Reading Today, February 2, 2023

WE COVER READING BOROUGH

Police considering restructure to merge areas from 11 to five

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

THAMES VALLEY POLICE is considering a possible restructure of its area districts that could see the number shrink from 11 to five.

Under the plan, West Berkshire, Wokingham and Bracknell, and Reading would be merged into one operational area.

The proposals were discussed at a Reading Borough Council policy committee meeting on Monday, January 23.

Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey), lead councillor for community safety, said that she was privy to a ‘workforce review notification’ in autumn last year. The consultation is not currently open to the public.

She raised concerns about how policing could be affected in Reading if the restructure takes place.

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“This will see us share a larger police for with both Wokingham and Newbury areas where the crimes and the sort of crimes that happen there are vastly different from what happens here,” she said.

“Fighting for police to attend concerns in Reading, which currently has the second highest serious crime rate in the Thames Valley, in a town that records the highest levels of serious violence in Berkshire would be concerning to

CONSULTATION: Thames Valley Police is considering shrinking the number of areas from 11 to five as it seeks to find £21m in savings

us in such a new allocation.”

She said she wanted more details about how the structure would work, and whether it was a cost cutting measure, also questioned where the moving of the Thames Valley Police headquarters to Atlantic House in Whitley fits into that restructure.

In response, Thames Valley Police’s Chief Constable (CC) John Campbell said: “The review is about how we are generally delivering policing services.

“On a local level, the numbers aren’t affected, but you are starting to take out command functions and structures. At the moment, we’re in a place where we need to review to see how we’re delivering general policing service.

“On top of that we do have to look at saving £21 million, and I can’t get around that in order to balance my budget I’ve got to look at what I can do.”

No decisions on new policing

areas have been made yet, and any changes will be subject to a consultation.

CC Campbell added: “Ironically, the five areas is the structure that we had in 2010.”

Earlier in the meeting, Cllr Rowland thanked CC Campbell for his service, as he is due to retire. He will be suceeded by his deputy, Jason Hogg.

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson said that a review on restructuring local policing areas are in embryonic stages: “We are currently reviewing the structure of our force. We last did this 12 years ago, and since then policing has seen growing demand and a greater focus on vulnerability, prevention and digital crime.

“We also have more people living in our area than ever before, with the recent census showing a 10% increase since 2011.

“Assessing our structure now will help us spot potential opportunities to drive long-term improvements for the benefit of our staff, our partners and the public. We are still in the early stages of this review and are currently talking to our workforce and partner organisations to get their thoughts.

“No decision has been made on any structural changes at present and we will look to share further information on the review with our communities in due course.”

EE launches 5G network across ‘Ding

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today

READING is among the towns and cities in the UK which has a new 5G network, launched by mobile phone firm EE.

The company has invested in a number of different infrastructure projects to see 5G network access for locations across the UK.

Now it has officially launched the network in 19 locations, including Reading, Windsor, and Slough, and is currently seeking to make the network available anywhere in the

UK by 2028 – the only telecomms company to do so.

The 5G network is intended to provide faster connection speeds and more reliable service for mobile connections in the town.

It sees median average download speeds of nearly 60mbps, more than twice the speed currently offered by other networks.

The provider has seen the new network spread over around 60% of the UK’s population in the four years since it began installations.

It comes as EE has been named as the best overall network in the

UK by RootMetrics, following an independent comparison.

It is the 19th time in a row that it has been named as RootMetrics’ best overall provider.

Marc Allera, CEO of BT’s Consumer Division, said: “It’s a remarkable achievement to be named the UK’s best network for the nineteenth report running.

“The work keeps going as we look to maintain the significant investment required to ensure the rollout of our 4G and 5G networks continue to deliver for our customers.”

RootMetrics carried out more than 635,000 tests across the UK and the below 16 UK Metropolitan areas using the best commercially available smart phones to conduct is research.

A “RootScore” award was given to the operator with the best overall network performance in each area as well awards for reliability, accessibility, speed, data, calls, and texts.

EE came first or joint first in 109 of these awards and was rated as the winning network for speed, data and accessibility across all 16 areas.

A very happy new year event

600 officers recruited by police since 2019

THE POLICE and Crime Commissioner has welcomed figures which show that officer numbers are up over the last four years.

The figures released by the government showed that nearly 600 officers had been recruited to Thames Valley Police since 2019.

As part of the national Uplift programme, 582 recruits will have been brought into the force between September 2019 and March 2023.

This brings the total number of officers to 4,832 as of the end of December last year.

Welcoming the announcement, the commissioner, Matthew Barber (pictured), said: “The additional 582 police officers recruited, as part of the Uplift programme, will help to cut crime across Thames Valley, reassuring our communities that it is a safe place to live.

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

RABBITS mixed with dragons in Reading’s town hall on Sunday, thanks to a celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Guests, including Reading West MP Sir Alok Sharma and mayor of Reading, Cllr Rachel Eden, enjoyed an afternoon of celebrations organised by the Reading Chinese School.

The event, marking the start of the Year of the Rabbit, included free workshops for people to enjoy, with opportunities to try Chinese calligraphy, try on traditional clothes, and have a go at drawing.

Entertainment came from pupils and staff of the school.

And being a new year celebration, there was a traditional Lion dance.

Dr Gang Gang Zhang, one of the event organisers, said: “The celebration went really well. It was a good performance and our workshops were popular.

“Everybody had a great time.”

n The Reading Chinese School meets at Highdown School in Emmer green. For more details, log on to: readingchineseschool.org.uk

The Uplift programme is a national initiative designed to meet the goal of 20,000 new officers set by the government to have been added to the force by March this year.

So far, more than 80% that target has been reached, with just over 16,750 new officers recruited as of September last year.

More than 145,000 officers are now thought to be working in the police according to statistics released by the Home Office quarterly.

“The Force is on track to exceed the Home Office target of 609 additional officers by the end of this financial year,” Mr Barber added.

“As part of my plans to strengthen community policing, I am planning to increase the size of the Force by a further 80 police officers to help tackle crime in local communities.

“Recruitment continues across the Force for police officers, PCSOs and staff.”

Pictures: Steve Smyth

HERE BE DRAGONS: Traditional dances formed part of a Chinese new year celebration on Sunday

There was lots of praise and applause for the show

Families enjoyed the activities at the event

Young singers entertained the audiences with some traditional Chinese songs

Above and below: Scenes from the performance by young members of the Reading Chinese School to mark the New Year

Reading Mayor Cllr Rachel Eden with Reading West MP Sir Alok Sharma

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FIGHTING

FACES: Wrestling returned to The Hexagon on Sunday and young fans met the stars Pictures: Steve Smyth

Wrestling makes triumphant return to Hexagon

THEY say you can’t square the circle, but can put a ring into a Hexagon ... a wrestling ring.

The popular sport returned to the six-sided venue on Sunday as part of its 45th anniversary celebrations.

It used to be a staple of the Reading town centre arts and performance centre, along with snooker.

On Sunday, American Superslam Wrestling took to the arena, with a match between Niwa and Oliver Grey. Fans were treated to an actionpacked display, while there was an exhibition in the foyer showcasing the Ding’s connections with the muchloved sport.

And if that wasn’t enough, there was a special guest appearance from one of the legends of the golden age of British wrestling, Kendo Nagasaki.

Superslam Heavyweight Champion, Oliver Grey with Ollie Sharp (7).

MP leads calls for tough ban on trophy hunting

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today

READING East MP Matt Rodda has been named as one of the members who sits on a new committee which oversees a bill banning “trophy” hunting.

The House of Commons committee handled the bill which looks to impose one of the world’s toughest ban on hunting “trophies.”

The Hunting Trophies Import Prohibition bill proposes the banning of hunters bringing body parts of threatened species from abroad, and was debated by the committee on Wednesday, January 25.

The bill was proposed by Henry Smith, Conservative MP for Crawley, who also led the committee.

Matt Rodda MP said: “I’m pleased to be involved in a bill to introduce the world’s toughest trophy hunting ban.

“The Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill proposes to ban British trophy hunters from bringing back body parts of threatened species from Africa and other parts of the world.

“Animal populations have plummeted

in the last 100 years with trophy hunting partly to blame. Support for the world’s toughest ban comes from scientists, conservation groups and politicians.”

Around 5,000 of these “trophies” from CITES-listed endangered species are thought to have been brought back to the UK since 1980.

The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species lists elephants, hippos, leopards, zebra, and lions as among the most popular African animals killed by British hunters.

Professor Phyllis Lee, director of science for the Amboseli Trust for Elephants and a member of the House of Lords Elephant Welfare Group, added: “Elephants are declining too rapidly to be able to sustain themselves.

“They will potentially become extinct within 50 years – the proposed bill will help all threatened species.

“It will show the world the UK is taking action against a barbaric practice.

President Ian Khama of Botswana, in office from 2008-2018, banned all trophy hunting in Botswana and has also given the bill his blessing.

He said: “The ban I introduced worked – by the time I left office, Botswana had twice as many elephants as any other African country.

“We had one-third of all Africa’s elephants. And it meant we were playing our part in preserving our planet.

“To kill an animal for a ‘trophy’ is immoral – it is completely alien to African culture and traditions.”

Dr Hans Bauer, of Oxford University’s Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, led the IUCN’s recent assessment of lion populations.

He said: “Trophy hunting is linked to declining numbers of lions throughout its range.

“Trophy hunting is standing in the way of progress because a small white elite, together with their clients, have exclusive access to the land.”

The bill was introduced in the Commons in June last year, and has passed the committee stage.

It is now due for a third reading in the Commons, though a date has yet to be confirmed, following the report stage.

If it is accepted on third reading, it will go through to the House of Lords.

Dexter Godwin (5) with special guest, Kendo Nagasaki

Uni appoints young climate ambassadors New ICU beds benefit RBH patients

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today

MORE THAN 100 individuals have signed up to become climate ambassadors as part of a STEM Learning and University of Reading scheme.

The project offers crash courses in climate change issues for teachers and education leaders.

So far, 115 people are being provided with the latest climate science to help students understand the impact of global warming and ways of mitigating it. Participating schools are being supported to reach net zero and make their buildings more resistant to extreme weather.

The scheme has reached more than 37,000 people at 249 schools and organisations, with 240 activities having been completed in 822 hours of activity.

Prof Andrew Charlton-Perez, the University of Reading climate scientist who created the scheme, said: “This marks the latest step in the university’s mission to share its climate change expertise with the world.

“From the beginning we’ve said we want to offer more than just school assemblies and we’ve done that by helping share expertise with schools and colleges.

“This includes teacher training days, offering practical solutions to school leaders on cutting carbon emissions, and even offering safety advice during periods of extreme weather.”

Prof Charlton-Perez expressed his gratitude to colleagues who had supported the scheme and encouraged others to sign up to help schools deliver climate education.

It was developed following a major Climate Education Summit hosted in September 2021 by Reading with partners including the Met Office and the Royal Meteorological Society.

Dr Sylvia Knight, head of education at the Royal Meteorological Society, was appointed a visiting professor at the university.

She said: “I am truly honoured to be appointed as Visiting Professor at the University of Reading, some 20 years after I worked there first as a PhD student and then in postdoctoral research.

“I hope to support the excellent work the university is already doing to promote and improve the teaching of climate change in UK schools and colleges.”

n For more information, visit: www. reading.ac.uk/planet/climateeducation/climate-ambassadorscheme

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today

THE ROYAL Berkshire Hospital welcomed the delivery of 16 high-tech beds and mattresses which are set to improve its patient experience.

Becoming the first Trust intensive care unit (ICU) in England to use smart mattress technology when x-raying patients, the new facilities will help staff provide day to day patient care.

The beds can also tilt from side to side, so when staff need to move patients, the bed carries some of the load.

Rachel Crisford, lead ICU nurse, said: “We’ve had incredible feedback from patients telling us they find the beds are extremely comfortable and have commented on how it has helped with their rehabilitation.

“Staff love the tilt on the bed that allows them to move patients more easily – it means the bed takes the strain, not their shoulders and backs.

“I’m also really proud that we were the first intensive care unit in England to use the x-ray sleeve technology in the mattress.

“It allows us to slide the x-ray plate under the patient rather than having to sit them

up and lift them forward for it to be slid in behind them.”

She added that for ICU patients, many of whom are physically fragile or on a ventilator, every movement involves managing their heart rate and breathing.

As such, the beds will help in make that as predictable as possible to improve the care delivered.

Staff will also be able to weigh patients in bed now which will be critical

in managing nutrition and medication.

The beds and mattresses, a £250,000 long-term investment, were part of a project which began in 2020 just before the pandemic.

The mattresses comprise scores of individual air pockets which can be individually inflated and deflated, providing relief to pressure points.

They are now in the ICU and are already making a significant difference.

Janet Lippett, acting trust chief executive, said: “This is another great example of the investment we put into ensuring outstanding patient care. Patients are already seeing and telling us about how they are helping them, for example, that they tilt to make it easier for them to stand up.

“The beds will also help our ICU staff directly too, by making it easier for them to care for some of our sickest patients.”

SO TO BED: Staff in the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s ICU department have welcomed 16 new high-tech beds that help with lifting patients, as well as monitoring health and being comfortable to lie in

Black Star Riders’ Ricky Warwick performing an acoustic set from the band’s new album during a visit to HMV Reading on Sunday Picture: Steve Smyth

Teachers join thousands in industrial action over

By Jake Clothier jclothier@rdg.today

HUNDREDS of teachers across Reading took part in industrial action in the latest round of public sector strikes.

Yesterday, members of the National Education Union took strike action in the first of four planned days, protesting at falling wages and real-terms budget cuts in schools.

LIVE music returned to a Reading town centre record store on Sunday, as a band celebrated the release of their new album.

Anthemic rock ‘n’ rollers Black Star Riders released Wrong Side of Paradise last month, featuring 11 tracks recorded in Calirfornia and Oregon.

To celebrate, lead vocalist Ricky Warwick appeared at HMV in The Oracle to sing an acoustic set, sign albums and meet fans.

It is part of a UK tour, and later the same day he made an appearance at

Truck in Oxford.

He said: “As with all BSR albums, Wrong Side Of Paradise is an anthemic statement of intent, driven by ferocious guitars and thundering drums.

“I can only write about my own personal experiences, my families, my friends and how I see a world that is unraveling and changing faster than we can comprehend.

“That being said, I’m a firm believer in the power of positivity, something that echoes throughout this album.”

Woodley man’s suspended sentence for drink driving

A WOODLEY man who was nearly three times over the limit has been given a suspended jail sentence for drink driving on the M4.

Romeo Zingwe, 25 and from Fairwater Drive, has been banned from driving for three years by Reading Magistrates Court at a hearing held on Wednesday, January 25.

Magistrates heard that around 3.40pm on Monday, June 20, Zingwe was driving a white Mercedes A Class that hit the back of an HGV at excess speed on the westbound carriageway between junctions 8/9 and 10.

He provided a positive roadside breath test for Thames Valley Police, and officers’ checks confirmed he had been disqualified from driving since Thursday, June 9, 2022 for a previous drink-driving offence, and he had no insurance.

Zingwe was also found to have 307 milligrammes of alcohol in his urine – the legal limit is 107.

He also failed to nominate the driver at the time of the collision and his Mercedes had two front tyres with exposed cords.

No one was injured.

Zingwe pleaded guilty to one count each of driving a motor vehicle dangerously, driving a motor vehicle when alcohol level above limit, driving while

Fire at Queens Walk flat

FIRE CREWS from six stations were called to deal with a kitchen fire at a Reading block of flats last week.

The incident took place around 9.35pm on Thursday, January 26.

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews from Caversham Road, Wokingham Road, Wokingham, Bracknell, Whitley

disqualified, using a motor vehicle on a road/public place without third party insurance, failing to give information relating to the identification of the driver/rider of a vehicle when required and two counts of using a motor vehicle/ trailer with a tyre with any of the ply/cord exposed.

He was sentenced to 13 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. As well as his driving ban, he had been given an abstinence order, and told to pay costs of £272.

Zingwe was charged by postal requisition on December 15.

Investigating officer PC Greg Jones, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, based at Taplow police station, said: “Romeo Zingwe was extremely fortunate his behaviour did not lead to a more serious incident.

“He was nearly three times over the alcohol limit to drive having only been disqualified from driving 11 days earlier, as well as using a car with two tyres with the cords exposed.

“Thames Valley Police will robustly target offenders who drive dangerously and while over the alcohol limit or disqualified in order to keep the public safe on the roads.

“Those people who commit these offences will be put before the courts and brought to justice.”

Wood and Theale were sent to Queens Walk, alongside an Aerial Ladder Platform.

The crews tackled a kitchen fire on the fifth floor of the building, which they extinguished before letting on-site security take over.

They were on the scene for around 45 minutes.

Following a public demonstration in Reading, which saw a march from Broad Street and to Town Hall Square, speakers addressed a rally in St Laurence’s Church.

Attendees heard from the NEU Reading’s president, Catherine Kington, as well as representatives from ASLEF, and University and College Union.

Members of the NEU voted to strike due to the lack of funding being provided to education services which they say is leading many to leave the profession and under-serving pupils.

They also argue that they are subject to real-terms pay cuts as living costs rise and pay stagnates.

The NEU claims that schools in Reading will see a shortfall in funding of around £2.5 million in the 2023/24 school year.

This amounts to a loss of around £123 in investment per pupil, with 44 of 50 schools in Reading set to see cuts.

Schools in West Berkshire are set to lose around £2.8 million in funding, including schools in Tilehurst and Calcot.

They also cite government statistics from Explore Education which show that teacher training course recruitment in 2022 was down by 23%.

President of the Reading NEU Catherine Kington was among those addressing strikers at the rally in St Laurence’s Church, who said: “Today we joined over half a million workers taking industrial action.

“Workers from seven trade

unions have all walked out today because they’ve had enough of poor conditions and poor pay.”

Ms Kington read from a letter she received from MP Sir Alok Sharma after she wrote to him voicing her concerns.

“He says that education is better funded than it has been in decades, but teachers have lost 23% in real terms since 2010.

“Our budgets are over stretched already, in the

middle of a cost of living crisis, and teachers are leaving in droves.

“One third of teachers leave within five years of qualifying, but we will stay silent no longer.”

Speaking of the pay which has been awarded to teachers, she said: “The average pay rise for teachers as awarded in the autumn was still 7% behind inflation.

“It was also unfunded, meaning that schools had to pay for it themselves out

of their already stretched budgets.

“How cowardly is that –our school doesn’t have any extra cash hidden away.”

Education secretary Gillian Keegan said last week: “On the top of my in-tray when I got this job was a joint letter from the four major teaching unions.

“It asked for an extra £2 billion next year and the year after to support our schools with increased costs and to help fund this year’s pay awards.

“The unions asked, we delivered.”

Tim Martin, a teacher who works in Reading, said: “It’s not just about the pay rise for teachers.

“Throughout schools in Reading there are children who are having maths, science, geography, and languages taught by cover supervisors, and it’s just not good enough.”

Speaking about Mr Keegan’s comments, Mr Martin said: “They may have

Ricky rock and rolls during HMV set

CALL FOR ACTION: The march was followed by a rally where attendees heard addresses from union representatives. Pictures: Jake Clothier

Funding round opens from PCC across the country conditions and pay

POLICE and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber has announced the latest round of community funding is open to applications.

Organisations in the Thames Valley area can apply for grants to support projects which help to tackle issues featured in the Police and Criminal Justice Plan’s priorities list.

The Community Fund, jointly managed by the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable, is used to support the prevention of crime and safety of communities, and is generated with the proceeds of items which have been seized from offenders but cannot be returned, which are then sold.

PCC Matthew Barber said: “I’m pleased to announce the first round of this year’s Community Fund is now open for applications.

“This is a great opportunity to support community and voluntary groups in reducing crime.

“I have been fortunate to visit some of the groups we’ve supported in the past, who have benefited from the funding provided to support their communities and help prevent crime across the Thames Valley.”

Chief Constable John Campbell said: “This funding will play a big part in helping voluntary and community groups across the Thames Valley.

“It will allow them to continue to run projects that play such a big role in preventing crime and protecting our communities.”

He continued: “As ever, we are particularly keen to receive bids for this money from organisations that support our priority areas.”

The closing date for this round of applications is 4pm on Monday, February 6. n For more information about the fund or to make an application, visit: www.thamesvalley-pcc.gov.uk/ get-involved/community-fund.

said that, but they have shown no willingness to actually engage with any of the groups who are currently attending.

“They don’t seem to have any plans to improve any of our public services at all.”

Mr Martin said that retention was a major issue for stabilising education services: “I’d like to see

investment in making sure people are able to stay in teaching, that’s the key issue.

“Pay is one of those things– if you can get a better paid job elsewhere with those qualifications.

“It’s a rewarding job, but not an easy one, and people will not stick it out if they don’t think their work is being recognised.”

NEU Reading President Catherine Kington addressed those attending

ON THE MOVE: Protesters march down Broad Street Picture: Jake Clothier

ON THE MARCH: Protesters continued chants while marching towards Town Hall Square. Picture: Jake Clothier

RALLY: More than 150 people attended the rally in St Laurence’s Church to hear speeches from union representatives

Watches stolen during break-in

THIEVES broke into a home in Reading, and watches were among the items they stole.

To gain entry, they smashed a living room window of a home in Southcote Road.

The incident took place at some point between 5.30pm and 10pm on Tuesday, January 17.

Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward, particularly if they have doorbell, dashcam or CCTV footage that could help their investigation.

For more details, call 101 and quote reference: 43230025503.

Window damaged

A WOULD-BE burglar damaged the back door and a window catch of a Calcot home last week.

The incident took place on Thursday, January 26, at an address in Silbury Close.

Thames Valley Police have not released further details of the incident, but are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Anyone with CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to contact Thames Valley Police by calling 101 or logging on to www.thamesvalley. police.uk, quoting reference 43230039531.

Unusual farewell gives final send-off to much-loved dad

EXCLUSIVE

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today

AREADING resident has turned the expectations of funeral etiquette on their head with a

personalised farewell, including a final bus ride on a bit of history for the deceased.

When her father Brian died, Teresa Verney-Brookes found herself in uncharted territory as she faced the prospect of funeral preparations. She decided that she wanted

the send off to be personal, reflecting the life that would honour.

“He was an East London boy, evacuated at the start of World War Two and he ended up in Bucklebury.

“My nan adopted him and then bought a house in Liverpool Road, Reading – it was close so dad could go into London to still see his family, and he still kept in touch with them.”

Following his move to Reading, Brian Verney would spend the rest of his life here, contributing to a number the town’s most notable institutions.

“He worked with the Courage & Co brewers, Mainline Buses, and Reading Transport, and he was a real trade union man.

“He’d also hang around the pubs of Reading, and he knew an awful lot of people, especially of his generation.

“All through the funeral, all I heard is that he was a character, with a wicked sense of humour, but because of his politics, he also had a sense of social justice – he was embedded in that generation.”

Ms Verney-Brookes says that his sense of community was something she wanted to foster in his farewell: “But my overwhelming desire was to make it joyous.

“My dad was always a bit of a maverick, and I’m keen on pushing the boundaries, so I felt that it was our opportunity to show that you can do something different.”

Friends and family were invited to meet at the Fox and Hounds, Tilehurst, an oftfrequented favourite of Brian’s, on Wednesday, January 25.

They were joined by the hearse carrying Brian’s coffin, which was then carried by attendees on to a vintage Reading Bus.

Those wishing to joined the coffin on the bus, including members of his family, with a

selection of music accompanying them as they travelled to the funeral itself.

Ms Verney-Brookes said: “We were able to speak to my dad about what he wanted.

“He wanted everyone to come along and have a nice time, to pop some money behind the bar and that everyone could have a drink on him.

“It was all about making it different, especially for those of a certain generation.”

Ms Verney-Brookes wanted to relax what people felt were pre-determined rules and to say farewell in a way which felt comfortable.

“What we found was that what people class as respect comes through tradition or diktat, really – so we said no dress code.

“But there was a lot of laughter, which we were unsure whether people would feel that was respectful; but afterwards, so many people said they’d never been to a service like it before.

“I understand that in the moment of grief that the easiest thing is to go with a well-known director and with the very welldefined rules that are laid out.”

She said that it’s important for people to know they have options: “The amount of choice we had, it felt like it could be bespoke, and it couldn’t have suited better.”

“With the chapel, we chose everything; down to things like being able to stay with him after the point of death.

“I stayed and watched them dress him, and some people are quite disgusted by the idea, and some have thought it was incredible – there doesn’t seem to be any in-between.”

She says that she was able to see that he had been dressed in his all-important Arsenal shirt: “It felt like a privilege to be able to do that.

“There’s such mystery around it, but I knew how lovely my dad looked inside there and how peaceful he was.”

Ms Verney-Brookes is a member of the Friends of Reading Old Cemetery, through which she helps to preserve the natural features of the cemetery as well as promoting its history and significance.

Her work with the cemetery also gives her an insight into how people reacted to death historically.

“It’s become more medicalised and seems to happen almost completely behind closed doors, but back in the Victorian era, people were surrounded by it.

“I think there’s a fear, as a society, and we often don’t have the language to speak about that.

“We were in the fortunate position to be able to challenge that, talk about it, and plan it.”

Ms Verney-Brookes consulted with an embalmer, Sammi Davenport, who helped to show her that her options were open with regards to her father.

“People get asked if they want to view the body and whether they want to bring the person’s own clothes for the funeral, and that’s it.

“It’s like your loved one is taken into the care of another and then they don’t belong to you anymore. And they don’t know that they can do what Teresa did, which was helping to dress him.”

Ms Davenport says that presenting the body is something that people are surprised they have a choice in.

“You can do your mum’s make-up, or style your nan’s hair the way she liked, I’ve done all of those things.

“I suggest these things, but people are surprised; they don’t know they have these options, but you have that time and that opportunity.

“And when they take it, people really get a feeling of peace from it.”

With 25 years in the industry, Ms Davenport now works freelance and said: “I’ve been fighting for this kind of choice for a long time.

“It all starts with a meeting around the kitchen table– they ask a few questions about what they want for their loved one.

“And Teresa was a great example; it was bespoke.”

Her message for those who are facing bereavement or funeral arrangements for a loved one, she said, was: “Don’t be afraid to ask.

“It’s about putting in those things that make you smile, that help you learn about that person, and those personal touches.”

Brian’s coffin was taken on one final journey from The Fox and Hounds pub on a vintage Reading Bus

Friends and family were invited to travel with Brian’s coffin on the vintage bus as it made his way to the funeral

MEMORABLE SEND-OFF: Teresa Verney-Brookes, who brought a personal touch to the funeral of her father Brian, including using an old Reading Bus to help transport him on his final journey Pictures: Jake Clothier

TO celebratetheopeningof theirnewstate-of-the-art veterinarypractice,Vet’s KlinicinReadingishoping toinspirethenextgenerationof buddingveterinarysurgeonsand nurses.

AccordingtotheBritish VeterinaryAssociation,46%ofvets decidedtheywantedtopursuethis careeratprimaryschooland65% knewbeforetheywere13years old.Vet’sKliniciskeentoengage withtheseenthusiasticyoungvets ofthefuture.

AspartoftheKlinic’spublic launchdayon4thFebruary2023, between10am–2pmfamiliesand theirchildrenareinvitedtobring alongafavouritecuddlytoypetand takepartinVet’sKlinic’s“Pet School.”Ontheday,theywillhave guidedtoursofthenewpractice andtheopportunitytomeetthe vetsandnursesandaskthem questionsabouttheirjobs.There willalsobeachancetolearnabout caringfortheirtoypetincluding howtobandageminorcutsand scrapesandtheywillleavewitha Vet’sKliniccertificate.

StephanieCatt,HeadVeterinary NurseatVet’sKlinic,believes nobodyistooyoungtostart learningaboutacareerwith animals.Shesays,“IknewIwanted tobeaveterinarynursefromavery

youngageandthatdesirenever changed.Workingataveterinary practiceischallengingbutalsovery rewardingsothisisagreat opportunitytoshowtheyounger generationwhatit’sreallylikedayto-dayandtheirnew-foundskills maycomeinhandyoneday!”

LauraShears,ManagingDirector atVet’sKlinicadds,“Vet’sKlinic’s philosophyisdrivenbyapassionto delivergoldstandardcarenotonly forpetsbutalsoforpetownersby offeringstate-of-the-artcareat affordableprices–allwiththegoal ofhelpingmorepetsenjoylongtermhealthandhappiness.”

Vet’sKlinicopenedthelargest, single-sitefirstopinionveterinary practiceinSwindonin2012and nowthisrevolutionaryworldofpet careisextendingitsreachwitha newclinicopeninginWoodley, Reading.Fromtheglass-fronted preproomwhereownerscanwatch theveterinarystaffcaringfortheir pets,totheinteractivewebsite systemthatenablesownerstoview theirpet’smedicalrecordsonline andevenbookandpayfor appointments,Vet’sKlinicisan entirelynewkindofveterinary experiencethatputspetsandtheir ownersattheheartofthepractice.

Thefirst50visitorsthroughthe doorsatVet’sKlinic’sOpenDaywill receiveapet-friendlygoodiebag

andthosewhojoinVet’sKlinic’s HealthcarePlanonthedaygetone monthfree.Thefirst100clients registeringattheReadingpractice qualifyforacatordogbooster vaccinationforjust£10(usually £36).

� Tofindoutmore,pleasevisit vetsklinic.co.uk/readingorfindus onFacebook-facebook.com/ VetsKlinic/andInstagram@vetsklinic_reading.

Board games fun in town centre store

LAST month, Eclectic Games held its regular open board games event, which opens up the store’s library of games to try out.

Darrell Ottery, who runs Eclectic Games with his partner, Becky, said: “People can come in and try one or more of our many games.

“If it’s down on the shelves, we probably have a copy for you to try and see if it’s to your tastes.”

He said that the store runs specific events such as Magic: The Gathering or Pokemon TCG most days, but also hosts more general events a few times a week.

“We do board game nights twice a week, and we try do a longer Saturdays once a month where you have more time.

“This also means that school kids who aren’t free on school nights, and we have regulars who

range from those in their 60s to teenagers.”

He said that as well as giving previews of games, the events provide a social space: “It’s a social thing too, it gets people together.

“We do have crossover events, such as our recent Mario Kart event with Nintendo, and we’ve always been something of a community

The Weller Centre receives first Cost of Living grant

hub for those kinds of things.”

The store also holds events for upcoming releases: “Keep an eye out over the summer holidays.

“We’ll be looking in August or September at the Disney-based card game coming up, Lorcana, which we might have earlier than bigger stores.”

n A full calendar of Eclectic Games’ events can be found at: www.eclecticgames.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

A NEW fund launched to help charities and community organisations across Reading as they cope with the cost-ofliving crisis has handed out its first grant.

The John Sykes Foundation is offering a helping hand as the good causes aim to help others through these difficult times by opening their doors to those who cannot heat homes or feed their families due to the rising costs.

And the first recipient was Caversham’s Weller Centre, who will use the funding to help with its food bank.

Last month, John Sykes, founder and chair of trustees, visited The Weller Centre to present them with their grant.

During his visit, he learnt more about the centre’s role in supporting the community, including running a weekly free youth club for secondaryaged school children, a warm space café with wifi, electrical points, and printing/scanning available, a community bakery which provides access to

Police appeal for witnesses to aggravated burglary

THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses to an aggravated burglary in Reading. At around 2am on Wednesday, January 27, the offenders broke into a property on Drayton Road and assaulted a man in his thirties.

The victim sustained multiple head injuries and was taken to hospital and remains

supermarket surplus food at no cost, and general support and advice.

The team work alongside GP Surgeries, social prescribers, and social care that highlight people who may be in need of the foodbank service.

Hazel Bingham, who helps run The Weller Centre, said: “We are so grateful for this grant. It will allow us to purchase person specific food, including food for those that require specialised diet such as gluten and dairy free, and make our food bank provisions more nutritious and varied.

“It will also allow us to purchase the less donated items for the food bank.”

It is not just food. Ms Bingham said they recently spent £7 on a rice cooker for a microwave, which will help the recipient save money. They had preciously bought packets of rice that can be microwaved, so they didn’t have to use the stove.

“This will save a fortune to the resident in rice as he usually buys microwave packets of rice which are not only expensive but don’t feed too many people in one sitting,” Ms Bingham explained.

there at time of print.

Officers have arrested a 27-year-old man from Canvey Island, Essex, and a 31-yearold from Romford, London, on suspicion of aggravated burglary and criminal damage.

Both have been released on police bail.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Beverley Pearse, based at Reading police station, said: “The victim was understandably left terrified after this incident.

“We are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to please come forward.

“We look forward to being able to provide more of this type of practical and money saving support to the local community in the future.”

Mr Sykes was moved by the work The Weller Centre has been doing.

“It’s a sad reality that many local people find themselves facing the difficult prospect of food poverty,” he said.

“The cost-of-living crisis is driving many into food insecurity, at a time when food prices are rising, and thus demand for food banks have skyrocketed.

“We are grateful to have Hazel, Simone, and their Team at The Weller Centre and to help support them by awarding this grant to best place the funds to those who need it most, whether that be for food or for energy-saving kitchen equipment to make more affordable and healthy food.”

n The Foundation is welcoming applications for a cost-ofliving crisis grant. For more details, log on to: https://www. johnsykesfoundation.org/cost-ofliving-crisis-fund.php

n For more on The Weller Centre and the services they provide, visit: https://wellercentre.co.uk/

“Also, if you have any CCTV footage in the area or any dashcam footage if you were driving in the area around the time, or saw any suspicious vehicles we’d also ask that you check any recordings in case it has captured something that could assist our investigation.

“To contact us, call 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43230036674.

“Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.”

GAME ON: Players taking part in the Games Tournament at Eclectic Games are Fiona Richards, James Treherne, Penny Sentance and Darrell Ottey Pictures: Steve Smyth

Pictured: The Talent

DONATION: John Sykes presents a grant from his foundation for £1,000 to The Weller Centre. It is the first Cost of Living Crisis grant that the foundation has distribution since launching the fund earlier this year

Nearly 80,000 fines for driving through the town’s bus lanes

By JAMES ALDRIDGE

Local democracy reporter

DRIVERS received nearly 80,000 fines for going into bus lanes across Reading in the last financial year according to new figures released by the borough council.

The lanes are designed to help buses get around the town quickly. Some can also be used by approved vehicles including taxis, motorbikes, and bicycles.

Anyone who does not fall into these categories and is caught on bus lane cameras receives a penalty charge notice (PCN).

Between April 2021 and 2022, the council issued 78,757 fines –and 64,692 (82%) were paid. The charge is £60, reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days of the PCN.

Of the fines paid, 57,363 (73%) were paid at the £30 discount, with 7,329 paid in full.

The numbers are higher than the 2020-21 period, which was lower due to covid lockdowns: there were 44,489 PCNs in this time.

The busiest bus lane, attracting nearly one in eight of all fines issued, was Minster Street westbound in Reading town centre. There were 9,384 charges handed out.

Another town centre road, St Mary’s Butts northbound, was the second most active, with 5,730 fines. London Street northern section was next with 5,730.

The lowest ranked bus lane was the A33 southbound nearside lane 2, which had 2,518 charges given out.

The enforcement of bus lane infractions generates a surplus

for the council.

While bus lane rules costs the council £1.1m to enforce, they generated £2.4m in total income in 2021/22, leaving the council with a surplus of £1.38m.

Overall, the council spent £6.5 million on parking services and generated £9.9m, leaving it with a surplus of £3.4m.

Cllr Tony Page (Labour,

Police museum open to visitors Dates revealed for arts trail

THAMES Valley Police has a museum based in Suhampstead that is open to visitors on Wednesdays.

The interactive exhibition features displays on the history of the force, and the five police forces that merged to form it, including Berkshire.

There are special displays dedicated to some of its biggest cases, including the Great Train Robbery of 1963, and the Denham Murders of 1870.

Also on show are collections of police uniform and equipment.

Using smartphones and headphones, visitors can make use of the interactive dispalys.

It is open from 10am to noon each week. As it is based in a police base at Sulshamstead House, visitors need to be accompanied.

n For more details, email: TVPMuseum@ thamesvalley.police.uk

Open mic poetry night to return

A FRIENDLY open-mic poetry contest returns to The Rising Sun Arts Centre this Sunday.

presented to councillors at a traffic management sub-committee meeting on Thursday, January 12.

Rationalising the need for bus lane enforcement, the report states: “When bus lanes are misused, they are less effective, hence the need for effective enforcement.

“When people ignore bus lanes, they can cause delays to public transport and increase the risk of accidents as other road users are unlikely to be aware of their presence.”

The 10 busiest bus lanes for fines

n Minster Street westbound –9,384 fines

n St Mary’s Butts northbound –5,730 fines

n London Street northern section – 5,113 fines

Abbey) lead councillor for transport, has previously stressed that all funds raised by bus lane fines must be invested in other transport related projects such as better road surfacing and safety measures, street lighting and a concessionary bus fares scheme.

The council’s parking services annual report was

n Blagrave Street east to west section – 4,979 fines

n Bath Road – 4,801 fines

n Friar Street westbound – 3,805 fines

n Beresford Road northbound –3,695 fines

n Friar Street eastbound – 3,069 fines

n Hemdean Road – 2,790 fines

n A33 southbound nearside lane 2 – 2,518 fines

PLANS are being made for this year’s Caversham Arts Trail, which will take place in May.

This will be the 10th anniversary of the event that brings together 40 artists from across the village.

Each operates in a different artistic medium, including painting, jewellery and ceramics.

They will exhibit across 14 venues, many of which are in walking distance of each other. At each location, artists will be on hand to discuss their work and explain more about its creation.

Pieces will also be on sale.

The event will run over two weekends: May 13 and 14, and again on May 20 and 21, with venues open from 11am to 5pm.

n For more details, log on to: cavershamartstrail. co.uk

Whitley centre to hold AGM

A SOUTH READING

organisation is inviting residents to its annual general meeting to find out how they can get involved in the community.

The Whitley Community Development Association’s AGM takes place on Saturday, February 4, at the community cafe on Northumberland Avenue.

The agenda features the chair’s and treasurer’s annual reports, presentation of accounts, election of trustees and date of next meeting.

Afterwars, documentarymaker and photographer Kieran Doherty will deliver a presentation on his Corona Diary, recently published in The Sunday Times Magazine.

The WCDA runs a wide range of community-facing activities, including its food surplus, NHS drop-in health checks and winter warming Wednesdays. It is looking to involve more members of the community as volunteer trustees oversee the running of projects and work towards a growing, thriving and confident Whitley.

Full training is provided, so previous experience is not essential. The organisation says it is looking for people with enthusiasm and willingness. Application forms can be downloaded from the WCDA’s website. New members are also welcome to sign up The deadline for applications is Friday, February 3.

The AGM takes place at 12.30pm, with a Way Back When in Whitley event starting at 10am.

n For more information, visit: www.whitley-cda.org

The Dreading Slam is a space for poets of all abilities to showcase their work, and for people to appreciate it.

Each poet can read two of their poems, each lasting a maximum of three minutes each. They are scored out of 10 by three volunteer judges, with the top three qualifying for a final. The winner is crowned the best poet in Berkshire … until the next event.

It starts at 7.30pm, and is held at the Silver Street arts venue.

n For more details, log on to: www.risingsunartscentre.org

BMW stolen

THIEVES stole a BMW from a driveway in Tilehurst last week and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

The incident took place between 5pm on Wednesday, January 25, and 8am the following morning.

Thames Valley Police said the vehicle was white at stored at an address in Gwynne Close.

Anyone with CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to contact officers by calling 101 or logging on to www. thamesvalley.police.uk, quoting reference 43230038186.

FINE TIME: Bus lanes, including this one on Kings Road, incur fines for motorists using them without appropriate permit Picture: Local Democracy Reporting Service

Another view Neil Coupe

How Brexit has given us red tape

OVER the past few years, my company has been giving its customers a box of Champagne as a Christmas gift.

We found a small French Champagne house to supply the product, as it seemed to be more thoughtful to send a gift that they could not buy in a local supermarket.

In the past, we would simply contact the supplier, pay the invoice, drive a van to France via the Eurotunnel, collect the wares and return home.

A couple of years of covid had put paid this, but as customers had expressed such appreciation for the gift, we decided to reintroduce it. Would Brexit make any difference?

I paid the invoice and booked the trip, informing our Customs Clearance Agent what I had done when asking him to prepare the import paperwork.

“We avoid alcohol like the plague. It’s a minefield,” was the less-than-reassuring response.

The next alarm bell was that I was advised that as I had booked my ticket as a private passenger, as I had done in past, the goods would be confiscated. “Confiscated” being a word triggering teenage trauma of bringing chewing gum or other banned substances into school.

The journey was rebooked, this time as a freight customer, at twice the price.

The supplier gave me a Champagne Certificate, a certified invoice and a ‘DAE’, an 11-page French document with something to do with French excise duties.

The UK Customs Clearance Agent provided an Import Document and a ‘GMR’ (‘Goods Movement Reference’) document. The GMR is a scannable document used by Customs.

We then had to find a Customs Broker in Calais able to produce an export document known as an EUA. A further flurry of emails between ourselves, the Champagne supplier and the Customs Broker ensued, leading to us finally receiving it.

Armed with a file of documents I embarked on the trip to France. Arriving at the Eurotunnel I was stopped and ask for my GMR document.

I explained that I had one for the goods I was bringing back, and I was not taking anything with me. ‘Ah, but you still need a GMR’ said the attendant, although I was not moving any goods.

So, on top of the stress of ensuring I had the correct paperwork, I was now facing the ultimate trauma for a middle-aged Englishman –embarrassment.

After an hour waiting for my Customs Clearance Agent to open, another Eurotunnel employee sauntered over and had a chat about what I was waiting for, he told me that I did not actually need an MRN, as I was not actually taking anything to France with me.

After searching the Eurotunnel website, he was able to source a self-declaration document that I was able to sign and be on my way.

To buy products in France that used to be done as easily as buying products at home required a total of six documents from four different sources and plenty of confusion. An avalanche of red tape.

Do I plan to repeat the exercise next year? No. Whinging about how complex it is to import Champagne is not likely to gain much sympathy, but the underlying point is that if it is so much hassle for us to do business as an importer, then it is the same for people wanting to import from the UK.

Why, for example would a French customer buy gin from the UK, if they can buy a similar product say in Belgium without having to enter a world of administrative confusion and complexity?

For everyone’s sake, whatever Brexit means, we should be seeking to make doing business easier not more difficult.

Stop the pigeon, for a walk, and win

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@rdg.today

DOG lovers can now order a new board game that will have them collecting treats, getting the zoomies, and winning a doggy trophy, while learning to be better canine carers.

Binfield dog walker Catherine Adams, has designed and developed a new board game that’s designed to help dog owners improve their skills and become perfect pup parents.

Catherine, who runs a dog walking business, 4 Paws & Pals Ltd, says: “I’ve noticed that dog owners differ greatly in their knowledge, understanding and attitude.

“I’m not a board game designer, and I don’t work in the industry, but as a person who cares deeply about the wellbeing of dogs, I tried to think of a way to inform people, including children, about the basics of good dog care.”

Catherine’s game, Walkies, is for two or more players aged seven or above, and gives hints on training, social etiquette and even socially acceptable behaviour in public.

THE UNIVERSITY of Reading has conducted a dig which discovered that Anglo-Saxon monasteries were more robust than first thought.

A team of archaeologists, led by Dr Gabor Thomas of the UoR, carried out an examination of Lyminge, in Kent, and found it to have been occupied for longer than expected.

The site’s location would have laid it open to particularly violent raids by Viking invaders in the late 8th and early 9th century.

Despite this, new evidence gathered there suggests that the site not only survived, as attested by its ruins, but may also have recovered from the attacks better than previously known.

The main elements of the monastery, including the stone chapel at the heart of the site, were excavated between 2007-2015, and further in 2019.

Animal bones found at the site were carbon dated and showed that monks lived at the site for more than two centuries after it was established in the late 7th century.

Historical records at the nearby Canterbury Cathedral detail that the community was granted asylum within Canterbury, which was a former Roman town, following a raid in 804 CE.

But the new evidence shows that the monks living there not only returned to re-establish a settlement, but remained for well over a century.

The discovery came as a result of the finding of dateable artefacts, such as coins.

Dr Thomas (pictured) said: “This research paints a more complex picture of the experience of monasteries during these troubled times.

“They were more resilient than the ‘sitting duck’ image portrayed in popular accounts of Viking raiding based on recorded historical events such as the iconic Viking raid on

the island monastery of Lindisfarne in AD 793.

“However, the resilience of the monastery was subsequently stretched beyond breaking point.”

He explains: “By the end of the ninth century, at a time when Anglo-Saxon king Alfred the Great was engaged in a widescale conflict with invading Viking armies, the site of the monastery appears to have been completely abandoned.

“This was most likely due to sustained long-term pressure from Viking armies who are known to have been active in south-eastern Kent in the 880s and 890s.

“Settled life was only eventually restored in Lyminge during the 10th century, but under the authority of the Archbishops of Canterbury who had acquired the lands formerly belonging to the monastery.”

The findings were published in the Royal Society of Antiquaries’ journal, Archaeologia, on Friday, January 27.

Dr Gabor Thomas was nominated for Current Archaeology’s Archaeologist of the Year award for 2023 following his work at the site as well as at Bishopstone and Cookham.

Voting is still open, and you can vote online via: archaeology. co.uk/awards/archaeologist-of-theyear-2023

Catherine says she meets dog owners with different levels of experience.

“Some people say, ‘it looks cute, so I got a dog’, while others have had dogs all their lives.

“I’ve met people taking a puppy for a two-hour walk to tire it out, and I’ve tried to gently say that that’s not the best idea. Puppies should only be walked for around 15 minutes.

“So this game is a way to inform people in a non-judgmental way, starting with children, so that they learn the basics at a younger age.”

Walkies The Board Game is being launched at the All About Dogs Show at Newbury Showground on the weekend of April 15 and 16 at Newbury Showground, but it is now available to pre-order on Catherine’s website.

“It’s important to stress that this is not a replacement for training carried out by a professional dog trainer, but it is based on UK laws and best practices,” says Catherine.

“In a nutshell, you are a dog owner walking your dog through a forest.

“To finish your walk and win the dog toy trophy, you need to collect treats. But you need to stop the pigeons eating them, and other dog players from stealing them from you.”.

Game players will also need to answer questions in four different categories: breeds, training, health and wellbeing, and general knowledge, in order to collect paw tokens.

Love is ... some sing-along silliness

A PLAYHATCH pub is hosting a Valentine themed event with love songs – and silliness.

The show at The Flowing Spring will include musical numbers and sketches performed by trio, Singalong-a-Nick.

And audiences can make an evening of it by booking a threecourse meal beforehand.

Band members are singer and vocalist Nick Willson, guitarist Steve Lester, and double-bass player Mr Minch. They appear regularly at the pub, where Nick is also co-landlord.

He and his wife, Hazel Lucas, enjoy arranging live music events for their customers.

Throughout the year they invite bands to perform a range of new material, and covers.

“We always look forward to the concerts,” says Nick. “It’s good fun, and makes a great change from the normal running of the pub.

“It really is as much for us as for our customers, and keeps us on our toes.”

Sing-along-a-Nick’s Valentine show will include some love songs, but Nick explains that people shouldn’t expect a romantic evening.

“There’s plenty of silliness, and additional sketches,” he says.

The band have been together for a number of years, and as their name suggests, are known for playing familiar songs their audiences can join in with.

Their new material and re-worded covers songs are interspersed with plenty of silliness, humour, and audience interaction.

“Lots of people like our Valentine show just because it’s a great alternative to a traditional romantic night out,” Nick adds.

“It’s a chance to have a relaxed meal without candlelight or pressure, and it’s followed by a giggle.”

GROUND BREAKING: New research from the University of Reading has uncovered more information about Anglo-Saxon monasteries Picture: University of Reading

Uni dig shows Anglo-Saxon monks were more resilient to Vikings than we thought

CATHERINE ADAMS WITH THE WALKIES GAME PICTURED HERE WITH HUGH, ONE OF HER

pigeon, take the dog win the game ...

Scrum on down! £10,000 prize for watching rugby

RHS CHELSEA Flower Show

Departing Fri 26 May ‘23

Dubbed ‘the garden equivalent of Paris

Fashion Week,’ the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a highlight event of the gardening season. The best of the botanical world gather for this prestigious flower show to display the latest in horticultural innovation.

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Reading

 Overnight stay at a selected 3 or 4-star hotel outside London with dinner & full English breakfast

 Admission to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, with coach transfer

IT’S THE highlight of the rugby calendar, and now it can be financially rewarding too, thanks to a special contest.

for first place, while an additional 200 winners can enjoy a £50 Greene King gift card, which can be spent on food and drink.

“There are obstacles along the way, too,” continues Catherine.

“Tree cards can be beneficial, detrimental or indifferent, and you can get the zoomies or super-zoomies.

“You may even get lost and have to await your owner at the ranger’s hut.”

Catherine had her idea for the game one evening last Christmas when she was mulling over the events of a dog walking day.

“I realised I had the beginnings of a game, and shared it with my husband who agreed I might be on to something.

“We were up till 1am jotting down ideas.”

Walkies has been tested by

Hazel enjoys the events as much as Nick.

“Nick is a man of many talents,” she says.

“He’s played the piano for as long as I’ve known him, and our year really does revolve around live music.

“More and more people are discovering our little pub, and just I love sitting back and watching people enjoying our shows.

“This one promises to be creative, fun and unique.”

Tickets can be purchased for the event only, or for a three course meal as well.

Catherine’s clients, whose comments have helped to improve it.

“They’ve enjoyed playing the game, and all say they’ve learned something,” says Catherine. “It’s very exciting, and rather nerve-wracking because I’m self-funding.

“The game is on Kickstarter, too.

“There’s nothing else like it on the market, and I’m really hoping it will become a big success, maybe even a trend next Christmas.”

n To pre-order the game, log on to: www.walkiestheboardgame.co.uk

n For more information about 4 Paws and Pals visit the group’s Facebook page, or log onto: www.4pawsandpals.co.uk

IT MUST BE LOVE: Singalong-a-Nick promise an evening of music and silliness at The Flowing Spring in Playhatch Picture courtesy of

Event only tickets cost £5, and are only available in person at the pub.

Tickets for the show and meal cost £25, purchasable online or in person from the pub.

Meals must be pre-ordered from the special menu.

The event takes place on Saturday, February 11, with meals served from 6.30pm, and entertainment at around 8.30pm.

n To book, view the meals menu, or for information about the band, visit: www. theflowingspringpub.co.uk

The Guinness Six Nations sees England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy battle it out in the unique tournament that has millions engrossed across Europe.

And brewers Greene King and Guinness have joined forces to give one fan the prize of a lifetime if they pre-book a table to watch a match.

The tournament launches on Saturday, February 4, with Wales taking on Ireland in the opening game in Cardiff. Old foes England and Scotland will follow, before France will look to defend their title with a strong start against Italy.

The tournament will conclude on March 18, following five rounds of fixtures across six weeks of action.

To take part in Greene King’s contest, customers need to prebook a table in their local.

There is a top prize of £10,000

POETRY CORNER

YES! I Win Every Time.

Each win I grow, Gaining wealth and mates. Everyone shares my glory. And success breed more success. All singing when I am winning! Reached the top, the only way is down.

Alone, crying coz I’m losing. And failure breeds more failure. No one shares my defeat. Lost all cash and chums. Each loss I shrink. Every time, I loose.

NO!

Customers must place their booking online by March 10, with winners announced on March 31.

Chris Conchie, head of marketing for Greene King Sport, said: “The Guinness Six Nations is one of the biggest sporting moments of the year, so to kick off the championship we wanted to give fans a really special prize.

“We’re delighted to have been able to partner with the official championship sponsor, Guinness to launch this competition, giving fans the chance to secure their seat for the Guinness Six Nations and win a range of prizes at the same time.”

The Guinness Six Nations tournament will be shown in more than 750 Green King sports sites across the UK, including Charvil, Woodley, Reading and Crowthorne. n For more details, log on to: www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk/livesport/rugby/six-nations

2 Days by Coach only £229

CAMBRIDGE, ELY & Nene Valley Railway

Departing Mon 5 Jun ‘23, Mon 11 Sep ‘23

The delights of Cambridgeshire await on this lovely break, where we combine vibrant cities with idyllic countryside and picture-perfect towns with visits to beautiful Cambridge, pint-sized Ely and charming Stamford plus a journey on the picturesque Nene Valley Railway.

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Reading

 4 nights at the Ibis Hotel, Stevenage with dinner & breakfast

 Heritage train journey on the Nene Valley Railway

 Excursions to Ely, Cambridge & Stamford

5 Days by Coach only £319

RICHARD STEPHENSON

We love receiving your poetry and print a selection every week. Send yours to news@rdg.today and we’ll do the rest

GAME ON: Greene King pubs in Woodley, Charvil, Reading, and Crowthorne are showing Six Nations games

GAME SHE HAS CREATED AT HER HOME IN BINFIELD. PET DOGS.PICTURE; STEVE SMYTH

Nick Willson

Winner and loser

Time to listen to the strikers

THE SHEER number of people who turned out to the teachers’ rally should be a warning cry to any politician.

The people are mad as hell, and they’re not going to take it any more.

Not since the 1970s have so many industries been taking part in strike action at the same time, and for similar reasons.

In many cases, the issue isn’t just pay, but conditions.

Teachers are very clear about this: their pay rise should not come from the general budget, but be properly funded by the government.

And in all cases, the striking unions say the government is not prepared to negotiate properly.

It is a blinkered approach.

Quite clearly, the government did not fix the roof while the sun shined as we were promised back in 2010.

Nor has Brexit brought any real tangible benefits.

Something has to change. And it has to be the government – start listening!

CHURCH NOTES Strike one

AS I sit in my living room gazing out into the garden on a beautiful, crisp January morning with clear blue sky and a heavy frost on the ground, wrapped in my fluffy blanket because the thermostat has been turned down 3ºC, I reflect on the public sector workers, especially the nurses out on the picket lines.

Whatever our view on the rights and wrongs of them striking, it is staggering how they have fallen so quickly from the hero status they had in 2020.

It is sad that in the 21st Century, we need to have Wokingham Food Bank and Share. How we long for a society where the needs of all are met, and yet in this broken world we see unfairness and the gulf between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’.

Jesus Christ summed up the ten commandments: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ [Matthew 22 NIV]. But where many strive to fulfill the second (and well done to them), we will only see true fulfillment when we fulfill the first too.

Jesus points us forward to a day when we can know a society where truth and justice reign, when we can live in peace and fairness together with him. If you want to know more, why not join us for our Hope Explored or Christianity Explored courses?

Ian Stewart, a member of Christ Church

Wokingham writing on behalf of Churches

Together in Wokingham

Your letters

From the chamber

Cllr Rob White

We love to hear from you! Send us your views on issues relating to the borough (in 250 words or less) to Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS or email: letters@wokingham.today We reserve the right to edit letters Views expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the paper

Green Party tackling inequality and poverty

INEQUALITY in Reading is a massive injustice.

People in the richest part of Reading live 10 years longer than people in the poorest part. Greens want to see everyone living healthy, long lives.

It is also getting worse under this Tory government and Labour Council.

We used to have two areas in the most deprived 10% in the country. This has now more than doubled to five.

Why is Reading under Labour suffering more than other areas?

As Green councillors we are getting more casework with people struggling. In particular recently we have had a rise in people contacting us struggling to pay rent and facing eviction and homelessness.

Previously it was Green Party councillors that got the council to become a Real Living Wage employer for council employees and contracted out services. We are keeping up the pressure to ensure that everyone in Reading gets at least the

Real Living Wage of £10.90 per hour.

GREENS WANT A STRONG LOCAL ECONOMY

Having a strong local economy is key to tackling many of the challenges we face. Manchester City Council has increased the amount of products and services it is buying from local businesses. Greens think that Reading needs to do the same.

We asked about this recently but disappointingly the council doesn’t have a robust figure for the amount of money it is using to buy local products and services. We will keep up the pressure to establish a baseline for money spent by the council into the local economy and work to increase this amount.

GREENS WANT A PROPERLY FUNDED NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE AND SOCIAL CARE SYSTEM

Devastatingly under this Conservative government the National Health Service and social

From the vicechancellor

Robert Van de Noort

IWAS pleased to meet so many people in Shinfield last week, at the community consultation event held jointly by the University and Shinfield Parish Council. We were talking about plans for new facilities for sport and outdoor recreation.

As my University colleagues undertaking research in psychology and education have shown, getting outside for even mild activity can bring a huge boost to mental health and wellbeing, and can even help children get higher grades at school.

While Reading and Wokingham are blessed with great natural resources, geography alone doesn’t teach children learn to play sport or manage habitats for wildlife. We need dedicated people and space, and careful planning to do that.

After a decade of house building in Shinfield, largely on land formerly owned by the University, a conversation on the facilities that are needed to enjoy the outdoors was long overdue.

For the University and the parish council, this was a listening exercise – and from the many conversations many points of view came across.

care are in crisis. The accident and emergency department at Royal Berkshire Hospital is experiencing 20% more demand than winter 2021 and patient handover times between paramedics and the accident and emergency department are longer than they need be.

We need a properly funded National Health Service and national social care system. In the short term patients need to be seen and discharged in a timely fashion. In the medium term more of a focus needs to be put on prevention. Greens support more funding to make this happen.

Greens are the second largest party in Reading

There’s now real, constructive opposition to Labour on Reading council. Following the local elections in May there are now more Green councillors than Conservatives. There is a growing team of hard-working Green councillors standing up for residents across the town.

If you’re keen on being part of the change in Reading, get involved and help us make Reading

A large number of people I spoke to, many with school-age children, conveyed their passion for sport. They were excited by the prospect of creating new football and rugby pitches and other sports facilities. The idea for a 3G pitch was met with a lot of enthusiasm.

Some wanted to know more about green spaces, such as the Ridge and Langley Mead SANGs (Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space). After the heavy rain, there is a lot of water covering the Langley Mead SANG, which is exactly what it is meant to do, reducing flood risk elsewhere in Shinfield and increasing their biodiversity.

Others were looking more for a destination in Shinfield, a place where residents can come together for a picnic or just meeting up with friends.

Our proposal for a community garden, including an orchard populated by Berkshire fruit trees from the University’s National Fruit Collection, received a lot of positive feedback.

A number of residents commented on the University selling farmland for housing, and with that the loss of farmed open space. This is a fair question.

As a University, we have our roots in agriculture, and are

committed to it for the long term. More broadly, we exist to enable learning and discovery. Selling land allows us to reinvest in education and research, while also providing the opportunity for new homes for members of our community.

As a University we have committed to be more open in what we are doing and why, including in the sale of land, and in our plans for development.

The recent community engagement event in Shinfield was a great help for the University, and I hope demonstrates a transparent and open relationship with our local communities.

My impressions on the day of the consultation are just that.

We will analyse all the written responses in the coming days and weeks, and continue to work with Shinfield Parish Council and others on finding the best solutions for new sport and outdoor recreation facilities.

Professor Robert Van de Noort is the vice-chancellor of the University of Reading

A time for listening over views for Shinfield’s future

Cllr Jason Brock

The major change in how you vote that you need to know about

THE local elections in Reading are a little over three months away now, but I’d hazard a guess that most people in the town don’t yet know about a major change in the rules around how people can vote this year.

If you choose vote in person at your local polling station, for the first time ever you will need to bring photographic ID with you. If you don’t have the right ID, poll clerks will have no choice but to tell you to return home to collect it. We all fall back on our usual habits, so if you’ve voted at polling stations for many years, it’s a change in routine.

The new voter ID requirement for people voting at polling stations is the result of the new Elections Act, voted in by the Government last year and which go live for the first time at the local elections on Thursday, May 4.

As with most changes made by central Government, it will be left up to local councils to make it happen, with little or no resource.

I won’t list here all the forms of ID which are deemed acceptable by the Electoral Commission, but the important thing to remember here is that it is ID with a photo on it that is required, so things like your passport,

From the stump

Louise Timlin

driving licence, blue badge, etc.

You can find the full list here: www. electoralcommission.org.uk/iam-a/voter/voter-id.

Interestingly, your ID doesn’t have to be in date. It can have expired and still be valid to use at polling stations, like your old passport for example. The important thing is that it has a photo which bears a resemblance to you.

All you have to do then is remember to bring it with you on the day. Oh, and remember to register to vote if you haven’t already (it takes five minutes online at www.gov. uk/register-to-vote).

If you are one of those who do not have the right photo ID, you can apply for what is known as a Voter Authority Certificate, or VAC, for free instead. You can do that online at www.voterauthority-certificate.service. gov.uk/ and I’m told it’s a quick and easy process.

If you do not have access to the internet, you can instead phone the Council’s electoral services team on 0118 937 3717, and they can arrange for a paper copy of the application to be sent to you, which you can then return to the Civic Offices. All VAC applications will be processed and posted to the relevant home address for you to bring

with you to the polling station on Thursday, May 4.

The deadline for applying for a VAC is by 5pm on Tuesday, April 25, but if you can do it now that would be better.

The last thing we want is for someone to miss out on their vote for who runs their local council because they’ve missed the deadline.

There is, of course, a quick and easy way to bypass all of the new rules, which is to

their communities.

Local government is not all about bins and potholes, though these are important to people’s daily lives.

It is responsible for over 1,300 statutory duties and controls over £105 billion in annual spend. The vital services provided by local government include social care, planning and housing.

apply for a postal vote.

We currently have nearly 22,000 residents registered as postal voters in Reading, which works out as around 18% of all votes received. I’d expect that number to grow with the introduction of these new rules.

The advantage of a postal vote – apart from being able to vote in the comfort of your home – is that’s you will have ample time in which to fill in your ballot paper and return it

council who actually took the lapels of my jacket and opened it to see whether I was wearing a T-shirt with the logo of my party on it.

I hasten to add, I had never met this man before, I was a complete stranger to him and I’ve no idea why he thought this was appropriate behaviour.

freepost to the Council.

In other words, it doesn’t all come down to having to get to a polling station on one specific day in May (while remembering your photo ID or VAC, and possibly avoiding a spring downpour).

You can find out how to apply for a postal vote – and, indeed, a proxy vote which is where someone votes on your behalf – via the Council’s website at www. reading.gov.uk/the-council-

great to see this more widely adopted.

and-democracy/electionsand-voting/local-boroughelections-2023/

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the May elections is Tuesday, April 18. If this was all news to you, I’m glad you are now up to speed… and please don’t forget to tell your friends and family.

LOCAL elections to both Wokingham Borough and Wokingham Town councils are coming up in May.

Currently across the UK, 35% of local councillors are women. Despite research and programmes to address this imbalance, at the current rate of change we will not see gender parity on local councils until 2077.

Wokingham Borough Council hovers just below the national average with 33% women councillors. Representation varies by party.

Locally, the Conservatives

are the least representative with only 27% women councillors. Lib Dems are better but still way below parity at 39%.

Two out of the three Labour councillors are women.

When women stand, they are elected. The problem is getting women to stand in the first place.

Speaking with the Local Government Association, one problem they have identified is a lack of knowledge about what local government does.

When people put themselves forward for these roles it’s because they want to make a positive difference to

They provide support services which look after us from cradle to old age. 78% of council employees are women, and women are impacted more when services are cut. Thus women’s voices and input are imperative to ensure representative local government.

Many reports looking into the barriers to women standing for local election have identified that the misogynistic behaviours and sexist culture they experience while serving in local government contribute to women standing down earlier than men.

The first time I attended a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council, to ask a public question, I was greeted by the then leader of the

In addition to a sexist culture, other barriers include a lack of flexibility when it comes to the timing of meetings, and the possibility to hold them virtually. Childcare and dependents allowances are often poorly advertised and difficult to claim.

In 2017 only 4% of councils had a formal maternity, paternity or adoption leave policy in place for councillors.

I was delighted to see that Cllr Blumnenthal recently proposed a motion to WBC to implement a parental leave policy for councillors – a step in the right direction. There is much more that can be done.

The Local Government Association have produced a toolkit to help local councils implement policies and culture that will help address the gender balance. It would be

One measure that has been shown to work, across countries and government organisations at all levels, is quotas. This is the reason why Labour, of all the major parties in the UK, has the most balanced gender representation at local government level. They actively seek to manage their candidate lists to achieve a balance. Unfortunately not all parties support the use of quotas.

The Women’s Equality Party think the solution is simple; half the population are women, so half of our political representatives should be.

We support the use of all women shortlists to achieve equal representation. Once achieved, gender balance should be reviewed and measures put in place if it falls under 45% for either gender.

When we can draw on the talents of the whole population, we will have a much stronger and more credible legislature. We also recognise the lack of diversity in other areas including ethnicity and disability.

Efforts need to be made to increase the diversity of the women and men elected to better represent the racial and ethnic diversity of the UK and to ensure people with disabilities participate fully in our democracy. As a start, the Women’s Equality Party are campaigning for family-friendly working hours, electronic voting and formal parental leave.

With the local elections around the corner, when your candidates knock on your door, ask them what they are doing to achieve a mix of councillors who represent the diversity of Wokingham Borough. How will they ensure all of our experiences are represented in the decisions they make?

If you are interested in standing for election the following organisations have some excellent resources: www.local.gov.uk/becouncillorand www.elect-her.org.uk/

Louise

Timlin is the leader of Women’s Equality Party, Reading and Wokingham

We need more women in politics

Cllr Jason Brock is the leader of Reading Borough Council and ward member for Southcote

New South East Regional Market Leader for PwC

ACCOUNTANCY firm PwC has appointed a new South East Regional Market Leader.

Julian Gray took on the role at the start of the year, taking over from Keith Harrington.

He joined the firm in 2016, having previously spent 10 years working as an established audit partner for EY.

And he will also continue to worked as market senior partner in the firm’s Southampton office, a role that sees him work with a wide range of businesses across a number of different sectors including retail and leisure, defence and technology.

Welcoming the appointment, Carl Sizer, PwC UK’s Head of Regions, said: “I’m delighted that Julian will be our new Regional Market Leader in the South East. His experience in the South Coast Market and the wider Region will make him a great Regional Leader for our people and our clients.

“I am really looking forward to working with Julian in his new role.”

Mr Gray said he had lived and worked in the region for most of his career.

“I fully recognise the opportunities that this region has for PwC and our clients,” he said..

“I would like to say thank you to Keith for his brilliant commitment to the Region over the last five years and I wish him the very best in his new roles.”

Mr Gray’s predecessor had been with PwC for more than 25 years, and was in the regional market leader role for five.

“I would also like to say a huge thank you to Keith Harrington,” Mr Sizer said. “He has led the South East Region with great passion and energy and has done an exceptional job as the Regional Market Leader in the South East. I wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

And Mr Harrington said he felt the time was right to take the next step in his career.

“This change allows me to focus on my new role supporting our Government and Health Industries Leadership Team as well as continuing with my existing Lead Client Partner roles,” he said.

“I am delighted to be handing over to Julian who brings a wealth of experience in the South East, allowing us to build on our very strong position in the market.”

100,000 businesses in Berkshire, and the number is still growing

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

THERE are now nearly 100,000 businesses across the county –and that number is growing all the time.

Berkshire LEP has just published its latest update on the area’s economy, the latest trends and employment patterns.

And despite the pandemic, and lockdowns, the number of businesses continues to grow –the Business in Berkshire report shows there are 97,711 businesses, increasing at a rate of 2.7% a year in the 10 years from 2011 to 2021.

Nine in 10 businesses are classed as micro – employing up to nine people – or small – between 10 and 49 employees.

Within Berkshire, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead local authority area has the largest number of registered businesses, followed by Wokingham and West Berkshire. Bracknell Forest has the fewest registered businesses of the six local authority areas.

Just over a fifth of Berkshire firms operate in the ‘professional, scientific and technical’ industry, with a similar number in the ‘information and communication’ industry.

Berkshire’s higher concentration of firms in both of these sectors than the national average explains a lower fall in remote job postings.

Some sectors have been more resilient than others in Berkshire in recent years, with the life sciences and digital tech industry continuing to thrive.

Industries such as hospitality, tourism and travel suffered during the pandemic and are still in a recovery phase.

Alison Webster, CEO of Berkshire LEP said, “Our Business in Berkshire report allows us to chart the

economic health of Berkshire. It’s clear the effects of the pandemic on our local economy continues to challenge the business community.

“The full effects of Covid-19 on the economy of the Berkshire area will not be evident for some time; the same is true for the effects of the cost-of-living crisis.

“We are working closely with our Berkshire Local Authorities and other partners and continue to invest in the local business support ecosystem and are delighted to be launching two new fully funded business enhancement support programmes.”

GROWTH: Berkshire continues to be an attractive place to do business

The will be funded by the local authorities using Shared Prosperity Funding, and see the Berkshire Growth Hub provide support to start-ups and high growth businesses ranging from workshops, one-to-one sessions and Masterclasses.

Ms Webster said: “Details will be released in the coming weeks so I would strongly encourage businesses to follow the Growth Hub on socials or subscribe to our newsletter as to not miss out on this opportunity.”

n The report can be read at: https://bit.ly/BiB21-22

Utilities firm says it has enjoyed its most successful year

A READING-based utilities firm says it has had its most successful year since it launched 16 years ago.

Leep Utilities, the owner and operator of last-mile utility networks said it has seen a 10% uplift in new contract wins, a 26% increase in contracted connections and a 26% increase in turnover compared to its previous financial year.

And it has secured more than 100,000 contracted multi-utility connections to homes and major businesses across the UK.

High-profile projects included Art’otel London Battersea Power Station, Plot A1 at Canada Water, the Axe Street landmark regeneration project in Barking and Gallions Quarter, near Royal Albert Dock, London.

The company, which has offices in Green Park, has started to rollout new-generation automatic meters across its water networks.

This enables the company to obtain live consumption data, so that its customers can better manage their water usage.

This is a growth from its launch, when Leep Utilities had an asset base of 2,000 connections within the Peel Group-only development portfolio and a team of 10 working out of a small, serviced office in Media City in Salford.

Since then, independent investment manager Ancala acquired an initial 50% of the

SUCCESS:

Tim Power, Director at Ancala Partners and Chairman of Leep Utilities

company, in a joint venture with Peel Group. It increased this share to 90% in 2019, and also acquired SSE Water.

There have been changes to the Leep team over the last 12 months, including Lee Kitchen as chief Financial Officer, Helen Bishop as Director of Customer Operations and Brian Loft as Director of Operations.

Tim Power, director at Ancala Partners and chairman of Leep Utilities, said: “While we celebrate

what has been a great year of growth, we’re very much looking to the future and the many opportunities open to us in terms of UK electric, water and, in particular, heat network connections.

“With the financial backing of Ancala, Leep has enjoyed a significant increase in scale and capabilities. Now, with the new team, company structure and offering in place, we’re in an incredibly strong position to realise what is a very ambitious growth strategy.

“We’re now working within a wider market, to offer all UK developers, contractors and consultants a flexible last-mile utility solution for new residential, commercial and mixed-use developments – whether that’s to adopt electricity, water or heating networks, or a combination of them all. We’re obviously very excited about what our future holds.”

Picture: Bárbara Cascão from Pixabay

Busy year for new queer events company as it marks its first anniversary

By JAKE CLOTHIER Queer correspondent

ONE OF Reading’s newest events organisations has celebrated its first anniversary.

Iota Events, a queer-owned company which organises events around Reading, is celebrating its first year in operation.

While it is only a year old, its events have made history in Reading with the first dedicated Trans Pride event following last year’s Reading Pride.

It is also behind events such as the World Aids Day fundraiser at the Rising Sun Arts Centre, and has seen a number of queer events including drag, barn dances, and clothes swaps in Reading.

It’s run by Big Jay, who celebrated their own first anniversary as a drag performer in November.

Friends and performers associated with Iota joined the anniversary event at the Biscuit

Speaking at the event, Big Jay said: “Running this business has been my dream, but I had no idea how it was going to go.

“I’ve had to make it up as I go along, so far, but I have a much more concrete strategy now.”

They say that they had to build the business over time, especially during a turbulent period.

Even for already wellestablished businesses, current conditions are difficult, especially in a sector recovering from significant impact during lockdowns in the last three years.

“I never knew if it was all going to collapse in on itself, like a dying star, but I’m very calm in the face of chaos, which helps a lot.”

Speaking about the difficulties in the industry, Big Jay explained: “Honestly, I didn’t think it would be possible at all.

“But I’m not a quitter, and I always try.”

They said that initially

“There were so many barriers, people would just hang up on me in the middle of a phone call.”

But they found a venue in The Outlook’s performance space, Bar 77, where Big Jay now has a drag residency and hosts regular shows.

“But I met Corey [at The Outlook], and he agreed to put an event on and showed me around the bar.

“From that point, I managed to overcome a lot of obstacles

“Bar 77 gave me that foundation, and here at The Biscuit Factory was the germination of the actual business itself.”

Despite the hostility of the events industry in current circumstances, they say that Iota has found something of a niche.

“I accidentally found a gap in the market, and I didn’t really realise that until about three months ago," Big Jay said.

“The queer stuff in Reading

CATCH-UP: Friends of Iota Events gathered to celebrate the first anniversary at The Biscuit Factory, which organiser Big Jay says was one of the places which gave them the inspiration for the business.

Picture: Jake Clothier

underground, but there’s so much drag and talent here.”

As to the future of Iota, Big Jay said: “We have some exciting new venues that we’re looking at working with, as well as all of our regular events.

“We have residency events at Bar 77, karaoke events, and I’ll be bringing exciting, diverse, casted shows from diverse entertainers.”

Iota has also recently taken over the organisation

Social, which brings members of the fetish community together in a safe space to socialise.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to support a marginalised community.

“I live my life as a queer, non-binary, brown, disabled, neurodivergent, Hindu person, so I know what its like to be at a disadvantage.

“I’m eager to support the community, to build them up, and to help them following the disbanding of Animagi.”

Looking ahead, Big Jay said their work would continue to grow.

“I’m excited to give people places to be themselves without fear of judgment – that’s the energy that we’re going forward with.

“I’m really excited to continue to give people those spaces regardless of their background, and it’s just part of our work.”

Information about all of Iota Events’ upcoming shows can be found via its pages on facebook. com/iotaevents and.instagram.

Oracle redevelopment plans finally revealed

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

CHEQUE: Reading Buses gave a donation of £6,679.75 to New Beginnings Reading, its Charity of the Year for 2022 Picture: Courtesy of Reading Buses

Reading Buses’ £6k boost to New Beginnings

READING Buses has totted up its final donation amount and handed over funds to its Charity of the Year for 2022.

New Beginnings Reading willl £6,679.75, raised throughout the year, with most coming from the charity open day held by the transport company last summer.

Other contributions also included those from suppliers and internal raffles, and will support the charity in its work to provide support to children in crisis.

Reading Buses chief executive officer Robert Williams presented the cheque to New Beginnings in person.

He said: “We are thrilled to make a presentation to our neighbours New Beginnings Reading for such a large amount of money.

“At a time when the cost of living is trending ever upward, New Beginnings Reading are a vital resource for many who need help to get by.

“We hope they continue to

go from strength-to-strength and that both our customers and other businesses around the area keep them in mind and consider supporting them.”

Volunteer co-ordinator Claudia Hopgood, who received the cheque on behalf of New Beginnings Reading, said: “We would like to thank Reading Buses for all their support over the last 12 months.

“We really appreciate it so much and couldn’t believe the amount which will help fund vital services at the New Beginnings Reading.

“Being Reading Buses Charity of the Year has also increased people’s awareness of us which will help even more in the coming months and years.

“We cannot thank you enough.”

Reading Buses has chosen the Royal Berks Charity as its fundraising recipient for 2023, which aims to lend support to the Royal Berkshire NHS Trust.

SCENIC SHROPSHIRE

PLANS to knock down parts of The Oracle in Reading town centre and replace it with 449 flats and new retail spaces have progressed to application stage.

Hammerson, the company which owns shopping and leisure complex, has teamed up with build-to-rent company Packaged Living to transform parts of the Riverside area into a place to live.

The two companies have formed The Oracle Limited Partnership.

Although plans were submitted to the council in late December, they were not available to view as application reference numbers had not been generated. This has now changed.

The applications are divided between the plans north and south of the River Kennet.

North of the river has been called Yield Hall Place 1, and south of the river is Yield Hall Place 2.

Under the plans, the Vue Cinema and five restaurant units will be demolished and replaced with a multi-storey building.

This would contain 247

Reader travel

& Severn Valley Railway NORFOLK’S LITTLE TRAINS & Mississippi Paddle Steamer

build-to-rent apartments, 3,046 sq m of commercial floorspace including a cinema and ground floor space for cafes, restaurants and bars.

Yield Hall Place 2 would comprise 117 one-bed, 98 twobed, 10 three-bed and 22 studio apartments.

The would involve a partial demolition of the former Debenhams unit, replacing it with a new building that would contain 202 build to rent apartments.

Yield Hall Place 1 would contain 129 one-bed, 70 two-

bed, two three-bed apartments and one studio flat.

The remainder of the Debenhams unit, currently occupied by Next Beauty at Home, would be reconfigured to provide leisure space, a restaurant and co-working office space.

The ground floor plans suggest a significant decrease in the amount of restaurant space: currently trading from the existing space are Cote Brasserie, TGI Fridays, Browns Bar & Brasserie and the Miller & Carter Steakhouse. B

THE

A CGI of the new buildings proposed at The Oracle in Reading town centre.

ut under the new plans there would be just one restaurant unit.

Similarly, the former Debenhams unit contains two restaurant units, occupied by Franco Manca and The Real Greek – which would be reduced to one unit.

The applications can be viewed on Reading Borough Council’s planning portal. The plan south of river can be viewed using reference 221917, and the plan north of the river can be viewed using reference 221916.

Store could lose licence after owner accused of assault

A Reading town centre corner store could be banned from selling alcohol after the owner was accused of assault and concerns were raised by police, writes James Aldridge, local democracy reporter Thames Valley Police has called for the alcohol licence of the Today’s Express in Duke Street to be revoked after an inspection at the shop.

The owner of the store, Quais Aziz, denies the accusations.

Police licensing officer Simon Wheeler wants Reading Borough Council to revoke the licence to sell alcohol at the premises.

Departing Thu 13 Apr ‘23

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Crawley

 4 nights at the Holiday Inn Birmingham Bromsgrove with dinner & breakfast

 Heritage train journey on the Severn Valley Railway

 Cruise on the River Severn with light refreshments

 Excursions to Ludlow Market & Blists Hill Museum

5 Days by Coach only £349

LittleTrainsofNorfolk&theMississippiPaddleSteamer_F.pdf Single Supplement £100

Departing Mon 8 May ‘23

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Crawley

 4 nights at a selected hotel in Great Yarmouth with dinner & breakfast

 99p bar on selected drinks for 3 hours every evening (April & May only)

 Heritage train journeys on the North Norfolk Railway & Bure Valley Railway

 Mississippi paddle steamer cruise on the Norfolk Broads

 Excursions to Cromer & Sheringham

5 Days by Coach only £319

Single Supplement £60

Currently, alcohol can be sold from 8am to 11pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 10.30pm on Sundays.

Mr Aziz and his employee Mohammed Naseri could be banned from selling alcohol after police said they had failed to comply with licensing conditions.

The most serious accusation is that Mr Aziz slapped a woman’s face, grabbed her by the neck and threw her out of the premises.

Police say he was arrested and charged with assault after an incident occurred on May 18, 2022 – an allegation that remains under investigation.

After an inspection on September 28, 2020, police submitted evidence that licence conditions are not being adhered to, finding that the Challenge 25 age verification policy was not

or available,

UNDER THREAT: Today’s Express, 17 Duke Street, Reading. Picture: Google Maps/Local democracy reporting service

policy that drinks must be bought in packs of four was not being followed – as single cans were reportedly being sold including to a known street drinker.

Mr Aziz disputed the claims in a conversation with the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

He denied not following the correct procedures such as the Challenge 25 alcohol sale policy, and has called for the meeting to be postponed until he has a solicitor to represent him and a translator.

Mr Aziz said: “I’m not able to come to the meeting because I work 8am to 11pm, seven days a week.

“Also, my English is not perfect, so I need a solicitor and a translator.

“If they stop me selling alcohol I can’t run the business. Me

and my business partner have families, what’s going to happen [to them]?”

Mr Aziz said he has requested a different time for the review, which is scheduled for 9.30am on Thursday, February 2.

Mr Naseri has a medical appointment on the day of the hearing, according to Mr Aziz.

He added that they are both family men, with Mr Aziz having three children and Mr Naseri having five children.

Mr Aziz said: “We are looking after our children. If they take my licence I can’t pay the rent, the electrics, and my bills. This is our livelihood.”

Mr Aziz can appeal any decision made by the council’s licensing committee by a submission to a magistrates court.

Credit: The Oracle Limited Partnership / Turley

A steam day out to Bath or Gloucester

The Bath & Gloucester Steam Express

Saturday 4th February 2023

From Reading. Enjoy a nostalgic steam journey reliving the Golden Age of rail travel with a choice of destinations – Bath or Gloucester. We shall steam along the Kennet & Avon canal, climb up to Savernake summit and steam on through the attractive Vale of Pewsey and pass the famous White Horse at Westbury.

You can choose to visit the Georgian city of Bath, renowned for its fine architecture, magnificent Abbey, Roman Baths, Pump House and small independent shops.

Alternatively, stay on board for Gloucester where you will find the 11th Century cathedral. Gloucester’s historic maritime connections are centred around Gloucester Docks home to the National Waterways Museum.

• 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: WEI

Steam to Cheltenham or Worcester

The Cotswold Venturer

Saturday 18th February 2023

From Reading. Join us for a scenic rail tour by steam train through the beautiful Cotswold Hills with a choice of destinations – Cheltenham or Worcester.

With our magnificent steam locomotive at the head, our train will travel through the Vale of the White Horse and along the Golden Valley line. You can choose to spend the afternoon at spa town Cheltenham enjoying the fine Regency architecture with its Pittville Pump Room. Alternatively, stay on board for the fine city of Worcester. Set on the River Severn, Worcester’s 12th Century cathedral is the resting place of King John. The final battle of the Civil War between Oliver Cromwell and King Charles II took place here and you can also find the Museum of Royal Worcester.

• 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: WEK

Bob Green

Bob Green

Thieves attempt to raid garage

POLICE were called to Bucklebury last week after thieves attempted to rob a home.

The incident took place between 10pm on Tuesday, January 24, and 2pm on Wednesday, January 25, at an address in Roundfields.

The would-be robbers damaged the door handle of a garage in their attempt to gain access, but were unsuccessful, so nothing was taken.

Anyone with CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage is asked to contact Thames Valley Police by calling 101 or logging on to www.thamesvalley. police.uk, quoting reference 43230037145.

Oven fire put out

AN OVEN fire caused fire crews from three stations to be mobilised last week.

The incident took place at 6.02pm on Wednesday, January 25.

The brigade has received a call alerting them to a house fire in Patriot Place, and crews from Caversham Road, Wokingham Road and Whitley Wood fire stations were sent to the scene.

However, by the time they arrived, the blaze had been extinguished. Help was given to ventilate the property.

Crews were on scene for approximately 14 minutes.

CHARITY FUN RUN ... WITH BEER

Grumpy Goat’s 5k run raises funds for refugee charity

By Jake Clothier jclothier@rdg,.today

ON SUNDAY, January 29, a Reading shop and bar saw participants lace up

their running shoes in aid of charity.

The Grumpy Goat, Union Street, held a 5km race in aid of Reading Refugee Support Group.

Anne-Marie Beatty, manager at The Grumpy Goat, was

among the organisers of the event.

She said: “We had a great response, and it’s lovely to see so many of the local groups getting involved.”

“This time we were raising funds for Reading Refugee Support Group – it’s a small, Reading-based charity which is

“And we know they’re doing fantastic work helping people to settle refugee families in

“They do awesome stuff in our community.”

“We’re looking to it more regularly, possibly one a season, and we’ll link up with some local breweries and charities.”

“We will also be running a festival called Craft Theory, which will be taking place in July, which will also be raising funds for Reading Refugees.”

e u s o o n m d d fe n o a e r R Villa

Refugee Support Group’s Jonjo Warrick with the first three finishers.

Picture: Steve Smyth

Was

personal best?

Emma (9) and Greta (7) looking out for Dad, just about to finish

Run for your five (kilometres)

FIRST: The event’s winner, Marek Rakowski, with his medal and a well-earned pint. Picture: Steve Smyth

EXCLUSIVE

Finding

RSPB Group welcomes new members for its birdwatching sessions and talks

IN THE COMMUNITY

ON Tuesday, December 13 group members braved icy conditions to attend the annual Christmas members evening, with short talks by members of the group on the Dominican Republic, the Galapagos Islands, Poland’s Biebrza Marshes and the diverse species of funghi to be found at RSPB Pulborough Brooks.

This was followed by festive food and drink.

We started our New Year programme on January 10, with a talk by Oliver Smart on the birds of Cuba. Oliver is a renowned wildlife photographer who also guides birding trips.

Cuba is the largest Caribbean Island and is around half the size of the UK.

It has a wide range of interesting habitats including mangrove swamps, cloud forest and limestone mountains and caves. Its position between South America and Florida means that it attracts passage migrants and overwintering birds, bringing the total number of recorded species on the island to an impressive 368.

There are also 24 species endemic to the island, including the endangered Fernandina

flicker and the Cuban parrot, both suffering from the effects of forest clearance. Cuba also has the tiny bee hummingbird which, at just 57mm long and weighing 4.5g, is about half the size of a goldcrest. Its wings beat at an astonishing 80 beats per second.

Hopes for the future protection of habitat and wildlife rest with education programmes for children and

Weekend of motors and music

A WEEKEND of motors, music and food is coming to Emmer Green this summer and tickets have already gone on sale.

Rally on the Common will be held at Abbey Rugby Club from Friday, June 16, through to Sunday, June 18. It is aimed at owners of scooters or VW campervans.

Guests can camp, and take part in a range of activities including ride outs, a scooter classic contest and a sports day.

Live music comes from bands including The Echo, Rigsby, The Highwasters and The Skangsters. There will also be DJs playing in the club house on Friday and Saturday. n For more detail, search for Rally on the Common 2023 on Facebook.com

Exploration of forgiveness

AN EXPLORATION of forgiveness will be the focus for an annual lecture taking place at the University of Reading next month.

The Chaplaincy department is welcoming author Marina Cantacuzino on Thursday, March 9. She will be interviewed by chaplain Mark Laynesmith about her book Forgiveness: An Exploration.

The event will take place in the Van Emden Lecture Theatre, in Edith Morley building on the Whiteknights Campus, from 7pm.

Accompanying the session will be a photo exhibition, The Forgiveness Project. This will be on display in the university library’s foyer from Monday, March 6 through to Friday, March 10.

Entry is free, and the events are open to the public. Places for Marina’s Q&A need to booked, by logging to: https://forms.office.com/ e/R3LEs6EzLc

emerging facilities for wildlife tourism which has the potential to provide a welcome source of income in what is still quite a poor region.

On Sunday, January 15, six of us visited Dorney Wetlands and Eton Wick along the Jubilee River between Maidenhead and Windsor. It was a sunny morning and bitterly cold in the fresh wind, but it was worth it. The main river was quiet

with just the odd Mute Swan, Tufted Duck, Great Crested Grebe and Black-headed Gulls but when we got to the flooded field and pool at the sluice at Eton Wick the sheltered ditch held lots of overwintering Chiffchaffs flitting back and forth, plus a few Cetti’s Warblers which showed themselves surprisingly well for a bird that likes to stay hidden in thick vegetation.

The flooded field held 9 Shelducks, a handful of Lapwings and hundreds of Black-headed Gulls with two Common Gulls. So we had a good morning bird watching and recorded 39 species.

On Tuesday, January 17, 12 of us met up in the Bury Down car park on the Ridgeway above West Ilsley. Luckily it was not windy but it was a frosty morning although the sun tried to come out the warm us up a bit.

We walked along the Ridgeway past Cow Down looking for the special birds that can be found here. Corn Buntings used to be widespread on farmland but are now very restricted to a few areas such as this, so it made the trip worthwhile to get good views of six or more.

Another farmland bird that used to be very widespread is the Yellowhammer, we also found some here. They are lovely colourful yellow birds which stand out well compared to the rather drab Corn Bunting. Another bird of the hills and open areas is the Raven, we saw two which we located as they flew about making their distinctive cronking call.

Two other highlights were the large flocks of Skylarks in the fields and also a covey of

Red-legged Partridges. We had an enjoyable walk and saw 21 species of bird.

On Tuesday, February 14, there will be a talk by Pauline and Colin Butcher on UK Islands, Wildlife and Volunteering. On Sunday, February 19, there will be a minibus trip to the RSPB Rye Meads reserve in Hertfordshire and on Tuesday 21 there will be a trip by car to Virginia Water in Windsor Great Park.

In March our programme continues with a talk on Tuesday 14 by Gary B Prescott, aka the “Biking Birder”, on Egyptian Adventures: Birds, People, Places and Unexpected Encounters.

The outdoor trips in March will be a walk at Moor Green Lakes near Finchampstead on Sunday, March 19 and a trip to RSPB Otmoor near Oxford on Tuesday 21.

Indoor meetings are held in Pangbourne Village Hall starting at 8pm. Visitors are very welcome. There is an entrance fee of £5 for nonmembers, juniors half price.

New members are always welcome with annual membership set at a modest £15 (£10 for juniors).

n For more information visit https://group.rspb.org.uk/reading

REVIEW Triangle Players’ Crusoe is swash-buckling, knee-slapping fun

COMMUNITY theatre group

Triangle Players is showing its latest production with this year’s panto, Robinson Crusoe.

Triangle Players have been performing in some form since the mid-1940s and currently puts on around three shows a year.

The production of Robinson Crusoe immediately shows the history behind the company in its embracing of everything that makes a classic panto.

The production sees Christine Mather’s Robinson as he embarks upon a journey in which he encounters native inhabitants of a desert island and his tribulations of survival at sea.

Mather portrays the main character well, sitting back when the secondary characters come into focus but pushing the story along with excitable energy when necessary.

Mather’s chipper lightheartedness mixes well with the diverse array of secondary characters without upstaging or being overcrowded by them.

She is joined by partner Emily, played by Tracy Harrison, and Auntie Chrissy, played by Barrie Davies.

Davies’ Auntie Chrissy steals the show from the very beginning as she introduces the audience to the production.

Not only is she excellently portrayed, but her self-referential, nod-and-a-wink introduction sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the story.

Davies embraces the spirit of the panto as the character flits from cheeky gags when the story falls by the wayside to flighty overacting when the narrative is pushing forward.

As such, Aunty Chrissy brings both dramatic tension and genuine humour to every scene she’s in–especially when things go slightly awry with her wig.

Bruce Thomas’ Captain Birdseye and Noxious Nancy the pirate are also among the highlights, with the captain’s friendly authority providing a good counterpoint to the rest of the cast’s more wacky performances.

As well as the classic characters, the production embraces all that traditional pantomimes have to offer, including sing-a-long sections to popular tunes and breakaway sections of physical comedy and spoken asides.

As such, the production doesn’t let the narrative get in the way of a good joke or the chance to introduce unlikely characters.

Overall, Triangle Players’ production of Robinson Crusoe does exactly what a good pantomime should: takes the premise of the narrative and runs away to wherever it sees fit with it.

The cast has space to play and have fun with the characters and their interactions, creating a jolly, upbeat performance which balances the cheeky, subversive humour one expects from a

panto without being rude or inappropriate.

The direction is also to be commended due to its focus on the fun elements of the production and the trimming of any extraneous exposition, especially as it is Lewis Gilbert’s debut.

As such, the production is a celebration of all that makes local theatre, and a traditional panto, so much fun.

The Triangle Players are also currently seeking members ahead of their upcoming shows.

“We’re always looking to recruit,” says Christine Mathers, “we have read-through auditions in mid-February which anybody is welcome to come along to.

“No experience is necessary, you’ll gain it as you go, and we’re very welcoming.”

The Players meet at 7.30pm on Wednesdays and Fridays at the hall behind the Methodist church on School Road.

Robinson Crusoe runs at the hall behind the Methodist church on School Road on Friday and Saturday, February 3 and 4, with an extra matinee on Saturday, February 4.

n For more information, visit: www. triangleplayers.co.uk/ or www. ticketsource.co.uk/triangle-playerstilehurst

ON THE WATERFRONT: Little Grebe by Marilyn Hockey

Classifieds

PUBLICNOTICES

READING BOROUGH COUNCIL

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2015 Notice of applications for planning permission under Article 15 of the Order

APPLICATIONS AFFECTING LISTED BUILDINGS AND/OR

CONSERVATION AREAS

All comments must be received within 7 days and will go on public view.

220950: 10-12 The Forbury, Reading - Retrospective minor external alterations to rear elevation and creation of external balcony for Flat 5 as approval Ref. 201870 and 210502.

230075: 32 St Marys Butts, Reading, RG1 2LS - Removal of the existing modern fascia and replacement with a hand painted timber fascia and associated hanging sign. Redecoration to the render and windows to the upper floors.

230076: 32 St Marys Butts, Reading, RG1 2LS - A hand painted timber fascia for KallKwik printers and a timber hanging sign with a slim cowl light concealed within the fascia.

These applications can be viewed online http://planning.reading.gov.uk/fastweb_PL/welcome.asp

Anyone wishing to make representations can submit comments online or write, quoting the application number, to Planning, Reading Borough Council, Civic Centre, Bridge Street, Reading RG1 2LU.

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LEISURETODAY

Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

more than ready for the ride’

ON the morning of Monday, January 30, the billboard outside Reading Station announced that Reading band Only The Poets had signed to EMI Records.

The band broke the news via Twitter with a video showing them making the announcement to fans in Berlin on Sunday, January 29.

While Berlin might seem like an unusual place to be celebrating, guitarist and lead vocalist Tommy Longhurst says it is indicative of the fandom they have garnered abroad.

“It’s rare to have the footprint we have and the fans we have already in Europe as an unsigned band.

“But we feel that support and love in rooms all over Europe and the UK.”

Last year, the band’s Our Time tour saw sold-out shows in Paris, Cologne, Oslo, Warsaw, Vienna, Barcelona, and Amsterdam across a 24-date run.

Only The Poets’ beginnings as a project lay in Woodley, though: “The live music scene – well Reading Festival

really – whetted my appetite,” Tommy explains.

“I started going before doing the band and it made me fall in love with the idea of writing music to be performed in that way.

“I showed Andy,” who is the other original member, on bass, “what I was working on, and we started jamming.

“We were joined by Clem and Marcus about four years ago, but they had worked on recording, and so they’re incredibly techy.

“It was a little like two bands came together, and now it feels like this has been the only ever line-up.”

Now that the band has been signed, Tommy says: “You feel very flattered, it’s what a lot of people strive for.

“We’ve built a lot on our own, so there’s no shame in saying that we feel like we were ready for that opportunity.”

He says the ability to keep the integrity of the relationships with fans was an important factor to consider.

“EMI gets what we’re about with

our fans, and we have to ensure nothing changes for them.

“Our message is that we are a family, and our shows are a safe space, and they are the driving force behind everything we have.

“Especially in the digital age, we strive to make it so that there’s no judgment.”

The fostering of this atmosphere has led to particularly touching moments, he says: “Fans have come up to us and told us they’ve met their best friends at our gigs.

“There’s no bigger compliment than people telling you that; we want to look after them, and thank them, because they’re why we got here, really.”

The band’s efforts to create this space is part of a growing movement of artists such as Yungblud who make the community and its well-being the focus of the movement.

“I write songs about important topics and it speaks to people – it’s really important for us to write about topics like mental health awareness.

“People didn’t traditionally, but now more than ever, which is brilliant and refreshing; negativity is pouring into the world and it affects people.”

This is also some of the focus of Tommy’s songwriting: “People get really emotional.

“You can either leave everything at

the door at our gigs if you want to, but we also see how much they can mean to people.

“It’s more important than ever that people know you’ve got their back.”

As well signing to EMI Records, the band is about to tour as support to Lewis Capaldi, also signed to the label.

Ahead of that, however, is the much more important matter of two sold-out homecoming shows at The Purple Turtle, which features in some of the band’s work.

“We’ve been very vocal about the Turtle and the nights we’ve had in there, and those shows will be special because it’s part of our world.

“Across the two shows, there’ll be about 600 people there, I think – the first time we played was about 20.

“I can’t wait – it means a lot to me, and that bar is ingrained in the DNA of Only The Poets.”

On signing with EMI, Tommy says: “I couldn’t speak more highly of them, we know how good they are at what they do.

“The ideas they throw out there are what we want and it doesn’t feel like much has changed, which is great.

“I’m quickly learning that, because we went full-time for about five months – flying to Oslo, Sweden, Atlanta – is that it sounds really glamorous.

“And I love how busy it is, but you

don’t have control so feeling anxious and excited is only natural.”

The band has had a number of turning points, including their appearance at the festival which started it all for Tommy.

“It was before they got rid of the NME stage, so it was as I remembered the festival, and we were stepping out to a beautiful moment– even for a Sunday morning.

“Playing the festival that made me fall in love with the idea of being in a band was the real full circle moment; we’re dying to play again.”

On the day that the band was signed, he says: “We weren’t together in the same place, but it was emotional, and we had a call and a heart-to-heart.

“We all celebrated individually, and it feels like the end goal, but this is where it starts.

“We were already hungry, and now it’s going to be on a whole new scale.

“We’re more than ready for the ride.”

While both of the band’s homecoming shows at The Purple Turtle are sold out, information about the band’s upcoming tour with Lewis Capaldi and their headline European tour in April, as well as links to their social media, can be found via: linktr.ee/ OnlyThePoets

‘We’re

Only The Poets have signed to EMI Records but, as JAKE CLOTHIER discovers, it’s home comforts such as The Purple Turtle that matter to the band

Wave hello to New Wave tribute show

TRIBUTE band Spandau Too bring the 1980s to life, with sounds of the New Wave London band.

Endorsed by Spandau Ballet’s Tony Hadley, the tribute show includes a string of the group’s hits.

Fans can expect to hear: To Cut A Long Story Short; Through The Barricades; Highly Strung; Lifeline; Gold; and True.

Spandau Too Tribute can be seen at Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead. The event is on Thursday, February 2.

Doors open at 8pm, and tickets cost £19.

n For more details, log on to: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788977.

Join Mike on his first solo stand-up tour

FOR A night of nostalgia and fun, audiences can join Mike Bubbins for his first-ever solo UK stand-up tour.

The star of podcast The Socially Distant Sports Bar, and of BBC television comedies Mammoth, Tourist Trap and The Unexplainers, brings to life everything that he finds funny, has a laugh, and gets a bit annoyed maybe even very annoyed.

Audiences can expect stories and optimism, along with Bubbins’ response to berks past and future.

His THROWBACK tour visits

Maidenhead, Norden Farm Arts Centre on Saturday, February 4.

Doors open at 8pm, with tickets available for £19.50.

n For tickets and information log on to: norden.farm, or call the box office on: 01628 788977

It’s all the splurge as Bugsy makes return

RARE Productions presents 1930s New York gangster spoof, Bugsy Malone. A comedy musical all the family can enjoy, cream pies replace bullets, and children play the adults.

Bugsy Malone is at Reading’s Hexagon Theatre, on Friday and Saturday, February 10 and 11.

Doors open on Friday at 7.30pm, and on Saturday at 2pm and 6.30pm.

Tickets cost £20.50, and £18.50 for under 16s.

AT THE THEATRE

Bracknell –South Hill Park

www.southhillpark.org.uk

01344 484123

Toothpaste Kisses. Wed 1-Sat 4.

High School Musical on Stage. Thurs 2-Sat 4. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 3. West Forest Sinfonia. Sun 5. The

Hollow by Agatha Christie.

Wed 8-Sat 11. Prog Rock

night: Ruby Dawn and the Far Meadow. Wed 8.

Conservatoire: Renata Konyiccka. Fri 10. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 10. South Hill Park tours. Sun 12.

Wilde Sundays: Across The Sea, Marshpoem, Veronica Drosbowski. Sun 12.

FILMS: Call Jane. Fri 3-Sun 5.

Clara Sola. Mon 6-Tues 7.

A Bunch of Amateurs. Wed 8-Thurs 9. Guillermo

Del Toro’s Pinocchio.

Fri 10-Sun 12. She Said.

Fri 10-Sun 12.

Tickets cost £10 for an adult and child, and £7 for each additional for adult or child.

n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.uk, or call the box office on: 01483 440000

In the park, in the dark, there is a shark

TIMOTHY Pope is looking through his telescope, when, in the park he sees a shark.

Youngsters can see all three of Nick Sharratt’s Shark in the Park early years books performed live on stage in this show: Shark in the Park, Shark in the Dark and Shark in the Park on a Windy Day.

A pre-show craft workshop Sunday February 12, allows children to make their own kaleidoscope to take into the show with them.

Shark In The Park is on at Newbury’s Corn Exchange, on Saturday and Sunday, February 11 and 12.

Performances on Saturday are at 1pm and 3pm.

On Sunday, a craft workshop at 10am precedes the show at 11am, and a second craft workshop at 1pm is followed by the show at 2pm.

n For tickets and information visit: whatsonreading.com, or call the box office: 0118 960 6060

Unhappy romance found in The Hollow

BRACKNELL’S Studio Theatre Company presents The Hollow, where the plot unfolds into an unhappy game of romantic follow-the-leader.

Romance explodes into murder one weekend at The Hollow, home of Sir Henry and Lucy Angkatell, and everyone is a potential suspect.

Audiences can enjoy this Agatha Christie classic at South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell.

Performances are from Wednesday, February 8 through to Saturday, February 11.

Doors open at 7.45pm, with tickets

Camberley –Theatre

www.camberleytheatre.biz

01276 707600

An Evening with Sir Geoff Hurst. Thurs 2. Rob Newman. Sat 4. Lloyd Griffith: One Tonne of Fun. Sun 5. The Little Mermaid, an adult panto. Tues 7-Wed 8. The

Scummy Mummies. Thurs 9.

A Tribute to The Carpenters. Fri 10. Ben Thompson as Elvis. Sun 12.

Guildford –Yvonne Arnaud

www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

01483 440000

Wodehouse in Wonderland. Thurs 2-Sat 4. Steel Magnolias. Tues 7-Sat 11. Adventures of an Ugly Duckling. Wed 8.

High Wycombe –Wycombe Swan

www.wycombeswan.co.uk

01494 512000

An Evening of Burlesque.

Thurs 2. David O’Doherty:

Whoa Is Me. Thurs 2. Jim

Davidson: Not Yet Cancelled.

costing £17, or £16 for concessions.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk, or call the box office on: 01344 484123

Renata tickles the ivories for concert

HUNGARIAN born, London-based concert pianist Renata Konyicska plays as part of the Conservatoire International Concert Series.

Her programme includes a complete performance of Chopin’s Preludes Op. 28, along with works by Mozart (Sonata in B flat) and Schubert’s Impromptu In C Minor.

She performs at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre, on Friday, February 10. Doors open at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £16.50, £12.50 for over 65s, students and unemployed, and

Throwback. Sat 4. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Fri 9. Both Sides

Tickets cost £32, £35, and £39 depending on seat location, with concessions available at £12.

n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.uk or call the box office on: 01483 440000.

£5.50 for under 18s.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on: 01344 484123

Quack quack!

ADVENTURES of an ugly duckling is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, with sensory role-play.

Written and told by Hannah Summers, with illustrations by Laura Bissonnet, it’s designed for little ones from babies to four years.

Ugly duckling Tully longs for adventure beyond the farm fences.

Full of questions, she takes a surprising journey to find out who she is and where she truly belongs.

The event can be seen at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud theatre, on Wednesday, February 8. Performances are at 11.30am and 1.30pm.

Reading –South Street

Tickets cost £14.75, or £12.75 for under 18s.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.cornexchangenew.com, or call the box office on: 08455 218218.

Gig will be cool for cats

WOKINGHAM Music Club welcomes Squeeze co-founder and songwriter Chris Difford.

For over 40 years, Chris has been at the forefront of British popular music, as bass player, vocalist and lyricist with new wave band Squeeze.

Formed in the late 1970s, the band is still active.

Difford also writes for other artists, including Brian Ferry and Lisa Stansfield. His concert includes Squeeze hits such as: Cool for Cats; Up The Junction; Tempted; and Pulling Mussels From A Shell, as well as his own solo numbers.

The event is at Luckley House School’s Whitty Theatre, on Friday, February 10.

Doors open at 7.30pm, with tickets available at £25.

n For tickets and information visit: www. wokinghammusicclub.co.uk

Fri 3. Friends Brunch. Sat 4. Tap Factory. Sat 4. The Story of Guitar Heroes. Sun 5. Hellfire Comedy Club. Thurs 9. The Mirror Crack’d. Tues 7-11.

Rob Auton: The Crowd Show.

Fri 10.

Henley –Kenton Theatre

www.kentontheatre.co.uk

01491 525050

The Great Canadian Songbook.

Thurs 2. Legends of Motown.

Sat 4. Shiplake College presents Alice Through The Looking Glass and The Seagull.

Wed 8. Carl Hutchinson: Watch Till The End. Sun 12.

Maidenhead –Norden Farm

www.nordenfarm.org

01628 788997

Spandau Too. Thurs 2. Tomorrow

Bird. Fri 3. Mike Bubbins:

Now: A Homage to the Songs of Joni Mitchell. Fri 9. Moscow Drug Club. Sat 10. Moonrakers. Sun 11. Just Radiohead. Sun 11.

Newbury –The Corn Exchange

www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218

The Chosen Haram. Thurs 2. Nick Cope Family Music. Sat 4. The Dolly Show. Sat 4.

Dementia Friendly Screening:

An American In Paris. Mon

6. Teechers Leavers ‘22. Tues 7-Thurs 9. Theatre Quiz night.

Fri 10. Babatunde Aleshe: Babahood. Sat 11. Shark In The Park. Sat 11-Sun 12.

Newbury – The Watermill

www.watermill.org.uk

01635 46044

Notes From A Small Island.

Fri 3-Sat Mar 18.

www.whatsonreading.com

0118 960 6060

Jen Brister: The Optimist.

Fri 3. Fern Brady: Autistic Bikini Queen - SOLD OUT.

Sat 4. Fatherhood by Altered Skin. Wed 8.

Lucy Porter: Wake-up Call.

Thurs 9. Rhys James: Spilt Milk. Sat 11.

Reading –The Hexagon www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

Happy Hour Live. Thurs 2.

NT Live: The Crucible. Fri 3.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda

The Musical. Sat 4. Rare Productions presents Bugsy Malone. Fri 10-Sat 11.

Reading – Concert Hall

www.whatsonreading.com

0118 960 6060

NEXT SHOW: Arturo Castro Nogueras, guitar. Thurs Feb 16.

Reading –Progress Theatre www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195

NEXT SHOW: The Lonesome West. Mar 3-11.

Reading – Reading Rep Theatre www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620

NEXT SHOW: Hedda Gabler. Feb 22-Mar 11.

Shinfield –Shinfield Players www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880

NEXT SHOW: Last Tango In Whitby. Wed Mar 1-Sat Mar 4.

Sonning – The Mill www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000

We’ll Always Have Paris. Until Mar 11. Sound of the 70s with The Zoots. Sun 5. Comedy Night. Mon 6. West End Meets Broadway. Sun 12.

Windsor –Theatre Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888

Wodehouse in Wonderland. Thu 9-Sat 11.

Wokingham –Theatre www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363

Wokingham Lions Comedy Night. Fri 3.

Wokingham –The Whitty Theatre www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247

Anything Goes Theatre Company: More More More! Sat 4-Sun 5. Wokingham Music Club: Chris Difford live in concert. Fri 10.

Woodley – Theatre www.woodleytheatre.org 07488337838

NEXT SHOW: Educating Rita. June 20-24.

STARRING Laura Main (Call The Midwife), Steel Magnolias sees six fierce and sassy women setting the world to rights in their small town bustling beauty salon. Based on the film starring Dolly Parton and Julia Roberts, it’s described

as a raucous comedy masterpiece. The event takes place at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, from Tuesday, February 7, through to Saturday, February 11. Doors open at 7.30pm, with Thursday and Saturday matinées at 2.30pm.

A Lent choir promises ‘exquisite’ concert

READING Bach Choir promises a concert of beautiful music in preparation for Lent.

Works by Hayden, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Lotti will be performed in Reading.

Joined by a string quartet, the singers will perform a re-imagined version of one of Hayden’s oratorios, The Seven Last Words Of Christ.

The piece reflects on the final words Christians believe Jesus said when on the cross, and was one that Hayden cherished above many of his other compositions.

Other items in the programme are: Beethoven’s Elegischer Gesang, op. 118; Mendelssohn’s Jesu, Meine Freude, MWV A 6, and Lotti’s Crucifixus á 8, which will be performed a capella.

The concert, Seven Last Words, promises to be moving and memorable. Daniel Mahoney conducts.

Reading Bach Choir chair Anne Ware says: “Daniel is our new conductor. He’s from Boston, and has been introducing us to the works of American composers.

“But most importantly, he’s been building us up after covid, and really helping us to come through that.”

Reading Bach choir sings a wide range of choral music, both ancient and modern, with a special focus on challenging and rewarding new music.

“The concert programme is really varied, and we’re excited to be accompanied by a string ensemble, which Daniel has gathered to perform with us,” continues Anne.

“The Mendelssohn is joyous, the Lotti is exquisite, and the venue is very beautiful (and heated), with a wonderful warm acoustic.”

Anne says that audiences will leave the concert feeling better than when they arrived.

“People should leave feeling uplifted, happy, and satisfied,” she says. “Nobody ever feels worse after listening to beautiful music, even if it’s sad, do they?

“It’s a great joy to hear good music, but it’s an even bigger joy to sing with a choir.

“And it’s good for mental health.”

The choir rehearses on Tuesdays, at St Andrew’s Church, Caversham at 7.30pm, and currently seeks new members, particularly basses.

This is Ukraine calling ... fundraising concert to take place in Reading’s town hall

A VERY special concert will take place in Reading later this month, aimed at helping raise money to help Ukraine.

Singers with a high standard of singing and musicianship are invited to try a couple of rehearsals before auditioning.

“The boys do tend to be a bit shy about coming forward,” says Anne.

“We’d love some more basses, especially, to come and try the group, to see if they like it.

“You need to know your way around the notes, but you don’t have to be brilliant.”

The group’s Seven Last Words concert takes place at All Saints Church, Downshire Square, on Saturday, February 11. Doors open at 7.30pm, with tickets available, costing £15, or £5 for under 18s.

n For details, call: 01628 638847 or visit: www.readingbachchoir.org.uk EMMA

Organised by The Reading Ukrainian Community Centre and Reading Borough Council, Good Evening! We’re From Ukraine! will be held in Reading Town Hall on Friday, February 17.

The event will showcase all aspects of Ukrainian culture, and compered by BBC Watchdog host Matt Allwright.

Among the acts will be dance ensemble Prolisok, who appeared on the BBCs One Show. The dance group will be premièring a special written dance for the evening.

Other acts include Mirage, who perform a modern take on Ukrainian songs.

Playing the bandura the national instrument of Ukraine is London ensemble “Band Era” who took part in BBC’s Radio Berkshire’s carol concert.

These and other special guests

performing both in English and Ukrainian will take to the stage. Proceeds will go towards Ukraine, which is facing immense hardships caused by Putin’s decision to illegally invade it.

The concert will be held on the first anniversary of the start of the conflict.

Reading’s Ukrainian Community Centre has been at the forefront of trying to help their country, organising aid collections, and supporting refugees who have come to the UK while the war is on.

Their efforts have been noticed: the Princess of Wales visited the Sidmouth Street centre last year, and the group also won a Pride of Reading special recognition award for their work.

n Tickets for the evening cost £27, and are available by calling the box office on: 0118 960 6060, or logging on to whatsonreading.com

SING UP: Reading Bach Choir promises a beautiful concert to uplift

PHIL CREIGHTON

“Visually and vocally gripping”

one of the most romantic operas ever written, includes a local brass band and snow effects.

“Authentic, tender and passionate”

RAYMOND GUBBAY presents

Lucy Porter to gig at South Street

STAND-UP comedian Lucy Porter will be returned to Reading next Thursday, as she brings her latest show to the town.

Wake-Up Call is a show about revelations, realisations and epiphanies – both large and small.

In it, Lucy tackles everything from bin collections to school fair tombolas, fused with the Scottish Enlightenment, pressure washers and Huel.

The show takes place at South Street on Thursday, February 9, from 8pm.

Tickets cost £20.

n For more details or book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060, or log on to whatsonreading.com

Matilda on film

READING’S Hexagon theatre is going to become a cinema on Sunday.

The arts venue is screening the new version of Roald Dahl’s classic book Matilda.

The tale of a young girl who loves reading, she aims to give her wicked headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, a lesson she will never forget.

This new version features songs from the musical, craeted by Tim Michin.

It is screened at 2pm, and tickets cost £7.

n For more details or book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060, or log on to whatsonreading.com

Gang Show marks 50 years of showtime

THE South East Berkshire Gang Show is to mark its 50th annual performance with a family variety show.

The group hopes people will come along to enjoy the show and support the young performers.

All are members of the Scouting and Guiding organisations and Trefoil Guild, and will perform musical numbers and comedy sketches.

“It’s a very exciting time,” says Elizabeth Marchant, South East Berkshire Gang Show chair.

“With it being such an important year for us, we’re stepping down memory lane.

“We’ve been looking through our archives to find music from earlier shows, and we’ve got some great numbers from the 1970s onwards, including Queen songs.”

This year around 50 children will be joined on stage by their group leaders, some of whom have been volunteering almost as long as The South East Berkshire Gang Show has existed, (their first show was in 1971).

“Our stage manager has been with us ever since he started out as a youngster,” says Ms Marchant.

“This will be his 49th show.”

Performers range in age from six to 70, with youngsters drawn from Scouting and Guiding organisations throughout

Wokingham, Bracknell and Crowthorne.

The youngest performers, The Mini Gang, will start the show, followed by acts from the rest of the company.

Around 100 volunteers make this show possible, with leaders, members and parents creating the set, organising the sound, and managing the huge wardrobe of costumes.

“It’s a community event,” says Ms Marchant. “Everyone’s very excited now that we’re so close to the performance, and able to rehearse on stage.

“And it’s really wonderful to be performing again after two years absent during covid.”

Performances are an opportunity for the company to raise money for a local charity.

“We’ll be having bucket collections each evening to support First Days,” says Ms Marchant.

“We’re very pleased to be able to support them in this way.

“It’s going to be a fun family show, and there really will be something for everyone.”

n The Gang Show takes place at South Hill Park in Bracknell, From Thursday, February 14 to Saturday, February 18. Performances start at 7.15pm, with an additional Saturday matinée at 2.15pm. Tuesday tickets cost £12, or £11 for over 65s. Remaining tickets cost £17, or £16 for over 65s, except for the last performance on Saturday evening, when all tickets cost £20. For tickets and information visit: www.southhillpark.org.uk

ON STAGE: Dutch indie band Pip Blom will return to Reading following their headline slot at the Are You Listening? festival back in May.

Picture: Eric de Redelijkheid via Wikimedia Commons

Pip Blom returns to The Face Bar for Indie Venue Week

THE FACE Bar will host a returning band as it marks Independent Venue Week.

Dutch indie band Pip Blom will return to Reading following their headline slot at the Are You Listening? festival back in May.

The band combines rock instrumentation with an often sunny, pop-infused outlook, fronted by the eponymous Pip herself.

They released their debut

album, Boat, back in 2019 and followed up with sophomore album, Welcome Break, in 2021. Independent Venue Week aims to celebrate and champion venues like The Face Bar and The Rising Sun Arts Centre which are run by communities.

Pip Blom will be performing at The Face Bar on Friday, February 3.

n Tickets cost £15, available via: www.ents24.com

Concerts in Caversham to see duo perform romantic music

THE FIRST concert of 2023 from Concerts in Caversham will take place on Saturday, February 25. Performing will be the duo of violinist Mary Hofman, and pianist John Ormorod. They will be playing a programme of late romantic period music: Dvorak’s Four

Romantic Pieces, Enescu’s Impressions d’enfance, Kodaly’s Three Hungarian Dances, and Brahms’ Sonata in D Minor.

The duo have performed across the world, including Malaysia, and Singapore, and recently released their first CD together, Unbroken Threads.

The event takes place at St Andrew’s Church in Caversham.

Tickets cost £22, £20 for over 60s, £16 for under 24s, and under 16s can enjoy the performance for free.

n For more details, log on to: www.concertsincaversham.co.uk

Circus of Horrors to turn Hexagon into a Haunted Fairground

A DANCE macabre will be returning to The Hexagon to thrill audiences ... and scare them a little too.

The Circus of Horrors has been touring since they formed in Glastonbury in 1995, and made annual stopovers in Reading.

This year’s new show is called The Haunted Fairground.

Set in a decrepit fairground on the edge of nowhere, it is haunted by creatures of the unknown.

What will they conjure out of the House of Wax and a Tesla coil machine?

The show features high production values including a top class special effects and lighting, all performed to an original rock score.

There will be amazing, bizarre

and daredevil circus acts, all with a forked tongue in cheek.

The show will be performed on Valentine’s Day - Tuesday, February 14, and is for adults only.

Tickets cost £23 or £28, with £3 discount for concessions, groups and students.

n For more details or book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060, or log on to whatsonreading.com

THE GANG’S ALL HERE: A rehearsal for the South East Berkshire Gang Show’s big finale. Picture: courtesy of East Berkshire Gang Show

LIVEMUSIC

RaW Sounds Today Chris Hillman bit.ly/raw

sounds today

IT’S NOT just Old Macdonald who has some animals, but we’ve not got The Farm. Just 10 great tracks for you to listen to.

And the three new entries in our playlist all have links to the animal kingdom.

Catfish and Quantum Pig – well, that tenuous link is obvious. Squeeze? Well, they’re Cool For Cats. And all three will be performing over the coming days, so we can whet your appetite.

As ever, we’re on a mission to champion and showcase great music from acts that have a connection to Reading and Wokingham (that’s the RaW in our Sounds Today name).

It’s a mixture that will help you discover something new. All you have to do is find it on Spotify.

To hear this week’s selection, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday and 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.

GIG GUIDE

Thursday, February 2

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. The Bluepers and Support. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BURGHFIELD – The Hatch Gate Inn, Reading Road RG30 3TH. Elvis night with Mike Nova. Details: 0118 983 2059.

READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. Karaoke. Details: 0118 958 6775.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Fusion 6t. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Gun Street Garden, Gun Street. Playground.

READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Skint Thursdays: Skint Rock, pop punk and classic rock, plus house and techo. Details: Twitter @skintmondays

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. The MxX Rock Covers Band. Details: 0118 959 7196.

WOKINGHAM – The Victoria Arms, Easthampstead Road RG40 2EH. Open mic night. Details: 0118 979 9437.

Friday, February 3

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. One Last Day, Divide The Truth, The Whiskey Knights

Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. I Got Soul: D-Funkt. Details: 01344 303333.

EMMBROOK – The Dog and Duck, Matthewsgreen Road RG41 1JT. Karaoke. Details: 0118 978 0544.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Face bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Heavy Pop presents Pip Blom with special guests. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Jazz at Progress presents Gary Willcox’s Drummer/ Composer Project ... a celebration of the jazz ‘engine room’. Details: www. jazzinreading.com

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Genesis: Visible Touch.

Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. OCD&B. Details: 0118 959

Catfish – Soulbreaker

Catfish is a band that brings blues music right up to date with an exciting sound that has brought them many well deserved nominations and awards at leading Blues organisations.

They perform throughout Europe and there’s an opportunity to see them live locally when they visit Wokingham Music Club on Friday February 17.

If you like your blues played by excellent musicians with powerful vocals, it’s well-worth getting along. This song is from their 2019 album, Burning Bridges – https://www.catfishband.com/

Quantum Pig – Keep the Nation Warm

This London-based duo have gone from strength to strength since the release of their debut album,

‘Songs of Industry and Sunshine’ on our White Star Records label and their first live show at Wokingham Festival.

Following a tour last year with Frost*, they will be supporting Lonely Robot at their February 8 Islington Assembly Hall show.

Lonely Robot’s Reading-based creator John Mitchell performs a brilliant guitar solo on this song from that debut album – https://quantumpig.live/

Squeeze – Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)

Wokingham Music Club has certainly brought some legendary songwriters to the area and next week on February 10, there’s another good one.

It’s Chris Difford who co-wrote and performed so many great songs with Squeeze and he will be performing his solo show for the club.

It’s at the Whitty Theatre and you can expect to hear some of those classic songs performed acoustically with chat from Chris about his fascinating career.

Here’s one of those classics – https://chrisdifford. com/

Gemma Rogers – The Great Escape

London-based Gemma came to Reading in November and performed a great show at the Facebar. This song is from her new four-track EP The Great Escape – https://www.gemmarogersmusic. com/

Lonely Robot – Lonely Robot

7196.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Club Velocity presents: Cities In Dust, This, As Loud As A Mouse.

Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP.

Genesis Visible Youch: The Shapes

Album at 40. Details: 0118 959 5395

READING – 3sixty Reading University

Students’ Union Reading RG6 6EH.

BBC Introducing Live ft. Maddie Ashman, Emily Craig, Henjila. Booking essential. Details: www.rusu.co.uk/ events

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. The Gas Trick Band. Details: 0118 977 3706.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. Karaoke with Waynie. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WINNERSH – The Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Cl, Winnersh, Wokingham RG41 5LP. Wokingham Music Club presents The Wonder of Stevie: Celebrating the music of Stevie Wonder Details:www. wokinghammusicclub.co.uk

Saturday, February 4

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Simply Weller. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Sound Intentions. Details: 01344 303333.

PURLEY – St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Avenue,RG8 8BJ. James Kirby in concert. 7pm. £15, Under 17 £10.

Details: www.stmaryspurley.org.uk

READING – High Spirits Cocktail Company, Kings Road. Glow Party.

Details: Bookings@highspiritscc.com

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. SoundJam. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Jenny Fay and Friends.

Details: 0118 931 0232.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Club Velocity presents: Tom Webber, Darcey Hope, Uncle Peanut.

Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. The Skangsters.

Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP.

Resist launch party. Details: 0118 959 5395

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Paddington. Details: 0118 957 6930

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. Uptown Traffic. Details: 0118 942 9606.

TILEHURST – The Victoria, Norcot Road RG30 6BP. Rigsby. Details: 0118 941 5064.

WINNERSH – The Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Wokingham Music Club presents Some Kinda Wonderful: the music of Stevie Wonder. Details: www. wokinghammusicclub.co.uk

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Kohazi!.

Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. DJ Bounce. Details: 0118 977 4548.

YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, Reading Road GU46 7LR. The Turn. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, February 5

PANGBOURNE – Woking Men’s Club, Whitchurch Road, RG8 7BS. Pangbourne Jazz Club: Simon Bates. 7.30pm £10.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Singers Night. 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. Sounds of the 70s with The Zoots. Details: 0118 969 8000.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Super chilled open mic. 3pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.

Monday, January 6

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Club reckless alternative club night. Details: 0118 959 7196.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Acoustic Cafe. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.

Tuesday, February 7

BAGSHOT – The Foresters Arms, London Road. Bracknell Folk Club. Details: www.bracknellfolk.org.uk

PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. Unplugged Night. Details: 0118 969 98978.

SHERFIELD-ON-LODDON – The Four Horseshoes. Equinox jazz night with Sarah Jane Eveleigh. Details: 01256 882296.

WOKINGHAM – The Grasshopper, Rose Street RG40 1XU. Live at the Grasshopper: Mark Warner’s Full Swing. From 6.30pm. Details: 0118 901 2678.

Wednesday, February 8

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Prog Rock night: Ruby Dawn and The Far Meadow. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Monthly Shanty Session. Details: 0118 958 0473.

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU. Status Quo’s John Coghlan Quo Reimagined Jazz. Details: 01491 681048.

Thursday, February 9

READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Skint Thursdays: Skint Rock, pop punk and classic rock, plus house and techo. Details: Twitter @skintmondays

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Acoustic night with Harley Hutchinson. Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Victoria Arms, Easthampstead Road RG40 2EH. Open mic night. Details: 0118 979 9437.

Friday, February 10

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. London Beat Club, The Julia Set, Elephant Hawk. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. All About You. Details: 01344 303333.

GORING – Goring Community Centre, The Old School, Station Road RG8 9HB. Goring Community Jazz Club presents Mingus Mingus Mingus. Details www.ticketsource.co.uk/ goring-community-jazz-club

Reading producer John Mitchell’s Lonely Robot play a rare live show at London’s Islington Assembly Hall on February 8. This is from the Please Come Home album, the first of their five albums – https:// www.facebook.com/LonelyRobotband/

Tom Webber – I’m Yours

Tom will be live in Reading this Saturday 4th to headline at the Rising Sun Arts Centre. It’s one of the Club Velocity promoted shows for Independent Venue Week – https://www.tomwebbermusic.com/

Flutatious – Spacechick (Mitchell Mix)

Flutatious recently performed a great show at Wokingham Music Club. This live fave from their Fluctuations EP was mixed by Lonely Robot’s John Mitchell – https://www.flutatious.co.uk/

Cities In Dust – Tornado Road

Guitar pop from the Reading band who are at one of Club Velocity’s Independent Venue Week shows this Friday – https://linktr.ee/ citiesindust

Adomania – I Always Seem to Break Something (At The Party)

They were No 6 in our best of 2022 and here’s their excellent new single – https://www.facebook. com/AdomaniaBand/

Darcy Hope – Landslide

Darcy, from Fleet, will be playing at the Tom Webber Rising Sun Arts Centre show this Saturday, Feb 4th – https://darceyhope.com

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Face bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Valentine’s Masquerade ball. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. Valentine’s weekender. Details: 0118 968 1442.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Peach and the Prairie Dogs. Details: 0118 977 3706.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. Karaoke with Waynie. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Wokingham Music Club presents Chris Difford. 7.30pm. Details:www.wokinghammusicclub. co.uk

Saturday, February 11

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. British Bluescasting Corporation. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Bottlekids. Details: 01344 303333.

CAVERSHAM – Caversham Park Village Social Club, Northbrook Road, Caversham Park Village RG4 6PF. Neon Daze. Details: 0118 334 1040.

CROWTHORNE – Royal British Legion, Wellington Road RG45 7LJ. Gary Roman as Elvis. Details: 01344 772161.

PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. Sing-along-aNick Valentine’s Special. Details: 0118 969 98978.

READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. DJ F’Unkle. Details: 0118 958 6775.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Syn City Rockers. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. Valentine’s weekender. Details: 0118 968 1442.

READING – Phantom Brewing, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Brewery tour and tasting. Noon. Booking essential. Dark Days, Dark Beers with Darklands. Details: www.phantombrew.com

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. The Gas Trick Band. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Fat Lip. Details: 0118 959 5395

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Judas Rising. Details: 0118 957 6930

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. Full Flavour. Details: 0118 942 9606.

TILEHURST – The Victoria, Norcot Road RG30 6BP. Live music. Details: 0118 941 5064.

WOKINGHAM – WADE, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Dance night with Abi Powell. 7.30pm. £11, includes snacks. Free parking at Masonic Hall opposite. Bring your own drinks and glasses. Details: wadecentre.org.uk/events

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Wokingham Music Club presents Andy Fairweather Low and the Low Riders. 7.30pm. CANCELLED. Details:www.wokinghammusicclub. co.uk

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. DJ Bounce. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Rage Against The Machine tribute. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Victoria Arms, Easthampstead Road RG40 2EH. Revolver. Details: 0118 979 9437.

Sunday, February 12

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Wilde Sundays: Marc Woosnam, Marshpoem, Jack Frank.

Details: 01344 484123.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Skinner and T’Witch Details: www.readifolk.org.uk

READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. Valentine’s weekender. Details: 0118 968 1442.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. West End Meets Broadway. Details: 0118 969 8000.

BLUES LIGHT: Matt Long of Catfish at The Acoustic Couch in Bracknell Picture: Andrew Merritt

WHAT’SON

Thursday, February 2

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ.

Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

FINCHAMPSTEAD – Siren

Tap Yard, Alberto House, Marino Way RG40 4RF.

Siren Beer Discovery: An Introduction to Siren through the exploration of the various beer styles of the core range. Includes third-pints of each of the five core range beers. Tickets from £11.37. 7pm8pm. Details: https://www. sirencraftbrew.com

SPENCERS WOOD –Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7

1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac lunch club with Friendship table. Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40

1AU. Wokingham - People, Planet, Pint: Sustainability Meetup. 6pm.

WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club meeting Audio Visual Evening. 7.30pm. Details: www.webcc.org.uk

WOKINGHAM – The Rose Inn, Market Place RG40 1AS. Bang Bang Comedy night. 7.30pm. Adults only. Details: Search thelittleboxoffice.com for bangbangcomedy.

Friday, February 3

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6

7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Jazz at Progress presents Gary Willcox’s Drummer/ Composer Project ... a celebration of the jazz ‘engine room’. 7.30pm.

£18, £16 concessions, £9 under 16s, plus booking fee. Details: www. jazzinreading.com

TILEHURST – Hall behind Methodist Church, School Road RG31 5AN.Triangle Players presents Robinson Crusoe - the pantomime. 7.30pm. Details: www. triangleplayers.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.

WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, RG40 5TU. Woky Comedy Night organised by Wokingham Lions. 7.30pm. Over 18s only. £17. Details: wokinghamlions.org.uk

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, February 4

CROWTHORNE – The Morgan Centre, Wellington Road RG45 7LD. Laughter Craft Comedy presents comedy night with Nathan Caton, Tom Deacon, Josh Baulf. 7pm. £14.30.

Details: http://www. laughtercraftcomedy.com/

FINCHAMPSTEAD –Siren Tap Yard, Alberto House, Marino Way RG40 4RF. Street

Food Saturday: Funky Pickle. From noon. Details: www. sirencraftbrew.com

PURLEY – St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Avenue,RG8 8BJ. James Kirby in concert. 7pm. £15, Under 17 £10. Details: www. stmaryspurley.org.uk

READING – Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Reading Farmers Market. 8.15amnoon. Details: www. thamesvalleyfarmers market.co.uk

SILCHESTER - Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Village market: local produce and businesses. 10am-12.30pm. Details: 0118 970 0999 or www. silchestervillagemarket. org.uk.

SINDLESHAM – Sindlesham Court, Mole Road RG41 5EA. Chance to Dance Stars CIC 10th anniversary party. £35, includes three-course meal, entertainment and more. From 5pm. Details: www. sendanceclub.co.uk

SOUTHCOTE – Grange United Reformed Church, Circuit Lane RG30 3HD. Coffee Morning and Mini Market in aid of Thames Valley Animal Welfare. 10.30am12.30pm. Free entry.

Details: 07747 874525.

TILEHURST – Hall behind Methodist Church, School Road RG31 5AN.Triangle Players presents Robinson Crusoe - the pantomime. 3pm and 7pm. Details: www.triangleplayers.co.uk

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market. 9am3pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, February 5

MORTIMER – De Vere Wokefield Estate, Goodboys Lane RG7 3AE. Wedding fair. 11am-3pm. Details: www. berkshireweddingfairs. co.uk

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 – Blue Collar Corner, Hosier Street RG1 7QL. Reading’s Indie Market. 10am-3pm. Free entry.

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Dreading Poetry Slam.

7.30pm. Free entry. Details: www.risingsunartscentre. org

SPENCERS WOOD – Village Hall, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AP. Repair cafe. 10am.

WOKINGHAM – St Crispin’s Leisure Centre, London Road RG40 1SR. Antique and Collectors Fair.

10am-3pm. Details: 07723 068189.

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents car boot sale. 8am-1pm. Cars £10, tables £8. Details: 07943 510108 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Monday, February 6

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.

9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org

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 - Milk, Merchants Place RG1 1DT. Jelly’s The Creative book club meeting. 7pm-8.30pm. £2. Places limited, pre-booking essential. Details: jelly. org.uk

WOKINGHAM – Caudwell Hall Theatre, Holme Grange School, Heathlands Road, RG40 3AL.Wokingham Rock Choir free taster session.

7.30pm. Booking essential. Details: https://www. rockchoir.com/join/ Wokingham_Late_Session

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, February 7

BEECH HILL - Memorial Hall, Beech Hill Road. Village teas: sandwiches, cakes and tea. 3pm-4pm.

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. Details: linkvisiting. org

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 WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Wednesday, February 8

EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe with Friendship Table. 2pm4pm. Details: linkvisiting. org

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac 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 – St Paul’s Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Wokingham Rock Choir

free taster session. 12.15pm. Details: https:// www.rockchoir.com/join/ Wokingham_Morning_ Session

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Artisan market. 9am2pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Thursday, February 9

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

FINCHAMPSTEAD – Siren Tap Yard, Alberto House, Marino Way RG40 4RF.

Siren Beer Discovery: An Introduction to Siren through the exploration of the various beer styles of the core range.

Includes third-pints of each of the five core range beers. Tickets from £11.37. 7pm-8pm. Details: https://www. sirencraftbrew.com/

READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. The hidden history of Reading’s War Graves and Memorials Talk, a talk by Liz Tait, organised by the Berkshire Family History Society. 2pm-3.30pm. £5, £4 members. Details: 0118 950 9553.

SPENCERS WOOD –Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac lunch club with Friendship table. Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Wokingham Film Society presents: Before Sunrise (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 Folio Evening 2. 7.30pm. Details: www. webcc.org.uk.

Friday, February 10

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

READING – South Street Arts Centre. Poets Cafe.

8.30pm. Details: 0118 960 6060.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinwood Theatre, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG30 3AQ. EBOS quiz night with fish and chip supper. Teams of up to six. £13. 8pm. Details: https:// www.facebook.com/ ebostheatre

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. 2pm-4pm.

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, February 11

FINCHAMPSTEAD –Siren Tap Yard, Alberto House, Marino Way RG40 4RF. Street Food Saturday: Well Nice Food Co. From noon. Details: www. sirencraftbrew.com

and more. 7.30pm. £15, under 18s £5. Details: www.readingbachchoir. org.uk/

READING – Great Hall, university of Reading London Road RG1 5AQ. Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra winter concert: Liszt Prometheus, Ross Echo, and Tchaikosky Symphony No. 4. 7.30pm Details: www. aldworthphilharmonic. org.uk

WOKINGHAM – Mulgari Cars, Fishponds Road. Mulgari MINI coffee meet: coffee, doughnuts, cars. 9.30am-1.30pm.

WOKINGHAM – WADE, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Dance night with Abi Powell. 7.30pm. £11, includes snakcs. Free parking at Masonic Hall opposite. Bring your own drinks and glasses. Details: wadecentre.org. uk/events

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market. 9am-3pm. Details: www.woodleytowncentre. co.uk

WOODLEY – Oakwood Centre, Headley Road. Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society presents: Equipped for Eternity: The Ancient Egyptian Books of the Afterlife a lecture by Dr Ken Griffin. 2pm. Details: https://www.tvaes.org.uk/ Talks.php

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, February 12

What’s on event submission form

What’s on event submission form

Holding a community event? Running a fun day? Organising a concert? Planning a friendship group? Get it listed in our what’s on guide by sending information to us. Use this form or email events@wokingham.today. Please note this service is for community groups, charities and not-for-profit activities. We cannot guarantee inclusion. Date of event:

READING – Phantom Brewing, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Brewery tour and tasting. Noon. Booking essential. Dark Days, Dark Beers with Darklands. Details: www. phantombrew.com

GORING – St Thomas of Canterbury CofE Church, Off Manor Road RG8 9DS. Inaugural Organ Concert with Thomas Trotter. 7pm. £12. Details: http://www. st-marys-streatley.org.uk/

HURST – Hurst Village Hall, School Road, RG10 0DR. Hurst Bowling Club quiz night. 7pm. £16.50 per person. Includes light buffet supper. Bring own drinks and cups. Details: www.facebook.com/ hurstbowlingclub

READING – All Saints Church, Downshire Square RG1 6NN. Reading Bach

Choir: Seven Last Words, featuring works by Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn

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.

WOKINGHAM –Easthampstead Park, Peacock Lane RG40 3DF. Wedding fair. 11am-3pm. Free. Details: www. berkshireweddingfairs. co.uk

WOKINGHAM – Market Place RG40 1AS. Sparkle Vegan Events presents vegan market. 11am3pm. Details: www. sparkleveganevents.com

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents car boot sale. 8am-1pm. Cars £10, tables £8. Details: 07943 510108 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE, CALL CLAIRE ON:

TEST YOUR BRAINPOWER

Quiz Challenge

1. How many faces, including the base, does a regular tetrahedron have?

2. What S is the title of a 2022 hit song by The Weeknd and a 1989 hit song by Elton John?

3. What is the largest city on New Zealand’s South Island?

4. Which instrument is associated with the jazz musician Django Reinhardt?

5. The semi-autonomous region known as the Choctaw Nation is in which country?

6. In the Bond film Quantum of Solace, Gemma Arterton played which character?

7. Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached Serena Williams for a decade until 2022, was born in which country?

8. What do OO, HO and N have in common?

9. Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Helen Mirren have all played which British historical figure?

10. The echidna, also known as the spiny anteater, is native to which country?

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.

1. Host slipping out with items to buy (8,4)

9. Neat prose produced in another language (9)

10. Antelope found in alarming numbers (3)

11. Like the one most suitable to enter the race? (7)

12. Mix left in the corner (5)

13. Most pleasant variety of insect (6)

15. Component part is representative (6)

18. Place where vulgar swearword is heard (5)

20. I twice left raft to arrange emergency operation (7)

22. No end of a boom at the health resort (3)

23. One’s standing may be raised by it (9)

24. Only partially unbiased at home? (4-8)

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.

2. Livery of the cap I knocked about (7)

3. Bag a prize at boxing perhaps (5)

4. I get in muddle with light (6)

5. Parting word from an excellent extra (7)

6. In the evening left by the hearth (5)

7. Roars at marine during heavy rain (12)

8. Personal dissection? (4-8)

14. Objectively we will pay out for bar (7)

16. Let out after one of our countrymen is found to be frail (7)

17. It is considered lucky at the Monday race meeting (6)

19. Has fallen into a hundredmetre gap (5)

21. Something left in the barrel I concealed (5)

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.

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:

ACROSS DOWN

Meet the Together Coalition

Time for kindness Sarah Browning

THIS week, I discovered the Together Coalition, a UK-wide community of organisations and individuals who believe we have much more in common than divides us.

Its aim is to: “build kinder, closer and more connected communities by bringing people together and bridging divides.”

Together has been my favourite word for a long time.

So this group immediately caught my eye.

More than that though, I like it because I think it highlights the power of kindness through connection.

IN THE GARDEN

Stories of connection

Local communities are driven by connections to the people around us. We live on the same streets, our kids go to the same schools, we put our bins out on the same day. And because we feel we share things with our community, we will often carry out small acts of kindness for each other.

The stories sent in to my Time for Kindness website often involve examples of community kindness, such as: Neighbours taking in parcels for the family next door who are out at work all day;

Road co-ordinators helping to put bins out or take them in for

elderly neighbours; People taking a cooked meal round to a friend who is unwell.

Other stories we hear about at Time for Kindness involve people who didn’t know each other beforehand, for example:

n Shoppers who let a stranger go in front of them at the supermarket because they were only buying two items;

n A person who picked up a dropped purse in the street and got it back to its owner;

n A commuter who gave up their seat on a train for a fellow traveller on crutches.

In almost all cases, whether the people in a story knew each other already or not, they tell us how good it felt to know that another human being cared enough to do something nice for them. Those connections are strong, even when they are fleeting.

More in common

Even when we have differences of opinion,

we must remind ourselves to actively look for something we share.

I believe the majority of people would help pick up dropped shopping, even if we knew that person had different political opinions to us or, perhaps worse, didn’t like our favourite TV programme.

Seeing another human being struggling, most people want to help.

In difficult times, it’s

Grow your own compost

GARDENING in February

is all about enjoying the early signs of spring and getting ready for the growing season.

No matter what the size of your planting space, you can lay the groundwork now for a beautiful display in the warmer months.

If you only do one thing this month you should get ready to feed your plants.

They’re about to have a huge growth surge.

However, if you look after your soil the plants will look after themselves.

Most soils benefit from the addition of well rotted organic matter in the form of garden compost that improves soil drainage and enriches the soil with nutrients.

Which is why making your own garden compost is a no-brainer – it’s easy, it’s free and it makes your garden grow.

So, thrifty tip for the month is … make your own compost bin - it can cost you absolutely nothing if you recycle and re-use old materials. If you have an old plastic dustbin with a lid, you have a composter.

Drill about 15 1-2cm holes in the sides of the bin and approx six holes of the same size in the bottom. Place the dustbin on bricks to allow for drainage.

Fill it with your composting materials and to mix the ingredients simply roll the bin around on the ground. It’s always good to start your compost from someone else’s so get a

Healthy, hearty soups

SOUPS are great for lunch or dinner, or even as a snack between meals in a mug.

Join in

even more important to look for those points of connection.

People will experience challenges in different ways, but looking for ways to show kindness can help us feel less alone.

And if you’re not on the giving or receiving end yourself, seeing the kindness of others can still give you a positive boost and connect you to the wider human community.

We can all take action. Organisations and individuals can join the Together Coalition. If you believe that kindness and connection are the way forward for all of us, why not take a look and join the community. Sarah Browning is a Kindness Cheerleader, Communicator and Strategist. For more, log on to: www. timeforkindness. co.uk

When planned properly, soups can be a healthy, balanced meal and be a great way to increase your intake of vegetables. They’re usually a low cost per portion, great to make in bulk and convenient to warm up in a hurry or take out and about in a flask.

We’ve outlined some tips for building a balanced, nutrient-dense soup below.

Base

A great soup starts with a tasty base. Sautéed onions, celery and garlic make a wonderful starter for most soups.

the fragrance is delightful and the autumn foliage is stunning. Although their branches can spread as they mature and some may end up wider than higher there are options for smaller gardens. If outside space is limited go for a variety with an upright habit of growth which spreads out less and casts less shade.

Witch hazels are happy in any soil so long as not waterlogged or chalky and are hardy plants that can be grown pretty much anywhere in the UK.

Pruning is often not necessary, but if you have to then snip back to two buds from the base of last year’s growth. Mulch in the autumn or early winter.

Next select your stock, homemade is best and the most cost effective as you can make it from leftover meat bones and vegetables. Shop-bought stock cubes can be high in added salt and sugar so if you are using these make sure you choose a low-salt and low-sugar variety or leave it out altogether. You can use herbs and spices to add depth of flavour.

Carbohydrates

White potatoes, sweet potatoes, wholewheat noodles/pasta, and brown rice are all great options for adding to soup.

They provide a healthy source of carbohydrates to give you the energy you need to fuel your body.

Vegetables

All vegetables work well in soups, try choosing ones you wouldn’t usually eat to increase the variety in your diet.

Butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, cauliflower and broccoli are great options.

Protein

friend with good compost to give you a bagful. It will contain all the right bacteria, insects and worms to give yours a kick start.

For successful composting you need to mix brown materials with green materials and add a bit of water to keep it moist.

A good ratio is two thirds brown (newspaper, shredded cardboard, straw, paper tissues, dead leaves, sticks and stalks) to one third green (fresh grass clippings, spent flowers, coffee grounds, teabags, kitchen scraps, crushed egg shells and plant prunings).

Some of the best plants to prune at this time of year are roses, which should be pruned in late winter and early spring. Advice from the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) is that

February is normally a good time for gardeners in the south, but in northern and colder areas, wait until March.

By following a few basic principles you can enjoy a lovely display later in the year. Cuts should be about 5mm above a bud and slope away from it. With bush or shrub roses, cut to an outward-facing bud to encourage an open centre.

Make clean cuts using sharp secateurs, or a pruning saw for thicker stems. Remove dead, diseased and damaged stems along with weak stems or ones that are crossing over others.

A plant that needs little pruning is the heavily scented Hamamelis or witch hazel. The colour is a lovely addition to the garden during winter,

Some popular varieties include Jelena – a prolific grower with large, densely packed orange flowers and spectacular autumn foliage, Wisley Supreme – a great combination of large bright yellow flowers and strong scent, and Sunburst – a narrow upright growth ideal for small spaces with unusually large, pale yellow flowers.

The RHS Gardener’s Checklist for February

n Take root cuttings

n Cut back perennials

n Clean your tools

n Warm the soil by covering with cloches

n Refresh winter pot displays

n Mulch perennial veg

n Prune deciduous hedges

n Trim winter heathers

n Sow peppers and chillies indoors

n Tidy citrus plants

Protein is often forgotten in soups, but it is an important nutrient for growth and repair in the body.

It also helps us feel fuller for longer which can help us maintain a healthy weight. Healthy sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish and low-fat cheeses.

Plant based options such as different varieties of lentils and beans are healthful options, and these are a cheap option for bulking up soups.

n For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch. org.uk/healthy-tips

n To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heartresearch-uk-recipes-2/

n Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https:// heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-ukcookbook/

Witch Hazel

BONUS POINT BY LATE GOAL ENJOY 7-UP

FANS HEAD TO OLD TRAFFORD

STRONG LAURIE STORMS COURSE

By DEBBIE TAYLOR sport@wokingham.today

READING ATHLETICS CLUB enjoyed a successful outing at the Southern Cross Country Championships at Beckenham Place Park.

More than 400 athletes competed over the two-lap course of 8km.

Reading AC had a successful outing with Laurie Marlow finishing in 35th with an outstanding showing to storm through the course looking strong every step of the way.

FOR ROYALS

DUMPED OUT BY RED DEVILS

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC took more than 3,000 fans for a grand day out at Old Trafford for their FA Cup fourthround tie with Manchester United, but there was no fairy tale ending.

Although the result didn’t go the

way of the visitors, the fans can remain proud of the effort of the side who kept a full strength United side at bay for almost an hour.

A flurry of goals in quick succession, and a red card to Andy Carroll for a crunch tackle, could have seen the Royals humiliated with still 25 minutes left to play.

However, the 10-men Royals rallied to attack the Red Devils and managed to get themselves on the scoresheet when Amadou Mbengue was left unmarked f rom a corner and nodded past David De Gea to give the travelling fans something to remember.

Royals boss Paul Ince said: “It wasn’t about my reception, it was about the players and the 3,000 fans that travelled up. I’m proud of the way the players fought and never gave in, they didn’t let our fans down. Hopefully the fans are proud of us.

“We’ve now got to take that into our game against Watford.”

Next up with another strong run was Lydia Blythe in 109th position.

Not too far behind in 137th place was vet 50 Helen Antrum whose strength in training is showing during racing.

Next was a battle between Lucy Daniells and Shirley Ann Dix who both finished together on the line with the same time but positioned 174th and 175th.

Shirley was given the fourth scoring place but she couldn’t have done it without working hard with team mate Lucy.

Then Claire Mills ran her strongest race of the season in 276th followed closely behind by Millie Dainton in 287th.

Kathryn Tolson had an incident near the race start when an athlete fell badly in front of her. She showed true sportsmanship when she had to go and find help from a Marshall and about 10 minutes later continued with her race, having to pip off runners in front, finishing in an impressive 344th place.

The team finished in a strong 14th place with 47 complete teams.

CAMBRIDGE 27-33 RAMS

‘IT’S OUR BEST COMEBACK EVER’: RAMS’ LATE SCORE AGAINST RIVALS

By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today

SEB Reynolds believes Rams’ astonishing 33-27 National One win at Cambridge is ‘probably the best comeback the team has ever done.’

On an emotional rollercoaster of an afternoon at Volac Park, Henry Bird’s 83rdminute score completed a dramatic turnaround from 27-12 down heading into the final quarter as the hosts’ 15-match winning streak on their own turf was ended in the most remarkable fashion.

Things had started badly for the visitors as Cambridge went 14-0 up on the back of tries from Anthony Maka and Ben

Brownlie, former Ram Steffan James adding the extras to both.

A superb Max Hayman five-pointer cut the gap, but with the Blood & Sand’s maul imperious, Brownlie went over for a second converted try and a 21-5 half-time advantage.

A James penalty extended the lead to 19 points before replacement Ben Henderson – outstanding after being introduced at the interval – smashed his way through three defenders for a score supremely converted by Alex Seers from the right-hand touchline.

But when James landed a second penalty his side held a significant advantage heading

into the final stages.

Yet Rams had looked dangerous with ball in hand all afternoon and Bird gave them a glimmer of hope as he dived over on the right, another substitute who made a major impact, Will Partington, with a fine conversion.

And the Chippenham boy then produced a sublime piece of skill to collect his own chip and dive over for a try he added to, making it 27-26 as the game headed into injury-time.

Partington slotted the conversion and, though Cambridge kicked a penalty to the corner at the death, Rams repelled the maul before Jak Rossiter won a breakdown penalty to secure a most

famous of victories. Director of rugby, Seb Reynolds, said: “It was a fantastic advert for National One, which is just a brilliant league.

“It looked at one point as though it could have been a comfortable win for Cambridge, but we came back and, while it wasn’t great for the ticker, it was a really enjoyable game in front of a terrific crowd.”

“We’ve not been involved in many of those games where we’ve had to make massive comebacks, and as a team it’s probably the best one we’ve ever done.

“We knew we had to play high-tempo and get in their half and we did it for the duration

of the game, and in the final few minutes it finally paid off and we got the job done.”

Despite trailing 21-5 at the interval, Reynolds said he never lost faith, while also paying tribute to the likes of Henderson, Partington and Ollie Allan who all stood out during the second period.

He continued: “It was actually a very good performance throughout and I felt we were very threatening in the first half, so I could see how tries would come.

“We were defending really well other than we lost our discipline and then they were able to get their maul game going, but credit to the guys who came off the bench,

they gave a big impact and energised the game.”

“Will’s got those little bits of genius in him – it was a moment of magic which really got us back in the game.”

And it was then over to Birdy, who sealed the deal with his seventh try in five games for Rams against the Blood & Sand.

“Credit to Birdy, the other guys in their 30s and the S&C team for keeping them so fresh – he looks younger than ever and it was typified by the way he finished it at the end.

“And we really appreciate the support which travels –they really added to the side and helped us across the line.”

Axel Kalling-Smith on the attack for Rams in their away victory against Cambridge, ending the home side’s 15-match winning streak Pictures: Tim Pitfield

GROVE 0-62 READING FOOTBALL

READING RUN IN EIGHT TO SECURE BIG WIN ROYALS SEAL LOAN DEAL FOR CHELSEA PROSPECT

By PETER CHIDGEY sport@wokingham.today

AN impressive second half display in which they ran in eight tries gave Reading a convincing victory over Grove.

Reading had let themselves get drawn into a battle of attrition in a first half which was a scrappy affair lasting 55 minutes because of a steady stream of injuries.

Reading got off to a great start when they stole the ball from a Grove ruck and moved it along the line for Will Proctor-Searle to cross for an unconverted try to give them an early lead.

The ball was swiftly moved along the back line to put Borthwick through a gap and he rounded the full-back to score under the posts.

Bowers converted to give Reading a 12-point lead at the break.

Just as in the first half, there was an early try this time from Webster who beat the covering defence

Reading RFC enjoyed besting Grove in a whitewash Picture: John Newport

after Dorliac had made good ground.

This was quickly followed by another try this time from the other wing Daw after some good inter-passing and initial breaks from Borthwick and Dorliac.

Reading kept up the pressure and Egan forced his way over for their fifth try after a line out drive was stopped close to the line.

An altercation in midfield held up play, after which the referee sent off the Grove number eight and Reading scrum half, Sam Bowers who were deemed to be the instigators.

Two more tries quickly followed, the first was scored by Proctor-Searle and the second by MurraySmith after a good back move.

Jack Carling, son of former England captain Will, converted one of these, having come off the bench for his Reading debut.

The ball eventually ended up with Jordan Gomez, who forced his way over, just managing to stay on his feet after an attempted tackle.

Carling converted with a good kick from wide out.

Reading scored again directly from the kick off. After an initial break from Egan who slickly passed the ball on, Borthwick made further ground and when overhauled, held onto the ball long enough to pass to King, who hared over in the corner.

There was just time for Webster to score his second and Reading’s tenth try, again outstripping the defence and for Carling to convert to round off the scoring.

On Saturday Reading take on second placed Stow and this win was perfect preparation for what should be an exciting encounter.

ON MONDAY, Reading completed their first signing of the January transfer window by capturing Cesare Casadei on loan from Chelsea.

The Royals are still under a transfer embargo but are able to complete free transfers or loan deals and have agreed a deal for the Italian midfielder.

The 20-year-old joined the West London club last summer from Inter Milan for around €20million.

He has represented Italy at all youth levels all the way up to U21s.

The Royals already have an established relationship with the Blues and currently have left-back Baba Rahman on loan for the second successive campaign.

The club’s head of football operations, Mark Bowen, said: “I am very pleased that we have been able to secure the services of a dynamic young player with energy, enthusiasm, ability and a lot of potential.

“This is a loan move that will benefit both the club and the player and I’m sure Cesare will hit the ground running and play an

important role in the remaining 18 games of the campaign.”

Manager Paul Ince said: “Our midfield resources have been stretched all season and Casadei will bring us another option in the middle of the park.

“He is comfortable on the ball, powerful in possession and he looks like an intelligent player with the vision to read the game well.”

Cesare Casadei signs for Royals on loan from Chelsea Picture: JasonPix

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Southern

Region Women’s

Division One North

WOODLEY UNITED are top of the table after they earned a stunning 7-0 win over CAVERSHAM UNITED.

A hat-trick from May Hamblin, a brace from Gemma Sims and goals from Sarah Lawrence and Mollie Haines saw the Kestrels thump seven past the Goats without reply.

FLY HIGH WITH

Woodley have a one point lead over second placed Milton United, while Caversham are in sixth.

Southern Region Women’s

League Cup

ASCOT UNITED progressed past Abingdon United thanks to a brace from Hayley Cruikshank.

The Yellas put their name in the hat for the next round with a 2-1 away victory.

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA

progressed to the next round with a 2-1 home win over Winchester City Flyers with goals from Rae Roberts and Joey Harfield-Brown.

Thames Valley Women’s Division One TILEHURST PANTHERS cut the gap on the top two in the table by overcoming WARGRAVE in a seven-goal thriller.

The Panthers took the spoils with a 4-3 win with a double

from Leah Why and goals from Deanna Cane and Arianna Di Lauro.

A brace from Millie Bilcliff and a goal from Hannah Sheehan weren’t enough to see Wargrave take anything from the match.

A first-half brace from Ben Harris put the Robins in control of the contest.

from home.

Harvey Harry put the Moles in front in the first-half before the hosts levelled the match. Harry sealed his brace in the second-half after converting from Massimo Giamattei’s cross to give his team three points.

Southern

League

Premier South

BRACKNELL TOWN picked up their 11th victory of the league campaign with success over Winchester City.

Winchester reduced the deficit but Bracknell quickly restored their two-goal advantage through George Knight to ensure they collected three points to put them in seventh.

Isthmian South Central

BINIFIELD moved into sixth position after they got the better of Bedfont Sports away

FA Vase fourth round

ASCOT UNITED ensured that they continued their journey in the FA Vase with an away win against Buckland Athletic.

Woodley United Ladies enjoyed a superb win over Caversham United Women Pictures: Andrew Batt

Sam Knight goes aerial from a corner for Eversley Pictures: Richard Milam

Adam Crocker shoots at goal

Woodley’s Sarah Lawrence in control

May Hamblin netted a hat-trick

Bonnie Messitt is dispossessed

SEVEN GOAL WIN

Dick Sawdon-Smith

The offsideoff-putting offence

PERHAPS the least understood of the Laws of football, is the offside law.

There has always been an offside law from the very beginning when the Rules of Association Football were drawn up in 1863.

I have a copy of these rules presented to me by a fellow referee, who said that my weekly column had helped him to reach level three in his refereeing career.

The offside Law took just one sentence.

Today, the spirit of the 1863 law still remains but of course is greatly changed, with many additional clauses being added.

It now fills three pages.

The last big change came in 2016, and it was part of this change that created the controversy at the recent Manchester United v Manchester City match.

Let’s look at the addition to the Laws that made it controversial: It comes in two parts.

The Yellas blew their opponents away with three goals in quick succession.

Sean McCormack broke the deadlock after 43 minutes before Ascot quickly added to their tally through Brendan Matthew just before half-time.

Continuing their clinical streak after the restart, Jordan Ajanlekoko made it three in the 51st minute.

The home team clawed a goal back but it was Ascot who sailed through to the next round.

Combined Counties Premier North

READING CITY continued their

FOOTBALL

pursuit for the league title with a win over bottom side Oxhey Jets.

A solitary goal was enough to win the game as the Cityzens took a clean sheet to close the gap on league leaders Ascot.

After 19 league games each, City trail the Yellas by five points.

Combined Counties Division One

BERKS COUNTY overturned a one-goal deficit to defeat FC Deportivo Galicia.

The Swords went a goal behind after 11 minutes, but levelled up just six minutes later through Sam Day.

Second-half strikes from Luke Hayden and Luke Hayling meant

that the Swords maintained their spot in fourth with a 3-1 success.

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA surrendered a one-goal lead to lose at home to London Samurai Rovers.

Adam Crocker gave the Boars an early lead, but the visitors hit back quickly to make it 1-1.

Rovers scored two more which gave them the points to leave Eversley in 12th position.

WOODLEY UNITED are in 13th position after they lost to British Airways.

The Kestrels went two goals behind and set up a nervy finish when Mark Williams made it 2-1, but they were unable to clinch an equaliser.

SUMAS SLIP TO COSTLY DEFEAT AFTER LATE PENALTY

By ARTHUR STRAND sport@wokingham.today

Holyport 1

Sumas 0

WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK were dealt a costly defeat after conceding a late penalty away at Holyport.

The first half started with both teams breaking into each others’ areas with no great effect, apart from the Sumas having the better part of the game for a while. There were occasional breaks

by the hosts’ players and changes of direction from free kicks respectively.

Fouls were totting up and the free kicks were being traded with no goals forthcoming.

After a succession of free kicks after a corner kick goalmouth activity denied Holyport a goal.

Their assistant was shown the yellow card for leaving the bench and protesting to the referees one time too many.

The second half was played less in midfield but with Sumas dealing

Thames Valley Premier

YATELEY UNITED kept up their stunning league form with a 4-1 victory over READING YMCA

A brace from Charlie Westell and goals from Elliot Mitchell and Joshua Mynard gave Yateley their 15th consecutive win of the season, despite a goal from Pele Hagger for the visitors.

Yateley have an incredible 22 point lead at the top, while YMCA are in fourth.

BURGHFIELD were held to a draw at home to SB Phoenix. Harvey Beales netted for the Fielders to put them in fifth on 13 points from seven games.

WARGRAVE dropped to eighth in the table after they lost 3-2.

‘A player in an offside position is penalised if clearly attempting to play a ball which is close, and this action impacts on an opponent or making an obvious action which clearly impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball’.

This covers the sort of incident, where a player in an offside position, jumps to head a ball but misses.

Therefore he has not played the ball or interfered with play.

However, if the goalkeeper has taken up a position to save the expected header, and another attacker comes in from an onside position and scores, the goal would not be allowed.

The offside player has made an action that clearly impacted on the goalkeeper’s decision.

The scene was that Marcus Rashford was in an offside position running towards the ball, which was between him and the City goal.

When he got close to the ball, he was beaten to it by United team mate, Bruno Fernandes, coming in from the opposite direction, with a kick that put the ball in the back of the City’s net.

The goalkeeper was probably expecting Rashford to kick the ball.

with counter attacks and both keepers making crucial saves.

However as the game proceeded, the yellow card was produced several more times.

The second half continued with segments of play between free kicks.

The ambition was to gain sufficient ground in order to aim at goal.

Sumas worked the way forward a couple of times with some tight passes but yellow cards were the main statistic of the day.

Callum Wright received one prior

to the penalty for a shove in the back of a Holyport attacker.

Najee Zidane Holder took the spot kick and blasted the ball beyond the reach of Woodward.

The next five minutes Sumas spent trying to get an equaliser but a couple of shots, one from the right wing angled and went over the top.

Another from in front of goal never went into the back of the net as Wokingham lost out.

The match ended in dismay for the visitors.

Was he then offput, impacted, when Rashford left it for his team mate?

Or, bearing in mind that Rashford did not attempt to play the ball and the shot from Fernandes was from where Rashford would have kicked it, did this impact on the goalkeepers original positioning to save a shot from Rashford?

It’s a tight decision but the referee, Stuart Attwell, obviously didn’t think so and after discussion with his assistant referee, Darren Cann, and despite great City uproar, he allowed the goal to stand.

How they rated

Joe Lumley

Was fortunate not to get found out after some questionable distribution. Did well to keep out a moving Rashford free-kick early on.

Junior Hoilett

Had the unenviable task of handling Rashford, but acquitted himself well. Took a blow to the nose but braved it out.

Andy Yiadom

Was lively on both ends of the pitch. Did well to earn his side the corner which led to Reading’s goal.

Tom Holmes

Made several heroic last-ditch interventions to keep the home side at bay. Didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.

Tom McIntyre

Never got to grips with United’s runs from deep.

Baba Rahman

Struggled to contain Antony down United’s right. Was sparingly offered opportunities to venture forward.

Jeff Hendrick

Was never really able to get the ball down and play. Couldn’t hinder the Reds’ midfield fluency.

Mamadou Loum

Didn’t really know when to go with Fernandes or Casemiro. Poor in possession.

Tom Ince

Brought his typical energy to the game, but was often chasing shadows. Had more joy in advancing the ball in the second half.

Andy Caroll

Was starved of any real service, but two moments of ill-discipline saw the striker receive a deserved red card.

Lucas Joao

Did his utmost to get the ball to stick, but ultimately couldn’t affect proceedings.

Subs:

Tyrese Fornah 5, Amadou Mbengue 7, Dean Bouzanis n/a, Michael Craig n/a, Shane Long n/a

6 6 6

6 5 4

6 6 5

7 4

CARROLL SEES RED AS ROYALS ELIMINATED AT OLD TRAFFORD

MAN UNITED 3 READING 1

By Andy Preston apreston@Wokingham.today

READING FC’s hopes of causing an FA Cup shock were put to bed by Manchester United’s clinical second-half display which amended for a goalless opening 45 minutes.

After holding out throughout the first-half, which included a Marcus Rashford goal being disallowed for offside, the Red Devils turned on the style in the second-half.

The United win had a Brazilian flavour with a Casemiro double before Fred rounded off the scoring just after Andy Carroll had been sent off for two bookable offences.

The Royals gave the travelling support of 3,000 a goal to cheer when 21-year-old Amadou Mbengue netted a strike that will live long in his memory.

Up against his former club, Paul Ince named a strong starting eleven that included Lucas Joao and Andy Carroll up top.

With some world class talent at his disposal, Erik Ten Hag opted to go with a near to full strength line-up that saw in-form Marcus Rashford picked to start as well as Christian Eriksen, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.

The Royals have just one win in their history against Man United, which came in the FA Cup in 1927 and they would be hoping to create another piece of history under the lights at Old Trafford.

Getting used to their surroundings under the bright

lights of Old Trafford, Reading had an early opening when Jeff Hendrick was tripped by Casemiro to win a free-kick, but Tom Ince’s effort was headed away by the wall.

United started to assert their dominance and won the first corner of the game when Aaron WanBissaka’s fizzed cross was deflected behind.

The hosts then had a free-kick of their own in a promising position that Christian Eriksen bent just past the far post.

The Royals had plenty of defending to do as they were pinned back by the home team, but for the most part they stood up to the test thrown at them.

Rashford struck a free-kick with plenty of power but not enough direction as it was pushed away by Joe Lumley before Eriksen’s follow up was well blocked by Mamadou Loum.

Tom Holmes continued to lead from the back and put in plenty of outstanding blocks to keep United at bay where he thwarted both Wout Weghorst and Eriksen in quick succession.

There were plenty of shots raining down on Lumley’s goal, but Reading held firm to limit United mainly to shots from distance.

The Red Devils found a breakthrough in the 35th minute when Rashford sneaked in at the back post and his header squeezed over the line. Or so they thought.

VAR came to the rescue for Reading with the goal chalked off due to Weghorst being found offside in the build-up.

Despite only having 20% possession throughout the first-half

with limited chances, the Royals did create a huge opening in first-half’s added time.

Tyrell Malacia dwelled on the ball in the box which allowed Junior Hoilett to snatch possession and fire a shot that was stopped by David De Gea as the teams went in level at the break .

Loum was caught in possession at the start of second-half proceedings, but Fernandes couldn’t take advantage and smacked the ball into the Stretford End.

Ten minutes after the restart, United had the ball in the net again and this time it stood.

Antony threaded a perfectly weighted pass to find the run of Casemiro who drifted into the box and dinked the ball over Lumley to put the Premier League side ahead.

Match stats

MAN UNITED: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Maguire (c), Lindelof, Malacia, Casemiro, Eriksen, Fernandes, Antony, Weghorst

SUBS: Heaton, Martinez, Varane, Williams, Fred, Mainoo, Pellistri, Elanga, Garnacho

READING: Lumley, Hoilett, McIntyre, Yiadom (c), Holmes, Rahman, Loum, Hendrick, Ince, Joao, Carroll

SUBS: Bouzanis, Guinness-Walker, Mbengue, Dann, Craig, Fornah, Azeez, Long, Meite

GOALS: Casemiro 54’, 58’, Fred 66’, Mbengue 72’

United quickly added to their tally, again through Casemiro when the Brazilian’s 30 yard strike took a nick off the head of Holmes to find its way past Lumley into the corner.

Ince made his first switch with an hour gone which saw Tyrese Fornah take the place of Loum in the middle of the park.

Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as they were reduced to 10 men for the final 25 minutes.

Carroll was given his marching orders when he slid in late on Casemiro having already been booked just five minutes prior.

United then put the tie beyond their Championship opposition when substitute Fred reacted quickest to convert from a cross.

Ten Hag’s team came inches away from finding a fourth to continue the rout as the ball was scrambled off the line with Weghorst searching to mark his home debut with a goal.

Reading gave their travelling support something to cheer when they found an unlikely goal when substitute Amadou Mbneuge was given a free header and nodded past De Gea to reduce the deficit.

Ince then made three more switches which included Dean Bouzanis coming on for goalkeeper Lumley, despite there not appearing to be an injury to force the substitution. Meanwhile, Shane Long and Michael Craig replaced Joao and Hendrick.

A huge chance came Reading’s way when Tom Ince tricked his way into the box and fed the ball to Fornah, but he delayed his shot and the opportunity went begging.

Royals midfielder Tom Ince

Andy Carroll was sent off as Reading exited the FA Cup against Man United Stock Pictures: Luke Adams FA CUP

INCE: ‘HOPEFULLY THE FANS ARE PROUD OF US’

ROYALS LOOK TO TAKE THE STING OUT OF HORNETS

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC will meet Watford for the third time this season when they host the Hornets at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.

The teams go into the battle with one wn each against each other, Reading’s coming in the FA Cup third-round, while Watford won the Championship match earlier in the campaign.

The Royals go into the test on the back of four games without a win which leaves them 16th in the table, five points off the top six and 11 points above the relegation zone.

Meanwhile, Slaven Bilic’s team currently occupy one of the play-off positions in fourth on 44 points.

Reading FC boss Paul Ince said fans should be proud of the players following their FA Cup defeat to Manchester United Picture: Luke Adams

READING FC manager Paul Ince said he was ‘proud’ of his players’ after they exited the FA Cup with defeat to Manchester United.

After a determined first-half display to keep the game goalless, United struck three times in quick succession to take the tie away from Reading as Andy Carroll was also red carded.

“You’ve got to be proud of the players,” said Ince.

You know when you come to places like Old Trafford that you have to ride your luck. They put balls in our box, had one disallowed.

“That’s the first time I’ve managed under VAR so I was quite pleased for it in the first-half.

“You have to ride your luck to get anything and to go in at 0-0 there was a belief and we had a chance at the back end of the first-half. If that goes in we go in at 1-0.

“We gave them their goal, it was poor marking from our midfield and we let Casemiro go through, it was a wonderful finish. Then they were up for it and in the ascendancy.”

Ince lauded the character his team showed after going a man down as they were able to grab a goal when Amadou Mbengue got on the scoresheet to reduce the deficit.

He continued: “Let down isn’t the word. If you look at the first one over in the corner it wasn’t actually a foul.

“The linesman didn’t flag for it and the United players were walking away for a goal kick. The referee couldn’t wait to get his yellow card out, I’m disappointed with the referee.

“After that he made a foul on Eriksen and had to be careful. The last one he tries to pull out, but once you’ve been booked you can’t be making those tackles.

“The referee couldn’t wait to turn around and give him a second yellow but to be fair we probably played better with 10 men because we had to try and get back in the game.

“It wasn’t about my reception, it was about the players and the 3,000 fans that travelled up. I’m proud of the way the players fought and never gave in, they didn’t let our fans down. Hopefully the fans are proud of us.

“We’ve now got to take that into our game against Watford.”

They were leapfrogged at the weekend after losing out 2-0 to Middlesbrough who took the points with goals from Chuba Akpom and Marcus Forss.

Paul Ince’s men still boast an excellent home record, despite their troubles on the road, with the sixth best home form in the league.

Meanwhile, the Hornets have been strong on their travels and have picked up 20 points from 15 games giving them the seventh best record in the division.

After their recent torrid luck with injuries, Bilic’s men have strengthened their squad in the January transfer window by bringing in seven new additions,

FA WOMEN’S CUP

the latest of which being striker Britt Assombalonga.

Watford won the first meeting of the season between the teams in November with a double from Joao Pedro.

However, it was Reading who were victorious in last month’s FA Cup third round tie up against a

youthful Watford line-up.

The Royals sealed their place in the next round and set up an away day at Old Trafford, which they played last Saturday, with goals from Kelvin Abrefa and Shane Long.

Staying true to form, Watford have already dismissed one

manager this season after Rob Edwards, who was appointed after his impressive spell with Forest Green Rovers, was sacked after just 10 matches.

Astonishingly, Watford have had 18 different managers in the last 10 years after Bilic was selected to take over the club in September.

MOLONEY PERFORMS PENALTY HEROICS

Leicester City 2 Reading 2 (2-3 pens)

READING FC WOMEN continued their journey in the FA Women’s Cup thanks to penalty heroics from Grace Moloney in a shootout success.

Up against the fellow Women’s Super League strugglers, the Royals held their nerve from the spot after a 2-2 draw in extra time.

The Royals almost grabbed an early lead when Rachel Rowe latched onto Amalie Eikeland’s cross but her shot narrowly avoided sneaking into the bottom corner.

But they did take the lead with their next opening after executing a clinical counter attack.

Charlie Wellings threaded a superb pass into the path of Sanne Troeslgaard who took a touch to compose herself before she slotted the ball past the goalkeeper

to continue her excellent scoring form.

The WSL’s bottom side levelled the tie when Sam Tierney was allowed to have a free header from an inswinging free-kick and nodded past Moloney.

Moloney had to be at her best to stop Ava Baker from putting the Foxes in front when she dived low to her right to make a vital stop.

The Royals stopper made

another stunning save when she got her body in the way of Missy Goodwin’s powerful header to keep her side on level terms.

The game went into extra-time and it was Leicester who stole the initiative when Hannah Cain was quickest to react to a loose ball in the box and thumped the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.

The Foxes came inches away from taking control of the tie after a goalmouth scramble ensued after a set piece, but they were unable to find the net.

Reading found a response before the break in extra-time.

After it appeared that Eikeland was barged over in the box, Royals captain Emma Mukandi wasted no time in appealing for a penalty and stormed into the box before tucking the ball in at the near post.

The match had to be decided by the penalty spot.

Justine Vanhaevermaet and Natasha Dowie scored before Money kept out Ashleigh Plumptre to give Reading a 2-1 lead. Mukandi found the net for the second time in the tie with a confident penalty, Leicester scored and Deanna Cooper saw her effort saved to give Leicester hope, but that hope was short lived when Moloney flew to her right to save from Jones to win the match.

Leicester City: Leitzig, Tierney, Bott, Pike, Whelan (c), Howard, Goodwin, Plumptre, Purfield, Mace, Baker

Subs: Jones, Cain, Nevin, Collins, Simon, Lambourne, Levell, Eaton-Collins, Smith, Reavill

Reading: Moloney, Mukandi, Evans, Wellings, Eikeland, Harries, Cooper, Rowe, Vanhaevermaet, Woodham, Troelsgaard

Subs: Dowie, Primmer, Wade, Bryson, Moore, burns, Poulter, Hendrix, Jane

Goals: Troelsgaard 5’, Tierney 26’, Cain 92’ (ET), Mukandi 102’ (ET),

Femi Azeez in Reading’s FA Cup win over Watford Picture: Luke Adams

RUGBY

ABBEY DISPLAY DOMINANCE TO HAUL HOVE WITH BONUS POINT

By ANNETTE TOMAS sport@wokingham.today

ABBEY Women delivered an assured and complete team performance to secure a home bonus-point win over visitors Hove in front of a bumper crowd, recording their second win of 2023.

As well as an assured kicking performance, the talismanic Denton-Rice also added a hat-trick of her own to underpin a solid team performance.

Abbey could not convert the pressure into points until the 15th minute, when, after a series of excellent forward carries, fullback Lou Pullan released Alice Denton-Rice, who showed immense strength to power over the line.

An excellent driving maul, commanded by the influential Joey Fowler, brought Abbey to within metres of the line.

Scrum-half Ellie Denton-Rice swung play back round to the left, the ball eventually finding Hannah Skeels who crossed the whitewash for her maiden try.

Led by the ever-present Annabel Hawkins, the ball was distributed wide by Skeels to her opposite winger Jess Williams, who crossed for an easy score.

The second half brought much more of the same confident play that the team were clearly starting to enjoy.

Hungry for the bonus point, it was secured in style when, after

another superb driving maul from the pack, the backs executed well with hard-hitting centres DentonRice and Jess Gundry running some excellent lines to allow Annette Bevan to escape out of the back and wheel in for the bonus-point try. With their tails now up, Abbey continued to contain Hove for long passages of play with thumping tackles from Tori Kiff and replacements Fern Edgar and Clara Reynolds. It wasn’t long before Abbey were back in the Hove

22 and Alice Denton-Rice ran a pin-point perfect line off Bevan to score underneath the posts – her side’s fifth.

Credit must go to Hove as they continued to compete, pressuring Abbey’s front row at the scrum, who adapted and evolved magnificently to everything Hove threw at them.

Flanked by her fellow backs, they ran from their 22 and despite desperate tackle attempts from Pullan, Reynolds and Bevan, their

TABLE TENNIS PREVIEW

TOP TEAMS FIND BREATHING ROOM AFTER THUMPING VICTORIES

By NIGEL MALTBY

sport@wokingham.today

THE top two teams pulled further away from the chasing pack in division 1 with convincing 10-0 victories.

Leaders KINGFISHER A hosted TIDMARSH A and although Ross Saxby found himself at 0-2 in games and 1-5 in points, he was able to overturn a brave Division One debut performance for reserve Dale Ballard.

Martin Adams and Darren Jones completed maximums.

Despite coming back from behind and going to a deciding fifth game on four occasions, OUR LADY OF PEACE A managed the same score line over a luckless READING FC with Steve Murgatroyd, Mo Cook and Justin Mead spoiling the evening for Mike Childs, Wayne and Tony Alleyne.

The third and fourth placed teams both lost ground as a maximum from KINGFISHER D’S Graham Mendick could not

stop a 4-6 defeat to their B side with young Theo Kniep and Captain Phil Mead picking up two wins each.

Similarly, despite Gary Morgan carrying his squad by winning his three, SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD A could only manage a 5-5 with SONNING SPORTS A, who fielded their strongest squad with all members, Nick Sears, Dave Croucher and Paul Savage, who scored a mention-worthy 3-0 victory over Jamie Barlow, contributing.

KINGFISHER C’S relegation worries became more prevalent with a 3-7 defeat to Tilehurst RBL A despite a first win for Mike Douglas and a welcome return for Prayrit Ahluwalia, who could not stop an in-form Marc Brent taking a maximum on the night.

League leaders SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD D strengthened their position at the top of the division two table with a 9-1 win over

OUR LADY OF PEACE C with maximums for Danny Dockree and Mark Jones.

Sanket Dave recorded the one win for OLOP beating Jonathan Abbott three straight. Second placed SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD C lost ground on their club rivals after suffering a shock 8-2 loss against relegation threatened KINGFISHER F

Kingfisher skipper Roger Pritchard had an impressive maximum only dropping one game in the process and Ajai Kamath and Hamid Mohsnie both won twice.

In the Kingfisher local derby the improving E team beat their G team 7-3 with all of their players winning twice.

The G team’s Sajej Jaywant recorded a maximum including beating E team captain Clive Gold in five.

In a mid-table clash TILEHURST RBL B and TIDMARSH B fought out a well contested draw.

centre Emily Hird crossed for a deserved team try.

Abbey wanted to finish the game on their own terms, however, and at the final scrum, which was the last legal play of the match, captain Hawkins picked off the base to set up a platform for her team.

The Abbey pack, bolstered by the arrival of Katie Vinnac, hammered the Hove line, until Bevan demanded the ball, seeking out the sure hands of Alice Denton-Rice, who notched up her hat-trick try.

ROYALS LOOK TO FIX AWAY FORM AT LIVERPOOL

READING FC WOMEN will be seeking to pick up their first away points of the season when they face Liverpool on Sunday.

Kelly Chambers’ side go into the tie on the back of success in the FA Women’s Cup with a shootout win over Leicester City, but they have been struggling for points in the Women’s Super League.

Reading are currently in 10th position on seven points but have been defeated in all six of their away matches in the league this season.

Just one place and one point separates the teams heading into Sunday’s showdown with Liverpool on eight points, but they have played two less games than Reading.

Since winning promotion from the Championship last season, the Reds have acquitted themselves in the top flight.

They made a huge splash on the opening weekend with an incredible win over defending league champions Chelsea after Katie Stengel’s brace from the penalty spot saw them win 2-1.

A run of five successive defeats followed for Matt Beard’s team, but they got back on track with consecutive 3-3 draws.

One of those included their trip to the Select Car Leasing Stadium to face Reading in November.

The Reds had a 3-2 advantage until Sanne Troelsgaard snatched an 89th minute leveller to ensure the Royals claimed a point.

RESULTS

Saturday, January 28

FOOTBALL

FA Cup fourth-round

Manchester United 3-1 Reading

Southern League Premier South

Bracknell Town 3-1

Winchester City

Isthmian South Central Bedfont Sports 1-2 Binfield

Combined Counties Premier North

Oxhey Jets 0-1 Reading City

Holyport 1-0 Sumas

FA Vase fourth-round

Buckland Athletic 1-3 Ascot United

Combined Counties Division One

Berks County 3-1 FC Deportivo Galicia

Eversley & California 1-3

London Samurai Rovers Woodley United 1-2 British Airways

Thames Valley Premier League

Burghfield 1-1 SB Phoenix

Wargrave 2-3 Wraysbury

Village

Yateley United 4-1 Reading

YMCA

RUGBY UNION

National League One

Cambridge 27-33 Rams

South West Regional 2 Grove 0-62 Reading

London & SE Regional 1

Royal Wootton 47-29

Bracknell

HOCKEY

South Central Men’s North Division 1

Aylesbury v Sonning

Sunday, January 29

FA Women’s Cup

Leicester City 2-2 Reading (2-3 pens)

Cup

Abingdon United 1-2 Ascot United

Eversley & California 2-1

Winchester City Flyers

Southern Region Women’s Division One North

Woodley United 7-0

Caversham United

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

Wargrave 3-4 Tilehurst Panthers

Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S

Hawley 2-0 Wargrave

Larkspur Rovers 4-1 Shinfield Rangers

Hillingdon Abbots 1-3 Burghfield

FIXTURES

Saturday, February 4

FOOTBALL

Championship

Reading v Watford

Southern League Premier South

Hanwell Town v Bracknell Town

Isthmian South Central Binfield v Southall

Combined Counties Premier North

Ascot United v Oxhey Jets

Reading City v London Lions

Windsor v Sumas

Combined Counties Division One

Hillingdon v Woodley United

London Samurai Rovers v Berks County

Sandhurst Town v Eversley & California

RUGBY UNION

London & SE South Central Bracknell v Banbury

HOCKEY

South Central Men’s Premier 1

Reading 2s v Basingstoke

Women’s Conference West Trojans v Reading 2s

South Central Men’s North Division 1

Sonning v Milton Keynes 2s

South Central Women’s Premier 1 Henley v Sonning

South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire v Haslemere

South Central Women’s North Division 1 Aylesbury v South Berkshire

Sunday, February 5

FOOTBALL

Women’s Super League Liverpool v Reading

Southern Region Women’s Premier Division

Bournemouth Sports v Ascot United

Southern Region Women’s Division One North

Caversham United v Carterton

Eversley & California v Long Crendon

Penn & Tylers v Woodley

Cup

Ascot Reserves v Kingsclere

Oxford City U23s v Tilehurst Panthers

Wargrave v Wallingford & Crowmarsh

Denham United Reserves v S4K Berks County

Wycombe Wanderers v Eversley & California Reserves

Plate

Burghfield v Wycombe Saints

Caversham AFC v Long

Crendon Development

Wargrave v Shinfield Rangers

Yateley United v Milton Keynes City

Joey Fowler was dominant all game

Alice Denton-Rice scored a hat trick

Jess Gundry performed well at centre Pictures: @rugbygrandad

Hannah Skeels and Annette Bevan celebrate