The Wokingham Paper, May 7, 2020

COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, EARLEY, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING AREAS

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Thursday, May 7, 2020 No. 260

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Covid-19 cases in care homes revealed EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

DOCUMENTS detailing the spread of coronavirus in borough care homes have been leaked to Wokingham.Today.

Last week, the borough council announced it would no longer accept patients discharged from hospital into care homes without guaranteed Covid-19 testing — a decision made to protect the most vulnerable.

But just how vulnerable care home residents have been was unknown.

Until now.

Wokingham.Today had previously asked for the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases and deaths in homes across the borough.

The leaked report states that: “Twelve [care homes] are a priority, so have Covid-19.”

But the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in borough care homes is not known.

This is because testing is not happening in all cases, and a death is only attributed to coronavirus if those reporting the death believe it to be the cause or contributory factor.

In Austen House — a Lower Earley care home — there have been 21 deaths in the last month. But only five of these have been confirmed as a Covid-19 death.

The document leaked to Wokingham.Today said: “Austin House is still at the top of the list. 21 deaths, five confirmed as Covid-19 — most of the others must also be connected. 20 residents tested positive for Covid-19, however not known whether these included those who have sadly passed away.”

Clive Jones, Liberal Democrat councillor for Hawkedon, said he thinks as many as 17 deaths in the Kilnsea Drive home were due to the coronavirus.

“There’s usually only one or two deaths each month,” he said. “Many will have had other complications too.” � Continued on page 19

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‘LEAVE OUR VILLAGE ALONE’

Shinfield residents fight new development plans EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

SPENCERS WOOD residents have called for developers to leave their village alone, after plans for a 34 home development was submitted.

On Friday, March 20, Oakford Homes of Buckinghamshire applied to build 34 new homes with 96 parking spaces and a play area on the 7.3 acres of land adjacent to North Lodge, on Basingstoke Road.

The plans include a two-storey block of flats, as well two, three, four and five bedroom detached and semi-detached houses.

And four flats and 11 houses will be

allocated for affordable housing.

But since the application was processed, more than 50 residents from Spencers Wood have opposed the plans.

Many were frustrated that the developer had made a second application for the site, after the previous plans were refused.

Stanbury Park resident, Richard Alan Crowe said: “Just over a year ago I was pleased to receive notification that a Planning Application for 39 dwellings on the land adjacent to North Lodge had been refused by WBC. “Unfortunately a revised plan has now been submitted for the erection of 34 dwellings on the same parcel of land but in my opinion nothing material has

changed and the application should again be refused.”

Residents criticising the plans have cited traffic congestion, loss of green space, noise and pollution, and inadequate infrastructure as reasons for the borough council to reject the plans.

Included in those is Jim Frewin, independent councillor for Shinfield South.

Speaking to Wokingham.Today, Cllr Frewin said: “My main concerns are that over 70% of Wokingham borough development in the last five years has been in Shinfield.

“The village has tripled in size.” � Continued on page 5

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CELEBRATING VE DAY FROM HOME P3 STAYING AT HOME THIS RAMADAN P4

2 | NEWS

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US Due to the coronavirus, our offices are closed to the public. The best way to contact us is by emailing us Newsroom: 0118 327 2662 Advertising: 0118 327 2662 Write to: The Wokingham Paper, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS

Email news@wokinghampaper.co.uk Acting editor • Jess Warren Sports reporter • Andy Preston On furlough • Phil Creighton

From the editor Once again, your Wokingham Paper appears in a reduced form as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

With no sport or arts events taking place, we have reduced pagination accordingly, and thank you for your understanding during this time.

We thank also our advertisers who are sticking with us through these strange and difficult days.

We are making every effort to ensure that your favourite local newspaper is available to you in printed form throughout the lockdown situation – you will be able to buy The Wokingham Paper from all good supermarkets, newsagents and petrol stations as normal.

There is also a digital version of the paper, which will be available on Friday evenings.

And our website is updated seven days a week, visit Wokingham.Today.

At times like this, it is important that the community has a local voice and we are proud to be yours. The best way for you to support us is to buy a copy each week.

Thank you for your support.

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

Crowthorne residents left feeling ‘cheesed off’ with leaky road EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

RESIDENTS of Crowthorne have been left frustrated with a continuous leak eroding their road.

Four years ago, the residents of Maple Drive were treated to a new road after Virgin Media laid a heavy gravel surface during their cable laying project.

But earlier this year they noticed water was continuously running down the centre of the road, eroding the gravel.

“In January this year, due to the heavy and prolonged rainfall there was a steady run-off of water through the middle of the road which we later realised, disguised the fact that there was a leak from the area at the top of the road around the copse,” explained Margrett Watson.

“My neighbour contacted SE Water who came out and tested the water. They said there was no chlorination – so no leak – and no responsibility.”

Unhappy with the answer, the road residents pushed further and contacted Wokingham and Bracknell Forest Council.

“After much to and fro, and considerable attention by Boni Ngu, principal flood risk and drainage engineer at Wokingham Borough Council, last week it was concluded

by SE Water that there was a verified leak, but that it couldn’t be found.”

Mrs Watson said that because a

The gravel surface of Maple Drive is gradually being eroded by an unidentified source of water (above). Picture above: Margrett Watson. Picture left: Phil Creighton

source had not been found, no more was done. But SW Water disputes this.

“We’re all a bit cheesed off to be honest,” she added. “The water just keeps coming. It’s not a deluge but it's running all the time and gradually eroding our new road surface.

“Water is coming from somewhere that it shouldn’t,and is being wasted.”

Martin Cooper, SE Water’s leakage manager west, said: “We have thoroughly investigated reports of a

leak in Maple Drive, Crowthorne.

“We invest millions of pounds each year in reducing leaks on our vast network of underground pipes, which spans more than 9,000 miles.

“This investment includes equipping our staff with state-of-theart technology to detect leaks and bursts. Last week, our leak busters did find a leak in the area and this was immediately repaired.

“Following our most recent investigations, including water testing and placing high-tech listening devices on our pipelines,

we believe the water seen in Maple Drive is groundwater which has not come from one of our water mains.

“Finding and fixing leaks is amongst our highest priorities and we encourage customers to continue using our interactive map to report leaks to us.” � To report leaks, visit inyourarea.digdat.co.uk/ southeastwater

Council hope to reopen recycling centres EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

RECYCLING centres will reopen when police are on board with the

plan, said the leader of the borough council.

Speaking to Wokingham.Today, Cllr John Halsall confirmed that re3 recycling centres in Bracknell and Reading will re-open with Thames

Valley Police approval to travel to and from the sites.

“We are working to open them as soon as possible, with safety measures for residents and staff,” said Cllr Halsall. “We are still waiting on agreement from the police, as they currently view this as non essential travel.”

The announcement comes as recycling centres in Manchester opened to the public last weekend.

But Cllr Halsall said that resident safety was their top priority.

“Lots of people will want them to reopen,” he said. “Which will cause huge queues and there will be problems.

“So instead we will be launching a booking system.

“People will be given a slot and this will manage the number of visitors at one time.

“We don’t have a huge amount of space for large queues so this must be in place.

“And if people are left waiting for too long, this could increase incidents of fly-tipping.”

Cllr Clive Jones, deputy leader of the Wokingham Liberal Democrats said he would be glad to see a booking system in place to open the centres.

“If that’s the easiest way to get the sites open sooner rather than later then let’s try it.

“I think after a few days it’ll settle down and then we can go back to the normal system of turning up when you need to.”

Cllr Jones said he hoped the re3 centres would be open this weekend in time for the bank holiday.

“On Saturday I emailed the Thames Valley Police chief constable and Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick asking for the two of them to sort it out between them,” said Cllr Jones.

This was because on Tuesday, April 28, Mr Jenrick called for recycling centres to open within weeks.

But Thames Valley Police are yet to approve travel to the sites.

Cllr Halsall added: “The police are still arresting people for non essential travel. Until we come to an agreement with them, the recycling centres will not open.”

Cllr Jones added that his party had been pushing for tips to reopen for several weeks.

“I can’t see any reason why they can’t open,” he said. “We social distance around supermarkets so why not here.

“I know many people who have built up green and household waste over the last six weeks.

“We can’t all get hold of green bins — and the council are going their best to restock these.”

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Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Villagers to hold garden picnics to mark VE Day 75th anniversary EXCLUSIVE

By SUE CORCORAN news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

A VILLAGER has turned from running wedding discos to helping “bring together” his fellow residents tomorrow for the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

Paul Palmer who runs Thames Valley Discos is already flying a Union Jack flag in his Hurst front garden.

Through the 437-member Hurst Residents Coronavirus Action Group Facebook page, he’s urging fellow villagers to join in, not with street parties but front garden picnics.

Nationwide, street parties to mark peace in Europe after the Second World War have been cancelled. Instead stay-at-home parties are suggested.

Paul said: “We’re encouraging Hurst families to decorate the front of their houses with red, white and blue. Provided the weather is good, everyone can picnic in their front gardens so they’re safely distanced but feel together.”

Hurst is usually a busy and sociable place. Paul said: “I started the Facebook page to help keep the village together while we’re not together.

“The cricket club for instance would have been running their colts’ training on Friday nights by now.”

The barbecues for players’ families after training are a highlight of village summer life.

The popular Hurst Show and Country Fayre has been cancelled and Hurst Football Club’s Party in the Park music festival has been due in June. The show

Paul Palmer has started the VE Day celebrations by flying the Union Jack at home

raises vital funds for many good causes. Paul said the festival was the football club’s main fundraiser.

Paul says that weddings he was due to provide music for are being rescheduled because of the virus.

Hurst residents have enjoyed an online Great Hurst Bake-off competition with 54 entries,

thanks to Paul.

One entrant Charlie Vaughan, 12, made his 72year-old grandfather a birthday cake which he showed him in an online Zoom party.

Charlie’s mum Becky, said: “We sang Happy Birthday – and then ate the cake ourselves. My mum made my Dad a cake and my

sister-in-law made her family one.”

The Bake-off — where presentation was judged using Likes on the Facebook page — was won by Charlie’s sister Emma, 16, who made jam tarts.

Paul is also running a weekly online pub quiz.

More than 30 families take part on Friday evenings. Last

Friday fellow villagers Catherine Pearce and Anne Marie Scott helped set and ask the questions.

Contestants mark their own scores and then post them for others to see.

“I trust them implicitly, Hurst is a very trustworthy place,” said Paul.

Tomorrow there is a special VE Day quiz.

For advice and assistance on Family Law matters including: • Divorce and separa�on

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Contact our Family Law team today for a free 1 hour consulta�on

Evolu�on House, 53-59 Peach Street, Wokingham, RG40 1XP Tel: 0118 978 1017 Email: Michele.Jenno@star-legal.co.uk 16-year-old Emma won the village Bake Off with her Jam Tarts

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NEWS | 3

Tributes made to Hurst parish cllr TRIBUTES are being paid to a “true gentleman’s” dedication to helping his community.

Howard Larkin, married to his wife Janet for 53 years and a Hurst Parish councillor for about 35 years, has died, aged 77.

Council chair Wayne Smith said: “Our village would not be the place it is today without the hours of dedication Howard devoted to Parish councillor, Howard preserving the Larkin has died, aged 77 community of Hurst.”

Mr Larkin, who lived in Hurst for 40 years, became a planning expert, representing the village at hundreds of planning appeals and committees.

“A keen gardener, Howard managed the allotments for the village for many years and was always available to help fellow allotment holders,” Mr Smith added.

“We will all miss him, our thoughts go out to his wife Janet and their three children [Pamela, Philip and David] and also to their grandchildren.”

He said that Mr Larkin had died peacefully at home.

Mr Larkin much enjoyed welcoming St Nicholas Primary School children on their visit to the allotments each term to see how vegetables were grown.

He was a keen supporter of Hurst Horticultural Society, helping stage their August show. He entered many vegetable classes and even won the onion cup more than once. There were smiles at an overheard comment: “Howard knows his onions”.

Mr Larkin was always ready to help at other village events like the Christmas fayre, Hurst Show’s book stall and litter picking in March. He was known by his friends and fellow residents as a “true gentleman”.

4 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

‘We’re celebrating Ramadan in the safest way possible — at home’ EXCLUSIVE

By DAISY HANSON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

MUSLIMS across the borough have been celebrating Ramadan in isolation as Mosques all over the country have closed their doors due to coronavirus.

Where normally the Aisha Masjid and Islamic Centre in Reading would be the local hub of worship in these weeks, social distancing measures have meant that the community must stay at home.

Ramadan is the Muslim holy month of spiritual reflection, selfimprovement, togetherness and worship, it began this year on Thursday, April 23 and ends on Saturday, May 23.

Almost exactly a month before the festival began, quarantine measures were put in place - the congregation in Reading could no longer assemble or support its community through the month of fasting and prayers.

It has been a difficult thing to adjust to, Wokingham Islamic Centre volunteer Ahmed Khan, said: “It’s hard as every Ramadan we used to be in one place — the Aisha Centre — talking and seeing each other every Friday and doing group prayers.

“Now all we can do is talk on the phone and tell each other to stay home and focus.

“We must pray for each other and

De Boves House in Reading is home to the Aisha Masjid and Islamic Centre, which operates as a Community Hub with facilities for all ages. (Left) Mr Khan, secretary general of MCR.

t he whole country - pray the virus will be lifted and everyone will stay safe”.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) has published advice for the next two weeks, advising people to tune into livestreamed services and

attend virtual iftars — the meal at the end of fasting — normally had with extended family members or at mosque.

Harun Khan, secretary general of the council, urged people to help their communities and said: “Ramadan is about connecting to God through worship, reflection, compassion and giving back to others.

“It is important to use this time to reconsider, to reflect on the way we live our lives and the way we relate to our Creator, our communities and those in need.

“We must be sure to celebrate Ramadan in the safest way possible: in our homes.”

For more information, and to view the full guidance from MCB, visit: www.mcb.org.uk.

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Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

NEWS | 5

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The council has ‘sold Shinfield down the river’ � Continued from front page

Cllr Frewin said: “Planning documents say that the Shinfield infrastructure and road networks can take a capacity of 2,500 house and their associated cars.

“But there are now 3,500 homes approved for Shinfield, and another 400 in the pipeline.”

Cllr Frewin is also concerned about how schools and GP surgeries will cope with more residents.

“Shinfield St Mary’s Junior School has changed from a little village school, to people who live a few minutes away having to take their children to schools in Woodley as it's too full.

“You just can’t keep adding to the village. Our local doctors are brilliant but we’ve had GPs resign and move out of the area due to the pressures and stresses.

“There are meant to be about 1,300 people per GPs, but in Shinfield there are more than 2,500 people to each GP.” Cllr Frewin alleges that the borough council have dumped new developments in the village.

“Wokingham Borough Council have concentrated most of the development on Shinfield,” he said. “There’s been one or two developments in Remenham, none in Twyford and a few in Wargrave — that’s where most of the ruling party are.

“This is the reason I stood as a councillor.

“Previous and existing councillors on the executive asked developers to bring forward developments in

The proposed site for 34 new homes in Spencers Wood. Picture: Phil Creighton

Shinfield to meet the five year land supply.

“They’ve sold Shinfield down the river.

“And one councillor told me ‘You’re only a resident, there’s nothing you can do’”.

“We will fight these developments, but we’re a small voice against the ruling party.

And the planning process is biased towards the developer too.”

“We agreed a neighbourhood plan, but most of the development has been on top of the agreed number.”

But John Halsall, leader of the Borough Council disputes Cllr Frewin’s claim that they have dumped new developments on the village.

Cllr Halsall said: “The borough is unfortunate, there is 13% green belt and 87% unprotected land. And the Wokingham borough is land prime for development.

“Everyone in the borough doesn’t want development — including me.

“And we’re now winning appeals against developers.

Historically, we lost two significant appeals in Shinfield, but that’s in the past.

“It's the misfortune of the location, none of the land is protected at all.

“Jim is reflecting on the current situation and conflating it with a potential future one.

“We’re working our socks off to make the borough less

The Wokingham Paper team celebrated for breaking news THE Wokingham Paper’s coverage of the coronavirus pandemic has been hailed as some of the best in Britain.

On Monday, Press Gazette – the industry bible – revealed its top examples of breaking news and live blogs, part of its Journalism Matters series aimed at showcasing excellence in reporting coronavirus.

And it was to The Wokingham Paper that the judging panel turned when it came to highlighting the work of the regional press.

It was our coverage on Wokingham.Today of the very first confirmed case of coronavirus in Wokingham borough that the judges highlighted.

This was a staff member of a Woodley primary school on Saturday, February 29. We broke the news on our website at 9.30pm that evening and kept updating throughout the evening and on Sunday.

The story was read by more than 30,000 unique users, and was followed by daily updates online as it emerged the infected worker had attended a course with other schools before they were diagnosed.

And judges also acknowledged the work that went into producing that week’s print edition.

We led with an image of the coronavirus and the headline ‘The cause of a week’s uncertainity’ instead of featuring images of the affected schools, so as not to cause any undue distress to pupils and staff members.

Editor Phil Creighton was delighted that The Wokingham Paper’s work was highlighted by Press Gazette — the only regional newspaper in this category.

“We’re a small team and we live and work in the borough, so we know the communities affected,” he said.

“We worked hard throughout the week to bring you accurate information as calmly and precisely as possible.

“And when it came to devising that week’s front page, not featuring the affected schools was an important, sensitive decision aimed directly at the affected pupils.

“Since then we have worked tirelessly, despite some staff members being on furlough, to bring you a comprehensive round-up of what Wokingham borough is doing to help people through these difficult times.

“This recognition is a great honour from our peers.”

vulnerable to developments.”

Cllr Halsall also called for Shinfield residents to join the campaign to rural areas across the borough.

He said: “People in Shinfield say ‘why don’t you build on the greenbelt?’ But why would you remove protection from the one place safe from development?

“It doesn’t benefit anyone in the borough.

“And it wouldn’t make any difference to the building

proposed for Shinfield.

“Instead, I would like Shinfield to join the campaign to protect rural Wokingham.”

But hoping to protect their rural village from development, residents responding to the planning application said the added traffic would make morning commutes even worse.

Wellington Court resident, Helen Bouchami said: “When it takes 40 minutes at peak time to reach the motorway — as I recently experienced — you might as well be coming from Newbury.

“With these ever increasing queues of idling vehicles comes noise and air pollution, it is a public health issue.”

But for many, the loss of village life was an overriding concern.

Edward Crowe said: “Spencers Wood is no longer the village I grew up in. Far too many houses are being built and then staying empty, for example the redevelopment of the old office block into houses that went on sale — with none being sold and are now up for rent.

“It used to be a quiet village with open spaces and they have both gone with too much traffic and open space being built on.

“When will it stop and for developers to leave a once small village alone.”

The application also includes plans to remove some trees and

work around others.

Another Wellington Court resident, Roobee Mootyen said: “The Wellingtonia all have Tree Preservation Orders and by definition this should be grounds enough to stop this — as the roots will be damaged due to the soil being affected and water drawn.

“There is no mention of a three metre deep root barrier so how can this be a feasible development to protect property and the trees to avoid breaking the TPOs?” Other environmental concerns include the newly expanded emergency planning zone area for the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) in Burghfield.

Basingstoke Road resident, Justin Robertson said: “The site now lies within the Detailed Emergency Planning Zone so any statements to the previous zones are erroneous and misleading and out of date.”

Also among those objecting was Jackie Rance, Conservative candidate for Shinfield South.

Ms Rance was concerned about the disruption more construction would cause to Shinfield.

She said: “When not in lockdown the Basingstoke Road is incredibly busy at any time and this working site will be catastrophic for commuters, as well as worsening air pollution.”

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

WHAT WE ARE DOING Spotlight on the front line We continue to work closely with voluntary and community groups to deliver care and support to the most vulnerable people in our community.

In what is understandably a very worrying time for all, our key workers and volunteers are going above and beyond to offer their full support to our more vulnerable residents.

More than

More than

1,500

300,000

3,900

families helped

vulnerable children helped

PPE items sourced

support calls to vulnerable residents

1,000

More than

1,800

Over

ÂŁ8,000

raised in donations

food parcels delivered

More than

More than

450

prescriptions delivered

More than

More than

600

people have volunteered

Despite the circumstances, the dedication and commitment of our key workers, volunteers and support staff is extraordinary and we want to say a massive thank you to all those working so hard to ensure our residents are safe and well.

TO GET HELP, CALL: 0300 330 1189 Enter 0118 978 7258 if prompted We continue to work with the voluntary sector to provide a response service, including Citizens Advice, who are organising this helpline.

Make sure you stay up to date with the latest accurate information @wokinghamboroughcouncil @wokinghamBC www.wokingham.gov.uk

Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

To advertise call 0118 327 2662

G DURING THE CRISIS Insight from Leanne Field – Occupational Therapist, Wokingham integrated social care and health team (WISH) The WISH team takes referrals from hospitals and other health and social care professionals. They help vulnerable residents and their carers to organise care, prepare them for leaving hospital and provide a variety of short term support measures to prevent them having to go into hospital unnecessarily.

The team also provides a service to help residents regain skills that may have been lost due to a period of illness.

• What key services are you delivering?

Adult Social Care are continuing to work with residents to ensure they receive the appropriate support to maintain their health and well-being. Occupational Therapists and Social Workers are supporting residents to return to the community quickly for continuing assessment and support to enable them to be as independent as possible.

We also have Occupational Therapists and Social Workers in our long term team who are continuing to support those at home to remain safe and well, and provide the tools needed to help them feel connected to their family, friends and the community.

• How have these services been changed/adapted during Covid 19?

We are all working from home where possible, and protecting customers and ourselves by only visiting residents if our risk assessments deem a visit essential.

We are completing virtual assessments where appropriate, and having online team meetings. Many of our colleagues are regularly contacting our community’s vulnerable residents to complete a welfare check call, and offer support and advice. We have also moved to provide a 7 day service and some colleagues have been redeployed to support our re-ablement service to increase our capacity to provide care and rehabilitation within the community.

• What extra challenges are you facing and how are you overcoming them?

Working virtually is certainly something that is strange and new to many of us. Not being able to have the natural face to face interaction with a customer is quite alien to us all in Adult Social Care. However, everyone is rising to the challenge and we are all learning new skills, including using new technology and juggling a work/home life balance.

• What new activities are taking place as a result of Covid 19?

In terms of our service provision, we are working with our equipment suppliers and care providers to fully utilise video consultation methods for assessment and customer contact.

For many of us, maintaining a routine and home learning for our children has been important. Wokingham Borough Council are ensuring we have a healthy home working style and this compassion and flexibility has allowed many of us to enjoy opportunities for learning with our families. Colleagues are taking up new hobbies or further exploring interests to increase well-being.

• What are you are especially proud of and any feedback you are receiving?

We are especially proud of how all our colleagues and care providers have continued to support our residents and in many ways have gone above and beyond their usual roles. But we would also extend our thanks to our customers, who have been very understanding of the circumstances and the new, weird and yet also somewhat wonderful way of working together. There is definitely an increased sense of community spirit within the borough.

WOKINGHAM TOGETHER CARING FOR OUR CARE HOMES Wokingham Borough Council want to support our care homes and our residents during the COVID-19 crisis and provide reassurance that we are in this together.

We are working with our partners to deliver a support system for Care Homes at this critical time

• CCG West • Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust • • Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust • Primary and Community health professionals • We would like to extend our appreciation for the amazing work and dedication of all carers, staff and volunteers at this unprecedented time.

We will provide care homes with the professional support and help needed to keep staffand residents as safe as possible.

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8 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

NEED HELP? Call 0300 330 1189 (entering 0118 978 7258 if prompted) 9am-5pm Mon-Sat

Volunteers work to support communities EXCLUSIVE

By ANGELA GARWOOD news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

CHARITIES and organisations across the borough are working together to support the community during the coronavirus crisis.

Over the last six weeks, Citizens Advice have helped more than 1,600 households through One Front Door, which signposts people in the appropriate direction to get the help they need. Of those households, more than 400 are classed as extremely vulnerable.

Jake Morrison, the charity’s chief executive, is encouraging people to contact Citizens Advice if they are in need: “There is no wrong reason to call us, if we don’t have the answer we’ll find someone who does.

“Some cases are more complex than others. We had a family with someone who was terminally ill, we were able to provide medical equipment to that family.

“We had another case where we identified a person who had no means to cook their food, we worked with Wokingham United Charities and were able to get an emergency grant to buy a microwave — delivered in 24 hours.”

Anyone who needs support should contact Citizens Advice on 0300 330 1189 (entering 0118 978 7258 if prompted) Monday to Saturday 9am to 5pm.

Or visit citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk/ coronavirus/ and complete the online form.

Volunteer Centre The Wokingham Volunteer Centre is helping vulnerable people get their prescriptions from pharmacies, with approximately 55 volunteers across the borough Helena Badger, volunteer development coordinator at The Wokingham Volunteer Centre said: “We’ve done over 450 prescriptions since we started.

Recently it’s been very busy in the Wokingham town area. We’re trying to minimise the number of people on the road by getting volunteers to double up when collecting, so for example if someone is going to Tesco to collect a prescription, they might get two or three at a time.”

“One of our volunteers, he’s a driver who takes people to medical appointments. He says it’s amazing being able to make a difference.” said Ms Badger.

The centre is working together with Wokingham Borough Council and reports that most referrals come from Citizens Advice, with some from the council, The Link Visiting Scheme and others through self-referral.

For updates on specific roles that are needed, visit: wokinghamvolunteercentre.org.uk

The Link Visiting Scheme The charity is currently running a telephone buddy system offering social support and friendship over the phone, and is encouraging anyone who is feeling lonely to give them a call.

Marjie Walker, manager at The Link said: “We are continuing to make lots of calls to residents in the Borough on the shielded list. We have 1850 people on our books for a call once a fortnight and 300 on our telephone buddy system for calls two to three times a week.”

“I’m really enjoying the calls by being able to talk to different people and listening to how their experience is and how they have been managing.

They are grateful for the calls and support, even just being able to talk and listen to them makes a difference.

“With one particular resident we ended up talking about blogging and she said I inspired her to start writing

in her journal when it arrived in her goody bag!”

To refer someone for support or to apply to be a volunteer visit www.linkvisiting.org or call 0118 979 8019 (weekdays from 9am-5pm).

The charity is seeking help with its Goody Bags, introduced to help cheer people up.

The Wellbeing Goody Bags are being put together for vulnerable older people and families who seek support during social isolation.

Wokingham Community Hub The Wokingham Community Response’s distribution hub has fed over 2,126 people over the last six weeks and has approximately 500 households on their repeat delivery books. Based at St Crispins Leisure Centre, London Road, the hub is taking donations of both fresh and nonperishable food, toiletries and other living essentials and delivering them to people unable to leave their homes.

Staff report they are currently running low on cat and dog food, hand soap, tinned fruit and vegetables, soup, baked beans, cereal/porridge, pasta, rice, nappies - especially sizes 5/6/7, biscuits, gluten free and vegan foods.

Any food donated must be unopened.

Woodley Community Hub The Woodley Community Hub has set up a ‘Woodley Volunteer for Covid19’ Facebook group, where they are working with the CAB and Wokingham borough council.

The group, set up by five admins has carried out volunteer work to help the community of Woodley during a difficult time for many.

“We've dropped 11,000 hello cards and have volunteer road coordinators and back up road coordinators so everyone knows who to contact for help getting shopping, collecting prescriptions or just for a chat,” said admin of the group Charlie Leanne Honeybourne.

“One of our admins is collecting food donations and working with Woodley Baptist Church and the hub to provide food parcels to those in need and has got over 18,000 donations to date.

“We’re a team of five admins who are continuing to volunteer our time to ensure volunteers have the correct advice and training to keep them safe and safeguarding of others. We have also kept GDPR standards extremely well and only have access to volunteer details.“

Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

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NEWS | 9

Events businesses struggle to secure grants the form and tried to submit it — but nothing happened and there was no email confirmation.

“She tried again a few days later and it went through with a confirmation saying it would take 10 days to process and then five days later would be paid. So she has now been successful with the grant and received the money. I applaud the

Time Marquees staff taking a break last summer. Picture: Richard Christmas

EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

EVENTS COMPANIES across the borough have been facing difficulty in accessing support grants.

Back in March, the Government announced the Expanded Retail, Leisure & Hospitality Grant scheme — designed to help businesses that can’t operate throughout the pandemic.

The grant scheme included a list of eligible businesses, but stated that it was not exhaustive.

And events businesses — who were not included in the list — have been struggling to work out if and when they can access the £25,000 grant money.

Hoping to clear things up, the MP for Buckinghamshire, Greg Smith asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak in the Commons whether event hire companies qualify for the grant.

And it was confirmed they did — as long as they have a premises.

Concerned that his grant application had been refused, Richard Christmas, who owns Finchampstead company Time Marquees told Wokingham.Today he hopes the council will change their decision.

“We’ve been talking to other marquee companies and we know that exactly the same businesses as ours are getting the grant in different boroughs,” he alledged. “It’s really annoying.”

The events industry — who earn the majority of their annual income in the summer months — may be put in a difficult position if they are unable to make up their losses.

Mr Christmas added: “Our business isn’t going to bounce back, we’re seasonal so we earn all our money in the summer months and then survive the winter on that income. This will be like having to survive two winters.

“April is the lowest point of the year for our finances, and then it builds back up throughout the summer.

“My Dad is 66, he’s about to retire and can’t put more money in. I can’t afford to put money in. We need either loans or grants to survive and it seems unfair we have to turn to loans when other businesses are getting grants.”

Cllr John Kaiser, deputy leader of the borough council and executive member for business and economic development, said: “All our decisions follow Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) guidance.

“Central government announced an additional discretionary fund, as of Friday, May 1 to support small businesses during Covid-19.

“When we receive this amended guidance we can review all those rejected in light of this.

“We will continue to support those local businesses that meet the criteria set out by the MHCLG. “The new discretionary fund will assist those businesses that fall outside the scope of the

earlier government schemes.”

But other grants, including the Business Interruption grant have been accessed successfully by hundreds of companies across the borough.

Cllr Kaiser said: “Every potentially eligible business in the borough has now been contacted about support grants.

“Some 70% have applied and most of the eligible ones have now been paid. Those ineligible have been informed or in a small number of cases asked to provide more information.

“We’ve given more than £10 million to local businesses, redeploying our staff to liaise with them to make the process as swift as possible. And we’ve also arranged for more than £17.5million in business rate relief.”

However the speed and ease of access has been questioned by some..

Winnersh resident, Paul Robertson said his wife struggled at first to apply for the Business Interruption Grant, but has now received a payment.

“My wife is the PA for a small company who have had to furlough some of their staff.

“It seems there was a bit of a delay between the council receiving the money from the government and then getting the applications up and running.

“Once the online form appeared, she filled out

government for helping small businesses but it just seems Wokingham has been slow to action it.”

And another source told Wokingham.Today that they received their small business support grant from Bracknell Forest Council at the end of April. But with a smaller population than the Wokingham Borough, comparisons are not equal.

10 | NEWS

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‘Wokingham town centre will bounce back from lockdown’ Reading Buses staff join ‘Clap for Carers’ STAFF AT Reading Buses have been clapping for the NHS and care workers each Thursday evening as a symbol of support.

Two weeks ago, the company had some buses displaying messages of support on the front of them and members of staff turned out to join in clapping, and honking of horns — all suitably socially distanced.

And they were joined last week by staff from Thames Valley Ambulance Service who have a site opposite the Reading Buses depot, in Great Knollys Street.

Robert Williams, chief executive officer of Reading Buses, said: “We felt it was really important to be a part of these celebrations of our fantastic NHS and care staff.

“No motivation was needed for our own key workers who jumped at the chance to take part.

We made sure that social distancing rules were obeyed at all times and that everyone had fun.

“We plan to continue the events each week during the pandemic to show support, but also to help remind people to stay home and stay safe.”

“We hope to do different things each week to show our appreciation of the NHS and other care workers.”

EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

THE GOVERNMENT hasn’t thought about an exit strategy for lockdown.

That’s the concern for Colin George, who helps run Wokingham Business Association.

Mr George is worried that the amount of debt accrued during this time could collapse companies across the town centre, and is calling for people to prepare ahead.

“I’m fearful for the town,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone has sat down and considered the consequences of lockdown.

“After all of the funding help has stopped, and payment holidays have ended — that’s when it will all start unravelling.

“The town centre has so many bars and coffee shops. They won’t be able to be profitable and maintain social distancing measures.

“The overheads are so high, they kill businesses quickly and the debt just grows.”

But the leader of the Wokingham

Town Council, Cllr Imogen ShepherdDuBey said she thinks the town will be in a good position post-lockdown.

“The supermarkets are doing well, and takeaways are doing what they've always done,” she said.

“Many of the town and borough council tenants have been given a rent deferral and I know that two thirds of those eligible for the small business grants have applied for them.”

Cllr Shepherd-DuBey added that businesses are still primed to move into new shopping units from the town centre redevelopment programme.

“There are still businesses signed to move into Elms Field,” she said.

“The shops are ready to go and people are ready to move into them when they can.

“And those that only recently moved into Elms Field are still in a supported state right now.

“I think Wokingham is in a good position to come out of this quite well. Although it will likely be a long time until we are allowed to go out and sit down in a restaurant. And a

very long time before we can go to the pub.”

Mr George said he is also concerned about the borough council’s finances.

“When the borough council bought Denmark Street car park, the income from tickets and the rent from shops would have paid for the loan. It was self-financing.

“But now the council has to find the money to service that debt. And all the other money they’ve borrowed.

“It's all been done on cheap finance. Although it's cheap, it needs an income to service the debt.

“I can see an awful lot of problems facing the council in the future. They need to put their heads together to plan to keep things afloat.”

But the leader of the borough council said the damage to their accounts won’t be fatal.

Cllr John Halsall said: “We look at the numbers everyday, and we’re factoring in the two payments from the Government and one from CCG. “It’s a ship in rocky waters but it's solid. It all depends on what

happens and how long for.

“No doubt there will be damage to our accounts. And we’re not anticipating the Government to pick up every cost. There will be damage but it won’t be fatal.”

And Cllr Shepherd-DuBey added: “In terms of car parking, the income stream is not like in Windsor and Maidenhead next door, who get millions each year due to tourism. It makes up part of the borough council’s income stream but it certainly isn’t the biggest.”

Launch of Berkshire Redundancy and Redeployment Service

By JOHN WAKEFIELD news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

A NEW partnership has been launched with the aim of helping people made redundant

by Covid-19 get back into work.

The scheme will link up the newly unemployed with sectors that are looking for staff.

Called the Berkshire Redundancy and Redeployment Service, it will support employers needing to make redundancies to ensure a smooth transition for employees into new work and also support employers who are looking to recruit.

It has been launched by the Thames Valley Berkshire LEP and the National Careers Service.

The service will connect employers who have urgent vacancies with individuals across Berkshire who are available to start work – while also listening to employers who have to make redundancies to see if there are opportunities for their staff arising in the region.

Alison Webster, CEO of Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, was delighted to be able to offer the scheme.

“In response to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, we are

working closely with our partners such as the National Careers Service and the Berkshire Business Growth Hub to support businesses and their employees,” she said.

“Together we are able to provide a valuable rapid response service which will match redundancy situations to redeployment where possible and create additional support for individuals through employment services where further employability or skills help is required.

“The Berkshire Growth Hub acts as the first point of contact for business support in the area by keeping businesses up to date with government advice and guidance, sources of support, online events, sectorspecific advice and access to available finance.

“The Growth Hub can provide free one-to-one advice for businesses on how to survive and recover from the current challenges.”

Support will also be available to those who have lost their jobs or whose jobs has been affected during the crisis.

The service offers free, impartial and professional advice to job seekers, including practical aspects such as CV writing and access to training.

Head of delivery in the south east, Maninder Hayre, said: “Fresh career opportunities may be thin on the ground today, but the National Careers Service can provide valuable advice that includes pivoting into a new role, identifying training courses and getting new qualifications, updating a CV, developing online interview skills and generally preparing for the next stage in your career.

“We are only a phone call or a few clicks away for people who need advice on careers, training, getting a new job or the labour market.”

And Katharine Horler, CEO of Adviza, the organisation responsible for delivering National Careers Service in Berkshire, added: “Right now, a lot of people need support making critical life decisions in their careers and that’s exactly where the National Careers Service can help a great many of them.”

Anyone aged 13 or over can access the free advice service remotely.

Individuals can seek support by calling 0800 100 900, while employers can get in touch at adviza.org.uk/services/nationalcareers-service/regionalredeployment-service/

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| 11

12 | NEWS

Virtual camp fire for Hurst Guides PROOF YOU can doing anything virtually – a young Guides leader is planning an online camp fire singing session.

Emma Vaughan, 16, a young leader at 1st Hurst Guides, has organised the session for her unit members. Emma, a student at Ranelagh School, Bracknell, has been sending them camp fire song words.

And the guides have been ensuring they can track down marshmallows for the all-important camp fire toasting, each in their own back gardens next week.

They will then post photos online of their families enjoying the sessions.

House closed due to crime AN ADDRESS in Norreys has been closed for three months.

Reading Magistrates Court ordered the closure of the home in Norreys Road, Wokingham when it met on Tuesday, April 28.

The order was under section 80 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Under the restrictions, access to the property is prohibited at all times and circumstances, with the exception of two occupiers, emergency services personnel, Wokingham Borough Council staff and authorised support staff from Transform.

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Priest kicked out of the church for abusing his wife for 14 years EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

A PRIEST who previously served across the borough has been kicked out of the Church after abusing his wife for 14 years.

The Revd Paul Parks was the parish priest for Saint Nicholas Hurst and Saint Mary the Virgin, Winnersh in 2004, and moved to Saint Sebastian's Church, Wokingham in 2005 — where he stayed for two years.

Earlier this year, the 60year-old admitted numerous allegations of domestic abuse and was removed from office and banned from the Church of England for two years.

He had been serving at St Helen's Church in Hastings, East Sussex at the time.

However the incidents of abuse have been documented throughout his time serving in Hurst, Winnersh and Wokingham.

It was revealed at the Bishop's Disciplinary Tribunal that the night of his induction to the parish of Hurst and Winnersh, Mr Parks had been violent towards his wife Lois, and threatened her — which she reported to the Area Dean, although subsequently retracted it.

And in 2005, when Mr Parks moved to St Sebastian's Church in Wokingham, his wife continued to make allegations of abusive and manipulative behaviour.

These included abusive text messages, holding her in an armlock and driving at high speed towards a brick wall while she was in the passenger seat.

They were reported to the then Bishop of Reading, Bishop Stephen Cottrell, who referred Mr Parks to psychological help.

The Bishop's Disciplinary Tribunal also heard that Mr Parks had threatened his wife with a dagger-shaped letter opener, which he pushed against her head and threatened to kill her with.

On Tuesday, May 9, 2017, Mrs Parks reported to the police that she had been a victim of domestic violence for 14 years, and that she believed her husband had PTSD, mental health issues and was suicidal.

That month, Mr Parks spent six weeks in a secure psychiatric unit.

He was diagnosed with Combat Related Military PTSD that year, relating to when he served in the SAS and 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment.

A decision was then made by the Crown Prosecution Service to drop the case, after Mrs Parks withdrew her support for any prosecution of her husband.

At the Bishop's Disciplinary Tribunal, Mr Parks was removed from office and prohibited from exercising any functions as a member of the Church of England Clergy for two years.

His name was added to the Archbishops’ List — also referred to as the Lambeth List — as a means of monitoring Mr Parks’ future movements within the Church.

A spokesperson from the Diocese of Oxford, which oversees the associated parishes, said: “Any instance of domestic abuse is abhorrent.

“It is something that affects people from all walks of life, and it shatters lives.

“The findings of the tribunal panel show the hidden horrors all too many people face.

“We strongly encourage anyone experience domestic abuse to contact National Domestic Abuse Helpline, available 24 hours a day, on 0808 2000 247.”

In a non-emergency, people can: � Call 101 or make a report on the Thames Valley Police website � Call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 � Contact Women’s Aid via: www.womensaid.org.uk � Call the Men’s Advice Line: 0808 8010327 � Call Mankind, a helpline for male victims: 01823 334244 � Call Galop, for members of the LGBT+ community: 0800 999 5428 � Contact Victims First via: www.victimsfirst.org.uk � Call Flag DV for free legal advice for Domestic Abuse: 0800 731 0055 � Call SAFE! For victims of crime aged 5 – 18: 0800 1337938

‘Planning notices should be compulsory’

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

A FINCHAMPSTEAD resident is calling on the council to make the display of planning notices compulsory for all new developments.

Michael Noak had been walking his dog in Rook's Nest Wood Country Park for many years when he began to notice a development pop-up at the site.

“First the scrubland was cleared, then a fence was put up, and finally development began for 20 mobile homes.

“I discovered that permission had been granted for the development without the owner needing to display the planning notice.

“This isn’t compulsory but voluntary.

“And they’ve got permission to build another four homes too.”

Mr Noak said he was frustrated he didn’t have the opportunity to comment on the plans.

“If I want to do my civic duty, I will have to watch the council planning portal every week,” he said. “This was a secret development, presented to us gift wrapped and now there are these mobile homes in the country park.

“It’s underhand, the developer did this deliberately to keep it under the radar.”

Mr Noak explained that he contacted his local councillors and the borough council after discovering the development had been approved.

Wokingham Borough Council confirmed that planning notices are only compulsory to display where there is a statutory requirement.

Otherwise, this is voluntary.

The council also write to all adjoining land owners for each application.

However Mr Noak believes the display of notices should always be compulsory.

“We try to keep this area nice,” he added.

“That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with mobile homes.It’s not the fact they’re there, it's the way it's been done.”

Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

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| 13

14 | VIEWPOINTS

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER NEWS WITH A HEART FOR THE BOROUGH

Celebrating heroes now and 75 years ago TOMORROW is the 75th anniversary of VE Day and the celebrations are not quite what the country expected.

With the weather unusually sunny, this Bank Holiday weekend would typically be marked with garden parties, and jugs of Pimms.

But it can also become a time for reflection. Over the past three months we have seen extraordinary changes to our communities and way of life.

And it has been helped along by a variety of heroes, each doing their bit for a bigger cause.

In some ways, it echoes the way that soldiers, 75 years ago were fighting for a greater cause.

Each life that was lost in the Second World War was mourned, and each life lost to the coronavirus pandemic is being mourned now, and every day the virus continues to take the lives of those dear to us.

And through it all, there are heroes; doctors, nurses, health and social care staff, cleaners, pharmacists, teachers, supermarket workers, scientists and researchers, bus and train drivers, postal workers, waste collectors, council staff and volunteers doing their bit.

And the national appreciation for these people — some of which were referred to as low-skilled workers back in January — has increased in a way few of us will have ever seen before.

This VE Day our streets aren’t lined with Union Jacks and crowds consuming cake, they’re adorned in rainbows and messages of thanks as our key worklers continue commuting to work.

If ever there was an appropriate time to foster some national pride, let it be now. And let your appreciation be known for the heroes up and down the UK.

CHURCH NOTES

Gaining perspective

H

OW is a Navy Seal’s life like our life currently in the United Kingdom during this Covid-19 pandemic?

Answer: VUCA! What is VUCA you ask? It’s an Acronym that stands for Volatility – Uncertainty – Complex – Ambiguous.

It a framework to describe something we all deal with, change, but one that is happening at pace.

In the Navy Seal world, this pace of change is usually on steroids and they have to move, act, react quickly to danger and restore peace and safety from threats and attacks.

One of the things that helps them deal with the various levels of VUCA they experience is their perspective on the task at hand in light of the truth of the future state they intend to see and support.

Having a proper perspective helps them avoid falling into passivity (que sera, sera), or anxiety (fear of what is going to happen), or unreality (5G is the real cause for all this!) and instead proceed in faith towards restoring a positive future state.

Those of us who are people of Faith can look to the Old Testament prophet, Micah for our inspiration and to help us regain a proper long-term perspective on the future state God desires for all men.

Micah penned these words in chapter 6: verse 8 “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”.

What kind of people will we be when this Pandemic has passed?

Will we have faith enough to go to work?

Will we have faith enough to travel on public transit?

The good news is, we are never alone, for God is walking with us on this journey!

By Wes Wisham from Kings Church, writing on behalf of Churches Together Wokingham

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Your letters

WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

Send your thoughts to letters@wokinghampaper.co.uk

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

Becoming well-versed in the art of saying no WHEN ONE considers, the heartbreak, that the corona virus pandemic, is causing some people – bereavement, and their businesses, going to the wall, minor inconvenience – such as not being able to get one’s hair cut, is nothing. But, like everyone, I am longing for some easing, of restrictions. I hope, in particular, that we will be able to have, a proper celebration, of the crisis house’s thirtieth anniversary – which is due, in March, 2021.

So, how have I been able, to keep the crisis house, going, for thirty years? The answer, is that I have put, all my effort, into it, and had nothing to do, with anything, or anyone, outside. As a result, the crisis house has received, no fewer, than eleven top awards – seven of them – local, and four of them – national. I only do, what I do, no more, and no less, and I never change anything – unless it is, clearly, a change for the better. I have received, plenty of requests, for change, over the years, but I am very well-versed, in the art of saying, ‘No.’ The requests, may not have been worded, exactly, as I word them, now, but their meaning, was, nevertheless, as I express it. Request, number one: ‘Now that you have done all the work, and have set up, a successful, service, can we come swanning in, take over, and have all the say-so, while you continue to do all the work?’ Answer, ‘No.’ Request, number two: ‘Now that we have provided some funding, for your crisis beds, can we send you, highdependency, mental health patients, who need, round-the-clock, nursing, and so, get them off our hands?’ Answer – ‘No’ Request, number three: ‘Now that I am cosy, and comfortable, staying in the crisis house, and doing nothing, to solve my problems, can I continue to stay here, for free, for the rest of my life?’ Answer, ‘No.’ Request, number four: ‘We don’t like the fact, that you are, an independent, centre of excellence, so can we get away, with pretending, that there is something, wrong, with your service – to justify, closing it down?’ Answer, ‘No.’ Request, number five: ‘I have tried, and failed, to destroy the crisis house. But I need your services, so can I, now, come back, and use them?’ Answer, ‘No.’ Request, number six: ‘We have stopped, the funding, for your crisis beds, but can you continue, running them, on fresh air, and can we continue to send homeless, mentally ill people, to you, for you to accommodate?’ Answer, ‘No.’ Request, number seven: ‘Hasn’t the time come, to get rid of the crisis house bar – in case, somebody abuses it?’

Answer, ‘No.’ You don’t get rid of the bar; you get rid of the abuser!

Request, number eight: ‘Now that I am, cosy and comfortable, in the drop-in centre, can you get rid of the people, I don’t like, so that I can have it, just for myself, and for those I do like?’ Answer, ‘No.’ Request, number nine: ‘If, then, I go away, will you come, running after me?’

Answer, ‘No.’ Anyone who wishes to use our services, is, most warmly welcome, to do so, and, anyone, who doesn’t, is, equally welcome, not to!

Request, number ten: ‘You don’t open, on all the days, of the week, so, on the days, that you don’t open, can we come,

Our unsung heroes deserve and must receive better NO ONE is perfect. No one gets it right all of the time, and it must be admitted that since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the government has, for the most part, acted – if not altogether transparently – responsibly.

That having been said, the ‘dismay’ quite rightly expressed by Jacqueline Oversby in her letter to The Wokingham Paper (April 23), regarding the failure to provide sufficient quantities of the necessary, correct personal protective equipment (PPE) to NHS personnel, social carers and other key workers.

This was brought about largely as a result of unpreparedness and stable door management on the part of those responsible, has been both unacceptable and inexcusable.

These, until now, often unsung heroes deserve and must receive better.

Coming as it does from

politicians, many of whom have, for years, presided over its underfunding and reductions in staffing levels, the most weasel-worded, cynically hypocritical political slogan of my long and undistinguished life, must surely be ‘Protect the NHS’.

Let us pray a painfully hard lesson has, at last,

clomping in, use you resources, and facilities, and leave you, to clean up, after us?’ Answer, ‘No.’ I explain, to our young volunteers, that there will always be some people, who, even when offered, the opportunity, do nothing, to resolve, their situation.

But equally, there will always be people, who do brilliantly, turning their whole lives, around, for the better. Over the thirty years, we have had people – who came to us – homeless, jobless, penniless, and from, a broken, relationship, and, in due course, left us, with a new home, a new job, money, and a new partner. This is why, I look forward, to taking the crisis house, into its fourth decade!

Pam Jenkinson – The Wokingham Crisis House

Thank you for keeping us informed JUST wanted to express our appreciation for your work in producing such an excellent paper every week. The editions published since the lockdown have been particularly interesting and informative. Thank you for keeping us in touch with everything.

Sue and Roger Gook

Trade talks in pandemic I AM shocked that in the middle of a global pandemic, secret trade talks between the UK and the US have resumed.

Coronavirus has shown how vulnerable we are, and a trade deal with the US would be more dangerous now than ever. It will affect us here in Berkshire because: 1. It will weaken public services like

been learnt.

When the fight against Covid-19 has eventually been won, the victory will have been less to do with Westminster decision makers and much more to do with the ingenuity, devotion to duty and sacrifices of those serving on the frontline and the responsible behaviour of

the NHS, and drive up medicine prices 2. It will lower animal welfare and environmental standards, increasing the risk of future transmission of new viruses from animals to humans 3. It will tie the hands of the UK government when they need the freedom to deliver a green recovery and protect jobs.

The pandemic has changed our lives and we can’t just keep going with business as usual. Instead we need trade that puts people and planet first.

Jackie Oversby — Co-ordinator, Global Justice Reading

I have a dream “THERE is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”

It is an apt moment in the sense that Boris has invited leaders of European countries to talk and collectively tackle the evil virus among us, to pursue recent lessons we should have learned. Ignoring where and how the virus started, we have seen just how this country is not capable of looking after itself – apart from the disappointing politicians we have – but is dependent on just one country for so much.

My dream is that we now talk to all our European neighbours and friends as to how we could become independent of China. It would mean establishing manufacturing capabilities and the associated skills plus many jobs, spread among all our countries. Effectively getting back to the good old Europe of 50 years ago – given technology, a very interesting and exciting task. World Trade would not end, for example with

the majority of the public at large.

It must be hoped and expected that without delay, the efforts of all those concerned will receive the recognition, reward, support and respect as so long overdue and so hardearned.

JW Blaney, Wokingham

the Commonwealth, but the test is to never become beholden to a third party whose interest is world domination.

Do I have any support for the idea??

What of Brexit - perhaps not such a good idea after all!

Reg Cliﬞon

Recognising key workers WITH lockdown measures now in place for a month, the general public has come to appreciate the efforts of supermarket staff working on the frontline.

Finally, they are being recognised as key workers and people are starting to say what law firm Leigh Day has being saying all along – shop workers deserve to be paid fairly.

As demand has increased, supermarket workers have been praised for their dedication. But recognition isn’t all they need. What they need most is equal pay.

Each day they are putting themselves at an increased risk to keep everyone else’s fridges and cupboards stocked. Yet they are paid less than their colleagues in warehouses and distribution centres.

To us at Leigh Day that doesn’t seem right. And that’s why we are acting for more than 40,000 supermarket workers in their equal pay battle.

We are challenging this unequal situation for the women and men working long hours in stores and helping the rest of us to keep some sense of normality in these uncertain times.

But there are tens of thousands of other shop floor employees who Leigh Day is not yet supporting and who’d we urge to join our Equal Pay Now campaign.

Chris Benson — Leigh Day employment team

NEIL COUPE

NELLIE KNOWS

Using technology to adapt our lives

Picture: Napoleon Cole via Flickr

W

HAT extraordinary changes we have seen in the past few weeks, as we have adapted our lifestyles to come to terms with the terrible Covid-19 crisis.

Nothing that we have faced before has prepared us for a situation like this when our day-to-day lives have been so fundamentally affected.

Already many of us know of victims, even if we do not know them personally — the real fear that very soon it could be people very close to us.

The crisis has even impacted on our use of language. When we are finishing a telephone conversation and say ‘take care’, it is no longer simply a polite way of

signing off; it is now a heart-felt instruction.

Something as simple as going to the shop or taking exercise feels dangerous and indulgent.

In this area, we are blessed in having so many pleasant spaces to take our daily exercise with Ludgrove and Joel Park being particular oases of tranquillity, yet taking the daily walk or cycle ride still feels unsettling, as people demonstratively move away as I approach (for the avoidance of doubtthis has only been happening since the social distancing rules introduced, or at least I’ve only started noticing it since then).

The crisis has however demonstrated

how crucial technology has become to maintaining our social bonds, with isolated elderly relatives able to see and speak to their families via Skype or Facetime, neighbours are able to use WhatsApp groups to successfully coordinate assistance to the vulnerable, and in many cases assist us in identifying who our neighbours actually are.

We have a whole new way of doing things. Apps such as Zoom, which had barely been heard of until a month ago are now part of the national conversation, and indeed are used to run Cabinet meetings.

A month ago, a five-hour Zoom call to half-a-dozen friends over a few beers would have seemed an absurd way of replicating a pub trip.

All of a sudden it’s a highlight of the week and is in the calendar for the coming weekend. People seem to be looking for innovations in their social lives on almost a daily basis.

The next stage in our embrace of social media apps as a conduit for a social life is a virtual Ready Steady Cook dinner party, where we will have five ingredients left on the doorstep and will have half an hour to be converted into something edible prior to the online reveal as the Zoom call begins.

Three weeks ago it would have been inconceivable that we would want other

Nellie Williams www.nelliewilliams.co.uk

people witnessing us eating, or that they would want to.

The complications of lockdown appear to be less challenging to young adults, who in many ways have socially grown up online. Online quizzes seem especially popular and one of the common rounds concerns social media, and more specifically attempting to ascertain which quiz participant posted what.

It appears that hardly any of these sophisticated young people recognise the often, shall we say, excitable posts that their younger selves shared with the world in cyber space as teenagers.

Many of us are facing minor and manageable changes to our routines as our contribution to the quest to limit to limit the spread of the disease.

Spare a thought for those facing a prolonged period of loneliness, a period of time unable to get respite from an abusive partner, for young people missing out on their education, and especially for key workers in the NHS and elsewhere whose work is so vital to all of us, and is frequently carried out in a situation of potential great harm to themselves.

Thank you to all those amazing people for keeping the country going and for saving lives.

TONYJOHNSON Re-starting the racing industry so soon

W

HILE the government’s daily Coronavirus briefings have continued, it appears that the gloss may have worn off ‘Hancock’s half-hour’ as the Health Secretary ended up with three of them this week.

BBC news coverage has changed.

Their daily video is readily available if you’ve got the time to watch, but their written summaries have lost the ‘minister’s face above the yellow fronted podium’ image and are thus much harder to find.

Question-able time at Number 10 Hancock’s week opened on a wobble “Following significant demand, as well as questions from the media, we will take our first question from a member of the public”. The giveaway had come earlier in the day when the New European alleged that Downing Street had barred: “Sunday Times journalists from posing questions during [the] coronavirus briefing”.

Perhaps the air time reduction for critical journalists asking difficult questions relieves the strain on weak ministers giving woeful answers?

More source than sauce If the national political briefings were all a bit skate and flounder, locally it looked more like steak on the plate.

Wokingham Borough’s Council Leader, Cllr John Halsall, has been posting his “Members’ Updates” more and more widely on various

social media groups.

Appearing almost every weekday and aiming to be a trustworthy source, they tell us what our Council has been doing to help and guide the community through the pandemic.

As you’d expect, topics like Adult Care, Business, Council activity, Education, and Finance get covered frequently. But there’s a smorgasbord of other things too, although subjects such as Art, Licensing or Visas etc. are mentioned a lot less frequently.

Can you solve the puzzle ?

In the country’s desire to bring life back to a new normal, one of the news items that struck home this week related to horse racing restarting — with a claim that they’d be the first sport to do so.

Back in March, the Cheltenham Festival started the day after Italy’s national lockdown began and attracted crowds of more than 60,000 each day from March 10 to March 13.

On Wednesday March 18, a news report said that staff serving at the racecourse had allegedly had Covid-19 symptoms. As the days passed, more and more people were reporting that they’d been severely unwell after they or a friend had visited the event.

Each report was accompanied by counter-claims that Cheltenham Races weren’t necessarily responsible and so the process of ‘fogging’ responsibility and seeding doubt became more and more entrenched.

Less than a week later, the UK’s

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national lockdown commenced on Tuesday March 24.

By Friday 27, a ‘Resumption of Racing Group’ had published a statement, followed on Monday 30 March by a Covid-19 Operational Plan, outlining the process by which horse racing would become the first sport to resume after lockdown ended.

Two weeks passed with controversial news along with denials continuing to grow until on Monday April 13, veteran jockey AP McCoy said on breakfast TV that “a lot of lives were lost because of it”.

Later that day, he tried to clarify via Twitter that the “it” was coronavirus, not the Cheltenham Festival.

Then on Monday 20 April, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden defended the decision to go ahead with the Cheltenham Festival, saying that “the risk ... was no greater ... than ... in pubs or restaurants”.

This came eight days after a Cheltenham pub landlord had died in hospital after testing positive for Coronavirus. He’d been running the bar at The Beehive pub during the four day event.

But he wasn’t the only one to perish in Cheltenham as the ONS map of Covid-19 fatalities reveals hotspots dotted round the racecourse area.

Then in the middle of last week, the Government’s former chief scientific adviser Sir David King said that the Cheltenham Festival may have fuelled the Coronavirus outbreak and “was the best possible way to accelerate

the spread”.

However, those at the centre of the outbreak aren’t known to have been tested for Covid-19, so the claims and counter-claims can’t be verified or dismissed. It’s that uncertain.

But when Sunday’s news from The Racing Post broke - that “Racing in Britain is working towards a resumption on May 15 following positive meetings with government officials over the last seven days” it might start you wondering as to exactly how the racing industry and the government officials are going to prevent the pandemic starting up all over again.

All of this illuminates just one small corner of the huge problem facing the country as we work out how to behave post-lockdown — to take decisions that get the economy working again without killing lots more people in the process.

And whether the truth, like the virus, is out there - it’s still pretty much a case of “Who's next ?”

What the neighbours said Great news! The neighbours’ parrot is back. Apparently while the cat was being taken for a walk, the bedraggled bird shambled in from the garden, squawking mournfully as it hobbled over the carpet then flapped its way up into its cage, minus many of its tail feathers.

Excepting ‘co sousede rikali’, that was week seven of the lockdown - that was.

caveat.lector@icloud.com

Lockdown A-Z

I

T has been interesting reading how people are coping with Lockdown.

At the beginning I had grand plans to do a load of things that had been put to the bottom of the list or I never had time or inclination to do before. That list went out of the window along with every other plan as social distancing, lockdown, daily briefing became bywords of the pandemic. Here’s my lighthearted A-Z, by the end of lockdown I will have padded it out!

A - All day, every day. Somedays the days merge into one.

B - Baking. It seems everyone is baking whereas I have not done any.

C - Cleaning. The cleaning aisles are nigh on empty. I really don’t like the smell of any cleaning products apart from Meleleuca which is a concentrate so very easy to dilute and not run out of. I am also a great fan of rubbing alcohol, white vinegar and bicarb.

D - Drums. If you have not seen the Welsh weatherman Owain Wynne-Evans then you’ve missed something. No matter how many times I see it I always smile.

E - Eating. To have all my lot at home all day every day has been an eye opener at how much and how many times a day we are in the kitchen, also at the time they eat as well.

F - Films. I have started so many and either lost the plot or dozed off. I have been watching lots of odd things on telly though.

G - Gardening. I am rather half hearted about it as nothing is open but I have been sent lots of seeds by friends so have planted them and am waiting patiently.

H - Health. Something we are all concerned and careful about. Home, that’s also an A. I - Itinerary. Well it is fair to say that each day follows the same itinerary of A, C, E, W, Z. J - Joe Exotic was a name I didn’t know before Lockdown, now him and Carole Baskin are names that will be forever associated with this time in our lives.

K - Keeping fit. Until 20 months ago this was not something I would ever get excited about but I have been out walking, doing online exercise classes and counting my steps.

L - Learning, home learning. Well that’s a completely different ball game and I have even more respect for teachers than I did before.

M - Medics, there are no words they are all brilliant.

Mummmmmm - you know that word that could be where’s this, where’s that, what’s to eat, can I have ….?

N - Normal People, one of those programmes that will always be associated with “this time”.

O - Old ways, I wrote about old and new ways on my blog. I have to admit that I will miss certain things about now.

P - Post, huge shout out to the team at Barkham Post Office and our postmen and women who have been working.

Q - Quick chats in the supermarket are limited to how are you and how are the family? None of the time wasting chats that used to go before!

R - Routine oh I miss you, as much I hate to admit it I do like a spot of routine, but I also like spontaneity.

I’m a Piscean what can I say?

S - S4C and despite not speaking Welsh I do enjoy watching Welsh telly and it has been filling the gap of missing my friends and Wales.

T - Tom, Captain Tom Moore - has really captured the hearts of us all. What an amazing guy.

U - Uniform, I washed it at the start of lockdown but now I am wondering where it is or did I really wash it?

V - VE Day and a Friday Bank Holiday. No Street Parties but a time for celebration and remembrance nonetheless.

W - Walking, my one form of exercise, never before have I been so interested in footpaths and OS maps.

X - kissing, cuddling, cwtching - looking forward to seeing my friends and family Y - You, I have missed you. I have missed seeing familiar faces.

Z - Zzzzzzz, sleep which slots in between B, C, E, G, and I, if my puppy realised 4am is not a time to whine.

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You want to see 007, You’re not going to beat me but not Daniel Craig Isolation is a label, a time to sob, scream and cry, Uncertainty, time looming, no answers, no why. Can be common everyday to not get out of bed, My mind is not strong enough to lift up my head.

Here I sit in isolation, thinking it’s got to be the worst, Negativity, hopelessness, desperation always comes first. But I know that, I’ll work with it, allow the feeling to pass by, Accept what is in front of me, be present, don’t ask why.

My eyes don’t want to see time passing by so quick, Unsure of what to believe, fear, making me sick. Anxiety so strong, taking over my thinking,

LOCAL film fans might be missing their usual Friday nights at the Winnersh Showcase Cinema, but they know the movie legends they’d rather spend isolation with.

Cinemagoers across the UK have been voting for which big screen stars they’d most like to be quarantined with.

In a nationwide poll, movie buffs from the South-East chose star of Fast & Furious Dwayne Johnson, also known as The Rock, as their favourite lockdown partner.

Johnson pipped Chris Hemsworth – famous for playing Thor in The Avengers movie franchise – to the title.

Men In Black and Independence Day star Will Smith came third in the poll, closely followed by Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lawrence.

According to a study by Showcase Cinemas, twice as many film fans would rather spend lockdown with a funny actor or actress (32%) than a physically attractive actor or actress (15%).

While men mostly voted to spend their lockdown with a physically attractive movie star (22.5%), women overwhelmingly opted to spend it with a funny actor (42%) the study reveals.

UK film fans can’t wait to start going to the cinema again, with a quarter of the 2,000 UK adults polled saying they will visit the cinema to get their movie fix within seven days of cinemas opening after the lockdown. A further 27% say they will be back munching popcorn and watching their favourite movie on the big screen within a month.

Over a third of those polled listed visiting the cinema as one of its most missed activities during lockdown. Seeing family, going out with friends and travelling are the top three things most missed by Brits forced to socially isolate during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the survey.

Mark Barlow, UK general manager for Showcase Cinemas said: “It’s a difficult time for the whole nation during this pandemic. People are missing seeing family and friends but also much that we’ve always taken for granted like countryside drives, the gym and meals out.

“They’re also missing the cinema. And we can’t wait to welcome them all back to Showcase as soon as we are able to.

“The new James Bond movie – No Time To Die – is the one movie Brits really want to see.

Around 47% of those polled listed it as the one movie they really want to see when lockdown is over.”

No Time To Die, starring Daniel Craig, is due to be released at The Showcase Cinema de Lux in Winnersh in November.

The top 10 film stars the UK wants to be locked down with

The UK’s 10 most anticipated movies

� Dwayne Johnson � Chris Hemsworth � Will Smith � Scarlett Johansson � Jennifer Lawrence � Johnny Depp � Tom Cruise � Margot Robbie � Colin Firth � Leonardo DiCaprio

� James Bond: No Time to Die � Top Gun: Maverick � Black Widow � Wonder Woman 1984 � Peter Rabbit 2 � A Quiet Place 2 � Ghostbusters: Afterlife � The Secret Garden � Minions 2: Rise of Gru � Mulan

Encourage it for days without even blinking.

Isolation is just a label, can it be a highlight of the week? Fresh hope, possibility, new experiences to explore and seek? I’m not there yet, I know it, but have a very clear thought, I’m alive, out of bed, breathing, a successful battle now fought.

So I kick in routine, allow auto pilot to take hold, Recognise thoughts, but not entertain, my intentions become bold. I say to Isolation with every effort I can get, You’re not going to beat me, not ever, Sarah Sylvester well not yet.

Get fit with baked beans

A READING-based personal trainer is offering free online fitness classes everyday in lockdown.

Anna Cousins streams her short workouts through Facebook to people all over the world stuck inside their homes.

She goes live at least twice daily, running her specialty Pert Bum, Love Handles and Baked Bean Tins workouts alongside kids boot camps, mobility sessions, resistance and high intensity interval training (HIIT) classes.

Ms Cousins said: “Through this challenging period, we need to do all we can to maintain our physical and mental health.

“We must try and keep our bodies and immune systems strong and deal with the stress of isolation and lack of social contact.

“These are uncertain times for

everyone, and I just wanted to do my bit to help ensure that people could still get access to decent workout programmes to help see them through.

“I know from my own experience how important exercise is to mental wellbeing.

“Through my Anna’s Army Facebook group, I’ve been running several free live classes every day and been amazed at the response.

“I’m locked down in a little flat on my own, and I’m finding it hard too sometimes, but it’s been so uplifting to hear the lovely things that people have been saying and to know that I am doing something useful and helping people - I feel that it’s given me a purpose in these tough times.”

To join Anna, visit: www.facebook.com/groups/ AnnaPTZone/.

Challenge your brain and general knowledge with Ditloids Ditloids to you too. Never heard of them?

You will.

They’re a word puzzle that will leave you scratching your head all week - at least, we hope so.

You are given a clue such as 6 S on a H. You then have to decipher what it means. It could be a phrase, a fact, a place, a film, a book, a moment in history: anything!

The example that we have given you is 6 sides on a hexagon — obvious now you now.

Here’s a dozen for you to try and solve. As with our previous quizzes, there’s no prizes, it’s just for fun, but do let us know how you get on! Answers next week.

1. 5 F on a H 2. 007 is JB

3. 52 C in a D 4. 1760 T in a M 5. 4 and 20 B B in a P 6. 12 D of C 7. 10 C 8. 4 A in a D or C 9. A the W in 80 D 10. 1066 the B of H 11. 7 W of the A W 12. 3 BM Last week’s quiz asked you to try and unscramble 12 different school names from across the borough.

How did you get on? Here’s the answers in case you’re stuck: The Emmbrook; 2. Bohunt; 3. Luckley House; 4. The Holt; 5. Maiden Erlegh; 6.

The Forest; 7. The Piggott; 8. Waingels; 9.

The Bulmershe; 10. St Crispin’s; 11.

Holme Grange; 12. Reddam House.

WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

Fancy a blind da EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

DOING THEIR best to bring a smile to people’s faces, a brother and sister have set up a community book exchange.

Based in Winnersh, Jed (13) and Anya (11) have been busy during lockdown creating their homemade library.

The siblings set up the book exchange on Sunday, April 26, in the hopes of sharing their passion for reading with their local community.

“We’d heard about book exchanges before,” explained Jed. “But we wanted to level up, so we made the blind date with a book — we’d heard about it through the National Trust.”

Anya added: “We chose popular books, like Roal Dahl and other authors and then wrapped them up in paper — you don’t know what you’re getting.”

Their father, Jason Deane, explained the premise.

“It’s all about being adventurous really,” he said. “We’ve written clues on the wrapping, and then visitors get to choose which to take. The only rule is that they can’t open it until they’re home.

Mr Deane said since the book exchange launched, they have had more than 20 visitors choosing swapping new stories for their own.

“I just love doing this,” said Anya.

“I like doing things for other people.

It’s all about those 10 seconds when you bring a smile to their face.”

Jed added: “We’ve even had someone donate a whole suitcase of books. And it benefits us too, I’m reading a few new books because of the exchange. I think our love of reading runs in the family.”

With a professional writer for a Dad, and constant encouragement from their Mum, the brother and sister

Jed (13) and Anya (11) smile with their new b

have developed a voracious appetite for reading.

“I always used to read to the kids,” said Mr Deane.

“Especially fantasy and sci-fi, you can go on so many adventures through books. I guess it’s just a love of words.”

Quick to praise Jed and Anya’s mother too, he added: “My other half, Clare, has been a driving force in encouraging the kids as well.”

And his love of adventure tales has rubbed off on the youngsters too.

“My favourite book is definitely The

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ate with a book?

Jean Hill, her daughters Debbie and Sharon, and granddaughter Samantha

Four ladies and their family poems

book exchange and blind date books. Picture: Jason Deane

Hobbit,” said Jed. “I’ve read all of The Lord of the Rings. The language is really flowery but I love the description.”

And Anya also has a love of fantasy.

“I have so many favourites,” she said. “I think my top is probably Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is the first in the series.”

And when they’re not busy reading, the duo — who usually attend Bohunt School, in Arborfield — have been completing their classwork digitally.

“It’s not bad, but I miss going to

school,” said Anya. “It's usually my favourite thing.”

Jed explained that they have been completing the work on their school iPads — but not before completing their 9am PE session with Joe Wicks.

And as their community-focussed library continues to bring joy, Jed and Anya are inviting others to continue swapping books at a safe distance.

The book exchange can be found in Birchmead, a close off Watmore Lane in Winnersh.

It’s open to all inquisitive minds from 10am until dusk.

How a wooden spoon in Winnersh started an international community THE SPOONY people in Winnersh have gone international, as spoon settlements pop up in Scotland and Australia.

Last week, Wokingham.Today reported the growing Spoony People village on Robinhood Lane, Winnersh.

Now, the wonders of social media have connected communities on opposite sides of the world.

The Spoony People, which first appeared in Winnersh last month as an interactive activity for local families, have grown into something much larger.

Bringing the Spoony People to Scotland was Helen Dewar.

“I’m from Woodley originally,” she said. “But moved to the Isle of Mull in Scotland 14 years ago when I had my daughter Ella. But I’m still connected with people from the area as I’ve got friends down here.

“When I saw it on social media, I just thought it was so cute, and we could start that here.

“So Ella made our first Spoony People and then we posted on social media saying we were looking to grow their population.

She said that her daughter — who goes to Tobermory High School — has been enjoying making the Spoony People when she’s not studying.

“She’s made about three or four so far.”

And the magic of social media continued.

“Then my friend in Australia, Junelle Wilson saw my post and started her own Spoony People village in Longwarry, Victoria,” added Ms Dewar. “All the kids and adults are loving it. And we’ve said we will accept all kinds of cooking utensils, we don't discriminate.”

A FAMILY separated in lockdown have created a poetry book of their experiences — written through video calls.

Wokingham poet Jean Hill, her children and grandchild have published their poems in their new collection, Generations Apart During Lockdown.

The book is dedicated to Robin Hill, Ms Hill’s late husband, who died of cancer in Royal Berkshire Hospital last year.

Daughter Debbie Brewer said the idea for the collection began when her sister, Sharon Hill, bought their mother a device so they could check in on her, as she is isolating alone.

The four women — including Ms Hill’s granddaughter Samantha Brewer — have been video calling throughout the last few weeks, playing games, chatting, and sharing their writing.

Debbie said: “As my mother enjoys writing poetry, we decided we would all do a poem every day and meet for an hour every

evening through Facetime.

“That is how we came to get so many wonderful, topical, funny, sad and poignant poems for the book, which we’re very proud of.”

Debbie and her mother have a lot of experience writing poetry, but her sister is an accountant, and her daughter is an air traffic controller — neither had written before.

The collection spans three generations and touches upon their lives in the pandemic.

Debbie added: “A lot of people will be able to relate because we’re all separated.

“We’re all over the country from Maidenhead to Winchester and some of us are working from home, furloughed or retired so it covers a lot of ground.

“It’s a good example of how families can get together and still achieve things despite the circumstances.”

The book is available for £7.99 on www.lulu.com, and will be released on Amazon next month.

Which way would you go?

WHICH way now?

That’s the question that motorists out on essential journeys have been posing this week, after this confusing set of diversion signs appeared in Lambs Lane in Swallowfield.

Jenny Lovell, who sent this picture to us, said it was one of the

best pieces of signage she’d seen in a long time.

It reminds us of the riddle of the two doors and guardians — one is lying and one is telling the truth, and you can only ask one question to help you figure out which door is the correct one.

Which way would you choose?

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Photographer launches social isolation series

Siblings play with their dog at the window (left), and a couple smile through face masks in Wokingham’s Lidl while doing their food shop. Pictures: MART Photography-Tammy Kazhdan

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHER Tammy Kazhdan has launched her own project looking at family life in lockdown.

Ms Kazhdan — who used to live in Wokingham — has spent the past few weeks travelling across the

borough and documenting the experiences of others — all while keeping her distance.

And in return, her subjects have been asked to donate to a charity of their choice.

For more information about Ms Kazhdan’s work, visit: www.martphotography.co.uk/

Stay Home. Stay Safe.

Free delivery to your door.

Warings Bakery Delivers Here at Warings Bakery we are doing everything we can to support the local community by bringing our freshly baked goods and groceries direct to your door.

We have a range of boxes available some of which include a mixture of bread, buns, milk and eggs.

We will deliver for free but we’d ask you to please check that we deliver to your area before placing your order.

waringsbakerydelivers.co.uk

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Sister loses the stabilisers in fundraiser for hospital heroes EXCLUSIVE

By ANGELA GARWOOD news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

DITCHING THE stabilisers, two young sisters have been peddling around their neighbourhood to fundraise for the NHS.

Sisters Stephanie (4) and Rebecca Godwin (2) from Winnersh embarked on a sponsored cycle last weekend to help staff at The Royal Berkshire Hospital.

Sarah Godwin, the girls’ mother, said the appeal was prompted by her eldest daughter Stephanie.

“She kind of inspired me to do this,” she said. “At night we say a little prayer and she said: ‘There is a nasty virus going around, and that is why everything is closed. People have coughs and people are very ill, we can’t go out. I hope the virus goes away.’

“It came from her saying that.

I felt I ought to do something.”

The family chose to support the Our Hospital Heroes campaign from The Royal Berkshire Hospital after the care they received when Stephanie was born.

“Steph was seven weeks premature,” said Mrs Godwin. “She was born in London but transferred to the Royal Berkshire Hospital where she was in Buscot ward for three weeks.

“My husband and youngest

Stephanie (4) and Rebecca (2) cycled four times around their block to raise money for the NHS. Pictures: Sarah Godwin

daughter Rebecca were born there.

The staff are fantastic.”

The sisters cycled four times around their neighbourhood block and have raised more than £300 to date for Our Hospital Heroes.

Mrs Godwin added: “The cycle ride went really well and we are so proud of our girls.

“Stephanie, who has only just started to learn to cycle without stabilisers on her own a week ago,

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managed most of the cycle ride by herself.

“Her Daddy — Oliver — was running alongside her but, towards the end, she was so fast it gave Daddy a good workout keeping up with her.

“Rebecca went racing round on her pink scooter and had lots of fun.

She managed two blocks before having refreshments and then eagerly setting off again.

“She requested carrying for the last lap because she was too tired but she did exceedingly well.

“The whole cycle ride took around one hour and 30 minutes and it was great to get support from neighbours who were waving at us from their windows. We want to thank those that have donated.”

To donate to the fundraiser, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ godwincycleforrbsheros

Covid-19 cases in care homes � Continued from front page

Cllr Jones added: “We’ve lost quite a few people before their time because we’ve allowed the virus to get into homes.”

The leaked document named Alexandra Grange, a residential home on Oaklands Drive, Wokingham as having the second highest number of deaths in recent weeks.

It said: “Alexandra Grange is the next priority.

Four Covid-19 deaths in a total of 12 deaths. Three definitely not Covid-19, others could be.”

Staff at both homes are now receiving support from the borough council.

The leader of the borough council, Cllr John Halsall told Wokingham.Today that the Government was right to include care home deaths in their statistics.

“Wokingham has a widely disproportionate number of care homes,” he explained. “And everyone wants accurate and reliable statistics.

This does not currently, and has never existed.”

This — he said — is because there are not enough resources to accurately confirm every case of Covid-19 with a test or a post-mortem examination.

And this is why the number of Covid-19 related deaths in the UK will never be accurate.

But Cllr Lindsay Ferris, leader of the Wokingham Liberal Democrats has congratulated the borough council on the decision to stop hospital discharges into care homes.

“Only in this past week have [national] proposals to stop the discharge of such patients been put in place,” he said. “In fact Wokingham Borough Council preempted this Government action by introducing their own protocol with local hospitals including the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

“The council should be applauded for their action. I believe it may now form the basis for other councils across the country. “

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Charity’s fight to keep essential services afloat EXCLUSIVE

By SUE CORCORAN news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

YOUNG PEOPLE’S charity Just Around the Corner is fighting to survive a financial crisis caused by coronavirus.

The charity helps young people in Wokingham borough and surrounding areas. Most of them struggle with anxiety and the virus is increasing that.

Now, JAC has launched a big fundraising appeal as part of The 2.6 Challenge, a UK campaign to save the country’s pressured charities.

Based in Forest Road, Wokingham the charity centre — which uses horses and other animals in its sessions to help young people’s wellbeing — was opened in 2014 by the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall — an Olympic medal winning horse rider.

The charity operations director, Yvonne Milligan said: “We will do everything we can to survive.”

And she added: “We’re aiming to be here, we’re doing everything we can to stay afloat. It’s so concerning. We’re having to dig into our reserves which will last possibly until July.

“We’re no different to any other charity. If we don’t have additional funding we will have to cut back and that’s the last thing we want to do.”

Coronavirus has hit the charity on many fronts.

Income has been hit and 21 young people due to start this term have been put on a waiting list instead.

This is because only a third of the staff can attend at any one time for distancing reasons, to protect the young people and the staff. It also helps keep staff fit to look after the charity’s animals.

Of the 88 youngsters on JAC’s roll, just 26 with education health care plans still attend.

Around 44 can’t attend for reasons including anxiety or to shield someone at home.

Their Zoom video meetings to keep contact with staff are working well.

Founders of Just Around the Corner, Sam and Yvonne Milligan are concerned about the financial welfare of their charity throughout the pandemic

Others have contact through phone calls or email.

“The team have worked amazingly well ensuring they keep in contact with people,” said Mrs Milligan. Most staff could not be furloughed due to their important contact and relationship with the young people.

“Our young people are really struggling with increased anxiety and families are struggling to help them.

We’re going to see a big increase in young people needing support. We want to ensure that [after the virus] we’re here and financially stable to help them,” added Mrs Milligan.

Schools, parents or social services provide £30 for each £45 therapy session hour. The charity is uncertain if schools can and will pay for the summer term.

Some parents have lost their jobs.

Fundraising has to cover the extra £15 cost.

Cancellation of many of JAC’s fundraising events and also events like Hurst Show & Country Fayre will cost at least £5,000.

Mrs Milligan is battling to get grants as more charities apply for them. JAC, 21 years old, supports young people from primary school age upwards.

Young people and their families connected to JAC have already started fundraising, doing 2.6 miles walks. One boy took his sausage dog.

And JAC development director Sam Milligan hammered in 26 posts to build a new fence.

The 2.6 Challenge Just Giving page is avaliable at: www.jacoutreach.org.

Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

NEWS | 21

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Leighton Park face shield hub continue to ensure PPE supply

By DAISY HANSON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

A SCHOOL PPE initiative has created new measures to ensure protective visors can continue to be made.

Leighton Park’s face shield hub — consisting of 22 schools — has created 18,713 protective visors, but as summer term began many of their volunteers had to return to teaching.

To manage the high demand, 20 furloughed support staff have offered their free time to assist the initiative, and the University of Reading has also joined in, quickening the process by making shield bands with its two large laser cutters.

Mark Smith, head of DT and Engineering at Leighton Park, said:“We’re still making between 1,200 and 1,500 per day and we’ve got loads of drivers involved — even old Leightonians, current parents and some kind residents in the local area have volunteered to deliver face shields.

“It’s such a community effort and I think everyone wants to play a part where they can.

“We’re getting fewer individual orders but each order is for a greater volume so that obviously makes it easier to coordinate deliveries - we can quickly bundle them up and get them out, it’s brilliant.”

So far, visors have been delivered to frontline healthcare sites such as Choice Care Group, Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice and Royal Berkshire Hospital.

The care group’s chief commercial officer, Gareth Williams, added: “With 1,500 frontline staff across the South of England, we were extremely

Staff at the RBH and Sue Ryder Hospice have received PPE donations.

grateful to receive 1,600 face shields from Leighton Park School.

“This gave us enough shields for one per staff member, plus some cover for new staff as we continue to grow.

“With everyone getting their own shield and with each of the shields being re-usable post sterilisation, this significantly reduces the risk of cross-

Wokingham man helps source more PPE for council and hospital A WOKINGHAM man has purchased 200 protective gowns for healthcare workers, writes Daisy Hanson.

Inspired by the hard work of the NHS, Simon Suresh used his connections in Malaysia to place a large order of PPE. Mr Suresh moved to England years ago and has recently changed careers — he is now in the process of starting an online business, selling halal food.

He said: “Luckily I left my corporate lawyer job in January, so now I have the time to source these essential items for key workers.”

He wrote to his contacts in Malaysia and got in touch with a supplier, putting together a chain of couriers to deliver the gowns.

He said: “The country has not been hit as hard as the rest of the word, so it’s a good place to source equipment.”

Mr Suresh paid for the items out of his own pocket.

“I thought it would be cheaper, but the gowns are really expensive — around £25 each — and unfortunately I couldn’t get masks due to the export ban,” he explained.

He then went about looking for a

good recipient for the 200 gowns and decided on Royal Berkshire Hospital.

“I understand they’re very busy and go through a lot of stock,” he said. “So I think the doctors and nurses there would really benefit.

“The NHS must not feel abandoned by the people — if everyone does a little bit can you imagine what we could achieve?”

Having realised how difficult it is to source PPE, Mr Suresh is in the process of putting together a list of Malaysian suppliers which he will distribute to Wokingham Borough Council and local hospitals.

He added: “It’s so important to source this equipment quickly, and I hope my list will help people to do just that.”

contamination and is a fantastic addition to our armoury in the fight against coronavirus.

“The local community support shown across this pandemic has been second to none.

“And with the government facing their own PPE struggles, it’s been amazing that Leighton Park School

has been able to supply these critical goods for us.

“This pandemic continues to be a running challenge for the homes, but these selfless acts of kindness from the local community are what keeps spirits high and momentum lifted.”

To find out more contact faceshields@leightonpark.com.

Advice to help reduce heating bills ADVICE has been issued to households that may see a rise in energy bills due to lockdown measures.

OFTEC, the trade association for the oil heating industry, is pointing people towards support to help ease the cost of bills.

The organisation’s advice may provide some relief for the 12,000 oil heated households in Berkshire, as estimations expect bills to rise as more people are spending their days at home.

The association has advised people to identify the benefits they are entitled to — such as extended statutory sick pay and employment support allowance — alongside minding their household heating habits and speaking with their energy provider.

Malcolm Farrow from the company said: “During these unsettling times, many households may be feeling anxious about higher energy bills because they are spending more time at home during the day.

“However, new announcements about the support available are being made every day by the government and energy suppliers, so it’s important to identify those which apply to you, or to family and friends who you know are struggling.

“The warmer weather will help to reduce reliance on heating and other measures such as adjusting timers and radiators may seem trivial but, over several weeks and months, the savings can really add up.”

Access to Woodley house prohibited A WOODLEY home has been closed for three months under section 80 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Reading Magistrates Court ordered the closure of the property in Drovers Way, Woodley when it met on Thursday, April 30.

Under the restrictions, access to the property is prohibited at all times and circumstances, with the exception of a named person, emergency services personnel and Borough Council staff.

14 22 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY // THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, March WOKINGHAM.TODAY THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 5, 7, 2020

To advertise in this section, Doctor’s bike CROWTHORNENEWS call Janetthan on 0118 327 2662 stolen at RBH Woodley woman raises more Power play A SENIOR doctor at Royal Berkshire Hospital hasbebeen a MEMBERS of EBOS will performing a more unusual play

victim of theft after her bike was stolen from a locked at its Wokingham Without storage area outside thebase hospital. next week.

Health officials havetells urged The Oldest Profession staff and people living close to the of five areeye thestory hospital towomen keep awho close plying forcars tradeand in New York City. on their bikes after consultant geriatrician Dr Hannah Johnson’s bike was stolen on Thursday, April 30.

The mother of two uses the bike for her daily eight mile commute from Wokingham to the hospital.

Dr Johnson said: “This is my main form of transport – I know it’s quite a long bike ride from Wokingham, but the cycle commute helps me clear my head after difficult days at work.

“When I finished work it was pouring down so I knew I’d have a bit of a tricky ride home but then to find my bike had been stolen was just heartbreaking.”

“I just want to alert other staff at the hospital, as well as people living nearby, to be aware that they need to be extra vigilant with valuables like this,” she added.

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive Steve McManus described the theft as “really disappointing.”

£5,000 to make scrubs forthe the date NHS Save for VE Day party Times have changed in the 50

a family who support each other

March 18 through to Saturday,

years since they moved from New

through ups and downs, their

March 21.

Orleans to Manhattan, and so

warmth and wit getting them

have their fortunes.

through even the toughest test.

EXCLUSIVE

Curtain up is at 7.45pm and

it takes place at the Pinewood

a lot of support and we’ve really with her local community group Theatrethat in Pinewood quickly, she Leisure urgently needed Facebook and speaking 1980through US presidential elections Centre.protective clothing. to actor friends friends, it’sTickets Neighbours rallied round and rents, failing mental faculties and that saw Ronaldof Regan cost £11. For details, A WOODLEY woman is running a snowballed. By the end of the began sewing scrubs for NHS deteriorating stamina. sweep into power, the play is visit www.ebos.org.uk or call

By PHIL CREIGHTON campaign to provide scrubs for week we were delivering our staff.

Second World War. news@wokinghampaper.co.uk By being friends, ladies are performed from Wednesday, 0845 840 5143. first scrubs.

A Scrub Hub network formed frontline NHS the staff across This will include a rendition of “We follow strict guidelines and people were invited to Berkshire and South Oxfordshire.

The Last Post and Reveille, two across the villages are hubs.

Tina Hancock, who works for in terms of how the scrubs are create their own local CHURCHES making plans with the parish council to bugle calls used in a two-minute a local authority, set up Scrub made, we have some very Since then, many more Scrub create Hub networks have been set up a VE Day celebration to silence.

Hub South Oxon and Berks to proficient sewers.

There will be plenty of fun remember.

“It’s brilliant to see how many across the U.K. support health care The event will be held on Morgan including cake stalls, a beer tent, Ms Hancock explained how professionals in need of scrubs people want to get involved, the community spirit has been the volunteers are Recreation being Ground from noon to plant stalls, bouncy castles and during the current crisis.

In only two weeks since its amazing. Even on Facebook organised in her local hub. 3pm, on the bank holiday of Friday, activities for children including are organising “We have 148 volunteers, out8. launch, the hub has received people May facepainting. more than £5,000 in donations themselves really well, they’re of those, 46 are making scrubs,” It will be opened by Bracknell And there will be vehicles from them mayor, Cllr Pauline McKenzie, that go towards making the taking on responsibilities. We’ve she said. “We’ve divided Forest been overwhelmed with into 20 groups, each groupin hasone a of the final duties of her across the ages with a modern fire clothes.

The Big Mask Task was set u to challenge others to make 10 masks each coordinator, a group leader, at Ms Hancock was prompted to people’s willingness to help.” engine from Crowthone’s fire station municipal year.Picture: Tina Hancock week.

A total of 90 sets of scrubs least one scrub maker and the create the hub when she learnt There will be a host of on duty, as well as a display of bags. added.ranging “We’dfrom likeSecond to get The campaign has had about the original Scrub Hub UK have been distributed or are in rest are making masks andentertainment vintage army trucks and motorbikes.

“We’ve got drivers and a War-themed companiesentertainment involved. It costs from local businesses, and saw their request on production and demand is high World to us Tosupport make event happen, the logistics coordinator minimising to stalls. make a set of scrubs, £20 with ThetheBlue Moose Graphic Facebook for more for bags and masks too. food and£20 drink churches havein teamed up with Ms Hancock said: “I’ve just time on the road and we’re saves a life.”

Company Charvil printing seamstresses.

Plans at the moment include a Crowthorne Council and theand emergency help has 28 scrubParish patterns and both Together with friend spoken to the Royal Berkshire implementing social distancing. sing-a-long And session brass bands, “Our orders have comewho from willbeen well received by key Woodley’s Thorngate Madeleine Steele, a talented Hospital today and they want 40 Crowthorne Royal British Legion. perform a selection of workers.

Upholstery are and the Berkshire seamstress and her husband scrub bags from us. That's two individuals working in hospitals Organisers hoping that period music such as White Cliffs of the and We’ll “We’veMeet hadAgain. lots of emails, Upholstery Services cutting Duncan Steele, she began per person so 20 people we’re and care homes including Dover Union villagers will save the date and also Royal Berkshire hospital, the people saying how fantastic it is materials. seeking volunteers on Facebook, supplying for. flags will be provided for people to offer to help set up and tear down “On the mask front, we set up John Radcliffe Hospital, and thanking us for our help,” To donate, visit to help produce and deliver the wave during these proms. the site take w won w the . g oday, f u nor dm e . cresidents om/f/ protective clothing to NHS staff, The Big Mask Task, we Wexham Park hospital and the said Ms Hancock.

Churches Together in Crowthorne of Stscrubhubsouthoxonandberks Brendan’s and Pinehurst Care challenged people to make 10 Duchess of Kent Hospice.”

“We had a doctor who’d gone . carers and key workers. will lead a service of celebration, to The hub is entirely funded by from a GP practice to working on more information visit: The three friends have been masks each a week, a lot of Homes For to the event. help mark the 75th anniversary of a GoFundMe page, which has a a Covid-19 ward, he was so Forwww.facebook.com/groups/ working together to coordinate them have made 20.” more details, or to help, email Victory in Europe, and there will be The original Scrub Hub UK target of £7,500 grateful to us. People are really 1104686136572859/ or search the Scrub Hub South Oxon and churchestogetherincrowthorne@gmail an act of remembrance to honour all was founded in Hackney Wick, “We’ve raised over £5,000 appreciative of what Scrub-Hub South Oxon and Berks network as it progresses. those who took part and died in the .comBerks on Facebook.

Ms Hancock said: “We’ve had when doctor Katie Ward shared from individual donations,” she we’re doing.”

Their problems include

By ANGELA GARWOOD increased competition, rising news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Set in the week before the grown incredibly

Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

SOCIETY | 23

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INTHECOMMUNITY

Lions virtual quiz raises almost £2,000 DURING lockdown, Ian Grange of would be missing their weekly your Facebook diary as a the Wokingham Lions Club has quiz fix as well. reminder. been organising weekly virtual “I decided to organise a If you missed any of the Great #Woky Pub Quizzes, virtual one over Facebook, with weekly quizzes, you can still providing entertainment for 250 the help of my fellow Lions. watch them on the Wokingham teams, and raising money for the “The response has been Lions Facebook page, where you Wokingham Borough Community wonderful. It’s great to hear can also follow and keep up UPDATE We are happy to be involved in the local community effort in respect of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week we Hub. that so many people enjoyed it, with future events. donatedThe over £1000.00 between Community Hub, The Grub Club –Our Community First, The first virtualdivided pub quiz was Wokingham and that we have raised £1,950 The Wokingham Borough Foodon Bank and TheApril Salva�on for thetohomeless and vulnerable.

We will ofCommunity course continue financial Thursday, 2, andArmy the 5th support Wokingham Hubwith is our providing support dona�ng again this week to these causes including this timefood The Wokingham Volunteer oneand willwill takebeplace today.

Community Hub, who are doing parcels, toiletries and Centre. other

News from your community groups, clubs and societies Send your reports to news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Local Rotarians adapting and thriving through Covid-19

WOKINGHAM IN NEED -

Based on the success of these support essentials to are anyone in having the In addi�on we were happy to supply brandsonewmuch toys andtobooks for somethe well-being packs and currently weekly quizzes, Jono Holmes of vulnerable in our community borough who is vulnerable, an ongoing programme to source more.

BBC Berkshire Radio invited Ian through Covid-19.” isolated or elderly, and to Grange to do a nightly short families in need.

STOP quiz PRESS - WEWokingham WOULD LIKE Lions TO LETpresident, YOU KNOW ABOUT: on his show, just after 7pm each Lyn Baily added: “During If you need support, contact WOKINGHAM IN NEED it’s - CREATIVE NIGHTINGALES evening. lockdown, easy to feel Citizen’s Advice (the contact This ran for four days, isolated. It’s part of the Lion’s point for the Wokingham Wokingham in Need has been busy in bringing a lovely band of volunteers together to help The Royal Berkshire Hospital starting on Tuesday, April 28. objective to make a difference in Borough Community Hub) on at this difficult time.

The weekly pub quiz on our community, so we are happy 0300 330 1189 Monday to Friday OverThursdays 75 scrub uniform bags and eyehave masksorganised have beensomething produced and 9am were delivered Monday April at 8pm is over live-175to to 5pm.onOr visit 20 their 2020.streamed This is a fraction of what willwith be the eventual total. people The dedicated sewing continues to work on both items. over Facebook, that brings together in team website at more than 250 teams taking these difficult times.” citizensadvicewokingham.org.u These lovelyand thingsmore have been by, among others, local seamstresses Jane Bonney, Sue Botfield, Sarah Carrivick, part, thanmade 6,000 To participate in the quiz k/coronavirus/ and complete Lynne Hall and Sarah Huxford. people watching the video so tonight, go to the Wokingham the online form. far.has been donated by many neighbours Lions Facebook page fb.com/ hubhave needs your Fabric and friends and the felt and elastic for the The eye masks been donated The quiz is freewho to are enter, but

by Wokingham In Need more than wokinghamlions, happy to finance further requirements organise transport of items to the or search in and donations: please donate any hospital. attendees can choose to make a the Facebook app for extra food, toiletries and other charitable donation at the end. WokinghamLions, and join in essentials — check the We have also joined together with Penny Edgington who has created Blankets With Love who has a great team which Although aimed at Wokingham with theblankets live stream.

Wokingham is producing bed blankets, shawls and wheelchair for the hospital and the homeless. Penny is aBorough wonderful residents, attendees came fromthose inYou can it from your bedCommunity Hub Facebook page woman who is determined to support need andaccess we thank her. Many blankets, wheelchair blankets and as were far afield as Singapore andon Monday phone, 20 tablet computer. Just at www.fb.com/ shawls also delivered to the RBH Aprilor 2020 Scotland. have a pen and paper at the wokinghamcommunityhub for The Royal Hospital were extremely grateful and appreciative of these donations anddrop Wokingham In Need will IanBerkshire said: “I really missed the ready. the latest off points. continue the supply of quiz eye masks future and Penny will continue with her creative Thursday night at the and Twoscrub bags The Wokingham Lions Club Takefora the lookforeseeable at the page now, blankets made with love. At the moment we are lucky to have enough volunteers but should we require any additional Poplars, and I thought others and you can add the event to assistance this would of course be welcomed, and we would in this case put a note up on our Facebook Page.

Wokingham In Need support staff at Royal Berks

Go to our Facebook Page at fb.com/wokinghaminneed where you can make donations and also like our page to get updates on our work. Or go to: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/win-covid19

WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER AND WE WILL BE STRONG WOKINGHAM In Need has been hospital. we require any additional assistance busy in bringing a lovely band of We have alsoemail: joinedwokinghaminneed@gmail.com together this would of course be welcomed, www.wokinghaminneed.com volunteers together to help The with Penny Edgington who has and we would in this case put a note Royal Berkshire Hospital at this created Blankets With Love who up on our Facebook Page. difficult time. has a great team which is producing We are happy to be involved in More than 75 scrub uniform bed blankets, shawls and wheelchair the local community effort in bags and 175 eye masks have been blankets for the hospital and the respect of the Covid-19 pandemic. produced and were delivered on homeless. Penny is a wonderful Last month we donated over Monday, April 20. This is a fraction woman who is determined to £1000.00 divided between of what will be the eventual total. support those in need and we thank Wokingham Community Hub, The The dedicated sewing team her. Many bed blankets, wheelchair Grub Club – Our Community First, continues to work on both items. blankets and shawls were also The Food Bank and The Salvation These lovely things have been delivered to the RBH on Monday 20 Army for the homeless and made by, among others, local April 2020 vulnerable. We will, of course, seamstresses Jane Bonney, Sue The Royal Berkshire Hospital continue with our financial support Botfield, Sarah Carrivick, Lynne Hall were extremely grateful and and will be donating again to these and Sarah Huxford. appreciative of these donations and causes including this time The Fabric has been donated by Wokingham In Need will continue Wokingham Volunteer Centre. many neighbours and friends and the supply of eye masks and scrub In addition we were happy to the felt and elastic for the eye masks bags for the foreseeable future and supply brand new toys and books have been donated by Wokingham Penny will continue with her for some well-being packs and are In Need who are more than happy creative blankets made with love. currently having an ongoing to finance further requirements and At the moment we are lucky to programme to source more.

SUE JACKSON organise transport of items to the have enough volunteers but should

The Rotary Club of Easthampstead has welcomed Naheed Ejaz, human rights lawyer to their group "LIVING with Covid-19 is a challenge we're all facing ... it has simply changed the way we live!" commented Easthampstead Rotarian, Peter von Bergen. "We're adapting to our brave new world.

We have held our first planning meeting via Zoom, during which our organising group agreed donations to several local charities, discussed future events, and welcomed our latest new member."

Naheed Ejaz, a well-known

Berkshire human rights campaigner, has 20 years' experience managing her own business, and is a very active supporter of human rights locally and globally.

"And with her wealth of experience running seminars and charity events," added fellow Rotarian, Suzie McRory (a previous and first ever - female president of the club), "she is a very welcome new member!"

Among other recent news from Easthampstead Rotary Club are the payments of £1,840 to each of our local Foodbanks in Wokingham and Bracknell, and £1,500 to HomeStart, a local charity supporting ordinary parents with their needs in these extraordinary times - see homestartbracknellforest.org.uk/ And £650 was also donated to the local Samaritans serving Wokingham, Bracknell and Ascot.

For details see www.samaritans.org/how-we-canhelp/support-and-information/ifyoure-having-difficult-time/ifyoure-worried-about-your-mentalhealth-during-coronavirus-

outbreak/ And a further £1,000 generated from last November's Wokingham Fireworks have been donated to Coram Life Education Wessex and Thames Valley. For info see www.lifeeducationwessex.org.uk/ With local, national and international news dominated by Covid-19, take a moment to reflect on one of Rotary Worldwide success stories, its role in the global End Polio Now campaign. Check out the website: www.endpolio.org/ rotary-s-statement-on-covid-19and-its-impact-on-polioeradication-efforts Among the many annual fundraising events supported by Easthampstead Rotarians which have been affected by Covid-19 is the Three Counties Cycle Ride.

Planned for Sunday, June 7, this year's 3CCR has had to be cancelled, but take a look at the website: 3ccr.org/ have fun, and join in the Covid-19 Community Challenge to benefit your community.

Rotary Club of Easthampstead

24 | LEISURE

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LEISURE | 25

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Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Curry house collections make an impressive Indian family feast Sultan Balti Palace 7 Market Place Wokingham RG40 1AL 0118 977 4397 sultanpalace.co.uk

F

AMILY businesses are ones that we cherish – and one is the Sultan Balti Palace, which is in the heart of Market Place.

It is now in its 17th year, but it runs from a two-storey Tudor building that is so historic it is listed.

In normal times, it seats 20 downstairs and 55 upstairs, and its menu includes lighter meals and snacks for lunches, and a fuller menu that specialises in balti cuisine in the evenings.

For those who have cravings for their favourite food, fear not – the Sultan is still open for collection and deliveries, seven days a week.

It is open from 5pm to 9pm on Sundays to Thursdays, and 5pm to 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

The menu is pretty impressive and it’s easy to order from online: we made our requests at 5.30pm and it was delivered to our doorstep an hour later. The whole process was contactless.

An Indian meal should start with pappadums (60p each), which was served with a pickle tray (£1.75). This is always a firm favourite in my house.

For our starters we shared a King Prawn Butterfly (£6.95), Fish Pakora (£4.95), Vegetable Samosa (£2.95) and Chicken Tikka (£4.10).

We enjoyed these immensely, especially the fish pakora.

Before launching into our main courses, we had a break – just as if we were in the Wokingham restaurant – giving my husband a chance to savour his Cobra beer (660ml, £4.25).

My husband chose the Bhatti ka Murgh (£7.95), a supreme of chicken cooked

The Chicken Tikka with sides of Bhindi Bhakti and Chana Masala (above). The Chicken Tikka Bhuna (top right) and Bhatti ka Murgh (bottom right). Pictures: Claire Worsfold lightly with spices, tomatoes and chillis.

This was flavoursome and not too spicy and this dish certainly didn’t scrimp on the chicken.

My younger son went for his favourite Butter Chicken (£7.95), pieces of tandoori boneless chicken, mildly spiced cooked in a butter based sauce.

From his silence and the quickness in which this dish was devoured, we can assume that it was very much enjoyed.

Chicken Tikka (£6.95) was the choice of my daughter: Tender pieces of

Arts centre launches poetry workshops for all ages

N

ORDEN FARM has launched an online project hosted by professional poet Simon Mole to help people stay active and creative during lockdown.

The ‘It’s All Write Together’ project ran its first session last Thursday, with the next sessions of the three-part workshop scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 7 and Thursday, May 14 at 11am.

Online contributors will be given the chance to add their input to a community poem which will be written by Simon who will also discuss his experiences during this time of lockdown and will invite participants to share their own experiences.

Each workshop will centre around a chosen theme with the first being held on ‘keeping on touch’, while the following two will cover ‘journeys’ and the third will be about the future.

Jane Corry, Norden Farm’s chief executive and artistic director said: “Covid-19 is the ultimate dichotomy of a collective experience that we experience in isolation.

“It’s just so weird. We knew immediately that we had to produce a

project that enabled us to come together, virtually and share what we're all going through because we are always stronger together.

“Bringing people together to take part in the arts and have that shared creative experience is what we do. Just because our doors are closed doesn’t mean that this should stop. Poetry has always been the medium for expressing the unfathomable, and so feels just right for now.”

The workshops are designed to be suitable for people of all ages and abilities, are free to join and will take place for 40 minutes each.

Tickets for the live workshops are available on 01628 788997 or online at: norden.farm/events/all-write-togetheronline-workshops.

boneless chicken cooked with mild spices – perfect for her pallette and she enjoyed this very much.

My choice was the Chicken Tikka Bhuna (£7.95), grilled chicken pieces cooked in a medium spicy sauce. This was delicious, and every mouthful was savoured.

For side dishes, we chose Bhindi Bhakti (£6.25), a fusion of okra, green peppers, onions and tomatoes.

Alongside this we had Chana Masala (£3.95), chickpeas in chana and chat

masala, a speciality of the Punjab.

This was really tasty, my 12-year-old son said how much he liked it.

The meals were accompanied by enormous Naan Breads (£2.25), chapati (£1.50) and rice (£2.95).

Our takeaway from the Sultan certainly surpassed my expectations.

When lockdown is over, we’re looking forward to visiting the Tudor building to make our own family history here.

CLAIRE WORSFOLD

Shakespeare from the sofa

B

RINGING Shakespeare’s works to your living room, the National Theatre will be broadcasting Antony and Cleopatra tonight.

As part of the National Theatre’s new initiative to screen much-loved live productions on YouTube over the next two months, viewers can tune in for free from their sofa.

Academy Award nominees Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo play the lead roles in the tragic tale of General Mark Antony and the Eqyptian Queen.

After Caesar and his assassins were killed, General Mark Antony rules alongside his fellow defenders of Rome.

But at the fringes of a war-torn empire Cleopatra and Mark Antony have fallen fiercely in love.

In a tragic fight between devotion and duty, obsession becomes a catalyst for war.

The Evening Standard said: “Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo have simmering chemistry” on stage, and Time Out have described Sophie Okonedo as a magnificent Cleopatra.”

The performance will be shown on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel tonight (Thursday) at 7pm. It will also be available on demand for seven days after.

Alongside the streamed productions, National Theatre at Home will also feature a quiz, to be played from home featuring familiar faces from the world of stage and screen as the quizmasters.

On the final Monday of each month viewers will be able to join the virtual quiz via the NT YouTube channel at 7pm.

26 | SCHOOLS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY / THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, May 7, 2020

At school? This is the page you can write! We welcome your articles, poems, pictures and stories for this page. Send your articles to news@ wokinghampaper.co.uk

News from schools | Stories from pupils

HARRY’S Fairy tale writing competition for creative youngsters WORLD Harry Bradley Let’s all take a deep breath

I

’M sitting here writing this from my bedroom window overlooking the Reading Road.

I’m used to the ongoing buzz of traffic day and night; it’s become a comfortable sound, a sort of white noise that I don’t notice anymore. So the quietness of the road is somewhat jarring. The silence seems more noticeable than the constant hum of traffic. It’s too quiet! Now, it’s the runners and the cyclists who are replacing the continuous barrage of cars that used to dominate the roads Before Covid. The usually busy road that I live on is taking some time out. It’s taking a breath.

Whilst there are a lot of negatives that Covid-19 has unleashed upon the world, the impact on the environment is not one. Just as we’re all taking a breather, so too is the planet and that’s got to be a good thing, right?

You can almost hear how happy the environment is right now and you can certainly see it. The skies are clearer, the colours brighter and I think I speak for all of us when I say how grateful we are for the good weather recently.

Sitting in the garden under the cloudless sky, with very little air traffic, has made lockdown a little bit more bearable. The occasional downpour has got in the way of my (very poor attempt at) tanning but I know the plants have enjoyed it.

The photos of deer and foxes in cities, sheep taking over Turkish towns and the White Tailed Eagle being spotted in the UK for the first time in 200 years just show how the earth is finally being allowed to take a deep, well-needed breath of fresh air.

But the real test will be when things ‘go back to normal’. Surely it’s time for us to find a new normal and not return to the congestion and busyness of life BC? Earth Day, on its recent 50th anniversary, serves as a reminder that, just as the world has shown focus and commitment to solving a global pandemic, we need to come together to solve the other prominent challenge: climate change.

If Covid-19 has shown us one thing, it’s that despite social distancing, we seem more together as communities than ever. From kids drawing rainbows or neighbours coming together to clap for carers and shop for each other, the level of support and feeling of community is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. We’re sharing an experience, a moment that’s bringing us together. As humans we share one planet and we need to come together on this too.

Yes, our societies will soon get back to normal. But when it comes to the environment, it’s important that we don’t go back to how life was before. We’re not that naïve to assume that all the damage has been undone during a couple of month on go-slow. It has taken a global pandemic and international isolation to improve the state of our world.

We can’t let that slide away. Let this be a wake up call to us all to implement more eco-friendly habits into our daily life. Just as much as we’ll be breathing a sigh of relief as lockdown is slowly eased up, we need to let the planet continue to take breath too.

A

WRITING challenge has been created by Igniting Writing, Wokingham Library's teen creative writing club.

The competition is open to anyone aged 11-18 that enjoys writing stories or could benefit from creative writing sessions as part of their home schooling.

To enter the Igniting Writing fairy tale contest follow the rules below: � All entries must centre around creating your own fairy tale. You can interpret the fairy tale theme however you like and draw influence from other genres and existing fairy tales, but the piece you write must be an original fairy tale of your own creation. � All entries must be 2,000 words or less.

This includes the title and any subtitles you decide to use. � Entries can be short stories, an extract from a longer story, a poem, a screenplay or whatever style of writing takes your

fancy. Just bear in mind that the limit is one entry per person. � All entries must be rated PG. This means no swearing, nudity, overly graphic gore and that sort of thing. � All entries must be your own original work - in other words, no ripping off another writer. � All entries must be submitted before the contest end date on Sunday, May 24 at 11pm. � To submit your entry, post it to www.facebook.com/groups/ ignitingwriting or www.twitter.com/ ignitingwriting The club has been running since 2014, with more than 100 members attending our regular creative writing sessions at Wokingham Library.

The group has also been invited to lead creative writing taster session events at many schools across Berkshire, including The Holt School.

The cuckoo bird

By CC Foundry College The four walls I am enclosed in have ripped wall paper and scuffed paint which was once a soft baby blue, The cuckoo clock on the shelf strikes the hour two.

The neglected walls gradually turn see through.

I see happy people; I recognise the faces but cannot make out who.

I reach out to have a clearer view, I scream for them to help me to the other side.

They begin to walk away and my heart breaks a little inside.

The cuckoo bird returns inside the clock; a tear falls from its eyes

BENNY’S CONFLICT

By James Lomax Part 16 of 26 Is this the short and brutal end of Benny? It looks like he may be executed by the pirate chief, and if somebody has to save him it had better be in the next few seconds…

J

UST before the end came, Benny looked through his life inside his head. His first thought was how scared he was of dying, and how he hoped nobody should ever feel like this.

Then he remembered he had done the same to so many others over his career. From alien rioters to weak slaves, Carlos’ gorgon, and, most recently, Izen. He realised how much death he had caused, and knew that in no way any of it could be justified, not even Izen. And in the end, Benny was sorry, and guilty.

He could still hear it, the screams and the fighting throughout his life, and a bellow of rage behind him.

Hold on. Benny had been thinking for a few minutes now, and nothing had happened. He opened his eyes and saw chaos.

The theatre was ruined, covered with blaster marks and the bodies of the pirates, who were either running for their lives or fighting. He saw Carlos and Shana battling, but they couldn’t have done all this. Looking to the left of him, he saw a sight so surreal he thought he was dreaming. There was his crew, Poppy, Andrew, Lucas and Eleanor, surrounded by assorted aliens, and wielding fearsome-looking weapons. He had no idea how they were here, but they were, and he was relieved.

Then he remembered that he was inside a battlefield, and saw the giant Kave with a raised fist, ready to turn him into a little red stain. Benny ducked and rolled, and the fist made contact, cracking the concrete he had been on. He picked up a sharp blade from a dead Gorgon, and pointed it in the direction of the chief with his right arm.

“I don’t want to kill you,” he said, raising the blade so it was level with the chief’s face, “But you didn’t care about killing me, so yeah. It’s fair.”

Then he moved the blade to strike, but the muscly orange arm enclosed around his own, and squeezed.

Benny felt something crack, and the pain was incredible, so he dropped the blade. The Kave lifted him up by the broken arm and dangled him above the hard

and its cuckoo song abruptly stops.

Time goes by and it is now 5 o’clock.

Again, the cuckoo bird appears from its clock.

The walls are clearer than before and sitting on the other side of the wall is my childhood self playing with the cuckoo clock on the shelf.

I try and get my attention but the little girl begins to cry.

The walls turn black in front of my eyes.

‘Cuckoo, cuckoo’ it begins to cry; sad little bird because its broken call will never be heard.

Someone free it from the clock and let the sweet little bird reunite with its flock.

concrete floor.

“Let’s see what happens to the human body when it hits concrete with extreme force,” He growled, before an array of lasers peppered his arm, leaving large burn marks. The chief roared so loudly the chandeliers on the roof fell off and smashed, and dropped Benny, who managed to land on his feet. He looked at the exenforcer with hatred, before crashing through the door to backstage at a surprisingly fast speed.

Benny groaned, and saw his arm bent at a very unhealthy angle. He also saw his crew placing down some large shield-rifles, and Carlos and Shana were handcuffed to a chair, where Eleanor was having a conversation involving shouting and shaking heads.

Andrew ran over to Benny, and noticed his arm. After a minute of examining, he came to the genius conclusion that it was broken.

Poppy walked over, “We came as fast as possible.

Consider yourself rescued.”

Benny closed his eyes. He didn’t want to do this, but he had no choice, “You see, the thing was… I wasn’t captured. I was helping them.”

The look on Poppy’s face made Benny wish he was anywhere else, even a nuclear battlefield filled with acid. To be continued…

Thursday, May 7, 2020 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER / WOKINGHAM.TODAY

IN THE KITCHEN

Gardening for the impatient

I

MPATIENT gardeners who want to see the fruits of their labours sooner rather than later have been advised on seven vegetables with the quickest growing times.

Horticulture experts from GardeningExpress.co.uk have revealed the veggies that germinate and are ready to harvest in no time, with some taking as little as 5-7 days from sowing.

Salad leaves and radishes are two varieties that produce the quickest results, but some carrot types and dwarf green beans are also speedy.

Chris Bonnett from Gardening Express said: “If you dream of harvesting your own home-grown produce but are too impatient to wait for months on end, there are certain crops you could be harvesting in a matters of days.

“These varieties are also easy to grow as they don’t require much ongoing maintenance, so are perfect for beginners too.”

Seven no fuss plants Cress – sowing to harvest: 5-7 days Sprinkle cress seeds over the surface of a pot or sow in the ground in either a block or row, quite close together. If cress becomes too hot and dry, it tends to bolt, so it's a good choice for an area that's a bit shady and, for best results, it needs to be grown in soil that remains moist.

Salad leaves – sowing to harvest: 21 days Grow individual varieties of salad leaves or create your own

LEISURE | 27

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Gavin McArdell www.CurryFrenzy.com

Melt in the mouth lamb curry

L

blend by mixing two or more varieties together before sowing.

For the quickest results, sow the seeds very thinly spaced around 1525cm apart. Cover the seeds over gently and pat the surface of the soil down. Water along the rows then keep the soil moist and weed-free as the seedlings grow.

Radishes – sowing to harvest: 25 days Radishes are one of the fastest vegetables to grow, taking just 3-4 weeks. Seeds can be sown into prepared ground or pots of potting soil. Make sure you sow the seeds very thinly, spacing them about 2.5cm apart.

Spinach – sowing to harvest: 30 days Start spinach off once a month to enjoy right up until the first frosts.

Sow into rows about 30cm apart and set the seeds 2.5cm apart. Then, thin the resulting seedlings to roughly 20cm apart. Plants can quickly bolt in hot weather, which causes the leaves to turn bitter.

Prevent this by sowing in light shade during the heat of summer and by keeping the ground moist.

Carrots – sowing to harvest: 50 days

Regular carrots are not the speediest vegetables but choose a quick-growing finger-sized variety and you can expect sweet, crunchy crops in just six weeks. Sow into pots of potting soil, spreading the seed thinly over the surface, then cover with a thin sieved layer of compost.

Dwarf green beans – sowing to harvest: 60 days Taking just two months from sowing to pod production, dwarf green beans are one of the quickest growing varieties – plus kids love them. In summer the beans can be sown directly into the ground or into pots of potting soil. Poke the seeds into the soil so they are 2540cm apart. Sow a batch once a month until the end of summer.

Peas – sowing to harvest: 60-70 days Growing pea plants is incredibly easy and you can achieve a good yield in a small space. Peas are a cool season crop, enjoying temperatures of 13 – 18°C, so are well suited to the UK climate. Remember to provide supports for your pea plants to cling to, and cover trenches with chicken wire or netting after sowing, as birds love to steal pea seed.

Petsandvets With Michael Morrow

AMB breast is delicious partly due to its high fat content and this dish is very rich due to that.

You could skim the fat off as it melts and floats to the top or use diced lamb shoulder to reduce that but the beautiful texture as the lamb meat melts off the fat it is attached to as you begin to eat it is a sublime organoleptic experience.

Ingredients for 2 � 500g Lamb breast diced � 2-4 Tsp Curry powder � 1 Tsp Garam Masalla � ¼ Tsp Cinnamon powder � ¼ Tsp Allspice powder � ½ Tsp Mild Chilli powder � ½ Tsp Paprika powder � ½ Tsp Ginger powder � ½ Tsp Garlic powder � 1 Tsp Onion powder � ½ Tsp Ground Black Pepper � 4 Whole Star Anise � 2 Pints of Chicken stock made from carcass of a roasted chicken with a couple of diced carrots

and onions. � 1 Large white onion halved and thinly sliced � Vegetable oil � Pinch each of fennel, cumin, and green cardamom seeds � 2 Tsp Sugar

Method If time permits brown the lamb in small batches to form deep brown crust but this is optional.

Preheat the oven to 200°C Mix the garlic, ginger, chilli, onion powder, pepper, paprika, cinnamon, allspice and

Providing personal care for all your pets

curry powder with enough oil to make a thick paste and leave to one side.

Cover the base of a casserole pot with a thin layer of oil and stir fry the sliced onions with the seeds and star anise over a medium heat until translucent.

Discard the star anise and add the spice paste and stir fry until the aromas are released which should be a couple of minutes.

Bring the stock up to a boil.

Add the lamb and

sugar to the pot and cover with the stock.

Stir well and put the lid on then place in the oven.

Cook at 200°C for 2 hours then reduce the heat to 150°C for 1 hour then 100°C for a final hour.

Remove the pot and stir between each temperature change and add a little more stock to cover if drying out.

You can eat immediately or leave for up to 4 days refrigerated then warm through.

Gavin McArdell www.CurryFrenzy.com

Trusted by you to provide personal care for all your pets since 2005

Be alert to the danger that blue green algae poses to dogs Oaklands Park, Wokingham RG41 2FD

A

S summer approaches we need to be aware of a serious danger lurking in the lakes and canals where we often let our dogs drink or swim to cool down.

Blue-green algae is the term used to describe a group of bacteria, called cyanobacteria, which often give the appearance of algae when they clump together in bodies of water.

Blue-green algae may not always be harmful to your dog but you can’t tell simply by looking at it, so we strongly recommend not to let your dog near the water when the algae is in bloom. When the algae blooms, it can look like a blue-green scum has appeared on the surface of the water. It sometimes looks a bit like pea soup. Blooms of the organisms often build up around the edges of ponds and lakes, which may look like foam.

Most of our parks and forests will put up clear warning signs during times of increased risk.

Blooms of blue-green algae can produce harmful toxins which stop a dog’s liver from functioning properly.

There is no antidote to these toxins, but if we know a dog has drunk from affected water we can induce vomiting to try and minimise the risk to the dog.

Sadly, exposure to the toxic strain of blue-green algae is often fatal, and can cause long term health problems in dogs that do survive after drinking or swimming in algae-contaminated water. Some types of blue-green algae can kill a dog in under an hour after exposure.

Dogs who have been swimming in water can also get the algae caught in their fur, and can ingest it while

0118 979 3200

Providing personal of other medical problems, but urgent care should be sought regardless. Please contact your vet immediately care allas early in cases of suspected exposurefor or ingestion intervention increases the chance of survival.

And just an additional reminder, please do not leave your pets

cleaning themselves later on.

As is so often the case prevention is better than cure – avoid water where you can see algae blooms, and heed advice and warning signs especially during this warm period when dogs are likely to drink from any water they find. Carry water and portable bowls to your precious furry friends in your car this summer, not provide clean safe drinking water to your dogs when out even for a few minutes. Keep them cool and keep them and about. Consider wetting your dog prior to a walk,Oaklands safe. Park, Wokingham RG41 2FD and plan walks during the cooler mornings and evenings.

Should you require advice concerning any health After exposure signs that indicate a toxicity can issues for your pet please contact your veterinary include vomiting, diarrhoea, seizures, weakness, practice directly. Michael Morrow owns and runs St collapse and even unconsciousness. These can be signs Vincents Veterinary Surgery, an independent practice

0118 979 3200

Oaklands Park, Wokingham RG41 2FD

0118 979 3200

providing personal care to owners and pets in and around Wokingham since 2005. � Nancy and Michael Morrow own and run St Vincents Veterinary Surgery, an independent practice providing personal care to pets in and around Wokingham. For more information call the practice on 0118 979 3200 or visit www.stvincentsvets.co.uk

Trusted by you to provide personal care for all your pets since 2005 Oaklands Park, Wokingham RG41 2FD

0118 979 3200

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FOOTBALL

READING FC

Ex-Royals striker launches PFA bid

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk

FORMER Reading striker Dave Kitson has announced that he is ready to lead the Professional Footballers’ Association.

The organisation has been criticised for their response to the coronavirus outbreak, leading to Kitson’s plea to take over from current chief executive Gordon Taylor, who is due to end his 39-year spell at the PFA following an independent review.

“Over the last few years, I have increasingly asked myself: what is the Professional Footballers’ Association doing for us, the players, its membership?” wrote the former Royals forward in the Daily Mail.

“Has it done enough? The present crisis has confirmed the union to be an organisation deeply out of touch — strengthening my belief that I can no longer personally sit idly by and do nothing.

“A fresh vision, new leadership and vibrant management are needed if the PFA is to remain relevant and valuable. I am ready

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and willing to deliver all of these.

“Nothing less than an overhaul is needed. The time to begin driving it is here and now. I urge players everywhere to join me and create a union we can all be proud of.”

Kitson was a fans favourite during his five season stay at the Madejski Stadium, playing a pivotal role in helping the club achieve their first ever promotion to the Premier League in their record breaking ‘106’ season in 2005/06.

However, Kitson’s PFA bid has been criticised by several fellow professionals.

Arsenal legend Ian Wright took to Twitter to voice his displeasure at Kitson’s bid to lead the PFA: “Look at this rubbish. Same person now running to lead the PFA!!! How can the PFA claim to take racism seriously when this is a candidate’s views?”

Meanwhile, former Republic of Ireland midfielder Steven Reid also took to Twitter, writing: “Is this the same Dave Kitson that accused the likes of Raheem Sterling of ‘bringing it on themselves’ after he was abused?

“Yeah would love him fighting my corner.”

Hit the target: Kestrels surpass £1000 target

Woodley United Ladies in action earlier this season. Picture: Neil Graham

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk

WOODLEY United Ladies have surpassed their £1000 donation target in their fundraising event for the Royal Berks Charity.

The Southern Region Women’s Premier League side have decided to walk or run the collated distance of their remaining away trips after the league was postponed due to the

Covid-19 outbreak.

Covering a combined distance of 1,013km — or 630 miles — as of Tuesday the team has racked up an impressive total of 717.05km, leaving just 295km to be completed in the following days.

A superb effort from the team has seen them currently cover a significant amount of their total, with more than 118km being completed in a single day on Monday, while Tuesday’s effort saw

the Kestrels add another 93km to the total.

The total number of donations for the Royal Berks Charity on the Woodley United Ladies run or walk away games challenge has now surpassed the £1000 target, with £1035 currently rasied To find out more about the challenge and to donate visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ woodleyunitedladies

FOOTBALL

Sides battle in virtual tournament

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk

FOOTBALL teams from around the county have been battling it out in the online world in the Berkshire Virtual County FA Cup. The spirit of competition has not been lost in lockdown with Football in Berkshire organising the virtual tournament.

Sixty-four teams from Berkshire have been drawn into 16 groups of four and have been competing in virtual games, with the winners decided by a public vote.

The virtual tournament has seen interaction from thousands of football fans across the county, bringing the football community together in uncertain times with the group stages being completed on Tuesday evening with the final round of fixtures before the knockout stages.

In group A, Wokingham & Emmbrook Ladies are in third position after winning their first match against

Cookham Dean with 149 votes to Cookham’s 143, however they were defeated in their second fixture against Caversham United.

Meanwhile, the Sumas men's team in group C recorded a victory with a 212-146 vote win over Hurst in their first fixture, and assured their place in the next round of the competition with a victory over William Twigg.

They are at the summit of their group with their final group game against fellow successful qualifiers Slough Town to come on Tuesday evening.

Woodley United are in pole position group B and have already booked their place in the next round after they defeated Wraysbury Village in their first match, and followed that up with a win over Harchester Hawks.

Woodley United United Ladies followed suit with two consecutive victories, beating FC Imaan Lions before claiming their second victory over Barton Rovers Royals, therefore assuring their place in the next round..

Eversley & California took the points in their first fixture over S4K Ladies, but were beaten in their second fixture with a narrow defeat to Bracknell Rangers.

A win in their final group game against Ascot United would secure qualification to the next round.

Eversley & California Ladies were beaten by Finchampstead FC in Group L, but bounced back with a win over Reading Royals futsal to keep their qualification hopes alive.

Binfield and Berks County also got their virtual campaigns underway with wins up against Thames Valley Railway and Reading YMCA in Group K. Both teams secured their place in the next round with victories, with both sides on six points after two games.

Wargrave Ladies kept themselves in the running for qualification after they beat Iver Heath having lost to Slough Town Ladies in their first fixture in group D. � To get involved you can vote by visiting Football in Berkshire’s Twitter page @fiberkshire.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

AUCTIONS

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (B3349 BARKHAM ROAD, WOKINGHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2020

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (COPPICE ROAD AND CLIVEDALE ROAD, WOODLEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2020

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

B3349 Barkham Road, Wokingham between its junctions with Oxford Road and A321 Wellington Road

1. Coppice Road, Woodley between its junctions with Loddon Bridge Road and Munro Avenue.

1. The alternative route for all cars and light vehicles (Southbound) affected by the restriction shall be via B3349 Barkham Road, Molly Millars Lane, A321 Finchampstead Road and A321 Wellington Road.

2. The alternative route for all cars and light vehicles (Northbound) affected by the restriction shall be via Station Approach, Reading Road, Station Road, A321 Wellington Road, A321 Finchampstead Road, Molly Millars Lane and B3349 Barkham Road.

3. The alternative route for all HGV’s (Southbound) affected by the restriction shall be via B3349 Barkham Road, Bearwood Road, B3030 King Street Lane, A329 Reading Road and Station Road.

4. The alternative route for all HGV’s (Northbound) affected by the restriction shall be via Station Approach, A329 Reading Road, B3030 King Street Lane, Bearwood Road and B3349 Barkham Road.

Works requiring this restriction will take place on 31st May 2020 between 01:00 and 06:00 The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Network Rail contractors to undertake lifting and inspection work in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 31st May 2020 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Dated this 7th May 2020 Mark Cupit, Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Drovers Way, Crockhamwell Road and Loddon Bridge Road or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 27th May and 8th July 2020.

2. Clivedale Road, Woodley between its junctions with Coppice Road and Keats Road.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Keats Road, Knowle Road, Drovers Way and Coppice Road or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 27th May and 22nd July 2020 The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Southern Gas Network contractors to undertake gas mains replacement work in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 27th May 2020 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Dated this 7th May 2020

Mark Cupit, Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING APPLICATION The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 AND/OR Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 The following application(s) have been submitted and are advertised for the reasons below: Application

Address

Reasons for Advert Description

200548

Land at and to the rear of Willow Tree House, Brookers Hill, Shinfield

Major Application

Full application for the proposed erection of 32 dwellings, 1No community hall, with vehicular access off Brookers Hill and pedestrian and cycle access from Hollow Lane together with open space and landscaping.

200961

Spring Cottage, Crazies (Affect setting of) Hill, Crazies Hill Listed Building

Application for Listed Building consent for the proposed erection of a single storey side extension with 1 no. roof light.

200985

Cantley Park Recreation Major Application Ground

Full application for the proposed construction of a new 3G Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) with floodlights; refurbishment of existing pavilion to provide new changing facilities, viewing balcony and ancillary café; improvements to existing grass pitches and associated works; provision of an additional 39 no. parking spaces in existing car park.

201032

96 High Street, Wargrave

Application for Listed Building consent for the proposed removal of existing painted cementitious pebbledash render from the front and side of the property and replacement with lime render plus replacement of damaged mock-timber panels.

(Affect setting of) Listed Building

The application is available to view online at wokingham.gov.uk � Planning � Search planning applications and typing in the application number above. All libraries in the Borough have internet access in order to view this page.

Comments on the application can be made online from this web page.

Any comments must arrive on or before 29th May 2020. Any comments made are not confidential and can be seen by anyone as they form part of the public record. The comments, unless offensive, discriminatory and/or racist, will appear on the Council’s website within 24 hours and include the submitted name and address. Due to the high volume of comments received we do not provide individual responses.

Date: 7th May 2020

Antiques valuations Saturdays: 10am-1pm at Wokingham Town Hall, Market Place RG40 1AP Tuesdays: 10am-1pm at Holme Grange Craft Village, Heathlands Road, Wokingham RG40 3AW Thursdays: 10am-1pm at White Lion Antiques, Hartford Bridge, Hartley Wintney RG27 8AE No appointment necessary: our team of Valuers and Specialists are on hand to offer free verbal valuations and offer advice for sale. We cover silver, jewellery, gold sovereigns, furniture, clocks, ceramics & glass, paintings, Oriental items, and vertu.

Call Pascal McNamara on 07446 802450

wokinghamauctions.com

SERVICES

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PROPERTY | 31

ICE HOCKEY

Walk this way: Woodley United Ladies hit goal in charity fundraiser

Picture: Philip Benton

Bees bolster defence with Stead signing

FOOTBALL FACES FINANCIAL CRISIS

EXCLUSIVE

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk READING FC chief executive Nigel Howe has said that he hopes that the club's owner Dai Youngge will continue to invest in the club.

Since taking ownership of the Berkshire club in May 2017 the Royals have had little success on the pitch, narrowly escaping relegation in the previous two seasons.

They currently sit in 14th in the Championship table with the season suspended.

The coronavirus pandemic is likely to have a significant impact on millions of businesses, including football clubs with the Royals taking action by placing both their under 23’s squad and women’s team on furlough.

Speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire, the Reading Chief Executive said: “I have had no indication from the owner that he is finding the way the club’s finances look at the moment a difficulty.

“Cleary he is like every other owner at the moment, however wealthy they may be, who wonders what’s going to happen over the next period of time.”

With the league currently suspended, there is much uncertainty and Howe admitted that he is as unsure as anybody else as

to when football may return.

“Every week we have the EFL meetings and the same questions are asked and we are as close to government as you can get and they simply don’t know,” continued Howe.

“All I can do is hope, as all Reading fans and employees, that Mr Dai continues to support the club as he has done since he started to invest.

“So far I can’t make any comment other than when finances have been required, they have been there.

“But you can never say forever that somebody will want to provide the liquidity that Mr Dai is providing at the moment.

“All credit to him for doing what he has done, but ultimately how much does anybody want to continue to invest if they’re not getting the results they want.”

Howe also commented on the realisation of Reading’s significant wage bill in the second tier of English football, however he is confident of the owner’s ambition to push the Royals forward in the future despite the challenges that await the club in an uncertain future.

Reading manager Mark Bowen and Chief Executive Nigel Howe and several other senior members of staff have deferred a signicant percentage of their wages

“A lot of players have been brought in on what I would call Premier League wages,” admitted Howe.

“Some of these decisions have been made directly by Mr Dai and people that he consults within the football world.

“Some of them are not made entirely with my involvement.

“His ambitions are to take Reading to the highest level and he believes passionately the way to do it is to have this level of player.

“There are a lot of difficult points to be met going forward in the summer and we have to cope with some difficult financial objectives that we will need to make sure we keep our profit and sustainability

signs on the straight and narrow.

“The unknowns are growing, they’re not being answered and that is causing some considerable thought on what will happen when we come out of this current pandemic crisis.

“I think it’s probably a lot worse than any person on the outside world would consider it’s going to be, even for clubs in the lower end of the leagues, financially it’s a disaster.

“There are a few challenges to deal with, some of the financial stresses we’ve put ourselves into at the moment.

“But if we can get through that, I don’t see any reason why we can’t continue to drive Reading forward.”

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BRACKNELL BEES have added to their ranks with the signing of Harvey Stead for the 2020/21 campaign in an attempt to strengthen their defensive core.

The 24-year-old learned his hockey in Bracknell and has played all but one season in his career for his local club, making his first appearance for the Hornets in 2012/13.

His impressive performances for the Bees in the 2014/15 season saw him earn a call up to play for Great Britain Under 20’s, while he plied his trade for a season away from his hometown where he represented Swindon Wildcats for a season in 2015/16.

“Harvey has the ability to be the most complete ‘Dman’ in the league,” said Bracknell Bees head coach Doug Sheppard.

“He skates well and has a high skill level but what separates him from most is his physical presence.

He’s heading into the prime of his career and I’m anticipating a big season from him.”

After returning to the Bees, Harvey said: “I’m really happy to be back with the Bees again next year. The atmosphere around the club is night and day from when I first joined and I’m more excited than ever to get the new season underway.

“Thank you to everyone who voted for me towards the end of season awards and I hope everyone is staying safe at this current time and we’ll be able to resume the new season later this year.”

The 2019/20 NIHL season was suspended for the 2019/20 season, with the Bees ending the campaign as the in-form side in the division.

With no points being awarded for the rest of the season for unplayed fixtures,the Bees finished the abruptly ended season in ninth position in the NIHL table.

Published by The Wokingham Paper Ltd, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS. Printed at Reach Watford © The Wokingham Paper Ltd, 2020