VOLUNTEERCORNER

READING Mencap is a local charity that was founded in 1962 with the aim to provide support so that individuals with learning disabilities and their families might lead a full and active life in their community.

Right now they are looking for Volunteers to help with the upcoming ‘Are You Listening? Festival’ on May the 6th, 2023.

They will need outgoing, sociable volunteers to cover the doors at individual gets an undeserved reward.

I hope the foregoing helps to stir Readers thinking – do please think on these things as we get close to Elections.

Kind Regards to all!

Reg Clifton, via email

What’s perverse?

So Mr Simon Bird considers it “perverse” to even consider that there may be a Russian case over Ukraine (Reading Today, 23rd March). If that’s how it appears, maybe it’s because our politicians & media have only given us one side of the story.

Russian President Putin’s “special military operation” in Ukraine started on February 24th 2022. If it was just an act of unprovoked wickedness, it was a long time in coming. Ukraine became independent in 1991. Mr Putin first became Russian President in 2000. So for many years Russia, including under President Putin, apparently let Ukraine be. This might have continued if there had been no perceived threat to Russia.

All this changed with the eastern expansion of NATO & the EU up to Russia’s borders.

The 2008 NATO Bucharest summit pencilled in Ukraine for future campaign means the council is now an accredited Living Wage employer. All organisations should pay at least a Living Wage.

2. CLIMATE ACTION AND GREEN SPACE: Doubling Reading’s tree cover, zero carbon and protecting our wildlife will improve our green spaces and environment.

3. HEALTH: Protecting budgets to tackle drug and alcohol dependency. Increased support for mental health across the borough will all support public health.

4. AFFORDABLE HOUSING: More council housing, funding for tackling rough sleeping, licensing all landlords and a mass insulation scheme will mean a safe, warm home for all.

5. SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT: Boosting walking and cycling with 20mph zones and car-free school streets will cut congestion and air pollution. Solutions like a Clean Air Zone will protect our green spaces from more road-building.

6. PROTECTING PUBLIC SERVICES: Decent public services are vital to residents’ physical and mental health. Under Labour children’s centres are being closed, swimming pools drained and library hours membership. Does anyone suppose that US President Biden would smile benevolently at the prospect of Canada or Mexico joining an anti-US military pact? Double standards on steroids?

A US-backed coup in 2014 tipped Ukraine into years of civil war. The incumbent President, whatever his faults, had been elected but was too Pro-Russian for Washington’s tastes. Ethnic Russians in Eastern Ukraine were subject to years of Ukrainian military blockade and bombardment.

For them, the Russian invasion may have seemed more of a liberation.

Bear in mind that the US/UK Governments themselves have a rather long track record of bombing or marching into other countries.

The former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq etc. In view of this, the fashionable anti-Russian posturing would appear similar to a fox castigating the vices of carnivores.

Surely there is at least a case for doubting whether President Putin really is the devil incarnate. Equally perhaps our own rulers are, to put it mildly, not entirely beyond reproach.

David Akroyd, Reading

cut. Greens will stand up for public services.

7. CLEANING UP READING: We will push for kerbside glass collection, action on fly-tipping and support reuse groups to promote better waste management.

For more information on our priorities see our website: https:// reading.greenparty.org.uk/manifesto/ Greens second largest party in Reading after 2022 elections

Fortunately, there’s now real, constructive opposition to Labour on Reading council. At the local elections in May 2022 the Green Party overtook the Conservatives becoming the second largest party on Reading Council.

If you’re keen on being part of the change in Reading, get involved and help us make Reading fairer, greener and cleaner: https://reading. greenparty.org.uk/get-involved/ Vote Green Party for more hard work all year round and to keep us as the main opposition party in Reading, ahead of the Conservatives.

Green Party councillor Rob White Leader of the main opposition group on Reading Borough Council all their venues, to check and sell wristbands, help the festival-goers on the day and encourage donations to Reading Mencap. n The Me2 Club is an inclusion charity for children and young people with additional needs and disabilities in the Wokingham and Reading Boroughs.

They are recruiting volunteers in the Berkshire area in order to help even more children with additional needs in the local community. They provide support by matching a young person from the Me2 Club with a one- to-one volunteer who would support them with activities. n Yeldall Manor is a drug and alcohol treatment centre for men struggling with addiction. Established in 1977 by a Christian family and supporters. Situated in Hare Hatch, not far from Dobbies Garden Centre.

If you are 16 or older and have a couple hours a week to give and have the desire to make a difference to a child’s life visit their website (https:// me2club.org.uk/) and apply to be a volunteer today.

They are looking for a Volunteer n Take a look at our 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.

Receptionist to work a regular half day or two per week. Tasks include: answering the phone, taking messages and light admin tasks as well as interacting with staff and residents. Volunteers will need administrative and basic IT skills, and good people skills including the ability to implement firm boundaries when necessary.