Reading Today, September 28, 2022

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Twilight walkers provide legal

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

IT WAS a twilight treat that led to sore feet and a sense of satisfaction.

Last Wednesday, more than 20 teams from across the greater Reading area came together for the Legal Walk – all 10km (just over six miles).

Starting from Forbury Gardens at 5pm, the event saw 200 walkers enjoy a circular route taking in some of the best scenery Reading has to offer.

Awaiting them on their return was Reading mayor, Cllr Rachel Eden, who welcomed them and posed for pictures as the sun went down.

Organised by The London Legal Support Trust, the event was to raise funds for good causes including Age UK Reading, Citizens

Advice Reading, Refugee Support Group and Launchpad.

So far more than £6,800 has been raised by the teams, which will help the charities provide legal advice services for people they support, including refugees.

The event had been scheduled for Monday, September 19, but had been delayed due to the Queen’s funeral.

Reading Refugee Group said that so far this year, they had provided more than 800 refugees with thousands of hours of free legal advice and practical help that they cannot access elsewhere.

This is an increase of more than 460% than 2021, and demand continues to soar with refugees in crisis continuing to arrive from Ukraine, Afghanistan and other parts of the world.

In its fundraising website, the charity noted:

Among the teams taking part were Penningtons Manches Cooper (above), BDB Pitmans (far left), Blake Morgan (left) and Shoosmiths (bottom left)

help to Reading charities

“Our Advice Service depends entirely on public donations, so please help us fund this vital service that so many people depend on.”

Launchpad, which helps people with housing issues across the greater Reading area, said that working in partnership with Oxford-based law firm Turpin and Miller LLP, the charity jointly funds access to a solicitor who works with its clients to ensure they are treated lawfully by landlords, local authorities, housing associations and other agencies across Reading.

Launchpad fundraising manager Vicki Lewis completed the walk with nine members of staff and volunteers.

“We set off at 5pm from Forbury Gardens and walked along the River Kennet and River Thames and back through the Thames Valley Park Nature Reserve,” she said.

“We started off at quite a pace, but towards the end I think we were all slowing down. It was a lovely evening and we saw lots of people enjoying the river in canoes and on paddleboards. We were welcomed back to Forbury Gardens by the Mayor of Reading, Rachel Eden.

“We are grateful to London Legal Support Trust, which is an independent charity that raises funds for free legal services in London and the South East, for choosing us as one of their charities to support.”

The London Legal Support Trust shared a post on its social media saying: “It was great to see so many legal teams come together in support of local charities and vital free legal advice agencies in the Reading and Thames Valley area.”

Digital parking pilot scheme greenlit for Caversham

A DIGITAL perking permit scheme has been given the green light to pilot in Reading, due to start in October.

The scheme will see digital permits issued instantly and can be used on an hourly basis to provide better value for money, aiming to create a simpler, more flexible parking service.

Following a public consultation by Reading Borough Council in August of this year, a predominantly positive response has meant that the parking service has been given the go-ahead.

During the trial, set to take place in Lower Caversham, parking officers will be maintained to help reassure residents and to provide support.

Further feedback will be taken during the pilot phase, due for consideration at the Traffic Management Subcommittee in 2023 before any expansion of the service.

Tony Page, Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, said: “Digital permits are increasingly and successfully used in other parts of the country.

“The main advantages of digital permits are that they are instantly issued online, negating the delay and cost of physical permits being posted.

“The ability to use visitor permits by the hour should also prove

popular, as it represents better value for money for local residents.”

He continued, thanking those who took part in the consultation in August for their “valuable feedback on any concerns.

“Most people welcomed the benefits this digital scheme should offer – it will, of course, be a change for residents who are used to seeing physical permits in windscreens.

“It is important to remind residents that just because a physical permit is not showing, it doesn’t mean a car does not have a permit.

He also made reassurances about attendants, saying: “our wardens will be patrolling the residents’ zone as usual and checking every single vehicle for a valid permit.

“We recognise that regular enforcement checks are a fundamental part of delivering effective residents’ parking schemes.

“I would stress to residents this will be a pilot, which means we welcome all feedback during the trial itself – there are currently 19 residents parking zones in Reading, made up of 16,000 households and 12,000 parking spaces.

“Any future decision to introduce such a scheme boroughwide would be a major one and would be given careful consideration following evaluation of the pilot.”

TRIAL: The new scheme will see digital passes used, including hourly visitor passes. Picture: Stanisław Gregor via Unsplash

FINISHED: Teams taking part in the Reading Legal Walk at Forbury Gardens includes Launchpad Pictures: Phil Creighton

Mayor Cllr Rachel Eden with the team from Refugee Support Group, the new name for the Reading Refugee Support Group Happy at the finish line ... the team from Barrett and Co

Call to open up bus lane to private taxis

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

TAXI drivers in Reading are calling on the council to let them drive down a traffic lane currently reserved for buses and cyclists.

Along Kings Road in east Reading, there are two bus lanes, one going east and one going west towards the town centre.

Currently, private hire taxis are allowed to use the westbound bus lane, but not the eastbound towards the A329, the M4, and Heathrow Airport.

A private hire taxi driver has complained that they often made ‘very late’ as a result of heavy traffic.

A petition signed by 187 people has been submitted calling for Reading Borough Council to allow private hire taxis to use the eastbound bus lane. It also calls on the council to allow private taxis to use the Duke Street ‘bus gate’ to access London Street.

The petition was delivered by Kamran Saddiq, at a recent council meeting.

“I myself and likewise most of the private hire drivers in Reading have been driving Private Hire for many years,” he said.

“Over the years the traffic

situation in Reading has got from bad to worse.

“Day by day it is making our job very difficult and very challenging.”

He said that during peak times the roads are busy, causing passengers to be late arrivals.

“On several occasions we have clients who need to get to the airport in the mornings, we are always stuck in traffic,” he explained.

“If we were granted access to use this bus lane it would help us in a logistical way, as you have been very kind to grant us the inbound usage of the King’s Road bus lane a few years back, in which there have been barely any complaints of abusive use.

“It was given to us on a trial period, we all stuck to the rules.”

He said easing the flow of traffic would contribute to

CALL FOR CHANGE: The King’s Road westbound bus lane in East Reading.

the council’s strategic aim of reducing pollution, and that the intention is not to slow buses down.

Mr Saddiq said: “The main reason of use is for the buses, we do not want to be stopping them escorting their passengers as well.”

The petition was officially received at the traffic management sub committee meeting on Wednesday, September 14.

Committee vice-chair councillor Matt Yeo (Labour, Caversham) explained that the petition has been received and considered by council officers for a report to the committee at a later date.

Currently, buses, cyclists, motorbikers and black cab drivers are allowed to use the eastbound bus lane according to road signs.

University’s climate stripes artwork to feature in London gallery

THE UNIVERSITY of Reading’s climate stripes are being displayed at an art exhibition in London.

Glass artist Cathryn Shilling has been taking her sculptures on tour as she looks to raise awareness about global warming.

Her collection, entitled The Path We Follow, was recently on display at the British Glass Biennale in Stourbridge in the West Midlands.

It features a mosaic of the stripes, as well as several glass vessels adorning the design.

Cathryn said: “The rise of temperature change across Europe using observed data can be visualised in more than one way, however there is no doubt that we are following a dangerous path.

“This installation is in two

parts. A mosaic visualises the temperature change across Europe for the 50 years from 1975-2020.

“The vessels represent an assembly of European nations, each displaying their own rise in temperature change over 80 years.

“It is only by taking action now and working together that we can follow a new temperature path to a sustainable future.”

Cathryn was one of 103 artists selected from 223 applicants to present the most diverse and outstanding glass art made in the UK over the past three years.

The stripes will be showcased in VETRO II: Exploring the Venetian Influence at London Glassblowing in Bermondsey

Street from October 7-29.

The exhibition is set to take place after Reading Climate Festival, where the stripes will once again be on display.

Running until Tuesday, October 4, the programme of events sims to encourage positive action on climate change.

Imagined by the university’s Prof Ed Hawkins MBE, the climate stripes were created in 2018 to illustrate rising temperatures in towns and cities across the world.

They have featured publicly on the main stage at Reading Festival, on Reading FC’s home and away kits this year, and on badges worn by US senators.

n For more information about the stripes, visit: www. showyourstripes.info/s/globe/

A CAMPAIGN to tackle modern slavery has been hailed a success by officers at Thames Valley Police.

The force teamed up with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Europol, visiting massage parlours under Project Aidant, an NCA-led lawenforcement response.

The activity took place over a three-week period between August 22, and September 9, as part of a Europe-wide operation, involving partners from Immigration Enforcement and local councils.

The project aims to enhance and develop knowledge of modern slavery linked to massage parlours, focusing specifically on adults or under 18s who have been trafficked to the UK, or exploited while in the country.

Officers visited 57 premises across the Thames Valley and encountered more than 50 people who were spoken to

about Modern Slavery and given advice.

Of those, five were identified as potential victims and safeguarded.

Chief Superintendent Jim Weems, Head of Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations, said: “Working in partnership with Immigration and local council teams, Project Aidant created significant intelligence and identified vulnerable individuals, for whom safeguarding has been put in place to ensure that they are no longer at risk of modern slavery and human trafficking.

“Modern slavery and human trafficking is absolutely abhorrent, and Thames Valley Police remain committed to ensuring that any such offences are investigated thoroughly and offenders brought to justice.

“We remain committed to ensuring the safety of vulnerable people, and would

always urge the public to contact us if they have any information that could help us to safeguard anybody at risk of such offences.”

Concerns around modern slavery can be reported to the Modern Slavery Helpline. Anyone who thinks they are or have been a victim of modern slavery can receive help from the Victims First Specialist Service which incorporates specialist skills and knowledge on exploitation and modern slavery.

They can provide practical and emotional support, tailored to meet your individual needs, to help you cope with the effects of the crime.

n For details, call: 0300 1234 148 or log on to: www.victims-first. org.uk/get-support-now

n Reports can also be made by calling 101, or for 100% anonymity, the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Picture: James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporting Service

ON SHOW: Cathryn Shilling is taking her collection The Path We Follow on a nationwide tour to raise awareness of global warming. Picture: Cathryn Shilling

Autism charity’s covid grant will help provide holiday activities

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

AUTISM Berkshire, the working name for the Berkshire Autistic Society, is the latest charity to receive a £1,000 grant from the John Sykes Foundation’s Covid-19 Relief Fund.

The charity is the county’s leading autism charity and provides advice and support services, including a helpline, workshops and courses for parents/carers of autistic children and young people, a welfare benefits advice service, plus social and leisure activities.

John Sykes, Founder and Chair of Trustees of the John Sykes Foundation, visited Jane Stanford-Beale, CEO and the team at Autism Berkshire at their offices in Reading to present the cheque for £1,000, to supplement two family fun days at the new Prospect Park Pavilion to enable families to benefit from its improved play and activity facilities.

“Prior to the Covid pandemic, we often received requests for more activities for autistic children during school holidays,” Ms Stanford-Beale said.

“These requests have started to come in again this year, as families feel more confident about going out and about, but

they want places to go that offer a supportive environment, where their children feel happy and safe.

“One party, with a Hallowe’en theme, would be held during the half-term holiday at the end of October, with a Christmas party in December.”

She said the charity hires staff from the borough council’s Reading Play service to supervise activities for children in the indoor ropes walk and climbing wall.

There would also be activities such as art and crafts, overseen by our staff and volunteers, in the meeting room area, along

with light refreshments.

Lockdowns and other restrictions on social contact due to Covid in the past two years left many families and children feeling isolated for extended periods. This effect was heightened for autistic children, who often struggle to make and keep friends anyway, and some have found it very challenging to readjust to life outside the family home again.

“By providing these parties and associated activities, we aim to improve the physical and mental health of the children – and their parents/ carers’ wellbeing, by offering

them opportunities to meet and socialise with others who have similar experiences - and reduce the risk of problems for individuals potentially escalating and requiring costly interventions by health and/ or social care services,” Ms Stanford-Beale said.

“As autism affects each individual differently, it is difficult to say that ‘if we do this, a particular outcome will follow’, but we know from families we work with that simple interventions, such as children and young people taking part in trampolining sessions that we run in Bracknell, can have a range of benefits.

“These include reducing anxiety and increasing confidence, simply through children forging friendships and improving social skills and understanding. In a number of cases in recent months, children who had stopped attending school are now back in class.

“We also know how much value the families we help place on having autism-friendly activities, where they feel their children can be themselves, without the risk of being judged by others who do not understand autism and their children’s behaviour.”

John Sykes said the foundation was delighted to be supporting Autism Berkshire by giving a Covid-19 Relief Fund Grant, and they appreciated the time spent learning how the team combine expertise and excellence in education with policy and campaigning to create real change for young people with Autism really shows true commitment.

“One in 100 people in the UK are autistic,” he said. “Without understanding, acceptance and the right support at the right time, there are lifetime consequences for the quality of life for autistic children and young people and their families.

“The Foundation hope that the children, and families enjoy the two family fun days that have been planned at Prospect Park.”

For more information on Autism Berkshire including the Thames Valley Autism Alert Card Scheme and the 197 Club, a fortnightly social group for autistic adults who live in Reading please visit their website www.autismberkshire. org.uk n If you work or belong to a local charity or organisation and would like to know more or apply for one of the John Sykes Foundation’s grants, please visit www.johnsykesfoundation.org

Green Park wind turbine tour

READING residents are set to enjoy behind the scenes access to one of the town’s most visible landmarks.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the Green Park wind turbine on Saturday.

The structure can generate green electricity at a rate of 4.5 kilowatts per hour every year, enough for around 1,500 homes and businesses.

Completed in November 2005, the 120m-tall windmill is one of the UK’s largest landbased windmills.

Soaring above Junction 11 of the M4 motorway, it is owned and operated by Ecotricity, an electricity supplier which looks to supply clean energy to customers across the country.

The event will give visitors the chance to find out more and is part of Reading Climate Festival.

The programme of events is run by Reading Climate Action Network and is supported by Reading’s Economy and Destination Agency (REDA) and The Great Big Green Week.

The tour takes place at Green Park Business Park from 2pm-3pm, with visitors asked to arrive in good time as the Royals have a home match.

Tickets are free.

n For more information or to book a place, search: Green Park Wind Turbine Tour on www. eventbrite.co.uk

GIFT: John Sykes presents a covid grant to Autism Berkshire

Flats could be turned into home

AN APPLICATION has been made to Reading Borough Council to convert two flats in Caversham into a single home.

Dating back to 1890, the semi-detached home in Priest Hill was converted into two flats in 1964, but now it is hoped to convert it into a threebedroom family home.

It would have a shared bathroom upstairs and a reception, toilet and open plan kitchen and dining room downstairs.

The application can be seen by logging on to Reading Borough Council’s planning portal, searching for reference 221356.

Monthly walks

A COMMUNITY project is helping residents connect while also staying fit.

Katesgrove & Redlands series of three monthly Sunday walks is set to conclude on Sunday October, 16.

After successful meetings at Whitley Street and Waterloo Meadows in August and September respectively, the final session will take place at the University of Reading’s SportsPark, Shinfield Road.

They last around an hour. For more information, contact Cllr Louise Keane via: 07951858923 or louise. keane1976@gmail.com

Winter Wonderland gets ho-ho-go ahead for six Christmasses

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

READING will be walking in a winter wonderland right up until 2028, after councillors gave a popular festive event an early Christmas present.

The Reading Winter Wonderland launched in Forbury Gardens, but moved to Hills Meadow car park last year, after a year off for covid.

Event organiser Billy Williams learnt on Thursday, September 22 that his application for a licence to operate the event for 54 days a year was successful.

Representing the applicants, Sue Dowling from Blandy & Blandy law firm said: “Last year’s event was extremely successful.

“We have got some really wonderful comments. It’s very much a family orientated event.

“It’s important to bring business to the area, and breathe life into the area, provided it is appropriately managed.”

Ms Dowling added it was important to keep people to coming as similar events are planned in Newbury and Bracknell.

There were concerns about noise disturbance coming from the site after two people sent

multiple complaints.

One of the complainants, Clare Smith, manages Kingfisher Place which contains 38 apartments and is on the other side of the River Thames from the event, with other complaints coming from a man living in Cardinal Close in Caversham.

The council’s senior environmental health officer Rebecca Moon suggested that the organisers should submit a noise management plan 28 days before opening to lay out how disturbance will be managed.

“54 days for the next six years is a lot. The applicant did respond to complaints, but we did continue to receive complaints after that,” she explained.

Complaints were submitted to the council. On one occassion, there was confusion over whether noise disturbance was coming from Winter Wonderland or the Best Party Ever event in nearby King’s Meadow.

Ms Moon said she could not say for certain which event triggered the complaint, but said ‘on the balance of probability’ noise at that time came from people enjoying amusement ride at Winter Wonderland.

In 2021, staff of Winter Wonderland regularly monitored sound levels, with Ms Dowling argued the organisers had gone ‘above and beyond’ to make sure noise levels were tracked.

Officers asked for an

independent acoustic professional to be hired to provide further sound monitoring, something Ms Dowling argued would be “onerous” for the free-to-enter event.

Officer Moon also said that noise produced should be no greater than 62 decibels (db), rather than the 63db that Mr Williams agreed to.

She requested that letters containing information and contact details for the event be delivered to Kingfisher Place and Cardinal Close, which Ms Dowling at one point called an “archaic” form of communication.

Mr Williams said his mobile number is publicly available on the Winter Wonderland

Facebook page so that any complaints can be managed.

Ultimately, the licence was granted on the condition that a noise management plan is submitted 28 days before the event and letters are sent to Kingfisher Place and Cardinal Close.

Officer Moon’s requests for an acoustic professional and reduction to 62db were not included as conditions.

The decision was made by Labour councillors Paul Woodward (Church), Debs Edwards (Southcote) and Glenn Dennis (Kentwood).

Cllr Edwards praised the event for being a well-managed attraction.

The event will open on Saturday, November 12, and run until Monday, January 2, with opening hours from 11am, with recorded music and alcohol for sale until 10pm, with Winter Wonderland closing at 10.30pm each night.

Mr Williams said: “It’s a good result, it means that we can plan for the future.

“Cllr Edwards spoke about how we have a good reputation in the town, which is nice to hear from someone else.”

Work to install the attraction will begin on Sunday, October 16.

Restaurant applies to update licence

A GREEK restaurant in Caversham has submitted an application to Reading Borough Council to continue selling beer, wine and spirits, writes James Aldridge

Spitiko, the Greek word for ‘homemade’ is in Prospect Street and run by Alketa Karaj.

It was previously called Kyrenia, but rebranded when Ms Karaj (30) took the restaurant over from her godfather, Stelios Zavros, the original owner.

According to the Cypriot news

website Parikiaki, Mr Zavros died at the Royal Berkshire Hospital last year.

The sale of alcohol at the premises was established while Mr Zavros was in charge, but since his passing Ms Karaj has been told that she needed to apply for a new licence.

Ms Karaj, who has held a personal alcohol licence since 2016, said: “Mostly we sell beers and wine, and some other alcohol such as vodka, brandy and ouzo.”

E&A Spitiko Ltd, the holding

company of Spitiko, has applied for alcohol sale on and off the premises from noon to 11.30pm Monday to Sunday.

Explaining off premises sales, Ms Karaj said: “We don’t usually have people taking drinks home, but if they don’t finish or want an extra this will allow that. That would only happen rarely.”

Anyone who wishes to comment on it can do so by emailing licensing@reading.gov. uk, with a deadline of Friday, October 14.

FESTIVE FUN: Reading Winter Wonderland returns to the borough with a successful first weekend.

Picture: Dijana Capan/DVision Images

NEW NAME: Spitiko in Prospect Street, Caversham Picture: Google Maps

Brought to book: Reading Libraries to axe late fees

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

IT WAS the fodder for many a local newspaper story: library book overdue by 20 years faces record fines. But no more.

Reading Library Service is planning to axe late fees to help encourage usage.

It is an extension of a suspension originally introduced in spring 2020, as the first covid lockdown meant people couldn’t easily return books.

And to help fund the change in fees, the council will look to increase income elsewhere, such as its printing documents service, currently from 15p per page.

Reading Borough Council lead councillor for leisure and culture, Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, said it was part of its measures to support families during the cost of living crisis.

“Reading’s library service is a fantastic source of free books, ebooks, emagazines and audiobooks but we know that fear of incurring fines or unexpected costs puts some residents off using their local library,” she said.

“By removing fines we are sending a clear message that we want everyone to feel confident using their library, whether they are borrowing a book, joining in one of our social or activity sessions, or just want somewhere to sit and relax without having to spend money.

“Over the last year, our libraries have seen around 200,000 visitors across the network, with 400,000 books and eBooks issued and around 2,000 home visits to people who are unable to leave their homes.

“These are great results, but we are striving to build on these numbers, particularly in our quieter libraries

“Removing the reservation fee will mean library users can read any book held by the service without having to worry about whether it is available on the shelves of their local library.”

She said that while cuts to Local Authority funding have resulted in the closure of a fifth of the nation’s libraries since 2010, Reading has bucked the trend with its libraries remaining in situ.

“We value the vital role they play in improving health outcomes, improving quality of life, and supporting improved education, wellbeing and skills,” she said. I want to encourage everyone to visit their local library and see what’s on offer, or to check out our online offering at www.reading. gov.uk/elibrary for a huge range of free eBooks, eMagazine, eAudio.

“Our libraries belong to all of us and they are more important now than ever.”

Green Councillor Rob White, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council, said: “Greens support cutting library fines, they don’t raise much money and they put people off coming into libraries.

“We want more people to develop a love of reading and we think cutting fines will help with this.”

This view was echoed by Liberal Democrat Cllr Anne Thompson, who said: “I did a double-take when I first spotted the withdrawal of library fines on the agenda.

“As a sometimes tardy returner of library books myself, I thought, ‘surely this won’t work’. But after reading up on the proposal and discussing it with my Lib Dem colleagues, I changed my mind.

“After all, we’ve not had library fines in Reading since the start of the pandemic and we’re still returning our books.

“The figures show that fines made up 8% of income for Reading libraries in 2019-20, money which is now more than covered by other income streams. And it’s about much more than money.

It’s about encouraging people to use the libraries, especially children.

“As the cost of living crisis bites, parents don’t want to be worrying about their kids running up library fines. Many US libraries got rid of fines a few years ago and it’s had a really positive effect on engagement, with far more users coming through the doors.

“So yes, Reading Lib Dems welcome this fascinating proposal.”

The decision has been criticised by the Conservative group leader, Cllr Clarence Mitchell.

“While we will always support maintaining, or even improving, the usage levels of our libraries, particularly for Reading’s more disadvantaged families - especially in the internet age of such downloadable reading choice - myself and my colleague on the Policy Committee, Cllr Simon Robinson, expressed our concerns about the effect of the removal of any sanction at all for those few people who may choose not to return books or other items,” he said.

“Library fines, while small in themselves,

have for generations served as as both a gentle deterrent and a community-minded safeguard to ensure the safe and timely return of books and other materials for the good of all the other library users in Reading.

“This decision, though, means the Council will now not be pursuing ‘lost’ books at all. RBC’s Labour administration claims that such fines put people off using our libraries, that the numbers involved are declining and are not worth pursuing.

“But what is now to stop anyone simply taking books and never returning them without fear of any penalty?

“We therefore abstained on the decision on principle, and sincerely hope that our fears over the potential for an eventual outflow of books do not come true.”

Additional homes plan rejected

A PLAN to add extra levels to the former Reading offices of mobile phone company to create more than 70 apartments has been rejected.

Great Brighams Mead in Vastern Road was the home of Three, which has since moved to bigger premises in Green Park.

In June last year, permission was granted to convert it into 110 apartments.

Developer Kings Oak Miami Ltd wanted to add 72 apartments, making a grand total of 182 homes, something rejected by Reading Borough Council’s planning department.

According to the plans (application reference 220778) two storeys would be built on top of the existing roof, but the planning department argued a fifth storey roof level constituted three-storeys.

It was felt the design would “produce an incongruous and boxy addition” to the building.

And officers said the

materials proposed would be out of keeping with the area and the existing building itself: Great Brighams Mead is made of a brick and stone, with the developers proposing that the new storeys be made of glass and metallic panelling.

The council planning officer also argued the development would be detrimental to those living in De Montford Road and 17-21 Vastern Road, with the additional floors thought to overshadow the existing homes and restrict access to sunlight.

So far, no appeal has been lodged so far, but the applicant has six months to do so.

The plan was submitted as a prior approval application, because it relates to a conversion of offices into homes, allowed under permitted development rights, but developers do have to submit plans to the local planning authority to ensure they are acceptable.

The conversion of Great Brighams Mead from offices into 110 flats (planning reference 210567) was granted to applicants McKay Securities last year: 54 will be one-bed, 54 will be two-bed, and two will be three-bed.

The 72 new apartments would have added 36 one-bed and 36 two-bed units.

According to UK Property Forums, McKay Securities sold Great Brighams Mead to current owners Kings Oak for £19 million this February.

The nearby area is due for a lot of development, with housebuilders Bellway due to submit a plan to build 60 homes on the opposite side of the road by demolishing the Carters store, which closed in December 2020.

Additionally, 209 homes are set to be built at the SSE site in Vastern Road, and 600 homes could replace the Station Shopping Park.

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CHANGE: Reading Libraries are axing late fines to help with the cost of living crisis

AS YOU WERE: Great Brighams Mead as it stands today Picture: Google Maps

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Council bidding for funding as they aim to tackle idling cars

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

FRUSTRATION is rising about the lack of fines and enforcement powers to punish drivers who unnecessarily idle their cars in Reading.

Although idling – leaving the car engine running while the vehicle is not moving –sometimes cannot be avoided, there are cases where cars are left ticking over, causing sulphur dioxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxide to be emitted into the atmosphere.

Councillors across the council chamber have expressed frustration as no fines have been issued over the past three years.

The issue was raised by Cllr Rob White (Green, Park), the leader of the opposition, who said the emissions are worsening health problems.

Cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) replied: “Unfortunately, the current national legislation in respect of vehicle idling is weak, requiring officers to first ask drivers to turn off their engines.

“Only if the driver refuses can a fixed penalty notice be

issued.

“The practical implication of this is that drivers can idle with impunity provided they then turn their engine off when asked.”

Cllr Page added that enforcement against idling would require regular patrols from enforcement officers. However, he said there was no resource for such a measure.

Fines for idling were introduced in the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002.

Cllr Page continued: “Idling is part of a bigger issue, and we are presently bidding for funding via Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)’s air quality grant to carry out a wider air quality awareness raising and

behaviour change campaign.

“This includes vehicle idling, and other educational initiatives to improve knowledge and decision making, promote mode change and active travel.”

The council’s ‘draft air quality action plan’ is awaiting final approval, with a campaign due to launch to promote enhanced air quality once funding becomes available.

DEFRA is currently accepting bids for its air quality grant scheme for 2022 to 2023.

No figures for how many people had been issued penalty notices for idling were given.

Cllr White told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that he has been left with the assumption that no fines have been issued over the past three years.

Top honour for Reading Arts team

STAFF working for Reading’s arts venues, including The Hexagon and South Street, are celebrating after their hard work won them an award.

Reading Arts & Venues, the umbrella organisation that looks after the sites, scooped an honour at the cermeony organised by APSE, the Association for Public Service Excellence Service.

It was given for its role during the pandemic, including launching a digital venue, Reading Culture Live.

The team’s role in running a vital community hub was also highlighted, which provided support for Reading’s most isolated and vulnerable families at the height of the pandemic. The award also acknowledges The Hexagon’s decarbonisation plans.

As well as winning Best

Service Team for its Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service, in a category with four other councils, Reading was shortlisted for the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Council of the Year award, and selected as one of the top finalists in three other categories: Best Housing, Regeneration or New Build Initiative; Best Collaborative Working Initiative (with other public or third sector); and Best Service Team: Waste Management and Recycling Service

Reading Council Leader Cllr Jason Brock was delighted with the team’s efforts.

“This really is a wonderful achievement for Reading,” he said.

“These awards are extremely competitive, with over 300 submissions from across the UK. I would like to congratulate

Dandiya Night at Reading Cricket Club

READING Cricket Club are set to bring a taste of India to the town.

Dandiya Night will see the club welcome visitors to its grounds at Sonning Lane.

A Gujarati live singing band, Garba dancing, traditional food stalls and Indian shopping will surely dazzle those looking to experience the event in true Desi style.

There will be something for the whole family, with

Caversham gallery to exhibit London artist’s work

THE Caversham Picture Framer is to hold an exhibition of Glory Samjolly’s paintings.

Her works will be available to view for one month, with a special evening event at the gallery.

The artist will be there to chat and discuss her work.

Glory Samjolly is a figurative

fireworks and funfair rides also on hand.

Tickets can be picked up at Amees Kitchen, Oxford Road; HK Stores, Woodley; Best Foods, Reading, or online via the link listed below.

They cost £7, while admittance for under 3s is free.

The event takes place from 5pm-11pm.

n For more information or to purchase tickets, search: Reading Cricket Club on www. ticketsource.co.uk

painter, with Afro-Caribbean and British citizenship.

The exhibition will run from Thursday, September 29 to Wednesday, October 26.

The special evening event will take place on Thursday, October 6 at 6pm.

Anyone is welcome to view the exhibition, and to attend the special event.

The gallery is located at The Caversham Picture Framer, 5a Church Road, Caversham.

n For more information call: 0118 948 1610.

everyone in our winning team and in the nominated teams.

“The winning award and nominations are recognition of all the hard work Reading does to deliver the best services for our residents.”

He continued: “I’m incredibly proud of Reading’s Arts & Venues for their Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service award. From our vital community hub run from The Hexagon, to our innovative online theatre offer and adapted programme of shows during Covid, to our partnership with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and the Hexagon’s contribution to a net zero carbon Reading by 2030, Reading’s Arts and Venues have rightly been highlighted as a shining example of good practice and excellent quality of service.”

Support group

A BERKSHIRE charity is inviting South Reading families to attend its support group on Friday, October 7.

Parenting Special Children offer a safe and supportive space for families with children who have additional needs to share experiences.

The group meets monthly at the South Reading Community Centre on Northumberland Avenue.

Sessions provide an opportunity for parents and carers to discuss the unique challenges they face.

A 30 minute talk will be given about being a parent of a child with additional needs, with the remainder of the session dedicated to discussion and social support time.

Refreshments are provided, with children welcome to attend under supervision.

The meeting takes place between 9.30am-11.30am.

The charity also provides online information sessions.

n For more information, search Parenting Special Children on www.facebook.com

Reading Arts staff celebrate winning their award

Over 1,000 free Reading FC tickets given to grassroots teams

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today

READING FC’s principal sponsors are giving 30 free tickets to young footballers for every home match this season.

Select Car Leasing will be inviting children at nearby clubs the chance to attend 23 Championship and 11 Women’s Super League games as part of its Tickets for Kids initiative.

Kidmore End FC under 10s, with their parents and siblings, were at the Select Car Leasing Stadium to watch Reading defeat Stoke City 2-1.

The Gallowstree Common side, who play in the Berkshire Youth Development League, witnessed striker Lucas Joao score twice to secure three points for the Royals.

The club’s treasurer and coach, David Bird, said: “The kids all had a fantastic time.

“For some it was their first game, and for others it was the first time they’ve ever seen Reading win.”

Whitley Youth under 15s will be making the short trip down to the ground to support Reading as they take on highflying Norwich on Tuesday, October 4.

Team manager Maria Cox will bring 11 players, one of whom is her own son Reece,

and their parents along to the night game.

Ms Cox said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to take the entire team to Reading FC to watch the match against Norwich.

“As a lifelong Reading fan, having been to watch the team when they played at Elm Park, it’s going to be a really special night for me.

“Lots of the boys in the team follow Reading. Our goalkeeper is already a season ticket holder, but for a lot of the players this will be the first time they will

ever have seen a professional match.

“We’re going to use the occasion as a team-building event. We’ll also treat it as an opportunity to watch and to learn, spotting patterns of play and where the Reading players position themselves.”

Ms Cox is a community development worker at the Whitley Community Development Association, based on Northumberland Avenue.

She describes the team as a ‘second family’ for youngsters

Hours change for climbing centre Plan submitted to convert bungalow

A plan for a new climbing centre has been altered due to an error in the original application relating to opening times, writes James Aldridge, Local democracy reporter

The Climbing Hangar will be coming to Unit 8 of the Stadium Way Industrial Estate in Stadium Way, after plans were approved for it earlier this month.

An error in a transport document relating to operating hours needed tweaking.

The opening hours will be 6.30am to 10pm weekdays and 9am to 8pm at weekends.

The application can be seen by logging on to Reading Borough Council’s planning portal, searching for reference 221357.

A BUNGALOW in Caversham could be replaced with a five bed home complete with a sauna.

Reading Borough Council has received an application to convert a home in Derby Road, off Peppard Road.

The existing house has three bedrooms, one of which is ensuite, separate kitchen, dining and living rooms and a garage, utility room and tool shed.

The new home would have five bedrooms –three ensuite – a family bathroom and a sauna upstairs, and an open kitchen and dining room, a separate living room and playroom and a garage.

The application can be seen by logging on to Reading Borough Council’s planning portal, searching for reference 221291.

Teens released on bail after alleged GBH in town centre

TWO teenagers have been released on bail following an alleged assault in Reading town centre on Friday, September 16, and police are appealing for witnesses.

Thames Valley Police said that a man in his twenties was attacked by three other men carrying a weapon.

He sustained lacerations to the back of the head and face.

The incident took place around 8.45pm at the junction of Broad Street and West Street in Reading’s town centre.

One of the offenders is described as a white man,

last season. It is open to junior football teams with players aged under 16.

The ballot process for the competition was open between August 4-25, with each club able to put forward one application.

Winners and matches were drawn and allocated at random.

Mark Tongue, director at Select Car Leasing, said: “As a company, we’re passionate about giving back to grassroots sport.

“I grew up playing football in the local area and, as a youngster, I would have loved the chance to go and watch my beloved Reading FC.

Thieves steal Xbox and iPad

THIEVES broke into a Whitley home last week and stole a number of electrical items.

The incident took place sometime between 9pm on Tuesday, September 20, 4pm on Wednesday, September 21, at a home in Hazel Crescent.

Thames Valley Police said the thief made a rear entry, either from the back door or window.

Once inside, they stole an Xbox, games, an iPad and headphones.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward, especially if they have footage from CCTV, doorbell cameras, or daschams.

aged in his late teens, of slim build and was wearing a dark coloured Nike coat.

Following the incident, a 17-year-old boy from Reading and a 16-year-old boy from High Wycombe were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and have been bailed until Friday, October 14.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Nicole Jury, based at Reading police station, said: “I am appealing for any witnesses to this incident to please come forward.

“Also, if you have any CCTV footage in the area or any dash-cam footage if you were driving in the area around the time, I’d 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 43220418162.

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

who wear the shirt.

“At Whitley Youth, we simply want to encourage the boys to carry on playing, even with all the distractions that come with being a teenager.

“And we’ve had some tough times. Some of the players actually lost parents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“So for us to be able to give them a night to remember with this ticket donation really does make a difference.”

The Reading-headquartered company’s Tickets for Kids initiative was first launched

“So to now be able to provide such opportunities to hundreds of youngsters is one of the most rewarding things we can do as a socially-responsible business.”

Reading FC’s head of commercial, Tim Kilpatrick, added: “We’re extremely fortunate to work with a principal partner in Select Car Leasing, who are so passionate about our community and our future generation of fans.

“Community and grassroots engagement is key to the club’s growth and success, so we’re proud to work with Select in welcoming new clubs and hopefully new, lifelong, fans to the stadium for each and every matchday.”

Reports can be made by calling 101, quoting reference number: 43220425224.

New one bed annexe planned

THE owner of a house in All Hallows Road, Caversham, has applied to Reading Borough Council for permission to build an annexe.

This would provide a double bed, bathroom, toilet, a kitchen and a small living room for a future occupant.

The application can be seen by logging on to Reading Borough Council’s planning portal, searching for reference 221361.

UP THE ROYALS: Kidmore End FC

Under 10s were given free tickets to watch Reading FC’s home victory over Stoke City. Picture courtesy of Select Car Leasing

MP speaks out against fracking

READING EAST MP Matt Rodda has expressed his concerns about the resumption of fracking.

He asked an urgent question in the House of Commons on Thursday, September 22, after it was revealed the government was going against a manifesto pledge to start the controversial gas extraction process.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, told the chamber he was “glad to be able to announce that the moratorium on the extraction of shale gas is being lifted”.

He continued: “It is important that we use all available sources of fuel within this country. It is more environmentally friendly to use our own sources of fuel than to extract them in other countries and transport them here at great cost, both financially and in terms of carbon.

“It is therefore something we need to revisit, and we need to revisit the seismic limits to ensure that shale gas extraction can be done in an effective and efficient way.”

A number of MPs were critical of this decision, including Mr Rodda.

His question to Mr Rees-Mogg was: “Residents across the south of England are deeply concerned about the risks of fracking and indeed oil drilling.

“Why is the Secretary State not listening to those concerns? And why is he also not listening to the concerns of the Government's former Chief Scientific Advisor and indeed, those of the British Geological Survey?”

The response was: “The concerns of this house are being represented by Members of Parliament, so they are being listened to by Her Majesty's Government.”

Speaking after the debate, Mr Rodda said: “Fracking is a dangerous and expensive way to produce energy.

“It will not provide the clean, secure energy we need in the South-East.

“To underline the dangers of lifting the moratorium on Fracking, the British geological survey has confirmed that, ‘Hydraulic fracturing can trigger earthquakes large enough to cause structural damage. These events were not predicted in advance of operations’.”

£295,000 upgrade for Reading swimming pool

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

A READING swimming pool will be given a new look thanks to a £295,000 upgrade.

Reading Borough Council has announced additional upgrades to its leisure centres, including the revamp at South Reading Leisure Centre.

It follows a recent update to its gym, changing rooms, reception and studio space.

Work is due to start in the new year, reopening in the spring.

The council says the work is timed to coincide with the opening of the new six-lane community pool at Palmer Park.

And the new site will also include a £36,000 investment in wayfinding from Wokingham Road to help visually impaired users of the existing facilities at Palmer Park Sport Stadium, and developed with advice from residents with visual impairments.

It includes tactile paving suitable for people using a long cane.

Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, lead councillor for leisure and

culture at Reading Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted that we are proposing further investment in improving the popular and well-used pool in South Reading.

“Although there has, rightly, been a focus on the new leisure facilities we’re delivering at Rivermead and Palmer Park, our improvements to the Meadway Sports Centre and South Reading Leisure Centre are just as important for local people.

“The Council’s investment in these popular centres demonstrates our commitment to providing high-quality leisure facilities throughout the borough.”

And she was equally pleased to offer wayfinding help for visually impaired residents.

“It is vital that the new pool and sports facility work for everyone, whatever their fitness level or accessibility needs, and this wayfinding will enable people with visual impairments to easily navigate the route across the park to the pool and stadium,” she said.

Separately to these proposals, the Council is also looking to enter into formal funding agreements with Sport England, for £1.5 million towards the costs of the new leisure facilities at Rivermead and Palmer Park.

Cllr Barnett-Ward added: “Confirmation of Reading’s successful bid for £1.5 million from Sport England, is further fantastic news for this major project, and our partnership and the investment from Sport England really demonstrates the importance of these new facilities for the town.”

First in-person festival in three years for Dance Reading

A CELEBRATION of dance will take place across Reading this autumn with the longest-ever festival event.

Dance Reading will be a mixture of performances and workshops for all ages, and is the first in-person version of the event since 2019.

However, due to the success on the online versions, this year’s event will also include some digital dance offerings.

It runs from Thursday, October 27, through to Saturday, December 3.

The first show to be announced is Little Murmur, taking place at South Street on Saturday, November 19.

The solo piece has been created by award-winning dancer and choreographer Aakash Odedra, drawing on his own experiences with dyslexia.

The show blends Kathak and contemporary dance with humour, technology and a

world where words and letters take flight.

In all, there will be more than 20 events taking place at indoor and outdoor venues across Reading.

The full programme will be published in September.

Festival producer Liz Allum said: “At the heart of Dance

Reading is the belief that dance is for everybody, whether you are taking your first steps, have experience or just want to be entertained in the audience.

“It’s so exciting to be back in-person and online with our biggest, most accessible and most varied festival yet.”

n dancereading.com

Awareness day will bring rest

A READING charity is inviting residents to attend its new community event.

Rest Days will host a family awareness day on Saturday, at The Well Church, Dawlish Road in Whitley.

Visitors will come together to find out more about the charity’s work over food and drink. Live music will be provided by Josephine Belle.

A short talk will be delivered to update attendees on the Rest Days’ vision.

The Christian charity offers various services

for those in need of all walks of life, background and belief.

This includes helping with shopping, prescription pick-up, laundry, meal preparation, DIY, gardening, prayer, signposting and much more.

The event takes place at 1pm. Entry is free, but guests must book in advance.

n For more information or to book a place, search: Rest Days Family Awareness Day on www. eventbrite.co.uk

AGAINST FRACKING: Reading East MP Matt Rodda

Dance Reading will take place in Reading this autumn

UPGRADE: South Reading Leisure Centre Picture: Reading Borough Council

Filmmaker looks at the other side of organ donation

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today

A READING film-maker has created a documentary which examines the impact that organ donation has on people’s lives, as Organ Donation Week begins.

The death of the Queen meant that Organ Donation week 2022, originally slated for September 19-25, is instead being held until, Sunday, October 2.

Luke Alexander, 22, was born with a rare, congenital liver disease called Biliary Atresia, which causes blockages in the bile ducts between the liver and gallbladder.

This can lead to cirrhosis, or damage, of the liver, which is fatal if not treated, and often requires a transplant during treatment.

After being helped by Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, Luke has now produced a documentary looking at the effect of organ donation on people’s lives.

He said: “I was diagnosed

when I was three-weeksold, and as a kid, before the age of one, I think was three operations in total.

“They postponed my need for a transplant until I was about 12, when I received a liver transplant – in total, I waited nine months, with only one false call.”

He explained that those waiting for organs to be donated are sometimes called for operations, but which for some reason are then no longer viable.

“You get sent to the hospital and then during the procedure of receiving the organ, or from the donor to getting it over to the hospital, it may get tainted, or perhaps the surgeon doesn’t think it’s healthy enough.”

His documentary, The Other Side, doesn’t just look at patients themselves, he said, but also “the shared experience of going through that”.

He continued: “I compete at the Transplant Games, which really helps keep transplant patients active after surgery, and to help raise awareness

of the amazing work organ donation does.

“It was a really good experience for myself to meet other people and make friends my age who had transplants and been through the same experience.

“But it was really good for my parents, because they could speak to other parents who had shared their experiences too.”

He said that it was this which

sparked his interest in exploring the parents’ perspective of the transplant journey, not just from that of children.

The documentary focuses on three families who have experienced organ donation, those of Ollie, Amelia, and Leighton, who all underwent organ transplants.

“The documentary explores how they’ve dealt with it, and to give them and some families

who are about to go through that same journey, that kind of cathartic experience.

“I was quite young at the time, so I didn’t ask too many questions but looking back it would have been a major help just to know that it’s something that’s experienced differently –there’s no right or wrong way.

“It is kind of rare the process you go through, but it’s not that rare, and there are other families around us that have gone through that journey, and I wish there was more material like this available.”

He says that when making the film, the resilience of the families struck him.

“So many feel that after a diagnosis, it’s ‘that’s happened, now what are our next steps’ and look for an action plan towards it.

“That’s one of the things that really impressed me.”

Organ Donation Week works to build awareness of the difference to people’s lives being an organ donor can make.

This year, the movement is

asking people to use the colour pink to show their support, as well as to publicise and celebrate organ donation.

It is also holding a Race for Recipients, where participants can remotely contribute to a team target of 7,000km’s distance, which represents the 7,000 people waiting for lifesaving transplants in the UK.

A regional total target of 50,000km has been set to represent the 50,000 people living in the UK with a transplant.

The race is free to join, does not require a team, and can be achieved through any number of traveling activities.

The Other Side was directed by Luke Alexander and scored by Lost OR Stolen, with Callum Wood as director of photography, and produced in collaboration with the Childrens Liver Disease Foundation.

It is available to watch on YouTube.

n To find out more, or to see how you can register as an organ donor, visit: www.organdonation. nhs.uk

MOVE MAKER: Luke Alexander produced The Other Side, which looks at organ donation from the perspective of the recipients’ parents. Picture: Courtesy of Luke Alexander.

Spacephiller Phil Creighton

I like my listening to be easy

LONG, long ago, when mobile phones were tin cans and a bit of string pulled taut, I used to get calls from music PRs wanting me to take an interest in some bright young thing.

The trouble was, I told them, my musical knowledge starts and stops with Steps.

Yes, it’s a Tragedy – something I’m convinced they sang better than The Bee Gees.

But pop music, especially the barrage of noise that masquerades as the current hit parade, is not my forte.

When it comes to listening, I’m easy.

During the pandemic, BBC local radio underwent many detrimental changes. Presenters now do four-hour shifts, specialist shows have been axed – no more Irish Eye on BBC Berkshire, they’ve brought in the worst jingles ever known to humanity, and they’ve also updated the playlist.

Anything remotely decent – sorry, pre-1980s –has been dumped. Instead it’s stuff that makes me immediately reach for the off-switch.

And that makes me sad.

The flipside is BBC Sounds allows you to tune in to any BBC local radio station programme of your choosing.

Such is my appetite for music from the best decade ever, during one of the cold snaps when schools where closed for the day and the mercury plummeted while the white stuff fell, I’d run out of Tony Blackburn’s Sound of the Sixties and stumbled upon BBC Radio Manchester’s Sweeney’s Sixties Classics.

Even that wasn’t enough … and it wasn’t quite right either, especially when the shake-up happened and Mike Sweeney’s sublime show was axed in favour of bland modern stuff.

You see, when I say my listening is easy, that’s exactly what I like. Easy listening.

Light classical music, bit of the Rat Pack, music from the 1920s to the 1960s … it’s an eclectic mixture of stuff, but I seem to be on my own. After all, Radio 2 is now more like Radio 1 was, while my favourites including The Organist Entertains, Big Band Special, and Sing Something Simple have all disappeared. Radio 3 doesn’t even come close to filling the gap.

Enter the internet. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon it, but Serenade Radio has entered my life. It launched in 2015, and is only online. The station is loosely based on the old Light Programme. A sentence that will mean little to people used only to Radios 1 to 5. Prior to September 1967, BBC Radio was the Light Programme, the Home Service and the Third Programme.

Pirates, broadcasting pop from the sea, meant Auntie had to revamp its offerings, initially Radio 2 was fairly similar to what had gone before. Certainly, easy listening was on the air well into my childhood.

That’s possibly why I’m so fond of it. There’s some nostalgia attached to these 100-year-old tunes, but not for their original performances, but for the 70s and 80s on daytime Radio 2. That and there was an antiques and curios shop in my home city of Canterbury that sold vintage newspapers and had a gramophone outside.

While the BBC’s musical playlist doesn’t do it for me, the wonder of the internet means there are niche stations out there playing something that does. So while Serenade is a safe haven of musical loveliness for me there’s an online station for you.

Whether any of them play nothing but Steps I’ve never quite looked. Looking for it has been the Last Thing On my Mind, but if there is, I’ll be there in a Heartbeat. And as those music PRs will say, I know Him So Well.

Movie ‘just missed out’ onbeing filmed in Jackson’s

A CRITICALLY-ACCLAIMED film could have been shot at an iconic Reading venue, its director has revealed.

Speaking at an event hosted by Reading Biscuit Factory, Peter Strickland said he intended to capture his movie, In Fabric, at Jackson’s department store.

He said: “We wanted it [In Fabric] to be shot in Jackson’s, but we just missed out by literally a week.”

Founded in 1875, Jackson’s was forced to close after 138 years of trading after experiencing a drop in trade, largely due to the competition posed by online shopping.

The movie, a psychological horror comedy, follows a haunted red dress, purchased in a London department store, as it torments its various owners.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hayley Squires, Leo Bill and Gwendoline Christie star in the film which was lauded by The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, Empire and The Guardian.

The New York Times described it as Strickland’s ‘most impressive, engrossing, imaginatively unchained work yet’.

It was also included in the best films of 2019 lists by The Playlist and Sight & Sound.

Strickland was attending a screening of Flux Gourmet and short film Blank Narcissus at Reading Biscuit Factory on Wednesday, September 14.

Flux Gourmet is Strickland’s latest release, a dark comedy starring Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie.

The 49-year-old is known for making his work a fully sensory experience, and this offering was truly brought to life through sound.

A group of experimental performance artists, who use food to extract disturbing noises in a process called ‘sonic catering’, take part in a residency at a remote artistic institution.

Their journey is documented by a journalist, who, unbeknownst to him, finds himself slowly becoming more involved in the group.

The Reading-born director and screenwriter subsequently took questions from a packed-out Cinema 1.

He engaged the crowd, discussing his ‘love-hate’ relationship with his hometown, and admitted spending time away has helped him appreciate the area’s qualities.

The former Progress Theatre member also hoped his latest offering would create awareness for chronic and auto-immune issues which are sometimes treated lightly in social settings.

Strickland went on to speak of his love of writing screenplays, saying the process was ‘far more enjoyable than shooting’ due to time pressures on set. n For information at future events at Reading Biscuit Factory, visit: www. readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk

Reading is top for savers

READING residents are the most interested in saving money and investing according to new research.

The town has made 5,118 monthly searches for terms related to savings and investment per 100,000 residents – the highest in the country.

Bristol residents rank second, with 4,887 monthly searches while Manchester ranks third and Bournemouth is fourth.

The research by Investing Reviews, an independent comparison review site that was set up to help people make smarter decisions about investing. analysed keyword data through Google Ads to discover the average monthly search volume for keywords related to savings and investments across the most populated places in the UK.

And the most popular term in Reading is ‘premium bonds’ with an average of 1,300 average monthly searches per month.

INVESTING: Reading likes to search

savings Picture: Pixabay

This is followed by ‘cryptocurrency’ with 720 average monthly searches and ‘credit card’ with 480 average monthly searches.

A spokesperson for Investing Reviews said: “It is vital, now more than ever, to be saving money where possible during this cost-ofliving crisis.

“This data offers a fascinating insight into the locations that have the keenest savers and investors and it will be interesting to see if these numbers change over the coming months when prices continue to rise.”

Leoni is running Marathon to thank

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

A BERKSHIRE woman is preparing to run the London Marathon next month to help the Reading charity that helped her mum during her final days.

Leoni Morris, a speech and language therapist from Thatcham, will take part in the 26.2 mile race in aid of Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice in Tilehurst.

“I am doing this for mum and for a cause close to my heart so I know that will spur me on and get me over that finish line,” the 23-year-old said.

“Mum had multiple sclerosis which caused her to be quite disabled, but she was then also diagnosed with cancer,” explains speech and language therapist Leoni, 23, who grew up in Thatcham and now lives in London. “In 2020, the cancer sadly returned and it spread very quickly, which meant that she was given a terminal diagnosis.

“Her condition deteriorated rapidly and we were struggling to look after her at home. It wasn’t the right environment for people to come in and look after her, and we were all worried about what was going to happen and how we were going to deal with the situation.”

Leoni and her family were put in touch with the hospice and her mum, Judi, 60, was admitted to the inpatient unit for end-of-life care in November 2020.

“It was a really difficult time but the hospice was such a nice environment for mum to be in during her final week,” Leoni said. “My sister Nadia and I stayed with her the whole time, along with my mum’s dog, which meant so much to her.

“The Sue Ryder Nurses couldn’t have been more lovely and caring and they looked after mum so well but also supported us and helped us to understand what was happening.

“They helped us to say goodbye and then supported us afterwards with bereavement counselling and Sue

New

Ryder’s Online Community.

“It never felt that we were just left by ourselves.

Leoni says it was clear that the team at Sue Ryder cared so much for her mum and wanted to support the family.

“The nurses also made us laugh a lot – which really made us feel better in such difficult circumstances,” Leoni adds. “I think the situation would have been quite different if we weren’t in a hospice.”

After their mum passed away, Leoni and her sister Nadia, 25, were inspired to give something back by taking on some fundraising challenges for Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice.

Nadia completed the London to Brighton Cycle Ride earlier this month, and Leoni is set to run the London

launches next week

AN AWARD-WINNING venue in Reading has announced its exciting line-up of autumn events.

Blue Collar, who holds events at Market Square and Forbury Gardens, are set to welcome impressive names to Blue Collar Corner.

The Hosier Street venue opened in March, with a two-floor bar and food venue boasting 10 beer lines, two kitchens, cocktails and live entertainment.

Blue Collar’s Glen Dinning explained: “We’ve had a fantastic Summer and are really grateful for people being so supportive of Blue Collar Corner”

“As we head towards Christmas, we’re really ramping it up, with heaters on every table, new food options, all seating covered and later opening hours alongside a huge events programme that promises to take what we’ve built to the next level.

“It’s a really exciting time and I think the venue is becoming better and better.”

After a short closure for the refurbishment, the site will reopen on Thursday, October 6.

Jamie Reynolds, of The Klaxons, will headline the grand reopening night, playing a DJ set. He will be joined by Indie Thursdays resident Rachael Chrisp and DJ-cum-promoter Pete Wheeler.

The opening weekend’s events will feature Drag Brunch, Saturday, October 8, and a free arts and craft workshop put on by nearby charity Jelly, Sunday, October 9.

The following weekend, music lovers will be treated to a record fair and social, where they will be able to peruse stalls offering vinyl, CDs and merch.

On Wednesday, October 19, authors of acclaimed Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, Bill Brewster and Frank

SECRETS: Readingborn Peter Strickland was attending an screening of Flux Gourmet at Reading Biscuit Factory.

Picture: Ji-Min Lee

READY TO RUN, FOR MUM: Leoni Morris (right)

running the London thank Sue Ryder

WHITLEY WAY BACK WHEN

Temporary homes from the1920s still alive and well

Marathon on Sunday, October 2, to say thank you for the care their family received.

“I ran a half marathon when I was at university but this is my first full marathon, so I am quite nervous”, explained Leoni.

“I’ve been following a training plan though, and Nadia and I also did the Big Half in London on September 4, so I feel quite well prepared.

“I am doing this for mum and for a cause close to my heart so I know that will spur me on and get me over that finish line. I hope I can raise at least £2,000 for the hospice so that they can continue to help other families who need it.”

Georgia Thornton, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, said: “We’re so grateful

to Leoni and Nadia for supporting our hospice in memory of their mum and we’d like to wish Leoni all the very best for the London Marathon in a few weeks’ time.

“Our Sue Ryder Nurses and healthcare teams have always been there for patients and families at the most difficult time of their lives.

“With the help from our generous supporters who fundraise for us, our teams can continue to go above and beyond, filling last days with love and helping to give families a better goodbye.”

n To donate to Leoni’s fundraising page, visit: justgiving.com/fundraising/LeoniMorris3.

n For more information about Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice, visit: sueryder. org/duchessofkent

SOME of Reading’s oldest homes are approaching their 100th birthdays.

Despite being commissioned as temporary accommodation, they have stood the test of time, with some still in use.

Whitley Community Museum curator David Turner explained: “The main build of the Whitley estate commenced during the 1930s.

“However, during the 1920s prefabricated homes started to appear around Reading, including in Whitley.

“These homes were known as prefabs.”

According to Mr Turner, these houses were more than sufficient to accommodate residents’ everyday needs.

Kitchens consisted of metal wall cupboards and base units, while heating came in the form of a stove powered by a back boiler.

This would have been able to supply households with hot water.

Although primarily built as temporary accommodation, some prefabs are still in use, with a few Whitley residents still remembering

POETRY CORNER

We are little plants and bushes

Sat in the the garden soil

On our own, once the seeds are sown

Like a car that needs it’s oil.

This sun has been atrocious

Too much I have to say

Broughton, will be talking about their book before playing their own sets.

Justin Robertson, known as the man behind Lionrock and a key influence on The Chemical Brothers, plays a special guest DJ set on Friday, October 21.

As World Cup fever starts taking over, Blue Collar will be hosting a beer tasting evening, featuring a knock out tournament of 16 beers provided by craft brewers Double Barrelled on Wednesday, October 26.

On the night of Saturday, October 29, the venue will be transformed by Aztec imagery, glowing sugar skulls,

face painting and more for Blue Collar Festival of the Dead.

Weekend opening hours at Blue Collar Corner have been extended to 12.30am, with indie anthems on Thursdays and multi-genre DJ sets every Friday and Saturday.

Booths for eight or more people can be booked in advance and are available for private hires and Christmas parties.

A full programme of events in the following months will be released in due course, with Reading favourites

The Amazons already confirmed to play a DJ set in November.

We pray each day for rain

The clouds to turn a heavy grey

We haven’t got water on tap

Or fans to keep us cool

We’re in this searing heat you know

We can’t dip our petals in a pool

We’re all dying of thirst

So we have to rely on man

As we’re about to get a well earned drink

They impose a hose pipe ban

first living in these houses.

Mr Turner said: “During the 1970s, I worked in the Council Housing Department and was often called out for minor issues.

“One tenant I remember asked if the council could supply some paint that could be used on the metal kitchen units.

“On the whole, tenants liked the homes and were not eager to move.”

With over 4,600 followers on Facebook, the Whitley Community Museum is an accessible online and in-person resource.

The group serves as a platform for residents past and present to share memories through photographs and comments.

It also allows group members to reconnect, with members reacquainting themselves with friends and schoolmates from decades ago.

The museum held a Whitley Way Back When event at the Community Cafe on Northumberland Avenue earlier this year to showcase its photographs and exhibits inperson.

With three nights in the Edwardian seaside resort of Folkestone, we take a hassle-free jaunt over the Channel to the enchanting Bruges Christmas Market, along with an additional excursion to Canterbury, which dazzles with its twinkling lights and decorations.

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Reading

3 nights at the Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone with breakfast plus 2 dinners

2 for 1 bar (6pm-9pm) on selected drinks

Entertainment every evening

Excursions to Bruges Christmas Market & Canterbury

WARNER HAYLING ISLAND Experience

We flowers woke up this morning

All crinkly like the hedge next door

The clouds were grey, hip hip hooray Look what we have in store

The skies just burst wide open

We rain danced in the showers

One happy garden once again Just a sign of God’s great powers

We love printing your poetry. Email your verse to news@rdg.today, and we’ll print a selection every week

Departing Mon 28 Nov ‘22

Treat yourself to a fantastic Warner Leisure break on Hampshire’s Hayling Island, perfect to get you in the festive mood. Relax and enjoy some early Christmas celebrations with great food, a free bar and festive entertainment in the company of like-minded people.

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Reading

4 nights at the Warner Lakeside Coastal Village with dinner & breakfast

Free bar (6pm-midnight) on selected drinks

Daytime activities

Entertainment every evening

of leisure facilities

BUILT TO LAST: Families in South Reading enjoyed the modest yet sufficient setting of the prefabs. Picture: Whitley Community Museum

MICKEY BROWN

(right) with her sister Nadia and their Mum

REVAMPED: Blue Collar Corner opened in March on Hosier Street and is now ready for winter.

Picture: Blue Collar

Rain Dance

Market Weekend

be a shared pedestrian and cycle facility, but it’s fair to say that is also in practice an issue today – cycling ban or no cycling ban.

By opening up this facility we hope to put in place some measures of control to reduce this.

LIBRARIES are one of the most important public services that the nation provides.

Small step that rewards readers Making Reading work for cyclists

Go back 100 years, and you’ll find Boots the Chemist running its own such scheme, because they knew the value that books provide.

They are, for young readers, the gateway to all kinds of worlds, be it fiction reading, or discovering more about the planet around us.

Hobbies and businesses have been started by people borrowing books and putting some of the advice therein in practice.

And libraries have been community hubs, warm banks, and safe havens long before we’ve even had to think about such things.

They were even the original internet cafe.

Reading’s libraries are fantastic resources, and something that every citizen should be proud of.

The decision to drop late fees might cause some inconvenience to people on the waiting list for the latest page-turner, but as a small way of helping with the cost of living, it’s a great idea that will keep Reading reading.

Is Zoom an answer?

IHADattended a course and returned with a bad cold – should I go to Quaker Meeting for Worship and risk passing the cold onto the others in the meeting?

No – we have Zoom – that’s how I could join in.

Shortly after the pandemic started we began to meet online for meeting for worship, our weekly healing circle also moved online to send distant healing out to those in need.

This weekly circle then became two with an evening session to cater for those who worked, along with the morning session.

At last we were able to return to meeting in person in the Meeting House and re-start our healing circle there – but in the meantime Friends from all over the country, including the Channel Islands, had joined the healing circle.

They were often isolated, even after the end of restrictions, and so enjoyed the weekly gatherings as well as the important task of sending distant healing. So we now have three weekly healing circles running, two online and one in person.

When the Meeting House reopened we were asked to give a summary of the positive and negative affects of the pandemic.

Bizarrely with Zoom we now have more opportunities to see each other – but the personal contact is still missing even when we meet in person, no shaking of hands after meeting or holding hands during the healing circle.

Things will never return as they were, but the use of Zoom has given us more opportunities – I can still join in with Meeting for Worship with a bad cold without feeling guilty.

Anne Le Marinel from Wokingham Quakers, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham

IThas been a positive couple of weeks for residents whose preferred method of getting around town is on two wheels (with rotary pedals, anyway).

Reading is a distinctive place in many ways. Geographically it is, of course, a town split in two by its rivers and its railway line, which can present us with some challenges.

It has therefore always seemed counter intuitive to me that a key strategic north-south route traversing Brunel’s Great Western Railway line, albeit underground, is prohibited to cyclists.

As my colleague Cllr Page likes to remind us, it was during the early planning stages of the redevelopment of Reading Station that it quickly became apparent Network Rail intended to close this essential link for good.

As a Council we knew how unpalatable this would be with residents, particularly those who live north of the river, which is why we insisted that the link was nonnegotiable.

While the battle with Network Rail was eventually won, Reading was left with a poorly designed subway for which a Cycling Prohibition Order was necessary due to height and width clearances being substandard for cyclists.

We were also left the unenviable liability of repairing the vandalised low ceiling panels which quickly became a regular target for worsefor-wear hooligans of a weekend evening, as residents will know.

From the Chamber

We knew at the time the subway cycling ban was far from ideal, but we also knew with the redevelopment of major sites such as Station Hill or the Royal Mail site on the horizon, it was something we would need to address in the future.

When the redeveloped Reading Station we know today opened back in 2013, the Council opened with it modern new interchanges to the north and south of the station, enabling people to switch seamlessly from bus, bike, or taxi to rail.

Two years later, in 2015, the Council opened Christchurch Bridge, providing a striking new pedestrian and cycle link from the Caversham and Christchurch Meadows, across the Thames and towards Reading Station.

Not only a Reading landmark, but another missing link and piece in the jigsaw.

With planning agreement funding now secured to remove the lowest of the ceiling panels in the subway, earlier this month my councillor colleagues approved a public consultation on the removal of the Cycling Prohibition along the station subway in order to unblock the barrier and enable safe cycling through this key strategic route, linking to station interchanges and the aforementioned Christchurch Bridge.

This becomes all the more important now, with Station Hill and other developments forging ahead.

We are well aware of legitimate concerns raised about the prospect of cyclists speeding along what would

The reality is that the vast majority of cyclists who use the subway today are responsible and dismount, as they are currently supposed to, or at least keep their speed to a safe level.

Moving south and east, I’m also pleased to report that physical work will begin shortly on the permanent new Active Travel cycle lane along Shinfield Road.

When complete, this will be an important new cycle lane extending between Christchurch Green and Whitley Wood Road, linking homes and businesses in the Whitley area to major employment and visitor hubs such as the Royal Berkshire Hospital and the University of Reading, as well as local centres and Reading town centre.

The Shinfield Road scheme is a precursor to yet another key ‘missing link’ cycle lane on the horizon, this time in the west along the Bath Road and Castle Hill.

The Council has successfully secured £1.3 million of funding for the scheme from the DfT, which includes major improvements stretching from Berkeley Avenue, along the Bath Road to Castle Hill, then running over the IDR to Castle Street.

This includes the reallocation of road space from general traffic to create segregated lanes for cyclists to and from the town centre. A public consultation took place over the summer and officers are now in the process of finalising designs.

And finally, onto one of our more controversial pieces of cycle infrastructure on Sidmouth Street, which colleagues recently agreed to make permanent.

They did so in the full knowledge that, as it stands, the fully segregated cycle lane is not particularly well used and is not ideal.

Sidmouth Street does however

is that the air outside your front door exceeds not one, but three World Health Organisation air-pollution limits (PM2.5, PM10 and NO2)! Green councillor Doug Cresswell highlighted this at a recent council meeting.

Traffic gridlock in Reading again this weekend. Green councillors ask ‘What’s the plan?’

In parts of central Reading you’re breathing in more double the World Health Organisation restrictions for Nitrogen Dioxide and taking in dangerous levels of lots of other unpleasant particles.

The traffic in Reading is more than an inconvenience. It’s an urgent health risk to Reading’s residents.

form an important foundation for future bids for funding for new cycle lanes linking to it, including improving cycling links to the Kennet towpath and making enhancements to where it joins with the existing shared-use cycle path on London Road and Wokingham Road.

By keeping the Sidmouth Street cycle lane in situ, we give Reading the best possible chance of future successful bids for cycle infrastructure funding from Government.

Removal of the scheme at this time would undoubtedly weaken our position in relation to future bids for funding.

For as long as I can remember there is a tension in Reading where various modes of transport compete for limited road space.

In that respect we are no different to any other major town or city.

What I do find frustrating though is when opposition councillors –particularly those of a green hue – who profess to support sustainable modes of transport like cycling choose to speak up against schemes like Sidmouth Street.

They do so knowing that, taken in isolation and ignoring all context, it is an easy target for criticism.

It is nevertheless heartening to know that that Labour is the party in Reading delivering and protecting cycle infrastructure so that we can build on progress made in the future, rather than calling for cycle lanes to be removed.

If the history of cycle infrastructure in Reading has shown us anything, it is that funding pots from the Department of Transport, whilst very welcome, are also piecemeal.

The Council has little choice but to adopt a ‘jigsaw’ approach as a result. There remain a fair number of gaps, but over the past few weeks I’ve been pleased to see a few more pieces fall into place.

Yes to decent segregated cycle lanes in the right places. Greens support allowing cycling carefully through the Reading Station underpass – which is going to be consulted on soon.

Yes to more affordable buses. In Newbury Reading Buses didn’t charge on World Car Free Day. Why don’t we try this in Reading.

And finally yes to a strategy for charging electric vehicles. The Labourrun council has been dragging its feet on this for too long.

IF

you’re reading this, there’s a good chance that you wasted a few hours this weekend sitting in your stationary car as the traffic jams built up around you.

Tailbacks from the closed M4 snaked through Reading town centre, hitting all the roadworks and causing hours of delays through Saturday and Sunday.

There are complex, national publicpolicy issues at the heart of this but, let’s be clear, much of this is basic common sense that can and should be managed locally.

For example do we really need road closures for non-urgent works across the town at the same time as motorway closures?

What discussions have gone on between the Labour-run council and companies carrying out roadworks to coordinate them?

Green councillor Doug Cresswell is standing up for Reading’s health

If you’ve lived in Reading for any length of time, you’ll know all about the traffic. What you might not know

Greens working hard to tackle congestion & improve air quality

We need a transport revolution in Reading to give us air we can breathe and rid us of traffic gridlock.

The first thing we think about should not be how do we get more cars on our roads, it should be less. We desperately need a real shift towards walking, cycling and public transport that goes where we need at a price we can afford.

Greens say yes to quicker response times for pedestrians at crossings to encourage more people to walk.

Its time for change, and it needs to happen now before our air becomes too thick with indecision and inaction to breathe.

Greens are working for a fairer, greener and cleaner town

As the second largest party on Reading Borough Council your seven Green Party councillors will keep working hard for a fairer, greener and cleaner town. Get involved and help us make a difference: reading.greenparty. org.uk/get-involved

By Green councillor Rob White, leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council

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

Cllr Rob White From the leader

Cllr Jason Brock

Reading man pleads guilty to arson of Rowe Court

By JAKE CLOTHIER

A MAN has pleaded guilty to a series of offences on Tuesday, September 20, after setting fire to premises in Rowe Court.

Following an investigation by Thames Valley Police, Hakeem Kigundu, aged 32, formerly of Rowe Court, Reading, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, two counts of grievous harm, and one count of arson with intent to endanger life.

On Wednesday, December 15, Kigundu started a fire at the block of flats, where he had been a resident. The blaze spread, causing major damage and trapping residents inside.

Two of the residents, Richard Burgess, aged 46, and Neil Morris, aged 45, were killed, and two further residents were seriously injured.

It was declared a major incident and required a large emergency service presence in response.

Kigundu was arrested later on Wednesday, December 15, and charged two days later.

Following the plea, the families of the victims released tributes to the late Richard Burgess, and Neil Morris.

A new photograph of Richard Burgess was released in tribute and the family of Neil Morris released a statement, both

through Thames Valley Police. Senior investigating officer, Detective Inspector Sally Spencer, of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit, said: “Kigundu’s actions were devastating. Because he started a fire, Richard Burgess and Neil Morris have lost their lives, two other people have been seriously injured and all the residents have lost their homes and treasured possessions.

“The families of Mr Burgess and Mr Morris in particular have had to endure the unimaginable pain of waiting weeks for the bodies of their loved ones to be recovered from the site, as the building was so badly damaged that it was unsafe to remove them more quickly.

“I want to thank the families of Mr Burgess and Mr Morris, all the residents of Rowe Court who have lost their homes in

such tragic circumstances, and the wider community for their cooperation and support during this extremely difficult time.

“I’m pleased that Kigundu has pleaded guilty today, and that the families of Mr Burgess and Mr Morris will at least be spared the trauma of a trial.”

Kigundu is due to be sentenced at the same court over a two day hearing beginning on Tuesday, December 6.

By George, you scrub up nicely

THE STATUE of George Palmer in Palmer Park has been restored to its former glory after receiving a deep clean.

Reading Borough Council tidied up the statue ahead of the of new swimming facilities due to open soon.

The statue has been in place since 1930, and depicts George Palmer, who partnered with Thomas Huntley to form Reading’s integral biscuit factory, Huntley & Palmers, and was the first in Britain to include an umbrella.

The statues showing signs of weather wear and residue, so the council enlisted experts from M A Polishing, to clean it.

They used high-pressure

steam cleaning and gel-cleaning to reduce signs of erosion.

The surface of the statue was then harmonised and patinated to give it a fresh, dark bronze appearance, and finally coated with crystalline wax and buffed.

It will form part of a new pedestrian area around the sports centre, which will also include a new 25 metre swimming pool, a 100-station gym, a cafe, and a children’s zone.

The existing building is also being refurbished, with solar panels and heat pumps.

Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Lead Councillor for Leisure and Culture, said: “I’m delighted to see such an iconic Reading landmark gleaming again.”

Family pay tribute to Neil Morris

THE FAMILY of Neil Morris has released a tribute to him, after he was murdered in an arson at Rowe Court last year.

On Tuesday, September 20, Hakeem Kigundu, aged 32, formerly of Rowe Court, Reading, pleaded guilty to two counts of murder, two counts of grievous harm, and one count of arson with intent to endanger life.

Thames Valley Police released the following statement in tribute to Neil Morris on behalf of his family.

“Neil Morris, known to most as Boz, was born and raised in Shropshire. He had lived in Reading for the past twenty years having recently purchased a top floor flat at Rowe Court.

“He had worked for the NHS as a Risk Information Analyst for

the past fourteen years.

“He had a great sense of humour, was intelligent, knowledgeable, a talented artist and a creative writer.

“Neil was a dearly loved son, brother, brother-in-law, uncle and a dear and loyal friend to many.

“We, Neil’s family, have been left devastated and heartbroken, our loss is unbearable.”

Hakeem Kigundu, aged 32, formerly of Rowe Court, Reading, has pleaded guilty to a series of offences on Tuesday, September 20, after setting fire to premises in Rowe Court last year.

Picture: Thames Valley Police

LOVED: A statement has been released by Thames Valley Police on behalf of the family of Neil Morris, aged 45, who was murdered in an arson at Rowe Court in Reading on 15 December last year. Picture: Thames Valley Police, by kind courtesy of the family of Neil Morris.

CBI welcomes energy support

THE GOVERNMENT’S decision to support businesses with their energy bills has been welcomed by the CBI.

Last week, it was announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers, including all UK businesses, the voluntary sector like charities and the public sector such as schools and hospitals, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices.

The scheme will run for an initial period of six months from October.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said: “As we are doing for consumers, our new scheme will keep their energy bills down from October, providing certainty and peace of mind.”

And Matthew Fell, CBI Chief Policy Director, welcomed the government’s proposals.

“The package will ease worries about otherwise viable businesses shutting up shop and smaller companies especially will benefit from the discounted rate,” he said.

“Businesses will also want to know more about the exit strategy and what happens when the six-month cap runs out.

“Working closely with business will be key to successful implementation.

“The long-run solution is to double-down on energy security and to incentivise firms to push ahead with ambitious energy efficiency programmes to lower demand.”

Fines over anti-money laundry measures grow nearly 1,000%

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

THE NUMBER of fines over antimoney laundering measured issued to estate agents has increased by nearly 1,000% in the past year according to new data analysis.

The UK Government has made it a legal obligation for the business sectors defined by the Money Laundering Regulations - such as estate agents, accountants, financial service businesses, and solicitors - to register for anti-money laundering (AML) supervision from HMRC, officially known as Economic Crime Supervision.

If a business covered by these regulations is deemed to have insufficient AML practices, monitoring, and precautions in place, HMRC is able to issue significant fines.

Sector data analysis and insight by Credas Technologies, an identity verification checks provider, shows that while overall anti-money

laundering (AML) fines have declined by almost 19%, the sum of fines being issued to estate agents has increased by 980%, totalling £772,618.

Despite this overall drop, two particular industries have seen enormous increases in fines: Accountancy Service Providers have seen fines increase by 1,083% in the past year, while fines for Estate Agency Businesses have gone up by 980%, reaching £772,618 in the last year.

It’s not all bad news: Credas Technologies’ research shows that the estate agency sector leads the way when it comes to new AML registrations and the sector accounts for a sizable proportion of all AML registered businesses.

As a result, a higher level of fines issued is only to be expected given the sectors greater acceptance of AML compliance.

What’s more, the total sum of fines issued to estate agency businesses since the start of the pandemic (2020 to 2022) is actually

41% lower than the total sum of fines issued in the two years prior (2018 to 2019).

In the two years prior to the pandemic, the sector paid a total of £8.215m, but in the last two years, this has fallen to just over £4m.

The only industry to have seen the total sum of fines increase during the pandemic is accountancy, up by 483%.

Tim Barnett, CEO of Credas Technologies, said: “At a glance, it may seem as though estate agency is very much the bad egg of AML compliance, with a huge annual increase in fines issued, surpassed only by accountancy service providers.

“However, this is perhaps a little unfair and there are a few factors that are important to consider here.

“First of all, the property industry was not only locked down for a period of time due to Covid protocols, it then experienced an unprecedented period of boom which is yet to show any signs of slowing.”

“With many firms also fighting tooth and nail to adapt to a changing landscape, there was always likely to be a period of adjustment and, when coupled with a far higher rate of output, an increase in AML compliance slip-ups.”

He continued: “Secondly, estate agency has been leading the charge when it comes to the number of new businesses registering for AML compliance and so this will naturally lead to a greater level of fines when compared to other sectors.

“Finally, when you compare the level of fines issued since the start of the pandemic versus the two years prior, the estate agency sector has actually seen a 41% reduction.

“So, while there may have been an annual spike as the industry has sprung back to life, the estate agency sector has actually seen a reduction in AML fines issued during the pandemic as a whole.”

Hospitality sector facing a ‘very, verydifficult time’ says chef Tom Kerridge

A POPULAR chef says he is facing a ‘very, very difficult time’ as costs soar.

Tom Kerridge, a Great British Menu judge and Michelinstarred chef based in Marlow, says he is facing a near 700% increase in electricity costs, although this will be reduced by the government’s new price cap pledge for six months.

“The whole of hospitality is facing a very, very difficult time at the minute,” he said.

“There’s lots of talk that seven out of 10 pubs are not going to survive unless the government does something quite rapidly and announce how they’re going to help with the cost of the energy crisis.

“There’s many small and wonderful pubs dotted up and down the country, in the centre of towns where the landlord lives upstairs.

“They may well eke out a bit of a living and may make £25,000-30,000 pounds a year, just about.

“But if you’ve got electricity bills that are doubling, trebling, three or four times it’s so hard. Our first quote for our electricity bill at the pub that I’m sitting in right now, it has gone up nearly 700%.”

In an interview during Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster on

GB News last week, he added: “Obviously, we haven’t decided what to do, we’re still looking around.

“But in those small pubs where the landlord makes a little bit of a living, if all of a sudden they’ve got an increase of £50,000, £60,000, or, £70,000 a year, then there’s no way those pubs are going to be able to operate.”

Speaking before the government announced it would offer an initial six-month energy bill relief scheme. This would reduce bills by half for the average business, starting from October.

Mr Kerridge said the issues he faced go beyond just the hospitality sector, as the whole supply chain was affected.

“The butchers, the

fishmongers, the farmers, the veg growers – it is inevitable with food inflation that costs go up,” he said.

“And at the same time, the guests and the consumer at home has less money because of that food inflation and price inflation, it kind of like pulls everything apart.

“It’s going to be a very, very difficult couple of years.”

Announcing the energy price cap, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said: “We have stepped in to stop businesses collapsing, protect jobs, and limit inflation.

“And with our plans to boost home-grown energy supply, we will bring security to the sector, growth to the economy and secure a better deal for consumers.”

In association with Winnersh Triangle

A business park that is changing

Tom Kerridge speaking on GB News

Dad at wits end as family faces homelessness

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

A DAD from Whitley is at his ‘wits end’ with the council while trying to find a home for his family after being hit with an eviction notice.

David Harrison, 40, has lived with his partner and two children in the same home for the last 17 years.

He has lived in Greenfields Road, a privately rented semidetached two-bed home, with his 41-year-old partner and their two children, an 18-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son.

Last month, they were given an eviction notice as the family owning the home wish to sell it.

Mr Harrison says he approached Reading Borough Council for help, but faces homelessness as he’s unable to afford a rent higher than what he already pays.

He said: “In August we received an eviction notice due to our landlord passing away and the family wanting to sell the house.

“I have been on the council list for nearly three years.

“My 18-year-old daughter shares a room with my 14-year-old son, but the council doesn’t care that they

Greenfields Road in Whitley. The Harrison family is due to be evicted from the home. Picture: Google Maps

have to share.”

Mr Harrison fears he’s unlikely to be able to move to another private rental where rent is £1,300-£1,600 for a three-bed home, while council rents are £500-600 a month.

Mr Harrison said: “If we could afford to move we wouldn’t ask for help. And even if we do move, what if the same thing happens at a new place?”

He has struggled to find an adequate council property in the bidding process.

Mr Harrison said: “We’ve been put in the lowest band, so we can bid on houses.

“We both work and have full-time commitments so searching for somewhere is difficult.

“I need help but because I work, pay taxes and pay bills I’m not entitled to anything.”

Mr Harrison’s partner is a council employed teaching

assistant, which he argues should give her some priority.

He said: “Technically she’s a key worker but she gets no priority over anyone else.”

The pressure of moving is having a “massive” impact on his family.

Mr Harrison explained: “I have had my son break down with his teachers at school when they asked how his summer holidays were and they have rung as they are concerned as he is now studying to do his GCSEs.

“My daughter is trying to start college.

“My partner has Crohn’s disease and is having a bad time with the extra stress this is causing.

“I am getting over a neurological disorder and fighting pain and high blood pressure daily. I’m fighting to keep myself out of hospital.

“I’m under great stress and I can’t sleep because I can’t get clear answers from the council.”

The family have just over a week before the eviction process begins.

Reading Borough Council accepted homeless relief duty for the family on September 5, which confirms it is taking steps to help them secureaccommodation.

This involves issuing a Personalised Housing Plan which sets out what Mr Harrison and the council can do to avoid homelessness.

So far, he has been offered debt advice and information on access to benefits and the affordability of private rented homes.

The council says it aims to work with landlords to save current tenancies, but it has not been possible here.

A council spokesperson said: “We are supporting Mr Harrison to try to secure further private rented accommodation and have advised him of our Rent Guarantee Scheme which matches people who need homes with landlords, with the Council paying the rent direct to the landlord in advance.

“As a family who are due to become homeless they will be prioritised for any three bedroom properties that become available through the scheme.

“We continue to support Mr Harrison to prevent the risk of homelessness and would urge any families who find themselves at risk of homelessness to contact our team at housing.advice@ reading.gov.uk”

MOTORISTS using the M4 may be required to find alternative routes due to planned closures.

Various parts of the motorway will be closed over the next three weekends.

The M4 and associated slip roads will be closed eastbound between junctions 12 and 11 from 8pm on Friday, September 30 to 6am on Monday, October 3.

Clearly signed diversions will be in place utilising the A4 and A33.

The following weekend, from 8pm on Friday, October 7, to 6am on Monday, October 10, the section between junction 11 and 10 will be inaccessible, with motorists

directed to use the B3270, A3290 and A329M.

The same part of the M4 will be closed between 8pm on Friday, October 14, and 6am on Monday, October 17, with the same diversions used.

The works are part of the M4’s smart motorway project, adding an extra lane to reduce congestion and technology on the road to smooth traffic flows.

Drivers are advised to check for updates online as poor weather conditions could cause works to be postponed at short notice.

n For more information, visit: www. nationalhighways.co.uk

Sainsbury Singers set to dazzle in Dagenham

MUSICAL-LOVERS are set to have their heartstrings pulled at a Reading theatre group’s upcoming production.

The Sainsbury Singers will be performing the musical comedy Made in Dagenham at Leighton Park Theatre, Shinfield Road.

Based on the 2010 movie, the show follows Rita O’Grady and her friends as they fight for equal pay at the factory they work at.

Friendship and love are tested throughout, as the women take on the might of Ford and the corruption of the union which was supposed to protect them.

The NODA-winning group has previously put on productions of Sweeney Todd, Chess, Guys and Dolls, and Little Shop of Horrors.

Performing in venues including

The Hexagon Reading, The Oakwood Centre, Woodley and Leighton Park Theatre, the group has performed to thousands of people, gaining a stellar reputation in Reading and beyond.

Visitors are warned that Made in Dagenham features strong language and adult themes.

The performances take place at 7.30pm each day from Tuesday, October 25, through to Saturday, October 29. Tickets cost £22 for adults and £19 for children.

The group is offering a four-forthree deal on the opening Tuesday and a 10 percent discount when more than 10 or more tickets are booked.

n For more information or to book tickets, visit: www.sainsburysingers. org.uk

Garage burgled on Kings Road

A GARAGE on Kings Road has been burgled, with an unknown offender breaking into a vehicle.

The offender attempted to force a lock on the bike store, before breaking into a motor vehicle and stealing various property from the location between 5-6.30pm on Saturday, September 24.

Thames Valley Police is appealing for people to report any suspicious incidents, sightings, and information to the police via 101.

Junction Arch consultation

A COMMUNITY GROUP is welcoming residents to attend a consultation session on Saturday.

Junction Arch Heritage & Arts (JAHA) is a project looking to restore Cemetery Junction Arch as a heritage and arts hub.

The event will provide an opportunity for the group to present their ideas and vision for the future of the arch, while hearing the views of residents.

JAHA hopes to submit an application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for a grant to buy the arch.

The meeting takes place from 11am-3pm at Junction Arch, Reading Old Cemetery.

n For more information, visit: www.junctionarch.org

Residents fear for wildlife and trees if 80 homes get approval

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

TILEHURST residents say they fear wildlife and trees are at risk after contractors have ‘broken through’ their makeshift protest.

The residents are worried animals, protected species and trees could be put at risk in the wooded area near the Tilehurst Allotments, as two pieces of land surrounding them could have 80 homes built on them.

The land is owned the Tilehurst Poor’s Land Charity (TPLC), which has hired a contractor to conduct surveyance work.

Until now, activists have been blocking the only vehicular access to the sites by parking their cars at the end of the car park for the allotments in Armour Hill.

But on Friday, September 23, one of the campaigners said the contractors have been able to pass the blockade and establish a portable building where work is due to take place.

Neighbour Deborah Dadd, 50, said: “At the moment what we’re doing is blocking the contractors accessing the car park. There’s probably 110 of us.

“Each person takes their turn to park their car, which is blocking heavy vehicle access to the site.

“But today there was only one car parked there, and they’ve managed to break through.”

Mrs Dadd fears that surveyance could prompt possible land clearance work and is concerned that any works would endanger animals living in the woodland.

The neighbour cited a Thames Valley Environmental Records Centre survey which states badgers, muntjac deer,

foxes, slow worms and red kites are in the woodland between Armour Hill and Kentwood Hill.

“We want to speak to the ecologist for the project, because there are 32 species in these woods, six or seven of them are protected,” Mrs Dadd said. “They could not pretend that they don’t know what’s there.”

She wants TPLC to negotiate with activists ensure that wildlife is protected.

CAMPAIGNERS: Deborah Dadd and Professor Julia Waters are both part of the Keep Kentwood Green campaign Picture: Courtesy Local Democracy Reporting Service

80 new homes built on them according to the Reading Local Plan, with 41-62 homes envisaged at Kentwood Hill (policy WR3s) and 12-18 homes at Armour Hill (WR3t).

TPLC sent out a letter on Wednesday, September 21, informing allotment plot holders that site work will begin on Monday, September 26.

“The works include limited cutting back of scrub and brambles so that a range of essential investigations and surveys can be conducted, including the identification of tree species and an ecology study,” the letter said.

The work will take place over three weeks, with further details on a consultation website hosted by Chaneys Chartered Surveyors & Property Managers.

“We just want them to meet us or talk. They know how to contact us, we want to get them to the table,” she said.

Mrs Dadd is an allotment plot holder and a member of the Keep Kentwood Green campaign, which has an online petition with 608 signatures calling on TPLC to not sell the land and protect it from development.

However, the two pieces of land could have a total of

Further works, outside the survey, have not been confirmed by TPLC. Contractor Aspect Arboricultural, which has accessed the site, has not responded to a request to comment.

Trees on the site have been protected by a blanket Tree Preservation Order (TPO).

Although TPLC and Aspect Arboricultural objected to the TPO, it was confirmed at a council planning meeting on June 22.

Pub wants to open garden for longer

AN EAST Reading pub is seeking permission to remove restrictions on how its customers can use its beer garden, writes James Aldridge, local democracy reporter

The Jolly Anglers on Kennetside has a pool, tropical plants, a large TV screen and a bar in its rear gardens – but it currently has to close it by 9.30pm.

The pub’s leaseholder, Xhemail Zeqiri, wants the garden to remain open until 11.30pm.

The 46-year-old said: “We just want to play music in the background, and have people outside for longer, for example, when football games run after 10pm.

“It’s not good for the customers when we have to ask them to move, this would make this more relaxed.”

In order for the garden to open longer temporarily, Mr Zeqiri has to apply for Temporary Event Notices (TENs).

But there is a limit to how many TENs can be applied for per year, with Reading Borough Council restricting it to 20 events held over a total of 26 days.

In the summer, Mr Zeqiri successfully applied for a TEN to hold an end of term party at the pub for 170 students. That night, the garden

closed at 11pm but DJ music at the event had to be turned off at 9pm.

Mr Zeqiri said: “Because of the restrictions we have to be very quiet, which just pulls customers away.”

He also complained the early closure of the garden is damaging the reputation of the pub.

“We have a one-star Google review because we have restrictions and have to shut the garden.”

The review states: “They have a roof garden which you

have to whisper in past 9pm because of the neighbours.

“It’s ridiculous. Go to a pub that doesn’t make you feel like you’re in a library due to the constant shushing.”

Anyone who wants to comment on the application can do so by emailing licensing@reading.gov.uk .

The deadline for representations is Wednesday, September 28.

Although the business is run by Mr Zeqiri, the application has been made by the pub’s licence holder Susan Bates.

PERMISSION: The swimming pool at The Jolly Anglers. The pub wants to open its garden for longer Picture: Local Democracy Reporting Service

Dojo open to new members

A COMMUNITY group is helping residents pick up new skills while also keeping fit.

South Reading Judo Club is inviting new members to join.

The club meets at St Barnabas Church, Elm Road and offers visitors a friendly environment to try their hand at the discipline, with coaches boasting more than 40 years of experience.

Under 16s meet from 6pm7pm, while the adults’ and over 16s’ session runs between 7pm-8pm.

Free tasters sessions are available on request.

n For more information, contact: southreadingjudoclub@gmail. com

Cardboard meal

ARTS CHARITY Jelly and Blue Collar Corner have teamed up to bring fun family workshops inspired by their menu items.

Shinfield shows its support for refugees at barbecue fun day

A VILLAGE demonstrated its togetherness, raising more than £2,000 for refugees at a community event.

On Saturday afternoon, Shinfield Baptist Church’s barbecue saw hundreds flock to School Green to show their support for refugees around the world and at home.

Organiser Rachel Walker said:

“We are all so passionate about loving our neighbours, and this includes our neighbours from far and wide.

“Refugees are some of the most vulnerable people in the world and we are so passionate about their protection and safety –especially as we have so many Ukrainian refugee friends in our

community now too.

“It was so wonderful to see so many people from our community in Shinfield support this event and show love for people who really need it.”

With a selection of activities to enjoy, the children got involved with face painting, hair braiding, football and a bouncy castle.

Fun Palaces set to enthral at Reading

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today

VISITORS of all ages are invited to take part in a programme of fun activities at seven libraries across Reading on Saturday.

The free events are organised by Fun Palaces in collaboration with Reading Libraries.

Families are welcome to drop in with prior booking not required.

This year’s Fun Palace coincides with Reading Climate Festival, so some activities will be based on recycling and sustainability.

In a post on social media, Reading Libraries said: “Join us on Saturday, October 1, for a day full of free and fun family activities across our libraries as part of Fun Palaces.

“Bug hotels with RISC, origami bookmarks, a puppet show and an interactive talk by local children’s author Neil Grant are some of the activities you can join in with.”

At Reading Central Library, visitors will be treated to junk modelling, producing creations from recycled items from 10.30am-2pm.

A mystery craft bag session will take place concurrently for

youngsters to make a picture of the word or phrase hidden in the bag.

Between 11am-2pm, RISC will be on hand to demonstrate how to repurpose plastic bottles to make food planters or insect hotels.

At the same time, children’s author Neil Grant will do a reading of his book A Spider Lives in My Dad’s Beard followed by a make a spider craft session for little ones.

Battle Library will be hosting three activities between 10.30am-2pm, with visitors making bookmarks, decorating balloons inspired by the film Up and a treasure hunt.

Those at Caversham Library will have the pick of five sessions.

Kicking off at 10am, children aged between five to 10 will be treated to an animal origami class.

Budding meteorologists will have the opportunity to learn more at Get Weather Wise from 10am-noon, and again from 1pm-2.45pm.

From 10.45am-12.15pm, kids aged four to eight will be treated to a puppet show put on by Waters of March Learning. It will showcase the best of African Caribbean culture.

Starting at 1pm, Over fives can decorate card door hangers with their favourite weather forecast symbols at Palmer Park Library between 10-noon.

A junk modelling session will be taking place at Southcote Library from 10.30am-12.30pm.

Creative individuals with a passion for music can learn how to use recycled discs to design their own wind spinner or wind chime at Tilehurst Library from 10.30am-2.30pm.

Between 10.30am-12.30pm, Whitley Library will play home to all-ages play with clay and open art sessions.

Fun Palaces is a year-round campaign to celebrate culture in communities and ensure it is enjoyed by everyone.

An annual weekend of celebration takes place on the first weekend of October.

Live music, refreshments and a raffle proved a treat for the adults, with the barbecue making sure visitors left well-fed.

Funds raised from the event will go to Choose Love, a charity which provides refugees with anything from search and rescue boats to food and legal advice.

The event was supported by Shinfield Parish Council.

Welcoming girls in

On Sunday, October 9, Blue Collar will host an arts workshop with artist Matt Hulse preparing a series of dishes made of cardboard.

Blue Collar’s boss Glen awarding prizes for impressive creations.

All materials will be provided, with children of all ages welcome as long as they are accompanied by an adult.

The event is free and runs from 11am-1pm at the Hosier Street venue.

With 40 years’ experience teaching girls at A level, Reading Blue Coat School is excited to extend its Co-Ed provision to welcome girls into Year 7 from September 2023.

Open Morning: Saturday 8 October 2022

Register your attendance at: rbcs.org.uk

TOGETHER: A family who recently came to the UK from Ukraine with organisers Rachel Walker (upper centre) and Sarah O’Neill (upper right)

BURGER KINGS: Tyrone Patrick looking after the barbecue with the help of Furn Patrick and Laurie Holmes, among others. Picture: Steve Smyth

Call for Ding to have website for disabled facilities

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

If it went ahead, it would contain information such as blue badge parking spaces, locations of toilets for disabled people, and which places in the town are accessible for wheelchair users.

Reading council has faced calls to create a webpage that would be a ‘one stop shop’ for people with disabilities seeking important information.

Information provided on Reading Borough Council’s website has been scrutinised by Nigel McAlister, a member of the council’s Access and Disabilities Working Group.

He said that he had difficulty finding Reading specific information.

“If I go to an area which I’m not aware of, nine times out of 10 I go to their website to find out where disabled parking is, as different areas have different rules,” he said.

He felt Reading Borough Council’s

website did not provide enough information on disabled parking.

“I’ve never found anything there, it’s all national. It’s the same with disabled toilets, you key in the website, you get no information at all. There are a lot of areas where people need access to that information,” Mr McAllister said.

He added that Camden Council in London has a particularly good website when asked for examples of good practice by Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey) a fellow member of the group.

Cllr Jan Gavin (Labour, Caversham) asked the council’s website manager Adam Bevington how a ‘disabilities access page’ could be made.

Mr Bevington said he would begin an action plan with his team.

Cllr Gavin, the chair of the group, then asked Mr McAlister and others on the panel to compile a list of information that disabled people think would find helpful.

Discussion about the webpage took place at a meeting on Thursday, September 8.

Plan to turn former Carters store into homes

Carters closed in December 2019, after nearly 200 years in business. The outdoor sports and camping store began in Thatcham in 1820, and moved first to Castle Street and then, in 1962, to its final home in Caversham Road.

Bellway Homes has proposed to demolish the store and build around 60 new homes: 16 one-bed and 20 two-bed apartments, and 14 three-bed and 10 four-bed houses. Of these, 30% would be affordable, in line with Reading Borough Council’s policies.

A leaflet from Bellway Homes states that there will be on-site parking for ’50 per cent’ of the new homes, which it argues is sufficient for the site, which is not far from the town centre and has access to “excellent public transport options”.

The developers have also expressed a desire to make sure the design of the development is in-keeping with neighbouring buildings.

The leaflet states: “We have taken care to respect the existing architectural character of the area in our designs and purposely selected materials such as bricks and tiles that will look sympathetic with the sites surroundings.

“There will be highways and environmental improvements, as well as improved landscaping in and around the development.”

Bellway Homes has begun preapplication communications with neighbours in the area, and is expected to submit a planning application “in the next few weeks.”

A consultation website for the scheme has not been identified so far, with indicative CGIs of the development appearing on physical leaflets.

The area the homes could be built in has been allocated for development in the Reading Local Plan adopted in 2019.

Policy ‘CR11f West of Caversham Road’ earmarks the area for approximately 75115 homes.

The Local Plan also states that new developments should have a lower density to respect the low rise and terraced houses that already exist in the area.

Caversham Road is set for a huge amount of development in the coming years.

On the opposite side of the road, the owner of Great Brighams Mead offices

has won permission to convert the building into 110 apartments.

Approval was given for 620 homes at the old Royal Mail Depot in Caversham Road earlier this year, and a plan has been submitted to demolish Drews the Ironmongers and replace it with 44 apartments.

Additionally, the former Dawson’s music store is set to be converted into a bowling and family entertainment centre.

Bellway Homes is one of the biggest developers in Reading.

It is responsible for the Printworks development that replaced the former Cox & Wyman Factory, not far from Caversham Road, and Rennaisance Reading apartment complex in Portman Road.

CLOSED: The former Carters store on Caversham Road could become housing if plans from developer Bellway go ahead

THE HOME of one of Reading’s oldest businesses could be converted into housing if a planning application is approved, writes James Aldridge, local democracy reporter

A CALL has been made to created a website to help Reading people with additional needs.

Orchestra shortlisted for musical awards

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today

A READING-based orchestra has been shortlisted for an award from Making Music Awards, a UK organisation that champions music in the community.

And the Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra (APO)’s assistant music director, Wokingham resident Mel Le Breuilly, has also been given special mention in the Best Music Director category, for her work leading Reading Youth Orchestra.

The winner will be announced in an online ceremony.

The Aldworth Philarmonic has been recognised for its project, Joy! with composer Derri Lewis, in 2021.

Joy! was commissioned when music making was severely restricted in late 2020.

The orchestra asked Derri to write a piece of music that would give the players something to look forward to once they could return as a full orchestra, and provide a way to keep playing despite separation during Covid restrictions.

He created a chamber version of the music with six individual parts, deliberately chosen so that the covid rule of six could be adhered to.

The parts were written across different ranges, clefs and transpositions so that all players could work on a part suitable for their instrument.

The final element of the project was three miniature solos.

Musical director of APO, Andrew Taylor says: “We are delighted by the shortlisting, it’s lovely to be recognised.

“It was a super project, and worked really well. APO prides itself on its ability to innovate and its desire to commission new music.

“This was a situation where everyone really made the best of a difficult situation.

“In lockdown, when we couldn’t be together, we were still able to connect through the solos that Derri wrote for us.

“He’s lovely to work with, and very

flexible – we thought the orchestra couldn’t play during covid, but he made it possible.

“We’ll all be watching online to see if we win the award, but also to celebrate all the music making going on in the UK.”

As restrictions lifted, the orchestra held a day of workshops with different combinations of players booked into slots during the day, recording and sharing their work.

The full orchestral version of Joy! was performed with the miniature solos, played in between the full orchestral programme.

Mel Le Breuilly, APO’s assistant music director, has also been shortlisted in the Best music director category, in recognition of her work with Reading Youth Orchestra.

“Mel is brilliant, there’s no two ways about it,” says Andrew.

“She is an inspirational leader, and is developing a lovely, relaxed community of young people who want to come together and make music, as well as having fun.

“Mel is the perfect person to be taking Reading Youth Orchestra forward.

“She’s approachable, welcoming and a highly skilled musician.

“Everything she does benefits from her positivity, her creativeness and her inspiration.

“We are delighted that she has been nominated for an award.”

History of Henley Management College

WARGRAVE Local History Society’s September meeting was a presentation by Dan Remenyi about the Henley Management College.

He had had a close association with the college, having worked in the computer industry for a number of years before teaching computer management at the college.

He began with a brief history of the site.

The college is based in one of the most beautiful houses alongside the Thames, Greenlands. There had been a house there since possibly Tudor times, and by the Civil War it was occupied by a Royalist family – but when Charles I was defeated, the Parliamentarians used their guns to demolish the house.

In due course, a new house was built on the site, which was bought by the Smith family (of W H Smith fame), who had founded a newsagent’s business in London 1792. The family acquired a number of estates in this area, including of Hambleden village nearby – later generations being known as Viscount Hambleden.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the building at Greenlands was made available to the government to use, but, at the end of the war, the family decided that they did not wish to re-occupy the house.

In 1939, Great Britain was not really prepared for war and British industry was not able to respond as needed.

A programme to train managers led to the formal registration of the Administrative Staff College in 1945. It was in needed a home and Greenlands

was provided to those starting the college for a peppercorn rent of £100 per year.

The first principal was appointed in 1946 - Noel (later Sir Noel) Hall - and courses were planned to start in 1947, although that was delayed until March 1948.

Facilities at that time were described as “just good enough”.

The courses were based on the ideas of the Army Staff College, where those on the course engaged in syndicate group work, learning from each other’s experience, and a strong emphasis on self-development.

It was a great success, and ‘the world came to Henley’ which was the clear leader in management development, with a two-year waiting list for entrants.

However, financially the fees charged did not cover its costs, and over the years this became a recurrent problem. A later principal, Thomas Kempner, introduced the idea of liaison with Brunel University, offering degree

Re-named as an MBA (Master of Business Administration). The course was then readily filled, and Kempner made the Henley Management College into a good business.

This was the ‘golden age’ of Henley, but competition from universities that set up their own business schools meant that the number of course participants declined.

A young and energetic former director at Cadbury Schweppes, Chris Bones, became principal, and believed that the College should change radically, but it was again struggling financially.

As a result, a merger with Reading University was arranged, with Henley Business School (as it had become) at both Greenlands and Whiteknights in Reading.

n More details of the Society can be found at www.wargravehistory.org.uk - or email info@wargravehistory.org.uk to confirm meeting details.

PETER DELANEY

Sinfonia opens its autumn season in the Great Hall

THE West Forest Sinfonia will present its first performance of the season. this weekend

The orchestra welcomes back principal conductor Philip Ellis and soprano Janice Watson. Leader of the orchestra is Giles Wade.

The programme includes Rachmaninov’s Caprice Bohemien, Ravel’s Sheherazade, and Shostakovich’s Symphony number five.

Cathy Laney, from West Forest Sinfonia, says: “Janice, our soloist is a beautiful singer, and Philip is an inspirational conductor, so we are really delighted to have them both at this concert.

“It’s a programme of many moods, and with the fabulous acoustics of Reading University’s Great Hall, it will be a wonderful event.

“It’s a real mixture – the first half is a combination of Ravel’s joyous romp, which is very jolly and upbeat, and Rachmaninov’s more reflective piece with soprano, which is lighter, more relaxed and really beautiful.

“The second half will be loud, rousing and full of Russian emotion, with a rich orchestral sound and loud percussion and brass.

“It’s going to be huge and exciting.”

The performance will take place at the university’s Great Hall, in London Road, from 4.30pm. Tickets cost £15 for adults, students and under 18s cost £5.

n For tickets call 07977 050265, email tickets@westforestsinfoina.org or log onto: www.whatsonreading.com

n Tickets are also available from wegottickets.com or, if tickets remain, by cash or cheque on the door.

Celebrating older residents

READING will celebrate the contribution that older people make to the community with a free event on Friday.

From 10am, Broad Street Mall will host a number of activities and events which celebrate the achievements and contributions of older people, with more than 30 local organisations set to take part.

Age UK, Reading Community Learning Centre, Firtree Reading retirement centre, and the Royal Berkshire Hospital will all be present at the event.

After the mayor of Reading, Cllr Rachel Eden, welcomes attendees, accessible activities such as seated yoga and exercise, hand bells, the Dementia Bus, free health-check services, and hearing tests.

A tour of the Abbey ruins is also running between 11am and noon.

Seated Yoga will begin at 10.30am, followed by hand bells at 12.15pm, physiotherapy from 1pm, and seated exercise at 2.15pm.

Sessions looking at dementia, cyber-security, will also be run through the day, with the Dementia Bus offering attendees a training session to help them experience what dementia might be like to help improve support.

Services such as Berkshire Vision, the Older People’s Mental Health Team, Get Berkshire Active, ReadiBus, Reading Museum, and Healthwatch Reading will also feature stalls and information at the event.

Lead Councillor for Adult Social Care, Cllr John Ennis, said: “Older People’s Day is an opportunity to

celebrate later life and the huge contribution older people make to our communities.

“This wonderful free event aims to celebrate these achievements and I’d encourage people to come along and join us on Friday 30 September, meet other people and services who really can help you look forward to the future.”

“Reading is a vibrant town with a rich array of local services that support residents, come along and find out how they can help you.

“Please spread the word, invite neighbours, friends, family - anyone you know who might benefit.”

Older People’s Day will take place at Broad Street Mall from 10am until 3pm of Friday, September 30.

n For more information about the event, visit: servicesguide.reading. gov.uk

The APO in rehearsals in 2020 Picture: Phil Creighton

BROUGHT TO BOOK: The Wargrave Local History Society explores local history Picture: StockSnap from Pixabay

Services such as Arthritis Matters, Age UK, Berkshire Vision, Firtree, and ReadiBus will be present at the event on Friday, September 30. Picture: Danie Franco via Unsplash

courses for the first time. an MA.

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Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

Amelie actor Audrey to star in Jekyll & Hyde

SHE

was the star of one of the most famous French plays of all time, and now she’s preparing to star in an astonishing new take on a classic tale.

Audrey Brisson, who was nominated for an Oliver and a Grammy award, will star in the world premiere of Jekyll & Hyde, the latest production from Reading Rep Theatre.

She was the star of the stage play Amelie, based on the 2001 film of the same name, about an innocent

and naive girl in Paris with her own sense of justice. She decides to help those around her and, along the way, discovers love.

She can currently be seen as Cinderella in the much-anticipated revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into The Woods at Theatre Royal Bath

Now she’s discovering the beast within thanks to the Kings Road based theatre.

The show starts on October 10, and runs through to Saturday, October 29,

from its base next to Reading College.

Adapted by Gary McNair from Robert Louis Stephenson’s Victorian novella, it aims to be a captivating and comic adaptation that turns the classic story on its head, revealing the depths of one person’s psyche and the lengths people will go to hide their deepest secrets.

This isn’t the first time that Audrey has worked with director Michael Fentiman – he directed her Olivier and Grammy award-nominated performance in Amélie in the West

End’s Criterion Theatre, The Other Palace, UK Tour & Watermill Theatre.

He has also directed a West End version of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

The show will launch Reading Rep’s 10th anniversary season, and all seats will be £20.

There are some special offers too: a tenth of all tickets to Jekyll & Hyde will be free for those who can’t afford them, and 30 tickets priced at £5 will be available to people aged 30 or under for each performance during the first

week of the production’s run.

Reading Rep’s anniversary season will include five plays that aim to honour the company’s roots in collaborations with ongoing creative partners, while also championing a new frontier of creatives.

Reading Rep: 10 features a mixture of bold new work, reimagined classics and family favourites and as part of the season.

n Tickets are on sale at www.readingrep.com.

Hallelujah, a night of Cohen’s music awaits

KEITH JAMES will perform the songs of the late songwriter Leonard Cohen.

The programme includes Anthem, Famous Blue Raincoat, Sisters of Mercy, and Hallelujah.

Described as atmospheric and emotive, the tour has performed nearly 500 concerts throughout the UK.

Fans of Cohen should head to Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead.

The event takes place there in the studio, on Friday, October 7.

Doors open at 8pm and tickets cost £18.

FOR a night of rich Zimbabwean cultural music and dance, audiences should head to Maidenhead.

Tsungai Tsikirai, Zimbabwean born singer, songwriter and performing artist, presents Motherland Voices.

Her show, a musical journey of Southern African music and dance, is inspired by the rich African music of Tsungai’s childhood.

The production runs from Wednesday, October 5 through to Saturday, October 8.

Performances start at 7.30pm, with an additional matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost £17.50.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.cornexchangenew.com or call the box office on: 0845 521 8218.

Head to Mars

AN ORIGINAL, interactive story invites under fives and their families to get ready for take off.

Amy’s life is loud. She lives in a loud house, in a loud town.

n

For tickets and information log on to: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788977

A celebration of boy bands

BOYZLIFE performs classic hits from Boyzone and Westlife.

Keith Duffy, formerly of Boyzone, and Brian McFadden, who played with Westlife, both enjoyed success with the bands.

Together they form Boyzlife, a band heavily influenced by the sounds of the 80s and 90s.

This concert offers old and new songs, with material from the studio album, Old School.

Boyzlife play at Reading’s Hexagon Theatre.

The event takes place on Wednesday, October 5.

Doors open at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £38.50 or £46.50 depending on seat location.

n For tickets and information visit: whatsonreading.com or call the box office: 0118 960 6060

Enjoy Life In The Fast Lane with Talon

TALON performs its 25th Anniversary tour, The Best of Eagles music.

It’s a show that features greatest hits, Hotel California, Take It Easy, One Of These Nights, Life In The Fast Lane and more.

The seven piece tribute band promises an eventful night at Reading’s Hexagon Theatre.

Talon’s The Best of Eagles - 25th Anniversary Tour plays on Sunday, September 25.

Doors open at 7.30pm.

AT THE THEATRE

Tickets cost £28.50

n For tickets and information visit: whatsonreading.com or call the box office: 0118 960 6060

There’s treasure in this trash

ALBERT and Harold were family favourites in the television sitcom of the 1960s and 1970s, Steptoe and Son.

The forever rowing rag-and-bone men of a Shepherd’s Bush scrapyard, were household names for a generation of viewers.

Apollo Theatre adapts three original episodes of the long running show, faithfully recreating a live radio recording, and reliving some of the pair’s finest misadventures.

The Steptoe and Son Radio Show airs at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre, in the Wilde Theatre.

It takes place on Thursday, September 29.

Doors open at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £18.50, members cost £16.50, under 18s cost £13.50.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on: 01344 484123.

New balls please as we solve a murder

CRIMES on Centre Court is a quick-fire theatrical whodunit.

At The Whombledun International Invitational Tennis Tournament, chair of the event, Lord Knows, has died.

His son, Hugh Knows is suspicious, but the police won’t take the case.

Private investigators, Perry and Penny Pink step in and the hilarity begins.

With a cast of four performers playing countless characters, the play demands

With a live band, she performs songs, lullabies and dances from her motherland, in a concert that she hopes will promote her African heritage and encourage others to celebrate theirs.

Motherland Voices plays at Norden Farm Arts Centre’s Courtyard Theatre in Maidenhead.

The event takes plays on Friday, October 7, at 6.30pm.

Tickets cost £20 for adults, and £12 for under 16s.

n For tickets, log on to: norden.farm or call: 01628 788977.

quick changes and quick wits.

The show can be seen at South Hill Park Arts Centre.

The event takes place in the Wilde Theatre on Sunday, October 9.

Doors open at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £21, members cost £18.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on: 01344 484123.

Home for Nomads

NOMADS Musical Theatre returns to the stage in Newbury with its musical comedy, base on the Adam Sandler movie, The Wedding Singer.

The company promises to take the audience back to 1985, when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up and a wedding singer was the coolest guy in the room.

To see the show, audiences should head to The Corn Exchange, Newbury.

Longing for some quiet, she builds a rocket and flies to Mars.

There she finds peace, and quiet friends… but will she miss the noise?

Told by Hannah Summers, and with illustrations by Miranda Summers, Amy’s Rocket is an enchanting adventure to delight young families.

For a place on the rocket, head down to Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Amy’s journey takes place in the Mill Studio on Wednesday, October 5.

There are two shows, with lift off at both 11.30am and 1.30pm.

Tickets cost £10.50 for an adult and child, with aditional children costing £7.

n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.ukor call the box office on: 01483 440000.

A classic dark comedy

EUGENE IONESCO’S classic dark comedy, The Lesson, is brought to the stage by Icarus Theatre.

The one-act play is a comically surreal study of power, knowledge and people who hoard both.

The story begins with a mildmannered professor who takes on a new pupil, swiftly descends into tyranny, and finds himself bent on her destruction.

With dynamic projections, and creative captioning, the production is accessible for deaf and hard of hearing audiences.

It has been described as ‘timely and fascinating’.

Audiences can see The Lesson at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, in the Mill Studio.

The event takes place on Saturday, October 8 at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £18, with concessions available at £13 or £12.

n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.ukor call the box office on: 01483 440000.

Sat 8. You Win Again. Sun 9.

Henley – Kenton www.kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050

Probably the best Comedy Songs in the World Ever, Maybe. Thurs 29. Henley Literary Festival. Sat 1-Sun 9.

Maidenhead –Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997

Wycombe –Wycombe Swan www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000

Hellfire Comedy Club. Thurs

Bowie Experience. Fri 30. Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow Live. Sat 1. Abbamania. Wed

Oh

A Night.

Harry Hill: Experiments in Entertainment 3, a work in progress –SOLD OUT. Thurs 29. Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me. Fri 03. Norden Farm Market. Sat 1. Les Dawson: Flying High. Sat 1. The Middle East in the 20th Century presented by WEA Maidenhead. Mon 3. NT presents Much Ado About Nothing. Wed 5. Helen Bauer: Madam Good Tit. Wed 5. Official Competition (15).

Tues 4-Wed 5. The Band of the Household Cavalry open rehearsal. Thurs 6. Sari Schoor: Back To LA Tour. Thurs 6. Motherland Voices with Tsungai Tsikirari. Fri 7. Keith James in concert: The Songs of Leonard Cohen. Fri 7. Purple Zeppelin. Sat 8. The Vinyl Frontier: The Whole Story by Kate Bush. Sat 8.

Newbury –The Corn Exchange www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218

Les Dawson: Flying High starring jon Culshaw. Thurs 29. Crimes on Centre Court. Fri 30. Apollo Big Band. Sat 1. RB Live: Mayerling. Wed 5. NT ENcore: Jack Absolute Flies Again. Thurs 6. The Wedding Singer. Wed 5-Sat 8.

Newbury –The Watermill www.watermill.org.uk

01635 46044 Othello. Until Sat 15.

Reading –South Street www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

The Cromagnon Band and Revbjelde. Fri 30. Double Dot Bash. Sat 1. Mark Thomas: Black and White. Tues 4. Little Bulb presents: Hibernation. Sat 8.

Reading –The Hexagon

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

Dinosaur World Live. Fri 30-Sun 2. Boyzlife. Wed 5. Katherine Ryan: Missus. Fri 6.

Reading –Progress Theatre

www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195

The Pride. Oct 10-15.

Reading – Reading Rep Theatre www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620

Jekyll and Hyde. Oct 10-29.

Reading –Concert Hall www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Jeneba Kanneh-Mason: Piano. Oct 11. Grace Petrie. Oct 20.

Shinfield – Shinfield Players www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 Our House. Fri 30-Sat 1, Thurs 6-Sat 8.

Sonning – The Mill www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000

Funny Money. Until Nov 5. Sounds of the 60s With The Zoots. Sun 2. The Rod Stewart Experience. Sun 9.

Windsor – Theatre

Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888

The Chalk Garden. Until Sat. Darker Shores. Wed 12-Sat 22.

Wokingham – Theatre

www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363

Wokingham Lions comedy night. Fri Oct 7.

Wokingham – The Whitty Theatre

www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247

Steve Norman and the Sleevz. Fri 30. Wokingham Film Society: The Duke (12a). Thurs Oct 13.

Woodley – Theatre

www.woodleytheatre.org 07488337838

NEXT SHOW: Teechers. Until Sat 1.

A perfect Afternoon Tea at Easthampstead Park

Easthampstead Park Off Peacock Lane Wokingham RG40 3DF eastpark.co.uk 0118 974 7576

AFTERNOON

The idea of having a light meal and drink late afternoon or early evening was introduced to England by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford.

Anna’s lifelong friend Queen Victoria enjoyed the same pastime so much that she granted it Royal approval, after which its popularity soared.

Being one of my favourite pastimes, I was very eager to sample the new quintessential afternoon Tea menu at Easthampstead Park in Wokingham.

Having undergone an extensive multimillion-pound refurbishment over the past few years, Easthampstead Park has changed a great deal, and is well worth a visit for this alone.

On approach to the hotel we made our way towards the main house, set in more than 80 acres of picturesque countryside.

With afternoon tea options being somewhat limited in the Wokingham Borough, this hotel really is a relatively unknown hidden gem.

I was worried about taking my children and my four-year-old niece with me, however I was very pleased to be told that children are as welcome as adults.

On arrival, we were greeted by very polite reception staff that showed us the way.

We were shown to our seats inside a very dramatic, luxuriously decorated room, although we did have the option of sitting outside on the terrace overlooking the stunning manicured gardens.

Our amazing attentive waiter Fabio seated us, and we were offered a choice of eight varieties of tea, or some coffee. Other drinks are available, and my children opted for orange juice.

For those who want something with a bit more sparkle, there is also a variety of wines and Champagne that can be purchased separately.

Myself and my two children opted for the Lady Evelyn Afternoon Tea priced at £35 per person. A vegan option is available for the same price.

My four-year-old niece chose the children’s afternoon tea, which is £20.

Napkins were laid on our laps and our table was adorned with three beautiful birdcage tiered cake stands filled with sandwiches, cakes and scones.

The presentation was immaculate.

The Lady Evelyn Afternoon Tea featured elegantly hand cut fingers of white and brown bread. Fillings included egg mayonnaise with watercress, smoked salmon with dill cream cheese, honey roast ham with wholegrain mustard mayo, and roast beef with horseradish.

They were fresh, flavoursome and were very quickly devoured.

Portion sizes were perfect, and enough to satisfy the appetite of my forever hungry teenager.

Moving onto the eagerly anticipated pastries, and delicacies.

The Victoria Sponge was light and fluffy with the perfect amount of jam and cream. The double chocolate Brownie was everything a brownie should be, and more, with a crunchy outer and gooey rich middle.

The passion fruit cheesecake was tangy, light and melted in your mouth and the tropical coconut mousse dome consisted of a delicate pastry bottom and a light and airy domed mousse sprinkled in coconut.

As if this wasn’t enough there was a whole tier of freshly baked mini scones accompanied with strawberry jam and clotted cream. These were delightful, not too filling but just enough to savour the flavours.

Every single item on the birdcage platter was devoured. During this time, we were continually topped up with fresh steaming tea and soft drinks.

My four-year-old niece couldn’t believe she had a whole afternoon tea to herself.

This was her first encounter of this very British tradition. Her sandwiches were a mix of freshly made finger cut sizes of strawberry jam, cheddar cheese, ham and tomato and egg and cress.

She saidthey were yummy and the

bread was lovely and soft.

The top tier of her platter comprised gooey chocolate cookies, chocolate brownie and a Victoria sandwich. The Chocolate cookies were a big hit.

Finally, just so she didn’t miss out, she was treated to one of the mini scones with jam and cream.

The portion size was generous for a child and the presentation was just as perfect as the adult version.

After we had finished our afternoon tea, we took a walk around the beautiful grounds.

The children played badminton on the beautifully manicured lawns whilst I relaxed and enjoyed the views.

Mine and my family’s overall opinion of the full afternoon experience was an “Excellent” gastronomic experience.

The presentation of the food was commendable, the food itself was fresh, indulgent, flavoursome and plentiful.

The service was outstanding and the location and building was stunning.

If you are looking for a high class, sumptuous, fairly priced afternoon tea in beautiful surroundings, I would highly recommend Easthampstead Park. n Booking is highly recommended, either by calling: 0118 974 7576, or logging on to: eastpark.co.uk/dining/afternoon-tea/ CLAIRE WORSFOLD

Three opportunities to see comic opera take to the road

GILBERT

and Sullivan fans have something to look forward next month.

Three concert performances of the musical duo’s comic opera, Iolanthe, will be given by Park Opera.

The company usually performs two major pieces in Bracknell each year, employing full professional orchestras for its productions and drawing principals of a high standard, often aspiring young singers beginning their careers.

It also takes simpler concert performances to local churches in the area.

Park Opera’s Iolanthe will see a full cast of singers, but with piano accompaniment rather than full orchestra.

The show is filled with memorable tunes and is suitable for all ages.

Chair of Park Opera, Sallie Ward says: “The music is delightful, with some beautiful melodies.

“And the songs are very funny too, particularly the fairies’ music.

“They sing about being dainty little fairies, but the clunky rhythmic tune they are given suggests that they will be neither dainty nor fairy-like on stage.

“Our singers are very much enjoying rehearsals and they love the comic music.”

Iolanthe describes confrontation between fairies and mortals.

It is also a comic satire that draws attention to aspects of society, the law, and the workings of the British government.

It’s Gilbert & Sullivan at their satirical best, poking fun at power, privilege and parliamentary democracy.

Iolanthe, the title role, is a fairy who has stepped out of line.

Despite it being forbidden in fairyland, she has married a human and has been subsequently banished by the queen of the fairies for her crime.

She spends her banishment alone in a frog-infested pit, missing not only her husband but also her son Strephon, now a young man.

Strephon is half human: fairy down to his waist, but with the legs of a man.

Employed as a shepherd, he is in love with a young human, Phyllis.

But she is a ward of court, and to marry her Strephon needs the permission of the Lord Chancellor.

However, this gentleman, along with half of the House of Lords, has the same idea.

And when Iolanthe finally returns to fairyland and embraces her son, she is mistaken by Phyllis as his lover.

Phyllis, believing she has been deceived by Strephon, sets in motion a full-blown confrontation between fairies and peers.

A series of ridiculous mishaps and mischiefs ensue in the form of mistaken identities, revelations, and even changes to the law.

All these are marked throughout the opera with absurdly comic lyrics and music.

“Our concert performances will see the chorus singing from the book, but our soloists will be performing their roles freely,” explains Sallie.

“There will be indications of costume, but this is not a fully staged production.

“The company will sing to piano accompaniment, not a full orchestra.”

Park Opera relies on its smaller shows to help fund bigger staged productions.

“Opera is a very expensive hobby,” Ms Ward continues, “and we spend a lot of money hiring in orchestras for our big productions.

“So our touring concert performances are really important fundraisers for us.

“This show is funny and entertaining.

“With sections being narrated, it’s a little shorter than the fully staged version, but we’re convinced our audiences will go home singing and laughing.

“And for anyone concerned about late October temperatures, we’ve been assured that the churches will be warm.”

Brian Chapman is musical director, and accompanist is Jo Miller Shepherd.

Ian Henderson plays the Lord Chancellor, George Priestley is Strephon, Lucy Dickson is Phyllis, and Diana Vivian plays The Fairy Queen.

Iolanthe takes place in three locations on three consecutive nights.

n On Thursday, October 20 at St Michael’s Church, Bray SL6 2AB

n On Friday, October 21 at St John’s Church, Windlesham GU20 6BL

n And on Saturday, October 22 at All Saints Church, Woking GU21 5SH.

All performances start at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £12 for adults and £6 for children.

Refreshments will be available in the interval.

n For tickets and information log onto: www.ticketsource.co.uk/parkopera, or email: tickets@parkopera.org.uk

MERCHANT

tea is a British tradition. What could be better than a chance to catch up with a good friend, and enjoy sandwiches, scones with butter and jam, and some sweet pastries?

Take a trip back to the 60s with psychedelia in Henley

PEOPLE with a passion for the 1960s can meet Karl Ferris, a master of psychedelic photography who shot and created images for the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Cream, when a Henley art gallery showcases his work next month.

Some 55 years after the release of Jimi Hendrix’s debut album Are You Experienced, Hypergallery, of 47 Market Place, will feature a retrospective exhibition entitled The Karl Ferris Psychedelic Experience.

It will feature some of his most interesting album and singles covers and a host of other incredible images from his archive, published in large scale format as signed, limited edition prints.

The exhibition opens on Saturday, at noon.

Visitors will get a live music treat from Tom Webber, who will be bringing his guitar along to the print room to open the exhibition with a special performance.

Tom will be playing at 4.30pm and 6pm, giving a sneak preview of his headline appearance at the Kenton Theatre on November 11.

On Tuesday, October 4, visitors will be able to meet the man behind the camera, and see the actual Nikon F camera used to capture Hendrix and others.

Ferris will be at the gallery between 2pm-6pm.

Emily Clement, who runs Hypergallery with her father Rob, said: “We are thrilled to be able to bring you this collection of incredible, iconic and important images.

“Karl is looking forward to meeting fans on October 4, and will be on-hand to share his incredible stories and historical encounters.

“If you want to hear first-hand memories of hosting Joni Mitchell in Ibiza, or creating the famous feather boa look for Hendrix, this is your chance.”

The opening of The Karl Ferris Psychedelic Experience has been timed to coincide with the

appearances of Olivia Harrison, George Harrison’s widow, and Pattie Boyd, his former wife, at the Henley Literary Festival.

Olivia is appearing on Sunday, October 2, at 6.30pm, while Pattie will be there on Tuesday, October 4 at noon.

Ferris’ work was last shown exactly one year ago at the exhibition Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture at the Fashion and Textile Museum, London.

Karl said: “I think psychedelia is really coming back into vogue.

“The resurgence of interest in the counter-culture that began in the 1960s, the benefits for our way of thinking, all these things that I was part of, has new

relevance now.

“Jimi loved my work and we really got on famously – we had both lived in Vancouver and swapped stories about living there.

“I told him if I was to do the cover for him then I would really need to absorb his music for inspiration.

“So he brought me along to the Olympic Studios where he was recording Axis Bold As Love and I was blown away.

“The whole lifestyle seemed to change in the summer of 1966. People were experimenting with mind expanding drugs, and I was starting to respond to all of this.”

n For more details, log on to: https://hypergallery.com

Club Velocity brings punk’s Pink Diamond Revue to Rising Sun

A READING-based electro punk group will be headlining a musical night taking place on Friday, September 30.

Club Velocity is presenting the evening of entertainment, which will take place at the Rising Sun Arts Centre in Silver Street.

Pink Diamond Revue will be the main attraction. The twopiece are said to be world class and a one-off, true original band.

Supporting them will be Rodney Cromwell, who organisers say delivers great bedroom synthpop that sits

somewhere between electronica and new wave, and is always compared to bands like Kraftwerk, New Order and Stereolab.

Rodney’s music has been heard on BBC 6 Music and featured in the NME, Louder Than War and Shindig.

Also performing will be Uncle Peanut, who is said to be ‘more punk than your mum’.

The show kicks off at 8pm, with tickets costing £7. They’re available from www.wegottickets. com

Comic Nick in Norden Farm gig

CRITICALLY acclaimed and multiaward-winning comedian Nick Helm hits the road this Autumn with his brand new show What Have We Become?

He embarks on a show so insightful, so honest, so legitimate that it will fix all of society’s problems and lead the way to a new plane of existence, he claims.

As the survivors of a global pandemic crawl from their fortified boltholes and begin to rebuild society - what is left of them and who amongst them dares to lead them to the light?

This is the future. The future is now.

Nick said: “Can’t wait for the tour. Can’t wait for Christmas. Can’t wait for Easter. Absolutely

chomping at the bit to go on tour and show off these new pills I’m on.”

The BAFTA-nominated writer, broadcaster, actor and comedian Nick Helm starred in BBC Three’s three-season comedy Uncle, for which he was nominated for a Royal Television Society Award in 2016 for Best Comedy Performance.

In 2017, he starred as Watto in Channel 4’s comedy Loaded, about four friends who become multi-millionaires overnight.

He also hosted his own comedy show on BBC Three, Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment, in 2015.

Nick also starred in his own food travelogue show, Eat Your

Heart Out with Nick Helm, which launched on Dave. He appears regularly on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and has also had appearances on Celebrity Mastermind and The Crystal Maze.

He has released two studio albums Hot ‘n’ Heavy and ‘Nick Helm is (pretty) Amazing’, with the latter receiving a large album launch at the O2 Forum. He is currently recording his third album.

He will appear at Maidenhead’s Norden Farm on Tuesday, October 18, tickets cost £15.

n For more details, or to book, log on to norden.farm, or call the box office on: 01628 788997

Andy Irvine to appear at Folk Club

ONE OF the greatest Irish singers is performing at Nettlebed Folk Club next week.

Andy Irvine is said to sing to the very soul of the Emerald Isle, and has been hailed as “a tradition in himself”.

The musician, singer and songwriter has maintained his highly individual performing skills throughout his over 50-year career.

From Sweeney’s Men in the mid-60s, to the enormous success of Planxty in the 70s, his duo with Paul Brady in the later 70s and then from Patrick Street to

Mozaik, LAPD and Usher’s Island, Andy has performed across the world.

As a soloist, Andy fills the role of the archetypal troubadour with a show and a travelling lifestyle that reflect his lifelong

influence, Woody Guthrie.

The Irish Times says of him: “Often copied, never equalled”.

His repertoire consists of Irish traditional songs, dexterous Balkan dances and a compelling canon of his own self-penned songs.

He can be heard at Nettlebed Village Club in the High Street on Monday, October 3, with doors opening at 7.45pm.

n For more details, or to book tickets, call the box office on: 01628 636620 between 10am and 8pm, or visit: www. nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Scarlet Page, Hypergallery artist and Henley Literary Festival photographer, with Karl Ferris and Charlotte Martin, who was regularly photographed by Karl Ferris in the 60s

COMING SOON: Pink Diamond Revue will headline a musical night for Club Velocity at the Rising Sun Arts Centre in Reading on Friday

LIVEMUSIC

Raw Sounds Today Chris Hillman bit.ly/raw soundstoday

WElove championing new sounds, and that’s exactly what we’ve got this week.

Kate Herridge has created Dakorra, and the title track from her new EP is the first tune you’ll hear this week, and we think it’s a cracker.

The RaW Sounds Today playlist is 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 an eclectic mix of stuff 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.

Dakorra – Elevate Me

Dakorra is a new project created by Kate Herridge from Ocean Ruins and this song is the title

Thursday, September 29

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Skylines: tribute to the music of Camel. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Request night. Details: 0118 959 5746.

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. Found Native. Details: 0118 959 7196

READING – The Roseate, The Forbury. Heavy Pop presents The Roseate Sessions with Bethia and Phantom Booth. Details: whatsonreading.com

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Beardyman. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING - Wild Lime, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Open mic: spoken word, music and vibes. From 6.30pm.

Friday, September 30

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Moments of Pleasure: Kate Bush Tribute. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Ed Sheeran Experience. Details: 01344 303333.

EMMBROOK – Emmbrook Sports & Social, Lowther Road RG41 1JB. Wokingham Music Club presents Marky Dawson piano heroes. CANCELLED Details: www. wokinghammusicclub.co.uk

PINGEWOOD - Lagoona Beach Park, Pingewood Road South RG30 3UH. ASubfactory presents end of summer and 17th birthday party. Ticket only. Details: www.fatsoma.com

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Friday Night live. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Gaz Brookfield. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Retro Karaoke night. Details: 0118 402 7800.

Lilac are a Reading based three-piece band comprising of Beth on vocals and guitar, Lewis on keyboards, guitar and backing vocals and Olly on Drums.

They describe their sound as floral indie which is a great description as this single certainly fits that with its catchy chorus melody that you find sticking in your head after a few plays – https://lilacband.co.uk

Rila’s Edge – Someone New

This is the latest single, released in July, by this Wokingham-based band who recently packed out The Redan for their hometown show. One of our fave releases of the last few months – https://www. rilasedge.com/

Dandy Man – Flat Earth Society

With guitar riffs over a pulsing electro beat combined with Kate’s powerful vocals, it’s a good uplifting anthem which the band performed to great effect at their recent appearance at Loddfest.

You can see Dakorra again live on Friday, October 28, supporting LoneLady, at the Heavy Pop promoted show at South Street Arts Centre –https://www.facebook.com/dakorraband

Lilac – Losing Myself (In You)

This song came to our attention when the band posted a link in our Wokingham Loves Music chat group. We gave it a listen and loved it.

READING - Hope and Bear, London Road RG1 5DE. The Tim Kay Band. Details: 0118 935 4095

READING - The Jolly Anglers, Kennetside RG1 3EA. DJ Mark Antony.

READING - Phantom Brewery, The Haunt, Units 2-3, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Rockotober Fest. Ticket only Details: https://www.phantombrew.com/

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Housebase. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Club Velocity presents Pink Diamond Revue w/ Rodney Cromwell & Uncle Peanut. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING - O’Neill’s, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Live music Fridays. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – South Street Arts Centre. The Cromagnon Band and Revbjelde. Details: 01180 960 6060.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Black Shot Rose Band. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – Zerodegrees, Bridge Street RG1 2LR. Friday night live, from 6pm. Details: 0118 959 7959.

RISELEY – The Bull at Riseley, Basingstoke Road RG7 1QL. Bazooka Joe. Details: 0118 343 0565.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Side Hustle. Details: 0118 977 3706.

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Spandau Ballet’s Steve Norman.

Saturday, October 1

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Rock Night with Broken Calling, Divide The Truth, Stone Soup. Details: www.theacousticcouch. co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Originals. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. Eat Candy. Details: 01344 422622.

BRACKNELL – The Silver Birch, Liscombe RG12 7DE. Lewis and the Sound of the Suburbs. Details: 01344 457318.

CAVERSHAM - The Last Crumb, Prospect Street RG4 8JN. Beer, Beats and BBQ: family fun times, retro DJs and more.

Details: dodopubs.com/locations/thelast-crumb

GORING – Goring Social Club, High Street RG8 9BA. The Midnight Rebel Band. Details: 01491 873105.

PURLEY – St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Avenue RG8 8BJ. Sam Carter. Details: 0118 942 4390.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Rock and Roll Night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Larkham and Hall. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING - Phantom Brewery, The Haunt, Units 2-3, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Rockotober Fest. Ticket only Details: https://www.phantombrew.com/

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Soundjam. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. Fusion 6. Details: 0118 376 9159.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. P’Jam. Details: 0118 931 0232

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. WATT4. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Riot Promotions presents Goddard, Cryptik, Faded Audio and more. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – South Street Arts Centre. Double Dot Bash!

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Highwasters. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – The Wishing Well, Oxford Road. Abi Powell.

TADLEY – The George and Dragon, Wolverton Townsend RG26 5ST. The Beatin’ Hearts. Details:01635 298292

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. Gary Roman as Elvis. Details: 0118 942 9606.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. The Bootlegs Band. Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Three Frogs, London Road RG50 1SW. Beatles and Buddy Holly Tribute. Details: 0118 978 5925.

WOKINGHAM - The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Pink Fish. Details: 0118 979 7402.

YATELEY - The Dog and Partridge,

Here’s Reading based alt-indie/folk rockers, Dandy Man, with their new single which was recorded at Pyramid Studios in Hurst and is from their forthcoming debut album, Something I Have To Say – https://dandymanmusic.com/

The Wave Machine – So Far So Good

Angus Trott aka The Wave Machine has recently performed at both Wokingham Festival and Loddfest and here’s his new single which is another of his self-penned joyous uplifting songs – https:// linktr.ee/thewavemachine

Elucidate – Crossroads

Elucidate are an alt-rock band from Reading and this is their latest single which was released in

Reading Road GU46 7LR. Silver Searchers. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, October 2

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Lynne Heraud and Pat Turner. Details: www.readifolk. org.uk

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

SONNING - Coppa Club, The Great House, Thames Street. Live lounge. 3pm-5pm.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. Sounds of the 60s Show with the Zoots. Details: 0118 969 8000.

TWYFORD – The Golden Cross, Waltham Road. The Bullfrogs Sunday Session. Details: 07889 226309.

Monday, October 3

NETTLEBED – Village Club, High Street RG9 5DD. Nettlebed Folk Club presents: Andy Irvine. Details: www. nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU. From The Jam. Details: 01491 681048.

Tuesday, October 4

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. New Music Tuesday. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

READING – The Lyndhurst, Queen’s Road RG1 4DG. Open mic night. Details: 0118 950 3888.

SHERFIELD-ON-LODDON – The Four Horseshoes. Equinox jazz night with Simon Allen Quartet. Details: 01256 882296.

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU. From The Jam. Details: 01491 681048.

Wednesday, October 5

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk. Boyzlife. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING - Veeno, Valpy Street RG1 1AR. The Lily beck Trio. 7pm. Free. Details: 0118 950 5493.

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU.

From The Jam. Details: 01491 681048.

the summer. It’s a good slice of melodic indie pop rock as are their other releases – https://linktr.ee/ ElucidateUK

OSP – Iyah

One of the success stories of Wokingham Festival was OSP, who stepped in at last-minute to cover for a cancellation, and got the crowd moving with an excellent set. Here’s Iyah, their most recent singlehttps://www.facebook.com/ospmusicuk

Phantom Booth – Apparatus

The latest single from the Reading/Londonbased band who create catchy indie pop. They play or played. depending on when you read this, at the Roseate Sessions in Reading on Thursday, September 29 – https://www.facebook.com/ thephantombooth

The Room – Vanished

This is taken from The Room’s 2019 album, Caught by the Machine, album which we added few weeks ago in tribute to the brilliant guitarist from the band, Eric Bouillette, who sadly passed away recently - https://theroom.band/

Flutatious – Wendel the Witch (Mitchell Mix)

They are a favourite at Wokingham Music Club and Wokingham Festival and in August they returned to the festival. It was great to see this crowd pleaser getting the crowd going - https:// www.flutatious.co.uk/

Thursday, October 6

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. The Greatest Hits of Motown: How Sweet It Is. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – Blue Collar Dining, Hosier Street RG1 7JL. Grand reopening party with Jamie Reynolds (Klaxons) DJ set. Free entry, table bookings available. Details: www.linktr.ee/blue.collar

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Requests. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – Q Club, Friar Street. The ABBA Disco.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Black Sabbitch. Details: 0118 959 5395.

Friday, October 7

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Tim Shez Band and The Evening Edition. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Ultimate RnB tribute: A flavour of the Old Skool. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Bracknell Jazz: Tony Woods Project. Details: 01344 484123.

CHARVIL - The Wee Waif, Old Bath Road RG10 9RJ. Rewind 90s.

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Friday Night live. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Sham 69. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING - Hope and Bear, London Road RG1 5DE. Greg The Axxeman Winters. Details: 0118 935 4095

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Big Untidy presents All That Jazz. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Resurrections: The Stone Roses Tribute and Noel Gallager’s High Flying Carpets. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – Zerodegrees, Bridge Street RG1 2LR. Friday night live, from 6pm. Details: 0118 959 7959.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Neon Daze. Details: 0118 977 3706.

YATELEY - The Cricketers, Cricket Hill Lane GU46 6BA. Je’Zell. Details: 01252 872105.

Saturday, October 8

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Sell By, Holler, The Cover Up. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL - The Bridge, Wokingham Road RG42 1PP. Self Preservation Society. Details: 01344 862912.

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Altitudes. Details: 01344 303333.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Rocket Kings. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Beyonce tribute. Details: 0118 402 7800.

READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. Sound Intentions. Details: 0118 968 1442.

READING – The Pond House, Oxford Road RG30 1EH. Wardour Street. Details: 0118 958 3664.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. The Sidemen. Details: 0118 376 9159.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Storm King. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Hedex. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Syn City Rockers. Details: 0118 957 6930.

TWYFORD – The Golden Cross, Waltham Road. BAT. Details: 07889 226309.

YATELEY - The Royal Oak, Reading Road, GU46 7UG. The Congakeyz. Details: 01252 872459.

Sunday, October 9

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. ReadifolkTheme night, A Sting in the Tail. Details: www.readifolk. org.uk

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. The Rod Stewart Experience. Details: 0118 969 8000.

Kate Herridge of Dakorra Picture: Andrew Merritt

track from the new Elevate Me EP.

LEISURE

Friday, September 30

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

COLEY – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue. The Watchmen Tour with Tom and Melissa, in association with Why Israel. Details: www. allnationselim.org

READING – The Atrium, Scours Lane RG30 6AY.

Bollywood party night organised by Reading Lions. £35, includes Indian buffet meal, Bollywood dancers, Dhol drummer and more. From 7pm. Details: 07970616283 or www.readinglions.org.uk

READING – The Biscuit Factory, Queens Walk RG1 7QE. Drag Movie Night: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Details: readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk

READING – Turbine House, Riverside Museum, Kenavon Drive RG1 3DH. Reading Guild of Artists Small Works exhibition. 10am-6pm. Free. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

SHINFIELD – Robyn’s Nest, School Green Centre RG2 9EH. Ice Queen experience with Afternoon Tea. 4pm5.30pm. Booking essential. Details: www.robynsnest. co.uk.

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

SILCHESTER – Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Silchester Players present The Tempest. 7.30pm. £10, £8 concessions. Details: silchesterplayers.org

THEALE – Library, Church Street RG7 5BZ. Play bridge. Suitable for beginners and experienced players. 10.45am-12.45pm. No booking required. Free. Details: 0118 930 3207, or: thealelibrary@westberks. gov.uk

TWYFORD – St Mary’s Church, Station Road RG10 9NT. Kathyrn Roberts and Sean Lakeman in concert. 7.30pm. £19.25. Details: https:// www.wegottickets.com/ event/539730

WOKINGHAM – Charity & Community Hub, Erftstadt Court, Wokingham, RG40 2YF.Natter and Needlefelt in aid of Cancer Support Network. Free. 10.30am12.30pm.

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.

WOODLEY – Oakwood Centre, Headley Road. RG5 4JZ. Woodley Theatre presents Teechers by John Godber. From £10. 7.45pm. Details: www. woodleytheatre.org

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, October 1

BURGHFIELD – The Hatch Gate, Reading Road RG30 3TH. Classic cars gathering. From 11.30am. Details: 0118 983 2059.

BURGHFIELD – Reading Road RG7 3YG. Guide Dogs Fun Day. Noon-4pm. Guide Dog Displays, Pet Dog Show, Children’s games & activities, Face painting, Stalls from the local area, Various food options, Licensed bar.

CAVERSHAM – From The Weller Centre, Amersham Road. Reading RESCUE Litter Pick with Keep Caversham Tidy. 10amnoon. Details: Search Facebook for Keep Caversham Tidy.

CROWTHORNE – The GW Anneberg Performing Arts Centre, Wellington College RG45 7PU. Handel’s Messiah – A Choral Workshop from Crowthorne Choral Society. £17. 10.30am4.30pm.

EMMBROOK – Sports and Social Club, Lowther Road RG41 1JB. Platform YP presents An Evening of Musicals. 7pm. Details: www.platformyp.co.uk

LOWER EARLEY – Maiden Place Community Centre RG6 3HD. An Evening of Music, Story and Faith with Dave & Mandy Scott-Morgan. 7.30pm9.30pm. Details: www. lowerearleybaptistchurch. org.uk

PADWORTH – Village Hall, Padworth Lane. Jumble sale. 2pm-3pm. Donations 10am-11.30am. In aid of village hall.

READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road. Board games club for teenagers upwards. Noon-2pm. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

READING – Bar 77, Kings Road RG1 3BJ. Reading’s Got Drag Hallowe’en special. £10 on door. Details: 7748@greeneking. co.uk

READING – Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Reading Farmers Market. 8.15amnoon. Details: www. thamesvalleyfarmers market.co.uk

READING – Downshire Room, Downshire Square. Macmillan Coffee Morning. 10.30am-11.45am. Free entry. Details: 0118 958 4131.

READING – IKEA, Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, Pincent Lane RG31 7SD. Balloon artist and face painter. 11am-5pm. Free. Details: www.ikea.com

READING – Star Lane Wharf, behind Queen’s Road Car Park. Kennet and Avon trust 45-minute boat trips on Matilda Too. Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. £9.50, £5.50 children, under threes free. Details and advance booking: matilda.katrust. org.uk

READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. DNA for Family Historians – Online. Organised by the Berkshire Family History Society. 2.30pm. £5, £4 members. Booking essential. Details: 0118 950 9553.

READING – Turbine House, Riverside Museum, Kenavon Drive RG1 3DH. Reading Guild of Artists Small Works exhibition. 10am-6pm. Free. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

SHINFIELD – St Mary’s Church, Church Lane RG2 8BY. BWCB Liquorice Allsorts Clarinet Ensemble concert. Noon-1pm. Free, retiring colllection in aid of church funds.

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.

SILCHESTER – Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Silchester Players present The Tempest. 7.30pm. £10, £8 concessions. Details: silchesterplayers.org

SONNING – Reading Cricket Club, Sonning Lane RG4 6ST. Reading Dandiya Night: traditional Gukarti, live band, raas garba, food stalls, fireworks, fun fair and more. Tickets and details: Amees Kitchen, Oxford Road; HK Stores, Crockhamwell Road, Woodley; Best Foods, Reading town centre.

THEALE – Theale Green School, Church Street RG7 5DA. Reading Family Roller Disco. 5pm6.15pm. Details: www. revolutionactive.co.uk

WHITLEY – The Well Church, Dawlish Road RG2 7SD. Rest Days Family Awareness Day. 1pm. live music from Josephine Belle. Details: www. thewell-church.com

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Wokingham Library Teen Writing Session 1 for Year 6 to 8. 9.45am. Session 2 for Years 9-13. 11.45am. Booking essential. Bring notebook, pens, paper, water bottle. Free. Details: 0118 978 1368.

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. RG5 4JZ. Woodley Theatre presents Teechers by John Godber. From £10. 7.45pm. Details: www. woodleytheatre.org

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, October 2

BRACKNELL – Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Wedding fair. 11am-3pm. Free entry. Details: berkshire weddingfairs.co.uk

CAVERSHAM – Waitrose Car Park, off Gosbrook Road. Artisan & Farmers Market. 10am-3pm.

EARLEY – Whiteknights Indoor Bowls Club, Beech Lane RG6 5PT. Whiteknights Indoor Bowls Club taster days. Booking essential, wear flat-soled shoes such as trainers. Free. 2.30pm-6.30pm. Details: 0118 986 0759.

READING – The Great Hall, University of Reading, London Road RG1 5AG. West Forest Sinfonia autumn concert: Rachmaninov’s Caprice Bohémien, Ravel’s Schéhérazade and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5. 4.30pm, note time. £15, students £5. Details: 07977 050265 or email tickets@ westforestsinfonia.org

READING – Prospect Park, Bath Road. Prospect Park Railway public running organised by the reading Society of Model Engineers. From 1pm-3pm. 60p a ride, 10 tickets £4. Traines will run until 3.45pm. Details: prospectparkrailway. wordpress.com

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Dreading Poetry Slam. 7.30pm. Free entry. Details: risingsunartscentre.org

READING – Star Lane Wharf, behind Queen’s Road Car Park. Kennet and Avon trust 45-minute boat trips on Matilda Too. Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. £9.50, £5.50 children, under threes free. Details and advance booking: matilda.katrust. org.uk

READING – Turbine House, Riverside Museum, Kenavon Drive RG1 3DH. Reading Guild of Artists Small Works exhibition. 10am-6pm. Free. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

TILEHURST – Double Barelled Brewery, Stadium Way RG30 6BX. Reading’s Indie Market. From noon-5pm. Crafts, food, and more. Oh, and beer. Details: doublebarrelled.co.uk

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents car boot sale. 8am-1pm. Cars £10, vans £15. Details: 07861 654674 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Monday, October 3

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.

9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org

ENGLEFIELD – Englefield House RG7 5EN. PACT garden party, rearranged from July. 2pm-5pm. £20. Booking essential. Details: events@pactcharity.org.

LOWER EARLEY – Library, Chalfont Close, Chalfont Way RG6 5HZ. 40th Anniversary of u3a: Amblers, Town Study, Birdwatching, Photography, German, Italian, Current Affairs and Art groups and there will be a demonstration by our Tai Chi group at around 10.30am. 10amnoon, 2pm-4pm. Details: readingu3a.org.uk

READING – The Outlook, Kings Road. Mates Rates Comedy Raw – open mic night. 7.30pm.

SHINFIELD – Library, School Green. Storytime session for under fives. 10am10.30am. Free. Drop-in.

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Knit, Stitch and Natter. 2pm-3pm. Free. All welcome. Drop-in. Details: 0118 978 1368.

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, October 4

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

LOWER EARLEY – Library, Chalfont Close, Chalfont Way RG6 5HZ. Storytime for under fives. 10am10.30am. Booking essential. Free. Details: 0118 931 2150.

READING – Reading Minster Of St Mary The Virgin C Of E Church, Chain Street RG1 2HX. Craft at the Minster: a craft session for all. 11am-12.30pm. Details: readingminster.org.uk

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. The Finches social club for people with or without autism. 7pm-9pm. Drinks and snacks available to buy. Music, and friendship. Details: kingwood.org.uk

TWYFORD – Library, Polehampton Close RG10 9RP. Rhymetime for under threes. 10.30am-11am. Booking essential. Free. Details: 0118 934 0800.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. CLASP Wokingham cafe with

Friendship table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Storytime for ages 4-7. 4pm-4.30pm.. Free. All welcome. Drop-in. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Bulmershe School, Chequers Way RG5 3EU. Thames Valley Chorus free singing course for men. 7.30pm-9pm. Free. Details: www. tvchorus.co.uk

Wednesday, October 5

DUNSDEN GREEN – Village Hall RG4 9QG. English Country dancing evening: beginners welcome. £4, first session free. 8pm. Details: 07714 226723.

EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

EARLEY – Earley Crescent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. MS weekly drop-in. 10.30am1.30pm Details: 0118 921 0555.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church RG40 1AS. Singing for Joy with Sabrina, organised by Cancer Support Network. 10.30am-noon. Details: www.involve.community/ cancer

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Wokingham Embroiderers Sessions. 10am-11am. Free. All welcome. Drop-in. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Artisan market. 9am2pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Thursday, October 6

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group present Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group. 8pm. £10-£12 plus booking fee. Details: www. twyrusdrama.org.uk

SPENCERS WOOD – Library, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AJ. Rhymtimes for under fours. Booking essential. Free. 10.30am-11am. Details: 0118 988 4771.

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 Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club meeting: Round 1 PDI judged by Graham Sleeman. 7.30pm. Details: www.webcc.org.uk.

WOKINGHAM – The Ship Inn, Peach Street. Comedy on Tap. 7pm. £17. Details: 0118 978 0389.

Friday, October 7

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group present Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group. 8pm. £10-£12 plus booking fee. Details: www. twyrusdrama.org.uk

WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, RG40 5TU. Wokingham Lions presents comedy night. 7.30pm. £17. Over 18s only. Details: wokinghamlions.org.uk

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, October 8

CAVERSHAM – Caversham Methodist Church Hall, Gosbrook Road RG4 8EB. Artists and Makers Fair. 10am. Free entry. Details: jean@alljazzedup.com or 07808 966928.

CROWTHORNE – Royal British Legion, Wellington Road RG45 7LJ. Quiz night. 8pm. Details: 01344 772161.

READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road. Board games club for teenagers upwards. Noon-2pm. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Meet the author

event: Annie Murray. £3. 11am-12.30pm. Details: 0118 937 5950.

READING – IKEA, Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, Pincent Lane RG31 7SD. Balloon artist and face painter 11am-5pm. Free. Details: www.ikea.com

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Bookface Chapter 13: handmade books, independent publishers, comic books, small books and more. 11am-4pm. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – Star Lane Wharf, behind Queen’s Road Car Park. Kennet and Avon trust 45-minute boat trips on Matilda Too. Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. £9.50, £5.50 children, under threes free. Details and booking: matilda.katrust.org.uk

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group present Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group. 8pm. £10-£12 plus booking fee. Details: www. twyrusdrama.org.uk

WINNERSH – The Pheasant, Reading Road RG41 4LR. Doggie meet up. From noon. Details: 0118 978 4529

WINNERSH – The Pheasant, Reading Road RG41 4LR. Comedy with headler Darius Davies, presented by Mates Rates Comedy. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 978 4529

WOKINGHAM – St Crispin’s Leisure Centre, London Road RG40 1SR. SEND Voices Wokingham and Wokingham Borough CAN Network present Local Offer Live Day 2022: Information day for residents with special education needs or disabilities. Information stalls, Berkshire Reptile Encounter, Circus Skills, Face painting, refreshments. 11am3pm. Free, booking essential. Details: www. sendvoiceswokingham. org.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Town Hall, Market Place RG40 1AS. Craft and gift market. 10am-4pm.

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

WOODLEY – Bulmershe School, Woodlands Avenue RG5 3EU. Woodley Concert Band presents Four Seasons In One Day. 7.30pm. £14, £12 concessions, £5 under 16s. Details: 0870 321 2186.

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

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.

MAGIC SQUARE

IN

MUTUAL ELEMENT

Using all 16 letters of the phrase above, form four words each of four letters which will fit in the grid to form a magic square in which the words can be read both horizontally and vertically.

Quiz Challenge

1. The reigning king, Umberto II, was deposed in 1946 in which country?

2. If you ordered saag aloo in an Indian restaurant, what would you be eating?

3. ‘Some boys kiss me, Some boys hug me, I think they’re ok’ is the opening of which Madonna song?

4. Which animal appears on the badge of Ferrari racing cars?

5. Which is the largest of all the Caribbean islands?

NONAGRAM

6. American actor Austin Butler plays which rock ‘n’ roll legend in the 2022 film of the same name?

7. Which London tourist attraction has a red pagoda in its grounds?

8. The scientific name for which nut tree comes from the Latin for ‘Jupiter’s acorn’?

9. The middle names Fingal O’Flahertie Wills belong to which writer?

10. What invention did Philips publicly demonstrate in Eindhoven in March, 1979?

WORD PYRAMID

How many words of four letters or more can you make from this Nonagram? Each word must use the central letter, and each letter may be used only once. At least one word using all nine letters can be found.

Guidelines:

Any word found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible with the following exceptions: proper nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and possessives; third person singular verbs; hyphenated words; contractions and abbreviations; vulgar slang words; variant spellings of the same word (where another variant is also eligible).

Spell out a 15-letter word or phrase by moving from one chamber to another within the pyramid. You may only enter each of the chambers once and may only proceed through openings in the walls. The first letter may appear in any chamber.

1. Lively maiden at play (8)

6. Part of a ship on Humberside (4)

8. Dig down into the ground painlessly for a prickly seedcase (4)

9. Room for an oar on eastern railway (8)

10. Initial communication from Madrid perhaps (7,6)

2. Needed a gun to remove the sticky sweet (6)

3. Taking notice, showing if it is correct or not (7)

4. Hardy heroine with one other girl (5)

5. Show misgiving about the French garment (7)

6. Ambassador gives a pound back to the slave (5)

Here are two miniature fivesquare crosswords using the same grid – but the letters have been mixed up. You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.

EQUALISER

11. Not in favour of a drink (4)

13. Well back with fellow having a petty quarrel (4)

17. At a wild guess it’s flash photography (4,2,3,4)

20. Usual arrangement of a halibut (8)

21. Reluctant to remove top from material (4)

22. Not on to summon to the brook (4)

23. Speculate that the alternative is eastern (8)

7. Fat queen found in pantry (6)

12. A case of insufficient evidence about casual clothes? (7)

14. Does he scrape a living by cheating? (7)

15. Sherpa relays a few words (6)

16. Shakespearean does not quite go back in public transport (6)

18. Consider this tank for academics (5)

19. Shelves part of axe handle (5)

Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.Easy Hard

SUDOKU

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.

CROSSCODE

Enjoy some sweet dreams

Healthy Heart Tip

POOR sleep can negatively impact our heart health, along with many other areas of our physical and mental wellbeing.

Prioritising your seven to nine hours of shuteye every day is one of the best things you can do to support your overall health.

During sleep, our body gets to work helping us to recover both mentally and physically, which helps us feel energised, alert, and ready for the day.

Sleep isn’t something to overlook, so here are some tips for helping to improve your sleep.

Limit Caffeine

Who doesn’t love a morning cuppa?

While a small amount of caffeine early in the day is unlikely to impact our sleep, caffeine can stay in our bloodstream for many hours after consumption.

This can negatively impact the quality of our sleep and ability to fall asleep.

So, say no to caffeine after lunch.

Turn off the Screens

Melatonin is our sleepy hormone, and we need to allow our body to produce lots of it to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Bright lights in our environment can reduce the production of

melatonin, specifically the blue light from computer screens, tablets, and mobile phones.

Try switching off screens an hour before sleep time and read a book or have a bath instead.

Spend time Outdoors

Research shows that simply being inside during the day, rather than spending time outdoors, reduces our melatonin production at night by 50%.

Grab your trainers and hit the pavement for a walk or run outdoors for at least 20 minutes every day.

Create a Routine

Humans are creatures of habit, and we thrive on routine.

Creating a bedtime ritual can help signal to our bodies that it’s time for sleep.

Try to choose lowstimulation activities like reading, listening to music, or even

having a cup of (caffeine free) tea such as camomile.

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/ heart-research-ukrecipes-2

Free tutoring set to help students get to university

THE UNIVERSITY of Reading is providing free tutoring for hundreds of children across the town in English, Maths and Science.

The scheme will help 200 pupils at nearby schools who are experiencing the impacts of poverty or other challenges, with the goal of improving grades and confidence.

National social mobility charity, CoachBright, will offer training to volunteer tutors.

Kizzi Keast, outreach and access manager at the University of Reading, said: “There are young people missing out on higher education who really deserve to have the opportunity to be at university.

“In some cases, these pupils are not able to achieve the grades they need to go onto higher education, because their lives outside school are really challenging.

“The aim of this new partnership is to make sure that more pupils from Reading are leaving school, better equipped to go on to university. This is a key part of our ambition to be a university for everyone in Reading, and we are really looking forward to seeing these young people succeed and thrive.”

The CoachBright tutoring partnership is designed to complement the university’s existing provision for widening participation in higher education.

Alongside Reading Scholars and Students in Schools, the new scheme will further enhance the scope of the university’s outreach work.

Schools taking part in the CoachBright programme will

Volunteer corner

Voluntary Action

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-researchuk-cookbook

automatically be part of the Reading Scholars project.

Sadie Middleton, head of South East at CoachBright said: “Young people of disadvantaged backgrounds deserve the chance to choose how they want their lives to go.

“Partnering with the University of Reading allows us to begin forming more stable foundations for those young people, where they are able to truly curate their own futures.

“I am incredibly excited to be working closely with such passionate individuals, as we would not be able to fulfil our own vision without them.

“My goal for the next year is to implement and witness the immediate impact that our programmes have within these Reading area schools.

“I hope to hear comments from pupils, such as ‘I want to go to university now’ or ‘I can do this’ and watching every young person become

a more confident, resilient and motivated individual.”

Tutors are set to deliver weekly after-school sessions, workshops and a visit to the campus over the course of a term.

CoachBright’s training will consist of guidance in leading effective tutorials, building relationships with a young person and using principles of coaching to boost confidence and independence.

READING

Refugee Support Group has been helping Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Berkshire for 25 years and are committed to reducing poverty, suffering and social isolation of people who have already faced unimaginable persecution and hardship.

Right now they are looking for Interpreter Volunteers to help create a vital link between the service they wish to deliver for their clients. As obviously their clients would have arrived in a new country with English more than likely not being their first language.

Please get in touch with the Reading Refugee Support Group if you could fit the role of an interpreter in the following languages: Pashto, Farsi, Kurdish Sorani, Arabic (any dialect of Arabic), Kurdish Kurmanji, Tigrinya or Dari.

n Reading Blind Aid Society was formed in 1883 and then changed to Reading Association for the Blind in 1926 and has supported the sight impaired people of Reading ever since.

Right now they want someone to help them examine and organise photos and documents relating to their history.

This role could also include talking to former Members about their memories with RAB.

This Social History Project is a flexible volunteer role, anybody interested could plan their own time around this project.

n Enrych Berkshire is a Registered Charity that provides support to people with a disability, helping them get access to leisure, social and learning activities.

Enrych are currently looking for a female volunteer to accompany a female member to her swimming sessions. The swimming sessions happen early afternoon on Wednesdays.

You are not required to get into the pool yourself.

You are welcome to do so at the same time.

The member does not require assistance when in the water, however they would like help carrying their bags and to have somebody to push their wheelchair poolside and into the changing rooms.

n Take a look at our brand new Reading Volunteer Connect platform for details of these and many more opportunities to volunteer via our website, www.rgneeds.me. Want to get in touch? Drop us an email at volunteering@rva.org.uk or call 0118 937 2273.

SUPPORT: The University of Reading will provide 200 students at schools across the town with free tutoring in English, Maths or Sciences. Picture courtesy of the University of Reading

CHAMBERS

FUMES

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Deanna

‘REFS NOT GOOD

READING AC TEAMS TACKLE ALDERSHOT

RELAY

FOUR strong Reading AC teams started their cross country season with the opening southern Road relays at Aldershot.

With the long awaited return of the road relays to Aldershot, runners were put through their paces through two large laps amounting to 6k.

The A team fielded a strong group of athletes with Laurie Marlow leading the team out successfully with a time of 22.49 to hand over in 22nd position.

Next up was Katherine West who completed the course in 23.07 in 23rd position.

Naomi Mitchell continued to show her endurance after her GB marathon debut, running 20.25 and picked up 14 places to hand the baton over in 10th place.

Jess Gibbon ran the anchor leg, finishing with the third fastest time of the day in 19.53 and gained another five places to lead the A team home in an impressive fifth place.

The B team started with Julia McMillan making a welcome return to racing, leading the team home in 43rd position with a time of 25.54.

Hayleigh Wood showed her endurance strength with a time of 25.07 to move the team up to 40th position.

Lucy Daniels had a strong run after a busy track season to take the team to 38th position in a time of 27.14 and then Elsa Curran finished strongly with a time of 26.59 to bring the B team home in 39th position.

The C team were close behind finishing in 41st with Eva Thomas leading the team out in 26.25 to come in at 46th.

Chambers

Shirley Ann Dix gained a place to 45 running 26.43 on her return to racing post baby.

Lee Fellows showed her versatility running 28.30 and finishing 46th with Simran Dhillon gaining five places to finish in 41st with a run of 27.19.

READING

READING HURT AT HOME BY CLINICAL VISITORS

By PETER CHIDGEY sport@wokingham.today

READING lost by 44 points to a Marlborough team which have scored at least 40 points in all their previous games.

Marlborough have recruited heavily in the close season and had seven British Army based Fijians in their squad who displayed a level of physical power combined with speed and handling skills which Reading have not faced for some years.

Marlborough always looked dangerous and posed a threat both from their pack and their slick back line.

Despite the score, Reading played well and held their high-flying opponents for long periods in the game and doubled the points scored against them so far this season.

Marlborough started with pace and force, running

back the kick off and almost scoring and although they were initially held out, were 12-0 up after 10 minutes.

Both tries started with their forwards.

The Reading scrum was under early pressure and Marlborough’s number eight broke from a scrum close to the line and slickly offloaded for a try under the posts.

They then drove a lineout to score an unconverted try.

Reading fought back well after the early reverses but strong tackling and aggression over the ball by Marlborough kept them out.

Marlborough then showed how dangerous their backs were running in an unconverted try from their own 22 which was finished off by a kick and chase by their winger.

Reading were rewarded for taking the game to the opposition and opened their

account with a try resulting from a precise cross kick by Alex Murray Smith over the opposing winger into the hands of Jordan Gomez for him to touch down on his first game since returning to Reading.

Reading continued their good period of pressure and scored the next points when after an attack broke down Sam Bowers dropped a goal to bring the score back to 8-17.

Reading kept their opponents out until just before the break.

In the last five minutes, Marlborough extended their lead, firstly taking advantage of a turnover in midfield to score a converted try and on the stroke of half-time a slick backs’ move following two scrum penalties resulted in a converted try.

Marlborough soon added to their 8-31 lead, as they ended the first half

with two quick tries, both down the left.

The first a converted try from another slick backs’ move and the second from running back a kick that didn’t find touch for an unconverted try.

Marlborough looked like they could score from anywhere on the pitch but Reading coped gamely with them for the rest of the second half gaining a good share of the ball but lacking their opponents finishing power.

Marlborough again showed this with two further tries from good back play one of which was converted.

Reading came back well at the end of the game pleasing the home support with a try from Ryan Smith who made an initial break and then took advantage of good forward driving to cross from close in.

By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today

DELIGHTED Seb Reynolds saluted his Rams players after a hugely impressive 40-10 National One triumph at Bishop’s Stortford.

A superb all-round performance saw the visitors leading 26-3 at the break on the back of a double from man-of-the-match Max Hayman and tries from Ollie Cole and Vince Everitt, Alex Seers with three conversions as the Hertfordshire men had only a Dan Cole penalty to show for their efforts.

Reflecting on the win, Director of Rugby Reynolds said: “It was a very good performance and I’m really pleased.

“Bishop’s Stortford is one of the toughest places to come in National One – they always pose a threat,

they play outstanding rugby and so for us it’s a very impressive win.”

“Early on we had a couple of defensive sets where we put them on the back foot and they coughed up an error when under pressure, and then we got a penalty into the corner and the drive went well.

“But we also had some good attacking play – the continuity got going – but against Bishop’s Stortford you never feel completely comfortable because they can hit you at any moment.

“They have the ability to score a few tries quickly and get back into the game, so you always have to be focused and on the money, and we were.

“You can’t give them a sniff because they’re so skilful that as soon as you drop off your level, they’re back.”

Reading RFC v Marlborough Pictures: John Newport

Rams RFC v Stortford

MAx Hayman in action for Rams

Reading stride forward with possession

Reading kick at the posts

Reading win the ball from a lineout

Reading RFC on the attack

RUGBY UNION

STORTFORD 10-40 RAMS

HOCKEY

READING WIN SEASON OPENER THAMES VALLEY KINGS GEAR UP FOR NEW SEASON

By RONAN DAFFEY sport@wokingham.today

READING MEN made a successful return to the top flight of English hockey with victory over Brooklands & Manchester University.

This nervousness was reflected in the early exchanges with both teams more intent in not conceding a goal rather than scoring one, but Reading dominated possession from the outset without threatening their opponents’ goal.

This almost led to their downfall when a quick break by Brooklands, led to the first shot on goal, which the ever-dependable Chris Wyver in goal turned round the post for a long corner.

Freddie Newbold took responsibility and sent his flick low into the bottom left corner of the net with a rasping shot that the Brooklands’ keeper could only watch go by him.

Brooklands came out in the second half with a greater sense of purpose,

and halved the deficit in short order to remind the newly promoted Reading of the difference in level that they will face this season, but Reading then restored their two goal lead within a minute to calm any nerves.

There then ensued a spate of temporary suspensions of players from both teams, starting with Reading’s Ryan Crowe and the visitors’ Craig Falconer being given green

cards for a handbags incident off the ball, followed by two more Reading players to leave them with eight players on the pitch and their opponents having two extra players for a short time.

Restored to a full complement, they started to attack with more vigour and confidence, and once again broke swiftly up the pitch for Tom Minall to score his second goal of the game

to secure the points and a precious win for the home team.

Brooklands then went into full attack mode as they had nothing to lose and eventually scored a scrappy goal from short range.

Reading now have two away games over the next two weekends, both in Nottingham, but will travel with confidence and a better understanding of the necessary tactics to survive, maybe even thrive, in the Premier League. Given that they have lost a couple of players from last season, and have two players out with injury, the unity within the group of players saw them through a potentially difficult game and was plain for all to see, which bodes extremely well for Reading’s future.

THAMES Valley Kings Wheelchair Basketball Club are gearing up for the all-new 2022/23 British Wheelchair Basketball Season with their first fixtures of the new season occurring this Saturday.

The Berkshire-based Kings will have three teams competing in the National League competition again this year.

Kings’ first team will be in Division One this season, looking to boomerang back to the top flight after a tough first season in the Premier Division last year.

They will be backed up by an experienced second team in Division Two looking to cement the beginning of their own legacy and a Third Team who will look to emulate or beat the overall third-place finish from the National Finals they achieved last season.

Full fixtures: Thames Valley Kings - Division One South Fixtures 08/10/22 Plymouth Fusion (H) 15/10/22 Exeter Otters (H) 05/11/22 Plymouth Fusion (A) 12/11/22 Southern Sharks (A) 10/12/22 Jaguars (A) 07/01/23 Southern Sharks (H)

Thames Valley Kings Wheelchair Basketball Club

04/02/23 Jaguars (H)

11/02/23 CWBA II (H)

11/03/23 High Rollers (H) 26/03/23 CWBA II (A)

08/04/23 London Titans II (H) 09/04/23 Exeter Otters (A) TBC London Titans II (H)

Reading Men’s Hockey Pictures: Helen Ritchie

FINCH DENY YMCA WIN WITH LAST GASP STRIKE

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Thames Valley Premier League

READING YMCA were denied a second consecutive win over FINCHAMPSTEAD after a last gasp leveller from the champions.

Having earned an impressive 5-1 win over Finch last weekend, the teams returned to face each other for the second consecutive weekend.

In a dramatic ending to the match, Pele Hagger thought he had given YMCA the winning goal in the 87th minute.

But Finch ensured it wouldn’t be a second defeat on the bounce as they fought back to find an equaliser in stoppage time from Jason Baverstock Finch are in seventh with seven points from their opening four matches.

Reading YMCA are in sixth on seven points from five games.

BURGHFIELD made it three wins from four with a thumping 5-1 victory away to Marlow United.

In a clinical display from the Fielders, Lewis Butcher bagged a brace, while Oliver Brown and Rhys Iremonger added to the score.

Burghfield are in fourth place with nine points from their first four games.

Thames Valley Division One

HURST got off the mark with a win in their opening league game against

Westwood Wanderers Reserves.

A brace from Steven Hawes and goals from Jake Horwood, Shaun Bannon and Andrew White sealed a 5-3 win for the hosts.

Thames Valley Division Two

READING YMCA RAPIDS made it two out of two with an away success at Allied Community Elite.

Latham, Harrison and Porter were on the scoresheet to help the Rapids to a 4-2 win.

HURST RESERVES claimed victory in their opening league match against Cookham Dean.

Jordan Watson opened the score, Philip Burke added a second and Scott Peacock scored the third in Hurst’s 3-1 success.

Thames Valley Division Three

READING CITY DEVELOPMENT are top of the table with their second victory of the season.

A double from Sean Akintola and goals from Chase Rowland and Owen Turnbull saw City take a 4-1 win against AFC Winkfield Reserves.

BINFIELD DEVELOPMENT U23’s earned their second win of the season up against Henley Town Development.

Connor Gonzalez claimed a barce and Reegan Basilo Artman scored to help the Moles win 3-2.

FINCHAMPSTEAD DEVELOPMENT got the better of Farnham Royal Mavericks after Matthew Hudson’s 85th minute winner.

Thames Valley Division Four

BERKS COUNTY ROVERS got their first win of the season with a 4-1 away triumph at HARCHESTER HAWKS.

BURGHFIELD A secured their first victory of the new season with a 1-0 win over FINCHAMPSTEAD UNITED.

READING CITY U18’s lost out away at AFC Corinthians.

Reading & District Sunday League

Premier: AFC Bradfield 1-2 Mortimer, Burghfield 3-3 Tilehurst El Patrons, Emmer Green 2-6 FC BAPCO, Give Back 5-2 FC Sporty, Tilehurst YM 4-4 Central Berkshire

One: Arborfield 4-4 Twyford Comets, Barton Rovers 4-1 Burghfield Reserves, Caversham United 0-2 116 Exiles, Goring United 5-0 Wayback Wanderers, TRBL Tesla’s 1-2 GC United

Two: Berkshire Royals 0-5 Barton Rovers Reserves, Hurst 1-1 Burghfield A, Reading Kites 2-9 Give Back Reserves, Reading United 6-0 Zone RG, Westwood Wanderers Development 7-3 Rose & Thistle

Three: New England 1-4 RE United, Southcote Colts 1-2 Farley Hill

Four Allied Community 2-0 Barton Rovers, Arbor Athletic 4-2 Thames Valley Railway, FC Kensington 7-3 Calcot, South Reading 4-1 116 Exiles Reserves

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Combined Counties Division One

WOODLEY UNITED climbed above BERKS COUNTY into fourth after their home win over the Swords.

The Kestrels made a quick start when Connor Suckling put the hosts ahead with eight minutes on the clock.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Woodley extended their lead to seal the three points when Jahson netted.

Woodley are in fourth on 18 points from nine games, while Berks are in fifth with 17 points from 10 matches.

FA Vase second qualifying round

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA completed a second-half turnaround to beat Bitton AFC.

The home team went in front after 20 minutes and held onto their lead at half-time.

The Boars started their recovery in the second-half when Ross Mckernan equalised in the 49th minute.

With the game in the balance, Eversley made sure their name would be in the hat for the next round when Jamie Griggs headed in from a free-kick five minutes from time.

READING CITY suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Milton United.

Milton broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, but the Cityzens ensured the match would go to a shootout when Joe Waight

netted in stoppage time.

But in a tense shootout, Milton got through with a 4-3 triumph.

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two

S4K BERKS COUNTY were involved in a six goal thriller in their first league match.

After a goalless opening 45 minutes, the goals began to flow in the second-half.

Megan Cox notched a hat-trick for S4K as the points were shared in a 3-3 draw.

Southern Region Women’s Premier Division

ASCOT UNITED maintained their winning start with a convincing 6-1 win over Abingdon Town.

After falling behind, Ascot clicked into gear to claim a huge win with goals from Dominique Carrington, Skinner and doubles from Leonard and Nicole Brown.

Ascot are top of the table with two wins from two.

They are in FA Women’s Cup action next with an away trip to Milton United next Sunday.

Southern Region Women’s North Division

CAVERSHAM UNITED were dealt their second league defeat of the season in their home match against Penn & Tylers Green.

The Goats were 1-0 down at half-time and conceded two more late goals.

They are in fifth with three points from three matches.

They host Eversley & California next weekend in the FA Women’s Cup.

S4K Berks County Ladies took a point in a six goal game Pictures: Andrew Batt

Reading YMCA v Finchampstead (blue & white shirts) Pictures: Andrew Batt

THAMES VALLEY FOOTBALL

TREBLE FOR FAWKES

Berks & Bucks Women’s Cup

WOODLEY UNITED progressed in their cup tie against Long Crendon.

May Hamblin put the Kestrels in front seven minutes into stoppage time in the first-half.

Ellen Surtees netted the second goal to seal the game and put Woodley through with a 2-0 win.

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

ASCOT UNITED RESERVES made it two wins from two with a clean sheet victory against Slough Town. They hit four past Slough without reply to put them in second place in the table

TILEHURST PANTHERS smashed nine past Haddenham with an emphatic success.

WARGRAVE kickstarted their season with a 2-1 win over Procision Oxford.

FA VASE

GRANT AND MATTHEW BAG HAT-TRICKS AS ASCOT STRIKE 10 IN FA VASE

By ARTHUR STRAND sport@wokingham.today

HAT-TRICKS from Harry Grant and Brendan Matthew helped Ascot United strike 10 past AEK Boco in their FA Vase victory.

Played at the Racecourse Ground, the clinical display puts the Yellamen into the first-round proper of the FA Vase.

The visitors are a Step lower than Ascot, but managed to open the scoring after a quarter of an hour with Jenkins and Fred TaylorFox providing Drew Thomas with

a shot that came off the post and into the net.

A few minutes later the first goal by Brendan Matthew levelled the score-line. He had chased an overhead cross by Tucker and headed in beyond keeper Luke Bond.

Harry Grant scored with a surprise header to give Ascot the lead three minutes later.

Then the goals began to arrive. Ascot forwards approach work was thwarted and cleared but the third goal came in useful with a ball placed nicely for Marcus

Mealing to send on to Ollie Harris who scored deftly.

Half-time was imminent and McCormack sent the ball neatly into the space in front of Matthew who collected the ball and lashed it into the corner of the net to make it 4-1 to the home team.

After the break, Ascot began by attacking and because of erroneous play were well offside.

They came back, working deep into Boco’s defence and gained a corner but Boco cleared the ball.

Harry Grant tapped in goal

number five increasing the unassailable target for the opposition.

Matthew added a sixth and substitute Lalustani popped in a seventh goal four minutes later.

Walters crashed in another to make it 8-1 and he scored again with a run onto the ball just one minute later.

This put Grant into a position to step round keeper Bond way off his line and net the ball beyond a defender who was guarding the goal line to round off a sensational attacking display.

FINCHAMPSTEAD FC PLAYER CELEBRATES 10 YEARS WITH WYCOMBE

FINCHAMPSTEAD FC Sunday League player Gareth Ainsworth celebrated 10 years as Wycombe Wanderers manager last weekend.

Ainsworth, who turns out for Sunday League side Finchampstead FC when he’s not on managerial duties with Wycombe, celebrated a decade as boss of the Chairboys.

Ainsworth has been a regular on the grassroots football scene in Berkshire having previously played for Woodley United FC and signed up last season to play with Finch’s Sunday team.

Ainsworth led Wycombe to the heights of promotion to the Championship in the 2019/20 season, where they were relegated back to League One after a valiant fight in the second division.

Last season Wycombe came agonisingly close to winning promotion back to the Championship, but were beaten in the play-off final.

Having finished sixth in League One in the 2021/22 season with 83 points, the Chairboys got the better of MK Dons to reach the final with a 2-1 win on aggregate.

At Wembley Stadium in the final, they were defeated by Sunderland after goals from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart.

It wasn’t all celebrations for Ainsworth at the weekend after completing 10 years with the club as he saw his side beaten 3-1 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Wycombe are currently 17th in the table with 11 points from 10 matches after a slow start to the 2022/23 season.

S4K Berks County Ladies in league

S4K Berks County Ladies v Oxford City Pictures: Andrew Batt

FC Showcase (green) v Freeman Royals Pictues: Andrew Batt

Berks Cobras Picture: Martin Aves

The Sumas away at Burnham

SEAGULLS PECK AWAY

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Made some important stops including a smart double save in the first-half. Fumbled the ball which allowed Lee to open the scoring.

DEANNA COOPER

Thought she had opened the scoring with a header only to be denied by the offside flag. Was a threat from set pieces throughout.

EMMA MUKANDI

Was guilty of giving the ball away a few times at the back, as were several of her teammates in a shaky first-half display.

Played in front of a crowd of more than 5,000 at Brighton’s home, Lee Guem-Min put the Seagulls in front five minutes before the break to give her team a deserved lead.

Defended better in the secondhalf. Had a half chance with an acrobatic effort that went over the top.

FAYE BRYSON

Played a precise through ball to Tia Primmer whose saved shot led to Reading’s best chance, but Dowie couldn’t convert.

A disappointing debut for the new signing. Picked up an early yellow card for a rash challenge. Sloppy in possession and subbed at half-time.

LILY WOODHAM

Provided constituent deliveries with free-kicks throughout the match that led to chances, but not her strongest defensive display.

TIA PRIMMER

Provided good energy and came close to scoring when she forced a save from Walsh that dropped at the feet of Dowie, but couldn’t convert.

RACHEL ROWE

Put in some dangerous crosses, free-kicks and corners. Had a couple of efforts at goal and kept the Royals ticking in possession.

DIANE CALDWELL AMALIE EIKELAND GEMMA EVANS

Kept quiet for much of the first-half, but became a threat in the second-half and put in some decent deliveries from the right.

NATASHA DOWIE

Had some big opportunities but uncharacteristically couldn’t finish her chances. Had an open goal but she couldn’t score.

Despite a spirited second-half performance from Reading which was much improved from a shaky first-half, they were unable to find an equaliser despite testing Brighton’s defence on several occasions.

The hosts sealed the game in the 80th minute when they caught Reading on the counter attack and finished through Katie Robinson.

Charlie Wellings scored her first Royals goal late in the game but there was no time for Reading to muster a comeback.

Both teams entered the contest on the back of respective 4-0 defeats in their opening games of the new Women’s Super League season.

Royals debutant Caldwell was the first player carded after she flew into a crushing tackle which left Veatriki Sarri on the deck and needing treatment 10 minutes into the game.

Brighton had a couple of half chances before they produced the first clear cut chance of the game.

Royals goalkeeper Grace Moloney came to her side’s rescue with an excellent double save when she

Match stats

BRIGHTON: Walsh, Fox, Williams, Robinson, Pattison, Bance, Zigiotti, Lee, Sarri, Terland, Green

SUBS: Park, Carter, Jarvis, Ferguson, Startup

READING: Moloney, Cooper, Mukandi (c), Evans, Bryson, Woodham, Caldwell, Primmer, Rowe, Eikeland, Dowie

SUBS: Wellings, Wade, Burns, Poulter, Meadows-Tuson, Troelsgaard

GOALS: Lee 40’, Robinson

amended for Diane Caldwell’s short back pass and saved first from Katie Robinson before collecting Lee Geum-Min’s mishit rebound.

After Elisabeth Terland skipped away from two challenges, Caldwell got her body in the way to turn her shot behind for a corner.

to be denied by the offside flag. Brighton went straight up the other end where Lee broke away and was denied by Moloney before the offside flag again was raised.

Wellings

Reading thought they had snatched the lead in the 28th minute when Rachel Rowe’s floated free kick in behind the Brighton defence was nodded in by Deanne Cooper, only for her

The Seagulls broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time to take a deserved lead when Lee latched onto a spill from Moloney and slotted the ball into the empty net.

With her team trailing, Chambers made a switch which saw Caldwell replaced by Lauren Wade.

Chambers: ‘The officials are nowhere near good enough’

READING FC WOMEN’S manager was left unimpressed with the match officials after the Royals’ defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Royals thought they had taken the lead in the first-half through Deanna Cooper, only to be denied by the offside flag.

However, replays showed that Cooper was in fact a few yards onside which left Reading hard done by after a mistake from the officials.

Brighton took the points with goals from Lee Guem-Min and Katie Robinson, while Charlie Wellings scored her first goal for the club with a consolation strike in stoppage time.

“We’re disappointed to not come

away with anything as I think the referees have cost us the game,” said Chambers.

“We watched our goal back, Cooper is three yards onside.

“It’s something we worked on in training yesterday, it’s worked and then to have it taken away from us, it’s not good enough.

“We have the highest level of women’s football, yet the level of the officials are not good enough, nowhere good enough.”

Chambers was left to rue Reading’s missed chances in the second-half which saw them fall to defeat for the second consecutive match.

She continued: “Regardless, we created more than enough chances

to win and I said that to the girls.

“But the moment the offside happened, it created a different game.

“When you’re one nil up you get a boost, momentum, then from there who knows what can happen.

“Unfortunately, we’re now looking at another loss, and if this (officiating) isn’t addressed, it’s going to start costing managers jobs.

“If the decision was marginal I could perhaps come to accept it, but in this instance we’re talking

about a good few yards.”

Chambers was impressed with her team’s response in the secondhalf and praised her side.

“Even though we went a goal behind, we came out fighting in the second and created more than enough.

“So of course we hold our hands up and say even though the big decisions went against us, we had the game in our own hands but we lacked a bit of clinical edge when we needed it.

“But I truly believe that free-kick in the first half cost us the game.”

Brighton scramble clear from a corner

Deanna Cooper strikes over the top

Gemma Evans wins the ball back

Brighton add their second goal of the game

The Royals fell to a second consecutive

GRACE MOLONEY

Lauren Wade 7, Charlie Wellings 7, Sanne Troeslgaard n/a

READING FC WOMEN fell to their second consecutive defeat to begin the new Women’s Super League season after Brighton & Hove Albion collected three points at the Amex Stadium.

TO ROYALS’ DISMAY

Reading’s best chance of the game came in the 52nd minute after Faye Bryson’s incisive pass found Primmer and she forced a save from Megan Walsh, the ball fell at the feet of Dowie with an empty net at her mercy, but she couldn’t adjust her feet quick enough to seize the chance.

Dowie got in behind the high Brighton defensive line, but Kayleigh Green got across to make a last ditch tackle.

An improved spell saw the Royals push hard for an equaliser as substitute Wade made an impact when she raced down the left and sent in a cross that just evaded two

teammates in the middle.

Reading kept asking questions of the Brighton defence in a much improved second-half display when Cooper went close when she worked space for a shot but couldn’t keep her shot down.

Dowie’s last contribution of the match saw her come agonisingly close to grabbing an equaliser only for a small deflection on her shot.

Reading’s persistence was shot down when Brighton finished clinically with a counter attack to wrap up the game as Robinson tucked the ball into the corner after she was unselfishly played in by Lee.

Wellings tried to get Reading back into the contest, but Walsh made an exceptional save from close range to keep out her header.

Moloney made a fabulous save when she reacted quickly to get a hand to Terland’s shot to deny Brighton a third.

Wellings did get on the scoresheet deep into stoppage time when she arrowed the ball past Walsh with a powerful strike inside the box.

But there was no time for a dramatic late leveller as Brighton took the points.

Reading are bottom with zero points after just two matches.

HIGH FLYING ROYALS TO HOST STRUGGLING TERRIERS

READING FC’s men’s team are back in Championship action this weekend when they host Huddersfield Town at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The Royals have won four out of five league fixtures at the SCL this season which has helped them climb up to third in the table.

Paul Ince’s team recovered from their only home loss of the campaign so far against Sunderland by beating Wigan Athletic away from home thanks to Tom Ince’s free-kick.

Huddersfield have endured a tricky start to the season and are

currently in 23rd place on seven points from nine matches.

The Terriers’ slow start to the season cost Danny Schofield his job as manager after just two months in charge.

Assistant bosses Narcis Pelach and Paul Harsley are currently in caretaker charge while the club searches for a new manager.

The game after Schofield’s departure, Huddersfield earned just their second win of the 2022/23 season when Jordan Rhodes scored the only goal of the game to defeat Cardiff City.

Prior to that win, Huddersfield

had been on a run of three successive defeats that came against Bristol City, Blackpool and Wigan.

Huddersfield have yet to pick up a point away from home this season having lost all three of their matches on the road.

They have lost out to Birmingham City, Norwich City and Bristol which leaves them in the relegation zone.

The disappointing start to the campaign has come in contrast to what was an excellent 2021/22 season for the Terriers.

They finished in third position

in the table on 82 points and were unfortunate to lost out in the playoff final to Nottingham Forest.

Huddersfield’s last trip to the SCL was a seven goal thriller that was taken 4-3 by the Terriers.

Danny Ward netted a hat-trick to ensure that Huddersifled went back up north with all three points at the beginning of 2022.

Reading will be hoping to have forwards Andy Carroll an Yakou Meite in contention to make the squad against Huddersfield after they both featured for Noel Hunt’s Under 21’ side on Monday in their 2-1 win over Millwall.

From the middle Video Assistant Referees

AFEW

disputed outcomes on the same day recently, again raised criticism of VARs.

The first thing to be said, is that VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee and not Video Assisted Referee. We often hear talk of VAR decisions but actually, VARs don’t make any decisions.

Like the other assistant referees, those with flags, their task is to ‘assist not insist’. The VAR’s job is to draw the referee’s attention when they feel there might be a ‘clear and obvious error’.

I like the way they do it in America. Before becoming manager of the PRO, (Professional Referees Organisation) in America, Howard Webb went there to introduce VAR, as America was chosen to trial the system.

There is no doubt that he was very successful but he has never criticised the Premier League. He has always said that the two countries have different audiences, as football or soccer as they call it, is still an infant sport in America.

American soccer fans have a television programme showing where the VAR has been in action. As well as the incident, they are shown the VAR and hear the conversation with the referee. They don’t say, ‘there was an offside’ or whatever the perceived error might be, but ‘I recommend a review for a possible offside’.

The referee then views the monitor to make up his mind about the incident. Finally, the PRO presenter Greg Barclay, explains to viewers what has happened and the Law involved.

Spectators are most annoyed about the time taken for a decision to be made. The American television also shows that the VAR has four television screens, each showing the incident from a different angle.

So if he thinks an error has been made, the VAR has to check the screens to find the clearest view of what happened.

This is what takes the time as it will involve rewinding each videos. If the reviews do not indicate an infringement, they inform the referee, who carries on with the game.

If however they feel an error has been made, the referee is recommended to view the monitor. From what he sees, he and he alone makes the decision.

VARs are all professional or ex professional referees but not necessarily Premier League referees, they could be from Select group two.

Some VARs find it more stressful than refereeing, saying there is even more pressure.

Not quite the simple job it appears to be.

Referee

consecutive defeat in the Women’s Super League Pictures: Neil Graham

Reading push for a leveller Brighton celebrate taking the lead

Eikeland fights to win possession

Tia Primmer takes control

Evans blocks a shot Brighton go in front in the firsthalf

Dick Sawdon-Smith

ROCKETS CLAIM QUARTER-FINAL SPOT

By STAFF WRITER sport@wokingham.today

READING ROCKETS progressed to the quarter finals of the KitKing Trophy with three wins in eight days in the pool stages.

Rockets began this eventful week with their first competitive game of the new season at Loddon against newly promoted Westminster Warriors.

Rockets lit up the arena in the opening minutes with a 2514 opening quarter as the new signings of Troy Cracknell, Jermiah Jenkins and Jordan Jackson imposed themselves.

Lewis Champion hit three trebles in his thirteen point haul coupled to seven assists whilst new boy Finleigh Porter showed his potential with 10 points and seven rebounds.

All four Academy students getting much court time as new head coach, Samit Nuruzade continued where he left off all those years ago, playing the youngsters on the premise that if they’re good enough, age doesn’t matter.

On Wednesday evening Rockets travelled to St Albans where they played relegated Oaklands Wolves in what turned out to be a relatively one sided affair as Rockets breezed to a 27-5 opening quarter as another Academy student Rhys Grocutt was added to the team and played the most minutes of any player.

Though Oaklands struck three consecutive trebles to give them encouragement, Rockets were never threatened with a loss and took another victory by 88-61 with the whole team contributing.

Rockets lit up the evening from tip off as they hit Cavaliers with a magnificent opening period where ex Cavaliers player, Lewis Champion shone and the two American players (Jermiah Jenkins and Troy Cracknell) began to settle into the British game.

The 29-10 lead was well deserved though Rockets knew that Cavaliers wouldn’t take that lying down, nor did they as they took the second period 31-19 reducing Rockets half time advantage to 48-41.

Cavaliers came out even stronger in the third quarter getting to within a single point of Rockets but another treble from Champion took the wind out of their sails and Rockets kept their seven point lead throughout the period to go into the final stanza with a 65-58 advantage.

Hamblin and Surtees strike to send Kestrels through in Cup clash

By Mark Rozzier sport@wokingham.today

Woodley United Ladies 2-0 Long Crendon

WOODLEY United ladies progressed into the next round of the Berks & Bucks FA Women’s Senior cup thanks to a goal in each half against division rivals Long Crendon.

The visitors enjoyed the opening spell forcing a couple of corners and the closing minutes but in between United were comfortable with keeper Jennifer Heine having little to do thanks to the performance of defenders Gemma Simms and Charley Evans.

May Hamblin’s running was a constant threat to the Long Crendon’s defence with the Woodley forward flagged offside in the fourth minute.

On the quarter hour, Mollie Haines skilfully ran past three defenders to pass to Sarah Lawrence in the opposition penalty area.

Lawrence was crowded by defenders with the ball falling to Steph Slann who shot over the bar.

Long Crendon saw appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Steve Anderson when Kirsty Walker fell following a challenge following which Lawrence fed the ball to May who fired wide of the goal.

A combination of defender and keeper denied Simms with a header from a Maddie Sawyer corner.

Three minutes into first half stoppage time Long Crendon’s keeper Amy Whale denied Lawrence but the opening goal came four minutes later and was a fair reward for Hamblin’s first half performance.

Evans’ clearance was headed by a Long Crendon player towards her own goal which Hamblin reacted first two some 30 yards from the goal line.

Beating two players, Hamblin fired past Whale from the edge of the penalty area into the net.

Two minutes into the second

half a Woodley free kick was parried by Whale and bobbed around the penalty area before Slann again fired over the bar.

Lawrence saw a shot blocked as Woodley continued to press forward with what was to be the winning goal coming in the 70th minute.

Ellen Surtees played a short corner one two with Hamblin before advancing to the edge of the penalty and put a cross towards the far post that Whale pushed into her net.

As the game approached full time, Long Crendon’s Michelle Bailey saw her 25 yard free kick rebound off Heine’s cross bar and cleared for a corner and then Emilie Lovelock attempted to lob Heine only for the effort to sail over the cross bar. Shortly afterwards the referee called time on proceedings.

Woodley United: Heine, Evans, Wilkins (Haines N), Gooch, Simms, Measham (Surtees), Haines M, Slann (Quinn), Hamblin, Sawyer, Lawrence (Stringer) Sub not used: Benton

RESULTS

Saturday, September 24

FOOTBALL

FA Trophy second qualifying round

Thame United 1-2 Binfield

Combined Counties Premier North Burnham 3-0 Sumas

Combined Counties Division One Sandhurst Town 4-2 Spartans Youth Woodley United 2-0 Berks County

FA Vase second qualifying round

Bitton 1-2 Eversley & California Milton United 0-0 Reading City (4-3 on pens)

Thames Valley Premier League Marlow United 1-5 Burghfield Reading YMCA 1-1 Finchampstead Wargrave 1-0 Reading City U23’s

HOCKEY Men’s National Premier Division

Reading 4-2 Brooklands Manchester University

FIXTURES

Saturday, October 1

FOOTBALL

Championship Reading v Huddersfield

FA Cup third qualifying round

Beckenham Town v Binfield

Combined Counties Premier Division North Broadfields United v Reading City North Greenford United v Sumas

Combined Counties Division One

Bedfont v Eversley & California Berks County v Sandhurst Town Woodley United v Rising Ballers Kensington

RUGBY UNION National Division One Rams v Darlington

Shaquille Lewis troubled Rockets with his 22 points and seven rebounds but a fired up Rockets were determined to secure a home game at the quarter final stage and took the game 87-72.

Cracknell had figures of 27 points and nine rebounds as 6’10 Jordan Jackson had a double double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, though ex Cavalier Lewis Champion probably enjoyed the game most as he hit 22 points including three trebles coupled to three steals.

Berks County FC to run inclusive football sessions

BERKS COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB are running a new initiative aimed at boys and girls aged between 12-18 with any disabilities.

The club are running sessions to inspire those with disabilities that are unable to attend mainstream football to get involved in the beautiful game.

They hope to provide the opportunity for young children to play regular, fun and engaging football in a safe and friendly environment using FA qualified coaches.

The sessions will take place on the 3G training pitch at Cantley Park, Wokingham.

The first session will start on Sunday, September 25.

Anyone interested in joining should contact wayne@berkscountyfc.com

HOCKEY Women’s National Premier Division Wimbledon 1-0 Reading

South Central North Division 1 Reading 3s 1-1 Sonning

South Central Women’s Premier Division Maidenhead 2-0 Sonning

South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire 3-1 Milton Keynes

South Central Women’s Division 1 Phoenix Reading 1-6 South Berkshire

RUGBY UNION

National League One Bishop’s Stortford 10-40 Rams

South West Regional South Central Reading 13-57 Marlborough

Sunday, September 25

FOOTBALL

Women’s Super League Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Reading

Southern Region Women’s Premier Division

Ascot United 6-1 Abingdon Town

Southern Region Women’s North Division

Caversham United 0-3 Penn & Tylers Green

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

Ascot United Reserves 4-0 Slough Town Tilehurst Panthers 9-0 Haddenham

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two

S4K Berks County 3-3 Oxford City U23’s

South West Regional 2 Tottonians v Reading

London & SE Regional Division Brighton v Bracknell

HOCKEY Women’s National Premier Division Reading v Clifton Robinsons

South Central Men’s Division 1 Sonning v Phoenix Reading

South Central Women’s Premier Sonning v Trojans

South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire v Milton Keynes

South Central women’s Division 1 South Berkshire v Newbury & Thatcham

Sunday, October 2

FOOTBALL

FA Women’s Cup Milton United v Ascot United Caversham United v Eversley & California

Tilehurst Panthers v Long Crendon

Southern Region Women’s Division One North Woodley United v Carterton

Thames Valley Women’s Division One New Bradwell v Wargrave Procision Oxford v Ascot United Reserves

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two S4K Berks County v Oxford City U23’s

HOCKEY

Men’s National Premier Division

Beeston v Reading

Jermiah Jenkinsin action for Rockets

Finleigh Porter shoots at goal

Troy Cracknell of Reading Rockets

Lewis Champion dribbles forward for Rockets