PANCAKE RACE PICTURE SPECIAL

Blue Collar to open on Saturday READING PANCAKE RACE

READING’S newest food and bar venue opens this weekend.

Blue Collar Corner on Hosier Street will open to the public at 11am on Saturday, March 12, offering a variety of flavours to street food fans from a two- floor container village.

It also has a bar serving drinks including DoubleBarrelled Brewery’s craft beers, and will host DJ slots to provide a musical backdrop to the site.

Blue Collar’s Wednesday and Friday lunchtime pop-ups in Market Place will continue.

Glen Dinning, the man behind the venture, has being running food events around Reading for six years.

“A permanent container village has always been my ambition,” Mr Dinning said.

“I was inspired by similar set-ups in places like Brixton, Peckham and Shoreditch.”

The process began a year ago, when Mr Dinning found the plot on Hosier Street.

“It’s been a long time coming, now that it is finally happening it’s a relief,” he added. “Lots of contractors have been involved, and Sonning Flowers have made the canopy displays.”

It will be open Thursdays to Sundays, 11am until late.

DJs interested in playing are invited to contact Mr Dinning. n For more information, visit: bluecollarstreetfood.co.uk

Concentrating on the flipping

Double Barrelled Brewery dressed up as, what else? pints of beer

The Broad St Mall team wore T-shirts promising, ‘Will run for pancakes’ The Air IT team had a space-aged theme

FLIPPING AMAZING: The Charles Hunter Associates team won best fancy dress award for their inflatable dinosaur costumes

This old man, he flipped pancakes ...

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By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today

MORE than £6,000 has been raised for charity at a pancake race in Reading.

Launchpad hosted its 25th pancake race on Broad Street last Tuesday, March 1.

An egg-citing event saw 32 teams in fancy dress representing businesses from across Reading in a bid to raise money for the homeless charity.

Teams of four took part in a series of relay races in knockout heats with each team member having to flip a pancake three times as they ran.

Despite the rain – and the start being delayed due to an oil spill in the town centre – the competitors were cheered on by a crowd of spectators to the finish line as they battled it out for the coveted frying pan trophy.

Prizes were awarded to the top three teams, most fundraised, best team spirit and best fancy dress.

Crowe UK took victory, edging out Air IT and Savills in the final.

So far the total raised is £6,911 but this figure is still rising and will allow Launchpad to continue helping vulnerable people across Reading.

The charity offers supported housing, a free drop-in service for anyone in a housing crisis and a work and life skills centre.

Kirsti Wilson, head of fundraising and marketing at Launchpad, said: “We are so chuffed with the fundraising total and incredibly grateful to all involved in the day.

“Without our local businesses who are game for a laugh, the event sponsors and people donating to the pancake race, we simply couldn’t continue running our vital services for people in need in Reading.”

For more information on Launchpad, visit: launchpadreading.org.uk

Contenders ready ... A heat gets going

The Charles Hunter Associates team won best fancy dress award for their inflatable dinosaur costumes Pictures: Daniel Blackham

A dash of ketchup with your pancake? A team member from McDonald’s in mid-air action Eyes on the prize ... Broad St Mall entered a team determined to run for pancakes

Beware the Tiger ... Calcot Services For Children goes on the run

Face of concentration ... a team member from Bellway Homes

A Shaggy dog story from Field Seymour Parkes Scooby Doo-themed team The challenge is to keep the pancake in the pan while tossing it on the run

A team from Reading Minster church entered into the spirit of the day

We do want fries with that... a team member from McDonald’s

WINNERS:

Crowe UK scooped the 2022 title Picture: Simon Kemp AND WE’RE OPEN: Graham Barker alongside The Cowshed founders, Sally Russell and Kester Russell Pictures: Daniel Blackham

Cowshed opens second referral centre

n Continued from front page

Its services include prom dresses, bra fitting, and kitchen essentials, all to ensure people are able to feel valued and welcome during times of intense need.

Access is by referral, and details are available on its website.

Kester Russell, first trustee and co-founder of the charity, said: “We’re delighted to be in a position where we can now open this as a second centre, supporting all of Reading and West Berkshire.”

Mr Russell was also keen to thank the businesses who have volunteered time and materials to fit out the centre over the past eight weeks.

The new Bennett Road centre was officially opened on Monday, by Graham Barker, vice lord lieutenant of Berkshire and Cllr Ayo Sokale, deputy mayor of Reading.

Mr Barker highlighted the work the charity has done throughout the pandemic and believes it will play a pivotal part in assisting refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.

He said: “It’s a huge pleasure for me to be here at the opening of the second referral centre in Reading.

“Not only have we seen a need to support people facing intense personal crisis throughout covid, but we now have a war in Ukraine which may result in more refugees needing help.

“In its short life as a charity The Cowshed has already achieved so much and I’m sure it will go from strength to strength.”

The Cowshed relies on donations from the public as well as retailers and manufacturers; clothing is then sorted, washed and ironed before being delivered or collected.

Clients are made to feel like they are receiving a gift to assist them rather than some old clothes that are over worn, marked or damaged.

To help with this the Bennett Road centre is laid out as if it were a clothes showroom, giving people the chance to feel they are shopping rather than receiving hand-me-downs.

A similar approach was pioneered with a Christmas shop in Wokingham in December.

The charity ensures all people are facilitated with a range of help available such as a bra-fitting service, school uniforms and a wide range of sizes stocked.

Speaking at the opening, Cllr Sokale said: “It’s a privilege to see what happens when people come together to help others when they’re at those crisis points.

“I hope that, even though we are facing quite perilous times in the world right now, there’ll be amazing people like The Cowshed to make the world a better place.”

Donations to The Cowshed can be dropped off at Unit 2 Bennet Court, Bennet Road, RG2 0QX.

The centre is open Monday to Thursday, 10am to 3pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm. n For more information on the charity’s work, visit: thecowshed.org