Wokingham Today, March 23, 2023

Independents quit council’s ruling Partnership

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

TWO independent councillors have quit the ruling Wokingham Borough Partnership citing difficulties with their relationship with the Liberal Democrats.

In a letter sent to the council’s chief executive, Susan Parsonage, on Tuesday, March 21, Cllr Jim Frewin and Cllr Gary Cowan said they made the decision to withdraw “with deep regret, disappointment and after much consideration”.

The letter starts with a reminder that the independents had two red lines ahead of entering the partnership: the local plan and independent voting.

Both issues have caused the independents grief.

“The partnership has failed to relieve the fundamental inequality of its predecessor’s proposals for housing development,” the councillors wrote. “It has refused to debate a residents’ petition … it has repeatedly failed to share information with its partners.”

The councillors say they have been challenged over their voting in council meetings.

“The most recent being a complaint that independents voted against the budget, which is not true,” they add.

Other issues they raise include “applying Lib Dem party pressure on an independent to stand down at the next election”. The way this was handled, they say, felt like bullying.

The Lib Dems are also accused of “failing to provide, on time, complete and accurate set of information across a number of decisions”. This, they said, went against the council’s constitution and ignored a complaint raised earlier in the administration’s life.

The pair also took a swipe at the council as an institution, saying it was veiled in secrecy, and needed to do more to be open and transparent.

“It needs to show that despite differences in views and parties, members can work collaboratively in partnership for the public good, not just the benefit of one individual or party,” they wrote.

Despite quitting the partnership, the pair said: “We will continue to support the partnership principles, even when others appear not to.”

n Full story pages 4-5

BILL SHOCK: FROM £700 TO £5,000 A MONTH

v Family notices

EARLS James Wilkinson

James Wilkinson Earls, aged 89 years, passed away peacefully at home on 14th March 2023 surrounded by his beloved wife, sons and grandchildren

Funeral service will be held at St Paul's Church Reading Road Wokingham on 17th April 2023 at 1 30pm

Burial will take place in the Churchyard

Family flowers only please, in lieu donations may be sent to The Alzheimer's Society or to Hilary Earls Training Fund, Reading & District Hospitals, Charity No 1007779

You can leave a tribute and make a donation here: www jamesearls muchloved com

For a live-stream link, please contact Richard on richard earls99@gmail com

WIGGINSPeter

Passedawaypeacefullyon26thFebruary2023, aged87years.

Hewasmuchlovedandwillbesadlymissedbyallhis familyandfriends.

FuneralservicetobeheldatStPaul'sChurch, WokinghamonTuesday28thMarchat12.15pm followedbyacommittalatEasthampsteadPark Crematorium. Familyflowersonlyplease.

DonationsinmemoryofPeterfortheStrokeAssociation canbemadeatwww.abwalker.co.uk

AllenquiriestoA.BWalker,Tel:01189784040.

WWW.ABWALKER.CO.UK

Work begins on Transport Research Laboratory site

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

IT USED to be home for some of the most innovative road schemes in the country, but now it’s giving way to housing.

Work has started on the former Transport Research Laboratory site in Crowthorne, bringing to an end the days of creating miniroundabouts, and cycle lanes, and testing other initiatives.

Instead, it is to be the fourth phase of the Buckler’s Park development, which will see the Vistry Group build 169 homes on the site off Nine Mile Ride.

There will be 85 homes under the Bovis Homes brand, and 84 under the Linden Homes marque. Of these, 17 will be marketed as affordable for local residents either renting or undergoing a shared ownership agreement.

They will be a mixture of oneand two-bedroom apartments, and two-, three-, four- and five-bedroom homes.

And the housebuilders are not

wasting much time – the plans were approved by Bracknell Forest Council in December.

Alix Laflin, marketing manager at Vistry Thames Valley, said that construction work has been progressing well at Buckler’s Park.

“We have liaised with the local authority and the broad range of new properties we are providing

is designed to suit the various requirements of the community,” they continued.

“The mix includes smaller properties for young couples and people taking their first steps into home ownership and larger homes for growing families who need more space or buyers needing one or more home offices.

“The development will be fashioned to blend in with its rural environment and features treelined streets and a neighbourhood glade which will act as natural focal point for friends and neighbours to meet and chat outdoors.”

The wider scheme has outline planning permission for up to 1,000 new homes alongside a country park and community facilities.

The marketing of the site will start later this spring, and will include a sales office.

“This is a large village which has its own high street featuring shops, pubs and restaurants but still retains a distinctly rural identity,” Alix continued.

“We anticipate that Buckler’s Park will appeal to a wide variety of buyers but particularly families. Parents will be attracted by the countryside setting and the selection of good schools in the area.

“We hope that the first homes will see the owners take up residence in the autumn.”

Palm Sunday church service

A SONNING church will hold a Palm Sunday service. People will gather in the The Ark garden before processing to the church for a Parish Eucharist with the traditional Passion reading.

The event is at The Church of St Andrew, Sonning, on Sunday, April 2, at 10.30am.

There will be no family service on the day.

n For more information, visit: www. sonningparish.org.uk

Your wording

are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

AWARDS: Community event highlights brilliant initiatives and groups across village

Twyford comes together to celebrate its great citizens

By JAMES HASTINGS news@wokingham.today

A CHARITY supporting people with dementia and a woman who collected aid for Ukrainian refugees were among those recognised in this year’s Twyford Together Community Awards.

At the first Awards Night since 2019 due to the covid lockdowns, other recipients included a woman who runs football teams for girls and a popular cafe.

There was a mixture of tears of joy and proud smiles during the ceremony which recognises villagers and businesses who have gone the extra mile to make a difference for others in the community.

Rob Yeadon, the chair of Twyford Together said it was “very moving” to see so many people honoured for helping others.

“Twyford is made up of individuals who go out of their way to make a positive difference.

“They work tirelessly and silently as individuals and as businesses, looking out for their neighbour and providing a service year in year out.

“The awards are a way of saying a very big thank you to them and to let them know their efforts and kindnesses really do make Twyford a special place to live in.”

Locals are invited to nominate people in a variety of categories. These are studied by a panel with the winners being announced at a ceremony which this year was held at Buratta’s in The Royal Oak.

Among those lifting a prize were Caroline Macaskill as Sports Person of the Year, for setting up a number of football teams for girls under nine and under 18 while Clara Steuart won Young Achiever of the Year for encouraging others to run their first 5K for charity. Clara raised funds and awareness for Wolfram Syndrome in 2021 by running with her guide.

Debbie Martin was named Neighbour of the Year. She coordinated a three-month campaign last year to raise/collect relief and aid for the people of Ukraine. The busy Mother of two Schoolchildren gave all of her spare time to ensuring large volumes of aid boxes and bags were gathered

Easter chocs a thank you gift

AN OPPORTUNITY to explore a retirement community in Crowthorne is on offer to residents next week.

McCarthy Stone is opening its doors for an early Easter celebration at its Birch Place development on Duke’s Ride.

The event runs from 10am to 3pm daily from Tuesday, March 28, through to Saturday, April 1.

It includes tours of the complex, a chance to see the show apartments, and discover more about the shared facilities on site.

And, being Easter, there is chocolate involved too. Visitors will be given a thank you gift of a box of artisan chocolates

The complex, which has the full title of Birch Place Retirement Living Plus, comprises one- and two-bedroom apartments designed for people aged 70 and over.

There is a communal lounge, an on-site bistro, landscaped gardens and a guest suite among the facilities.

An on-site estate manager is on hold for those who need additional assistance.

at her home and eventually shipped off abroad.

Charity of the Year went to Understanding Dementia. This small charity provides a lifeline for families who are caring for people with dementia as well as educating and informing professionals. It provides online and in-person courses that not only offer information and knowledge but also emotional support which is essential for carers.

Shirley Pearce, Understanding Dementia’s Founder, CEO and Trainer, said: “Lucy and I were so proud to have received the award for Charity of the Year, especially as we were up against another three wonderful local charities. To date, we have supported over 150 family dementia carers, and over 100

Chance to get up close with a tarantula

A SERIES of hands-on animal experiences will give youngsters an opportunity to engage with a variety of creatures during the Easter break.

One World Animals will hold sessions suitable for animal lovers aged four to 99.

Visitors will be able to get up close to a range of unusual guests, including a scops owl, a snake, a tarantula, and a mouse.

They will be able to ask questions about the creatures, and learn some animal facts, including

what a tegu is, and how long a chameleon’s tongue reaches.

To spend time with the animals, families should make their way to St Paul’s Rooms, Wokingham.

The event is on Thursday, April 6.

There are three one-hour sessions: at 10.30am, 12.15pm, and 2pm.

Tickets cost £13, and are available from the group’s Facebook page.

n For more information and for tickets, search Facebook for One World Animals Wokingham

people with dementia – an amazing achievement for such a small charity, and we are delighted to get this recognition.”

The Cozy Nook won Business of the Year and was described as “a wonderfully friendly, independent café with home-made produce. Service is always with a smile.”

Added Rob: “I was delighted to present two Gordon Storey Awards in honour of the great man who did so much for Twyford.

“The first went to The Duke of Wellington which doubled as Gordon’s office, an award he would have loved to be giving out himself.

“The second went to Emma Donald, a person who shuns attention, yet without her neither the Twyford Together Fun Run

Things are going cheep in Woodley

THINGS are going cheep in Woodley

town centre thanks to a special competition.

A number of chicks have been hidden in the windows of stores in the Crockhamwell Road shopping precinct, and people are being tasked with finding them.

The contest launches on Saturday, and runs until April 8.

All correct entries received will be

nor these awards would have been possible.”

The winners

n Young Achiever of the Year: Clara Steuart

n Sports Person of the Year: Caroline Macaskill

n Community Group of the Year: Twyford District Youth & Community Centre

n Neighbour of the Year: Debbie Martin

n Go Green Together Award: Alison Chaney

n Retailer of the Year: Rural Pie Co.

n Charity of the Year: Understanding Dementia

n Gordon Storey Awards: The Duke of Wellington, and Emma Donald

n Business of the Year Award: The Cozy Nook

entered into a prize draw. Top prize is £35, second prize is £25, and the third prize is £20.

Entry forms can be found from www.woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Nicki Beswarick, divisional marketing manager at McCarthy Stone, said: “Easter is a special time of the year and we’re delighted to be able to welcome local retirees to our Easter Open Week to share with them the unique brand of retirement living that McCarthy Stone offers.

“Many people seek to downsize as they reach their retirement years but that should never mean compromising on comfort, quality of life or independence.

“Visitors to the Open Week will be able to see for themselves the luxurious homes available, as well as the enviable on-site facilities which ensure a real community feel.”

n Attendees are required to book an appointment in advance by calling 0800 153 3076.

WINNERS: The Twyford Together awards celebrated some of the community’s great citizens Picture: Asya Barskaya/ ablphotography.co.uk

WELCOME: McCarthy Stone’s Birch Place development in Crowthorne

Partnership continues until local elections

By Phil Creighton news@wokingham.today

SPECULATION that Wokingham Borough Council will revert to the control of the Conservatives ahead of the local elections appears to be misfounded.

On Tuesday, the two independent councillors withdraw their support for the Wokingham Borough Partnership over concerns with the direction of the draft local plan and allegations of bullying.

However, with just one full council meeting before the local

elections, there is little chance that the Lib Dems will be ousted from the corridors of power.

Cllr Jim Frewin, independent member for Shinfield South, told Wokingham Today: “I’ve always maintained my independence, and I’m not crossing the floor.”

This means that while he isn’t supporting the Lib Dem ruling executive, neither is he supporting an alternative administration either.

The three Labour councillors remain in the partnership which, added with the Lib Dem councillors, gives 26 councillors. There are 26 Conservatives, and

‘I’m sad to leave the but I don’t like bullies,’

the mayor has the casting vote.

And, under Wokingham Borough’s constitution, it is not possible to hold a vote of no confidence in the council leader at such short notice: at least 10 days is needed.

A spokesperson for the council said: “We have received notification that the Independent Group has withdrawn from the Wokingham Borough Partnership.

“The Partnership remains in place and there is no impact on the current functioning of the authority.”

Residents will come first promises Labour group leader

WOKINGHAM rRESIDENTS

will come first, promises the leader of the Labour group on Wokingham borough council.

Cllr Rachel Burgess said her councillors have had a ‘positive working relationship’ with the Lib Dems during this first year of the Wokingham Borough Council, and questioned the reasoning behind the independent councillors for leaving the partnership.

“It is, of course, disappointing that the two Independent councillors have withdrawn,” she said.

“Of the two key reasons cited by the Independents the first, the local plan, did not form any part of the partnership agreement we all signed.

“The second, on independent voting, is explicitly mentioned in the partnership agreement which states that there is nothing to stop partner councillors voting according to their conscience.

have voted differently to other members of the partnership at times during the year and have always felt able to do this without pressure or undue tension.”

Cllr Burgess, who represents Norreys ward, said the partnership had been able to look at ways the parties could work together for the benefit of Wokingham.

“During the past year we have had a positive working

“In the Labour Group we committee and regard him as a friend. But as independents they have a perfect right to act in whatever way they wish.”

THE DEPUTY leader of the Wokingham Borough Partnership, Cllr Stephen Conway, says he is sad to see the independents leave the grouping.

Cllr Conway said the Lib Dems had valued their contribution to the arrangement, but respected their desire to go in their own direction.

“We very much regret that Gary and Jim have decided to leave the Wokingham Borough Partnership,” he said. “We have valued their contribution enormously.

“I am personally saddened as I’ve worked with Gary over many years on the planning

Cllr Conway said the partnership had been exactly that as the Lib Dem, Labour and Independent groupings had come together for briefings, but with the local elections near, the time had also come to look ahead to campaigning for their own respective parties, and seeing what the electorate felt.

“The partnership agreement was necessary because last May’s local elections gave no one party a majority of councillors,” he said.

“It was never a coalition but an arrangement to enable the

By Phil Creighton news@wokingham.today

THE DECISION to leave the Wokingham Borough Partnership was a sad one for Cllr Jim Frewin.

The independent councillor for Shinfield South said it had taken a number of weeks to make the move, which was confirmed in writing on Tuesday, March 21.

He and Cllr Gary Cowan wrote to Wokingham Borough Council’s chief executive, Susan Parsonage, to express their concerns over the way in which the team-up with the Lib Dems and Labour had gone.

Since last May, the Lib Dems have formed a ruling executive with their 23 councillors.

Votes have been supported by the three Labour candidates and the two independents, with the minority partners helping chair a number of council committees and scrutiny groups.

But just days away from the end of the partnership in its current form, as the pre-election period is about to start, Cllrs Frewin and Cowan felt they had to take action.

relationship with the ruling group and have found them to be open, transparent and consultative,” she continued.

“We will, from time-to-time, oppose their decisions but we will continue to concentrate on the policies on which we can agree. In future, we will look to work with councillors of all parties, including the independents, to find consensus in the interests of residents.”

“In the last few weeks, some of the behaviour towards us has not been very good, and not in line with partnership working,” Cllr Frewin said.

“I worked very hard to change behaviours in local politics and, to certain degree, it’s been successful.

“I was very sad to make this decision.”

Among the final straws for

Cllr Frewin was, he claims, being bullied by Lib Dems over whether to stand for a second term in the forthcoming local elections.

“I was approached by a party activist who said to me it would be better for me personally if I didn’t stand,” he said. “That has been said on two separate occasions.

“I don’t believe in bullying in local politics and certainly not in partnership working.” He called on the political groups to change the way they approached the workings of the council.

“Unless we change behaviours in Wokingham, with a truly collaborative council, we will only have party first, and

‘Lib Dems have questions

By Phil Creighton news@wokingham.today

council to function.

“The parties involved in the partnership were obliged only to support the election of the leader of council and the council’s budget and give each other support whenever possible.

“We involved the leaders of the Labour and Independent groups in all our executive briefings, so they were fully appraised of all the major decisions that we would be obliged to make.

“As we are now nearly at the end of the municipal year and the election campaign will soon begin, the partnership has achieved what we set out to achieve.”

THERE are serious questions to be answered from the Lib Dem-run executive in the wake of the independent councillors quitting the ruling partnership, according to the leader of Wokingham Conservatives.

In last May’s local elections, the Conservatives lost five seats and, with it, their majority. It meant that the council went to No Overall Control for the first time since the borough was established 20 years ago.

The Lib Dems, Labour and independent councillors joined forces to create the partnership agreement, which gave them a council majority. However, the decision on Tuesday for the two independents to back out means both the partnership and the Conservatives have 26 councillors each.

‘The Partnership has achieved what we set out to achieve’

Cllr Jim Frewin, independent council member for Shinfield South

Borough Partnership, says Cllr Jim Frewin

Despite everything, Cllr Frewin is intending to stand again in May, and is hoping residents fed up with Shinfield being used as a building site will continue to back him.

“I’m planning to stand again following this – I hate bullying in any form,” he said. “I hope residents put their faith in me again.

“I have always said I would do the right thing for residents.”

Cllr Clive Jones, the leader of Wokingham Borough Partnership and Wokingham Lib Dems, told Wokingham Today that he had spoken with Cllr Frewin.

“My suggestion to Jim Frewin that he stood down was done purely out of friendship,” he said.

“I didn’t want to see him lose at the local elections.

“I said he might want to consider standing down after our canvassing in different parts of Shinfield South showed there was very, very little support for him. That’s what people told us on the doorsteps.

“I thought it would be better for him to avoid losing.”

Italian meal will highlight the importance of water

By Emma Merchant

WORLD Water Day takes place this week.

To mark the event, an Italian language teacher in Twyford is holding an event to raise money for a charity that supports safe water and hygiene access for rural communities in Uganda.

Cristina Liga’s Italian dining event will help to provide funds for Equal Aqua Uganda.

It will also be a chance for people to hear more about what can be done to improve lives in parts of rural Africa. Her apericena comes from the Italian words ‘aperto’, to open (or opening drinks), and ‘cena’, dinner.

“My fundraiser is a chance for people to enjoy both of these lovely Italian things Cristina says.

“But it also combines my love of conviviality with my passion for Equal Aqua Uganda.”

Cristina is one of four members of the charity, all holding events to raise funds and awareness this week.

“It’s unthinkable that half the population in Uganda has no access to safe water,” she says.

each day fetching water, with the greatest burden of this work falling on women’s and girls’ shoulders.

“Access to clean water is crucial,” says Cristina, “and sanitation and hygiene really matters. “We can’t celebrate progress or equality, when women and girls are collecting all the water, or when girls have to stop going to school once they start their periods.”

As well as building water tanks, training communities to make soap, providing water filters, and installing latrines, the charity also runs menstrual hygiene workshops to educate about periods.

“We run these programmes to remove the shame, and to say to these young women that it is OK to talk about periods,” she says.

Christina’s event promises great Italian food, as well as a chance to learn about Equal

Aqua Uganda. She hopes that people will be inspired to volunteer and support its work. The event is not ticketed, and there is no entry fee, but Cristina asks that those who attend donate to the charity.

“I believe that most people are good natured,” she says.“I’m relying on their good will.” No alcohol will be served during the event.

And a raffle will be held during the evening, with gifts donated by Italian businesses.

The apericena takes place in Twyford, on Saturday, March 25, at 6pm.

The address can be obtained from Cristina.

She asks anyone interested in coming to the event to call her on: 07772 853527 or email her at: cristinaliga@equalaqua. org

n For information about the charity, visit: www.equalaqua.org

residents second. This is not acceptable.”

Although he has stepped back from the partnership, he might still vote with it in the coming months if the grouping is still running the council after the local elections – and he gets re-elected.

“I will maintain my independence, I’ve always said

I will do,” he said. “I will vote according to my conscience, which is what I’ve always done.

“When I have done that, I have been lambasted by powers that be for not towing their line. They accused me of voting against the budget, but I abstained, as there were parts that I challenged.”

Cllr Jones said that the canvassing didn’t necessarily mean Cllr Frewin would lose his seat at the local elections, but that was what the internal polling was suggesting.

“That is the only reason for suggesting he didn’t stand again,” Cllr Jones said. “There is no way at all that this was a form of bullying.

“I’m extremely disappointed the independents have made that accusation.”

to answer’ say Tories

cling on to power, and how they have sought to silence dissent among their Independent partners.”

Cllr Jorgensen, who represents Hillside ward, thanked the independents for coming forward.

“We recently worked in a Ugandan school that has 600 students.

“They had no access to safe water on the premises, but we were able to build a water tank there for £1,000.

“Children were walking 4km to the nearest clean water, or drinking out of puddles because they had no choice.”

Crisitina is committed to turning things around.

“I’ve invited all my students of Italian to this event, but it’s open to anyone who wants to come and join us,” she says.

Speaking to Wokingham

Today, Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, Leader of the Conservative Group, accused the Lib Dems of eschewing the views of residents, and instead clinging on to power.

“We have been clear for a long time: the Liberal Democrat led Coalition has ignored the voices of residents, has sought

to shut down debate, and has presided over a catalogue of flawed decisions,” she said.

“During this time they have failed to make any progress on the Local Plan or in reducing the housing numbers despite all their promises.

“Today we, and residents, have learnt the extent to which Liberal Democrats have tried to

“Clearly the Independents have had serious concerns, and I am pleased that they have had the courage to express them openly with residents,” she continued. “They have sought to put residents and good governance of the Council first but have found it impossible to remain in the Coalition. This was clearly a difficult decision to make.

“The letter from the Independent councillors raises serious questions about the behaviour of the Liberal Democrats, the leadership of Cllr Clive Jones, and their fitness to govern the Council.”

“People can expect a warm welcome, some great Italian refreshment, and a chance to hear about the charity.

“I’ll be showing a film about what we have been doing in 2022. It will be an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, to learn, and to empathise with the lives of others.”

Equal Aqua Uganda works with communities to tackle inequalities of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

It says that Ugandan households spend on average two hours

Taste of Spring

T h e C h a l k W i n e C l u b w a s c r e a t e d t o c e l e b r a t e c o m m u n i t y , t o t o a s t t o o u r s h a r e d l o v e f o r g o o d f o o d , g o o d w i n e , a n d g o o d c o m p a n y . T h e s e e x t r a o r d i n a r y , m u l t i p l e - c o u r s e m e a l s o r t a s t i n g s a r e a l w a y s t h e m e d a r o u n d a w i n e , s e a s o n o r c u l t u r a l e x p e r i e n c e .

A s t h e d a y s g r o w l o n g e r a n d t h e b r e e z e b e c o m e s w a r m , s p r i n g c r e e p s i n t o t h e a i r a n d b e g i n s t o r e f r e s h t h e f l o r a a r o u n d y o u . A s y o u s t a r t t o e n j o y t h e b l o o m i n g o u t d o o r s o n c e a g a i n , t h e r e i s n o b e t t e r f e e l i n g t h a n s i p p i n g o n a l i g h t , f l a m b o y a n t w i n e a s y o u t a k e i n t h e c h a n g i n g s e a s o n .

W h e t h e r y o u ’ r e l o o k i n g f o r a w h i t e o r r e d , d r y o r s w e e t , o r e v e n a n i n - b e t w e e n w i n e l i k e r o s é o r a m b e r w i n e , o u r g u e s t s p e a k e r w i l l h e l p y o u f i n d y o u r w i n e f o r t h i s s e a s o n .

l l w i n e s f r o m t h e e v e n i n g c a n b e b o u g h

£11m needed to tackle potholes

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM Council would need at least another £10.7 million just to plug every pothole in the borough, according to a new survey.

Every year, the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA) asks local authorities about the state of the roads for its Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) report. And the results are, well, alarming.

Across the south east, local authorities told AIA that its highways teams were receiving just two-thirds of the money needed to stop roads from deteriorating any further and, sending a shiver down chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s spine, more than £3 billion is needed to fix a backlog of repairs.

It is estimated that even if the money came through, it would take 14 years just to repair these roads.

And it gets worse: 16% of the road network – one in seven roads – has an estimated five years’ structural life left, meaning things will get worse before they get better.

The news will come of little surprise to Wokingham’s motorists, with many regularly complaining of potholes cropping up across the town, with hotspots including the A329m, Reading Road, and well … take your pick.

Rick Green, AIA Chair, said local authorities aren’t to blame: “Highway engineers can only do so much with the resources they are given and should be applauded for the steps they take to keep roads safe.

“Potholes and the condition of our local roads remain key issues for the public and the Chancellor went someway to recognising this in his Spring Budget. But a share of the additional £200m one-off payment for local roads in England, while welcome, is just not enough.

“It represents around 16% of the average shortfall in local authorities’ annual budgets in the South East and will do little to improve overall structural conditions and stem further decline.

“We all appreciate that there are difficult choices to make with demands and pressures on the public purse coming from every area, but not investing

in local road maintenance only leads to worsening conditions, which impact on other locally provided public services, a rising bill to fix the problem and more road user complaints.”

But there is a glimmer of hope for Wokingham. While it won’t cover every pothole, the government has announced the council will receive £589,200 for its annual maintenance schedule.

The funding covers all parts of the highway network, including bridges, cycleways, and lighting columns, as well as fixing potholes.

Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, highways and transport, said: “We are pleased to receive this well needed boost to our highway maintenance funding at a time when we’re facing huge financial challenges to ensure vital services are protected and residents get the help and support they need, but

Babies and toddlers Uni lecture on breast cancer

YOUNG families in Shinfield are invited to attend a weekly babies and toddlers group.

Meeting at St Mary’s Church Hall, Church lane, the group allows both children and parents to relax, have fun and make new friends.

The fun-filled sessions feature toys, painting, playdough, music and crafts, with recent creations including ‘stained glass’ butterflies, magic wands and jubilee crowns.

Prospective visitors are encouraged to get in touch to enquire about spaces.

The group meets between 9.15am-11.30am on Fridays during term time.

n For more information or to enquire about spaces, contact Jean Leslie at: jf.leslie@btinternet.com

Car boot sale this Sunday

it is not enough.

“As the lowest funded unitary authority in the UK, with one of the lowest numbers of staff per resident, this funding will help us to continue to ensure our residents are kept safe as they travel around the borough.

“We welcome the additional £589,200 funding for highways maintenance from central government this year. However, the Alarm Survey published this week shows that there is still a huge shortfall, not just in Wokingham Borough but across the country, and the government needs to do more to help us keep our residents safe when travelling around the borough”.

Cllr Charles Margetts, Wokingham Conservatives shadow spokesperson for active travel, highways and transport, urged some caution over the source, saying the AIA is a trade body and had an interest in gaining more work for the industry.

“Maintenance of the roads is one of the few universal services provided by the council for residents. No local authority lives in an ideal world of endless money,” he continued.

“The key issue is the council should spend money on resident priorities and ensure taxpayers money is spent wisely with maximum efficiency. When I was involved with adult services, when the

Conservatives were in power, we faced this challenge - rising demand and limited funds.

“We could have behaved as the liberal led council now does by doing nothing and blaming central government for all of our problems. I have always taken the view that local residents deserve better than this.”

He said residents had told him they were concerned with the recent budget passed by the Liberal Democrat-led council.

“It imposes real terms cuts for the next three years on road and pavement maintenance,” he continued.

“This will mean less road and pavement repairs are carried out which will impact the quality of our roads and pavements and will mean more potholes in our roads.

“This was a Wokingham decision – it is nothing to do with central government. Significant expenditure in the same budget was allocated to a climate change citizens assembly, cycleways, active travel, having elections three years out of four rather than once every four years.

“All of these things have merit – however it is my view funds should be allocated to universal services which affect every resident before being spent elsewhere.”

n The full ALARM survey can be downloaded from: www. asphaltuk.org

COPING with breast cancer will be the focus of a University public event.

Prof Nazanin Derakhshan will explore themes such as support structures, cognitive research and personal empowerment at this year’s Edith Morley Lecture this year.

The professor of experimental psychopathology at the School of Psychology and Clinical Language Sciences has brought progressive research to the forefront of support systems for those with breast cancer.

A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes in the UK.

Prof Derakhshan said:

“Resilience is the practice of adaptation, flexibility, and adjustment. When confronted

with a life-threatening disease such as breast cancer, options become limited, priorities change, and we can struggle to adapt to our new ‘normal’.

“Learning the art of resilience can help us endure the emotional roller coasters, and manage our emotions more efficiently.”

Prof Derakhshan founded the Building Resilience in Breast Cancer Centre (BRiC), a research and practice centre which looks to empower women with breast cancer diagnoses.

The lecture will take place from 6.30pm-8pm in the Van Emden Theatre, Edith Morley Building, at the university’s Whiteknights campus.

n For more information or to book a place, visit: www.reading. ac.uk/events

Easter holiday clubs in Cantley

PARENTS can book their children places at holiday football camps in Wokingham.

Spaces are available for young players during both the Easter holidays and the May half-term break.

Youngsters aged five to 15 can sign up to the camps which are being run by Reading FC Community Trust.

Sessions will be focused around enjoyment and participation, coaches using

fun activities and game-based practices to develop and challenge the children.

Whether they are confident players or have never played before, the football camps offer an interactive and fun environment for children to develop their technique.

It’s open from Monday to Friday, from 9am to 4pm, and on Saturday and Sunday, from 8.30am to 4pm.

The football sessions

take place at Cantley Park, Wokingham, on:

Monday through to Thursday, April 3 to April 6

Tuesday through to Friday, April 11 to April 14

Tuesday through to Friday, May 30 to June 2.

Each session runs from 10am to 3pm, and costs £25.

There is an option to book all 12 sessions for £300,.

n For more information, visit: www. officialsoccerschools.co.uk

A WOODLEY school will hold a car boot sale this Sunday. Willow Bank Juniors in Duffield Road is the venue for people hosting a clear-out or people wanting a bargain. The event starts at 11am, and runs until 1pm. Entry is 50p.

Sellers can set up shop from 10am, and pay £7 for the pitch.

n For more details, email: wbjspta@hotmail.com

Road closure

SHINFIELD residents may be required to find alternative routes due to an overnight road closure.

Hollow Lane is closed between Cutbush Lane West and Church Lane until Saturday, March 25.

The closure will allow Wokingham Borough Council to carry out structural maintenance resurfacing ancillary works.

The works will be carried out from 8pm-6am between the specified dates.

n For more information, visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk

ISSUE: The 2023 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey shows that every local authority needs £10.7m to plug the potholes Picture: Spencer/Alamy Stock Photo.

Wokingham dentists’ energy bills soar from £700 to £5,000 a month

By JAMES HASTINGS news@wokingham.today

A WOKINGHAM town centre dental practice has warned it may be forced to close due to soaring electricity bills leaving thousands of patients without NHS cover.

Peach Dental Care in Market

Place has seen its monthly bill leap from £709 to a whopping £4,852 with fears it may climb higher still.

Owners Dr Sachin Dhuna and Dr Mishi Dhuna are refusing to pay supplier BES Utilities and have contacted the industry Ombudsman in a bid to resolve the issue.

The couple insist they were mis-sold a five-year contract and simply cannot afford the increasing amounts which BES blames on rising wholesale costs and the war in Ukraine.

“Currently, we have cancelled our DD with BES while we try and find a solution,” said Dr Sachin Dhuna.

“We cannot pay these prices and we may have to close the company in order to get out of the contract. This will leave thousands of patients without an NHS dentist.

“We are extremely worried and our bills are mounting rapidly.”

Dr Dhuna claims that BES initially agreed to allow them to leave the contract to switch to another supplier, but then changed its mind.

“My wife spoke with them in October to ask that we leave our contract which ends in February 2025 as the government allowed businesses to leave any suppliers contracts.

“BES agreed over the phone to allow us to leave. We then contacted SSE energy to ask if we can move to them and they said we needed to confirm

with BES as they couldn’t take over until they released us. We then went back to BES and they then refused us leaving for no reason.

“This has caused us considerable upset and grief and we have wasted a lot of time going back and forth with them.

“We have even asked several times for the phone recording of them agreeing for us to leave but since October we are still waiting for this.”

The husband and wife team

are currently having their case examined by the Ombudsman but Dr Mishi Dhuna said “progress is very slow”.

“In the last five months we have been charged £20,000 for electricity which is completely outrageous. We have cancelled our direct debit with BES so they now harass us with multiple phone calls and texts every day demanding payment and threatening to cut us off,” she added.

“I have spoken to a number of businesses in Wokingham who

Gardening funding for groups

have a different supplier and they are being charged a third of what we are being asked to pay. We have not increased our prices to our customers and do not want to.”

In a statement, a spokesperson for BES Utilities said: “Dr Dhuna agreed to our electricity Market Tracker product, which is designed to track wholesale and other costs.

“Customer prices are reviewed every April and October to ensure they reflect what is happening in the wider energy market.

“Unfortunately, global events beyond our control, including the conflict in Ukraine have had a significant and wellpublicised impact on wholesale energy prices, and in October 2022 we had to pass this increase through to customers in line with the terms of their contract.

“Of course, we would much rather be reducing our prices, and we are pleased to confirm Dr Dhuna’s prices have reduced by 40% since Wednesday, March 15.

“This has been confirmed to Dr Dhuna via email and SMS.”

That 40% reduction will see Dr Dhuna’s bills at £2,911 per month – still more than four times what he was paying in 2021.

A CAMPAIGN aimed at getting the community growing is coming out of winter hibernation now that spring is here.

Garden centre Dobbies is inviting groups to submit an application for its Helping Your Community Grow scheme, which shares products, support and advice with those wanted to care for and protect their green spaces.

Example schemes include a school allotment project, a community garden, or a charity looking to create a sensory garden. The firm says it wants to have a positive impact on communities through its love of gardening.

Dobbies’ peat-free compost, recycled and recyclable pots, UK-sourced plants, and safer pest control products are among the many products the garden centre will donate.

Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “We’re proud to bring back Helping Your Community Grow.

“As we’re committed to environmentally-friendly practices, we’re especially interested in hearing from projects in Berkshire with sustainability at their core.

“Our teams will share their expertise to ensure an ecofriendly approach.”

The scheme operates from its Spencers Wood and Hare Hatch stores.

UNDER THREAT: Peach Street Dental Care in market Place Picture: Phil Creighton

Binfield man jailed for car thefts Ascot to host Easter family raceday

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

A BINFIELD man is one of two people jailed for a spate of keyless car thefts across the region.

Charles Boraman, 22 and from Nevelle Close, Binfield, and Cory Heath, 20, of Forest Green, Bracknell, both pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to steal motor vehicles.

Boraman also pleaded guilty to one count each of possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

At a hearing on Thursday, March 16, Boraman was sentenced to six years and three months imprisonment, while Heath was given an 18-month suspended sentence, ordered to undertake 18 hours unpaid work, and undertake a rehabilitation order.

Between May and September last year, the duo undertook a series of thefts of high value vehicles n Bracknell and the surrounding areas.

They used an electronic signal relaying device to access the cars, often taking just minutes to drive away with them.

The vehicles were then put on

false plates in order evade police attention.

Further investigation and seizure of Borman’s phone revealed that he was also involved in the possession and supply of Class A and Class B controlled drugs.

The case was investigated by Detective Constable’s Kelly Turner and Megan Walmsley of the Bracknell and Wokingham Priority Crime Team.

DC Turner said: “Boraman and Heath were involved in a conspiracy to steal high value cars.

“Most the vehicles targeted were Range Rovers, but other high value vehicles were also stolen, as well as some commercial vehicles.

“We are really grateful to the victims and witnesses who have supported this complex investigation allowing us to build a strong case which has resulted in conviction.

“It was a huge team effort conducted by the Bracknell & Wokingham Priority Crime Team.”

They continued: “The impact of having your vehicle stolen cannot be underestimated and Thames Valley Police will always look to investigate such incidents and bring offenders to justice.”

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@wokingham.today

ONE OF the UK’s celebrated racing venues is hosting a family-friendly raceday event in April.

Ascot Racecourse will hold its Spring Family Raceday as it closes its 2022/23 Jumps Season.

As well as a number of races, including the veterans Chase and a competitive juvenile hurdle, the event will see a whole host of activities and offerings.

Attendees can see ferret racing and sheepdog demonstrations, ride ponies,

and take part in Easter-themed arts, crafts, activities, and even bubble biking and remote-control car racing.

The event will also see entertainers such as jugglers, balloon modellers, and face painters on hand to help the day go with a swing.

This is alongside Ascot’s usual offerings of food outlets and bars.

Races will run throughout the day, with the Class 2 Juvenile Handicap Hurdle Race and the LK Bennett Handicap Steeple Chase staking grand prizes of £40,000.

No formal dress code is in effect during the Jumps season, though attendees are encouraged to dress in a “smart manner” and in anticipation of weather conditions.

Ascot Racecourse’s Family Raceday is taking place on Sunday, April 2, from 10.45am, with the first race kicking off at 1.50pm and the last at 5.20pm.

Ticket prices begin at £25, with children going free.

n Full details about the event, pricing information, and for ticket booking, visit: www.ascot.com

FLYING IN: LVS Ascot’s Year 7-9

production of Chitty Chitty

Bang Bang

Picture: Liz Finlayson/ Vervate

Musical sees pupils fly Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

STUDENTS at an Ascot school had a happy time spent in a motor car that is as sleek as a thoroughbred and turns everybody’s head.

And it wasn’t the wheels that was the star of the show: it was the youngsters themselves.

Senior pupils at LVS Ascot recently performed a special production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the tale of an inventor’s flying car that takes the heroes to a land where children are banned.

Featuring a cast of 84, teachers said they were so excited by the auditions they decided to double cast the show, which was performed in its full-equipped on-site theatre.

Rehearsals began in November giving students approximately 12 school weeks to prepare. Weekends and evenings after school where among the dedicated time spent rehearsing.

Jessica Clark, the school’s head of performing arts and drama, was thrilled with how the performances went, saying the show was a “triumphant success”.

Bid to build two storeys of apartments rejected

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

A PROPOSAL to extension flats to a block of shops in Woodley town centre has been rejected by Wokingham Borough Council.

“Students from Year 7-9 were performing helped by a crew of Year 7-13 students, all working together to put on a fantastic production,” she said.

“The two-hour long show had lots of complex technical elements including a flying car which very much wowed our audience.”

She continued: “The students navigated each challenge brilliantly and supported each other throughout the process.

“As well as their wonderful performances, I have been most impressed with the way the students have worked together as a team, helping each other practice and motivating each other when they found elements more challenging.

“I am lucky to work with such an amazing staff team who continue to over amazing opportunities for our students, and privileged to teach such caring, dedicated and committed students.”

At a meeting of its planning committee earlier this month, councillors considered a plan to build upwards on the Woodley Library Parade opposite Lidl. It would have seen the two-storey building have 16 apartments added over an additional two storeys: 11 one-bed, and five two-bed.

But it was rejected over concerns about its impact on neighbours, as it was felt the occupants would be able to look directly into neighbouring properties.

Councillors pointed out the proximity between the proposed apartments and existing flats opposite.

Cllr Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrats, Twyford) said: “Whatever its merits in other regards, and it has some merits, I’m afraid they don’t overcome the harm done.”

He pointed out that the windows of the new east facing flats would only be 11 metres away from the existing apartments at

HISTORIC DURHAM

6 Headley Road, saying he didn’t think it was acceptable.

“It will make people feel as though they are overlooked even if they are not physically being overlooked.”

The plan was also opposed by Woodley Town Council’s planning committee, which argued the flats would also overlook Beechwood Primary School in Ambleside Close, lead to a loss of parking for the existing shops, and create a ‘wind tunnel’ effect alongside existing buildings.

Wokingham Borough Council’s planning department had recommended it for conditional approval, saying the new homes would be in a sustainable location. They wanted five of the one-bed homes made affordable.

Ultimately, the councillors decided to refuse the plan at the meeting on Wednesday, March 8.

You can view the application by typing reference 222367 into the council’s planning portal.

The plan had been discussed at a meeting in February, where concerns about the loss of car parking for the existing shops were raised.

Approval would have resulted in the loss of 13 spaces to the rear of the building to make way for extensions. Meanwhile, the site would have been reconfigured to provide 10 parking spaces for the new occupants, with six having electric charging and two being reserved as disabled bays.

Seniors are welcome for coffee, chat and a craft at WADE

A DAY centre for senior residents in the borough holds a regular friendship table.

On Mondays, free tea and coffee is provided, along with people to chat to, and sometimes a craft activity to enjoy.

All

aboard the train for The Lexicon’s Easter fun

GET ready for an egg-citing fun packed programme this Easter at The Lexicon.

There’s something for everybunny with the return of the Lexicon Express giving a mini tour of the town centre.

Catch the train outside Superdry on The Avenue, from Friday, March 31, until Sunday, April 16 (closed Easter Sunday).

Trips on The Lexicon Easter Express will cost £1 per passenger with all monies collected will be donated to The Lexicon Charity Fund.

As an added treat, each passenger will receive a free mini-Easter egg or vegan-friendly sweets and a pop badge, while stocks last.

The Lexicon will also be hosting an egg-travagant free Easter Egg Hunt with larger-than-life eggs to find

across the town centre.

Visitors can pick-up an Easter Egg Hunt leaflet, for a chance to win one of three family meal vouchers from The Lexicon’s latest restaurant, Chopstix.

Sue Boor, head of marketing at The Lexicon, said: “The Lexicon Easter Express has become a popular tradition in the town centre and this year we are delighted to announce that the train has switched to electric, making it quieter and more environmentally friendly.”

The Lexicon has also teamedup with Bracknell Foodbank to being some extra Easter joy to local families.

Shoppers can pop a boxed Easter Egg into The Lexicon Giving Box located in Princess Square and the Foodbank will distribute the chocolate treats in time for Easter.

Anyone over 60 can come along, and those who wish can book to stay on for lunch afterwards.

WADE offers support to seniors in Wokingham and the surrounding areas, and enables its members to mix and socialise.

Some simply come for lunch, a change of scene, and the opportunity to see friends.

Others have the early stages of dementia, and can enjoy a day out in safe surroundings, giving their caregivers respite time.

The charity offers subsidised day care, and is open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank and public holidays.

The friendship table is at WADE Day Centre, Reading Road, Wokingham.

It takes place on Monday mornings from 10am to noon.

People can just drop in to join the free club, but lunch, costing £7.50, must be booked in advance.

n For information visit: www. wadecentre.org.uk

CHOO CHOO CHOOSE YOU: The Lexicon is bringing back its popular land train in time for the Easter holidays. Fares cost £1 per ride

NOT HAPPENING: A CGI of the planned building for the Woodley Library Parade, viewed towards the town centre. Picture: Paul Butt

Councillor leads fight to save Hurst village shop and Post Office

EXCLUSIVE

By SUE CORCORAN news@wokingham.today

HURST Parish Council’s chairman is leading the fight to keep a shop and Post Office open in the village.

Shocked customers heard the news on Tuesday that the Central Convenience stores will be closing soon. The shop has been part of the community for over 100 years.

Councillor Wayne Smith, the council chairman, said on Tuesday: “Today’s news is shocking. I’m making inquiries about what can be done. We have to do our best to keep a shop and Post Office in Hurst.

“They are part of the community. They were fantastic during lockdown making sure people had food to buy.”

He said he was involved in discussions to keep the store in 2018 when it was under threat. The business succeeded in keeping going.

Shop manager Jayne

Overington said the shop’s 10 staff were gathered together to be told the news of their redundancies at a meeting on Tuesday morning.

The business which includes fruit, vegetables, meat,

alcoholic and soft drinks, bread and newspapers is part of the Central Convenience Stores group. Central told the staff the shop would close on April 11.

Jayne, the manager for 12 years, said on Tuesday: “We heard this morning. It’s a very sad day. It’s a shame for the elderly people who don’t drive. They won’t be able to buy bread, milk and other things. The shop is a lifeline for them.

“I was told it could have been a different story if the 200 houses proposed for Lodge Road in Hurst had gone ahead.

“Now the cost of living and prices have gone up.

“I just wish the locals could have supported us a bit more. Buying a newspaper for 90p a day isn’t enough.

“I feel sorry for my staff.

The shop has been central to be village. We have collected £1428 for the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice.

“We have a pet food collection for people struggling to feed their pets.”

During the pandemic the shop delivered groceries to villagers who were isolating at home.

“The Post Office has to be given 12 months’ notice so it

A concert of brass and voices

could technically stay open,” added Jayne.

She understood the couple renting the flat above the store would be able to stay there.

Residents have said how sad they are about the closure and how much they would miss the staff. One suggested the business could join with a local pub. Others suggested villagers could do something to help keep a shop in the village.

Jayne said: “I don’t think there is anything anyone can do.” She has thanked the business’s customers for their past business.

Daisy Joel, 26, of Twyford, working in the Post Office and also the shop said: “It’s come as a really big shock. I will have to find somewhere else. I really enjoy working here.

“I used to work at The Green Man pub. Then I decided to come to the Post Office. I like learning new things. I think I would have been here a long time. Jayne is a really good manager.

“The best I have ever had.

“Everyone who comes in here is lovely. They will have to walk or drive all the way to Twyford.”

She is one of two people who share the Post Office opening hours.

A MUSIC group’s spring concert will bring together the sounds of a traditional brass band and choral harmonies.

The Waltham St. Lawrence Silver Band will be joined by guest performers The Occasions Singers.

The performance is at Loddon Hall, Twyford, on Saturday, April 1. Doors open at 7.30pm, with tickets available for £8, and free entry for children aged 12 and under.

n For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www. walthamband.com

Van fire on A329m

VEMERGENCY services responded to a vehicle fire on the A329M slip road leading to Winnersh Triangle on Monday, March 14, at around 2.53pm.

Firefighters from Wokingham, Wokingham Road, and Ascot fire stations arrived at the scene to find one van with an engine fire.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the crew using a hose reel, and they remained on the scene for approximately 21 minutes.

The cause of the fire is not yet known, and no injuries were reported.

a film buff

CLOSING DOWN: Hurst Central Convenience store manager Jayne Overington outside the much-loved village shop. Its last day of trading will be on April 11 Picture: Sue Corcoran

Honest motherhood Angela Garwood

Washday blues and then some

OUR washing machine broke this week. Then a day later, we noticed our dishwasher had packed up too.

“WHY are all our white goods BREAKING?” I bellowed up to Joel as I proceeded to wash, rinse and hand dry every item in our jampacked dishwasher. (Old-school).

The washing-up I can handle. You can sort of do little bits here and there, avoiding any overwhelming build-ups. In the evenings I put podcasts on and it almost feels like me-time.

Laundry is another story. What I cannot handle, is the absence of a functioning washing machine in my home. I actually miss it. I feel off-kilter without the once, sometimes twice daily distant beeping of a finished-cycle. Doing the laundry is like the punctuation to my day.

Without it, I’m just stuck mid-sentence. I’ve lost my flow.

There is a rhythm to the process. It’s mainly a monotonous one, but there’s also a small satisfaction to getting through a load.

Sometimes I get actual enjoyment out of it.

A brief, momentary high.

When I’m on top of the laundry, I’m in control. A laundry bin at full-capacity is overwhelming. It means I am behind.

Even before this week, I would occasionally think to myself how grateful I am (was) not to have to painstakingly wash our garments by hand.

Growing up in the Philippines, my mum spent her Saturdays at the local springs doing just this.

“How old were you?” I am trying not to sound shocked, this was just how they did things, after all, no washing machines.

“Maybe 12 till around 15 or 16...” she said.

She’d wash all her family’s clothing. That’s her parents, her five siblings and hers.

“Wet clothes are really heavy, was it not really heavy walking back?” I asked.

“Yeah it was, I’d put it all on my head. There were lots of other people washing clothes too, I’d get talking to people,” she says, smiling.

Despite taking hours each weekend, she describes the routine fondly, as if she really didn’t mind at all.

I almost feel silly at my panicked response to the malfunctioning machinery.

Determined to keep costs to a minimum, I decided calling an engineer was the absolute last resort. I could take care of it.

Following the Bosch how-to video instructions to a T, I located the service flap, drained all the dirty water through the hose and cleaned out the pump. I was quite pleased with myself. It was going so well, until I turned it back on and a switch in our fuse box tripped, refusing to get back into place. With no electricity, I’d gone from being unable to wash my clothes to being unable to make tea, turn a light on, or heat soup.

I was cold, hungry and sat in the dark by this point.

How were things getting progressively worse?

A few tricky hours later, an electrician came and worked some sort of wizard magic in my home. (Thus preventing me from tearing all of my hair out in one sitting and serving sandwiches for dinner.)

It transpired there was a problem with the electricity socket next to the machine, unrelated to the machine’s spinning issue.

Having moved past breaking-point – this came the day I lugged what felt like 12 tonnes of wet clothing from the laundrette into the car – I am now more than ready to call an engineer.

Should really have done this on day one. But then where’s the fun in that?

n Angela blogs at The Colourful Kind

New group is an oasis for retired professional men

A NEW group is starting for men who miss the mental challenge and social interaction of a work environment.

Men’s Oasis says it aims to offer a friendly, intellectually stimulating meeting place where like-minded individuals can meet for groupdriven activities.

These will include guest speakers, discussions and workshops.

The new venture is free to attend and run by volunteers.

Group leader Andy MacNaughton says he values the diversity of experience and perspective new members will bring.

He believes that continuing to connect, share, and communicate beyond people’s working years is essential for a happy, healthy, and fulfilling retirement.

He says: “There just isn’t very much for retired professional men to do in Wokingham.

“There is the Men’s Shed, of course.

“It’s great for people who like making and fixing things.

“But not everyone can connect so easily with that kind of activity.

“This is a space for men who miss the cerebral stimulation of the

Starmaker returns after covid-enforced

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today

A YOUTH performing arts group is making a determined comeback with a 35th anniversary show, 13 The Musical.

Starmaker Theatre Company struggled when covid hit.

The group was rehearsing High School Musical in 2020, but, like everything at the time, their production was cancelled.

Now they are back on stage, with their latest show, 13.

Operations director and trustee of Starmaker Vicki Widdis says: “Covid had a devastating effect on us.

workplace, and who want to keep up with what’s going on in the world of business.”

Andy is a trustee of Wokingham Job Support Centre which helps people prepare to find work, and a mentor for business executives.

“I had this idea about three weeks ago, and immediately, Wokingham Library has been very supportive,” he says.

“There are lots of groups for women in the area, but men aren’t as good at networking generally.

“This is a way for them to keep in touch with like-minded men and to stay mentally sharp.”

Andy has already had interest from people keen to come along.

He invites men to share their unique experience and expertise with others in a supportive and mutually understanding community.

Men’s Oasis will meet at Wokingham Library on the fourth Friday of each month from 10am to noon.

The first meeting is tomorrow, Friday, March 24. n For more information email Andy MacNaughton at: andymac99@icloud.com

Stories and dressing-up fun

A FANCY dress contest and a storytelling session were two of the ways a housebuilder marked World Book Day earlier this month.

Berkeley hosts special sessions at its Woodhurst Park development on Harvest Ride, welcoming Holyport storyteller David England to enthrall youngsters with some classic stories including Crick Crack and Well of World’s End.

He used props and singing to help tell his stories, before letting the children showcase their fancy outfits.

Benjamin Ivey, sales and marketing director for Berkeley, said: “Reading and telling stories is so important, not just for developing a child’s literacy skills but their imagination as well.

“It was lovely to see the children dressing up as their favourite characters, and it was evident their parents had put a lot of effort into their costumes.”

Mr England was delighted to be telling some tales: “The children

were absolutely brilliant and they really got caught up in the fun.

“I wanted them to experience the joy I feel when telling stories and gave them turns in the storyteller chair too – there were some really talented narrators and a lot of laughter.”

“We had 40 members taking part in our 30th anniversary performance before the pandemic, but a lot of them dropped out during lockdown, went on to university, or moved out of the area.”

Vicki and Starmaker chair Sue Costello were determined to keep the group going and this year the charity celebrates 35 years of shows.

“Starmakers has such a great history, and a great alumni,” says Vicki.

“We had to keep it alive.

“It’s where Kate Winslet and her sister Beth both started out, and Alan Cornish was a founder member.”

Reading-born actress Kate Winslet performed with Starmaker as a child, and late Woodley businessman Alan Cornish, helped set up the town’s theatre in Woodley’s Oakwood Centre.

Now named after him, this is where Starmakers’ shows are performed.

“After covid, we started again with just three members,” says Vicki.

“This year there are 13, which is why 13 The Musical is perfect.”

It’s the story of a young American Jewish boy, Evan.

Following his parents’ break-up and a move to another state, he is about to celebrate his Bar Mizvah, and wonders who will come to his party.

In this coming-of-age musical, Evan learns that being in the cool kids’ gang isn’t as cool as having real friends.

IRONMAN Ronan Mellows is going more than the extra mile to raise money for charity, writes James Hastings

In fact, Ronan plans to swim, cycle and run a total of 965km (559 miles) in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

That’s the distance from Wokingham to Berlin and the 31-yearold aims to complete the gruelling task in just 10 days.

For Ronan, the triathlon will help raise funds for a charity close to his heart as his godmother, Jean, suffers from dementia.

“Growing up in Finchampstead, Jean, who was also a nanny to myself and my three siblings, was a huge part of our lives,” explained Ronan.

“She held me on the day I was born so I wanted to do something to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer’s Society, which is why I have designed a tough challenge

to try and raise as much money as possible.“

“Jean was diagnosed with dementia several years ago and although she is still with us, the lack of routine and support that came with the various covid lockdowns has seen her mind deteriorate with a devastating speed.”

On the first day of his triathlon on Ireland’s west coast, Ronan will swim 15km across Lough Erne, cycle 200km per day for six days then finish by running three marathons over the final three days.

Although he has competed in a number of Ironman competitions, the 31-year-old believes the swimming challenge will probably be the toughest part of the event.

“The Lough can be a really cold and lonely place.

“I’ll be swimming for six hours with my head down just thinking about the finish.

MEET UP: Andy MacNaughton’s new Men’s Oasis group starts this month. Picture courtesy of Andy MacNaughton

BACK ON STAGE: Starmaker’s young cast are

ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLY?: David England read stories at Warfield Park during a celebration of World Book Day

returns to the stage covid-enforced break

Pupils swap the classroom for a building site

looking forward

they have said how much it resonates with them.”

Members of the theatre group rehearse three times weekly at South Lake Primary School, Woodley.

There are currently opportunities for young people to get involved.

The group is holding taster session workshops, and young people aged 12 to 20 can also enter open auditions for the group’s August production of Cry Baby.

Starmaker’s current show, 13, can be seen at Woodley’s Alan Cornish Theatre, From Thursday through to Saturday, March 23 to 25.

Taster session workshops are at South Lake Primary School on Wednesday, April 19; Wednesday, April 26; and Friday, April 28.

All three workshops are from 7.30pm to 10pm.

CHILDREN from a Wokingham primary school swapped the classroom for a building site earlier this month.

Year Two pupils from All Saints in Norreys Avenue were taken on a tour of the nearby Ashridge Grange development off Warren House Road.

Staff from David Wilson Homes introduced the youngsters to the on-site construction teams, giving them information about how the homes are created, and what different types of jobs there are on a building site.

And, one of the highlights of the tour, the children could sit in a digger, before having a go at building a wall.

invite the pupils from All Saints Primary School to Ashridge Grange to find out all about our growing development here in Wokingham.

“We hope that the visit demonstrated how exciting and versatile the construction industry is, and will inspire the pupils to consider a career in this field when they grow up.”

And the visit was welcomed by Bella Schroeder, Year Two Teacher at All Saints Primary School.

“Our visit provided an opportunity to build on the work we have been doing on the importance of teamwork.

Departing Fri 16 Jun ‘23

Beloved for its mild climate and miles of golden sands, Torquay provides us with the perfect base for our relaxing short break away. From here we explore this picturesque corner of the West Country, including a visit to Exeter, the capital of Devon.

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Reading

 3 nights at the Trecarn Hotel, Torquay with dinner & breakfast

 Excursion to Exeter

Optional excursion to Sidmouth (£10pp)

4 Days by Coach ly £189.99

“It’s a great family show, and a story young people will really relate to, especially teenagers,” says Vicki.

“Our cast are all aged 12 to 17, and

Open auditions are on Sunday, April 30, between 10.30am and 4pm. n For information about Starmaker, to book tickets, register for workshops or to audition, visit: www.starmaker.org.uk

CHALLENGE: Ronan Mellows is preparing for a 10-day Ironman challenge for the Alzheimer’s Society

Kimberley Benson, sales and marketing director for David Wilson Southern Counties, said: “As a responsible housebuilder, it is important for us to begin educating the next generation about our diverse industry, and we were proud to

POETRY CORNER

Slow drivers – a rant

To the one at the front. Yes, you know who you are

The person with the go faster stripes adorning your car

I’m just wondering if you knew

That you don’t have to divide the speed limit by two

The queue behind you is growing fast

We can’t get by; there’s no way we can pass

But on the rare opportunities that we might

You accelerate as if it’s your right

To always be in the front and us behind

“Despite that, I am actually looking forward to doing the triathlon. I’m glad to say my wife, Chloe, will be there to support me, drive the camper van and she’ll be cheering me on along with our dog, Bagel.

“Our costs are self-funded so all the money raised will go directly to the Alzheimer’s Society to support those who need it and help fund

much needed research into a cure for this terrible disease which affects so many people.

“I have set a target of £10,000 but it would be great to smash that.”

Ronan’s 10-day challenge starts on Monday, April 3.

n For more details and to donate, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/ronan-mellows

But if you check I think that you’ll find

That you can be done for going too slow

Although it’s obvious from your velocity that you don’t know

Or you would speed up just a tad

“It was great to be able to show the children successful examples of working together and the interactive sessions were important additions that allowed our pupils to try out first hand some of the everyday jobs.

“It was great to see some of our budding builders get stuck in with the site team.”

And make those behind you very glad

But nope, you’re determined to make us suffer

And make our day that little bit tougher

You’ve doubled our journey time today

As we travel to work to earn our pay

If you ever looked in your mirror you’d definitely see

You’re at risk of being tailgated by the car in front of me

But that’s the last thing that drivers like you

Would ever dream is something you should do

And so you’ll continue driving without being aware

Or maybe you are and just don’t care

Gillian Passman

We love receiving your poetry, and print a selection every week. Verse can be sent to poems@wokingham.today

Departing Fri 23 Jun ‘23

Take in a weekend of south-west scenery in Torquay, where the gorgeous sea views and sandy beaches make it the perfect place to escape for a few days of rest and relaxation, with excursions to some of the most inspiring destinations along the south coast.

Your break includes

 Return coach travel from Reading

 3 nights at the Trecarn Hotel, Torquay with dinner & breakfast

 Entertainment every evening

 Excursions to Dawlish & Teignmouth

Optional excursion to Dartmouth (£8pp)

4 Days by Coach ly £189.99

YOUNG BUILDERS: Students from All Saints Primary School in Norreys visited Ashridge Grange site in Wokingham, thanks to David Wilson Homes Picture: Stuart Thomas

to performing this week. Pictures courtesy of Vicki Widdis

Your letters

Well, that’s politics...

THIS evening sees the final full council meeting of the municipal year. After that, thoughts turn to the local election campaigns ahead.

For the Wokingham Borough Partnership, it should have been a moment to reflect on a year that has, all things considered, gone reasonably smoothly.

Yes, there have been some misfires – car park price rises for example – but there has been a genuine desire to push Wokingham forward.

But the news that the independents have left the partnership puts a sour note on proceedings.

They have concerns over bullying and the local plan – things that are difficult to unpick, but the grievances are real.

It won’t affect the make-up of the council ahead of the local elections, but it will make what happens after May very interesting.

As ever though, the power of the parties comes from one place – your vote. And it is your decision as to who runs the council from May.

CHURCH NOTES Home Sweet Home

DO you like to travel? Perhaps you have visited some far-off places in your lifetime or perhaps you prefer to stay in your own home.

Some of you may have even relocated to a new country for a short time, or permanently moved to a new location and called it home.

In the last year, as a church and as a town, we have seen the relocation of many overseas citizens, some making their home here temporarily and some seeking a new future in the UK.

The Bible tells us that Jesus travelled around, in fact, he was born in one place, raised in another and died in yet another.

Jesus knew what it was like to travel, to be far from home and away from family. He would have experienced cultural differences and as he arrived in a new place, he could never be sure of the response of others.

Many flocked to him with open arms to meet him and hear his teaching but others rejected him, pushed him out and isolated him.

No matter how he felt or how he was treated, Jesus welcomed all who came to him – the rich, the poor, the sick, the young and the old, men and women.

As I consider the life of Jesus, I wonder; How would I have responded if I had been alive to walk with him and how am I responding now? Am I welcoming? Do I show love to those that need it? Or do I isolate people, push them out and leave them feeling unwelcome?

As we see new members of our community, in our churches, our schools and workplaces, trying to settle into a new culture, perhaps we should all take the time to encourage them and ensure they can call our town ‘Home Sweet Home’.

Lois Theobald, is the children and families worker at Wokingham Baptist Church, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham

I take a very serious view of applying everything possible to make roads safe for use by vehicles, pedestrian safety on pavements etc. Having just outlined some desperate improvements in a village centre and access roads, where a Lad was killed about a week ago, due to constrained space, I would insist on a 20-mph speed limit. Traffic movement and current speeds driven are far too fast for safety.

The solution to slowing down traffic – viz 20mph, cannot be enforced, according to the Police.

I hope Readers may exclaim “however can that be so?” It will of course have been decided some years ago, but someone of little intelligence no doubt.

Just look at some motion figures to illustrate the difference between 30 and 20 mph. At 30mph, a car etc is travelling at 44 feet per second, and at 20mph, would be traveling at 29.3 feet per second. Looked at from the perspective of an elderly or even crippled person suddenly faced with moving out of the way of a moving vehicle, you may suggest no-one sets foot on the road! Just consider whether you could move even 29 feet, in one second!!

I can say little more other than to get our Police and Councils etc., to get the Law changed!

Readers may recall that I have complained about the “unsafe” traffic lights at the Station Road junction with the Reading Road in Wokingham. Turning right from the direction of Reading, Highways allow for a green

From the stump

Marie-Lousie Weighill

WHEN I returned to Wokingham after several decades away, much had changed, some things had improved and others had dishearteningly stayed the same.

Notably the local constituency MP who, bafflingly, is the same person who had just been elected when I left the town to go to university over 30 years ago…

I was delighted to see that many of the familiar landmarks remain, most notably the town hall, a redbrick monument to civic confidence and pride, saved in the 1960s from threatened destruction by my esteemed headmaster at Palmer School among others, and that also new recreation, shopping and cultural facilities have arisen, an indication of the dynamism that growth can bring to a town.

I have fond memories of the Ritz, but the new cinema is immeasurably more comfortable.

light to go to the Station, but do not tell you when/if the traffic from the Town - ,usually at high speed downhill has a green light at the same time. Of course, there have been accidents, that can be very nasty.

Highways have painted a white line which is supposed to encourage the turning driver to stop/delay his crossing to get to the Station. I can advise drivers that the Highway Code insists driver look forward out of their vehicles at all times, by about 10 to 12 Metres. So logical!! For that Law to apply to turning traffic, a “turning” STOP light should be enabled.

I discussed the “error” with Police, and they agree. It is such an easy error to correct.

A Risk Assessment should be made – it should have been made before any traffic lights were installed.

Reg Clifton, Wokingham

A lack of vision

I read Cllr Fishwick’s column in last weeks paper with an increasing sense of incredulity

The liberal tactic for any situation was revealed at its threadbare best. The tactic is simple ( and is regularly demonstrated by the leader of the council Clive Jones )

1 - Try to blame anything difficult on the previous conservative administration of WBC

2 - If this is not possible or plausible try to blame anything difficult on national government

This is normally followed by a complete lack of any positive vision for how to move forwards and is normally deployed to cover a suspect liberal policy or complete indecision over which way to proceed.

Cllr Fishwicks column was

At the same time, however, the impact of 12 years of hard-right Conservative austerity are clearly to be seen, even in a town noted for its affluence.

Since it became possible to talk to people on the doorstep once more I have accompanied Labour councillors and activists in Norreys ward and elsewhere to ask about the problems and questions they have about council services, and more widely, about the hopes and aspirations they have for their community.

Both long-time residents and people who have newly chosen to make Wokingham their home.

I have been struck first by the politeness, tolerance and good humour of the people at whose door we knock on a Sunday –people have been overwhelmingly patient and friendly, living up the image of the English that is still, despite everything, cherished by many people abroad.

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

specifically about the condition of the roads across the borough.

Strangely he did not mention the key policy changes the liberal led council made in its budget in march which will directly effect every road in Wokingham Borough

The liberal led coalition has frozen in cash terms the amount of money it spends on highway repairs, road and pavement maintenance for the next 3 years. With inflation running at 10 per cent this is a real terms cut in the amount of potholes to be fixed as well as the number of roads and pavements to be repaired.

There was also a cut in the amount of weed spraying visits each road in the borough will receive from WBC.

Currently every road is sprayed 3 times a year to keep control of weeds - going forwards this will only be done 2 times a year. This decision was made in Wokingham - not in Westminster. Cllr Fishwick and the liberal led coalition are responsible for this decision and should be honest about it

In the same budget the council committed new money to a citizens assembly on climate change, biodiversification of the borough, elections every 3 years out of 4 instead of once every 4 years and a lot of money on active travel.

There was also a commitment to spend as £1.2 million on designing new cycleways. When the design of these cycleways is complete it is sent to central government to bid for funding.

There is no guarantee that any of these schemes will receive government funding and lead to even 1 metre of new cycleway being built. This £1.2 million of taxpayers money is being spent entirely speculatively

Second, I have been impressed by the affection and concern that people, both long-time residents and newcomers, have for their community and their belief in a better future for the town, the community and their place in it.

At the same time there are often repeated concerns which centre on the feeling that the town is growing without sustainability: that services, safety and amenities have not been expanded and are not being maintained to keep pace with the construction of houses –that access to a doctor, help from the police, social care and support for a vulnerable neighbour or relative is far more complicated and inaccessible than it was in previous times.

This is, of course, not unique to Wokingham but nor is it simply because of new neighbourhoods being built. Rather, this sense of distance is a direct consequence of the years of austerity since 2010 which has undermined the ability of elected local authorities to provide and administer many of the features and functions that we understand as being necessary for a good and fulfilling life – community amenities, clean, safe and walkable streets, services that empower and support everybody.

I have been impressed, as have so many, by the energy and

- it may amount to nothing at all. We continually hear the liberals complain they are short of money - however it can be seen there is no shortage when they wish to speculate with taxpayers money to pursue their ideological goals

The conservative group would focus resources on universal services which every resident recieves. We would increase road / pavement maintenance by more than inflation. We would review the process of how this is done to drive efficiency and get more value for the taxpayer. We would not cut weed spraying visits. We would stop the practice of WBC imposing big top down redevelopment of key junctions such as California Crossroads when there is clear evidence this is not wanted by local residents and traders. We would move towards encouraging local areas / parishes to apply for funding for schemes with community support. We would work to deliver the southern relief road and once this is open move towards pedestrianisation of the town centre. We would look to get control of the utilities continually digging up the roads

We have a vision for the future of transport in the borough. If you vote conservative in may 2023 at the local elections you will see money prioritised to unversal services and real ambition for our borough. The alternative is a lot of excuses and no action

Cllr Charles Margetts, Finchampstead North Thank you Wokingham

Wokingham Borough Council officers and our partners in local charities and voluntary organisations

commitment shown by Wokingham Labour in supporting and mobilising local initiatives to clean streets and community areas and to make our streets and roads safe for all users. It has been inspiring to see the enthusiasm and sometimes surprise of residents to see their councillors working year-round to understand what matters to the residents of their wards.

Local Labour in Wokingham has shown itself able both to speak and act in support of the vulnerable in our community and to work on ensuring that the priorities and concerns of the people of Wokingham are central in the planning and delivery of the essential services the council exists to provide.

Local Labour councillors and volunteers are making a consistent and important contribution to the area and also to the sense that the Council (and Councillors!) can and should be responsive to the questions and aspirations of people in Wokingham.

I would be proud to be elected to Council for my home ward of Norreys and to join the group of hard-working local Labour councillors working for our residents.

Marie-Lousie Weighill is the Labour candidate for Norreys ward

Road Safety – we are lucky if it is applied

have risen magnificently to the Cost of Living Crisis. As we come out of a very tough winter for a lot of our residents who live on low incomes, we can look back at a community response which has saved thousands of people in Wokingham from being cold, hungry or lonely during the last few months.

Working together we have ensured that government funding reached those who most needed it, with emergency grants and funding to cover meals for children in families living on the very lowest incomes. These have already benefited over 3,000 people.

We also made energy saving devices available to those who needed them, including blankets, draught excluders and slow cookers. With fuel bills rocketing, for many people these have helped keep them warm and or making the difference between being able to have hot meals and living on cold food.

In the middle of this emergency, our partners in the Hardship Alliance are providing residents with advice and practical help to find a long term solution to household issues such as debt, saving local people hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Thank you to all of the council officers, charities, voluntary organisations and individual volunteers who have made this possible.

The Cost of Living crisis is sadly far from over. Basic benefits given to low-income households are at least £140 a month below the real cost of food, energy and everyday basics. Those on slightly higher incomes often find that they are ineligible for government support programmes This leaves thousands of local people in an impossible situation as they try to make ends meet. With this in mind, the Liberal Democrat Executive have chosen to allocate an additional £250,000 for those facing financial hardship in Wokingham. This money will make an enormous difference to those living on the lowest incomes, but costs each household in the Borough less than 30p a month.

This money will be used to deliver on the priorities identified in our Tackling Poverty Strategy, looking at helping to find long term solutions and to supporting the most vulnerable in our community.

I am surprised and sorry to see

From the chamber

Cllr Ian Shenton

The Recycling Imperative

WOKINGHAM, Reading and Bracknell Forest Borough Councils dispose of waste via re3, our joint waste management partnership, named for the three re’s of waste: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

While it is incumbent on all of us to reduce our total waste output and

that not all councillors are able to support this. In the council meeting last month, the Conservatives said that they would have chosen to put this 30p “back in the pockets of local taxpayers” instead of using it to help those in need, and astonishingly questioned whether there was any evidence of the need for the funding. They have continued to attack both the Liberal Democrat decision and the ongoing consultation which is looking at how this money, and the latest government grant, should best be spent to bring the greatest benefit to residents in need. Meanwhile local charities are appealing for help in providing beds and mattresses, as local children are sleeping on the floor or on cardboard boxes.

The Liberal Democrats understand the scale of hardship in our communities. We know that there are no quick and easy fixes, and that national government support is vital if the country is going to halt the huge and rising problem of hardship in this country. We are absolutely committed to tackling the root of the problems. Working with community partners to do this reflects Lib Dem values, and the joint response to the cost of living crisis has been key in boosting the effectiveness of the council’s work. We want residents to know that we will continue to work to support you if you need help in these difficult times. Many people who have never needed to ask for help before, are needing a helping hand to get them through this crisis. Please visit the Council’s web page at Wokingham.gov.uk/ costofliving, or call One Front Door on 0808 278 7958 to find out more.

Cllr Rachel Bishop-Firth

Independents day

What an interesting year we have just had and what an even more interesting two years are ahead of us.

An updated local plan due for completion in 2018 will not be in place until probably 2025. Six years late. Below is a letter I sent to all the Councillors in Wokingham Borough Council highlighting my concerns

After 20 odd years of non-stop Conservative rule, thanks to a couple of independents, a minority Lib Dem administration came to power. Why?

The answer is very simple the Conservatives had to produce a local plan update that delivered the

government’s houses in a 15-year period likely to be 2025 to 2040.

They mis-sold the message that they would fight housing numbers and their then Leader in his bow tie threatened to streak around Westminster to get housing numbers down. To streak he would have to get a bit more than just housing numbers down.

What the Conservatives were so secretive about was the fact that the had added another 2200 unnecessary houses that the Government did not legislate for to be built in 2040 to 2055, in a climate change environment. What a farce that was but I guess it did fool some of the people all of the time as one says.

Forget the fact that the Government had not legislated for these houses on the site is on the side of the Loddon river that floods. Thankfully we thought that as the Lib Dems, rode into town and reared their heads also against these unnecessary 2200 houses by the Loddon housing numbers.

The Lib Dem leader joined in a campaign to stop this happening, before the last election of course. They got our support but did they keep their promise? The answer is a resounding no.

Are the Lib Dems to be trusted? Another resounding no. They even tried to bully Jim Frewin into not standing in the May election.

If that’s Lib Dem loyalty it certainly does not warrant respect in fact quite the opposite

Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent councillor for Arborfield

Letter was a surprise

I am surprised you printed Mr Hardy’s letter. I found it confused, rude and even blasphemous.

If he has issues with the Princes Andrew and Harry and the Church of England bishops, then write about that: not conflate it with the Coronation anointing oil, which many regard as representing something sacred.

I am sure we will hear more about the oil in the coming months, as its use is outside most of our living memories.

For me it looks back to the oil that God instructed Moses to make for anointing of priests (see Exodus Chapter 30); it is called most holy.

our current mediocre performance is costing us real money. The blue bags and contents are incinerated at a cost of £120-130 per tonne, whereas disposing of recycling streams costs less than half of that, with food waste being as low as one-sixth of that.

It was used to anoint kings and leaders in the Old Testament, hence its use for anointing our Monarchs, as for over 1,000 years our lands have been Christian.

It is my prayer that it will indeed be symbolic of God’s help and blessing for our head of state (and government) leading to righteous and just government.

In the church, the anointing oil represents the Holy Spirit. Also the name Jesus Christ means the anointed one. It is used especially when we pray for the sick.

Ordinary vegetable is often used, but I think it special that the Coronation oil has come from Jerusalem, with its rich associations, especially with our Lord who suffered, died, was buried and rose in that very city.

Therefore, I am sure you will understand why I regard the innuendo of a masseuse rubbing it on Prince Andrew quite offensive.

I think Mr Hardy exaggerates, is libellous and frankly goes on a rant in his allegations about the CoE. He is wrong to use the label evangelical. Of course no one defends wrong doing, but I know Archbishop Welby has been very prompt in putting the house in order.

Thankfully many churches are not empty; some have multiple services and plant out to others. There are large numbers of churches and Christian organisations contributing a huge amount to our community, inspired by their faith in and example of the Lord Jesus, the anointed one.

Simon Bird, via email Hypocrisy

The former Prime Minister Theresa May was also home secretary. She criticised this new immigration bill in parliament.

But it was her fault that she destroyed the laws for British citizens in 2012, with the backing of then prime minister David Cameron, since then the poor West Indies Windrush people – who also had the right to be here. She got rid of many.

Now she does not like this illegal bill but still votes for it. This Lady who stands in Maidenhead is a hypocrite.

Victor Rones, via email

We have made a difference

AS we are near the end of the municipal year and the local election campaigns are about to begin, this is the time to take stock on a challenging year for many of members of our community and for the borough council itself.

The cost-of-living crisis has hit many people and many local businesses hard. Interest rate rises have added to the struggle to make ends meet, as mortgage repayments have increased and company borrowing costs have soared.

The council, too, has faced enormous challenges. Double-digit inflation (still with us, as this week’s inflation figures show), increased demand for services, shortfalls in anticipated income, and those same interest rate rises, which make council borrowing more expensive, have combined to create a perfect financial storm. In Wokingham’s case the storm was made worse by a very low increase in our core funding from central government – nowhere near enough to cover inflation, let alone help us pay for extra demand for services.

Faced with similar (though arguably not as acute) problems, several councils across the country have gone bankrupt. Many more have been pushed close to the point of insolvency.

When the government thinks that councils have failed financially, commissioners are sent in to take over the running of the council and to balance the books. That usually means deep cuts in services and a big increase in council tax.

Thankfully, we have avoided that fate in Wokingham. By taking difficult decisions on income generation and making savings across the council, we have been able to produce a sound and balanced budget.

That the budget was forward-looking, investing to save in the future, is further cause for satisfaction. But that the budget targeted our limited resources on helping those most in need is for me its most pleasing feature. We have sought to concentrate our help on those with physical and mental health challenges and those experiencing hardship as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. We have also devoted much effort to helping people in our community experiencing the tragedy of homelessness.

reuse whatever we can, in this article I will focus on recycling. Why? Because Wokingham’s recycling rate, at around 54%, is static and well behind the 64% achieved by the best English councils.

That 54% includes our green sack, food waste and garden waste collections, as well as bottle banks and the separated streams at Smallmead and Longshot Lane.

Yet, 57% of the contents of our infamous blue bags could still have been recycled by one of those routes, and if we were to capture just half of that, our recycling rate would be well over 70%.

Why does it matter? Well firstly,

In other words, for every tonne of food waste that goes into the blue bags, we are burning around £100 of your council tax that we could avoid if everyone played their part.

Also, recycling of materials contributes significantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to producing new materials, helping to tackle climate change.

And finally, there is the looming implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), emanating from the 2021 Environment Act, which will create for councils a funding stream extracted from producers.

Under EPR, councils’ waste collection performance will be assessed according to the relative ‘efficiency’ and ‘effectiveness’ of their service. Councils that share some

similarities will be placed within a group, wherein their costs and performance will be benchmarked against a best in class. Individual councils deemed to be sub-optimal will be given an Improvement Notice, which will specify future funding reductions if the requirements of the Notice are not met.

Taking all these factors into consideration, we are proposing to operate a weekly collection service in which food waste is collected every week, while recycling and residual rubbish take turns.

This method is used by the councils that outperform us in recycling rate and gives us a fighting chance of being benchmarked well for efficiency and effectiveness. Anybody who tells you that we can forever continue to produce millions of single-use plastic blue bags for weekly collections that cost £1 million extra per year is frankly talking rubbish.

Cllr Ian Shenton, is the Executive Member for Environment, Sport and Leisure

We could not have provided support to those for whom daily life is a battle without the help of our partners in the voluntary and charitable sectors, and working more productively with those partners has been a priority for the new administration at Wokingham.

We have also devoted much time and energy to trying to build better and more mutually beneficial relationships with the borough’s town and parish councils, whose local knowledge and experience are invaluable if we are to make Wokingham an even better place to live and work.

I want to end by thanking all those who have made this possible. Councillors of all parties have played a part, and the officers of the council have worked incredibly hard and shown themselves to be truly servants of the public, dedicated to making the community stronger and better.

But, as I’ve already indicated, much of what has been done could not have happened without the hard work and commitment of many people outside the council. I’ve mentioned already the voluntary and charitable sector and town and parish councils. To them I should add our health care providers, educators (at schools and Reading University), faith groups, and local businesses.

I thank them all for helping to make Wokingham borough such a good place to live and work.

From the deputy leader Cllr Stephen Conway

Cllr Stephen Conway is the deputy leader of Wokingham Borough Council and Lib Dem ward member for Twyford

Park & Ride buses to RBH free until end of the month

READING Buses have launched a new route to the Royal Berkshire Hospital park & ride with a special fare until the end of the month.

This service runs non-stop between Mereoak park & ride, Reading University, Royal Berkshire Hospital and Thames Valley park & ride.

Travel between Mereoak park&ride, RBH and Christchurch Green is free until March 31, with all-day parking at Mereoak just £1 per vehicle.

This offer is only valid for travel to and from Mereoak park&ride with passengers using Thames Valley park&ride still needing to buy a ticket on the bus or app as normal.

Buses will run up to every 20 minutes on weekdays, starting around 6.30am and finishing around 7pm. Journey time between Mereoak park & ride and the hospital will be around 20 minutes.

Network Rail’s ongoing works on the London Road railway bridge will mean a temporary timetable on the 300 to help reduce disruption. It will run until May when works are completed.

During the period of this temporary timetable, from 9am and 4pm buses will only be running between Mereoak park&ride and RBH, and won’t be serving Thames Valley park&ride. Bus fares exclude car parking charges, but passengers will still be able to pay for this on bus at either site. All-day parking costs just £1 at Mereoak park & ride, and £6 for all-day at Thames Valley Park & ride.

If you are parking at the Thames Valley park & ride site, you must register your vehicle at the machine before buying parking on the bus. n Full details at: www.reading-buses.co.uk/ hospital-park-ride-300

Secondary school’s Grade II listed site will be expanded

By JAMES ALDRIDGE Local democracy reporter

A WOKINGHAM secondary school’s site, which includes Grade II listed buildings, will be expanded to allow it to increase its pupil numbers.

St Crispin’s on London Road will gain a two-storey extension on its sixth form block, as well as a singlestorey extension on its dining hall. A new canopy will be added to the entrance.

The sixth form extension will add eight classrooms, allowing additional subjects to be taught including sociology, while the dining hall project will increase capacity.

In all, there will be space for an additional 179 students, taking the school roll from 1,383 to 1,562. There will be an additional 23 teachers, bringing the number up from 148 to 171.

The expansion and additional buildings were discussed at a Wokingham Borough Council planning committee meeting.

Andy Hinchliff, the headteacher of St Crispin’s, argued the school has already taken in more pupils, and requires more space to grow.

“As the Montague Park and Keephatch Gardens developments have grown, we have looked to support the local authority so they are able to provide additional places for all children in the local area,” he said.

“To explain and ensure our commitment to supporting local families, in September last year St Crispin’s took in an additional 100 students and we’re looking to

support the local authority again with an additional intake of 55 students for September.”

While most pupils come from the east of the town and borough, Mr Hinchliff said St Crispin’s is an ‘inclusive school’ with special needs and disability provision and support for those who have English as an additional language. This includes new arrivals from Hong Kong and Ukraine.

The council’s build heritage officer had objected to the expansion, saying it would have an undue impact on the main school building which opened in 1953 and is Grade II listed as an early example of prefabricated building techniques.

Cllr Stephen Conway (Liberal Democrats, Twyford) said the impact on the building would be outweighed by the clear benefits of expansion.

Cllr Conway said: “I’m all in favour of preserving historic buildings, but perhaps some merit more careful treatment than others?

“Whatever harm might be involved in this extension of the school compromising a list building is massively outweighed by the benefit that comes from the improved facilities and the additional capacity of St Crispin’s to teach more pupils, and that is desperately needed.”

The project was unanimously approved by the council’s planning committee on Wednesday, March 8. The approved application can be viewed by typing reference 223603 into the council’s planning portal.

VIEW OF THE FUTURE: A CGI of the Sixth Form centre extension at St Crispins School in Wokingham. Picture: HLM Architecture

TheSpectacularClaspTalentShow presentedbyWokinghamInNeed

WOKINGHAM InNeedareproudtoannouncethegreat successofTheSpectacularClaspTalentShowonFriday10 MarchattheWhittyTheatre.CLASPisaself-advocacygroup foradultswithlearningdisabilitiesintheWokingham Borough.

TheshowwasbornoutofaconversationlastOctoberwhen Sue–FounderofWokinghaminNeedhadachatwithDebs Morrison–CEOofCLASPaboutthememberswhohaddonea talentshowonzoomduringthepandemic.

Theyreallyenjoyeddoingthatbutwantedtogoalittlefurther andputonafulltalentshowinatheatre.

ThisseemedlikeamountaintoclimbbutSuewentbackto herTrusteesandtheideabecameareality.

So,sincelastOctoberrehearsalshavebeenorganised,outfits madeandmuchmuchmore.MandyDoddhadhelpfromLadies fromWokinghaminNeedsCreativeNightingales;especially JanetHallwhowasamazing.

PropsforthevarioussceneswerealsomadebyCircus Scene,theresidentsofAlexandraGrangeCareHomeand clientsofWadeDayCareCentre.

WokinghamInNeedsecuredthetalentsofCathyValentineat CircusSceneandvolunteerMandyDoddandtheysetabout stageproducingtheshow.

DiscussionswerehadwithDebsMorrisonastowhatthe membersofClaspwishedtodoandthentheactswereput together.

ManypeoplewereinvolvedfromWINandClaspin organisationandWINalsosecuredthehelpofothersincluding professionalphotographer–RobHughesandQuentinfromSilk PurseVideossothatthemagicoftheeventcouldbecaptured.

So,withsheerdeterminationandpracticetheshowcame togetherandwhatashowitwas.MattAllwright,(alreadya friendofCLASP)fromtheBBCjoinedinaswelltomakethis extraspecialandwehadanamazingMasterofCeremonies–JohnnySlapwhoentertainedtheaudienceandmadethetheatre shakewithlaughter.

Actsincluded:Singing:Impressions:Jokes:Puppetry:Poetry andmostofallFun.

Theteamwereamazingandblewtheaudienceawaywith theirenthusiasmandprofessionalism–allthoselonghourswere soworthit.Cathy,MandyandSuetransformedtheirhousesto preparefortheeventandtheyespeciallyhavelivedwithmany sequins.Debscommitmentandheramazingteamhadthe wordsofthesongsembeddedintheirbrainsforthemany rehearsals.Thisalsoincludedlearningsomeamazingdance routines.

ThereissomuchprovisioninplaceforSENkidsandverylittle foradults.Solittlechanceofadultswithlearningdisabilitiestodo whatwehavedonewhichisgettogetherandputonashowina professionaltheatrewhichcanbeenjoyedbyall.Sucha pleasuretoworkwithDebsandallmembersofCLASP.

ThisuniqueenterprisehasbroughttheCLASPmembers togetherasateamtoproducesomethingtrulymagical.They learntskillslikepuppetry,songswithmovement;strengthening

confidenceandsocialskillsinatheatricalenvironmentThey managedtheirtimeandcommittedtorehearsals.

Theyevenwenttoeachother’shomestopractice,showing suchdedication.Theydressedupandtheyhadfun.Mostofall theywerepartofawhole;noonemoreimportantthananyone else.Itwasanexceptionalevening.Goodforbodyandsoul.

Allperformersandhelperswerefedandwateredonthenight toobyWINandtheaudienceenjoyedacoffee/teabarwith wonderfulcakesfromGailofClaspandWIN’sveryownCarole Potts.Togetherwithafullbarandarafflefunwashadbyall. CLASPevenhadthepleasureofMACdoingtheirhair&general groomingforfree.PlusCircusSceneorganisedapamper sessiononthedayoftheshowforaddedtoeveryonefeeling wonderful.

Attheendoftheshowthecastreceivedalovelysurprise–a beautifulglasstrophytocelebratethiswonderfuloccasion.

ThanksobviouslygotoCLASPandthecastwhowere amazing.Butalso,thankstomembersofWokinghaminNeed andfriendsbothfrontofhouseandbehindthesceneswho withouttheirtirelesseffortwecouldnothaveputontheshow.

SpecialthanksgoestoOliverBamberattheTheatreforgoing beyond.

ThanksalsotoourfriendsatWokinghamandEasthampstead Rotaryforbeingushers.ThankstoSandraandElspethfrom AlexandraGrangewhorantheraffleandsuppliedsomeprizes alongwithNuffieldHealthCareandmore.Specialthanksalsoto TescoandCo-opfortheirfooddonations.

Finally,abigthankyoutoourmainsponsorsProspectEstate AgentsandWokinghamUnitedCharities.

So,ifyouwereunabletomakeitandwouldliketoseewhata wonderfulnightitwasyouareinluckbecauseduetous securingtheservicesofSilkPurseVideosweareabletosupply youalinktodownloadandviewthewholeshow.Thecostis only£5.00andyoucanorderthisbycontactingusonthe followingemailaddress:wokinghaminneed@gmail.com

Photographswerealsotakenonthenightoftheperformers andeveryonewasgivenaphotographcourtesyofWokingham InNeedtokeepasamomento.

Othercopieswillbeavailableuponrequestagainthroughthe wokinghaminneed@gmail.comaddress.

So,ThankYouifyoucametotheeventandthankyoufor readingandlookingatthesewonderfulphotosandpictureshere inthisarticle.

Shouldyouwishtohelpusmakefurtherdreamscometrue anydonationswouldbegreatlyappreciatedaswewouldliketo announcethatwewillbearrangingaspecialRedCarpetEvent Incelebrationofthiswonderfuleveningandwhatthemembers ofCLASPachieved.

� FormoreaboutWokinghamInNeedpleasevisit: www.wokinghaminneed.com.Getintouchviaouremailat: Wokinghaminneed@gmail.com,ortodonateonlinepleasevisit ourFacebookpage@wokinghaminneedorsendachequemade payabletoWokinghamInNeedtoProspectEstateAgency12-14 BroadStreetRG401AB.

Whataspecialnight!Itwasfantasticandeveryonedidsuchanincredible Thereweresomanyhighlights,butIabsolutelylovedthedancingqueen piece.Itwassolovelytoseesomanypeoplehavesuchagreattimeand createsomeamazingmemories.WewenttoseeJennaColemanandAiden Turnerinaplayyesterdayandtobehonest,wehadmorefunlastFriday. Thankyou–Sam

Justhadtowriteandsaythankyouforsuchafantasticshow.Iwasquite hoarseafterwardswithallmycheeringandwhooping,andmyhandswere buzzingwithclappingtheacts.ItwasatotalWOW!fromstarttofinish.Thank youforallowingustobepartofsuchawonderfulevent.-Paula

Thankyouforthemostwonderfuleveningfullofgreatentertainment.–Michelle

MyhusbandandIdidn'tknowwhattoexpectwhenwebookedourtickets, andwewereblownawaybywhatawonderful,joyful,professionalshowit was.Congratulationstoeveryoneinvolved.–Beverley

Absolutelyfantasticshow-thankyoutoallwhomadeithappen.An eveningnevertoforget.–Lucy,NickandNicholas

BrilliantperformancestonightandIreallyenjoyedtheshow.–Mel PCSO’sKerriandVickihadthepleasureofbeinginvitedbackstagethis eveningforCLASP’sTalentShowSpectacular.Alloftheactswereabsolutely amazing.TherewasevenaspecialguestappearancefromMattAllwright.–TVPBracknellandWokingham

Mayor thanks award winners and volunteers at special ceremony

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM’S Borough

Mayor has recognised the efforts of those who have contributed to the community over the past year at a special thank you event.

More than 100 people from over 40 voluntary groups and winners of the Mayor’s Honour Awards, hosted by Cllr Caroline Smith.

to The Oakwood Centre, Woodley, on the evening of March 14.

a speech from the Mayor thanking the community for their support over the past year, followed by a presentation of Honour Awards certificates.

Wokingham Foodbank, the Mayor’s charity of the year, shared a few words to close proceedings.

delighted to host my thank you event of the year to express my sincere gratitude to our local voluntary and community organisations who work tirelessly to help improve the wellbeing of borough residents.

evening to meet everyone

Free hygiene packs at libraries

A CHARITY that helps those in need is providing free toiletries and sanitary products in all libraries across the borough.

The Cowshed, in partnership with The Hygiene Bank in Reading, is providing the freeto-collect packs.

Anyone in need of toiletries or sanitary products can ask at any library desk for one of the hand-decorated bags.

n For information about The Cowshed, visit: www.thecowshed. org

n Or for more about The Hygiene Bank, visit the group’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ THBReading

Wind band to play

BRACKNELL and Wokingham

Concert Band’s Second Wind Band will perform a concert of popular music.

Conductor Kevin Ranso will lead the group as they play at Wokingham’s Town Hall, on Sunday, March 26.

“You are the reason why Wokingham Borough continues to be a great place to live, learn, work and grow. Keep up the fantastic work.”

During the winners’ presentation, each winning individual was presented with a lapel badge and certificate, while winning groups received

The young people winners were Dexter Rosier and Evelyne Rose, while Angela King, Victoria Rowland and Beverley Kemp picked up the adult prizes.

The group winners were The Link Visiting Scheme, Cianna’s Smile and Thames Valley Kings.

Doors open at 7pm. Tickets cost £10, or £5 for under 16s. They may be purchased at the door, subject to availability.

n For information and tickets, email: secondwindbwcb@ outlook.com

n Or visit the group’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/ secondwindBWCB

Bar’s music night of glitz and glamour Easter fayre at St Michael’s

A WOKINGHAM bar will be filled with midweek live music.

The Rose Street business will host a night of music from 1960s Las Vegas Rat Pack performers. Entertainer, Mark Warner’s tribute show, Full Swing, includes hits from Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and Dean Martin.

Mark will sing classic hits such as The Lady Is A Tramp, Mr Bojangles, I’ve Got You Under My Skin, and That’s Amore. Fans of The era can also enjoy Everybody Loves Somebody, New York, New York, My Kind Of Town, Fly Me To The Moon, and Come Fly With Me.

The event is at Grasshopper Cocktail and Wine Bar, Wokingham on Wednesday, March 29. Music can be enjoyed from 6.45pm to 9.45pm. n For more information visit: www.grasshopperbar. co.uk

A CHURCH in Spencers Wood is hosting an event on April 1, and no, this is no April Fool’s. St Michael’s Church’s Easter Fayre will see people from the village and its surrounding areas come together for a fun-filled lunchtime of festivities.

Visitors will have the chance to win hampers, take part in a raffle and tombola, peruse gift and craft stalls and get their competitive juices flowing with some games.

Organisers are seeking donations for its bottle stall – bottles of wine, water, shower gel, and even ketchup will be gladly received.

The event will take place from 11am-3pm at St Michael’s Church, Basingstoke Road. n For more information, visit: www.loddonreach. org.uk

Armed robbers attack pensioner

A GANG of armed robbers stormed into a Wokingham home earlier this week, holding a pensioner hostage until she revealed where the safe was.

One of the six burglars is thought to have had a BB gun, while another had a screwdriver and a trowel with which they threatened the victim, a woman in her 70s. She was not injured.

Thames Valley Police is now appealing for witnesses to the aggravated burglary, which took place around 9pm on Wednesday, March 15, in Mays Road, off Bean Oak Road. The thieves demanded to

know where the safe was, and carried out a search of the home.

They stole a purse containing cash, a Samsung phone, an Amazon Fire kindle and a jewellery box that contained a number of rings, a necklace and other jewellery.

The offenders are described as four to six white men, in their early twenties.

They were all wearing similar clothing: long sleeved, thin, black, nylon top, black trousers and a thin, black balaclava.

One offender was described as around 5ft 6ins tall, of slim

build, with dark coloured eyes. The black top he was wearing has a small, silver, diamond-shaped logo on the left-hand side and had a local accent. He was in possession of a screwdriver.

Another offender was described as around 5ft 10ins tall with a stocky build.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Paul Roche, based at Loddon Valley police station, said: “Anyone with information can call 101 or make a report online, quoting reference 43230116886.

“Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Winners of the Mayor’s Honour Awards received certificates and lapel badges from Cllr Caroline Smith Picture: Stewart Turkington a shield and certificate.

Rural Pie Co has six appeal at Pie Awards

By JAMES HASTINGS news@wokingham.today

WHEN it comes to winning prizes Twyford’s Rural Pie Co loves eating up the competition.

The popular business has just scooped honours in six categories at The British Pie Awards for the fourth year in a row.

Owners Phil and Amy Smith entered 10 homemade pies in the competition which saw one thousand come from all over the country.

In a blind taste by more than 200 judges, the Twyford couple who only opened their business in 2016, scooped six top awards.

A delighted Phil said: “We could not be happier to win so many awards for the fourth consecutive year.

“When you consider how many pie makers from across the country take part and we are a relatively new company, it really makes you feel very proud.

“We would like to thank our wonderful team and all of our valued customers for their continued support, as without you we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

The annual awards are held in the Leicestershire town of Melton Mowbray, regarded as the home of British pie making.

The Rural Pie won Silver for both its Wild Boar & Chorizo and Steak & Double Gloucester pies. It clinched bronze with four different pies – Steak, Double Gloucester & Fried Onion, Chicken, Ham & Wholegrain Mustard, Steak & Ale and Beef Brisket with Breakfast Stout & Roasted Shallot.

Phil, who swapped a career in information technology to launch the business with Amy, added: “We are always thinking up new recipes that are just that little bit different as well as delicious.

“Entries for next year’s

competition have to be with the judging panel in January. There are four of us who make the pies so we are currently working on some new ideas but these are kept under wraps until the panel make their decision.

“Our small team is our family and we take great pride in having a friendly environment for both team members and customers alike.”

The Rural Pie Co currently offers more than 50 different sweet and savoury pies, sausage rolls and pastries alongside food and drink

products from other small local businesses.

The shop, cafe and restaurant is well-known for providing high quality, delicious handmade There is more good news for Twyford residents and the shop’s legion of fans from further afield with the news the Rural Pie Co will soon be able to extend its restaurant with outdoor seating.

“It’s been a long battle with Wokingham Borough Council but we hope the matter will be resolved very soon and we can serve even more customers,” Phil said.

FUNDRAISERS: Cubs at the 1st Woosehill Scout Group raised £500 for ShelterBox

Cubs think big when it comes to fundraising

WHEN it comes to helping others, Cubs at the 1st Woosehill Scout Group like to think big.

After raising £50 from a toy sale, the youngsters decided to double their money. And when they reached that target, they thought of even more ways to boost their efforts.

Now the Cubs have raised a whopping £500 for the aid charity, ShelterBox - and money is still coming in.

Martina Smith, the Akela for the troop

who are all aged between eight and 10, said she was “completely blown away” by their determination.

“The Cubs decided to raise funds for ShelterBox as part of their Charity Badge and it started off quite quietly,” she explained.

“We soon had £50 from a used toy sale but they wanted to continue and soon we had £100.

“Suddenly, money came in from all sorts of ways such as walking the dog, a

cake sale, emptying the dishwasher and even organising afternoon cream teas for friends and neighbours.

“It was amazing to see how imaginative everyone was and how eager they were to increase the amount for ShelterBox.”

The charity operates in war and disaster zones around the world providing essential items such as tents, tools and solar lights.

As a result of their efforts the entire troop of the 1st Woosehill Scout Group were awarded their charity badges.

THE CAR park at a Hurst water sports and outdoor pursuits centre is undergoing improvements.

The Dinton Activity Centre car park is being resurfaced.

While work is in progress, the centre and the Coffee Deck will continue to remain open.

CHARVIL residents are being invited to join a big tidy at the end of the month.

The parish council is organising its annual litter pick on Sunday, March 26.

People can gather at the village hall from 2pm, where materials will

During the improvements, visitors to the site are asked to park their cars in the area near the entrance to the activity centre, or in the car park opposite, which serves Lavell’s Lake Local Nature Reserve.

n For information, visit: www. wokinghamcountryside.co.uk

Dinton Activity Centre car park resurfacing Join in Charvil’s big litter pick

be available to help collect litter safely.

Refreshments will also be available, and the event will be supported by the eco-group Charvil Matters.

n For more details, log on to: https:// www.charvil.com/

Find the animals hiding in California Park

CHILDREN

California Country Park is hosting the event. Families can purchase a map for children at Jackson’s Café, located in the park, before following the Easter Trail on the main path around the lake.

Those who complete the mission and return to the café with their map will receive a prize.

It runs from Monday, April 3, the café will be serving food from 9am to 4pm, with the kitchen closing at 5pm.

n For information about the country park, visit: www. wokinghamcountryside.co.uk

SUCCESS: The Rural Pie Co. won a number of awards at the British Pie Awards 2023

In association with Blandy & Blandy

SUCCESS: Chief executive Andrew Coles said the strong results were evidence of the quality of Isio’s people and their work

Pensions firm sees revenue increase by a third

TO MARK its third anniversary, a Reading-based pension consulting firm is celebrating what it says is impressive growth in its revenue and profits.

Isio, which works from offices in Thames Tower, acquired Premier in January 2022, and says it has seen revenue increase by a third from £76.5m to £101.5m, and a 33% increase in EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) from £20.4m to £27m.

The company says its growth has been powered by key differentiators including independence and marketleading technology, and it has an innovative culture to do things differently and win business from more traditional rivals.

The company is continuing to look to the future. In January, it announced it had signed an agreement to acquire Deloitte Total Reward and Benefits Limited, the UK pensions advisory business of Deloitte LLP.

Upon completion of the deal, which is subject to FCA approval,

Firm welcomes new senior residential property lawyer

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

A READING-based law firm has announced the appointment of a new senior residential property lawyer.

it is anticipated that Isio will have annual revenues of more than £140 million and 1,000 employees across its nine existing locations around the UK, together with a new location in Belfast.

Chief executive Andrew Coles said the strong results were evidence of the quality of Isio’s people and their work, as well as the demand for a challenger brand in the pensions advisory space.

“Clients have responded positively to our innovative approach and our strategy to grow the business both organically, through new services, and inorganically through acquisitions, is driving better opportunities for our people and clients,” he continued.

“Our results also confirm that we are one of the fastest growing pension consulting firms in the UK. We are proud to have built a business with the sustainable scale and expertise of a serious player, while maintaining the agility required to disrupt the status quo and capitalise on the opportunities that lie ahead.”

CityFibre in takeover talks

A BROADBAND provider conducting major works in Reading could be on the cusp of being bought out by Virgin Media O2.

The Daily Telegraph has reported that talks had taken place between Liberty Global CEO Mike Fries and CityFibre boss Greg Mesch regarding a possible takeover.

Virgin Media O2 is jointly owned by Liberty Global and Spanish multinational telecommunications company Telefonica.

It is estimated that 50% of CityFibre’s network, which includes its £58 million Reading project, overlaps with Virgin Media O2.

In November, Reading Today spoke with CityFibre following

residents’ concerns over traffic disruption which led to Reading Borough Council summoning directors for questioning.

The company stated its commitment to delivering its full fibre network to Reading, which it projects to bring £625 million to the town.

At the time, Stacey King, regional partnership director, said: “We want to build the best possible network, the UK is behind the curve with our digital infrastructure. There’s been a lot of underinvestment in this area.”

Both CityFibre and Virgin Media had not responded on the reported takeover talks as we went to press.

Alan Tibber is to join Boyes Turner and will head up its residential property practice. He has more than 20 years’ experience, including running his own residential property firm since he was 30. It was acquired by a West End practice in 2021. He has also served as an external examiner for property law regulator, the Council of Licensed Conveyancers, and wrote part of the course for the new conveyancing apprenticeship scheme.

Now, he is looking forward to his new challenge.

“Boyes Turner has a fantastic reputation, and by moving here I can scale up my practice and ensure my clients benefit from the wider expertise of this firm – from dispute resolution to private

client, family and corporate commercial law,” he said.

“At Boyes Turner I look forward to supporting clients in the Thames Valley region and wider South East, from first time buyers to high net worth individuals and property investors.”

Although the market has been undergoing a number of changes since the covid pandemic, including a stamp duty holiday and Trussonomics seeing interest rates rise, Mr Tibber says he is optimistic about the market.

“There has been some upheaval, but the reality does not match the scare mongering headlines in some media,” he said.

“Mortgage interest rates are levelling off at around 4%,

and I predict that the market will be as buoyant as ever this spring and summer.”

His appointment has been welcomed by the firm, which has an office in Abbotts House in Abbey Street.

Sue Brown, Boyes Turner’s head of private client, said:

“Our residential property team has so much potential, and Alan is the perfect person to lead the team as it expands.

“Buying or selling a house can be one of the most stressful times in anyone’s life. Our residential property experts have the legal knowledge and strong focus on client service to guide clients through the process.

“We’re looking forward to offering this service to even more clients as we grow.”

NEW HOME: Savills Reading has moved to offices at One Forbury Square

Savills marks a decade with move to new home

The 3,704 sq ft (344.1 sq m) triple aspect office is home to specialist teams operating across a range of real estate services, including Residential Development Sales, Residential Lettings, Planning, Development, Valuation and Occupier Services.

Phil Brown, head of Savills Reading, said: “I am thrilled to announce our move to One Forbury Square. We have grown considerably over the

last decade, from a relatively small specialist team into the market-leading multi-disciplinary business we are today.

“As a result of our continued success, we set our sights on a move some time ago. Having secured the space last year, we have invested in an impressive fit out to meet our current and future needs, including, of course, ensuring it is as sustainable as possible.”

A REAL ESTATE firm knows all about the stresses of moving and finding the right size packing boxes – it has relocated its Reading branch. Savills is marking its 10th anniversary in the town by switching to new offices to meet growing demand. It has now moved to ground floor offices on One Forbury Square, close to Forbury Gardens, and next to Davidson House.

JOINED: Alan Tibber has joined Boyes turner

Classifieds

PUBLICNOTICES

ROADTRAFFICREGULATIONACT1984 WOKINGHAMBOROUGHCOUNCIL (MOLLYMILLARSLANE,WOKINGHAMAND WINCHCOMBEROAD,TWYFORD) (TEMPORARYPROHIBITIONOFDRIVING)ORDER2023

NOTICEISHEREBYgiventhatonthe16thMarch2023WokinghamBoroughCouncil asTrafficAuthoritymadeanOrderunderSection14(1)(a)oftheRoadTraffic RegulationAct1984theeffectofwhichistoprohibitanyvehiclefromproceeding along:

1.MollyMillarsLane,WokinghambetweenitsjunctionswithB3349BarkhamRoad andA321FinchampsteadRoad.

Thealternativerouteforallsouthboundvehiclesaffectedbythisrestrictionshallbe viaB3349BarkhamRoad,A321StationApproach,A329ReadingRoad,A329Shute End,A329RectoryRoad,A329WiltshireRoad,A329PeachStreet,Easthampstead Road,HeathlandsRoad,B3430NineMileRide,A321SandhurstRoadandA321 FinchampsteadRoad.

Thealternativerouteforallnorthboundvehiclesaffectedbythisrestrictionshallbe viaA321FinchampsteadRoad,A321SandhurstRoad,B3430NineMileRide, HeathlandsRoad,EasthampsteadRoad,A329PeachStreet,A329BroadStreet,A329 ShuteEnd,A321StationRoadandB3349BarkhamRoad.

ThereasonforthisprohibitionistoallowWokinghamBoroughCouncilcontractorsto undertakeallcarriagewayworksrequiredtofacilitatesignalrefurbishmentschemeincludingexcavation,signalworks,resurfacing,relining,andallotherancillaryworks requiredtocompletetheschemeinsafety.

2.WinchcombeRoad,TwyfordbetweenitsjunctionswithA321HurstRoadand B3018WalthamRoad.

ThealternativerouteforallvehiclesaffectedbythisrestrictionshallbeviaA321Hurst RoadandB3018WalthamRoadorbythisrouteinreverse.

ThereasonforthisprohibitionistoallowWokinghamBoroughCouncilcontractorsto undertakeallStructuralMaintenance2023-24InlayResurfacingworksincludingboth carriagewaysandfootways,whicharetoberesurfaced.Resurfacing,relining, ironworksadjustments,kerbworks,andallotherrequiredancillaryworks. Worksrequiringtheserestrictionswilltakeplacefrom27thMarch2023. Accessforresidentsandbusinesseswithintheboundariesoftheserestrictionswillbe maintainedatalltimes.

TherestrictionimposedbytheOrdershallonlyapplyduringthoseperiodswhentraffic signscomplyingwiththeTrafficSignsRegulationsandGeneralDirections2016are lawfullydisplayed.

TherestrictionscontainedintheOrdershallcomeintooperationonthe27thMarch 2023andshallcontinueinforceforaperiodnotexceeding18monthsoruntilthe workshavebeencompleted,whicheveristheearlier.

Dated:23rdMarch2023

ChrisEaston

AssistantDirector–HighwaysandTransport WokinghamBoroughCouncil

CivicOffices

ShuteEnd Wokingham

BerkshireRG401WL

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NOTICEISHEREBYgiventhatWokinghamBoroughCouncilasTrafficAuthority proposestomakeanOrderunderSection14(1)(a)oftheRoadTrafficRegulationAct 1984theeffectofwhichistoprohibitanyvehiclefromproceedingalong: CastleHill,Arborfield/FarleyHillbetweenitsjunctionswithSwallowfieldRoadand HollyCorner.

Thealternativerouteforallvehiclesaffectedbythisrestrictionshallbevia SwallowfieldRoad,PriestHillandHollyCornerorbythisrouteinreverse. Worksrequiringthisrestrictionwilltakeplaceon12thApril2023between09:30and 15:30.

ThereasonfortheseprohibitionsistoallowBTcontractorstoundertakesafeaccessto thenetworktoenableengineerstolaynewductsinsafety.

Accessforresidentsandbusinesseswithintheboundariesoftheserestrictionswillbe maintainedatalltimes.

TherestrictionimposedbytheOrdershallonlyapplyduringthoseperiodswhentraffic signscomplyingwiththeTrafficSignsRegulationsandGeneralDirections2016are lawfullydisplayed.

TherestrictionscontainedintheOrdershallcomeintooperationonthe12thApril 2023andshallcontinueinforceforaperiodnotexceeding18monthsoruntilthe workshavebeencompleted,whicheveristheearlier.

Dated:23rdMarch2023

ChrisEaston

AssistantDirector–HighwaysandTransport

WokinghamBoroughCouncil

CivicOffices

ShuteEnd

Wokingham

BerkshireRG401WL

ROADTRAFFICREGULATIONACT1984 WOKINGHAMBOROUGHCOUNCIL (LODDONBRIDGEROAD,WOODLEY) (TEMPORARYPROHIBITIONOFDRIVING)ORDER2023

NOTICEISHEREBYgiventhatonthe16thMarch2023WokinghamBoroughCouncil asTrafficAuthoritymadeanOrderunderSection14(1)(a)oftheRoadTraffic RegulationAct1984theeffectofwhichistoprohibitanyvehiclefromproceeding along:

LoddonBridgeRoad,WoodleybetweenitsjunctionswithCrockhamwellRoadand ColemansMoorLane.

Thealternativerouteforallvehiclesaffectedbythisrestrictionshallbevia CrockhamwellRoad,WoodlandsAvenue,LythamRoad,BeechwoodAvenueand HeadleyRoadorbythisrouteinreverse.

Worksrequiringthisrestrictionwilltakeplacebetween27thMarchand30thMarch 2023.

ThereasonfortheseprohibitionsistoallowThamesWatercontractorstoundertake newconnection,serviceandassociatedworkinsafety.

Accessforresidentsandbusinesseswithintheboundariesoftheserestrictionswillbe maintainedatalltimes.

TherestrictionimposedbytheOrdershallonlyapplyduringthoseperiodswhentraffic signscomplyingwiththeTrafficSignsRegulationsandGeneralDirections2016are lawfullydisplayed.

TherestrictionscontainedintheOrdershallcomeintooperationonthe27thMarch 2023andshallcontinueinforceforaperiodnotexceeding18monthsoruntilthe workshavebeencompleted,whicheveristheearlier.

Dated:23rdMarch2023

ChrisEaston AssistantDirector–HighwaysandTransport WokinghamBoroughCouncil CivicOffices ShuteEnd Wokingham BerkshireRG401WL

ROADTRAFFICREGULATIONACT1984 WOKINGHAMBOROUGHCOUNCIL (LANGBOROUGHROAD,WOKINGHAM) (TEMPORARYPROHIBITIONOF DRIVING)ORDER2023

NOTICEISHEREBYgiventhatWokinghamBorough CouncilasTrafficAuthorityproposestomakeanOrder underSection14(1)(a)oftheRoadTrafficRegulation Act1984theeffectofwhichistoprohibitanyvehicle fromproceedingalong:

LangboroughRoad,Wokinghambetweenitsjunctions withFairviewRoadandGipsyLane.

Thealternativerouteforalleastboundvehiclesaffected bythisrestrictionshallbeviaA321DenmarkStreet, A321WellingtonRoad,A321StationApproach,A329 ReadingRoad,A329ShuteEnd,A329RectoryRoad, A328WiltshireRoad,A329PeachStreet, EasthampsteadRoadandMurdochRoad.

Thealternativerouteforallwestboundvehicles affectedbythisrestrictionshallbeviaMurdochRoad, EasthampsteadRoad,A329PeachStreet,A321Market PlaceandA321DenmarkStreet.

Worksrequiringthisrestrictionwilltakeplacebetween 11thApriland14thApril2023.

ThereasonfortheseprohibitionsistoallowCityFibre contractorstoundertakeexcavationworkstoinstall ductandbuildassociatedchambersandcabinetsfor fibreopticcableinstallationinsafety. Accessforresidentsandbusinesseswithinthe boundariesoftheserestrictionswillbemaintainedatall times.

TherestrictionimposedbytheOrdershallonlyapply duringthoseperiodswhentrafficsignscomplyingwith theTrafficSignsRegulationsandGeneralDirections 2016arelawfullydisplayed.

TherestrictionscontainedintheOrdershallcomeinto operationonthe11thApril2023andshallcontinuein forceforaperiodnotexceeding18monthsoruntilthe workshavebeencompleted,whicheveristheearlier.

Dated:23rdMarch2023

ChrisEaston

ROADTRAFFICREGULATIONACT1984 WOKINGHAMBOROUGHCOUNCIL (COMMONFIELDLANE,BARKHAM) (TEMPORARYPROHIBITIONOF DRIVING)ORDER2023

NOTICEISHEREBYgiventhatonthe16thMarch2023 WokinghamBoroughCouncilasTrafficAuthoritymade anOrderunderSection14(1)(a)oftheRoadTraffic RegulationAct1984theeffectofwhichistoprohibit anyvehiclefromproceedingalong:

CommonfieldLane,Barkhambetweenitsjunctionswith BiggsLaneandBarkhamStreet.

Thealternativerouteforallvehiclesaffectedbythis restrictionshallbeviaBiggsLane,LangleyCommon Road,B3349BarkhamRoadandBarkhamStreetorby thisrouteinreverse.

Worksrequiringthisrestrictionwilltakeplacebetween 29thMarchand31stMarch2023.

ThereasonfortheseprohibitionsistoallowBT contractorstoundertakeexcavationandinstallationof newjointboxesinsafety.

Accessforresidentsandbusinesseswithinthe boundariesoftheserestrictionswillbemaintainedatall times.

TherestrictionimposedbytheOrdershallonlyapply duringthoseperiodswhentrafficsignscomplyingwith theTrafficSignsRegulationsandGeneralDirections 2016arelawfullydisplayed.

TherestrictionscontainedintheOrdershallcomeinto operationonthe29thMarch2023andshallcontinuein forceforaperiodnotexceeding18monthsoruntilthe workshavebeencompleted,whicheveristheearlier.

Dated:23rdMarch2023

ChrisEaston AssistantDirector–HighwaysandTransport WokinghamBoroughCouncil CivicOffices

ShuteEnd Wokingham BerkshireRG401WL

38 To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 23, 2023

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TheTownandCountryPlanning(DevelopmentManagementProcedure)(England)Order2015

AND/OR Planning(ListedBuildingsandConservationAreas)Regulations1990

Thefollowingapplication(s)havebeensubmittedandareadvertisedforthereasonsbelow:

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230238 SonningHouseand WeaversCottage, PearsonRoad, Sonning

Conservation Area

Householderapplicationfortheproposederectionofasinglestorey rearextensionandafirstfloorrearextension,additionof3no. dormerwindows,abalconyandexternalstaircase,apitchedroof overtheexistinggarage,changestofenestrationandmodifications toroofplusnewfrontrailingsandgateandassociatedlandscaping tofacilitateconversionofSonningHouseandWeaversCottageinto onesingledwelling,followingremovaloftheexistingsinglestorey sidelobby,rearbaywindowandfrontboundarywall;installationofa swimmingpoolanderectionofanassociatedpoolhouse.

-Haveyoualreadydemonstratedaclearinterestinacareerin journalism(orsomeotherformofwriting)?

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Ifso,youcouldsoonbeworkingalongsideourprofessionaland seasonedteamofnewsreporterswhoarekeentoteachyouallthey know.Theworkisnotalwaysglamorous-butitissometimes excitinganditisalwaysimportant!

230239 SonningHouseand WeaversCottage, PearsonRoad, Sonning

Workstoa listed building

ApplicationforListedBuildingconsentfortheproposedremovalof theexistingsinglestoreysidelobby,rearbaywindowandfront boundarywall,theerectionofasinglestoreyrearextensionanda firstfloorrearextension,additionof3no.dormerwindows,a balconyandexternalstaircase,apitchedroofovertheexisting garage,changestofenestration,modificationstotheroofand associatedinternalalterationsandrepairstofacilitateconversionof SonningHouseandWeaversCottageintoonesingledwelling,plus newfrontrailingsandgateandassociatedlandscaping,installation ofaswimmingpoolanderectionofanassociatedpoolhouse.

230350 30ARoseStreet, Wokingham Conservation Area

230411 TheOldVicarage, TheStreet, Swallowfield

Conservation Area

(PartRetrospective)Fullapplicationforthereplacementoforiginal woodenstaircasewithnewmetalstairs.

Householderapplicationfortheproposederectionofanentrance gateandassociatedfencing(retrospective).

Theapplicationisavailabletoview onlineatwokingham.gov.uk � Planning � Searchplanningapplicationsand typingintheapplicationnumberabove. Commentsontheapplicationcanbemade onlinefromthiswebpage. Anycommentsmustarriveonorbeforethe10thofApril2023. Anycommentsmadearenotconfidentialandcanbe seenbyanyoneastheyformpartofthepublicrecord.Thecomments,unlessoffensive,discriminatoryand/orracist,will appearontheCouncil’swebsitewithin24hoursand includethesubmittednameandaddress. Duetothehighvolume ofcommentsreceivedwedonotprovideindividualresponses.

Date:23rdMarch2023

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A day out by special train to Plymouth

The South Devon Explorer

Saturday 27th May 2023

From Reading. Join our special train at Reading for a day out to remember. We will be met by an historic steam locomotive at Bristol to steam along the Kennet and Avon Canal, through Somerset countryside and the Culm Valley to Exeter. A run along the famous Dawlish sea wall, one of Britain’s most scenic stretches of railway, will be a highlight of the journey. A break at maritime Plymouth provides chance to explore the Hoe and the old Barbican area with the Mayflower Steps or the city’s shops On the return our vintage train will leave our steam loco behind at Taunton to complete our journey diesel hauled.

• Premier Dining £295 per person – price includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

• First Class £195 per person – price includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Standard Class £130 per person – price includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

£10 per person discount quote: DHP

Steam to seaside Minehead

West Somerset Steam Express

Saturday 22nd July, 12th Aug, 16th Sept 2023

From Slough and Reading. Enjoy a day out departing from Slough or Reading to the Bristol Channel coast by train featuring two historic steam locomotives. This seaside special will be hauled by a magnificent steam loco along the scenic Kennet and Avon Canal and through the pretty Vale of Pewsey. Our train will join the West Somerset Railway and a WSR steam loco will take over for the stretch past Dunster Castle and into the resort of Minehead, where you can enjoy the sea and sand before we steam for home.

• Premier Dining £285 per person – price includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

• First Class £185 per person – price includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Standard Class £115 per person – price includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

£10 per person discount quote: DHQ

A day out to Cornwall The Royal Duchy

Sunday 30th July 2023

From Slough and Reading. Step on board our special train at Slough or Reading to enjoy a day out to Cornwall. We shall be joined by a magnificent steam locomotive at Bristol ready for an exhilarating run beside the Exe Estuary and along the famous Dawlish sea wall. The Royal Duchy will stop at Plymouth, where you can explore the Hoe, ancient Barbican, seafront or National Marine Aquarium. Alternatively, stay on board for Cornwall to Par, where we shall have coaches ready to take you to the pretty seaside village of Fowey or Charlestown, home to the Shipwreck, Rescue and Heritage Centre and location for the BBC’s Poldark.

• Premier Dining £309 per person – price includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

• First Class £209 per person – price includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Standard Class £134 per person – price includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

£10 per person discount quote: DHR

Bob Green

Bob Green

Bob Green

LEISURETODAY

Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

‘Every few years there’s a new folk revival’ Alasdair Roberts talks about his new album ahead of South Street show

ALASDAIR Roberts is one of those performers whose youth belies his experience.

Having started a band straight out of school, Alasdair went on to work with the likes of Neil Young, Will Oldham, and Teenage Fanclub’s Gerard Love, as well as composing for film, theatre, and festival events.

The folk musician was born in Germany but raised in central Scotland – and this heritage shows through in his work in a number of ways, especially his latest album.

Grief in the Kitchen and Mirth in the Hall, he says, is: “Entirely solo– a guitar, a bass piano, and singing, with no overdubs for 12 traditional songs and ballads.

“It’s mostly Scottish songs, and even though I don’t have a drop of Irish blood

in me there’s a few Irish songs.”

There’s also what Alasdair calls “a Canadian song,” which features some “garbled Irish Gaelic.”

“I have a little Scots Gaelic, but not very much.”

He’s talking about Drimindown, which he says “Started life in Ireland, probably as a Gaelic song.

“It was taken over to the eastern seaboard of Canada and was collected in Prince Edward Island.

“It was probably taken over by Irish immigrants, but I think at some point the knowledge of the Irish language must have degenerated to the point where the singers just went with it.

“I don’t think someone who speaks the language would have a clue, because it’s so garbled.”

He says he has always been

drawn to traditional songs: “I’ve always been drawn to that kind of big old narrative ballads.

“So there’s a few of those on this record, and other records have really focused on that – the form is quite conservative, and in my writing I try not to be quite so rigorous.

“But there’s something in the ballad form that makes it easier to remember – I wouldn’t be able to get away with reading off of a page.

“But they’re probably better in small doses, and more impactful, especially when paired with lighter or shorter material.”

In terms of performance, Alasdair says he enjoys the act of playing on stage.

“I’ve been writing since my midteens – I was singing when I was six, making up songs on a wee Casio

keyboard, and my first album was ‘97, when I was about 19.”

Even his experience doesn’t always make it easy to tour, with this year’s tour seeing a date in Edinburgh followed by a gig 300 miles away in Swansea the next evening.

“I don’t drive, so the tour means lots of train travel, and it’s grim because you have to pay for that about a month ahead.

“And then you don’t get paid for the gigs until about a month after, so there’s two months of having no money.

“But yeah the EdinburghSwansea trip is gonna be a bit of a headache– thankfully, under normal circumstances, I love travelling by train.”

It is also difficult, he explains, to really make a living from music without touring. “Most of my musical income

comes from gigging – people don’t buy records or CDs as much as they used to – we have to adjust to that new reality.”

Folk music is one scene where it’s always relied on live performance, but he says: “More traditional music audiences are also maybe more keen to actually buy physical records.

“Every few years there’s an announcement that there’s a new folk revival– it maybe has dips at certain points, but it seems quite healthy.”

Grief in the Kitchen and Mirth in the Hall is due for release on Friday, March 31, when Alasdair will also be performing at South Street Arts Centre.

n Full details and access to tickets for the tour are available via: alasdairroberts.com

Cash to bring classics to Norden Farm

HENRY Cash won silver at the 2021 Mottram International Piano Competition, Manchester.

He will perform in Maidenhead, with a programme that includes Beethoven’s Sonata in F sharp major, Op.78; Debussy’s Images (Book1); Scriabin’s Sonata No.5; Rachmaninov’s Prelude in B minor; and Brahms Sonata in F minor, Op.5.

The event is in Norden Farm Arts Centre’s Courtyard Theatre on Thursday, March 23.

Doors open at 7.30pm with tickets available for £18, and free entry for under 18s.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm

Close harmonies from Papa Truck

PAPA Truck is a five-piece band that hails from the Chiltern Valley. With strong vocal harmonies, the group focuses on writing their own take on bluegrass.

They have four albums of original material including their most recent, By Your Side.

Audiences can hear them play at Maidenhead’s Norden Farm Arts Centre on Friday, March 31.

Doors open at 8pm, with all tickets costing £15.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 01628 788977 or log on to: norden.farm

Under the sea with Crowthorne Players

CROWTHORNE Musical Players present their stage version of Disney’s The Little Mermaid next week.

Filled with songs from the film, including Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl and, Part of Your World, the show promises to entertain youngsters with the Hans Christian Andersen inspired tale.

Little mermaid Ariel dreams of the world above the sea, and gives up her voice to find true love.

Stars of the film, Flounder, Scuttle and Sebastian, Aunt Ursula, King Triton and Prince Eric all feature.

The production also includes gadgets

AT THE THEATRE

Bracknell –South Hill Park

www.southhillpark.org.uk

01344 484123

Eagle House School presents Seussical The Musical. Thurs

23. Conservatoire: Olga Paliy and Kamila Bydlowska. Fri

24. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 24.

The Bon Jovi Experience. Sat

25. South Hill Park Tours. Sun

26. Wilde Sundays: Dragonfly

Sky and Greg Mayston’s

Americana, JK Jerome. Sun 26.

Crowthorne Musical Players present The Little Mermaid.

Tues 28-Sat 1. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 31.

FILMS: Tar (15). Thurs 23. The Fabelmans (12a). Fri 24-Wed

29. You Resemble Me (15). Mon

27-Tues 28. National Theatre

Live: Life of Pi (PG). Thurs 30.

Living (12a). Fri 31-Sun 2.

Camberley –Theatre

www.camberleytheatre.biz

01276 707600

and gizmos to entertain the family.

The event can be seen at South Hill Park Arts Centre from Tuesday, March 28 through to Saturday, April 1.

Doors open at 7pm each evening, with a relaxed performance on Wed 29 March, and a matinée on Saturday at 2pm.

Tickets cost £21, or £20 for concessions, and £17 for students and under 16s.

Family tickets (2 adults + 2 children) cost £68.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 01344 484123 or log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk

Harry has Styles

Theatre, on Sunday, April 2.

Doors open at 5pm, with all tickets costing £15.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060 or visit: whatsonreading.com

Why are we waiting?

VISITORS, a play by Barney Morris, tells the uplifting story of an older couple waiting for a young visitor to arrive.

Edie’s mind is starting to falter and Arthur’s legs aren’t what they were.

But from the comfort of their armchairs, together they revive a kaleidoscope of memories.

AUDIENCES can laugh at Jack Whitehall’s new jokes as he test drives his latest material during a national tour.

The comedian’s evening show has sold out, but tickets are available for an added afternoon opportunity to join him.

Starring in the BBC’s Bad Education, and A League Of Their Own, Jack has also been seen in Disney’s Jungle Cruise, opposite Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt.

He performs at Reading’s Hexagon Theatre, on Wednesday, March 29. Tickets for the 5pm show are available at £29.50. The 8pm show is sold out.

The event is suitable for ages 14 and over, due to adult material. Latecomers may not be permitted, and only tickets purchased through Reading Arts, WhatsOnReading, or Ticketmaster will be accepted.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060 or visit: whatsonreading.com

£35 depending on seat location.

Audiences can save £5 on tickets for performances on Friday, March 31 through to Friday, April 10. n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 01635 46044 or visit: www. watermill.org.uk

Children can enjoy some Tall Stories

A LIVE adaptation of the well-known, best selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, is presented by Tall Stories.

and 2pm on Sunday. Tickets cost £14.75, or £12.75 for under 18s.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: www.cornexchangenew.com

Not a lot going on here

IN NOTHING Happens (Twice), Mercè and Patricia always knew that making theatre would be difficult.

But when they have to dress up as flamingos in a shopping centre to make ends meet, they seriously consider giving up.

This ‘sharp and witty’ piece explores of companionship, co-dependency and what motivates us to keep going in the face of failure.

Can the women’s shared dream of staging Waiting for Godot get them back on track?

Will their long held ambition be strangled by red tape?

The answer is given through a performance that includes songs, comedy and merciless send ups of theatrical icons.

The show is recommended for 14 years and over, and can be seen at Henley’s Kenton Theatre.

It takes place on Friday, March 31, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £20, with concessions available for £18.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 01491 525050 or log on to: www.kentontheatre.co.uk

Dance show to mark spring equinox

YOUNG performers from the borough will perform two dance shows in a presentation from ACE Dance Studios, called Spring Equinox.

TO HEAR

The Harry Styles Tribute Show, fans of the One Direction singer should make their way to Reading.

The event brings to life Style’s music in a performance that promises to have audiences on their feet dancing and singing along.

Fans can enjoy hits including Watermelon Sugar, As it Was, and Sign of the Times.

They will also hear One Direction hits, and covers by artists Harry has collaborated with.

The event is at The Hexagon

Forbidden Nights. Thurs 23.

Vincent Simone Tango

Passions. Fri 24. An Evening of Burlesque. Sat 25. Legend The Music of Bob Marley. Thurs 30.

Francis Rossi: Tunes and Chat. Fri 31. Come What May. Sun 2.

Guildford –Yvonne Arnaud

www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

01483 440000

Carmen. Fri 24. Queenz. Sat 25.

Mouse and Sam. Wed 29.

Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle. Thurs 30-Fri 31.

Dreamcoat Stars. Sat 1.

High Wycombe –Wycombe Swan

www.wycombeswan.co.uk

01494 512000

Gordon Buchanan: 30 Years in the Wild. Mon 27. Hellfire

Comedy Club. Thurs 30. Steel

Magnolias. Tues 28-Sat 1. The Drifters. Sun 2.

Henley – Kenton

www.kentontheatre.co.uk

01491 525050

The Philadelphia Story. Until Sat 25. Yippee Ki Yay. Sun 26.

Simon Evans: The Work of the Devil. Thurs 30. Nothing Happens (Twice). Fri 31. Rhys James: Split Milk. Sat 1.

Maidenhead –Norden Farm

www.nordenfarm.org

01628 788997

The arrival of their visitor, however, will reveal family closeness fraying at the seams.

The play was awarded the Critics’ Circle Award and the OffWestEnd Award for Most Promising Playwright when it premiered in 2014.

The production is at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury.

It can be seen from Friday, March 31 through to Saturday, April 22, with the exception of Sundays.

Performances are at 7.30pm with matinées on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm. Tickets cost £10, £23, £30, or

Newbury –The Corn Exchange

www.cornexchangenew.com

0845 5218 218

ROH Live: Turnadot. Wed 22.

Sing-A-Long-A Encanto. Sat

25. Chris McCausland: Speaky Blinder. Fri 31. Room on the Broom. Sat 1-Sun 2.

Newbury –The Watermill

Royal Opera House: Turnadot. Fri

24. Pianists at Norden Farm: Henry Cash. Thurs 23. Ray

Bradshaw: Deaf Com 1. Thurs

23. Hattie Whitehead with special guest Tim Whitehead.

Fri 24. Kingdom of Madness: Classic Magnum. Sat 25. The Vinyl Frontier: Sad/Happy.

Sat 25. Maidenhead Drama Festival. Wed 29-Fri 31. Band of the Household Cavalary lunchtime recital. Thurs 30.

What’s Love Got To Do With It (12a). Fri 24. Papa Truck. Fri

31. Norden Farm Market. Sat 1. Corina Kwami Pamhea. Sat 1.

www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044

Through The Looking Glass. Thurs 23-Sat 25. Visitors. Fri 31-Sat Apr 22.

Reading –South Street

www.whatsonreading.com

0118 960 6060

Mike Wozniak: Zusa. Fri 24. Heidi Talbot. Sat 25. In Floods by Greg Wohead. Wed 29. Tim

Key: Mulberry – SOLD OUT.

Thurs 30. Alasdair Roberts.

Fri 31. Rosie Jones: Triple Theatre. Sat 1.

The witch and her cat are travelling on their broomstick, when they pick up some hitch-hikers: a friendly dog, a beautiful green bird, and a frantic frog.

But the broomstick’s not meant for five, and it snaps in two just as the hungry dragon appears.

Will there ever be room on the broom for everyone?

Audience members from three years and upwards can find out at The Corn Exchange, Newbury.

Performances of Room On The Broom can be seen on Saturday and Sunday, April 1 and 2.

Doors open at 1.30pm and 4.30pm on Saturday, and at 11am

Reading –The Hexagon

www.whatsonreading.com

0118 960 6060

Royal Philharmonic Noisy Kids.

Sat 25. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Adam Hickox.

Sat 25. Henley Symphony

Orchestra. Sun 26. The Bootleg Beatles. Tues 28. Jack Whitehall warm up. Wed 29.

NT Live presents Life of Pi.

Thurs 30. Someone Like You: The Adele Songbook. Fri 31.

Dave Gorman: Powerpoint to the People. Sat 1. Harry Styles tribute. Sun 2.

Reading – Concert Hall

www.whatsonreading.com

0118 960 6060

Reading Symphony Orchestra. Sat 1. NEXT SHOW: Jonathan Biss piano. Apr 18.

Reading – Progress

www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195

NEXT SHOW: Dinner. Apr 14-22.

Audiences will be able to enjoy pieces performed by West Berkshire schools, youth dance companies, community projects and specialist performing arts colleges.

The platform showcases two mini-dance shows across one evening, with audiences able to see one of the acts, or both at a discounted rate.

The event takes place at The Corn Exchange, Newbury, on Tuesday, March 28. Shows are at 7pm and 8.30pm.

Tickets for one performance cost £13.25. Tickets for both together cost £22.50.

n For details, or to book, call the box office on: 08455 218218 or log on to: www.cornexchangenew.com

Reading –Reading Rep Theatre

www.readingrep.com

0118 370 2620

NEXT SHOW: Peter Pan. Apr 6-29.

Shinfield –Shinfield Players

www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk

0118 975 8880

NEXT SHOW: Ravenscroft. Wed Apr 26-Fri Apr 29.

Sonning –The Mill

www.millatsonning.com

0118 969 8000

Noel Coward’s Hay Fever. Until May 13. The Monkees Tale. Sun 26. The Ultimate Classic Rock Show. Sun 2.

Windsor –Theatre Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk

01753 853888

A Murder Has Been Arranged.

Until Sat 1. Mane Chance

Comedy Night: Joe Pasquale, Basil Brush, Kevin Cruise and more. Sun 2. Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear. Mon 3-Sat 8.

Wokingham –Theatre

www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk

0118 978 5363

Things I Know To be True. Until Sat 25.

Wokingham –The Whitty Theatre www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247

Wokingham Film Society: Happening (15). Thurs 23. Fosta presents A Night at the Musicals. Sat 25, Sun 26. Wokingham Music Club presents Oye Santana. Fri 31.

Woodley –Theatre www.woodleytheatre.org

07488337838

Educating Rita. June 20-24.

Beverley Knight offers an exclusive VIP performance

AUK tour by one of the biggest names in British soul is to open in Reading this October, as Beverley Knight comes to The Hexagon.

The show is called 50, and marks her milestone birthday, as well as her career.

A lucky few will get to see a preview as she performs a sold-out show next week at the London Lafayette, in an exclusive birthday show.

For the tour, she will be joined by her regular band and she says audiences can expect a fun-filled night where she will perform classic hits and fan favourites along with some new songs.

This include material from her first studio album in seven years, which will be released soon.

“It’s been a minute,” she says. “I am so looking forward to finally getting back on the road with my band again.

“There is nothing like the energy of a live audience showing love in return for you giving them everything you’ve got.”

Over the years, Ms Knight has enjoyed several top 10 albums, including her most recent: 2016’s Soulsville, and her platinum-selling Voice: The Best Of Beverley Knight.

She has also enjoyed an acting career, making her West End debut in The Bodyguard. She has also appeared as Grizabella in Cats, and in 2021, she performed in The Garrick’s production of The Drifters Girl, a show looking at the soul group.

It was nominated for Best New Musical in The Oliviers, while Ms Knight was put forward for Best Actress.

Last year, she played opposite Jennifer Saunders in a revival of Sister Act, and is currently starring as Emmeline Pankhurst in The Old Vic’s production of Sylvia. The show blends dance, hip hop, funk and soul to tell the story of the Suffragette movement.

If that wasn’t enough, she is a judge on the ITV talent show Starstruck, presents

BIRTHDAY SONG: Beverley Knight is launching her 50 tour with a date in The Hexagon

a Gospel Knights show on BBC Radio Two, and appeared in Amazon’s live action movie version of Cinderella.

Add in collaborations with the likes of Prince, Jamiroquai, Bocelli, Take That, Chaka Kahn, Joss Stone and Marvin Gaye, and a performance with Goldie of ‘Inner City Life’ at last year’s Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony in Birmingham, and you have a musician who has had an incredible career.

Here is a chance to join her in looking back and celebrating 50 amazing years.

The Hexagon show is on Tuesday, October 17. Tickets cost £27, £34.50, or £49.50.

There is also a VIP package for £117. This includes the opportunity to hear an exclusive two-song soundcheck and take part in a Q&A session before the show. VIP seats also include a VIP tour lanyard and a signed art print.

n For more details, or to book, call the Reading Arts box office on 0118 960 6060, or log on to whatsonreading.com

PHIL CREIGHTON

Sooty is 75, and to celebrate he’s holding a birthday party at The Hexagon

IZZY WIZZY, let’s get busy preparing for a little bear’s big birthday … and he doesn’t look a day over five.

Sooty will mark 75 years in showbusiness next year, and with his friends Sweep and Sue, he’s heading to The Hexagon for a party to remember. But, well, this is The Sooty Show and the best laid plans can often go astray. The show will include Sooty’s messy baking, Soo’s perfect party clothes, and Sweep’s dance moves, including the most amusing game of musical statues ever planned.

There will be special guests too: Butch the bulldog and Ramsbottom the snake will be faimilar to viewers of the TV show, regardless of whether you watched when Sooty’s helper was Harry Corbett, Matthew Corbett or Richard Cadell. And circus superstar Michael Jordon will be swapping Blackpool’s Tower Circus for The Hexagon as he presents his jaw-dropping juggling.

Sooty will be bringing his magic wand and is going to attempt his biggest magic trick ever – making a member of the audience float in the air.

Trying to ensure everyone gets to

celebrate Sooty’s birthday will be Richard Cadell, who has been given some time away from Mr Slatter’s amusement park for the show. But Sooty has a new water pistol – it’s been turbochared to reach the back of the theatre and he’s not afraid to use it.

Well, good luck Richard.

The show is coming to The Hexagon on Sunday, February 11 next year, starting

at the family-friendly time of 2.30pm. Afterwards, before he says bye bye everybody, bye bye, Sooty and Richard will host a meet and greet for his fans … of all ages.

Tickets are on sale, and cost £21, or £18.50 for under 16s.

n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060, or log on to: www.whatsonreading.com

STAY OVER: Hay Fever, a comedy about the boho Bliss family and their house guests, is at The Mill at Sonning

A stay with Bliss? Hay Fever is an enjoyable Coward

Hay Fever

The Mill at Sonning

Until May 13 0118 969 8000

www.millatsonning.com

IF EVER we invite visitors to stay for the weekend, we would like to think we would be good hosts – ensuring our guests are well looked after and put at ease.

Noel Coward’s play Hay Fever shows what happens when the bohemian Bliss family do exactly the opposite.

Inspired by a family Coward regularly visited while in America, retired actress Judith Bliss (Issy van Randwyck), her novelist husband David (Nick Waring) and grown-up children Sorel and Simon (Emily Banes and William Pennington) subject their guests to scorn, ridicule and neglect, while simultaneously airing their familial dirty laundry in the most voluble way possible.

The guests, most of whom are not acquainted, are left to navigate this minefield while causing the least amount of offense to their hosts.

Jackie Coryton is superb as the shy, insecure Beth Lilly, Aretha Ayeh enjoys every moment of portraying the charismatic socialite Myra Arundel.

Things that go Bump in the night: Jacob

Hawley heads to the Purple Turtle

GET ready to laugh out loud at The Purple Turtle, as award-winning comedian Jacob Hawley takes the stage on Thursday, March 30, for his show, Bump.

In this one-of-a-kind comedy event, Jacob explores the topic of mental health, identity, social class, and even

Richard Greatham (Darrell Brockis), having been invited to stay by the daughter, is seduced by the mother while prim and proper Sandy Tyrell (Daniel Fraser), having been invited to stay by the mother is then seduced by the daughter.

Somehow managing to keep her head above water is huffy housekeeper Clara (Joanna Brooks), once dresser to Judith, now struggling in this alternative role.

The grand piano centre stage is no mere prop. At various points during the play cast members, mostly Sorel and Simon, accompany the proceedings with dramatically appropriate musical accompaniment.

A trombone, played with flair by Pennington, also makes an appearance.

Very much of its time, Hay Fever is an enjoyable trip back to a very different era.

The costume designers excelled themselves with the bright array of flapper dresses and the set and scenery are as stunning as ever.

Although not a laugh-out-loud comedy there are a great deal of amusing moments and attention to detail to keep the audience entertained.

It’s a shame the same couldn’t be said for the Bliss’ poor guests.

JUDITH CREIGHTON

fatherhood, as he shares his personal experiences and unique perspective on life.

With credits on popular shows like The Russell Howard Hour and Ladhood, Jacob is a rising star has been hailed as the “voice of a generation” by Chortle.co.uk.

He is also the creator and star of Radio 4’s Class Act and Welcome To Britain, BBC Sounds’ Jacob Hawley: On Drugs and Jacob Hawley: On Love. The show starts at 8pm, and tickets cost £11.

n For more details, log on to: whatsonreading.com

Picture: Andreas Lambis Photography

Puccini at South Chiltern Choral Society’s concert

CLASSICAL music fans are in for a double treat next month when the South Chiltern Choral Society appear in the Great Hall at Reading University.

They will perform Puccini’s the Messa di Gloria and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater on Saturday, April 1, at 7.30pm, and will be joined by L’Ensemble Vocal de la Vallee du Tarn and accompanied by an orchestra and Soloists.

n Tickets are £25 on the door or £20 in advance from www.southchilternchoralsociety. org.uk

Male Voice concert this Saturday

THE next full concert from Reading Male Voice Choir will be on Saturday, March 25, from 7pm.

The Concert for Spring will take place at St Mary’s Church in Purley on Thames.

There will be a special guest appearance of a brass band quintet for a great evening of varied music and song.

Tickets are on sale for £10. n For more details, or to book, log on to the group’s website: rmvc.net/march/

Paul Foot is ready to share a secret

DO YOU want to know a secret? Paul Foot is about to share a load with you.

The comic is going on tour this autumn with his new show, Dissolve.

In it, he promises to share what happened last year that changed his life forever.

He says that as a person and a comic he has never been so vulnerable, honest and happy.

So what did happen to him on the outskirts of Lancaster? And what has it got to do with King Tutankhamun, the House of Lords, Sir Cliff Richard, officious lollipop ladies and what Jesus might have achieved if he’d been a plumber?

He promises to reveal all in his personal, surprising and inspired stand-up offering ever.

Paul said: “I’ve re-written this quote 46 times now. In all my years of showbusiness I’ve never written a quote like this before.

“This is the most personal show I’ve ever created and the first time I’ve spoken about these things on stage.

“On 20th March 2022 something unbelievable happened to me, that I still struggle to explain. 29 years of mental health crises, childhood trauma and life-altering depression dissolved away in an instant.

CAMBRIDGE, ELY

“It is also, incidentally, really funny throughout. I am a comedian after all.”

Paul Foot has been on the alternative comedy circuit for more than two decades, and featured regularly on shows such as Would I Lie To You?, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

He has performed more than a dozen solo stand-up shows and built up a huge cult following of savvy comedy-goers, dubbed ‘The

WEST WALES COASTLINE

Guild of Paul Foot Connoisseurs, winning multiple awards in that time.

Paul Foot’s Dissolve will be performed at Reading’s South Street Arts Centre on Saturday, September 30. The show is suitable for ages 16 upwards and tickets cost £18.

n For more details, or to book, log on to whatsonreading.com/ venues/south-street/whats-on/ paul-foot-dissolve or call the box office on 0118 960 6060.

PHIL CREIGHTON

BACK IN THE FRAME: Ken Doherty, John Virgo, Dennis Taylor, John Parrott and Steve Davis are returning to The Hexagon for an evening of snooker

Snooker’s big names are ready to return

READING is getting ready to go snooker loopy, nuts are we, as some of the greatest names in the modern era of the game will return to their alma mater of The Hexagon.

For years, the town was the home of snooker and saw some incredible matches broadcast across the nation.

Now, there’s a chance to meet some of the stars, thanks to a special Legends of Snooker event.

Dennis Taylor, Ken Doherty, John Parrott, Steve Davis and John Virgo will all be in the Ding to share stories of their world championship wins, the friendly rivalries, and the amusing side of the sport.

That includes Dennis Taylor recounts his triumphant world championship win with Steve Davis, his opponent on the day. There will also be some frames to enjoy and, with John Virgo on

hand, some trick shots you’ll be amazed by.

Organisers say the The Legends of Snooker event is an evening of thrilling competition and conversation.

And, for the most dedicated snooker fans, VIP experiences will be available, giving you the opportunity to meet each of the legends with premium viewing of the exhibition match.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the greats of the sport, around the table once more.

The event takes place on Tuesday, June 6. Tickets cost £34.50, or £71.50 for the VIP experience which includes early entry, premium seating, meet and greet and a professional photo with the stars.

n For more details, or to book, log on to: whatsonreading.com, or call: 0118 960 6060

Philharmonic’s night of magic

CONDUCTOR Adam Hickox will lead the RPO in a performance of magical music.

The programme includes music by Mendelsohn, Tchaikovsky and Elgar, with cellist Richard Harwood.

Mendelsohn’s verture, Nocturne & Scherzo from A Midsummer Night’s Dream opens the evening. It is inspired by fairies and enchanted woodlands of Shakespeare’s woodland masterpiece, the score perfectly capturing the magical mood of the play.

Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations is then followed by Elgar’s Enigma Variations.

Elgar used music in this work to paint enigmatic musical

portraits of his friends and loved ones.

One of the greatest orchestral works of the 20th century, it continues to intrigue and enthral audiences to this day.

The concert will be preceded by a free pre-performance talk presented by Philip Hesketh.

After starting his professional life as a cellist, playing with many of the country’s finest orchestras, Philip turned to conducting in 1991, making his Royal Opera House debut with the Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker in 2001.

He is Musical Director of Opera de Bauge, Opera Vera, the West London Sinfonia, the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra and The London Children’s Ballet.

He also appears regularly as a guest artist with orchestras at home and abroad.

As a musical communicator Philip is making a reputation in Britain as both a highly informative speaker and an entertaining raconteur. The event takes place at The Hexagon, on Saturday, March 25.

Philip Hesketh’s free pre-show talk is at 6.30pm, with the concert beginning at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £28.50, £24.50, and £17.50 depending on seats. Band B concessions for 18-25s are available for £10, with tickets for under 18s costing £6. n For tickets and information, visit: www.whatsonreading.com or call: 0118 960 6060.

Artists to hold intimate gig at Roseate

THE Roseate Sessions, presented by Heavy Pop, is set to take place next week.

Held on the last Thursday of every month, at the luxury boutique hotel in Reading town centre, the evenings are intimate, unplugged acoustic live performances.

Held in their in-house cinema, Upstage Mini, there are just 30 seats available.

At the March 30 event, performers include Daughter of the Water, the folknoir project of Sarah Lambert-Gates, and her banjola.

She performs sonic fairytales of the sea, love, rivers, and time travel.

The alt-rock-pop soloist, Deva St. John, is also to perform. Their

unique style fuses classic rock with modern production, slick writing, and powerful vocals.

Industry insiders have tipped Deva to go right to the top.

Pre-bookings are available for an exclusive set menu in the hotel’s restaurant before the performance starts.

Admission for the show is £13.50 in advance, with unreserved seating.

n For more details, call The Roseate on 0118 952 7770, or log on to: www.roseatehotels. com

SECRET’S OUT: Paul Foot is coming to Reading’s South Street this autumn

LIVEMUSIC To advertise in this section, call Claire on 0118 327 2662

RaW Sounds Today Chris Hillman bit.ly/raw soundstoday

WE LOVE seeing bands grow and develop and among the three new entries in this week’s collection are bands at different stages of their musical journeys.

Rila’s Edge are fresh off a barnstroming night in Wokingham, while Spacehopper’s latest track celebrates their 10th anniversary.

It’s a great listen – tune in for free on Spotify. It’s a mixture that will help you discover something new.

To hear this week’s selection, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstodayand enjoy the music.

There is a Facebook page that bands and music fans can tap into. Search for RaW Sounds Today.

Rila’s Edge – Share the

Night

What a gig by this band at The Gig House in Wokingham last week.

GIG GUIDE

Friday, March 24

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Faux Fighetrs: a tribute to the Foo Fighters. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. I Got Soul: Junior Giscombe with band.

Details: 01344 303333.

PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. Slightly Plugged Night.

Details: 0118 969 98978.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street

RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Ghost Cat.

Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place

RG1 7JE. Beans on Toast Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Hope and Bear, London Road

RG1 5DE. Sugar and Sax. Details: 0118 935 4095.

READING – Pentahotel, Oxford Road RG1

7HR. Laura. Details: 0118 958 6222.

READING – Pitcher & Piano, Friar Street

RG1 1DB. Stars in the their Minds

karaoke. Details: 0118 958 8964.

READING – Playlist, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Live request supper club. Details: 0118 212 0720.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street

RG1 2JR. OCD&B and Headliners.

Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Reading Railway Pub, Station Hill RG1 1NB. Reading Soul Train disco.

Details: 0118 956 6502.

READING – Saint Laurance Church RG1

3EJ. Heavy Pop and Dork presents Beat Connection 2023. Porridge Radio, Lime Garden, Baba Ali, Adam & Elvis, Tracks and Grooves DJ. Details: heavypop. co.uk

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1

1EP. Ron Lamberti presents Perfectly George. Details: 0118 959 5395

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1

5BJ. Dead Machines. Details: 0118 957 6930

WHITLEY – Whitley Social Club, RG2 7QA. The Rock Academy spring show.

Details: 0118 374 0052.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. ND Live.

Details: 0118 977 3706.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. Karaoke with Waynie.

Details: 0118 977 4548.

Saturday, March 25

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Red Hoax Chilli Peppers. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech

The venue was packed with a huge crowd enthusiastically appreciating an exciting set by a band who is clearly gaining in popularity and ability.

The progress of Rila’s Edge, since we saw them last year, is quite remarkable and is reflected in the quality of their last two singles, Someone New and this new one, Share the Night.

Indie rock as it should be with strong melody, good musicianship and powerful vocals – https:// www.rilasedge.com/

Spacehopper – Pure Essence

Ten years ago, on March 17 2013, Spacehopper released their first single, Sounds and Colours, on our Magick Eye Records label and it went high in the Dance Charts.

To celebrate a decade since that release, the

Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. !DAFT! Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. Asylum Affair.

Details: 01344 422622

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. The Bon Jovi Experience.

Details: 01344 484123.

READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. Club FOD Easter event. Details: 0118 958 6775.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street

RG1 7RJ. Art Brew Presents Seville Rye Beer & Art Party. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place

RG1 7JE. Veridian, Kite Chief and Our Fate. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Oakford Social Club, Blagrave Street. Puma Theory.

READING – The Palmer Tavern, Wokingham Road RG6 1JL. Paddington. Details: 0118 935 1009.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. The Purple Peepshow: Loretta Lebonke, Mariposa Bop, Miss Sugar Rush, Oliver Ty Tassel, Layla Cherry, Dutch-S. Details: 0118 959

7196.

READING – Playlist, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Live request supper club. Details: 0118 212 0720.

READING – The Pond House, Oxford Road. Brick Top.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Silver Searchers.

Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Saint Laurance Church RG1

3EJ. Heavy Pop and Dork presents Beat Connection 2023. Billie Marten, AK/DK, Keg, Cowboys, Liam O’Brien, Priestgate, The Mirror Pictures, Tracks and Grooves DJ. Details: heavypop. co.uk

READING – South Street arts centre. Heidi Talbot. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Junction. Details: 0118 957 6930

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. 4G.

Details: 0118 942 9606.

TILEHURST – The Victoria, Norcot Road RG30 6BP. Mollys Jam. Details: 0118 941 5064.

WHITLEY – Whitley Social Club, RG2

7QA. ReVibe. Details: 0118 374 0052.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Stoney Lane. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. DJ Bounce. Details: 0118 977 4548.

trance and dub outfit have just released this new uplifting single and are planning live appearances at clubs and festivals throughout the country.

With their colourful fun style, trance and dub sounds and tracks as good as this they always get everyone dancing – www.spacehoppermusic.com

Steve Anderson & Chris York – Our Man from France

Recently we featured a song from the wonderful tribute album to our friend and guitarist Eric Bouillette, who passed away last year.

The album is Songs for an Angel Vol 1, and the song was by BDD, the alter ego of Andy Rowe who played with Eric in The Room.

Steve Anderson and Chris York are also members of The Room and they too created a song for the album. It’s another beautiful moving song – https:// www.ftf-music.com/de/tributetoericbouillette/ tributetoericbouillette.htm

Spriggan Mist – Resurrection

They have just released this new single, Resurrection and, in April, Spriggan Mist will be live in Lincoln on the 1 and, not too far away, on the 22 at a double header with Kindred Spirit at Hampton Hub Club – https://www.sprigganmist.com/

Red Tape Resistance – Get Me Out

It’s the new single from Alt-Rock band, Red Tape Resistance and it’s another of their powerful anthems – https://linktr.ee/redtaperesistance

Beans on Toast – Against the War

A mellow sound with a powerful message on this UK singer/songwriter’s new single. He will be at Reading’s Facebar this Friday, March 24 as part of his current UK tour – https:// beansontoastmusic.com/

Selina and the Howlin Dogs – Woman

This new blues rock single was released recently to coincide with International Women’s Day – https://www. selinaandthehowlindogs.com/

A Better Life (ft. Pete Rawcliffe) –I’m on Fire

A unique, atmospheric and beautiful interpretation of a Bruce Springsteen classic with wonderfully chilled instrumental backing to an incredible vocal performance by Pete Rawcliffe. –https://abetterlifemusic.com/

Third Lung – Dance Me Lover

Third Lung were No.1 in our Top 20 of 2022 due to their brilliant singles and stunning debut album, Gameplay and the band has just released this as the 4th single from the album – http://www. thirdlungband.com/

OSP – Tun Up

One of our faves from Wokingham Festival last year have just released this great new single –https://www.facebook.com/ospmusicuk

WOKINGHAM – The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Makeshifts. Details: 0118 979 7402.

WOODLEY – Bull and Chequers, Woodley Green RG5 4QP. Wardour Street.

Details: 0118 969 9756.

YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, Reading Road GU46 7LR. Tequila Chase. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, March 26

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Wilde Sundays: Dragonfly Sky, Greg Mayston’s Folk, Blues and Americana, JK Jerome. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Bob and Gill Berry. Details: www.readifolk. org.uk

READING – The Moderation, Caversham Road RG1 8BB. The Soul Retreat, from 12.30pm. Details: 0118 959 5577.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. Jazz afternoon with Stuart Henderson, Alan Barnes, Leon Greening, Stuart Barker and Simon Price. From 3.30pm. Details: 0118 376 9159.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. The Monkees Tale.

Details: 0118 969 8000.

Monday, March 27

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Open mic night: comedy, music, spoken and written word.

Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. The Old Purple Whistle Test..

Details: 0118 959 7196.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Acoustic Cafe. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.

Tuesday, March 28

BAGSHOT – The Foresters Arms, London Road. Bracknell Folk Club. Details: www.bracknellfolk.org.uk

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. New Music Tuesday.

Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

BURGHFIELD – The Six Bells, Reading Road RG30 3TH. Amanda’s Music Events presents open mic night. Details: 0118 983 2220.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Punk Fundraiser: Animal Shithouse, Masquerader, The Bourbon

Massive, Letters from Theodore.

Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Fisherman’s Cottage, Kennet Side RG1 3DW. Live jazz, blues and more. Free entry, donations welcome.

Details: 07866 251216.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. The Bootleg Beatles. Details: 0118 960 6060

READING – Pentahotel, Oxford Road RG1 7HR. Lily. Details: 0118 958 6222.

READING – Pitcher & Piano, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Open mic night with Kristian Wilkins and Friends. Details: 0118 958 8964.

READING – The Roseate, The Forbury. Heavy Pop presents The Roseate Sessions with Daughter of the Water and Deva St John. Details: whatsonreading.com

Wednesday, March 29

READING – Hilton Hotel, Drake Way RG2 0GQ. The Sugars: Live music at OXBO. Details: 0118 916 9000.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Artist link-up: networking event. Details: 0118 986 6788.

WOKINGHAM – The Grasshopper, Rose Street RG40 1XU. Live at the Grasshopper: Mark Warner’s Full Swing. 6.30pm. Details: 0118 901 2678.

Thursday, March 30

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Alex Taylor, Jess Tuthill. Details: www.theacousticcouch. co.uk

READING – The Blagrave Arms, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. Karaoke. Details: 0118 958 6775.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. KTP, TFCOT, Divide The Truth, Brioche Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Hilton Hotel, Drake Way RG2 0GQ. Hella Hot Crush: Live music at OXBO. Details: 0118 916 9000.

READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Skint Thursdays: Skint Rock, pop punk and classic rock, plus house and techo. Details: Twitter @skintmondays

READING – The Outlook, Kings Road. Singer Soup Kitchen: three performers, one band, one night only. 8pm.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Payday Swingday with the Ding Dong Daddios. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Reading Biscuit Factory, Broad Street Mall RG1 7QE. Music Meet Up: Gavin Lombos, Jack Shepherd, Sabrina Findlay, Tim Greaves and Ray Wills.

Friday, March 31

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Take It Easy – The American Classic Rock Show. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

BURGHFIELD – The Six Bells, Reading Road RG30 3TH. Rock n Roll Bingo. Details: 0118 983 2220.

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Take It Easy: The Amercian Classic Rock Show. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. 70s

Tribute All About You. Details: 01344 303333.

CHARVIL – Heron on the Ford, Landsend Lane RG10 0UE. Candy Rock. Details: 0118 934 0700.

EMMBROOK – The Emmbrook Inn, Emmbrook Road RG41 1HG. Beatles and Buddy Holly tribute. Details: 0118

978 2552

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. Someone Like You: The Adele Songbook. Details: 0118 960 6060

READING – Pitcher & Piano, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Stars in the their Minds karaoke. Details: 0118 958 8964.

READING – Playlist, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Live request supper club. Details: 0118 212 0720.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Club Velocity 20th

anniversary party: The August List, The May, Eat Daddy Eat. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – South Street arts centre. Alasdair Roberts. Details: 0118 960 6060

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Arctic Monkeys tribute. Scam Fender. The Killers tribute. Details: 0118 959

5395

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1

5BJ. Wardour Street. Details: 0118 957 6930

READING – The Victoria Cross, Basingstoke Road RG2 0NT. RG2 Radio presents Caribbean After Work Jam.

Details: 0118 931 0115.

WHITLEY – Whitley Social Club, RG2

7QA. Amanda’s jam night. Details: 0118 374 0052.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Graffiti Child.

Details: 0118 977 3706.

WOKINGHAM – The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Open mic night. Details: 0118 979 7402.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. Karaoke with Waynie.

Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Wokingham Music Club presents Oye Santana. Details: www. wokinghammusicclub.co.uk

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Unit 8 Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road. GrooveX Band. Details: 01344 778543.

YATELEY – The Cricketers, Cricket Hill Lane GU46 6BA. Gary Roman as Elvis.

Details: 01252 872105.

Saturday, April 1

BINFIELD – The Binfield Club, Terrace Road RG42 4HP. The Silver Searchers. Details: 01344 420690.

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. In Isolation, Greymere, Gothzilla. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Strats. Details: 01344 303333.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Rigsby. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. The Skapones. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Let’s Nacho Hollywood. Details: 0118 402 7800.

READING – Playlist, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Live request supper club. Details: 0118 212 0720.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Sounjam. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Queen’s Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. P’Jam. Details: 0118 931 0232.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Smileys’ Top of the Pops Show. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Benny Page. Details: 0118 959 5395

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. No Good Sons. Details: 0118 957 6930

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Peach and the Prairie Dogs 7.30pm. Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Station Tap, Station Road RG40 2AD. DJ Bounce. Details: 0118 977 4548.

YATELEY – The Royal Oak, Reading Road, GU46 7UG. Utter Madness. Details: 01252 872459.

Rila’s Edge at The Gig House Wokingham

Picture: Andrew Merritt

WHAT’SON

Friday, March 24

CAVERSHAM – Library, Church Street RG4 8AU. Games club. 10.30amnoon. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6

7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. linkvisiting.org

EARLEY – Earley St Peter’s Church Hall, Church Road RG6 1EY. Reading Guild of Artists presents: The figure and pattern with Jenny Halstead. 7pm. £8. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. Let’s Sing Reading!. From 6.30pm. £14, concessions £8.50. 0118 960 6060.

READING – Redlands Parish Church (St Luke’s) Church Hall, Erleigh Road RG1 5LH. Gas Tower Community Art presents Wholeness, a community art exhibition. 10am-4pm. Free entry.

READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road RG30 1EE. Rhymetime. 10am and 11.15am. Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5100.

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, RG40 5TU. Things I Know To be True. 7.45pm. £15. Details: WokinghamTheatre.org.uk

WOODLEY – The Oakwood Centre, Headley Road RG5 4JZ. Starmaker Theatre Company presents 13 The Musical. 7.30pm. Details: www.starmarker.org.uk

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, March 25

BARKHAM – Village Hall, Church Road RG40 4PL. Barkham Village Residents Association Family Skittles Evening. £12, £5 primary school children, includes supper. Bar available. 7pm.

Details: 0118 978 3373.

BURGHFIELD – St Mary’s Church RG30 3TG. The Hurst Singers spring concert. £5. Wine £3. Proceeds in aid of the choir and church funds.

CROWTHORNE – Baptist Church, High Street RG45 7AT. Repair cafe organsied by CROW Plastic Free Crowthorne. From 10.30am. Details: 01344 761725.

HENLEY – St Mary’s Church, Hart Street, RG9 2AU. Tamesis Chamber Choir: If music be the food of love… 7pm. £12, £5 students, under 18s. Details: www. tamesischamberchoir. co.uk.

PURLEY – St Mary’s Church, RG8 8BJ. Reading Male Voice Choir spring concert, featuring special guests brass band quintet. £10. 7.30pm. Details: rmvc.net

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Art Brew Presents Seville Rye Beer & Art Party. 7.45pm. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Great Hall, University of Reading, London Road RG1 5AG. Bracknell Choral Society and Reading Festival Chorus present Haydn’s The Creation. 7.30pm. £20. Details: www. bracknellchoral.org.uk.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. March to the Gaol. Bring banners, signs, costumes and noise. Route will go to Reading Gaol. From noon.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Noisy Kids concert: The Thrill of the Ride, featuring Rossini’s William Tell Overture, Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King, excerpts from Elgar’s Enigma Variations. £11.50, £9.50 children. 11.30am. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1 7QF. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra & Adam Hickox. Mendelsohn | Overture, Nocturne & Scherzo –

A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Tchaikovsky, Rococo Variations; Elgar, Enigma Variations. £28.50, £24.50, £17.50. Under 18s £6, students £10. Schools £6. Pre-concert talk 6.30pm. Concert 7.30pm.

Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – Reading Minster

Of St Mary The Virgin C

Of E Church, Chain Street

RG1 2HX. Walk Watch

Share art docs presents Camino to Cop26: Film screening and walk of witness for Earth hour.

6pm at Forbury Gardens, 7pm at Reading Minster.

Details: readingminster. org.uk

READING – Redlands Parish Church (St Luke’s) Church Hall, Erleigh Road

RG1 5LH. Gas Tower

Community Art presents Wholeness, a community art exhibition. 10am-4pm. Free entry.

READING – St John and St Stephen’s Church, Orts Road RG1 3JN. Chorate Chamber Choir spring

concert: My Shepherd is the living Lord, choral music for Lent and Easter.

6pm. Free entry, retiring collection in aid of Autism Berkshire. Details: www.chorate.org.uk

TILEHURST – Methodist Church, School Road

RG31 5AN. Thames Vale

Singers presents Faure’s Requiem and other choral gems. 7.30pm. In aid of

ReadiFood. £10, under 16s £5. Details: 0118 9424372.

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road.

Twyford and Ruscombe Horticultural Association spring show. 2pm. Details: trha.org.uk

TWYFORD – St Mary’s Church, Station Road. Project Singers present And Wherever you Go, a spring concert. 7.30pm. £8.

Details: 0118 934 0589 or suzanneynewman@ btinternet.com

WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Wokingham Hortocultural Association Show. 2pm-4.30pm.

Details: www.w-h-a.org.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, RG40 5TU. Things I Know To be True.

7.45pm. £15. Details: WokinghamTheatre.org.uk

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – The Oakwood Centre, Headley Road RG5 4JZ. Starmaker Theatre Company presents 13 The Musical. 3pm, 7.30pm.

Details: www.starmarker. org.uk

WOODLEY – The Bulmershe School, Woodlands Avenue RG5 3EU. Woodley Concert Band spring concert: a Feast of Music. £14, £12 concessions, £5 under 16s. 7.30pm. Details: woodleyconcertband. org.uk

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

YATELEY – St Swithun’s Catholic Church, Firgrove Road GU46 6NH.

Yateley Choral Society

Concert: ‘Oh Sing Joyfully.

Programme: Rutter: Gloria, Goodall: The Lord is My Shepherd, Stanford: Beati quorum via, and Britten: Jubilate Deo. 7.45pm. £15, students £5, under 16s free. Details: www.yateleychoral.org.uk.

Sunday, March 26

CAVERSHAM – Waitrose Car Park, off Gosbrook Road. Caversham Artisan & Farmers Market. 10am3pm.

CHARVIL – Charvil Village Hall, Park Lane. My Fair Lady singing evening. £10, includes music and refreshments. 6pm-8pm.

Details: 0118 934 0589 or suzanneynewman@ btinternet.com

EMMBROOK – The Dog and Duck, Matthewsgreen Road RG41 1JT. Quiz night in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. 7pm. £5 per person. Details: 0118 978 0544.

READING – The Abbey School, Kendrick Road RG1 5DZ. Parenthesis Choir presents 30th anniversary concert.

Mozart – Requiem and Haydn – Nelson Mass. 7pm, £15, under 18s free.

Details: parenthesis.org.uk

READING – Blue Collar Dining, Hosier Street

RG1 7JL. Reading Vintage flea market. 11am-4pm.

Details: www.linktr.ee/ blue.collar

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk RG1

7QF. Henley Symphony Orchestra: Smetana Vltava, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 5, Rachmabinov Symphony No 2. £24, £20, £16. Under 16s, students half-price.

Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – Redlands Parish Church (St Luke’s) Church Hall, Erleigh Road RG1 5LH. Gas Tower Community Art presents Wholeness, a community art exhibition. Noon-5pm. Free entry.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Sunday Alternative: Water. 10.30am. Free. Details: 0118 986 6788.

EMMBROOK – The Dog and Duck, Matthewsgreen Road RG41 1JT. Quiz Night in aid of Macmillan Cancer. 7pm. £5 per person.

Details: 0118 978 0544.

WOKINGHAM – Town Hall, Market Place RG40 1AS. Bracknell and Wokingham Concert Band present Second Wind in Concert.

7pm. £10, under 16s £5. Details: secondwindbwcb@ outlook.com

Monday, March 27

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table. 9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org

CROWTHORNE – Baptist Church, High Street RG45

7AT. Coffee Stop for Ukrainian refugees and their hosts: socialise and take part in English lessons. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: 01344 761725.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Open mic night: comedy, music, spoken and written word. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – Redlands Parish Church (St Luke’s) Church Hall, Erleigh Road RG1 5LH. Gas Tower Community Art presents Wholeness, a community art exhibition. 10am-4pm. Free entry.

TILEHURST – Library, School Road RG31 5AS. Rhymetime. 9.45am and 10.45am Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5112.

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Woodley Baptist Church, Hurricane Way RG5 4UX. Four Seasons cafe Friendship Table. 1.30pm-3.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Tuesday, March 28

BEECH HILL – Memorial Hall, Beech Hill Road. Cinema at Beech Hill presents Belfast (15). 8pm. Booking essential. Details: www. ticketsource.co.uk/beechhill-memorial-hall/ CAVERSHAM – Library, Church Street RG4 8AU.

Rhymetime. 10.15am10.45am and 11.15am11.45am. Booking essential. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

EARLEY – Earley CResCent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. Friendship table. 2pm-3pm. Details: linkvisiting.org.

FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre Cafe, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. Friendship table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. Art group. 1pm-3pm. £3 per session. Details: 0118 973 2484.

READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Rhymetime. Booking essential. 10.30am. Details: 0118 937 5950.

SOUTHCOTE – Library, Southcote Community Hub, Coronation Square RG30 3QP. Coffee morning. 10.30am11.30am. Details: 0118 937 5109.

WHITLEY – Library, South Reading Community Hub, 252 Northumberland Avenue, RG2 7QA. Berkshire mini maestros. 2.30pm-3pm. Details: 0118 937 5115.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. CLASP Wokingham cafe with Friendship table. 10am-noon. Every third and fourth Tuesday of the month. Details: linkvisiting. org

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Luckily House School music department Easter concert. 7pm. Details: https://www. luckleyhouseschool.org/ the-whitty-theatre/

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Wednesday, March 29

EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe with Friendship Table. 2pm4pm. Details: linkvisiting. org

TWYFORD – URC Hall, Church Street, RG10 9DR. Twyford Arts Group Life Drawing Sessions. 7pm. Details: www. twyfordartgroup.co.uk

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Thursday, March 30

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

FINCHAMPSTEAD – Siren Tap Yard, Alberto House, Marino Way RG40 4RF.

Siren Beer Discovery: An Introduction to Siren through the exploration of the various beer styles of the core range. Includes third-pints of each of the five core range beers. Tickets from £11.37. 7pm8pm. Details: https://www. sirencraftbrew.com/

READING – Palmer Park Library, St Bartholomew’s Road RG1 3QB. Rhymetime. Booking essential. 10.30am. Details: 0118 937 5106.

READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Rhymetime. Booking essential. 10.15am and 11.15. Details: 0118 937 5950.

SPENCERS WOOD –Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

SOUTHCOTE – Library, Southcote Community Hub, Coronation Square RG30 3QP. Rhymetime. 9.45am. Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5109.

TILEHURST – Library, School Road RG31 5AS. Rhymetime. 2.15pm Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5112.

TILEHURST – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, The Meadway RG30 4PE. Reading branch of the Berkshire Family History Society meeting: Members evening where everyone can share their story of their criminal ancestors. In all families there is at least one ‘black sheep’. Their story will add life to your family history and, as such, we should embrace even our ne’erdo-well forebears. Why not tell us about yours? 7.15pm for 7.45pm. £5 donation, member free. Details/ pre-booking: reading@ berksfhs.org.uk

WHITLEY – Library, South Reading Community Hub, 252 Northumberland Avenue, RG2 7QA. Rhymetime. 11am. Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5115.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic lunch club with Friendship table. Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Friday, March 31

CAVERSHAM – Library, Church Street RG4 8AU. Games club. 10.30amnoon. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. linkvisiting.org

READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road RG30 1EE. Rhymetime. 10am and 11.15am. Booking essential. Details: 0118 937 5100.

READING – OpenHand OpenSpace (OHOS), 571 Oxford Road RG30 1HL. Hummingbirds and Hamburgers: call to action. An Exhibition and Screening of Works by Christine Ellison. 6pm-9pm. Details: 571oxfordroad.org

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road

RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, April 1

BEECH HILL – Memorial Hall, Beech Hill Road. Easter allotments scavenger hunt. 1pm-3pm. £1 per entry. Free tea, coffee and other refreshments. Cakes, biscuits for sale. In aid of playground refurbishment project.

CROWTHORNE – St John the Baptist Church, Waterloo Road RG45 7NT. Thames Voyces spring concert: Britten, Poulenc, Vierne. £15, under 16s free.

7.30pm. Details: 0118 967 7319.

EARLEY – 3SixtyUniversity of Reading RG6 6UR. CosXPo 2023. 11am-6pm. Details: cosxpo.com

HENLEY – St Mary’s Church, Hart Street, RG9 2AU. Henley Choral Society 50th anniversary gala concert and world premeire: Cecilia McDowall’s The Ice Is Listening. £20, under 18s £5. 7.30pm. Details: www. henleychoralsociety.org.uk

READING – Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Reading Farmers Market. 8.15amnoon. Details: www. thamesvalleyfarmers market.co.uk

READING – The Great Hall, University of Reading, London Road RG1 5AG. South Chiltern Choral Society: Puccini’s Messa di Gloria and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. 7.30pm. With guests L’Ensemble Vocal de la Vallee du Tarn. £20 in advance, or £25 on the door. Details: www. southchilternchoralsociety. org.uk

READING – Concert Hall, Reading Town Hall, Blagrave Street RG1

1QH. Reading Symphony Orchestra Family Concert. 4pm. £16, students and under 18s £5. Details: www.rso.org.uk

READING – OpenHand OpenSpace (OHOS), 571 Oxford Road RG30

1HL. Hummingbirds and Hamburgers: call to action. An Exhibition and Screening of Works by Christine Ellison. Noon-4pm. Details: 571oxfordroad.org

RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road RG7 1SP. Wellington Country Easter Eggstravaganza includes crafts, dancing, Big Top show, train rides, treasure hunts and more. 9.30am-4.30pm. Details: wellingtoncountrypark. co.uk

SILCHESTER – Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Village market. 10am. Details: 0118 970 0999 or www.silchester villagemarket.org.uk.

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Waltham St Lawrence Silver Band brass and voices concert. 7.30pm.

£8, under 12s free. Details: www.walthamband.com

Sunday, April 2

ACROSS READING – From Green Park. Reading Half Marathon 2023 and Green Park Challenge. Details: readinghalfmarathon.com

EARLEY – 3SixtyUniversity of Reading RG6 6UR. CosXPo 2023. 11am-6pm. Details: cosxpo.com

READING – St Joseph’s College, Upper Redlands Road, Reading RG1 5JT. Reading Haydn Choir –concert featuring choral works by Handel, Mozart and John Rutter. £15, £13 concessions, under 19s £5. £1 discount advance sales. Details: haydnchoir.org.uk

READING – Prospect Park, Bath Road. Prospect Park Railway public running organised by the reading Society of Model Engineers. From 1pm-3pm. 60p a ride, 10 tickets £4. Traines will run until 3.45pm.

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Dreading Poetry Slam. 7.30pm. Free entry. Details: risingsunartscentre.org

READING – OpenHand OpenSpace (OHOS), 571 Oxford Road RG30 1HL. Hummingbirds and Hamburgers: call to action. An Exhibition and Screening of Works by Christine Ellison. Noon-4pm. Details: 571oxfordroad.org

READING – Venue to be confirmed on booking. Terry’s Town Centre Walkabout – Forbury Gardens, Abbey, 5B’s + 2 Myths. Maximum 16 people. £5, child over 10 £1. In aid of PACT and Royal Berks Charity. 5.45pm. Details: www.facebook.com/ terrysreadingwalkabouts

RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road RG7 1SP. Wellington Country Easter Eggstravaganza includes crafts, dancing, Big Top show, train rides, treasure hunts and more. 9.30am-4.30pm. Details: wellingtoncountrypark. co.uk

SPENCERS WOOD – Village Hall, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AP. Repair cafe. 1.30pm.

SWALLOWFIELD – All Saints Church, Church Road RG7 1TH. Farley Singers Come and Sing: Stainer’s Crucifixion. Rehearsal 4.30pm-6pm. Performance 7pm. Free entry, collection for Share Shinfield and All Saints Church.

WARGRAVE – St Mary’s Church. Twyford Singers spring concert: European Romnatic Sacred music. 7pm. £12, £5 under 18s.

Details: twyford-singers. org.uk

WOKINGHAM – St Crispin’s Leisure Centre, London Road RG40 1SR. Antique and Collectors Fair. 10am-3pm. Details: 07723 068189.

WOKINGHAM – Culver Grove off Wheeler Avenue, Mulberry Grove RG40 5AS. Dr Bike free bike checks. 10am-noon. Booking essential. Details: www. myjourneywokingham.com

Quiz Challenge

1. In French cookery, what is a bouquet garni?

2. What is the term used in tennis for when a serve hits the top of the net and still falls within the service box?

3. Which medical condition is caused by a lack of iron in the body?

4. Who in children’s fiction had a special friend called Peter the goatherd?

5. How many countries do the Andes Mountains pass through?

6. What codename did the Germans give to their plan to invade Russia in 1941?

7. What was Paul O’Grady’s stage name for his female impersonation character?

8. What title was given to a Roman officer originally in charge of 100 men?

9. The song Forget Me, which spent nine weeks in the 2022 UK top 10 charts, was by which artist?

10. Which word meaning ‘relating to Western countries’ is the opposite of oriental?

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

FIVE ALIVE EQUALISER

CROSS CODE

Here are two miniature five-square crosswords using the same grid –but the letters have been mixed up. You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.

2. Produce an effect with decree (3)

5. Two male animals back another beast (6)

7. Charge our NHS engineered (6)

9. Cost of transport? (8,3)

10. No part arranged for sponsor (6)

11. Equality is hard to attain in church district (6)

13. Mails a concoction of meat (6)

16. Unfortunately Graeme is lean (6)

18. Control is announcing it is restoring to former position (11)

19. Lot of Arabs (6)

20. Graduate has two articles to put back to tomorrow (6)

21. Some of the casualties returned to the States initially (3)

QUICK CROSSWORD

SOLUTIONS

Place the four signs (add, subtract, multiply, divide) one in each circle so that the total of each across and down line is the same.

Perform the first calculation in each line first and ignore the mathematical law which says you should always perform division and multiplication before addition and subtraction.

1. Attendant leading one a dance (6)

2. Reach a remarkable titan (6)

3. To step up on part of boot (6)

4. Passes suspect section of estimate (6)

6. Focus on possessions of friend with similar problem (11)

8. Concerned with particular arrangement of a 16th century movement (11)

10. Step not possible in France (3)

12. Starts to hurry, it’s essential to make haste (3)

14. One legal claim that’s skilful (6)

15. From Tunis I rearranged the original position (2,4)

16. With Sam I am creating noxious vapour (6)

17. Reginald removed net for ruler (6)

NONAGRAM

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 12345 O 6789 R 10111213 1415161718192021 D 2223242526

Each number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares. As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

SUDOKU

Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.

95 87 1679 3 92 3 8 1 2 7 24 46 9 4 7 8 793 45 8

How many words of four letters or more can you make from this Nonagram? Each word must use the central letter, and each letter may be used only once. At least one word using all nine letters can be found.

Guidelines:

ACROSS 5

Any word found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible with the following exceptions: proper nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and possessives; third person singular verbs; hyphenated words; contractions and abbreviations; vulgar slang words; variant spellings of the same word (where another variant is also eligible).

ACROSS DOWN

New vet’s cost-of-living support

A NEW vet in Woodley is chopping a whopping 50% of the cost of neutering pets.

The deal was due to finish at the end of March but the cutting off period will be extended for advance bookings.

It is hoped the reduced cash rate will help pet owners struggling with the cost-of-living crisis.

Courtney Weaver-Ennis, head vet at the Vet’s Klinic, said it will also raise awareness of neutering pets.

“We put pet owners and patients at the heart of everything we do which includes advocating responsible pet ownership,” she explained.

“The benefits of castrating or spaying your cat or dog extends beyond preventing unwanted pregnancies and we want to make this as financially accessible as possible to pet owners.”

Vet’s Klinic says most pet owners accept that getting their pet neutered is the responsible thing to do with 70% of dogs in the UK being neutered and 89% of cats.

However, with the rising cost of living, some owners are putting off taking this step because of the cost involved.

The practice on Headley Road East in Woodley, is offering clients a 50% discount on castration and spaying of

cats, dogs and rabbits for the month of March following World Neutering Month.

This could save owners on average £100 and anything up to £165.

The discount can also be claimed by owners who are waiting for the appropriate time to neuter their pet by booking and paying for the procedure by the end of March.

The Klinic’s facilities include a unique glass-fronted prep room, which enables owners to see the vets and nurses at work; a separate cat waiting room; a dedicated dental suite; in-house laboratory and two operating theatres.

Clients of Vet’s Klinic also benefit from an online customer portal which includes complete access to their pets’ medical records and provides owners with real-time updates including photographs of their pet while in the Klinic’s careproviding reassurance without the need to ring the practice.

An online booking system enables clients to choose their preferred vet, most convenient time and to access discounted online prices when booking and paying in advance. n For more details, log on to: vetsklinic.co.uk/reading

Young performers dazzle at Woodley Festival

BUDDING performers from across Berkshire have been showcasing their talents at a prestigious arts festival.

The annual Woodley Festival of Music and Arts returned on March 4, and will continue through until The Gala Finale Concert at the new Michael Malnick Centre, Leighton Park School, on Sunday, March 26.

Running for the past 52 years, the celebration of arts gives children the ideal platform to hone their skills in front of a live audience, while also receiving valuable feedback from professional adjudicators.

This year, a variety of choir, instrumental, pianoforte, vocal, and speech and drama performances have been enjoyed by audiences featuring entrants’ friends and relatives, as well as members of the public, across three weekends.

Kuan Ang, the festival’s publicity officer, said: “We have been delighted to welcome so many young performers through our doors over the past two weekends of the festival.

“The first weekend saw the choral festival held, as usual, at the Emmbrook School in Wokingham.

“What a joy it was to have a near-full hall listening to the sound of children and young people singing their hearts out to such a high standard, and culminating with a class of adult choirs sharing their chosen hobby with us all.

“Our adjudicator, the esteemed choral technician, conductor, composer and educationalist, Dr Douglas Coombes, enthralled us all with his interactive, informative and entertaining feedback. A great time was had by the singers and audience alike.”

The Oakwood Centre, Woodley, played host to the speech and drama

Healthy Heart

Sleep is essential for health

POOR sleep can negatively impact our heart health, along with many other areas of our physical and mental wellbeing.

Prioritising your seven to nine hours shut eye every day is one of the best things you can do to support your health.

During sleep, our body gets to work helping us to recover both mentally and physically, which helps us feel energised, alert, and ready for the day. Sleep isn’t something to overlook, so here are some tips for helping to improve your sleep.

Limit caffeine

Who doesn’t love a morning cuppa? Whilst a small amount of caffeine early in the day is unlikely to impact our sleep, caffeine can stay in our blood stream for many hours after consumption.

This can negatively impact the quality of our sleep and ability to fall asleep. So, say no to caffeine after lunch.

Turn off the screens

entrants with the ideal setting to boost confidence and self-esteem by performing in front of small, friendly audiences.

Woodley Festival veteran Maddie Fisher, who has dyslexia and struggled with reading, working memory and processing skills, has hugely benefited from participating in the Festival. Her early efforts in verse and prose classes elicited positive remarks from the section adjudicator, encouraging Maddie to return each year for the next six years. She has won multiple gold and silver medals in the speech and drama section.

Maddie’s mother, Fiona, said: “Undoubtedly Woodley Festival has boosted Maddie’s confidence in public, helping to build her character and assisted in overcoming her inherent difficulties.”

The festival also provides important performance practice for musicians, many of whom have gone on to enjoy success on the national stage.

Reading oboist Ewan Millar, who won the woodwind category final in the 2020 BBC Young Musician competition, took part in the instrumental section at Woodley from a young age.

The Gala Finale Concert will see a select number of performers from this year’s cohort invited back to perform at Leighton Park School.

Melatonin is our sleepy hormone, and we need to allow our body to produce lots of it to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Bright lights in our environment can reduce the production of melatonin, specifically the blue light from computer screens, tablets, and mobile phones.

Try switching off screens an hour before sleep time and read a book or have a bath instead.

Spend time outdoors

Research shows that simply being inside during the day, rather than spending time outdoors, reduces our melatonin production at night by 50%.

Grab your trainers and hit the pavement for a walk or run outdoors for at least 20 minutes every day.

Create a routine

Humans are creatures of habit, and we thrive on routine. Creating a bedtime ritual can help signal to our bodies that it’s time for sleep.

Try to choose low stimulation activities like reading, listening to music, or even having a cup of (caffeine free!) tea such as camomile. n For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch. org.uk/healthy-tips

section the following weekend, with youngsters navigating the arts of verse, prose, acting, musical theatre and public speaking.

Kuan described the atmosphere in the performance rooms as “buzzing with the sound of laughter and music” and hailed the entrants’ impressive offerings.

“The piano section got off to an excellent start last weekend

with some very accomplished performances, with several being awarded the outstanding category,” Kuan continued.

“The adjudicator, Anthony Williams, who has been to Woodley many times over the years gave great feedback which was much appreciated by the players, parents and teachers alike.”

The Festival is proud to provide

ManningUK Insurance Brokers has sponsored the event for the past 18 years. Local businesswoman Ann Manning, the company’s managing director, was asked to volunteer at the festival in 2005.

On hearing that the festival was in danger of closure, she didn’t hesitate to step in, keen to see the children and young people who take part in it thrive. Ann has been referred to as Woodley’s ‘fairy godmother’.

BACK ON STAGE: The annual Woodley Festival is a showcase of talents from across the performing arts spectrums

Vet’s Klinic head vet Courtney Weaver-Ennis

INCE LOSES KEY PLAYERS

‘THE ROYALS CURSE’

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC manager Paul Ince confirmed that he believes he has lost three key players to injury for the remainder of the season.

He revealed that Shane Long, Liam Moore and Tom McIntyre

HUNT’S SIDE CRASH OUT OF BERKS & BUCKS CUP

READING FC UNDER 21s crashed out of the Berks & Bucks Cup in the semi-finals after a penalty shootout defeat to Marlow.

Striker Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan got the Royals off to the perfect start when he opened the scoring after just four minutes.

After being played through on goal, Ehibhatiomhan was taken out by the Marlow goalkeeper and Reading were awarded a spot kick that was dispatched by the forward.

The hosts went in search of a goal to try and level the tie and they were eventually rewarded just after half an hour when Simmo latched onto the rebound of Rogalski’s shot that cannoned off the post and put Marlow back on terms.

After a scuffle ensued, Matty Carson for Reading and Soares for Marlow were both given their marching orders.

With 15 minutes left to play, Ehibhatiomhan put the Royals on the brink of the final when he netted his second goal of the game.

But with time running out, Marlow grabbed a dramatic leveller in the final minute of the match when Ovenden profited from a scramble in the box and scored.

The match was to be decided from the penalty spot and it was Marlow who held their nerve to go through.

are likely to miss the rest of the campaign through injury.

Speaking on Liam Moore, Ince said: “With his process the last few months, he was so excited that he was starting.

“To see that happen to him was sad for us. We don’t know the extent of it but I think that’s him

for the season. That could be eight or nine players we haven’t got.

“I’m devastated for him.

“I’m sure he will bounce back, he’s got that mentality to bounce back and I’ll stay in contact with him to make sure he gets through his rehab and does everything right.

“He’s ruptured his fasciitis so that’s a big blow.”

“Tom’s is a hamstring. So it will be four weeks until he is back on the park. That’s the season done.

“We’ve been cursed with injuries and that’s what you get when you haven’t got the options of changing it and refreshing players.”

Louie Holzman missed with Reading’s first spot kick, but hope was not lost when Marlow failed to score their second penalty.

Ehibhatiomhan, Adrian Akande and Nahum Melvin-Lambert converted to take the shootout to sudden death, but Jack Senga missed before Marlow took advantage to score their crucial spot kick and progressed.

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FOOTBALL

FINCH PUT ON FIVE STAR DISPLAY

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Thames Valley Premier League FINCHAMPSTEAD put on a five-star performance to claim their 10th league win of the season.

Joel Day put Finch in front after seven minutes and Alex Woodhead scored seven minutes later to make it 2-0.

Aqeel Butt added a third quickly after the restart before Day found his second on the hour mark and James Payne rounded off the scoring 20 minutes from time with a 5-0 victory.

Finch stay in second on 32 points from 16 games, six points above third place Reading YMCA having played two more matches.

Combined Counties

Premier North READING CITY’S

aspirations of challenging Ascot United for the title took a hit after they conceded a late goal in an away loss to Edgware & Kingsbury.

A successful 38th minute penalty from Josh Baines put the Cityzens in front at the break.

The home team found a reply just after the hour mark, and with just seven minutes to go, it was Edgware who ensured they collected the points with a winning goal.

Combined Counties Division One

BERKS COUNTY picked up three points on their away visit to British Airways.

Having been up two goals to the good, County suffered a setback when an own goal allowed the hosts back into the game.

But the Swords ensured

they got back on track with a win when Les Sackey scored a third late in the day to confirm the win.

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

ASCOT UNITED RESERVES are in top spot after a hard fought away win at Harwell and Hendred.

The 2-1 success puts them one point in front of title challengers MORTIMER having played one game more.

Mortimer’s title hopes were dealt a blow after they lost away to TILEHURST PANTHERS.

Panthers ensured they took the points with a double from Deanna Cane either side of Rhianna Langham’s goal to wrap up a convincing 3-0 win.

The win puts Tilehurst back in the title race in fourth on 31 points, but with

FOTBALL

ROBINS ROCKED BY TITLE CHALLENGERS

By ARTHUR STRAND sport@wokingham.today

two games in hand on the two sides above them.

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two

S4K BERKS COUNTY were left without a point to take despite scoring five in their away game at Denham United Reserves.

In a goal filled contest, the Fawkes were beaten 8-5.

Kate Stewart and Megan Cox both netted braces and Amber Newhouse was also on the scoresheet for S4K as they remain 10th in the table.

Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S

SHINFIELD RANGERS missed out on the chance to go top of the table after they lost away to Taplow United.

Chloe Bagshaw and Lauren Bagshaw both scored for Shinfield, but they lost 4-2.

BRACKNELL TOWN were dealt

a blow by title chasing Truro City in a 3-0 loss at the SB Stadium.

Neal found Sullivan who chipped the ball across to Greenslade close by the goal and headed the ball home without too much bother to make it one-nil after half-anhour.

The Robins pressed hard and brought out a fine save from the keeper with his foot to deny an equaliser and within two seconds, Will Dean headed the ball off the line as Truro ended one up at half-time.

After the break, Bracknell pushed upfield and a corner kick was conceded by a deflection from a Bracknell attempt at goal.

After six minutes of the secondhalf, Truro were able to convert a cross by Neal which was deflected although Greenslade had sufficient time to shoot and add a second to the tally.

In the 75th minute Neal was assisted by Sullivan and his shot beat Eacott to add another goal to the score -line.

Bracknell made the additional time count but every moment of pressure had the same conclusion that the ball was not going into the goal.

The counter attack had the Robins striking three times in as many seconds and the keeper made two superb saves before the ball was headed off the line.

The result leaves Bracknell in third, in a healthy position to secure a play-off spot with games in hand.

Finchampstead celebrated a big win over Slough Heating Laurecians Pictures: Andrew Batt

Bracknell Town’s result against Truro City sees them in third place

The Robins were defeated at home Pictures: John Leakey

Finchampstead’s Aqeel Butt takes a strike at goal

Woodley Saints Tigers lost against the Bracknell Bisons Pictures: Andrew Batt

The goalkeeper gets fingertips to the ball

NOONECHRONICLESTHEACTIONBETTERTHANUS

READING 17-19 DEVIZES

READING LOSE LEAD TO LATE TRY IN FINAL MATCH

By PETER CHIDGEY sport@wokingham.today

A TRY five minutes before the finish gave Devizes a win against a Reading team that had been ahead for most of their last league match of the season.

Until then, the game had been a closely fought encounter between two evenly matched sides neither of whom managed to take a decisive lead.

The game took a while to come to life but on the 20 minute mark Dorliac stormed through a gap near the hallway and beat the cover defence to cross for a try.

This was converted by Jonny Sharp playing alongside his brother Tom both of whom had come up through the Reading junior and colts setup.

But it was Devizes who scored next with an unconverted try in the corner when their inside centre took advantage of a break by the number 10 to outflank the Reading defence.

In the last couple of minutes of the half it was Reading’s turn to attack and when Devizes gave away a yellow card for illegally bringing down a driving line out.

Reading opted for the scrum which Devizes illegally collapsed as Reading were on the point of pushing it over. This resulted in

RUGBY UNION

‘I had a tear in my eye’ Noye reflects on double promotion

By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today

RETIRING Rams Social Rugby manager Marcus Noye admitted he had a tear in his eye after stepping down following the Centaurs (third XV) 47-24 victory against Abingdon on Saturday.

The Counties Two Tribute Berks, Bucks and Oxon South champions rounded off their season in style with a seven-try home success, a week after the Dragon’s Teeth (fourth XV) had claimed Three South glory as long-term legend Noye stepped down from his role in style.

The ex-Army man, who joined the club 18 years ago has spent a decade running the fourths, then the past three years adding the thirds and fifths to his resume reflected on a stunning season.

He said: “Managing three teams has taken its toll, as you

can tell by my hair. But two teams being promoted, I couldn’t be more pleased, and I did have a tear in my eye, I’m just so proud of the boys.

“It’s incredible the Cents only losing once – pre-season we talked about trying to win the league but then we kept that out of our minds, and it’s never been talked about since.

“The young lads coming in, Jedd Paine, Mikey Duda and the rest, they’ve made such an impact and it’s in turn elevated the Dragon’s Teeth.

“Bleddyn Parry in the back row for the DTs has been amazing and he could play thirds rugby and maybe first-team rugby in some other sides, it’s just amazing and I’m chuffed to bits.”

Noye, who has recently taken up a new role he loves at Bulmershe School, said he will always be around to try and help the club in other ways.

He continued: “We’ve played some

really entertaining stuff and we get a bit more of a crowd up to watch – Rams are building as a club and a product, we’ve pushed the idea of the Centaurs becoming a Development Squad and you can see it in the way we’ve played.

“There are 18- and 19-year-old lads playing a level of rugby which is outstanding.

“They’ve got so much more to come; they’re striving for the chance to progress and it’s great.

“We’re now at a point where the

first team were when I joined the club some 18 years ago and hopefully we can only keep pushing forward.”

Having lost 36-22 at Slough in Week Three, the Centaurs went on an incredible 17-match winning run which saw them not drop a point, while the DTs also only lost three games all season.

Noye continued: “Slough were amazing when we went down there and I took my hat off to them, but we learnt a lesson – it wasn’t a good thing to lose but from there the training

a penalty try and a second yellow card to make the score 14-5 to Reading at the interval.

Devizes, despite their numerical disadvantage scored early in the second half when they successfully mauled the ball up the pitch and over the line. The conversion succeeded to reduce the Reading lead to two points.

A Jonny Sharp penalty increased Reading’s lead to five as both teams had their chances. Reading had another chance to kick a penalty but decided not to go for the posts from a similar position.

They were rue this decision as after being reduced to 14 by a yellow card, a good move involving their no 10 and centres put Devizes over under the posts for a converted try for them to take the lead.

Despite a last-minute effort by Jonny Sharp and Palmer-Owen to score in the corner, Devizes managed to see the game out and claim the spoils.

Reading did gain a losing bonus point which pushed them into sixth position in the league as the ‘best of the rest’ with the top five teams at least 20 points in front of them.

Reading will play in a new end of season knock-out competition which combines teams finishing in similar positions across level six in the South West.

went up a level and we bounced back.

“To not lose a game from there is not a bad record to have.

“(New Head Coach) Joe (Whatmore) and Paul (Smith) have been absolutely amazing – they’ve taken things to another level.”

Rams return to National One action as they welcome Taunton Titans to Old Bath Road on Saturday (3pm). n Supporters are asked to book tickets through the club’s website – www. ramsrugby.com – for the penultimate home game of the season

Rams Centaurs Picture: Richard George

Reading go forward on the attack

A forward punt takes a kick

Reading finished in sixth position

Reading RFC lost out to Devizes

Reading RFC celebrate after scoring a try Pictures: John Newport

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FA CUP JOURNEY ENDS WITH DEFEAT

FA Cup

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC WOMEN’s hopes of reaching Wembley were dashed after they were eliminated by FA Women’s Cup holders Chelsea in the quarter-finals.

The Royals will now have full focus on trying to retain their top flight status with seven matches to go in the Women’s Super League. Having knocked out Tottenham Hotspur in the last

round in a penalty shootout, Reading were looking to upset the odds and prevent the Blues from retaining the cup.

Reading knew they would have a tricky test on their hands to try and overcome Emma Hayes’ side, who are looking to complete a league and cup double for the second consecutive season.

The hosts’ task was made even harder when they went a goal behind in the 23rd minute after failing to track Jess Carter’s run to the back post.

A floated cross into the box from Guro Reiten rose over four Reading shirts and found Carter all alone at the back post and took advantage by stroking the ball into the far corner past Grace Moloney on the volley.

Just three minutes later, Reading shot themselves in the foot when Brooke Hendrix conceded a penalty to give the visitors the chance to double their tally.

Emma Mukandi’s back pass to Hendrix put the Royals in trouble as Reiten showed more

endeavour to get to the loose ball, knocked the ball past the goalkeeper and was brought down by the American with the goal gaping.

The Royals defender escaped being sent off by the referee much to the relief of the Reading players and fans with the official taking the lenient view to only show her a caution.

Maren Mjelde took the penalty and dispatched it neatly into the bottom corner to put the Blues into

a commanding position in the cup tie.

Reading thought they had come up with a quick response in the 29th minute when Sanne Troelsgaard had the ball in the net, only to be denied by the offside flag.

After a lofted ball into the area from, a brilliant knock down fell into the path of Troelsgaard who snuck in behind the Blues backline to fire the ball into the roof of the net.

Reading’s celebrations were

cut short after a few moments of deliberation with a late decision from the officials who eventually raised the flag to deem it offside.

With a mountain to climb in the second-half to try and get back into the game, Reading’s hopes were all but put to bed six minutes after the restart when Chelsea netted their third of the game.

It was a slick team move that unlocked the Reading defence as Johanna Rytting Kaneryd played an expertly weighted

WOMEN’S FA CUP

Reading’s

hopes were ended with defeat to Chelsea Pictures: Neil Graham

Lily Woodham puts in a cross

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TO HOLDERS

From the middle

Why do referees make mistakes?

TWO football fans asked me why the referee at their team’s game make so many mistakes last week?

Two different games, two different referees.

So, what leads to so many apparent mistakes?

The first thing I must say is that not everything that looks like a mistake is one.

The view from 60 yards in the stands can be very different from the referee’s view of 15 yards.

Then, of course, there is the bias.

As one ardent sports fan once said, ‘it is scientifically proven that all awful decisions only affect the team that I support’.

We must also take into consideration that fans and even pundits, have seldom read the Laws of the Game.

I wrote in my column one week that Gary Lineker was wrong to criticise a referee for penalising a player who raised his foot to stop a goalkeeper clearing the ball from his hands.

I included the Law which is quite specific and proved the referee had made the correct decision.

through ball to Alsu Abdullina who unselfishly slid the ball across for Reiten to have the easiest of finishes to tap into the empty net.

Reading rallied to get on the scoresheet when Troelsgaard continued her superb scoring season when she received the ball in the box, spun past Millie Bright and released an emphatic finish into the far corner to beat Zecira Musovic.

It proved to just be a consolation goal from the Norwegian midfielder as the Royals exited the competition at the quarter-final stage.

Speaking after the match, Royals boss Kelly Chambers believes ‘two moments of madness’ cost her side.

PREVIEW

“First and foremost, we wanted to put in a performance that was better than last week and one that we can build on going into Brighton, which I think we did,” said Chambers.

“For all of Chelsea’s quality, I think we gifted them their first two goals, which when you’re up against these teams, you cannot afford to do.

“I think our first-half performance was good, certainly shouldn’t be going into half-time 2-0 down, but just two moments of madness let us down.

“It’s mixed feelings for us right now, obviously proud of the way we performed but can’t help but feel aggrieved with the way

we let Chelsea score.”

Chambers was also left baffled at the decision from the match officials to disallow Sanne Troeslgaard’s goal that would have made it 2-1, with the linesman raising his flag just prior to Chelsea restarting the match.

She continued: “I’m still baffled as to why our first goal was ruled off, I don’t know how refereeing works these days.

“From our perspective, he (the linesman) hasn’t given offside and starts running back ready for kick-off but then the referee gets involved to make a judgement on offside. It’s just so complicated, I don’t get it.

“Maybe with VAR you can take

ROYALS HOST SEAGULLS IN RELEGATION SHOWDOWN

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC WOMEN host Brighton & Hove Albion this Sunday in a crunch match with both sides looking to preserve their place in the Women’s Super League.

The Royals have seven games left to play this campaign and face the first of their remaining matches against a fellow relegation rival.

Reading go into the contest on the back of being knocked out of the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage against Chelsea with full attention

now on surviving in the top flight.

Kelly Chambers’ team are currently on 10 points from 15 league games which puts them three points above the drop zone. Meanwhile, Brighton are one place and two points behind Reading, but have played two games fewer.

With just one team going down from the WSL each season, Reading and Brighton are both in the midst of a tense relegation battle alongside bottom side Leicester City as well as Tottenham Hotspur who did boost their chances of survival

with a win over the Foxes last week.

The Seagulls are onto their third managerial appointment of the season after Jens Scheuer departed having joined just two months earlier.

The German replaced long term manager Hope Powell in October after Brighton were smashed 8-0 by Spurs.

However, following a heavy 6-2 loss to Aston Villa, he left his position by mutual consent after just 68 days in charge.

Despite their troubles in the league, Brighton did set up

that time to discuss, and give the goal or not, but in the end it’s another decision against us.”

Next up for the Royals is a huge encounter in the WSL up against fellow relegation battlers Brighton & Hove Albion.

READING: Moloney, Mayi Kith, Hendrix, Mukandi (c), Bryson, Woodham, Moore, Rowe, EIkeland, Troelsgaard, Wellings

Subs: Evans, Wade, Caldwell, Jane, Burns, Vanhaevermaet, Meadows-Tuson

CHELSEA: Musovic, Carter, Bright, Eriksson, Rytting Kaneryd, Mjelde, Fleming, Ingle, Abdullina, Reiten, Charles

Subs: :Leupolz, James, Kerr, Buchanan, Berger, Claypole, Akpan, Blades, Brown

Goals: Carter 23’, Mjedle 26’ (pen), Reiten 51’, Troelsgaard 70’

an FA Cup semi-final tie after they progressed by beating Championship side Birmingham City 2-0 with goals from former Royal Danielle Carter and Poppy Pattinson.

Amy Merricks has now taken over the position on an interim basis for the second time this season.

The Seasiders have collected just one point from their last five league matches. That came in a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa last month in which Julia Zigotti Olme scored a 74th minute equaliser to claim a point.

I received a card from Lineker saying simply ‘I still think I’m right’.

It must be admitted of course that referees do make mistakes, but Katja Koroleva, an American FIFA and professional referee said in an interview, ‘We make hundreds of decisions in every match and the next decision is only seconds away, so we have to confront the discomfort of making mistakes.’

So how do they come about?

Sometimes the referee doesn’t see the incident.

Remember how in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, Howard Webb did not send off Nigel de Jong despite him kicking an opponent in the chest.

Webb admitted afterwards that his view was blocked at the vital moment. Referees, like players, can also have ‘off’ days even extending to off periods.

Think of a free scoring centre forward who suddenly can’t hit a barn door.

There is also a fairly recent influence, following the UEFA Cup Finals that has continued. Roberto Rosetti, head of UEFA referees, felt that there were too many players going down too easily and he instructed the referees not to blow for trivial fouls.

The next main reason is positioning. Angles are as important for referees as keeping up with play.

Keith Hackett sent me a copy of the Prozone videos which he used to train the Premier League referees.

It not only showed how fast the referees ran and how much ground they covered but also their positioning at important times. It showed how just a few yards either way could make an improvement.

However, probably the real reason that we make mistakes is that we are all human.

Dick Sawdon-Smith

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Match stats

Joe Lumley

Was not overly troubled, but claimed everything that came his way calmly.

Andy Yiadom

Was the more positive outlet out of the two wing-backs. Failed to clear inside his box in opening, but Allahyar couldn’t steer home.

Liam Moore

Stepped off the pitch after just 15 minutes and replaced by Scott Dann. Was upset after what has been a torrid year for the former skipper.

Tom Holmes

Got forward on occasion and put in some good deliveries. Was largely untroubled at the back.

Naby Sarr

Could have tracked Slater’s run a little more closely for Hull’s goal. Dived in for a few challenges early on but timed them well.

Tom McIntyre

Hull looked to play balls in behind the stand-in left-back. Struggled and came off before half-time after picking up an injury.

Jeff Hendrick

Quietly assured. Didn’t have a huge impact on the game, but did a lot of the simple things well and kept things ticking over in midfield.

Just didn’t seem himself. Came close with . Allowed Traore to get away from him far too easily to set up Hull’s opener.

Cesare Casadei

Some tidy touches and seemed to be everywhere. Had chances to get on the scoresheet with his head and through a free-kick.

Andy Carroll

Took his goal well. Won his fair share of flick-ons but wasn’t able to play in Casadei or Joao with any real conviction. Useful on set pieces.

Lucas Joao

A good showingTurned down a golden opportunity to pull the trigger in the box with minutes left on the clock.

Tom Ince SUBS

6 6 7

5 5 6

5 6 6

6 6

ROYALS HALT LOSING RUN

READING 1 HULL CITY 1

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC ended a run of four Championship defeats on the bounce by recovering to take a point against Hull City.

The Royals went behind to Regan Slater’s 26th minute opener but replied on the stroke of half-time through Andy Carroll.

Neither side were able to snatch a winner and had to settle for a point each.

Reading stay in 16th position and are still nine points above the relegation zone prior to a possible points deduction from the EFL with eight matches remaining.

The Tigers had the first strike on goal inside the opening minute of the match when Yiadom failed to get any distance on a clearing header which dropped for Allahyar Sayyadmanesh to hit and Joe Lumley tipped round his post.

Allahyar had another sighter a few moments later when a low corner was drilled into his path, but he kicked thin air with his attempt.

Reading started to find their feet and some neat combination play from Lucas Joao and Tom Ince saw them stride into the Hull half without being able to muster a shot to test the keeper.

Lucas Joao was lively and got a couple of headers on goal that didn’t cause much trouble for Karl Darlow with two routine catches in quick succession.

Moore’s injuries continued to plague him and his first start only lasted 15 minutes as he had to hobble off and be replaced by Scott Dann.

REACTION

Match stats

READING: Lumley, McIntyre, Holmes, Sarr, Moore, Yiadom (c), Hendrick, Casadei, Ince, Carroll, Joao SUBS: Bouzanis, Dann, Azeez, Guinness-Walker, Fornah, Mbengue, Ehibhatiomhan

HULL CITY: Darlow, Coyle (c), Graves, A Jones, Allahyar, Ebiowei, McLoughlin, Traore, Estupinan, Seri, Slater SUBS: Lo-Tutala, Elder, Figueiredo, Tufan, Docherty, Longman, Pelkas

GOALS: Slater 26’, Carroll 44’

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Nesta GuinnessWalker

top teams in the Championship.

Liam Rosenior’s side opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Regan Slater battled past Ince, played the ball out wide and received a return ball to burst through the middle and slotted a finish in at Lumley’s near post.

Reading could only create a couple of half chances with a Naby Sarr header from a corner and a glancing nod wide from Cesare Casadei.

Another enforced change through injury saw Tom

CHAMPIONSHIP INCE PRAISES TEAM FOR ‘STOPPING THE ROT’ IN HULL DRAW

McIntyrereplaced by Nesta Guinness-Walker with five minutes of the first-half remaining.

Moving into the final few minutes of the half, the Royals got on the scoresheet to put the game on terms.

After Casadei’s flick on into the box, Carroll hovered and was able to pounce on the loose ball which ricocheted off a defender into his path and he planted the ball into the bottom right hand corner to punish Hull.

“Of course it’s

“We started a bit slow to be fair and when we conceded that gave us a kick up the backside and got us into gear.

“We were creating chances and got the goal at a good time. It lifted everybody.

“The second half was a case of who could get the winning goal but a point is a fair result and it’s important that we understand that we’ve had four tough games against

“After 65, 70 minutes we were out on our feet, absolutely knackered. AC (Andy Carroll) hadn’t trained all week, but what they’ve done, I’m proud of them because they kept going and that’s all you can do at this stage.”

Ince believes that gaining a point will be vital for the team’s confidence ahead of the last eight league games of the season to try and maintain their Championship status.

Following the international break, the Royals will travel away to face Bristol City on Saturday, April 1.

Ince continued: “It’s about stopping the rot when you’ve lost four on the bounce so it’s nice to pick up a point.

“From a confidence point of view if you lose today (Saturday), it’s the worst thing in the world with the international break coming up so the most important thing was to not lose the game.

“We would have liked to have won but the important thing is not to lose and it’s another point gained.

“The boys who are fit are putting a shift in. We’re down to the bare bones.

“It’s tough for the boys and we’re

in the business where we’ve now got eight games to go so it’s not about pretty football or playing like Man City.

“It’s about getting points on the board and that’s all that matters.

“I’ve got to make sure we now rest our legs and rest our minds and get going again for the next game against Bristol City.

“It couldn’t have come at a better time (the international break).

“The next eight games will be tough for us so it’s a nice refreshment.”

Yiadom fires in a cross

Nesta Guinness-Walker impressed

Carroll celebrates his equaliser

Slater nets the opener to put Hull in front

The Royals stopped a losing run

READING FC manager Paul Ince was relieved that his team picked up a point against Hull City to stop a run of four consecutive Championship defeats.

a point gained,” said Ince after Andy Carroll netted the equaliser on the stroke of halftime which saw the points shared.

Scott Dann 6, Nesta GuinnessWalker 7, Tyrese Fornah n/a, Femi Azeez n/a

NOONECHRONICLESTHEACTIONBETTERTHANUS

WITH CARROLL’S EQUALISER

Liam

suffered a season ending injury during his first start of the season

‘We can’t get the whole team fit’

GOALSCORER Andy Carroll believes the international break has come at the ideal time for Reading before they face the final stretch in their Championship campaign.

The Royals are currently nine points above the relegation zone, but with an EFL points deduction looming, they are likely to get dragged into the mix in a fight for survival.

Speaking after he scored the equalising goal in a 1-1 draw with Hull City, Carroll said: “It’s nice to get something from your last game before the internationals.

“There’s nothing worse than going in, two weeks of no football and knowing that you got beat in the last game.

“So it’s good that the lads can go away from the game with another point and get a bit of rest and recovery before we prepare for the next game.

“The break couldn’t have come at a better time.

“With the injuries we have, the list is ongoing. We can’t get the whole team fit.

“We have eight or nine players injured that could be starting.”

A final chance of the opening 45 came for Ince after a positive move ended with Casadei winning a freekick 25 yards from goal.

Ince curled a shot over the wall but it sailed over the bar to the relief of Darlow.

Casadei’s willingness to drive forward won Reading another free-kick in a shooting position 10 minutes after the restart.

Having netted his first senior goal in midweek at Blackburn, Casadei took responsibility but ballooned a disappointing effort into the north stand.

The Tigers relinquished some control and looked to restore their

READING FC

lead, but found Dann in the way to intercept a drilled cross and put it behind for a corner.

Dann stayed alert at the back and charged out to put his body on the line to get in the way of a thumping shot.

Carroll was the first player to go into the book after putting in a late tackle on Hull captain Lewie Coyle.

The home crowd were left frustrated after Joao had the ball in the box with a chance of striking at goal, but he opted to take one too many touches to try and twist past his marker and ultimately had possession snatched from him.

Carroll proved his worth to

provide defensive cover, winning several headers from Hull corners to keep his team organised.

Guinness-Walker showed excellent pace and footwork down the left before Ince teed up Holmes only for the defender to slam his shot well off target.

A late double change saw Femi Azeez and Tyrese Fornah take the places of Casadei and Joao for the final few minutes.

Both sides were unable to forge any clear cut openings to take maximum points as the game was drawn.

After the international break, Reading are away at Bristol City.

ROYALS FACE ANXIOUS WAIT OVER POINTS DEDUCTION

By Andy Preston apreston@wokingham.today

READING FC are still facing an anxious wait on the decision from the EFL to confirm whether they will receive a points deduction.

The Royals were docked six points last campaign for breaking the league’s profit and sustainability rules, with a further suspended six points hanging over them for this current campaign if they failed to comply with the EFL’s business plan.

It is believed that the club are currently being investigated for the EFL to whether they have followed the rules set out within the business plan, and if they have failed to do so then they will receive another six point deduction this campaign.

Paul Ince’s team are currently in 17th position in the table, nine points above the relegation zone, but a deduction would see them drop to 21st and just three points above the drop zone.

Speaking about the points

deduction after the 1-1 draw with Hull City, Reading boss Ince said: “As far as I’m concerned I don’t know when it’s coming, if it’s coming.

“There has been a lot of stuff in the press recently about other teams.

“The EFL seem to be on one at the moment so I’m sure something will be coming our way.

“I’ve said before that there is no guarantee it is coming, but I have a feeling it is coming just because of the way the EFL are being with other clubs.

“I think the cut off mark is Thursday so it will be D-day for a lot of clubs.

“This time last year when I was here we were on 30 points so the lads have improved eight points before this game.

“That’s what we look at, the positive side.”

Fellow relegation rivals Wigan Athletic were dealt a three point deduction on Monday which leaves them bottom of the table on 31 points and eight points away from safety with eight matches remaining.

Going into the final eight matches of the season, Carroll is determined for his team to take the positives from the Tigers match to find some much needed form to try and secure their Championship status.

He continued: “The last stretch of games is massive and the points that are on offer.

“If any of the teams below us go on a little run they can drag us right in it.

“So it was a massive point against Hull and we need to keep going and get as many as we can before the end of the season.

“We needed the point, we wanted three, but we’ll take one because it’s a step closer.

“We’ve been playing against the top teams and it’s been really tough. We’ve been missing a few players too.

“Against Hull we played well, we passed it well and created some chances.

“We probably could have nicked the game so we have to take positive and look forward.”

Andy Carroll Picture: Steve Smyth

of four consecutive matches Pictures: Steve Smyth and Luke Adams

Tom McIntyre heads clear

Casadei Scott Dann replaced Liam Moore

Royals after Carroll’s leveller

Tom Holmes misses the target

Moore

Naby Sarr slides to win the ball

NOONECHRONICLESTHEACTIONBETTERTHANUS

DARTS

PLAYERS BATTLE AT DARTS TOURNAMENT

Sumas P-P Chalfont St Peter

RESULTS

Saturday, March 18

FOOTBALL Championship

Reading 1-1 Hull City

Southern League Premier South

Bracknell Town 0-3

Truro City

Isthmian South Central Walton & Hersham 5-1

Binfield

Combined Counties

Premier North

Edgware & Kingsbury 2-1

Reading City

Combined Counties Division One

British Airways 1-3 Berks County

Thames Valley Premier League

Finchampstead 5-0 Slough

Heating Laurencians

RUGBY UNION

South West Regional 2

Reading 17-19 Devizes

HOCKEY

By STAFF WRITER sport@wokingham.today

A TOTAL of 39 players turned out to compete in the Bradfield Darts tournament hosted at Bradfield Social Club on Saturday.

With a mixture of abilities ranging from youth right up to senior county level, it proved to be a challenging and entertaining

spectacle. There were four women that entered the competition, allowing the open to play out a furthest lady award.

This was won by Nippa Smith who plays for the Berkshire County Team.

There was also a first round losers plate offered to the entrants to run alongside the main open.

This was won by Richard Rawlings. The winner of the main open took away a prize of £300, which was won by Terry Stubbs who also plays for the Berkshire County Team.

This is the second Bradfield Open run by Kryshia Muss and they are hoping to run another later in the year. The next competition at

TABLE TENNIS GOLF

RELEGATION BATTLE HEATS UP AFTER KINGFISHER F TAKE VICTORY

By NIGEL MALTBY

sport@wokingham.today

KINGFISHER A proved their champions credentials as their trio of Martin Adams, Hari Gehlot and Darren Jones pushed aside a strong KINGFISHER D 10-0 with little difficulty.

Helped by a maximum by Steve Murgatroyd, second place OUR LADY OF PEACE

A narrowly edged SONNING COMMON and PEPPARD A 6-4, with all encounters on the night requiring either a fourth or decisive fifth set including Steve’s win over Jamie Barlow 8-11 17-15 11-4 10-12 11-8.

Elsewhere, KINGFISHER

B’S quest for fifth place took a positive turn as they overcame rivals TILEHURST RBL A 8-2, the highlights being excellent maximums from Phil Mead and young Theo Kniep, whose temperament was exemplified as he won all his games against Jon Willis, Marc Brent and Keith Winter in the deciding

fifth set. Despite another maximum from Mike Childs, bottom side READING FC could not avoid a 4-6 defeat away to TIDMARSH A SONNING COMMON AND PEPPARD B reserve Danny Dockree played up from Division Two and remained undefeated as he superbly upset SONNING SPORTS A, who are already safe from relegation.

He was helped by a double from Matt Isherwood to inflict a 3-7 defeat.

Promotion rivals TIDMARSH

B and SONNING COMMON & PEPPARD C fought out a 5-5 draw with the SC&P side recovering from 1-4 down.

Dale Ballard got an excellent maximum for Tidmarsh and Francois Durand won twice, beating both Malcolm Gregory and Nigel Maltby. Brian Meheux had a great win over Francois for the Commoners as well as teaming up with Nigel to win the doubles.

OUR LADY OF PEACE B moved level on points with

Tidmarsh after an 8-2 win over OUR LADY OF PEACE C with Darek Kaminski and Chris West both getting maximums. The highlight sets was the C team’s Binit Bhaskar recovering from two games down to beat Dave Godfrey 11-7 in the fifth.

In their second match of the week OUR LADY OF PEACE C lost 7-3 to KINGFISHER G, a result which just about condemns them to relegation and also keeps Kingfisher’s promotion hopes alive.

Satej Jaywant got a maximum for Kingfisher G.

The best set of the night was between OLOP’s Pradeep Desh and the Kingfisher Captain Andrew Adair which Pradeep won 12-10 in the fifth after Andrew recovered from 8-3 down to go 10-9 up but he then missed an easy smash on match point.

The relegation fight was thrown open after KINGFISHER F beat KINGFISHER E 8-2, a result which drags the E team back into the mix.

Ascot United P-P London Lions

Combined Counties Division One

Berks County 6-1

Rayners Lane

Sandhurst Town 8-1

AFC Aldermaston

Woodley United 1-1 Bagshot

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 25

FOOTBALL

Southern League Premier South

Yate Town v Bracknell Town

Isthmian South Central Merstham v Binfield

Combined Counties Premier North

Ascot United v Wembley

Harefield United v Sumas Reading City v Wallingford & Crowmarsh

Combined Counties Division One Berks County v Spartans Youth

Bradfield Sports Club will be a knockout tournament hosted on Saturday, April 15 at 7.30pm.

Results:

Main Open Winner: Terry Stubbs

R/U: Josh Burksfield

Semi: Nick Lewis, Mitchell McCarthy

Plate Competition Winner: Richard Rawlings

R/U: Nathan Muney

Furthest Lady: Nippa Smith

SAND MARTINS GOLFERS REACH NATIONAL FINAL

A TEAM of female golfers from Sand Martins Golf Club have just been pipped at the post after reaching the final of the Annodata Matchplay Golf Classic – a national golf club team event for men and women across the UK.

In all, 720 teams competed nationally for a place in the Grand Finals which were held at the Montecastillo Golf Resort near Jerez in Spain.

Only four semi-finalists for the women’s trophy got the invite to compete in one of the most prestigious competitions in national club golf.

Seven local players and their supporters flew to Spain for the semi-final which was played on Wednesday, March 8 against Brampton Park Golf Club from Cambridgeshire.

Five ladies played, winning three of their singles matches and halving another to get into the final on March 9.

The final was up against local Surrey rivals Tandridge Golf Club.

Despite their best efforts in the unseasonably cool and damp conditions, the ladies lost three of their five matches and ended as runners-up on the day.

Sand Martins were delighted with the achievements of the team who had to overcome seven rounds of match play against rivals from across the country to win one of the tougher match play events in the UK.

Men’s Premier Division Reading v Surbiton

Women’s Premier Division

Reading v Buckingham

South Central Men’s Premier 2

South Berkshire 3-2 Oxford University 2s

South Central Women’s North Division One

Oxford University 2s 2-3 South Berkshire

Sunday, March 19

FOOTBALL

FA Women’s Cup quarter-final

Reading 1-3 Chelsea

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

Harwell and Hendred 1-2

Ascot United Reserves

Procision Oxford 1-3

Wargrave

Tilehurst Panthers 3-0

Mortimer

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two

Denham United 8-5 S4K Berks County

Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S

Eversley & California Reserves 2-1 Thatcham & Newbury

Caversham AFC 5-1 Wargrave

Development

Taplow United 4-2 Shinfield

Rangers

Yateley United 1-0

Burghfield

RUGBY UNION

Richmond 27-12 Abbey

Tuesday, March 21

FOOTBALL Combined Counties Premier North

Eversley & California v Molesey London Samurai Rovers v Woodley United

Thames Valley Premier League Burghfield v Yateley United Finchampstead v Wraysbury Village Reading City U23s v Slough Heating Laurencians

RUGBY UNION National League One Rams v Taunton Titans

HOCKEY South Central Men’s Premier 2 Havant 2s v South Berkshire

South Central Women’s North Division 1

South Berkshire v Leighton Buzzard

South Central Men’s North Division 1

Banbury 2s v Sonning

South Central Women’s Premier 1

Sonning v Havant

Sunday, March 26

FOOTBALL

Women’s Super League Reading v Brighton

Southern Region Women’s Premier

Ascot United v Winchester City Flyers

Southern Region Women’s Division One North

Kidlington Youth v Eversley & California

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

Mortimer v Ascot United Reserves

Cup

Wargrave v Tilehurst Panthers

The Bradfield Darts Tournament held at Bradfield Social Club on Saturday Pictures: Steve Smyth