6 | NEWS
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READINGTODAY.ONLINE Wednesday, April 20, 2022
Pancakes and Poetry at Tutu’s TUTU’S Ethiopian table is bringing food and verse to Palmer Park on Saturday. The cafe has teamed up with Dreading Poetry Slam to organise a morning of rhyme and traditional Ethiopian food. Tutu’s serves a selection of traditional stews, both meat and vegetarian, traditional pancakes, soups, sandwiches, and home-made cakes. Dreading Poetry Slam d works to provide a space for poets to meet and share their verse. Poetry in the Park takes place at Palmer Park Lodge, Wokingham Road, on Saturday, April 23, at 11am.
Mayor and James performing at The Retreat
Lunch on the river
THAMES River Cruise is serving Sunday lunch on the river on Sunday, April 24. The cruise will board at Caversham Pier, Thames Promenade, proceeding to the upper reaches of the Thames and back into Caversham. A traditional Sunday lunch will be served onboard. Boarding begins at 12.30pm, departing at 1pm. The cruise will return to Carversham at around 4pm. Tickets are £48 per adult, £35 for children aged 10 and under.
Now taking registrations
n To book tickets, visit www. thamesrivercruise.co.uk
ON SONG: The Village Easter Festival took place in four pubs in Reading, and saw The Sidepiece Function perform at The Weather Station on Saturday Pictures: Dijana Capan/DVision
Be seeing you! Pubs in The Village team up for five-day music festival BACK in the 1960s, Patrick McGooghan’s The Prisoner spent his days trying to escape from The Village, but the opposite happened over Easter weekend as crowds flocked to a five-day music festival. Four pubs, all within walking distance of each other in the Eldon Square Conservation area, joined forces for The Village Easter Festival.
The fun started at The Retreat on Maundy Thursday, before heading to The Weather Station and the Lyndhurst across the weekend. Acts were timed to ensure people could walk between the venues, and included Fleur Stevenson and Hugh Turner, The Mark II, and Paula Riordan. A special after party at the
end of the festival was held at the Polish restaurant and diner Piwinca. At this, Limpopo Groove performed. As well as giving people the chance to say to bands, ‘be seeing you’, the event was an opportunity for visitors to try a selection of real ales and other alcoholic treats.
OPEN 7.30AM TO 6.30PM
EXCLUSIVE
VISIT: The High Sheriff of Berkshire, Willie Hartley Russell (second left) at the Reading Ukrainian Community Centre
By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@rdg.today THE Reading Ukrainian Community Centre has been open to those seeking advice on refugee support.
RATED OUTSTANDING IN THE PAST FOUR OFSTED INSPECTIONS
“Children are happy, settled and keen to acquire new knowledge and skills. They are exceptionally confident learners who play an active role in leading their own play and making decisions. Children of all ages explore their environment with confidence and ease, and show exceptionally high levels of self-assurance and emotional well-being.” Ofsted inspection 2020, www.ofsted.gov.uk
Please call 01189 733231 or email oaktree.nursery@childbase.com
Oak Tree Day Nursery and Preschool, 13 Nine Mile Ride, Finchampstead, Wokingham, RG40 4QD
WE LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU www.childbasepartnership.com
Mayor and James entertained at The Retreat
Ukraine Centre’s help for refugees
Fun is an essential ingredient at Oak Tree Day Nursery and Preschool where the care and education opportunities for each and every child are as extraordinary as our colleagues who provide them. FOR CHILDREN AGED 6 WEEKS TO 5 YEARS
All smiles while serving at The Weather Station
Representatives from the Home Office attended the centre to provide guidance on how to help with Ukraine’s refugee crisis on Monday, April 4, and Friday, April 8. Dedicated outreach teams have been sent by the Home Office to give face-to-face support with various aspects of immigration issues faced by refugees and those willing to help them, offering visa and safety advice. Anna Janusz-Kent, the centre’s former treasurer, said that the visits had proved useful for those who’d attended. “Because it’s such a fastmoving situation, it’s very useful to speak to someone face-to-face. “So the information is changing, but they have the most up-to-date information.” In the last week, the centre has also been visited by councillors, and the High Sheriff
of Berkshire, Willie Hartley Russell. “We also had members of Reading Borough Council and Wokingham Borough Council, who were able to provide information and education about benefits, and let us know how they’re going to help.” Tony Gresko, the RUCC’s chair, said that the High Sheriff was looking to find out how he could help too. “He’s got a lot of contacts, so he was collecting information to see what he could do, and he’s really lovely.” The Home Office has extended the offer of further similar drop-in sessions, which Ms Janusz-Kent said the centre would very much consider. “Things are evolving – people
are asking different questions today than they were last week, “So if they were to come again, we’d be at a different stage, but everyone we’ve spoken to has been very happy. “They’re not case-workers, but they are able to provide upto-date information, and have access to records which can give useful updates.” The RUCC says, however, that it would like some clearer information regarding the amount of refugees who could be rehomed in Reading. “There could potentially be thousands, and we’re not set up for that, “It would really benefit us to know even roughly how many, so that we can in some way prepare.”
