A day to remember enjoy premier league

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today

BOROUGH refugees living in hotel accommodation have been given an opportunity to watch premier football matches thanks to a Wokingham charity, a computer company, and Premier League.

Working with refugee crisis group Care4Calais, and Oracle computers, Wokingham charity The Cowshed, was able to send eight refugees passionate about football to see two premier matches.

The charity was given eight tickets for the 2023 Premier League match fixtures to pass on to asylum seekers currently residing in hotels.

BINFIELD business man

David Horton is a man in a million.

He first gave blood as a student aged 19 and this year the 75-year-old received a certificate thanking him for his 300th donation.

According to the NHS Blood and Transplant Service, that puts David into a very rare category of lifelong donors known as blood millionaires.

Despite this amazing achievement, he plans to continue as long as the NHS allows him even though he has reached the official cut off age for donors.

“I feel wonderful to have achieved this milestone and greatly honoured to receive such recognition from the Blood and Transplant Service,” explained David.

“I was told just over 200 people in the UK have reached the 250 mark so to go even further is something special. I would like to continue but it is up to the NHS if they allow it.”

David says he “just fell into giving blood” in 1966 while a PE student at university.

After a few years break, he started organising charity events with the late actor and disability campaigner, Brian Rix, and began making more regular donations. These included blood, platelets and plasma up to six times a year.

“When people ask what motivates me, I reply it’s the free tea and biscuits,” he jokes.

“I just believe it is something important that needs to be done and which almost anyone can do. Around 25% of the UK population will require a blood transfusion in their lifetime but only 4% of eligible adults will give blood. The NHS says 750,000 people donate annually but it needs 100,000 new people to do so each year.

“Giving blood doesn’t take long and is easily done. I have been told that I have helped so many people of all ages over the years, people I will never know but it feels good to realise they have benefited from what is really a very simple thing to do.”

During the covid pandemic, David was asked to donate as often as twice a month at the JRH Oxford Hospital. He earned his 250th donation credit in 2018, but had to wait until July last year to receive an NHS medal.

In February this year, he made his 300th blood donation in Reading.

Taste the rainbow ... Pride cocktail goes on sale

A NEW cocktail has gone on sale at a Winnersh restaurant, aimed at celebrating Pride month.

Bar + Block, at the Showcase Roundabout, is offering the limited edition drink during June.

Costing £8.80, it comprises Absolut Vodka, peach schnapps, blue curaçao, grenadine and orange juice.

They are carefully layered to resemble the Pride flag and the drink is topped with raspberries.

Bar + Block offers two cocktails for the price of one between 5pm and 7pm daily.

Profits from sales of the drink will be donated to akt (Albert Kennedy Trust), a charity supporting young LGBTQ+ people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness since 1989. It is available until Friday, June 30.

The ticket holders were able to enjoy matches between West Ham and Crystal Palace, and between Bournemouth and Chelsea.

Fundraising manager from The Cowshed, Rebecca Mole, said: “When our supporters, Oracle, told us they had been provided with Premier League tickets, we were delighted to be able to distribute them to our refugees.

“Often the families are stuck in hotel accommodation with no access to public funds.

“Last year members of Reading Football Club came to play the game with our refugee families.

“We saw how much the boys loved playing football, and we knew that these tickets would be well received.”

The charity says that football is a powerful way to bring communities together, and to relieve stress.

Many of the refugees they support are passionate football players themselves.

One of the ticket recipients, Lalhmunsanga, said: “I don’t know how to express my gratitude for the sponsorship of tickets.

“The moment I got mine, I was filled with joy and anticipation.

“I never thought I would be able

A GROUP of creative sewers plans to relax and sew together in one of the town’s parks.

Everyone is welcome to join Wokingham Embroiderer’s Group at their annual outdoor stitching session in July. Members will bring along projects that they are completing, or have finished, and will talk about their work.

The organisers promise cake, but ask all visitors to provide their own drink, and a chair.

Maggs Carver, from the group said: “We first started meeting outdoors during the pandemic. Rather than sit alone at home, we took our stitching to the park, and sat in a socially distanced circle.

“We had to shout at each other to have conversations, but it was lots of fun, and we have decided to do it again this summer.

“Obviously we don’t have to be distanced any more, and can sit to see professional football players in real life, but I had a chance to see not only my favourite football players but also their great movements on the pitch.

“It was a day I will never forget.

“The fans were buzzing around and the atmosphere was electric.

“It means the world to me and I will always be grateful.”

Another ticket holder, Rahim, said: “Thanks to your kindness, I was able to witness an unforgettable game and enjoy a fantastic day out.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better time.

“The energy in the stadium was wherever we like, to sew and chat together.”

The sewers meet regularly for stitching sessions in the town, and welcome people of all sewing levels, from complete beginners to very experienced textile artists. Visitors are welcome drop in to their monthly meetings as well as to workshops and open sessions. Activities other than stitching, include: challenges, group projects, and exhibitions of work.

Members enjoy a range of sewing interests, including: hand stitching, machine stitching, mixed media, and patchwork.

Others take part in quilting, lace, knitting, weaving, felt and beading.

“We’re a friendly group,” said Ms Carver. “Our members range from stitchers in their 50s to those in their 80s. We all help each other when we get stuck, and inspire each other to create new work.”