concert tickets, neither Rachel nor I were able to secure the four seats we needed to all sit together. So we sat separately. Maia and I on one side, Rachel and her husband on the other.
I momentarily searched for her pink coat among a fuzzy blur dotted with other pink coats, but it was no good. I waved wildly into the void.
We had a short phone call trying to describe where we each were. Neither of us could hear a thing. We gave up trying.
Lizzo was incredible. I made approximately 43 videos of her. We loved every moment.
As we were leaving, we noticed her tour bus and a security guard stood behind the gate.
“This is where she comes out,” said Rachel.
“She could be 10 minutes, or they’ll have an afterparty and it’ll be 3am,” the security guard said, smiling.
It was cold and wet so we opted for bed and walked back to the hotel in the rain, still buzzing from the electric arena atmosphere.
The following morning, we wandered straight into the filming of a scene for BBC series Boiling Point on the road outside the cafe.
“Wait,” A crew member shouted as we opened the door to leave.
We stood inside, smiling like maniacs through the glass as they got their shot. Fingers crossed we make the final edit.
n Angela blogs at The Colourful Kind
A COMMUNITY group is calling for support to continue carrying out its work finding missing persons.
Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue (BLSAR) is looking for donations to help secure a permanent base and to cover bills and equipment maintenance.
A READING man is hoping someone can beat his epic bus ride – he wants to know if someone can travel further than him using just three buses for a cost of just £6.
To celebrate the extension of the bus fare cap, which limits single fares to just £2, Stephen Goss travelled from the town to Royal Leamington Spa.
The 62-mile distance used just three buses.
He first took the X39, which goes from Station Road through Caversham, Cane End and Wallingford to get to Oxford. The journey took an hour and 20 minutes.
After a walk around the city centre, he went to Banbury using a Stagecoach service which also took an hour and 20 minutes, and then on to Royal Leamington Spa, another Stagecoach service, which took an hour and 23 minutes.
Stephen beat his colleagues Jess, who travelled 60 miles from Ipswich to Cromer, and Sarah, who covered 39 miles from Axbridge in Somerset to Bridport Beach in Dorset.
Before the fare cap was introduced, the last leg of Stephen’s
journey, a single fare from Banbury to Leamington Spa, used to cost £6.60; more than the cost of Stephen’s entire 62-mile trip.
The epic bus journeys are part of Campaign for Better Transport’s national competition to make more people aware of the £2 bus fare scheme which runs until the end of June.
The journey can have up to three ‘legs’, but no leg can cost more than £2. The winner will receive £150 in National Trust vouchers, enough for a year’s family membership granting you free entry to over 500 fabulous places including Basildon Park in Reading. The competition runs until the end of April.
Stephen says: “Throughout the day I’ve heard first-hand about the day-to-day difference that the £2 bus fare cap is making to people’s lives.
“It’s such a great initiative, but not everyone knows about it.
“Hopefully my journey will raise awareness of the £2 fare and inspire more people to take the bus.”
n For more information on the competition, visit www. bettertransport.org.uk
AN Easter themed event in a local park will raise money to support borough youngsters..
Visitors to Woodley’s Woodford Park will be able to take part in an animal hunt, to raise money for First Days Children’s Charity.
Families wanting to join the trail, can pick up an activity sheet to help them find the animals hidden around the park.
Once discovered, these will reveal a secret Easter-themed word, and children will be able to receive a sweet treat.
The event has been organised by First Days Children’s Charity, Woodley Town Council, The Oakwood Centre and Woodford Leisure Centre.
First Days thanks these organisations for their support.
The charity aims to give choice, restore dignity and empower families who are living with a low income or are experiencing financial hardship.
They offer peer support and one
to one coaching to parents, whilst providing everyday essentials for children who need them.
They also distribute school uniforms, new baby essentials, beds and bedding, travel equipment, toiletries, safety items, furniture, toys and books.
The Easter animal hunt can be enjoyed until Sunday, April 16.
Activity sheets can be picked up from Woodford Park Leisure Centre or Woodley Town Council offices in the Oakwood Centre.
A £2 donation is suggested.
n For more information about First Days Children’s Charity, visit: www.firstdays.net
The Wokingham-based charity is run by highly trained volunteers and is one of Thames Valley Police (TVP)’s key search resources, helping them handle the thousands of missing persons reports received every year.
Its team of more than 70 search technicians undertake a rota such that they can respond to calls at any time of the day or night.
Volunteer Patrick Kerry said: “We’ve been in temporary accommodation for a while. Our Arborfield base got taken over last year because they’re now building houses there, and we’re now at the Toutley depot on a short-term lease.
“Our work is vital. When the police call us, it’s because they’ve got to the point where they’re deeply concerned about a missing person but have a good idea where they might be.
“Sometimes a suicide note will have been found, or someone with dementia has left home. Police give us a search area, and through computerised mapping or thermal imaging, we work with them to help locate, and hopefully return, these people safely.”
Part of the problem has been finding a location to house the unit’s extensive equipment. Its resources include: an incident control unit van, support vehicles, rescue boats, thermal imaging drones, digital VHF radios and medical equipment.
The group is ideally looking for an alternative location in central Berkshire or Wokingham that can accommodate all their hardware,
HELP NEEDED: BLSAR is in search of a new base,
Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue
training space and a small office.
BLSAR relies entirely on public donations, carrying out and attending fetes and applying for lottery funding. Its expenses include £100 for a tank of fuel for its vehicles and £1,700 for an automated external defibrillator.
Mr Kerry explained: “A large number of us are retired, but some are still working. It’s really the motive that’s driven us. Young and old, male and female.
OPPS-A-DAISY! The Ding is among the top 20 towns and cities in the country for being clumsy when it comes to technology.
A survey by Getac ranked the nation for places most likely to break their phones, laptops and tablets.
Reading popped in at 16th.
And it shouldn’t really comes as a surprise, but the worst time for tech repairs is Easter holidays, with demand soaring 24%, while half-term breaks are not far behind. But there is a 6% drop at Christmas.
The most common breakages are screens, dead batteries, duff chargers and faulty USB ports. Unsurprisingly, it is mobile phones that are most affected, followed by tablets, then PCs.
Getac analysed nationwide Google searches for device repairs to identify any trends - and found that there’s consistently been the biggest increase
in tech problems at the start of April, based on a decade of search data.
Of the 62 cities analysed, Norwich saw the highest demand for repairs. Mobile phones accounted for the majority of the city’s broken handheld tech (60%), followed by laptops (32%) and tablets (3%). These figures are in line with the national trend, as searches around mobile phone repairs consistently topped those made for laptops or tablets.
Which? consumer data reveals that the average phone repair currently stands at £140, laptop repairs come in at £105 each, and each tablet fix amounts to around £135.
Behind Norwich, the city that saw the most broken devices was Lincoln, with phones accounting for 58% of the damaged tech, followed by Wrexham, Inverness and Bath. Reading was ahead of Newcastle,
CHEAP DAY OUT: Stephen Goss travelled from Reading to Royal Leamington Spa using just three buses, all for just £6 Picture: SEARCH: Families can have fun hunting for the animals. Picture Pixabaybase, which can house the extensive hardware required to carry out its work
“There are quite a few ex-army, ex-police, coupled with ex-ambulance.
“Outside of our day-to-day operations, we have two goals: to bring our profile to the fore because right now, we do just about enough to stay afloat, and to find a new base.”
Every team member is trained to national standards before qualifying as a search technician. This involves mastering search techniques, first
responder medical care and the use of specialist equipment.
Team members train once a week in a variety of scenarios and locations in and around the Berkshire area.
Some individuals are also trained in bank search (i.e. in rivers, canals, lakes) and water search, while others have medical expertise or are part of the drone or bike teams.
n For more details, or to offer help, log on to: www.berkshirerescue.org.uk
THE VAST majority of houses on the 1930s Whitley estate were built to two or three designs, but a few stood out.
The house featured this week was one such property. Located on Long Barn Lane, it was owned by the council until 1975 when it was sold to bricklayer Ron Woodroof.
Described by Whitley Community Museum curator David Turner as a “perfectionist”, Mr Woodroof made it his business to transform the building into a spectacular home which would be referred to as the Place of Whitley.
The owner subsequently gained the nickname of the king.
Mr Turner said: “Over the years, the house became somewhat of a tourist attraction. What you see on the outside is only part of the story in its transformation.
“The inside included features that were firsts in housebuilding and appeared on nationwide TV and the Reading Evening Post. The improvements included a walk-in wardrobe, spiral staircase and a kitchen to die for.
One Paul O’Grady
Our little hearts are broken
The Mutt world’s shed a tear
As a dog’s best friend your life now ends
To our National Treasure three cheers
We are eternally grateful at Battersea
For all that you did for us
Your endless cuddles walking through puddles
York, Oxford and Birmingham.
A Getac spokesperson said: “Broken devices can be frustrating and disruptive for many – particularly those who are reliant on their phones or laptops to work and communicate with others, and those who can’t afford to pay for unexpected repairs.
“Although some issues can’t be avoided, it’s good for people to be particularly conscious as to when their devices are most likely to break,
as it’ll keep safety and security at the forefront of their minds as they’re out and about - or when planning an Easter weekend break.
“There’s a reason that the first two weeks in April see the most demand for repairs year on year, and ultimately, prevention is cheaper than the cure. For those who are particularly prone to device issues, make sure to be extra vigilant to avoid costly repairs.”
Re-homing was a plus
You came to our rescue
Then took us to the park
You gave us hope when we had nope With a tail wag and a bark.
“On the outside the features included a flagpole, a Dickens Cameo, a lion and eye-catching brickwork, such as a garden entrance arch. It certainly was a house that taste forgot.
“There was a rumour at the time that Mr Woodroof had won on the lottery but that was untrue. It was down to sheer hard work. The house was sold in recent years and is now under multi occupancy of university students.
With more than 4,800 followers on Facebook, the Whitley Community Museum is an accessible online and in-person resource.
The group serves as a platform for residents past and present to share memories through photographs and comments.
It also allows group members to reconnect, with members reacquainting themselves with friends and schoolmates from decades ago.
n For more information, search: Whitley Community Museum on www.facebook.com
Brown 2023We love receiving your poetry, and print a selection every week. Verse can be sent to poems@wokingham.today
Beloved for its mild climate and miles of golden sands, Torquay provides us with the perfect base for our relaxing short break away. From here we explore this picturesque corner of the West Country, including a visit to Exeter, the capital of Devon.
Your break includes
Return coach travel from Reading
3 nights at the Trecarn Hotel, Torquay with dinner & breakfast
Excursion to Exeter
Optional excursion to Sidmouth (£10pp)
4 Days by Coach only £189
DelightfulDevonWeekend_D.pdf TorquayWeekend_D.pdf
Single
Departing Fri 23 Jun ‘23
Take in a weekend of south-west scenery in Torquay, where the gorgeous sea views and sandy beaches make it the perfect place to escape for a few days of rest and relaxation, with excursions to some of the most inspiring destinations along the south coast.
Your break includes
Return coach travel from Reading
3 nights at the Trecarn Hotel, Torquay with dinner & breakfast
Entertainment every evening
Excursions to Dawlish & Teignmouth
Optional excursion to Dartmouth (£8pp)
033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply. For more information, or to book, please call Operated by Just Go Holidays Ltd. Coach package holidays and short breaks are subject to Just Go! Holidays terms and conditions. Your booking is protected by Bonded Coach Holidays (BCH) and the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT); this is a government approved consumer protection scheme. Tours offered subject to availability and government guidelines. Errors and omissions excepted. Prices per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Calls to 033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.
UNIQUE: The Palace of Whitley on Long Barn Lane achieved national fame Picture: Whitley Community MuseumWHITLEY WAY BACK WHEN ‘The Palace of Whitley’ and the mystery behind its owner’s riches
We love to hear from you! Send us your views on issues relating to the borough (in 250 words or less) to Reading Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS or email: news@rdg.today
We reserve the right to edit letters
Views expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the paper Send your
ON THE opposite page you can see a smiling face.
It belongs to 67-year-old Paul Farmer.
The Reading resident has spent years quietly serving the community and raising an impressive £67,000 for charity in that time.
From running the half marathon, to dying his hair, holding coffee mornings and jumble sales, you name it, he’s done it.
And he’s not done it for any personal gain, or even publicity.
It’s simply because he wants to make the world a better place.
Paul exemplifies the very best of Reading. Someone who is selfless and determined to make a difference.
We know he’ll be embarrassed at this, but someone has to give him a pat on the back and say well done.
Paul, you are an example to us all. We know you’re not the only one, but thank you for all you do to help others.
SPRING bursts into life, new life all around, bird song, longer evenings and the promise of warmer days ahead. It’s a good time to be alive.
After 23 years in ministry at Anderson Baptist Church I am packing my bags and moving away. It is time to retire and I begin to wonder what that will mean for Anderson and what is will mean for me.
This is Easter time and it fills me with hope. Hope for our world, hope for ourselves.
The story of Easter is one of death and new life and hope-filled futures. So many small deaths and new beginnings all around us. What is on your mind at present?
Many of us celebrated Easter with friends and families. We shared good food, chocolate eggs and speak of hopeful days ahead.
Easter is the very centre of our faith as Christians – it is the hope of Easter that undergirds our way of life.
Good Friday marks the most dreadful day of Jesus crucifixion when all turned against him, when all hope was lost and all his disciples were left despairing. Then three days later the news of Jesus resurrection turned everything on its head.
The despairing, hopeless disciples became fearless, outspoken and faith-filled. There was a supernatural energy that enthused them. They began to live lives which brought hope and joy and meaning. This is the amazing hope of Easter. This is a story we can be part of.
We all need hope. Hope for the future, hope for our families, hope for our society, hope for ourselves. The message of Easter is hope.
I move away filled with hope – and pray that you too may find the hope that excites and surprises. Easter hope.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom 15:13)
Revd Judith Wheatley is the minister of Anderson Baptist Church, writing on behalf of Churches Together.
Ban air rifles
Air rifles must be banned or licensed now. We have seen two more cases in Oxfordshire, where people have been shooting at cats and taking out their eyes.
The other cat almost lost its leg, and the vet put a steel bar to hold it in place.. This was news on ITV Meridian.
It is time that parliament made this law of banning these guns or licence them.
Also give the RSPCA more powers. I will send this copy to my MP.
these problems as you may find the TV news and some newspaper are so anti-GREAT BRITAIN.
Alan, via email
Breast Cancer Now’s Pink Ribbon Walk events are back this summer and I want to encourage your readers to step forward and sign up for the 10 or 20-mile walks.
to provide support for today and hope for the future.
Jane Atkinson, Breast Cancer Now Pink Ribbon Walk fundraiserWe know it can be difficult to stay socially connected, but keeping in touch and chatting with others can have a huge impact.
All over the world, countries are having wars, food shortages, cost of living crisis, and yet the Labour and Lib Dems have yet to come up with any good practical ideas as to how to solve all these problems.
They also have no good comments on how to solve the boat people coming over from France, and it is costing us millions of pounds to house and feed them.
How they get into France and then travel across the country?
They should be stopped and housed there.
This country is a small one and we have already welcomed refugees from Ukraine and true refugees but not ones for a free (money-wise) good life.
We do need these people to keep the country stable but not to be overwhelmed with them.
When you go to the polling stations next month, think of all
AS part of Reading’s Coronation celebrations, Reading Children’s Festival will return on Saturday, May 6, with its launch event Forbury Fiesta in the Forbury Gardens.
It will feature an exciting mix of arts, culture and heritage, through live and digital performances, activities and workshops all aimed at children and families.
The Reading Borough Council are looking for a team of volunteer stewards to support their Events Team. To help welcome visitors and manage the visitor flow. You may be assigned to a particular activity such as a workshop, or to a specific zone.
This accessible one-day event will take place on Saturday, May 6, and is open to the public between noon and 5pm within the Forbury Gardens.
I know just how vital research and support is for those affected. In 2019 my mum died from breast cancer. Then, three years later, I was given the devastating news- I had breast cancer in both breasts. Now, after gruelling treatment, I’m glad to say, it’s been 10 years since I was told I had no evidence of disease. I’m so happy to be well and enjoying life.
But I still worry for my daughter and future generations of women and men, which is why I’m taking on a 20 mile Pink Ribbon Walk this summer. This year will be my fifth Pink Ribbon Walk and every time I cross that finish line it feels incredible.
By supporting Breast Cancer Now and taking part in Pink Ribbon Walk, I feel like I’m doing my bit to help those undergoing treatment and those who’ll need it in the future.
Pink Ribbon Walk events make this possible by raising money for world-class research and life-changing support services, helping thousands living with breast cancer across the UK.
Join me at a Pink Ribbon Walk this summer, to create hope with every step. Sign up today at breastcancernow.org/ribbonwalk
Conversations can create connections, offer new perspectives, teach you new things, boost happiness, and increase mental wellbeing.
Which is why the NHS Volunteer Responders programme has reintroduced the Check in and Chat service, where local readers who would like a friendly chat or simply a listening ear can request a phone call with a volunteer, whether it be a oneoff call or a series of calls.
Receiving a Check in and Chat call is easy and completely free. Readers can organise it by calling 0808 196 3382 (8am to 8pm, seven days a week).
You can also visit nhsvolunteerresponders.org. uk where you will find further information.
If your readers would like a call, we are encouraging them to please reach out on the number above, or, to share this information with a loved one, friend, neighbour, or anyone who may need a little extra support and would benefit from a Check in and Chat call.
Thank you,
Sam Ward OBE, Deputy CEO at Royal Voluntary Serviceassist with travel across those areas.
n Enrych Berkshire is a Registered Charity that provides support to people with a disability, helping them get access to leisure, social and learning activities.
Right now, they are seeking a Female volunteer that’s fluent in Urdu to assist a female member get out and about.
AREMINDER, for those who haven’t already, that you have until Monday, April 17, to register to vote in this year’s local Council elections. You can do it online, in just five minutes, at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
The elections give you the chance to have your say on how the town is run, and on the competing visions different parties have for the future of Reading.
Naturally, I hope you’ll vote in support of Labour’s ambitious plans for our home town – and you’ll be seeing plenty of material coming through your letterbox in the coming weeks I’m sure.
The election itself is on Thursday, May 4, and the big change in the process this year is that, for the first time ever, residents who vote at their polling station will need to show photo ID.
If you head to the Government’s website, you will list of what is deemed to be acceptable ID: www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need.
Putting to one side the standard forms of photo ID which most, although far from all, of us will have (like your passport or a photocard driving licence), a cursory glance through the rest of the list shows a number of alternative options for older people.
These include an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60-plus card. There are not quite so many options for younger voters – it strikes me as a particularly absurd that Railcards are not permitted, for example, nor any student ID lacking the PASS hologram.
I’ll leave it to others to question the motive for the change, and you’ll find plenty of commentary and column inches spent on the matter. Instead, I will just use this opportunity to remind younger residents – and, indeed, all of our residents who plan to vote at their local polling station – to remember to bring an acceptable form of photo ID on Thursday, May 4.
Residents who do not have an accepted form of ID still have until Tuesday, April 25,to apply online for a free Voter Authority Certificate, which they can use on polling day. You can do that via www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authoritycertificate and, again, it is a very simple process only taking five minutes.
n Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity is the leading organisation providing emotional and practical support to families who have a child with a lifethreatening or terminal illness.
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity are looking for volunteers with UK Driving Licences to join their new Reading Care Team, providing essential transport for families. Could you spare a few hours of your time to help a family with a seriously ill child access safe and comfortable transport?
Volunteer Drivers help to provide additional support to the families they work with by providing safe, comfortable and reliable transport, enabling them to travel safely to healthcare appointments, school and to other activities.
They are looking for confident and calm drivers based in Berkshire and Oxfordshire to
The member uses a wheelchair and wants to get out of the house, with support, to visit the local park once a week. Her first language is Urdu and has some understanding of English.
If you do not have access to the internet, you can always request a paper application form by calling the Council’s Electoral Services team (0118 937 3717) who will be happy to help, but make sure you build in enough time to return it by the April 25 deadline.
There is, of course, an easy alternative that takes the stress out of all of this, and that is to apply for a postal vote, which will enable you to vote from the comfort of your own home. 5pm on Tuesday, April 18, is the deadline to apply and you can do that at www.electoralcommission.org. uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-post.
If you prefer, you can also appoint someone you trust to vote in your place, which is known as a proxy vote. You can do that at www. electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/applyvote-proxy.
n Take a look at our brand new Reading Volunteer Connect platform for details of these and many more opportunities to volunteer via our website, www.rgneeds.me. Want to get in touch? Drop us an email at
In recent years, the turnout for local elections in Reading has been around and about the 33% per cent mark – or just one in every three eligible residents. I sincerely hope we don’t see a further fall in those numbers next month as a result of these new rules.
Your right to vote is important, and a healthy democracy should be removing the barriers to participation rather than erecting new ones.
Cllr Jason Brock is the leader of Reading Borough Council and ward member for Southcote
PAUL FARMER is a man with numbers on his mind, writes James Hastings
The 67-year-old has now raised £67,000 for numerous charities in and around Reading.
The latest coffee morning at All Saints Church in Downshire Square, notched up a further £205 for the Reading Association For The Blind - and Paul says he has no plans to stop.
“I started organising fundraising events about 12 years ago and just kept going,” he smiles.
“I love doing it and it’s good to
know that local charities benefit from people’s generosity. I enjoy poking around in charity shops for raffle prizes and people are very generous in donating items.
“There is also a social benefit from something like a coffee morning especially for people living alone. We all like a good chat with a coffee and a slice of cake.”
Over the last 12 years, Paul has organised events such as Christmas fairs, summer fayres, jumble sales and tombolas. He has also run the Reading Half Marathon for the last 13 years
and abseiled 86 metres down The Blade.
“That was out of my comfort zone but it was thrilling,” he adds.
“I like to think up different ways to fund raise and perhaps one day I’ll do a parachute jump.”
Paul says his favourite charities are the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice in Maidenhead and the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.
“At the end of the day, fundraising events raise money for good causes of all descriptions and I am glad to play a small part in helping them.”
ONE OF Reading’s drag performers has announced that they’re hanging up the wig following their latest show.
Anita Oui said that the show they hosted at the Rising Sun Arts Centre on Saturday, April 1, would be their last as they look to move on to different kinds of performance.
They were hosting the regular residency at the venue while the original host, Sheer Obsession, was away on hiatus.
The show celebrated pop icon Lady Gaga, kicking off with Anita’s performance to Applause followed by House of Big leader Big Jay and the Ashnikko remix of Plastic Doll.
Brittana Faberry sang a cover of Poker Face live before Oxford’s Cairo Ali’s lipsync to Gaga’s The Cure.
Sera Tonin performed a stunning lipsync to Donatella Wears Prada and Anita closed the first half with Bad Romance.
The second half saw an appearance from Viola Tucks with a humorous lipsync to Lady is a Tramp, followed by
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a serious road traffic collision in Reading.
At around 5pm on Saturday, April 8, a Lifan LF 125 motorbike and a blue Tesla collided on the A329 Purley Rise between Pangbourne and Purley on Thames.
The motorcyclist sustained severe injuries, leaving them hospitalised.
Investigating officer, PC Adam Price, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision, or has dashcam foottage, to please come forward.
“Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101 or making a report online, quoting reference 43230154097.”
A COMEDY troupe will make things up as they go along thanks to the live improvisation events.
Mad Monkey Improv will be at Brewdog Reading in Castle Street on Friday, April 21.
The venue also offers food and drinks, including nonalcoholic options. Tickets are available for £5 if booked in advance.
n For more details, log on to: www.madmonkeyimprov.co.uk
E v e r y o n e I m e n t i o n e d t h i s e v e n t t o r e a c t e d w i t h t h e s a m e q u i z z i c a l r a i s e d e y e b r o w “ P o l i s h w i n e s ? ” “ Y e s , ” I s a i d “ P o l i s h w i n e s ”
J o i n u s f o r a n e v e n i n g o f u n u s u a l w i n e s f r o m P o l a n d h o s t e d b y o u r g o o d f r i e n d A d a m M i c h o c k i o f C e n t r a l
W i n e s Y o u ’ l l b e t r y i n g a r a n g e o f g r a p e v a r i e t i e s t h a t r e a l l y s h o w c a s e
another live vocal performance by Brittana Faberry. Big Jay, Cairo Ali, and Sera Tonin performed final lipsyncs before Anita Oui took their place at the piano.
They announced that it would not only be their final show as host, but their final as a drag performer, before singing along live to a touching piano performance of Born This Way.
As they show drew to a close, they thanked their drag family, particularly House of Big’s Big Jay, and said that original host Sheer Obsession would be returning to the residency.
Speaking after the event, Anita Oui said: “It’s definitely hard to pin down an exact reason for calling it a day;
it’s a combination of burnout and being happy with what I achieved.
“I think if I continued it would be like those final series of a show where the storylines go awry, and the actors look jaded and have fallen out of love with it.
“I wanted to end on a high.”
Anita continued: “I’m still in love with the medium of performance art, though, and I hope to continue creating.”
Sheer Obsession’s Suspenders will return with a hand-picked roster of performers in Saturday, June 24, at The Rising Sun Arts Centre. n Tickets are available at different pricing tiers via: outsavvy.com
w h y P o l i s h w i n e s a r e f a s t b e c o m i n g s o w e l l r e g a r d e d i n t h e w i n e i n d u s t r y
O n t h e n i g h t w e w i l l b e s e r v i n g p l a t e s o f p i e r o g i ( m e a t a n d v e g g i e ) , P o l i s h
p i c k l e s a n d o t h e r l o c a l s n a c k s
T h i s i s o n e n o t t o m i s s
> W e l c o m e S p a r k l i n g W i n e
> F i v e W i n e s
> G u e s t S p e a k e r
> P o l i s h P i e r o g i ( D u m p l i n g s ) & S n a c k s
A l l w i n e s f r o m t h e e v e n i n g c a n b e
b o u g h t a t a r e t a i l p r i c e
£ 2 9 9 5 p e r p e r s o n
Paul Farmer organised the event One of the winners goes up to collect their prize One of the raffle winners A winner is drawnTHE NEXT Wokingham Positive Difference meeting will focus on the climate emergency.
The guest speaker will be Professor Chris Merchant from Reading University. During his session he will look at some of the action needed to reduce carbon emissions. He will also speak on the contribution of wasteful practices to environmental degradation.
The session seeks to create awareness about the importance of taking action to protect the environment and secure a safer future for future generations.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to participate in open networking, and receive news updates from local businesses, government, and community groups, as well as indulge in a delicious buffet breakfast.
The event will be held at Wokingham Town Hall on Friday, April 21, from 8am. Booking is essential for those who wish to attend the event.
n For details: www.wokinghampositivedifference.co.uk
A CLOTHES retailer is to open a new store in The Lexicon in neighbouring Bracknell.
Select Fashion will its doors on Tuesday, April 18. It sells fashionable, affordable and stylish clothing for women of all ages.
Located in Princess Square, the new store will showcase the retail brand’s latest collections, including dresses, denim, loungewear and statement pieces.
Gavin Vidler, deputy general manager at The Lexicon, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Select Fashion back to Bracknell and to be offering our female fashion shoppers yet more choice.
“I am confident that our visitors will love the new store and the great selection of clothing and accessories it has to offer.”
COLLEAGUES at a Reading-based law firm were among those who took part in this year’s Reading Half Marathon, and they raised nearly £2,500 for their charity of the year.
The team, from Blandy & Blandy, ran in aid of BIBS – Babies in Buscot Support, which take care of babies and their families in the special care baby unit (Buscot Ward). For the past three years, the firm has also supported the Royal Berks Charity, also based at the Royal Bekrshire Hospital.
Elizabeth Short, Louise Ryan,
Tenby
Jennifer Scott, Brigitta Lizel-Danso, Jonathon Brown and Lisa Perry took part in the 13.1-mile route.
Liz Josif, BIBS’ Fundraising Manager, was grateful for their work.
“We were thrilled to have the support of Blandy & Blandy for the Reading Half Marathon, including former Buscot parents from the firm who know first-hand the difference our charity makes,” she said.
“Not only did they put in many hours of training for the event, but they also raised a fantastic amount
too.
“On the day, they were joined by more than 50 others running for our small charity, meaning the atmosphere along the route and in the race village was electric.
“BIBS is very grateful for Blandy & Blandy’s continued support. They are helping us fund equipment, facilities, and emotional support for local families with sick and premature babies.”
Ms Short, a partner at Blandy, said the team had a fantastic day.
“We had fantastic support along
the route, from BIBS, colleagues and the wider Reading community.
“I would like to thank Liz and Sarah at the charity for all their hard work in putting together Team BIBS and all our friends, families, colleagues and connections for their generous support which I know will help BIBS to continue their invaluable work.”
n Anyone wishing to sponsor Blandy & Blandy’s team log on to: www. justgiving.com/fundraising/teamblandy-reading-half-marathon
A THAMES Valley insurance broker is marking a major milestone with a new look.
Macbeth has unveiled bright new livery and branding to celebrate 30 years in the business and to reflect its evolution since its founding.
The relaunch has been rolled out across the company, from its website and online presence to the company logo and even its sponsorship positioning.
With the refreshed look, independent agency Plott Creative aimed to reflect how not only the company itself but also the world has changed in three decades, while also building on the firms heritage.
While the old logo and branding featured a silver “M” in a bright green circle motif, the new look is stripped back, with Macbeth imposed over the top of the circle.
The revamp follows continued growth for the firm, which has just expanded its team to 56 people and is planning further expansion later this year.
The firm is currently headed up by the son of founder Malcolm Macbeth, Paul.
He explained: “We wanted our brand to capture how the world’s shifted for our clients and our people, at the same time, mirroring the personal and business sides of our business.
“There’s been a real rediscovery to this process but at its heart, it remains grounded in people and relationships.”
He added: “So much consolidation continues to change the market landscape. It’s imperative that we emphasise what differentiates Macbeth – our independence, expertise, talent, and regional heritage.
“This refresh communicates who we are today and fosters stronger, more meaningful engagement with our clients, partners, and our community.”
Millie Smith, head of marketing said, “We know our clients are feeling the impact of the uncertainty shaping their day-to- day.
“Infusing Macbeth’s brand with warmth and reassurance at every touchpoint was essential.
She explained: “Our clients are the heart of what we do – they know that we offer a riskless service, that we’re the safe pair of hands they need.
“We’re so excited to share this expanded vision with them.”
Macbeth has provided independent insurance and financial services in the Thames Valley since 1993, as well as supporting Pride of Reading, Ethical Reading, and Reading Rotary Club, among many others.
STOPPING smoking has plenty of health benefits, but it can also make your home safer.
That’s the message from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service in a bid to cut down on house fires caused by smoking.
It says that cigarettes, vapes, pipes and other smoking products are responsible for more people dying in a blaze than any other item.
And the best way to avoid the fire risk is to stop smoking.
The Reading-based service says the NHS has many programmes available to help people wanting to quit for good, many of which are free.
But anyway who is still a smoker can follow some simple steps to try and reduce the risk of seeing smoking lead to your home going up in smoke.
They include never smoking in bed, ensuring a cigarette is always fully extinguished, and never leave lit items unattended.
Other advice includes testing smoke alarms on a regular basis, and using a heavy ashtray that can’t tip over.
A spokesperson for the fire service said: “Fires ignited by cigarettes or smoking materials result in more fatalities than any other fire. Every smoker should be aware of the risks they take every time they light. The risk of falling asleep before you ‘put it out, right out’ is just too great.
“Make sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them at least monthly. Working smoke alarms can give you the extra time you need to escape if the worst should happen.”
n For more information, log on to: www.rbfrs.co.uk
A GROUP that runs a regular vegan market in Wokingham, is holding a food fiesta in Forbury Gardens this month.
Sparkle Vegan Events will offer a range of animal free foods and products at their Reading Vegan Fiesta.
The event, held for the first time last year, is being repeated this Spring, due to its success then.
And it complements a similar event held in the autumn.
Sarah Zeneli, who runs Sparkle Vegan Events, says: “The fiesta was originally designed to be a smaller affair that would lead up to our big Reading Vegan Festival in September.
“But it’s become bigger than we envisaged, and it’s back by popular demand.”
There will be plenty to entertain visitors to the free entry fair, with vegan street food to try, artisan stalls to browse, and workshops to join.
“There will be a free yoga session,” says Sarah.
“People can just turn up with their own yoga mat to take part.
“And International Animal Rescue will be holding a plant potting workshop, suitable for adults and children alike, which people can attend for a donation.”
Children can also enjoy a children’s character, and young people’s activities.
“There will be a ‘guess the weight of the vegan cake’, and lots of free tasters at the vegan food stalls,” says Sarah.
“We’ll have a live band too. BFriendly play reggae and other music styles.
“They’re great fun, and they love audience participation.”
Visitors can expect to find 40 stalls at the event, selling hot foods, cakes, patisseries, jewellery, homeware, and eco gifts.
And they will be able to quench their thirsts at the fiesta bar.
“We had such a great turnout last year, and I’m really excited to be holding the event again,” says Sarah.
“I love the gardens, the live music, the atmosphere, and of course, the food.”
There will be plenty of flavours for people to taste and try at the
VEGAN
There will be plenty for visitors to enjoy when Sparkle Vegan Events brings its fiesta to Forbury Gardens
Picture: Tina Cleary
stalls, where they will find vegan burgers and hot dogs, Ethiopian and Caribbean foods, and vegan fish and chips.
“It’s such a friendly, comfortable event,” says Sarah.
“We’re hoping for sunshine, but the festival will go ahead, whatever the weather.”
The Vegan Fiesta will take place outside, at Reading’s Forbury Gardens on Saturday, April 22.
Stalls will be open from 11am through to 4pm, and entry is free. n For more information, visit: www. sparkleveganevents.com
FUN:A CONFIDENCE-building coach is to host a singing workshop and concert in Reading.
Aneesa Chaudhry will teach four songs: Annie’s Song, Show Me The Way, Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen), and Benedictus by Karl Jenkins.
Chaudhry has nearly 30 years of experience as a professional solo singer.
The event takes place from 10am to 1pm on Sunday, April 23, with a concert starting at 2pm.
It will be held at All Saints Church Hall in Devonshire Square, Brownlow Road. Reading. Places cost £50. n For more details, or to book, log on to: aneesachaudhry.com
A PROPOSAL to build three four-bed homes in west Reading had been rejected. The application was for the homes to be built on an overgrown site to the rear of 19-21 Western Elms Avenue.
The homes would have been contained in one new building. Reading Borough Council’s assistant director of planning, James Crosbie, rejected the plan, saying the homes would harm biodiversity in the area, and future occupants would have limited amenity space.
A similar plan for the site, reference 220582, was also refused in July last year.
By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today
STUDENTS from two Whitley primary schools joined forces for a rewilding project the community can now enjoy.
Councillors Alice MpofuColes, Micky Leng and Karen Rowland were joined by budding nature enthusiasts from Whitley Park School and Geoffrey Field Infant School to plant trees and flowers in the green space owned by Holiday Inn Reading-South M4.
Residents of the Gateway properties across the Whitley Roundabout had been looking to turn the site into an area they could use and take care of, and Reading Borough Council were happy to oblige.
Many of the children who took part had already been introduced to gardening through their own school projects.
Cllr Mpofu-Coles said: “It was a great opportunity for the children to plant some bulbs and to let them get involved in something which will help the environment, and be happy about doing so.
“All of them were so excited, and especially happy to see the worms.
“They planted five trees
just for starters – the children decided there would be two for Whitley Park, two for Geoffrey Fields and one for all of them.”
The youngsters planted spring and winter bulbs before being invited into the hotel by its staff for some light refreshments and pastries. A bench has also been installed to allow passers-by to catch their breath while taking in the site. Getting to this point has
been a drawn-out process with Gateway resident Jason Sinclair and Cllr Micky Leng raising the concept pre-Covid.
“When I became a councillor, I negotiated with Holiday Inn,” Cllr Mpofu-Coles added.
“It was very hard to get in touch with them as I had to phone their American office. We persisted for a year or so and finally managed to get it done.”
John Fox, Geoffrey Field’s
garden club leader, said the students were “thrilled” to be part of a project which will have both aesthetic and environmental benefits for Whitley.
He said: “At the school, we encourage children to look for opportunities to help the local community and shape it positively.
“Cllr Alice [Mpofu-Coles], who recently opened our new
A SAILING club based in Pingewood will be holding an open day later this month aiming at anyone looking to experience life on a (not quite) ocean wave.
Island Sailing Club will be welcoming visitors on Sunday, April 23.
Running between 11am and 4pm, the event is open to anyone looking to find out more about the sport, with experienced members offering trial sails on the lake.
The club says it is family-friendly and offers affordable sailing with a qualified RYA training establishment suitable for beginners and competent sailors.
On the day there will also be a barbecue with refreshments available to purchase.
The club is at Searles Farm Lane in Pingewood and the postcode for sat navs is RG30 3XB.
No booking is necessary.
n For more, log on to: www.islandsailingclub.co.uk
library, is a fantastic role model for doing just this. The garden team can’t wait for their next assignment.”
Whitley Park pupils also “can’t wait to do it again” and are also looking forward to tending to the trees they have planted.
A spokesperson for the school said: “The students really enjoyed planting the bulbs and finding lots of minibeasts, especially some worms.
“They are looking forward to continuing to care for the trees in the future alongside Geoffrey Fields.
“One student mentioned that it was really good to get out of the classroom and actively do good for the environment and can’t wait to continue to do this again.”
The hotel’s general manager, Paul Dunn, said: “At Holiday Inn Reading South, we truly value our role within this community and hope it will continue to flourish. It was great to build on the foundations of this mission, established last year.
“The rewilding project will visibly, and naturally, contribute to the area for years to come and for the children that participated on the day, with any luck they can show it to future generations.”
A READING town centre book shop is hosting an author’s launch event.
Iszi Lawrence’s latest fiction books for children, part of The Time Machine Next Door series, will be celebrated by Waterstones in Broad Street.
The quirky books are for readers aged seven to nine, devised by the comedian, podcaster and author.
The aim is to bring lesser-known parts of history to life with hilarious plots, fascinating facts and fantastic illustrations.
The event, on Saturday, April 15, will have two hour-long sessions at 11am and 3pm.
Tickets cost £3 each, and attendees will receive a £3 discount on a purchase of the book on the day.
n For more details, log on to: www.waterstones.com/ events
MORE THAN £1 million is available to charities thanks to an annual award scheme.
Benefact Group’s Movement For Good offers grants of £1,000 to community groups and good causes, and since its launch, there have been nearly 28,000 nomninations for Berkshirebased charities, with 39 awards made.
Winners will be drawn at random, meaning the more submissions, the more chance a charity has of receiving the cash boost.
There will be 150 charities selected in June, and a second
tranche in September, with further gifts across the year.
Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive at Benefact Group, says: “We are immensely proud to be supporting many hundreds of charities through our Movement for Good Awards for the fifth year running.
“We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference so we’re asking that people give a minute of their time to nominate a cause they care about to receive an award.
“Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we
do and all of our available profits go to good causes. With financial strain continuing to impact many households the Movement for Good Awards represents a great way for people to continue to support causes close to their hearts, without worrying about an additional cost. Any charity can win no matter how large or small and even with just one nomination. So find a minute, jump online and nominate –because that small amount of time is invaluable for charities.”
n To put a charity forward, log on to: www.movementforgood.com
YOUNG GARDENERS’ WORLD: Students from Whitley Park and Geoffrey Field Infant School at the launch of the new community garden in Whitley Picture: Alice Mpofu-Coles
ONE OF Reading’s legendary bars could be set to expand after submitting a bid to the council.
The Purple Turtle has laid out proposals to more than double its footprint as it seeks to change the adjoining building.
The bar and events venue currently occupies 9 Gun Street, whose owners came into possession of the building next door, number 10, in 2004.
Current plans will see parts of the disused building demolished to make way for new cafe and club spaces become part of The Purple Turtle.
Permission was granted for demolition works affecting the redundant features in 2016, but market changes meant that the “financial viability” of the proposals had dwindled, and it fell through.
The new proposals have a more flexible use of the building built in, with coffee shop or restaurant in the front of the building stretching across two floors, and a venue to the rear acting as a smaller club venue.
The existing Purple Turtle would be connected to the property via the basement, which would also contain customer toilets, storage, and staff rooms.
Plans also include the construction of an extension
behind the property, including a three-story building for storage and the development of yard space where it meets the culvert nearby.
The property is a Grade II listed building dating back to the 16th Century, when a
timber-framed building stood on the site. It was built over and remodelled in the early 18th Century, though the original was incorporated into the plans, of which the roof’s timber frame is evidence.
READING Hong Kongers and their supporters will take part in a worldwide protest on Saturday, April 15.
APRIL DATE: The Whiteknights Ensemble will raise funds for First Days Children’s Charity at its next concert
POPULAR music group the Whiteknights Ensemble is charging ahead with a new sound to help raise funds for the First Days children’s charity.
The talented musicians are well known as a wind quartet sound but this latest concert will include a number of invited string players.
Since 2017, the Whiteknights, who are based in Earley, have raised more than £3,000 for a number of good causes.
Wokingham-based First Days aims to reduce the long term effect of poverty on children by equipping them with the essential items they need for their early years and at school.
This year marks the charity’s tenth anniversary and it now
recycles 40 tonnes of donated baby essentials, school uniforms, equipment, furniture and toys to Berkshire families who need them the most.
Next month’s concert will include clarinettist Sarah Barrett, and a pianist, oboist Mildred Burchett-Vass, to perform four diverse pieces by Brahms, Finzi, Connesson and Hurd.
Sarah said: “I first heard the Brahms Clarinet Quintet live while at University. The richness of the sound of clarinet with strings and the passion of the music had me hooked and I’ve always wanted to perform it myself.”
Sarah will also be playing the fun-filled Disco Toccata by Guillaume Connesson with her
cellist husband Chris. This is a piece that the pair discovered during lockdown, when they hugely missed being able to make music with their friends around Reading.
To provide even more woodwind loveliness, Whiteknights Ensemble oboist Mildred Burchett-Vass, and pianist John Sayer, will perform British composer Michael Hurd’s Concerto da Camera for oboe and orchestra.
Tickets are: £10 adults, £5 under-18s or students.
The concert takes place on Saturday, April 22 at 7pm, in the Main Hall, Michael Malnick Centre, Leighton Park School. n Full details at: www. whiteknightsensemble.org.uk
It was originally a private household, and associated with “significant families and figures” in Reading until around 1845 according to the Heritage Statement submitted as part of proposals.
A maltster from Henley by the name of Tyler Cleeter is the earliest recorded owner, in whose family name the property was registered for several generations.
In the centuries since, it has been the site of a saddler’s shop, a glass works, and has been used in the business of Reading Medical Society and Harris and Hewett, who brewed with the Victoria Brewery in nearby Chain Street.
It became a listed building in the late 1970s while it was under the ownership of the West Berkshire Health Authority, and has been disused since it was bought from them in 2004.
Current proposals to expand the Purple Turtle into the premises were submitted back in January, and Reading Borough Council has made public notice of the plans.
Public consultation is currently open, and will form part of the Planning Committee’s considerations.
The Purple Turtle has been contacted for comment.
Organisations across the country will be coordinating a silent protest, coordinating with those in the US, Canada, Taiwan, and Australia.
Reading will be one of nine locations in the UK taking part in the protest against a number of rights abuses and raise awareness of the Hong Kong 47.
It follows the arrest of 47 people in Hong Kong back in 2021, who had been detained up until the beginning of their trial in February this year.
They were arrested after organising or taking part in unofficial elections for a prodemocracy candidate in council elections, and subsequently charged with “conspiracy to commit subversion.”
Protesters are arguing that they were unlawfully detained and will be subject to an unfair trial without a jury.
They also allege that the Chinese Communist Party has breached the Joint Declaration between China and the UK through “crackdowns” on democracy and human rights.
A number of those arrested hold British National Overseas status, and several have family who are UK citizens.
The Silent Protest takes place in Broad Street, Reading, from 11am-noon on Saturday.
BIGGER AND BETTER: One of Reading’s most iconic venues has laid out plans to more than double its footprint in bold new expansion plans. Picture: Phil Creighton
SEED TALKS is bringing neurodiversity into focus for its latest event at the University.
The Science of ADHD: Navigating Neurodiversity in a Neurotypical World will explore the rise in levels of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, in adults following the formal recognition of the condition.
Dr James Brown, co-founder of UK charity ADHDadultUK, will speak.
It takes place in the Edith Morely Lecture Theatre at the University of Reading, Whiteknights Campus, on Thursday, May 4, from 7pm. Tickets cost £12.80 via: www.eventbrite.co.uk.
THE Centre for Heritage and Family History is offering a tour of Reading’s Old Cemetery on Tuesday, April 25, at 2pm.
Liz Tait will guide participants through the cemetery at Cemetery Junction in East Reading, providing insight into its origins and the famous and not-so-famous people interred there.
Pre-booking is essential due to limited numbers. Places cost £5, or £4 for members of the Berkshire Family History Society.
n For more details, log on to: berksfhs.org
THE History of Reading Society is continuing its in person meetings with the next taking place on Wednesday, April 19.
Paul Joyce will be giving a talk entitled The Black Arts in Reading: the story of our local printing industry.
Following the lifting of restrictions and severe taxation, Reading set up its first venture in 1723. Growth of print works continued in the town right into the 1960s.
Paul has researched this trade using original evidence. We met in March for the AGM, and afterwards, Richard Stowell gave a talk entitled From the White Man’s Grave to Cemetery Junction: the Life and Times of Mary Smart.
A larger-than-usual audience heard the story of the daughter of a freed slave in Sierra Leone, who by a strange quirk of fate, became one of the first people to be interred in the new Reading Cemetery which opened in 1849.
Her family lived in a village called Regent, in the hills above the capital, Freetown. The Church Missionary Society was very active in Regent, and Mary’s family were Christians. At the same time, the CMS was also active among the church people of Reading,
where one of the earliest branches had been established, the Berkshire Auxiliary Branch, in 1823.
Missionary activities in tropical Africa had been frustrated because of the heat and the mosquitoes, and few of the missionaries arriving from England ever returned home.
By the 1840s, the CMS. was training Africans to become teachers and evangelists.
One of the Church of England missionaries involved in this work was the Revd Nathaniel Denton, and it was he who
brought Mary Smart to Reading to train as a teacher, along with another girl, of whom nothing seems to be known – not even her name.
They were to stay at a ladies’ seminary at the top of Castle Hill, a respectable and middleclass establishment. But sadly, Mary died, little more than a year after her arrival in 1848. She was looking forward to returning home, but never saw her family again. The causes of death were erysipelas and “congestion of the brain.”
An account of her last days, told in sentimental and pious tones, appeared in The Church Missionary Intelligencer.
The talk, which might well have been rather gloomy, was anything but. Our speaker had worked in Sierra Leone, and had been intrigued by the names of the people living there, and the African names of Mary Smart’s family in the 19th century.
He had been able to trace and meet the descendants of Mary’s family. A tremendous amount of research had been done,
including the seeking out of contemporary accounts of what life was like in Sierra Leone, for Africans and Europeans, and what it was like in Reading in 1848.
One could not help but wonder what must have been in Mary’s mind, aged 16, during the sea crossing, and then on arriving in a strange place.
There were many examples which showed the attitudes of English people towards people of different races, from “heathen lands.”
Other quotations illustrated attitudes to the poverty, crime, overcrowded graveyards and lack of clean drinking water and drainage with consequent disease in 1840s Reading. We were left with a lot to think about.
This meeting is open to members and visitors (visitors £2 each). No need to book, just turn up on the night.
Next week’s meeting takes place at the Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BE, at 7.30pm on Wednesday, April 19.
n For more information please visit www. historyofreadingsociety.org.ukor email historyofreadingsociety@ yahoo.com.
GUESTS: The Berkshire Youth Symphony Orchestra welcomed a number of VIPs including Sir Alok and Lady Sharma, and the High Sheriff of Berkshire, Simon Muir
YOUNG MUSICIANS showcased their talents at a special concert held at The Hexagon last week. Member of the Berkshire Youth Symphony Orchestra took over the Reading theatre for an evening of popular music from silver screen.
The programme included the Raiders March by John Williams, Where Eagles Dare by Rob Goodwin, Beauty and the Beast by Alan Menken, Gladiator by Hans Zimmer, The Sea Hawk (Theme) by Erich Korngold, Lawrence of Arabia Overture by Maurice Jarre, and the Magnificent Seven by Elmer Bernstein.
And watching them were a number of VIPs, including the High Sheriff of Berkshire Simon Muir, Sir Alok and Lady Sharma. Also attending were mayors and their deputies from across the county, including the deputy mayor of Reading, Cllr
Debs Edwards, and the deputy mayor of Wokingham, Cllr Beth Rowland.
The orchestra is organised by Berkshire Maestros, and they held intensive rehearsals ahead of their performance on Monday, April 3.
There are more than 110 musicians, aged 10 to 18, and are some of the most talented musicians in the county.
Conducted by Pete Harrison, their three-day rehearsal period saw them start with their sections before coming together as a full orchestra.
Organisers say it is an intense weekend of music making.
A spokesperson said: “It is a wonderful experience for these young people to work with a guest conductor and play in large venue.
“The concert was opened by a massed string ensemble, created using the intermediate string
ensembles across Berkshire at Berkshire Maestros. After the group opened the concert for BYSO, they went to watch the orchestra from the choir stalls at The Hexagon.
“The aim for this to show the younger bands what they can aspire to with their instruments.”
They added: “Overall it was a wonderful evening full of high standard music making highlighting the incredible opportunities Berkshire Maestros can give to young people in the county.
“It was also lovely to have so many invited guests come along in support of the work we do and the talent we have in Berkshire.” n Auditions for the orchestras will take place on Saturday, July 15. Anyone interested in an audition for BYSO, or wants further information, can email: jessicawilkins@ berkshiremaestros.org.uk
TALK: The History of Reading Society’s March meeting will look at the story of Mary Smart Picture: whatsonreading. com/ History of Reading Society
THE BOROUGH OF READING (ST MARY’S BUTT) (TEMPORARY ROAD RESTRICTIONS) ORDER 2023
Reading Borough Council proposes to make an Order in accordance with Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, as amended, because works are being or are proposed to be executed on or near the road. The effect of the Order will be to temporarily suspend the disabled parking bays in the following lengths of road:
• St Marys Butts outside number 66 to a point approximately 10 meters north, from: 24 April 2023 – 22 May 2023 between 0800hrs – 1400hrs daily.
• St Marys Butts directly outside number 66, from 22 May 2023 – 11 August 2023 between 0800hrs – 1400hrs daily.
If made, the Order will come into operation on the dates above but should the works take longer than expected, the Order will remain in operation until the works are complete for up to 18 months, whichever is sooner. The Order is necessary for the removal and replacement of dangerous and non-compliant cladding.
DATED: 13 April 2023
Legal and Democratic Services, Reading Borough Council, Civic Offices, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU
Saturday 27th May 2023
From Reading. Join our special train at Reading for a day out to remember. We will be met by an historic steam locomotive at Bristol to steam along the Kennet and Avon Canal, through Somerset countryside and the Culm Valley to Exeter. A run along the famous Dawlish sea wall, one of Britain’s most scenic stretches of railway, will be a highlight of the journey. A break at maritime Plymouth provides chance to explore the Hoe and the old Barbican area with the Mayflower Steps or the city’s shops On the return our vintage train will leave our steam loco behind at Taunton to complete our journey diesel hauled.
• Premier Dining £295 per person – price includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.
• First Class £195 per person – price includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.
• Standard Class £130 per person – price includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.
£10 per person discount quote: DHS
Saturday 22nd July, 12th Aug, 16th Sept 2023
From Slough and Reading. Enjoy a day out departing from Slough or Reading to the Bristol Channel coast by train featuring two historic steam locomotives. This seaside special will be hauled by a magnificent steam loco along the scenic Kennet and Avon Canal and through the pretty Vale of Pewsey. Our train will join the West Somerset Railway and a WSR steam loco will take over for the stretch past Dunster Castle and into the resort of Minehead, where you can enjoy the sea and sand before we steam for home.
• Premier Dining £285 per person – price includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.
• First Class £185 per person – price includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.
• Standard Class £115 per person – price includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.
£10 per person discount quote: DHU
Sunday 30th July 2023
From Slough and Reading. Step on board our special train at Slough or Reading to enjoy a day out to Cornwall. We shall be joined by a magnificent steam locomotive at Bristol ready for an exhilarating run beside the Exe Estuary and along the famous Dawlish sea wall. The Royal Duchy will stop at Plymouth, where you can explore the Hoe, ancient Barbican, seafront or National Marine Aquarium. Alternatively, stay on board for Cornwall to Par, where we shall have coaches ready to take you to the pretty seaside village of Fowey or Charlestown, home to the Shipwreck, Rescue and Heritage Centre and location for the BBC’s Poldark.
• Premier Dining £309 per person – price includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.
• First Class £209 per person – price includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.
• Standard Class £134 per person – price includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.
£10 per person discount quote: DHV
Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham
EMMANUEL Sonubi is one of the emerging talents in live comedy in the UK, quickly cementing himself as a firm favourite while providing tour support for Jason Manford.
Recent credits also include appearances on landmarks of stand-up such as Live at the Apollo, ITV2’s Standup Sketch Show, and Stand-Up UK from Comedy Central, as well as a string of shows at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival.
Emmanuel marries two extremes in much of his comedy, contrasting his muscular, toned appearance, and a self-
confessed theatrical sensibility. His latest show, Emancipated, is mostly about his journey in comedy to where he is now, but, he says, also looks at some of his previous occupations.
“It’s an hour of laugh-out-loud escapism with no agenda and lots for people to relate to.
“But it’s also about how things that used to be important to me just aren’t any more, and how freeing that is.”
The show also follows Emmanuel’s nomination for Dave’s Edinburgh Comedy Festival Best Newcomer,
which he says was “really unexpected.
“I basically got myself to not think of any of the competitions, or any of the reviews, it has to be about the audience.
“That’s who it should be for, not the stars.”
So he was unaware of his nomination: “Until I got a message that morning which read ‘congratulations.’
“But it was so nice; there were thousands of shows there, so being regarded as one of the best was really heartening.”
He also said it was the “cherry on the top” of what proved to be an accomplished run of shows.
“The feeling of being appreciated, feeling like what you do means something to other people.”
It’s possible, he admits, that he takes this approach from his time in theatre: “The performance side helped me just to be on stage.”
But he has also worked as a doorman: “Which really helps with crowd control.
“My main ingredient when I started was that everyone at some point has passed a bouncer, it’s recognisable but relatively unknown.”
He says that for him, comedy is great when it has an element of relatability: “People don’t always laugh at the joke, just what it reminds them of.
“Comedy gives people the space to laugh at testing or dark situations which you now have a new perspective on, and ultimately deal with it a little bit better.
“And I’ve always used it like that.”
And once a comedian has settled an audience in, once they’re trusted, it can be a position with a real platform.
“When it’s done right, you can be the platform that incites change; all I can say, though, is my take on a subject.”
His tour includes Reading’s South
Street Arts Centre, to which he said he was looking forward: “Never had a bad show in Reading— I don’t like the parking restrictions, but I do like Reading.”
And his favourite part of all: “Actually performing the show; I get to go and perform in another town, another city, and that’s what it really gets down to.
“But I’ve had people say that it’s ruined their lives missing the show, so I suppose it’s my public service!”
Emmanuel Sonubi’s live stand-up show, Emancipated, is touring the UK, with Reading’s South Street Arts Centre among the roster of venues on Friday, April 21.
He’s also coming to Guildford, Swindon, Chorley, and London. n For full details of the tour and to get hold of tickets, visit: www. emmanuelstandup.com
‘I’ve never had a
I don’t like that’
Comedian Emmanuel Sonubi talks to Reading Today about his stand-up tour, Emancipated, coming to South Street later this month
A ‘PITCH perfect’ rising comic will entertain in Maidenhead.
Josh Berry’s new stand up show brings plenty of characters and impressions as he wades through the two interweaving topics that pre-occupy him most: sex and politics.
Described by Jon Culshaw as ‘Absolutely superb’, Josh performs at Norden Farm Arts Centre Studio, on Wednesday, April 26.
Doors open at 8pm, with tickets at £16.
n For more details, to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm
A BRITISH folk duo will tell musical tales of Suffolk folklore, people they admire, passion for nature, and a heart break or two.
Honey And The Bear’s songs combine interweaving vocal harmonies with a range of sounds and textures.
The multi instrumentalist pair are: Jon Hart on guitar, bass, and bazouki; and Lucy Hart on guitar, ukulele, bass, banjo, mandolin and percussion.
They are joined by Evan Carson on drums, and Toby Shaer on fiddle, flutes, and whistles.
The event takes place at Norden Farm Arts Centre Studio, on Saturday, April 29.
Doors open at 8pm, with tickets available for £15.
n For more details, to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm
A THEATRE performance tells the story of a deaf Indian boy growing up in Britain.
Told with humour, Rinkoo Barpaga’s performance of, Made In (India) Britain, relates the experience of deaf Punjabi youngster, Roo, living in a world that he feels wasn’t made for him.
Ableism and racism impact his childhood and his adult life, and lead him to ask, ‘Where do I belong?’
The event is performed in BSL, Spoken English and Closed Captions, at Norden Farm Arts Centre Studio, on Thursday, April 27. Doors open at 7.30pm, with tickets available for £16.
n For more details, to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm
A WEST End star and her orchestra will perform music from the stage and screen in Reading.
Soloist Lucie Jones and the Fulltone Orchestra’s programme of songs ranges from the 1930’s through to the present day.
The audience can expect West End hits and classic numbers, including songs from Wicked, Waitress, and The Wizard Of Oz.
Lucie Jones and the Fulltone Orchestra perform at The Hexagon Theatre, on Thursday, April 27.
Doors open at 7.30pm, with tickets available for £42, and £57, depending on seat location. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060 or visit: whatsonreading.com
BARELY Methodical Troupe are at the forefront of a new kind of physical performance. Their shows mix circus acrobatics with the emotional punch of theatre.
Bromance is a circus show about camaraderie and affection. It’s a tour-de-force of physical heroics, where handshakes become handstands and back slaps become backflips.
It is at The Corn Exchange, Newbury, on Wednesday, April 19.
Doors open at 7.45pm, with tickets available for £20.25, or £14.75 for under 25s.
n For tickets and information, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: www.cornexchangenew. com
A TERRENCE Rattigan drama performed in Wokingham describes romantic conflict and raging war.
In Flare Path, RAF bomber pilot Teddy,is celebrating a reunion with his actress wife Patricia.
When her ex-lover and Hollywood heart-throb Peter arrives, and an urgent bombing mission over Germany is ordered, Patricia finds herself at the centre of an emotional conflict as unpredictable as the war in the skies.
Audiences can see the play at Wokingham Theatre from Thursday, April 27 through to Saturday, May 6. Doors open at 7.45pm, and tickets cost £15. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 978
Bracknell – South Hill Park southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123
Kinky Boots. Until Sun 16. The Comedy
Cellar. Fri 14. Night of the Guitar: Tom Gamble, Dale Harris and Amrit Sond. Wed 19. Justin Moorhouse.
Thurs 20. Nothing Happens (Twice).
Fri 21. Isadora The Barefoot Dancer.
Sat 22. Paranation Ghost Hunt events. Sat 22.
FILMS: Royal Opera House LiveCinderella (12a). Sun 16. Women Talking (15). Fri 14-Sun 16. Lunana: A Yak In The Classroom (PG). Mon 17-Tues 18. Exhibition on Screen: Vermeer, The Blockbuster Exhibition.
Wed 19-Sun 23. National Theatre
Live: Good. Thurs 20. The Son (15).
Tues 21. Full Time (TBC). Fri 24-Sun 26. Lift Off: Creature (12a). Wed 26.
Camberley – Theatre camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600
The Hollies Story. Thurs 13. Pop Diva
Live. Sun 16. Robert Temple: The Hypnotist. Thurs 20. Uptown Joel.
Fri 21. Lionel - the Music of Lionel Richie. Sat 22.
Guildford –Yvonne Arnaud
yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000
Grease. Thurs 13-Sat 15. The Way Old Friends Do. Tues 17-Sat 22. Second Summer of Love. Thurs 20-Fri 21.
Daddy Issues. Sat 22.
High Wycombe – Swan
wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000
The ELO Experience. Thurs 13. Totally Tina. Fri 14. Giovanni Pernice - Made In Italy. Sat 15. Buckinghamshire County Youth Orchestra. Sun 16.
Nadiya and Kai - Once Upon A Time.
Sun 16. Six The Musical. Tues 18-Sun 23. Hellfire Comedy Club. Thurs 20.
5363 or visit: wokinghamtheatre. org.uk
PERFORMER Matt
McGuinness says he is proud to work with Samaritans.
His show, We Are What We Overcome, combines upbeat, original acoustic music with thought-provoking comedy and stories.
It describes one man’s journey to good mental health - via a very bad idea.
The event, supported by Arts Council England & New Art Exchange can be seen at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre.
The performance is on Wednesday, April 26 at 7.30pm.
Tickets cost £13.50.
n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01344 484123 or log on to: www.southhillpark. org.uk
A MUSICAL filled with hits from 80s group Madness, is coming to Henley.
Our House, is a London love story set to the band’s music.
When 16-year-old Joe breaks into a building site to impress his girlfriend, the police turn up and the lad’s life splits into two.
Is he Good Joe, who stays to help, or Bad Joe, who flees?
The show includes Madness hits: House of Fun, Baggy
Henley – Kenton
kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050
Beatles Ballet. Fri 14. Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band farewell tour. Sat 15. Cinderella The Ballet. Sun 16. Michael McIntyre Work In ProgressSOLD OUT. Mon 17.
Maidenhead –Norden Farm
www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997
Eshann Akbar - The Pretender. Thurs 13.
Pianists at Norden Farm - Meng Yang
Pan. Thurs 13. Rock n Roll Concertini.
Fri 14. Mummies (U). Fri 14. Art Themen sax. Fri 14. Rye Lane (15). Fri
14. Flash - A tribute to Queen. Sat 15.
Winners (PG). Tues 18. The Man Who Left the Titanic. Wed 19. National Theatre Live - Good. Thurs 20, Fri 21.
The Ocelots. Thurs 20. Alex KealyWinner Takes All. Fri 21. 80 For brady (12). Fri 21. The Vinyl Frontier - Best Years of Our Lives. Sat 22. Forever Elton - Greatest Hits Tour. Sat 22.
Newbury – Corn Exchange
cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218
Tots Cinema. Thurs 13. The Wizard of Oz.
Fri 14-Sun 16. Aftersun. Sat 15-Tues
18. Bromance. Wed 19. Axel Blake. Thurs 20. Looking For Me Friend. Fri
21. John Wick Chapter 4. Fri 21-Sat
22. Family Film: Shaun The Sheep Movie. Sat 22. Shape Of You. Sat 22.
NT Encore: Good. Sun 23.
Newbury – The Watermill
www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044
Visitors. Until Sat 22.
Reading – South Street
whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060
Bilal Zafar - Care. Thurs 13. Ivo Graham - My Future, My Clutter. Fri 14-Sat 15. Poets’ Cafe. Fri 14. Sold. Thurs 20.
Trousers, Driving in my Car, It Must Be Love and Our House.
The musical can be seen at The Kenton Theatre, from Wednesday, April 26, through to Saturday, April 29.
Performances are at 7.45pm, with an additional matinée on Saturday at 2pm.
Tickets cost £20, with concessions available for £18.
n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01491 525050 or log on to: www. kentontheatre.co.uk
ARTHUR Conan Doyle’s final novel is brought to life in a new stage adaptation.
The Valley of Fear sees Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson drawn into a tale of intrigue and murder that leads them to the bleak Pennsylvanian Vermissa Valley.
Faced with a trail of bewildering clues, Holmes begins to unearth a darker, wider web of corruption, a secret society and the sinister work of one Professor Moriarty.
Original music, theatricality and story-telling combine in this event at the Corn Exchange. It can be seen on Wednesday, April 26 and Thursday, April 27 at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20.75, with concessions available for £18.75.
n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: www. cornexchangenew.com
Sonubi - Emancipated. Fri 21. Eshaan Akbar - The Pretender. Sat 22. Alex Kealy - Winner Takes All. Sun 23.
Reading – The Hexagon whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 La Boheme. Thurs 13. Ward Thomas. Mon 17. Rumours of Fleetwood Mac. Tues 18. NT Live Presents Good. Thurs 20. Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour. Tues 25.
Reading – Concert Hall
whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Jonathan Biss piano. Tues 18.
Reading – Progress progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195
Dinner. Fri 14- Sat 22.
Reading – Reading Rep
www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620 Peter Pan. Until Sat 29.
Shinfield – Players
shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880
Ravenscroft. Wed 26-Fri 29.
Sonning – The Mill
millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Until May 13. Dire Straits Money For Nothing. Sun 16. The Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly Show. Sun 23.
Windsor – Theatre Royal theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888
Legally Blonde Jr. Until Sat 15. Dom The Play. Wed 19-Sat 29.
Wokingham – The Whitty www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247 Teechers - Leavers 22. Wed May 10.
Woodley – Theatre woodleytheatre.org 07488337838 Educating Rita. June
PAUL FARMER is a man with numbers on his mind, writes James Hastings
The 67-year-old has now raised £67,000 for numerous charities in and around Reading.
The latest coffee morning at All Saints Church in Downshire Square, notched up a further £205 for the Reading Association For The Blind - and Paul says he has no plans to stop.
“I started organising fundraising events about 12 years ago and just kept going,” he smiles.
“I love doing it and it’s good to
know that local charities benefit from people’s generosity. I enjoy poking around in charity shops for raffle prizes and people are very generous in donating items.
“There is also a social benefit from something like a coffee morning especially for people living alone. We all like a good chat with a coffee and a slice of cake.”
Over the last 12 years, Paul has organised events such as Christmas fairs, summer fayres, jumble sales and tombolas. He has also run the Reading Half Marathon for the last 13 years
and abseiled 86 metres down The Blade.
“That was out of my comfort zone but it was thrilling,” he adds.
“I like to think up different ways to fund raise and perhaps one day I’ll do a parachute jump.”
Paul says his favourite charities are the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice in Maidenhead and the Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.
“At the end of the day, fundraising events raise money for good causes of all descriptions and I am glad to play a small part in helping them.”
ONE OF Reading’s drag performers has announced that they’re hanging up the wig following their latest show.
Anita Oui said that the show they hosted at the Rising Sun Arts Centre on Saturday, April 1, would be their last as they look to move on to different kinds of performance.
They were hosting the regular residency at the venue while the original host, Sheer Obsession, was away on hiatus.
The show celebrated pop icon Lady Gaga, kicking off with Anita’s performance to Applause followed by House of Big leader Big Jay and the Ashnikko remix of Plastic Doll.
Brittana Faberry sang a cover of Poker Face live before Oxford’s Cairo Ali’s lipsync to Gaga’s The Cure.
Sera Tonin performed a stunning lipsync to Donatella Wears Prada and Anita closed the first half with Bad Romance.
The second half saw an appearance from Viola Tucks with a humorous lipsync to Lady is a Tramp, followed by
THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following a serious road traffic collision in Reading.
At around 5pm on Saturday, April 8, a Lifan LF 125 motorbike and a blue Tesla collided on the A329 Purley Rise between Pangbourne and Purley on Thames.
The motorcyclist sustained severe injuries, leaving them hospitalised.
Investigating officer, PC Adam Price, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this collision, or has dashcam foottage, to please come forward.
“Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101 or making a report online, quoting reference 43230154097.”
A COMEDY troupe will make things up as they go along thanks to the live improvisation events.
Mad Monkey Improv will be at Brewdog Reading in Castle Street on Friday, April 21.
The venue also offers food and drinks, including nonalcoholic options. Tickets are available for £5 if booked in advance.
n For more details, log on to: www.madmonkeyimprov.co.uk
E v e r y o n e I m e n t i o n e d t h i s e v e n t t o r e a c t e d w i t h t h e s a m e q u i z z i c a l r a i s e d e y e b r o w “ P o l i s h w i n e s ? ” “ Y e s , ” I s a i d “ P o l i s h w i n e s ”
J o i n u s f o r a n e v e n i n g o f u n u s u a l w i n e s f r o m P o l a n d h o s t e d b y o u r g o o d f r i e n d A d a m M i c h o c k i o f C e n t r a l
W i n e s Y o u ’ l l b e t r y i n g a r a n g e o f g r a p e v a r i e t i e s t h a t r e a l l y s h o w c a s e
another live vocal performance by Brittana Faberry. Big Jay, Cairo Ali, and Sera Tonin performed final lipsyncs before Anita Oui took their place at the piano.
They announced that it would not only be their final show as host, but their final as a drag performer, before singing along live to a touching piano performance of Born This Way.
As they show drew to a close, they thanked their drag family, particularly House of Big’s Big Jay, and said that original host Sheer Obsession would be returning to the residency.
Speaking after the event, Anita Oui said: “It’s definitely hard to pin down an exact reason for calling it a day;
it’s a combination of burnout and being happy with what I achieved.
“I think if I continued it would be like those final series of a show where the storylines go awry, and the actors look jaded and have fallen out of love with it.
“I wanted to end on a high.”
Anita continued: “I’m still in love with the medium of performance art, though, and I hope to continue creating.”
Sheer Obsession’s Suspenders will return with a hand-picked roster of performers in Saturday, June 24, at The Rising Sun Arts Centre. n Tickets are available at different pricing tiers via: outsavvy.com
w h y P o l i s h w i n e s a r e f a s t b e c o m i n g s o w e l l r e g a r d e d i n t h e w i n e i n d u s t r y
O n t h e n i g h t w e w i l l b e s e r v i n g p l a t e s o f p i e r o g i ( m e a t a n d v e g g i e ) , P o l i s h
p i c k l e s a n d o t h e r l o c a l s n a c k s
T h i s i s o n e n o t t o m i s s
> W e l c o m e S p a r k l i n g W i n e
> F i v e W i n e s
> G u e s t S p e a k e r
> P o l i s h P i e r o g i ( D u m p l i n g s ) & S n a c k s
A l l w i n e s f r o m t h e e v e n i n g c a n b e
b o u g h t a t a r e t a i l p r i c e
£ 2 9 9 5 p e r p e r s o n
Paul Farmer organised the event One of the winners goes up to collect their prize One of the raffle winners A winner is drawnTHE winning choir of a contest to find the greater Reading area’s best choir is inviting people to come and sing with them.
The Barberettes, who scooped the Let’s Sing Reading prize last month, is hosting a Fizz and Sing social event on Wednesday, April 19 at St Nicolas Church in Sutcliffe Avenue, Earley.
The group is inviting women who love to sing to join them for a glass of bubbly and some music.
The event is open to anyone interested in finding a new hobby and meeting like-minded individuals.
n For more information, visit: www.the-barberettes.co.uk
STOGFEST Promotions is bringing a night of high-quality cover bands to Reading.
The Runaway Killers and Simulation Muse will take the stage at The Face Bar on Ambrose Place, playing renditions of some of the biggest modern rock hits of the last two decades.
The bands are known for their uncanny likeness to the original bands, making for a double tribute to Muse and The Killers.
Tickets for the event, on Saturday, April 22 cost £14 in advance or £16 on the door.
n For more details, search Ticket Tailor for Stogfest Promotions
APLAY taking place in the very venue that events unfolded hundreds of years earlier will go on tour this summer.
RABBLE Theatre is to perform Henry I in the Reading Abbey Ruins in June.
The historic site was founded by the monarch as he sought atonement for his ruthless reign. It is thought he was buried in the ruins.
And after the 22-date performance run, RABBLE will be taking the show to Winchester’s Great Hall, and then to Covent Garden in London.
The Great Hall was founded by Henry’s father William the Conquerer.
After a rogue arrow had put an end to the life of Henry’s brother, King William, Henry leapt on a horse and sprinted to Winchester where he seized the crown.
The play will be performed here between July 12 and 15.
Toby Davies, Co-Artistic Director, RABBLE Theatre, said: “It is an honour for us all at RABBLE to be taking Henry I to this magnificent heritage site and we’d like to thank the teams at both Theatre Royal Winchester and Hampshire County Council who have worked tirelessly to make this
special production possible.”
Then, the troupe will perform at St Paul’s, known as the Actors’ Church. Famous actors are remembered on plaques in the church’s interior, actors and stage crew have held their burial services here for years.
The show will be performed from July 20-22.
Hal Chambers, the show’s director said: “Henry I is an energetic, bold and thrilling modern history play and we’re looking forward to performing in this beautiful location, in the heart of London.”
But first is the performances in Reading, which take place between June 13 and July 1.
The play starts after the death of William the Conqueror.
Henry’s desire is the crown, and power, as the king of England. But to get there, there must be a scramble for power between him and his brother.
RABBLE says anticipation is growing for the performances of the Beth Flintoff’s play of power, forgiveness and royal ambitions.
“To be exporting culture from Reading is a very positive step for our town and to be invited to perform in these two remarkable locations is a real privilege,” says Dani Davies, Co-Artistic Director, RABBLE Theatre.
n For more details, or to book, log on to: rabbletheatre.com
THE GO! Team returned to the stage in Reading for their first show in the town for 15 years when they performed at Sub89 last month.
The show started with Baba Ali, a two-piece outfit whose sound was laced with 80s-tinged synth with the aesthetic to match.
The lead singer’s resonant vocals were well-matched with the band’s strippeddown aesthetic in an instantly danceable set full of hooky anthems.
When The Go! Team took to the stage, Wokingham-born songwriter Ian Parton was flanked by five fellow band mates.
The band kicked off in their usual style, barrelling straight into high-energy performances of some of the hits from their 20-year career.
Major songs of the band’s Mercury Prize-nominated first album came thick and fast, including Ladyflash, Huddle Formation, and Get It Together.
Sea Between Us, Gemini, and Key to the City rapidly followed before The Power is On seemed to close the show.
The band returned swiftly, however, to play a one-two punch of an encore with the breakout hit from their latest album, Whammy-O, and Tornado.
Overall, The Go! Team showed that not only is their lyrical and musical composition as fresh as it ever has been, but also that their performing talent, multiinstrumentalist capabilities, and dynamism on stage has never left them.
JAKE CLOTHIERGo hard or go home: The Go! Team shows that they’re as fresh as ever
ANEW single from Split The Dealer tops our hit parade this week, and we think you’ll love it.
It’s the first since signing to Wolves Records, and we think they are on the cusp of bigger things.
Have a listen and see what you think – tune in for free on Spotify. Our playlist is a mixture that will help you discover something new.
To hear this week’s selection, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstodayand enjoy the music.
There is also a Facebook page and group chat that bands and music fans can tap into. You can search for RaW Sounds Today and it will come up.
Here’s an artist who has been in every one of our Top 20 listings of the year so far and he’s likely to do that again this year judging by this new single.
It’s another brilliant recording and is the first since he announced his signing to Wolves Records, a record label set up by Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.
We’ve loved all of Split the Dealer’s releases to date, but this single does feel like the start of big things.
Let’s hope it is, as it would be well deserved –https://beacons.ai/splitthedealer
One Last Day – Stay Away From Me
It’s another artist from the local area that is progressing and getting known further afield.
We’ve featured this Bracknell-based band already this year but this single is definitely worthy
Thursday, April 13
ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Flying Visit.
BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Mr Pineapple. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk
BRACKNELL – The Golden Farmer, Reeds Hill RG12 7LS. Karaoke. Details: 01344 302038.
EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Iftar dinner time: Ramandan community dinner organised by the Dialogue Society. 6pm. Entry free, by tiket, donations to Victims of Earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Details: reading@ dialoguesociety.org
READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. Karaoke. Details: 0118 958 6775.
READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Hugh Turner Funk Quartet
Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Skint Thursdays: Skint Rock, pop punk and classic rock, plus house and techo.
Details: Twitter @skintmondays
READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Club Velocity presents Shonen Knife 40th anniversary tour. Details: 0118 959 5395.
WOKINGHAM – The Grasshopper, Rose Street RG40 1XU. Live at the Grasshopper: Mark Warner’s Full Swing. From 6.30pm. Details: 0118 901 2678.
WOKINGHAM – The Victoria Arms, Easthampstead Road RG40 2EH. Open mic night. Details: 0118 979 9437.
Friday, April 14
BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Scarlet Vixens Burlesque Show. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk
of getting them featured again. It’s another slice of well played powerful but melodic rock.
The band are touring throughout the UK in spring and summer including a Reading date on July 22 at Facebar and an appearance at Wokingham Festival on August 28 – https://linktr.ee/onelastday
Ghost Dance – Down to the Wire
We go back in time now to the late 1980s with an anthem from gothic rock band Ghost Dance.
The band split not long after the release of the album from which this is taken, Stop the World.
They reformed in 2019 and have a brand-new album coming out next month.
They will be visiting Reading on May 4 to play the Facebar at a Club Velocity / New Mind Promotions show – https://ghost-dance.co.uk/
Deva St. John – The Curse
Deva just released her debut EP, Nauseous Ad Nauseum from which this is taken and it’s no surprise that every song is excellent.
BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Black Market. Details: 01344 303333.
GORING – Community Centre, The Old School Station Road RG8 9HB. Hugh Turner quartet. 8pm. £10.
READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. The Swamp – Morass of Molasses hometown show. Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Wendy Allen saxophonist
READING – Pentahotel, Oxford Road RG1 7HR. One Eyed Man. Details: 0118 958 6222.
READING – Pitcher & Piano, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Stars in the their Minds karaoke. Details: 0118 958 8964.
READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. The Beat featuring Ranking Jnr. Details: 0118 959 5395.
WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Plato and the Bees. Details: 0118 977 3706.
Saturday, April 15
BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. The Slough Dominican Association presents Still Doing It For Dominica. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk
BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Ultimate Party Band. Details: 01344 303333.
BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. Tequila Chase.
Details: 01344 422622
CAVERSHAM – Working Men’s Club, Church Street RG4 8AU. David Bunce
Presents. Details: 0118 954 5434.
LOWER EARLEY – Maiden Place Social Club, Maiden Place RG6 3HD. Gary
Roman as Elvis. Details: 0118 986 8995.
READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Skanna Audio presents Stomptopia. Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – Fisherman’s Cottage, Kennet Side RG1 3DW. Wardour Street.
READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Chasing Mumford. Details: 0118 402 7800.
READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Audiotonic.
Details: 0118 926 5804.
READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Tuffbreaks 360º audio-visual showcase
Details: 0118 959 5395.
READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Big Black Boots. Details: 0118 957 6930.
WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Bottlekids. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.
WOKINGHAM – The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Matt Bond. Details: 0118 979 7402.
Sunday, April 16
READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. Sunday Karaoke.
Details: 0118 958 6775.
READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: The Foxglove Trio.
Details: www.readifolk.org.uk
READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.
SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. Dire Straits Money For Nothing. Details: 0118 969 8000.
Monday, April 17
READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. Ward Thomas. Details: 0118 960 6060.
Deva has a BBC Introducing show at Purple Turtle on April 20 – https://www.facebook.com/ dayvasaintjohn/
Azure – Spark Madrigal
Modern prog from a Brighton-based band that will be visiting on August Bank Holiday Monday to headline the second stage at Wokingham Festival.
The band have been championed by Prog Magazine – https://www.facebook.com/azuresongs
Morass of Molasses – Terra Nova
These Reading rockers are currently on a UK tour which will see them in their hometown at Reading’s Facebar this Friday, April 14 – https://www. facebook.com/MorassOfMolasses
Elucidate – Take It
It’s the new single from Elucidate, a Readingbased Alt-Rock band, and it’s an exciting song with a driving rhythm section, great riff, and energetic emotive vocals.
Tuesday, April 18
BAGSHOT – The Foresters Arms, London Road. Bracknell Folk Club. Details: www.bracknellfolk.org.uk
BRACKNELL – The Golden Farmer, Reed’s Hill RG12 7LS. Tim Shez Band. Details: 01344 302038.
READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. Rumours of Fleetwood Mac. Details: 0118 960 6060.
Wednesday, April 19
BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Night of the Guitar: Tom Gamble, Dale Harris and Amrit Sond. Details: 01344 484123.
Thursday, April 20
BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Alite and support. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk
BRACKNELL – The Golden Farmer, Reeds Hill RG12 7LS. Karaoke. Details: 01344 302038.
READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. Karaoke. Details: 0118 958 6775.
READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. BBC Introducing: Deva St John, Split The Dealer, Who Ate All The Crayons. Details: 0118 959 7196.
WOKINGHAM – The Grasshopper, Rose Street RG40 1XU. Live at the Grasshopper: Mark Warner’s Full Swing. From 6.30pm. Details: 0118 901 2678.
WOKINGHAM – The Victoria Arms, Easthampstead Road RG40 2EH. Open mic night. Details: 0118 979 9437.
Friday, April 21
BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Supersonic Queen. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk
BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. I
They will be appearing at Wokingham Festival in August – https://linktr.ee/ElucidateUK
Who Ate All The Crayons – Alive
This Reading band are supporting Deva St.John on April 20 at Purple Turtle and will be at Wokingham Festival – https://linktr.ee/ whoateallthecrayons
Rila’s Edge – Share the Night
Here’s a band on the rise with their latest single, Share the Night. They will be at Wokingham Festival in August – https://www.rilasedge.com/
Spacehopper –Pure Essence
With their colourful fun style, their trance and dub sounds and tracks as good as this new single on our Magick Eye Records label are sure to get everyone up and dancing at Wokingham Festival – https://www. spacehoppermusic.com/
Got Soul: Soul Fusions Seven. Details: 01344 303333.
READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. The Reunion, K32, Tunnel Crew, Itsy Bitsy, BB Crew. Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – Hope and Bear, London Road RG1 5DE. Goldeneye. Details: 0118 935 4095.
READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Skint
Thursdays: Skint Rock, pop punk and classic rock, plus house and techo. Details: Twitter @skintmondays
READING – Pitcher & Piano, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Stars in the their Minds karaoke. Details: 0118 958 8964.
READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP.
Resurrection: The Stone Roses Tribute and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Carpets. Details: 0118 959 5395.
Saturday, April 22
BINFIELD – The Victoria Arms, Terrace Road North RG42 5JA. Piston Broke. Details: 01344 483856.
BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Slackrr, Flash Daddy and Small Town Saviours. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk
BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Lee Aaron Band. Details: 01344 303333.
BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. White Light. Details: 01344 422622.
HENLEY – Christ Church Centre URC, Reading Road RG9 1AG. Henley Rotary Club Blues Night with Papa George. £15, under 18s £9. Details: https://henleyrotary.club/
READING – The Face bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. The Runaway Killers,
Stimulation Muse. Details: 0118 959 5500.
READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Hard Jokes by One Away. Details: 0118 402 7800.
READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. The Chain Gang. Details: 0118 968 1442.
READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Dr Syntax and Pete Cannon. Details: 0118 959 7196.
READING – Reading Biscuit Factory, Broad Street Mall RG1 7QE. Certain Sound Records record sale. 10am-5pm. READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Watt4. Details: 0118 926 5804.
READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Band Substance. Details: 0118 957 6930.
TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. The Highwasters. Details: 0118 942 9606.
WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. The Filthy Llamas. Details: 0118 977 0918.
WINKFIELD ROW – The Woodcutters, Bere Road RG12 0XS. Arachna.
Sunday, April 23
READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: The Twagger Band. Details: www.readifolk.org.uk
READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.
SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. The Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly Show. Details: 0118 969 8000.
WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Live acoustic music with Harley Jutchinson. Details: 0118 977 0918.
Friday, April 14
CAVERSHAM – Library, Church Street RG4 8AU. Games club. 10.30amnoon. Free. Details: 0118
937 5103.
EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6
7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org
READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road RG30 1EE. Rhymetime. 10am and 11.15am. Booking essential. Details: 0118
937 5100.
READING – Reading Minster Church, Chain Street RG1 2HX. Easter Bach to Baby Family Concert in Reading. 11am-11.45am. £15 per adult and up to two children. Details: www. bachtobaby.com
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: www.progresstheatre. co.uk.
RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road RG7 1SP. Wellington Country Easter Eggstravaganza includes crafts, dancing, Big Top show, train rides, treasure hunts and more. 9.30am-4.30pm. Details: wellingtoncountrypark. co.uk
WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.
WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org
Saturday, April 15
CROWTHORNE – Royal British Legion, Wellington Road RG45 7LJ. Quiz night. 8pm. Details: 01344 772161.
PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. The Mad Monkey Improv Show. £5. 8.30pm. Details: 0118 969 98978.
READING – Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Reading Farmers Market. 8.15amnoon. Details: www. thamesvalleyfarmers market.co.uk
READING – Kings Meadow, Napier Road RG1 8AB. Easter themed Kidical Mass ride: 4km route for families. 1pm. Details: https://kidicalmassreading. co.uk
READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1
3BQ. Welcome to Reading coffee morning: learn about New Directions, RVA Ready Friends and the Sunday Alternative. Free, drop-in event. 11am-1pm.
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL.
Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: www.progresstheatre. co.uk.
READING – Tutu’s Ethiopian Table, Palmer Park, Wokingham Road RG6 1LF. Dreading Slam presents Poetry in the Park. 11am. Details: 0118 966 3938.
READING – Waterstones, Broad Street RG1 2AP. Iszi
Lawrence book signing: The Time Machine Next Door. 11am and 3pm. £3 per ticket, with £3 discount on book. Booking essential. Details: 0118 958 1270 or www.waterstones.com/ events.
RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road RG7 1SP. Wellington Country Easter Eggstravaganza includes crafts, dancing, Big Top show, train rides, treasure hunts and more. 9.30am-4.30pm. Details: wellingtoncountrypark. co.uk
WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.
Details: linkvisiting.org
WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org
Sunday, April 16
EARLEY – Wokingham Waterside Centre, Thames Valley Park Drive. Saturn Events presents the Yabba Dabba Run: seven-hour event starting at 9.30am. Run at least three laps for a half marathon, six for a marathon and seven or more for an ultra. Details: https://www.evententry. co.uk/saturn-yabba-dabbarun
READING – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue RG1 6JE. The Way ministry presents a warm bank: Free hot meal, free fresh and frozen food from our community fridge.
4.30pm-6pm. Details: 0118
950 5661.
READING – The Biscuit Factory, Broad St Mall, Queen’s Walk RG1 7QE.
Reading Film Theatre presents A Fish Called Wanda (15). Details: readingfilmtheatre.co.uk.
RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road RG7 1SP.
Wellington Country Easter Eggstravaganza includes crafts, dancing, Big Top show, train rides, treasure hunts and more. 9.30am-4.30pm. Details: wellingtoncountrypark.
co.uk
WOKINGHAM
and vintage street market. 10am-4pm. Details: acvrevents.co.uk
Monday, April 17
ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.
9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org
BINFIELD – The Foxes’ Den, Benetfeld Road RG42
4EW. Binfield Community Choir fre taster session.
8pm-9.30pm. £5 per session. Details: www.facebook.com/ BinfieldCommunityChoir
BINFIELD – King’s Academy, Wood Lane RG42
4EX. Arts Society
Wokingham presents Picasso’s Guernica: an illustrated talk by Paul Chapman examining this famous painting.
7.45pm. Details: www. TheArtsSocietyWoking ham. org.uk
CROWTHORNE – Baptist Church, High Street RG45 7AT. Coffee Stop for Ukrainian refugees and their hosts: socialise and take part in English lessons. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: 01344 761725.
READING – St Mary’s Church, Castle Street RG1 7RD. Berkshire
Industrial Archaeology Group talk :A History of Woodley. 7.30pm.£2.50 for refreshments. Details: http://biag.org.uk
TILEHURST – Library, School Road RG31 5AS. Rhymetime. 9.45am and 10.45am Booking essential.
Details: 0118 937 5112.
WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.
Details: linkvisiting.org
WOODLEY – Woodley Baptist Church, Hurricane Way RG5 4UX. Four Seasons cafe Friendship Table. 1.30pm-3.30pm.
Details: linkvisiting.org
Tuesday, April 18
CAVERSHAM – Library, Church Street RG4 8AU. Rhymetime. 10.15am10.45am and 11.15am11.45am. Booking essential. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.
CROWTHORNE – Two Sisters, High Street RG45 7AF. Menopause Cafe. 4pm. Details: 01344 772807
EARLEY – Earley St Peter’s Church Hall, Church Road RG6 1EY. East Reading Horticultural Society meeting: Fushcias with Joy Craig. 7.45pm for 8pm.
Details: www.erhs.org.uk
EARLEY – Earley CResCent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. Friendship table. 2pm-3pm. Details: linkvisiting.org.
FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre Cafe, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. Friendship table. 10amnoon. linkvisiting.org
FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. Art group. 1pm-3pm. £3 per session. Details: 0118 973 2484.
PANGBOURNE – Library, Reading Road. Family History at Pangbourne Library. Third Tuesday of the month, learn to use Ancestry for your personal research.. 10.30am-noon. Booking essential. Details: 0118 984 4117.
READING – Milk, Merchants Place RG1 1DT. Comedy Club. £8. 7pm. Details: milkreading.com
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: www.progresstheatre. co.uk.
READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Walk Around Woodley with historian Ann Smith, a circular walk around Woodley, looking at Woodley’s listed buildings, the forge, pub, and what remains of Miles Aircraft and aviation heritage. The walk will last around 2 hours. 2pm-4pm. £5, £4 members. Details: 0118 950 9553.
READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Rhymetime. Booking essential. 10.30am. Details: 0118 937 5950.
SOUTHCOTE – Library, Southcote Community Hub, Coronation Square RG30 3QP. Coffee morning. 10.30am11.30am. Details: 0118 937 5109.
WHITLEY – Library, South Reading Community Hub, 252 Northumberland Avenue, RG2 7QA. Berkshire mini maestros. 2.30pm-3pm. Details: 0118 937 5115.
WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. CLASP Wokingham cafe with Friendship table. 10am-noon. Every third and fourth Tuesday of the month. Details: linkvisiting.
org
WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Wokingham Art Society meeting: Colin Brown, a demonstration of cityscapes in acryulics. £3, £5 non-members. 7.30pm9.30pm
WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
Wednesday, April 19
EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe with Friendship Table. 2pm4pm. Details: linkvisiting.
org
EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Barberettes fizz and sing social event. 7.45pm. Details: 07917 205605.
READING – Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square, Reading RG1 3BE. The History of Reading Society: Paul Joyce talk: The Black Arts in Reading: the story of our local printing industry. 7.30pm. Visitors £2. No need to book, just turn up on the night. Details: www. historyofreadingsociety. org.uk or email historyofreadingsociety@ yahoo.com
READING – The Biscuit Factory, Broad St Mall, Queen’s Walk RG1 7QE. Reading Film Theatre presents A Fish Called Wanda (15). Details: readingfilmtheatre.co.uk.
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: www.progresstheatre. co.uk.
TWYFORD – URC Hall, Church Street, RG10 9DR. Twyford Arts Group Life Drawing Sessions. 7pm. Details: www. twyfordartgroup.co.uk
WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – Martin & Pole Acution House, Milton Road RG40 1DB. Antique and Vintage Furniture, Pictures, Collectables, Ceramics, Glass, Silver and Jewellery sale. 10am. Details: https:// www.martinpole.co.uk/ antique-auctions/
Thursday, April 20
EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road RG30 1EE. Coffee morning. 10amnoon. Details: 0118 937 5100.
READING – Palmer Park Library, St Bartholomew’s Road RG1 3QB. Rhymetime. Booking essential. 10.30am. Details: 0118 937 5106.
READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Rhymetime. Booking essential. 10.15am and 11.15. Details: 0118 937 5950.
READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Family History Advice Clinic for family and social historians. 11am. Free. Details: 0118 950 9553.
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: www.progresstheatre. co.uk.
SPENCERS WOOD – Spencers
Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY.
Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org
SOUTHCOTE – Library, Southcote Community Hub, Coronation Square RG30 3QP. Rhymetime. 9.45am. Booking essential.
Details: 0118 937 5109.
TILEHURST – Library, School Road RG31 5AS. Rhymetime. 2.15pm
Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5112.
WHITECHURCH – Tollhurst Organic, West Lodge. Hardwick’s Modern History with Michael Radley, author of The Real Mr Toad, plus Miriam Rose and more. £3 suggested donation. 7.30pm. Details: search Hardwick’s Modern History on Facebook.
WHITLEY – Library, South Reading Community Hub, 252 Northumberland Avenue, RG2 7QA. Rhymetime. 11am. Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5115.
WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic lunch club with Friendship table. Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – Main hall, Baptist Church, Milton Road, RG40 1DE. Wokingham Literary Society: AGM and planning session. 7.30pm. Annual Subscription is £15. Non-members, £2 per meeting. Details: wokinghamliterarysociety. org.uk
WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Wokingham Film Society presents: The Worst Person in the World (15). £6.50, £4 members. 7.30pm. Details: wokinghamfilmsociety.com
WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club meeting Treasure Hunt. 7.30pm. Details: www. webcc.org.uk.
Friday, April 21
CAVERSHAM – Library, Church Street RG4 8AU. Games club. 10.30amnoon. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.
EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org
READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road RG30 1EE. Rhymetime. 10am and 11.15am. Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5100.
READING – Brewdog, Castle Street RG1 7SB. Mad Monkey Improv session. £5 in advance. Details: https:// www.madmonkeyimprov. co.uk/
READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Comedy at the Turtle with Ariella Souma, Katharyn Henson, Hatty Preston and Carl Richard.7.30pm. £15, £12.50 in advance. Details: 0118 959 7196.
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: www.progresstheatre. co.uk
SINDLESHAM – The Flavell, Sindlesham Court RG41 5EA. Quiz night. Teams of up to six. Bar from 6.30pm. £2 per person.
WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.
WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org
Saturday, April 22
BRADFIELD – Rushall Farm, Scratchface Lane RG7 6DL. Bluebell Walks in aid of Reading Multiple Sclerosis Society. 11am5pm. Views of Pang Valley, various routes available. Wear clothing and boots according to weather conditions. Refreshments available including hot and cold food. Suggested donation £5, £3 pensioners and children aged three upwards.
READING – Fobury Gardens. Reading Vegan Fiesta. 11am. Details: www. sparkleveganevents.com
READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Hard Jokes by One Away. Details: 0118 402 7800.
READING – Reading Minster Church, Chain Street RG1
2HX. AB WAlker Annual Service of Remembrance. 4pm. Refreshments served afterwards.
READING – Reading Minster Church, Chain Street RG1
2HX. Reading Bach Choir in concert with Aneesa Chaudhry. Proceeds shared with Turkey/Syria Earthquake appeal and Reading Minster Music Outreach project. 7.30pm. £5 plus booking fee. Details: https://rmvc.net/
READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre presents Dinner. 7.45pm. £14, concessions £11. Details: progresstheatre.co.uk
READING – The Warehouse, 1a Cumberland Road, Reading, RG1 3LB. Eid Festival 2023: street food, dessert stalls, arts and crafts, bouncy castle, magic show, henna stalls and more. 4pm-10pm. £5, £3 in advance. Details: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ booking/t-ojmarrk
SHINFIELD – Michael Malnick Centre, Leighton Park School, Shinfield Road RG2 7DE. Whiteknights Ensemble Chamber Music
Concert: Five Bagatelles –Gerald Finzi, Concerto da Camera – Michael Hurd, Disco Toccata – Guillaume Connesson, Clarinet Quintet in B minor –Johannes Brahms. 7pm. £10, under 18s/students £5. Details: https://www. whiteknightsensemble. org.uk/
READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Non Canon & Suzannah Evans – Music & Poetry. 2pm. £7 and booking fee. Details: 0118 986 6788.
TILEHURST – Reading Music Centre, Stoneham Court, 100 Cockney Hill RG30 4EZ. Berkshire Maestros present a Come and Sing event for years 6-9. 2.30pm4.30pm. Programme includes songs from ABBA musical Mamma Mia. Details/booking: berkshiremaestros.org.uk
WOKINGHAM – Bond Brews, South Barns, Gardeners Green Farm, Heathlands Road. Bond Brew Tap Yard party. Noon-6pm. Details: bondbrews.co.uk
WOKINGHAM – The Holt School, Holt Lane RG41 1EE. Wokingham Choral Society come and sing – Greatest Choral Hits. 10.30am-3.30pm, concert at 3.30pm. Bring own lunch. Hot drinks provided. £30 on the day, £25 in advance. Concert tickets £5. Details: www. wokingham-choral-society. org.uk.
WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org
WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org
Sunday, April 23
BRADFIELD – Rushall Farm, Scratchface Lane RG7 6DL. Bluebell Walks. 11am-5pm. Suggested donation £5, £3 pensioners and children aged three up. READING – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue RG1 6JE. The Way ministry presents a warm bank. 4.30pm-6pm. Details: 0118 950 5661.
READING – All Saints Church Hall, Devonshire Square, Brownlow Road RG1 6NP. Singing Workshop & Concert with Aneesa Chaudhry. 10am-1pm workshop. 2pm-4pm concert. Workshop £45, concert £15. Details: aneesachaudhry.com
READING – Prospect Park, Liebenrood Road RG30 2ND. Reading Eid Fest –Jashn-e-’eid. 1pm-8pm. Shopping, henna, singing, children’s shows, fun fair, food. Details: readingeid. org/tickets
WOKINGHAM – Elms Field, Elms Road RG40 2NL. Wokingham Lions present Wokingham Walk: routes of five-, 10- and 15-miles, plus a five-mile accessible route. From 9am. £15, £5 for ages 12-17, free under 12s. Details: www. wokinghamwalk.co.uk
1. The characters Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins appear in which classic adventure novel?
2. In monetary terms, how much is a ‘monkey’ worth to a Cockney?
3. Which country granted independence to Iceland in 1944?
4. What name is given to a number that can’t be expressed as a fraction or a ratio?
5. What type of creature is a merganser?
6. Joe Cullen is an English professional in which sporting field?
7. How does a chiromancer tell fortunes?
8. The hit films The Fifth Element, Lucy and The Transporter were all directed by which Frenchman?
9. Which is the largest marine shipping canal to have no locks?
10. What F is an item of furniture that requires the buyer to assemble it?
7 6
3 9 3
5 3 11 9 2
8 2
Here are two miniature five-square crosswords using the same grid –but the letters have been mixed up. You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.
3. Peruse article about stringing beads (9)
7. Is able to produce part of poem (5)
8. Surprisingly retrieves from northern waterway (5,4)
9. Girl takes small part that is not suitable (5)
10. Dismiss the bank employee (7)
13. Last month took alternative furnishings (5)
14. Heather’s Latin alter ego (5)
16. Posh vessel found under water (1-4)
17. Sticking with temporary housing (7)
21. Entice casual worker before end of August (5)
22. A girl more confused by the rambling account (9)
23. Run out at noise made by sculptor (5)
24. Horse will flag first in county (9)
1. Pastoral (7)
5. Barrels (5)
(3)
(7)
animal (5)
Place the four signs (add, subtract, multiply, divide) one in each circle so that the total of each across and down line is the same. Perform the first calculation in each line first and ignore the mathematical law which says you should always perform division and multiplication before addition and subtraction.
1. Uncle Rod’s upset the rascal (9)
2. Peerless when without the other sock perhaps? (9)
3. Anguish or utter chaos (7)
4. Len is taken in by each girl (5)
5. Language that is incomprehensible even when repeated! (5)
6. It is pleasant to hold oriental girl (5)
10. Many cod-like fish act like barnacles (5)
11. Cause trouble with trendy sideboard (9)
12. Others make a sound by saying it again (9)
15. Stern south wind on the point (7)
18. In Windsor I bicycled past an antelope (5)
19. Morning spent in canal to find the full extent (5)
20. Point upwards? (5)
1. Blear (anag.) (5)
2. Artificial waterway (5)
3. Wash clothes (7)
4. Tooth decay (6)
5. Stringed instrument (5) 6. Deprives of food (7)
How many words of four letters or more can you make from this Nonagram? Each word must use the central letter, and each letter may be used only once. At least one word using all nine letters can be found.
Guidelines:
Any word found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible with the following exceptions: proper nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and possessives; third person singular verbs; hyphenated words; contractions and abbreviations; vulgar slang words; variant spellings of the same word (where another variant is also eligible).
1 I 234567891011
C 1213
S 14151617181920212223242526
Each number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares.
As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.
Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.
9 8 652 7 427 6 81 2 3 9 58 2 79 8 5 2 1 4 7 89 2 63 9
Egg yolk is rich in cholesterol.
It has therefore led to some debate about whether people with raised cholesterol levels should eat them or whether they’ll considerably increase blood cholesterol levels.
However, experts agree that dietary cholesterol, such as that found in eggs, has much less of an effect on the level of cholesterol in your blood compared to the amount of saturated fat you are consuming.
How people cook eggs varies widely and what people use to cook eggs in can differ too. We recommend poaching, boiling or baking your eggs to limit your use of oils and fats when cooking.
What we eat eggs with matters too, for example, consuming poached eggs with wholegrain bread and some vegetables is much more healthful than consuming them as part of a greasy fry-up which lacks fibre.
Eggs are an affordable source of protein and are rich in vitamins and minerals.
It’s therefore perfectly healthy to include them as part of a balanced diet.
As with many diet recommendations, the key is moderation and not consuming one thing in excess.
Specifically, in relation to cholesterol, we should focus more on reducing our consumption of saturated fat rather than worrying about the cholesterol in eggs.
n To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our healthy recipes from our website: https:// heartresearch.org.uk/ heart-research-ukrecipes-2/
La’De Kitchen
Reading Road, Pangbourne RG8 7LR
0118 327 9143
pangbourne.ladekitchen.com
IT’S nice to go out for dinner on a Tuesday evening, it feels special and a real treat.
There’s a restaurant I’ve wanted to visit with my husband in Pangbourne called La’de Kitchen, which specialises in Mediterranean cuisine.
I’ve visited a few times before with friends and family so was familiar with the menu, and knew what I wanted before we even arrived.
There were a few people already there, ensuring the ambiance was lovely.
My husband perused the menu, his appetite whetted by the description of the halloumi starter (£6.90): four pieces of charcoal-grilled halloumi, dressed in olive oil.
I chose Olives (£4), they arrived, both green and black and dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.
AQUESTION I’m often asked is ‘what counts as kindness?’ To some extent, if the recipient feels that someone has been kind to them, that’s good enough for me. But I do understand that some people want to have a more exact definition.
I decided to do some research and find out what other people say it means to them.
On their website, the Mental Health Foundation says that kindness is choosing to do something that helps others or yourself, motivated by genuine warm feelings.
In an interview for my kindness blog, Cllr Rachel Eden, Mayor of Reading, described kindness as being when you choose to do something you don’t have to do, just because you know it is a positive thing for another human being.
Claudia Hammond, a broadcaster, author and university researcher from the Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness, describes kindness as the act of doing something with the intention of benefitting someone else. To her the conscious intent is an important component.
Although there are some similar elements to these descriptions, they are not exactly the same. I turned to dictionary definitions to see if I could find something that matched more closely. Interestingly, they don’t completely agree either:
Collins Dictionary - Kindness is the quality of being gentle, caring, and helpful.
Oxford Languages Dictionary – Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
Where do we see it?
I find kindness stories endlessly fascinating and I love the way that they crop up in many different areas of our lives. When I look back through the examples that have been sent in to me and my team at Time for Kindness, I see stories covering home, family, strangers, work colleagues, shop environments and so much more.
We also sometimes hear about times when our readers have shown themselves kindness, an area that it can be all too easy to overlook.
To our delight, freshly baked bread and goats’ cheese crumble were served as a complimentary treat, which proved to be a deliciously moreish appetiser.
For our main courses, I opted for the Lamb Beyti (£17.90), seasoned minced lamb grilled and wrapped in lavash bread and toasted, and served with a choice of chips, bulgar or pilav rice and salad, hung yoghurt, and Halep sauce to accompany my dish, I chose the rice.
Mark chose the chicken kulbasti (£17.90): marinated chicken thigh that was then chargrilled. He chose to chips as his accompaniment.
The portions are very generous and so a dessert wasn’t really needed but I was intrigued to try the traditional Turkish pudding on the menu, Kunefe served with ice cream (£7.90).
This comprises crispy, cheese-filled layers of kadayif with a layer of mild, stretchy cheese sandwiched between layers of buttery, chopped kadayif. The dish was sprinkled with
chopped pistachios, making for a unique dessert that initially divided our opinions.
However, the intriguing flavours and textures kept us coming back for more, and we polished off the portion, which could easily have been shared between two people.
To finish, Mark ordered a coffee while I had a refreshing mint tea.
The staff were attentive throughout the meal, regularly checking in to ensure everything was to our liking.
During the evening the restaurant became busy for a Tuesday night, however, based on the delicious meals I can’t say I’m surprised.
Overall, La’de Kitchen is a mustvisit restaurant for its delectable Mediterranean menu, attentive staff, and delightful ambiance.
We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a night out filled with flavoursome food and quality service.
It also has branches in Woodley, Camberley, and Muswell Hill.
So, there isn’t an exact science to where we see kindness either. It really is all around us.
Keep it simple
With so many different parts, is there a risk that we can over-complicate matters?
If we analyse kindness and what it means too closely, perhaps it could stop us from taking action at all.
People are sometimes put off by thinking that kindness has to come in big, grand gestures. But time and again the stories I come across show the positive impact of even the smallest acts – from smiling at someone in the street to holding a door open for a colleagues or recommending a good book to a friend.
They each match some elements of the definitions I’ve listed, but not all of them.
My view is that when it comes down to it, how you define kindness isn’t the most important thing.
As long as we are treating each other and ourselves well, in a way that the recipient receives as positive, that is what matters.
What do you think?
Sarah Browning is a Kindness Cheerleader, Communicator and Strategist. For more details, log on to:
READING FC has sacked Paul Ince as manager with the club facing the threat of relegation from the Championship.
The Royals are in 22nd position and a point away from safety having
GOALKEEPER Joe Lumley has urged everyone to ‘stick together’ as Reading FC face an arduous task to try and stave off relegation. The Royals are currently in 22nd position, occupying the final spot in the drop zone with five matches left to play.
Lumley was impressed with Reading’s work rate against Preston and believes his teammates battled hard despite falling to a late defeat.
He said: “I think the boys put in a hell of a shift against a very good team in Preston.
“It’s a tough one to take.
“From a set piece at the end where we have to see it out and defend it. As a whole team, we’ve got to win our headers.
“The first one, maybe I should do better, but we’ve all got to do better on the second one.
“Now there’s five games to go. We’ll battle hard and give it our all.”
Lumley, who is on loan for the season from Middlesbrough, has impressed during his spell in Berkshire and has put in some excellent displays throughout the campaign.
Despite his strong individual displays, Reading have now gone 19 Championship games without keeping a clean sheet.
Lumley continued: “It’s happened a lot throughout the season where we’ve dropped points late on.
“It’s about those small moments and details away from home.
not won in their last eight league matches.
After losing to a 92nd minute goal away at Preston, Reading remain in the bottom three with five matches left to play.
Reading’s dismal away form, compounded with a six point deduction from the EFL, has seen
them dragged into the relegation scrap in recent weeks.
After relegation rivals Huddersfield Town and QPR picked up a point each on Monday, the Reading board opted to pull the trigger on Ince.
Head of football operations
Mark Bowen said: “I would like to
thank Paul and Alex for their efforts throughout what has admittedly been a frustrating and exceptionally challenging season so far.
“The board will work diligently to identify the manager who is the best fit for this club going forward – a candidate capable of driving it towards a healthier, brighter future.”
“We need everyone to stick together and need the fans more than ever. We’ll keep fighting.
“We’ve got home games on the horizon and we need the fans right behind us in those games. There’s still 15 points to play for. So let’s get a couple of wins and get the points we need to stay up.”
By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today
South
BRACKNELL TOWN enjoyed an outstanding week with three wins in three matches.
The Robins started their run of fixtures in quick succession with a 3-2 victory over Metropolitan Police.
Goals from Jordan Esprit and Kameron English had the game level at 2-2 before Joe Grant
popped up with a dramatic winner in the 90th minute.
That was followed up with an away triumph at Swindon Supermarine on Saturday, Grant and Ethan Burden were on the scoresheet to secure a 2-1 success.
Bracknell then rounded off their flawless week with a Monday win over Beaconsfield Town.
Esprit, Gary Abisogun and Mickel Platt netted in the 3-1 win which sees Bracknell in second on 81 points.
They are five points behind leaders Weston-super-Mare with a game in hand with four games left to play.
Isthmian South Central
BINFIELD were on the end of a defeat in a seven goal contest away at Uxbridge on Saturday.
Goals from Brad Pagliaroli, Conor Lynch and Liam Gavin weren’t enough as the Moles lost 4-3.
Binfield are in seventh
position on 53 points with three games left.
Combined Counties
Premier North ASCOT UNITED made it a weekend to remember as they stretched their lead at the top of the table to put them on the brink of being crowned as champions.
The Yellas put three past Harefield United without reply on Saturday with strikes from Louis Bouwers, Brendan
Matthew and Kai Walters.
Ascot then built on that display by smacking five past Wallingford & Crowmarsh in a clinical first-half.
Goals from Marcus Mealing, Harry Laflin, Alfie Grant, Marcus Mealing and Sean McCormack saw them cruise to a 5-0 scoreline.
Ascot are now 17 points in front at the top with five games to go.
READING CITY suffered two back to back costly defeats to all but end their chances of
winning the title. Josh Baines put City ahead against Egham, but the hosts turned the game around to win 2-1.
Lamin Sankoh and Tyler D’Cruz scored for the Cityzens against Holyport in a 3-2 defeat on Monday. Reading are in second position on 70 points.
Combined Counties Division One
EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA
MANY years ago, I wrote in my column that the problem with BBC’s Match of the Day was that when they had discussions on laws, there was only the football pundits to give their view and they were invariably wrong, thus misleading the viewers.
I suggested that they had someone on the programme who understood the Laws of the Game.
To my surprise, the next Tuesday, I received a call from the producer of the programme, who said they had discussed my suggestion at their Monday meeting, and it was agreed that they should contact Keith Hackett, then head of Premier League referees, to see if anything could be arranged.
Keith told me later that he never received such a call.
I remembered this when watching Sky Sports recently, who of course employ ex-Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, to give his view on contentious decisions.
They discussed an incident in the Liverpool v Manchester City match when City’s Rodrigo brought down Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, having already received a yellow card.
maintained their amazing scoring form by putting six past Bagshot in an emphatic win.
Having scored nine at Bagshot away just a few days prior, the Boars ensured they took another comprehensive victory on Monday. With six different scorers, a scintillating attacking display saw Troy Baker, Brad Brown, Ashley Howes, Jatinder Liddar, Ross Mckernan and Ben Anderson find the net.
BERKS COUNTY soared to the top of the table with an emphatic win over Cove on Tuesday night.
The Swords were in fine scoring form and ensured they now lead the race for the title with five games left to play.
Berks led 3-2 at the break and raced away with a clinical secondhalf display with four more goals to seal a 7-2 success.
Ellis Woods’ and Lee Simpson’s side have a two point advantage at the top with a game in hand over closest rivals London Samurai Rovers.
Thames Valley Premier League
YATELEY UNITED continued their perfect form by making it 17 wins from 17 games.
A double from Myles White ensured Yateley edged past BURGHFIELD with a 2-1 win.
WARGRAVE moved into sixth
By MARK ROZZIER sport@wokingham.today
WOODLEY UNITED completed its Easter programme going three games unbeaten by taking a deserved point against promotion play off chasing Westside.
The opening 10 minutes were even with little to trouble both defences and it was not until the 12th minute that the first save was made when Sam Dabinett denied the visitors’ Sergiu Bumbu.
Woodley scored first two minutes later when Dabinett took
place with a comfortable away win against READING CITY U23s.
Stuart Moss bagged a hat-trick, while Fred Kirby added to the scoreline to help Wargrave win 4-1.
Charles Twelftree semi-final
FINCHAMPSTEAD booked their place in the cup final after they defeated SB Phoenix with a clean sheet victory.
Aqeel Butt, Dylan Chaffin and Jacob Rebbeck ensured Finch made it through to the last two with a 3-0 success.
Thames Valley Division Two READING YMCA RAPIDS
TAKE
a free kick just inside the hosts’ half which Matthew Williamson outjumped the defence to head the ball to Sid Gbla to shoot past Seb Hunt in the Westside goal.
Hunt was then called upon to make a fine save tipping Mo Davies’ goal bound shot over the cross bar for a corner kick after half an hour before Dabinett made a comfortable save from a distance shot.
Four minutes before half-time, Joe Moriarty headed Dan Watkiss’ free kick over Hunt’s cross bar but with no further score United went into the half time break satisfied
maintained their pursuit for the title with a home win over TWYFORD & RUSCOMBE
A brace from Michael Porter and a goal from Jordan Sawyer helped YMCA to their 13th win in 14 games in what has been an incredible campaign BURGHFIELD RESERVES stay in second place after they got the better of Maidenhead Town A. Strikes from Leon Hewitt and Harry Peters ensured the Fielders amassed three points on their travels.
Thames Valley Division Three Binfield U23s 8-1 Reading City Development, Finchampstead Development 0-1 AFC Winkfield Reserves
with a much improved performance from that of the previous Saturday at Bagshot.
Seven minutes into the second half United was reduced to ten men when Tahir Carmichael was dismissed following a challenge.
With the advantage of an extra player, Westside started to apply pressure on the home defence and were rewarded in the 63rd minute.
A move that started from Hunt resulted in a cross from the right being met by substitute Dariush Heravi who got between the home team’s centre backs to volley the
ball pass Dabinett from close range. United rallied defending well and gained respite when Heravi was sinbinned after 76 minutes.
With both teams now reduced to ten men, United took the initiative with Gbla and Connor Suckling causing the Westside defenders problems with Hunt being called on to block a Gbla shot when the two were one on one with five minutes remaining.
Despite Westside returning to eleven players United saw out the remainder of the match for a welldeserved point.
The yellow card, said the presenter, is a final warning so he should have been sent off. Dermot Gallagher corrected him.
The yellow card, he said, is certainly not a final warning. He was right, it is not a final warning, but it is a warning, or to give it it’s correct name, a caution.
In fact, apart from being listed under essential referees’ equipment, red and yellow cards are not mentioned in the Laws of the Game.
Their use goes back to the 1966 World Cup, when the German referee sent off the Argentina captain Rattin in the quarter final against England.
Being a steward at Wembley for that match, I remember it well.
Rattin refused to leave, not understanding German or the English of Ken Aston who came on to try and get hm to leave.
On his way home, Ken Aston thought there must be a better way for it to be understood.
When stopping at traffic lights he had the idea to use yellow for a caution and red for sending off.
That’s what the cards are for, purely to show everyone what decision has been made.
That’s why it should be held high.
Today, referees at professional games tend to point at the player concerned whilst holding the card high.
What we were always taught was that for a caution you should take the players name, then caution them that any future fouls put them at risk of being sent off.
I always thought that this had more success than just raising a yellow card.
By STAFF WRITER sport@wokingham.today
THE fourth seeded Reading Rockets started their playoff run strongly, claiming a dominant 99-77 win over the Loughborough Riders.
It was a great team performance in front of another sold out Loddon Valley as six Rocket players had double digit points.
It was Jermiah Jenkins who led the team with 17 points on a solid 42% shooting. Fin Porter, who found himself in foul trouble, managed to have an incredibly effective 13 minutes, putting up 16 points, six rebounds and three steals.
The fifth seeded Riders would have felt strongly coming into the game despite being the road team, after beating the Rockets at Loddon Valley just one month ago.
It was Jenkins who got the home side going as the Riders mistakenly went under the screen and left Jenkins enough space to pull up from three and nail it.
This was the start of nine unanswered points as, all of a sudden, the Rocket lead was 11.
The second quarter would be stronger for both sides, but the story remained the same with Reading keeping Loughborough at arms reach.
Two tough layups by Porter and a pull-up three from Jenkins brought the lead to 11 just two minutes into the second quarter, and the lead would hover around this throughout the quarter.
The Rockets would answer every time the Riders brought it within single digits, whether it was a Lewis Champion three, a Troy Cracknell driving layup, or a Ben Dixon fastbreak layup, it was always bringing
the lead back to 11. That was until the end of the half. With 1.8 seconds left on the clock, the Rockets had the ball deep in their own half with Troy Cracknell on the sideline inbound.
Cracknell threw a pin point cross court pass to Jordan Jackson who, while fading away, put it up and in to beat the buzzer and bring the lead to 13. To the delight of the home crowd.
Jackson immediately got to work at the start of the third after Jenkins found him in the post, which is where Jackson went to work and got the first points of the second half.
Soon after, Champion leaked out to the right corner where Cracknell hit him for the open three. Which got even better when Elijah Bailey got a piece of Champion’s leg on the closeout, drawing a foul, which Lewis nailed for the
four-point play. The Rockets were humming in tune and the lead would soon hit 20 as Zack Powell picked the pocket of Harrison Gamble and finished the fastbreak with a two handed slam.
The lead would hit as high as 25 for the Rockets but the quarter ended with Reading up 71-50. But neither team were content on finishing the game without a show for the fans.
Both teams scored their most points in a quarter in the fourth, with the Rockets tallying 28 and Loughborough hitting 27. The Rockets had held the Riders to under 20 points each quarter before this point. It was a great show in the final home game of the season for the Rockets, with the final buzzer hitting with the score 99-77. The Rockets next take on undefeated Hemel Storm.
By RICHARD OXLEY sport@wokingham.todayREADING Royals celebrated their ten-year anniversary in style as their men’s team secured the FA NFS Tier 2 Midlands/South West title at Bradfield College.
It is the highest honour the club has received to date, and now gives them the opportunity to confirm promotion to Tier One if they are successful in the play-offs.
Despite dominating possession, Reading found their attack thwarted by Bedford’s inspired keeper. It would take 10 minutes for top scorer Josh Gillespie to eventually break the deadlock.
The score remained 1-0 through half-time, despite several oneon-one and open goal chances. Royals continued to push, and were
eventually rewarded with a fiveminute burst midway through the second half, which saw goals from Dan Abrahamson, Seth Burkett and a second from Gillespie.
A consolation from Bedford made it 4-1, encouraging Royals to keep possession and see the clock tick down in the final moments.
Captain Phil Lant said: “To win the league in the club’s 10th year is special. It’s been a strong league to play in, there have been some fantastic games and we had to overcome different challenges along the way. We will continue to work hard to achieve our goals. Bring on the play-offs.”
Royals now conclude their league campaign away at Loughborough Students B at the end of April before their first play-off game against North champions Derby.
READING FC remain in the Championship relegation zone after Preston North End found a stoppage time winner through Brad Potts.
Brad Potts headed the hosts ahead in stoppage time after Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan netted his first Championship goal to get the Royals level in the 83rd minute.
Having gone eight games without a win, Paul Ince’s team are in the bottom three with five games to go.
The Royals are one point behind 21st Cardiff City and a point behind QPR and Huddersfield.
Paul Ince tinkered with his line-up after the Royals made it three successive draws after their stalemate with Birmingham City at home on Friday.
Yakou Meite missed out on the squad with injury, while Nesta Guinness-Walker, Scott Dann and Mamadou Loum freshened up the starting 11.
Starting the day in the bottom three, Reading were on a run of seven games without a win prior to their trip to Deepdale with a dreadful away record throughout the campaign having not won on the road since November.
It was very much backs to the wall for the visitors throughout the first-half.
Reading struggled to get a foothold in the game and lacked the impetus to keep hold of the
ball, gifting possession back to their opponents far too often.
Preston had plenty of the ball and half the Royals camped deep in their own half for the majority of the opening 45 minutes.
The first opening came when
Brad Potts drifted away from his marker to make a surging run at the near post and headed wide from Andrew Hughes’ whipped cross.
The home team went close on numerous occasions firstly through Tom Cannon who almost converted a sweeping attack after they tried to capitalise on a Cesare Casadei slip
only to evade Joe Lumley’s far post by a matter of inches.
A rare Reading attack forward was ignited after an excellent surging run from Guinness-Walker which ended with a wayward crossfield pass from captain Andy Yiadom as the Royals’ frustration in attack continued.
Preston were left wondering how they didn’t get in front when the Royals defence managed to scramble the ball off the line following a corner.
Reading got into the break unscathed, but needing to threaten more at the other end to have any chance of picking up a positive result.
Naby Sarr picked up a caution quickly after the restart for upending Troy Parrott.
Preston took a deserved lead in the 56th minute when the ball broke for Cannon in the box and he slotted it past Lumley to make it 1-0 and extended Reading’s wait for a clean sheet.
Reading almost came up with a quick response, but their celebrations were cut short when Scott Dann had the ball in the net after he had strayed offside.
Dann was next to go in the referee’s notebook after he scythed down Potts who was bearing down on the Royals’ box.
Potts unleashed a powerful hit after being teed up from the resulting free-kick which needed Lumley to keep focused to clasp the ball.
Cannon used his pace to break in
behind Reading’s defence and would have out his team 2-0 up had it not been for the palm of Lumley who saved brilliantly to keep him out.
With 20 minutes to try and get back in the game, Ince made a triple change.
Andy Carroll, Tom Holmes and Loum were replaced by Tyrese Fornah, Femi Azeez and Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan.
With 82 minutes on the clock, Reading tested goalkeeper Freddie Woodman for the first time when a stinging shot from Jeff Hendrick was turned behind for a corner.
Just when all hope looked lost, Reading somehow clawed back a leveller when GuinnessWalker’s long throw looped in from Ehibhatiomhan’s header.
Lumley came up with a pivotal save in the 88th minute with a reflex stop to deny Potts with time running out.
But in stoppage time, Reading received a gut punch when Preston deservedly regained their lead when Potts headed in from close range.
Preston: Woodman, Storey, Lindsay, Hughes, Whiteman, Potts, Onomah, Johnson, Fernandez, Parrott, Cannon Subs: Bauer, Brady, Ledson, Woodburn, Diaby, Cornell, Slater
Reading: Lumley, Yiadom, Holmes, Sarr, Dann, Guinness-Walker, Loum, Hendrick, Casadei, Carroll, Joao
Subs: Azeez, Fornah, Mbengue, Abrefa, BoyceClarke, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig
Goals: Cannon 56’, Ehibhatiomhan 83’, Potts 90+2’
READING FC manager Paul Ince believes that ‘lack of concentration’ cost the Royals defeat after they conceded in stoppage time at Preston.
The Royals remain in the Championship relegation zone, a point from safety with five games to go.
“Lack of concentration and it’s not the first time it’s happened,” said Ince when questioned why his team conceded late in the game.
“When you get back in the game as we did, you’ve got to learn to see out games.
“We don’t win the first header. We don’t win the second header.
“It’s great that Kelvin (Ehibhatiomhan) got his equaliser and you’ve got to learn to hold on, but we lacked quality and mental toughness to do that.
“We haven’t got the character to see out games. We make silly mistakes and decision. They’re costing us time and time again.
“If I’d have been playing in this team, some of the things you do, I’d be right on you because you wouldn’t get away with it, but you seem to let them get away with it and no-one says a word. That’s about leadership qualities and character.
“If people are making bad decisions, then get onto them, don’t just say it’s okay to do that because
it’s not.
“The only voice you could probably hear on the pitch was Dannsy (Scott Dann) and I’m thinking wow, some of the things we’re doing.
“We all make mistakes, me more than most, but some of the decision-making.
“It can’t always come from me, it’s got to come from the players on the pitch because ultimately they cost us time and time again. They’re costing us time and time again.”
Ince admitted that his side were fortunate to still be in the match with 10 minutes to go when Ehibhationmhan levelled in the 83rd minute, but was left frustrated at the way they lost the match.
Ince continued: “I’m really frustrated. The boys are fighting for their lives.
“Joe (Lumley) kept us in the game and made some wonderful saves.
“We didn’t deserve it (the draw) and we rode our luck. You get that
luck and think ‘let’s see it out’.
“There’s nothing you can do about it as a manager.
“The threat of relegation has always been there as long as the six points has been hanging over our head. The timing is diabolical.
“We’re still in it. We can surprise teams. We haven’t got depth which makes it tough. Who knows what can happen.”
When questioned about his future at the club, Ince remained adamant that he is the right man to try and keep the team in the league.
“If you bring someone else in I’m not sure what’s going to change.
“It’s not like the lads aren’t fighting.
“I’ve got absolutely no qualms about that. We’re in this position we’ve been put into.
“You’ve got to think how unfair that is to me and the players.
“You could get Pep (Guardiola) in here, you could get Klopp in here. It wouldn’t be any different.”
READING
brighter future’ for the club in the summer.
The Royals decided to terminate Paul Ince’s contract as manager with five games left in the Championship season and the team currently in the relegation places.
Reading are one point off safety having gone eight games without a win in the league.
Bowen has stated that the club will begin its search for a new boss at the end of the season, while under 21s manager Noel Hunt has been placed in charge of the first-team until the end of the current campaign.
““I would like to thank Paul and Alex for their efforts throughout what has admittedly been a frustrating and exceptionally challenging season so far,” said Bowen.
“We would like to wish them well in their future endeavours.
“The board will work diligently to identify the manager who is the best fit for this football club going forward – a candidate capable of driving it towards a healthier, brighter future.
“However, for the next five games, our only focus is on doing everything we can to survive this season.
“Put simply, that means everyone –from myself, to the staff, to the supporters –lending all their support to Noel, Eddie, James and the first team players as we go into five crucially important games at the end of our 2022-23 campaign.”
Joe Lumley
Couldn’t have done an awful lot with Jutkiewicz’s bullet header and was pretty solid all-round.
Andy Yiadom
Positive, with some nice forays down Reading’s left, particularly in the first half. Was largely able to contain the dangerous Chong.
Tom Holmes
Solid at the heart of the back four. Acquitted himself well against Blues’ front line.
Naby Sarr
Failed to track Jutkiewicz for City’s equaliser, but it was otherwise a relatively good performance from the centre-half.
Amadou Mbengue
Never fully got on top of the battle with Khadra on Reading’s right. Grew into the game in what was a typically dynamic outing.
Jeff Hendrick
A tidy showing from the midfielder, who worked well with Casadei to establish a degree of control in the centre of the park.
Tyrese Fornah
Deployed on the left of Reading’s midfield, giving his side robustness in midfield. A little slow to deliver crosses from wide positions.
By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.todayREADING FC dropped into the relegation places after they could only manage a draw at home to Birmingham City on Good Friday.
The Royals got off to the perfect start when Andy Carroll rounded off a sweeping team move after seven minutes.
Played an incisive pass into Joao to set up Carroll’s opener. Controlled the ball well to ensure Reading retained possession.
Yakou Meite
Wasn’t at his best this afternoon, clearly hampered by injury. Industrious nonetheless. Replaced by Azeez.
Lucas Joao
Showed great awareness to assist the first goal. Worked hard in and out of possession and cannot be faulted for a lack of effort.
Andy Carroll
Took his goal well and won the vast majority of his aerial duels. Battled hard and contributed on both ends of the pitch.
Cesare Casadei Substitutes
Nesta Guinness-Walker: N/A
6 7
6 7 6
7 6 6
The Blues replied just before the half hour mark when Lucas Jutkiewicz towered high and planted a header past Joe Lumley.
Paul Ince vowed to switch to a more attacking system with the team in desperate need of points after being deducted six by the EFL on Tuesday Lucas Joao, Yakou Meite and Andy Carroll all started in attack in a positive looking line-up.
6 5
With seven minutes on the clock, Reading got off to a flying start to inject some energy into the home crowd and ease the nerves around the ground.
Cesare Casadei shaped to shoot from distance, but instead played a disguised through ball into the path of Lucas Joao who flicked it back for Andy Carroll and he thumped the ball into the far corner after making a sweet connection with his left boot.
The Royals relinquished control which led to some chances for the away side.
Krystian Bielik was first to have a shot on goal for the visitors when he hit a low drive from just outside the area that was easily claimed by Joe Lumley.
Reading had to withstand some pressure as Amadou Mbengue did well to deal with a cross that was
READING: Lumley, Yiadom (c), Holmes, Sarr, Mbengue, Fornah, Hendrick, Casadei, Meite, Carroll, Joao
SUBS: Bouzanis, Dann, Guinness-Walker, Abrefa, Craig, Azeez, Ehibhatiomhan
BIRMINGHAM CITY: Ruddy (c), Colin, Roberts, Long, Trusty, Chang, Bielik. Khadra, Chong, Jutkiewicz, Hall
SUBS: Etheridge, Dean, James, Hannibal, Bacuna, Bellingham, Hogan
GOALS: Carroll 7’, Jutkiewicz 29’
off to such a good start and looked like we were going to get two or three and then went passive and started to sit back.
whipped into a dangerous position by Tahith Chong.
The spell of pressure eventually told and the Blues were level when Lukas Jutkiewicz was afforded time and space in the box to rise highest to meet Reda Khadra’s cross and showed his aerial prowess by powering a header past Lumley.
The hosts almost came up with a quick response when Joao tried to latch onto a ball into the box, but it just ran out of his reach and went on through to goalkeeper
John Ruddy.
Tyrese Fornah continued to show persistence and energy down the left to fire in crosses towards his forwards and one of which ended with an appeal for a penalty when Jeff Hendrick’s tame shot hit a Birmingham body, but the referee waved away the appeals.
The team went in level at the break with it all to play for in the next 45 minutes.
Reading caused chaos in the box with a couple of long throws from
You’ve got to keep picking points up. It’s another point away from wigan and blackpool.
withdrawn through injury.
The
Andy Carroll’s goal got them off to the ideal start before Lukas Jutkiewicz headed in the leveller.
“No. Why would it feel like a defeat?” said Ince when questioned whether the result felt like a loss rather than point gained.
“I thought we were the better team and chances just didn’t fall for us.
“It’s a point well earned. We got
“We feel like we’ve got to defend it and start dropping deeper and letting them take control. That’s what happened.
“It’s disappointing because we needed a fast start and that’s what we did but we didn’t move on from there.”
Despite the high pressure nature of being involved in a relegation fight, Ince sent the message to his players to enjoy the challenge ahead of them.
He said: “I said to my players, ‘you can be the heroes, you can do something special to keep this team in the league’.
We’ve got a bit of a gap on them so it’s a straight fight between the teams above us.
“No matter what happens this team has done ever so well
“Due to these circumstances we need wins. We need to start creating chances and scoring goals.”
Ince also expressed his displeasure at the referee’s performance before he had to be
He continued: “I don’t want to moan at officials because we know it’s a tough job, but this referee it was his third game in the Championship.
“It’s not an experiment, this is the business part of the season. They have to have better referees than that. I wasn’t pleased.
He’s pulled his calf, so he said. Maybe he was getting so much stick from our punters that he thought he’d call it a day.
“I hope he’s OK, but at least if he’s pulled his calf he won’t be refereeing us this season.”
‘We were the better team’ Ince rues
READING FC will welcome thousands of young fans to the Select Car Leasing Stadium this weekend in the club’s latest schools and grassroots ticket giveaway.
The Royals will be hoping to host a bumper crowd in what will be Noel Hunt’s first game in charge of the team after taking charge until the end of the campaign with the side in vital need of points.
The club has run the campaign all throughout the season to give young children from schools and teams across the county the chance to watch live football.
The scheme has been a resounding success and has cheered the team on to three wins from three with victories over Huddersfield Town in October, Coventry City in December and Blackpool in February.
Tyrese Fornah tackles Tahith Chong
The final scheme of the campaign will see 11 groups offered the chance to win prizes.
The lucky winners will be given a batch of tickets for Reading v Wigan, a mascot place at a future match and a signed Reading FC football.
The 11 winners will be announced at halftime during the Burnley game on Saturday.
earn three points on Friday Pictures: Steve
Mbengue quickly after the restart, but weren’t able to convert it into a chance as Hendrick was unable to make a connection.
Carroll tried his luck with an optimistic effort from 25 yards that drifted low and was a simple enough take for Ruddy.
Some excellent work on the right from Meite to beat his marker and send a drilled cross to the back post ended with the chance going begging with no Royals player in the box to profit.
The Blues had their own penalty appeals denied by the referee when Jutkiewicz went down under the challenge of Mbengue after Fornah
had given the ball away cheaply. Lumley came to his team’s rescue to prevent Birmingham from snatching the lead after Chong sped past the Royals backline with the Royals keeper needing to stay firm at his front post to keep him out.
Ince’s first switch of the game with 20 minutes to go saw Femi Azeez replace Fornah on the left. With results going against Reading, they dropped down into the relegation places after being overtaken by Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town.
Next up for Reading is an Easter Monday trip away at Preston North End with the Royals needing points
to try and overtake 21st place QPR. After a change in referee which saw Jeremy Simpson replace the injured Scott Oldham, there were also changes among the players as Nesta Guinness-Walker took Meite’s place.
After a goalmouth scramble following a corner kick, Carroll was unable to keep his shot on target and smacked wide with a whole host of bodies in the way.
Substitute Azeez came a matter of inches from giving Reading the lead when his volley dropped a couple of inches past Ruddy’s far post, but time was up and the points shared.
READING FC face a precarious task when they host league leaders and champions elect Burnley on Saturday.
The Royals, who are in 22nd place in the Championship, are in desperate need of points to try and drag themselves out of the mire in the final five games of the campaign.
A last minute loss to Preston leaves the side one point from safety after relegation rivals Huddersfield Town and QPR picked up a point each on Monday.
The game will be Noel Hunt’s first in charge after Paul Ince’s
contract as manager was terminated on Tuesday.
Reading face one of the trickiest tasks of the season when they take on already promoted Burnley this weekend.
Vincent Kompany’s team ensured they made an instant return to the Premier League after last season’s relegation when they confirmed promotion last week with a win over Middlesbrough.
The Clarets have been in scintillating form all season and dispatched of closest challengers Sheffield United on Monday night with a 2-0 victory.
They lead the Championship by 14 points and have six games left to play having accumulated 90 points in 40 games.
Burnley will have their sights set on taking Reading’s Championship record of 106 points which they achieved in the 2005/06 season.
Kompany’s men will need to pick up 17 points from a possible 18 in their remaining matches to surpass Reading’s total.
Burnley have lost just two games all season on their way to achieving promotion back to the top flight.
However, when the team’s met
at Turf Moor in October, it was a much closer contest than many might have expected.
Tom Ince scored in the 56th minute to put Reading in front before Manuel Benson levelled the game 10 minutes later.
Paul Ince was left fuming with the referee after he denied Reading what looked like a clear penalty in the dying moments of the game when Tom Ince was tripped in the box.
To compound Reading’s misery, Burnley went down the other end and snatched a 94th minute winner through Anass Zaroury.
Heading into a tense final five games of the season, the Royals will need all of the support they can possibly muster to try and escape from relegation trouble.
Reading sit in 22nd position, a point behind both Queens Park Rangers and Cardiff City with their future in the Championship in major doubt.
After the club decided to terminate Paul Ince’s contract after the late defeat at Preston, Royals fan favourite and former striker Hunt has been tasked with the job of trying to keep the team in the league.
Hunt now prepares his team to face a Burnley side who are at the top of the table having already won promotion back to the Premier League.
The Clarets now need just four more points to confirm their status as league champions and are also hunting down Reading’s record of 106 points in a season that was achieved in 2005/06.
n For more information, visit: https://www. readingfc.co.uk/news/2023/april/11/schoolsgrassroots-competition-11-prizes-burnley/ Reading FC fans
By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today
‘IT was another brilliant game,’ said Rams Students manager Nick Ede after his side raced to a 43-13 triumph at Old Bath Road.
While the visitors took an early lead through a converted Matthew Ng try, Rams replied with first-half scores from Josh Ede, Harrison Stanners, Steven Webber and Seb Rushton, Cameron George adding the extras to two for 24-7.
Jacob Watkins and Alfie Jeanes extended the lead with another conversion making it 36-7, only for Freddie Skinner to go over for the visitors, Ed Bailey again on target.
Man-of-the-match Jedd Paine grabbed the last try of the contest, George with his fourth conversion, to set the seal on a fine home performance and another excellent contest.
Ede said: “It was another brilliant game which I guess we were expecting, but you’re never completely sure.
“I said to the lads it’s a credit to the Colts coaching the fact they’ve all come through that pathway and all played a similar style of rugby.
“It means you can bring different age groups together and they do it, although the off-loads at the start were maybe taking it a step too far in the first 10 minutes.
“They vaguely know each other depending what age groups they were in and they seem to read each other’s minds, but I can’t speak highly enough about the coaching in juniors and Colts which helps bring all that together.”
While Paine was at the heart of much of the hosts’ good work, his fellow title-winning Centaurs including Dan Bennett, Harry
Etwell, George, Will Young and more came to the fore.
Ede continued: “It’s great to have a handful who have been playing together all season and it adds even more continuity, which became clearer after the first 20 minutes once they settled down a bit.
“All credit to Chinnor who kept going right to the end. It’s a great fixture and it was lovely to have them over here.
“They came back at us in the second half and while we managed to hold them off scoring too many tries, it could have been a different story.”
“It gets frustrating when you’re trying to get them all together, but it’s absolutely worth it in the end and a big thank you to all the players who wanted to play – we’ll look forward to two more games next year.
By NIGEL MALTBY sport@wokingham.today
SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD C secured promotion to the top flight with wins in their final two matches of the campaign.
In their first match, they secured half the points they needed with a 6-4 win over mid table TILEHURST RBL B
The set of the night was between SC&P’s Malcolm Gregory and Kate Maksimenko with Malcolm recovering from two games down to level the set at 2-2, only for Kate to ease away in the fifth.
Kate went on to record a maximum while doubles from Nigel Maltby and Malcolm Gregory and a Brian Meheux single, plus the doubles saw the Sonning Common outfit win 6-4, knowing another victory in their final match against TILEHURST METHODISTS A would see them finish runners-up.
Three days later SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD C hosted TILEHURST METHODISTS A, with the SC&P side not only needing six points for promotion, but the Tilehurst team needed two points to avoid relegation.
Brian Meheux sensationally beat Eric Van Looy 6-11 11-9 11-8 16-14 on his fifth match point to give Sonning Common & Peppard C an early boost.
Eric recovered to beat Malcolm Gregory 10-12 11-5 11-7 12-10, a win that meant his Tilehurst Methodists A team avoided relegation.
Bill Stamation then beat Nigel Maltby 11-7 11-8 6-11 11-3 with some blistering attacking play to put Tilehurst 3-1 up.
Brian reduced the deficit by beating Tilehurst’s Phil Jones in nail biting fashion 10-12 11-9 9-11 11-3 11-8 and Malcolm then levelled the match with a 4-11 14-12 11-7 11-9 win over Bill.
With the match score at 4-4 Sonning Common knew
they had to win both the final contests if they were to seal promotion.
Malcolm struggled to beat Phil Jones after being 4-8 down in the fifth, but he fought back to win 12-10 11-7 4-11 7-11 11-9.
Nigel and Malcolm then took on Phil and Bill in the doubles a despite trailing 8-10 in the first, they managed to win 13-11 11-5 11-5 to secure Sonning Common & Peppard C promotion to the top flight alongside divisional winners SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD D courtesy of having won more matches than OLOP B after both teams finished level on 100 points.
In division three, OUR LADY OF PEACE E were 6-4 winners at KINGFISHER H, Harry Bullock and Parvin Baishkiyar both winning twice for OLOP alongside a single from Louise Forster while Eyup Odemis picked two of Kingfisher’s four victories.
RAMS’ home support has been ‘very special’ according to director of rugby Seb Reynolds, as the team gear up for their final home game of the season against Cinderford on Saturday.
Rams head the table on 104 points with two games remaining, Sale are one back on 103 and Cambridge on 99, but with three matches left to play.
Cinderford inflicted the biggest defeat of the campaign on the leaders back in December, running out 37-17 victors at Dockham Road.
Reynolds said: “In terms of all the leagues, National One has arguably the best finish –to have a three-way race for the title is incredibly exciting.
“It would be amazing to get a massive crowd for our last home game of the season against a very strong Cinderford side.
“They know exactly what they are, their DNA is engrained in them, and I’ve got so much respect for what they do.
“They’ll be tough to beat, and it would be great to have a huge crowd.
“The way the players have been supported by the fanbase is very special, and the way people are talking about the club, the group of players and the talent is deserved because of the effort the players put in.”
n Supporters are asked to pre-book their tickets via the club’s website – www.ramsrugby.com –to ensure swift access to the ground.
Friday, April 7 FOOTBALL Championship
Reading 1-1 Birmingham City
Saturday, April 8 FOOTBALL
Southern League Premier South
Swindon Supermarine 1-2
Bracknell Town
Isthmian South Central
Uxbridge 4-3 Binfield
Combined Counties Premier North
Ascot United 3-0 Harefield United
Egham Town 2-1 Reading City Sumas 2-0 North Greenford
Combined Counties Division One
Bagshot 2-2 Woodley United
Berks County 1-2 Penn & Tylers
Sandhurst Town 3-2 Cove
Thames Valley Premier League
Burghfield 1-2 Yateley United
Reading City U23s 1-4
Wargrave
Westwood Wanderers 2-2
Reading YMCA
Charles Twelftree Trophy
SB Phoenix 0-3 Finchampstead
BASKETBALL
Men’s play-off quarter-final
Reading Rockets 99-77
Loughborough Riders
Women’s play-ofquarter-final
Reading Rockets 68-55 Angila Ruskin Uni
Monday, April 10 FOOTBALL Championship
Preston 2-1 Reading
Southern League Premier South
Bracknell Town 3-1
Beaconsfield Town
Combined Counties Premier North
Holyport 3-2 Reading City
Wallingford and Crowmarsh 0-5 Ascot United
Combined Counties Division One
Berks County v Cove
Eversley & California 6-1
Bagshot
Woodley United 1-1 Westside
Saturday, April 15
FOOTBALL
Championship
Reading v Burnley
Southern League Premier South
Bracknell town v Gosport Borough
Isthmian South Central Binfield v Chipstead
Combined Counties Premier North
Ascot United v Chalfont St Peter
Burnham v Reading City
Spelthorne Sports v Sumas
Combined Counties Division One
Eversley & California v Sandhurst Town Hillingdon Borough v Berks County
Woodley United v Cove
Thames Valley Premier League
Burghfield v Reading YMCA
Reading City U23s v Yateley United
RUGBY UNION
National League One
Rams v Cinderford
BASKETBALL
Men’s play-off semi-final Hemel Storm v Reading Rockets
Women’s play-off semi-final Solent Kestrels v Reading Rockets
Sunday, April 16 FOOTBALL
Southern Region Women’s Division One North Kidlington Youth v Eversley & California
Thames Valley Women’s Division One Ascot United Reserves v Mortimer
Tilehurst Panthers v Slough Wargrave v Harwell and Hendred
Thames Valley Women’s Division Two
S4K Berks County v Beaconsfield Town
Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S
Eversley & California Reserves v Wargrave Development
Shinfield Rangers v Burghfield
Yateley United v Caversham
Monday, April 17
FOOTBALL
Thames Valley Premier Wargrave v SB Phoenix
Tuesday, April 18
FOOTBALL
Combined Counties Premier North
Oxhey Jets v Ascot United
Reading City v Virginia Water
Sumas v Chalfont St Peter
Combined Counties One
Bagshot v Berks County
Eversley & California v Bedfont
