Wokingham Today, September 29, 2022

End of weekly collections?waste

EXCLUSIVE

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

AS THE COUNCIL looks at ways to save money due to the unprecedented financial crisis, a consultation is being planned into the future of Wokingham’s waste collection.

At a meeting of its ruling executive tonight, the borough council will be asked to vote on changes to the existing service ahead of looking at how the doorstep service will operate in future.

They include reducing the number of blue bags provided to each home from 80 to 54, due to rising inflationary costs or, to save nearly £500,000, axing them altogether.

There are fears that the latter would have an adverse impact on recycling rates, which would also have financial implications for the council as they have a target set by central government.

But keeping the supply at the existing 80 blue bags would add £149,000 to the council’s budgets.

The council is also expected to vote to stop providing free bags to line food waste caddies, instead asking residents to use empty bread bags, line with newspaper or buy caddy liners from supermarkets.

Cllr Ian Shenton, executive member for environment, sport and leisure said: “It costs us – and so taxpayers – a lot more to deal with waste than it does recycling, so people who are putting things like food, plastics and paper into their blue bags are effectively throwing away money – and nobody can afford to do that at the moment.”

But more controversial is a plan that could see weekly collections ditched –food waste would remain on weekly.

Residents are being asked for their views on the plans, which could save £1 million, and increase recycling.

n Continued on page 8

Increase is to ‘cover

EXCLUSIVE

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM Borough Council has defended its plans to more than double parking charges and increase the charging period.

It says it is the right thing to do and, while it wouldn’t be popular, the financial pressures that local authorities currently face mean they have to make difficult choices.

But residents have expressed near universal horror at the proposals, which will be discussed at a meeting the ruling executive committee this evening.

Feedback on social media has been united with hundreds of people saying increases, such as one hour rising from 80p to £1.30 and the annual season ticket going from £900 to £2,000, is a step too far during the cost of living crisis.

There are fears that the increases

would hit footfall in the borough’s shopping centres of Woodley, Twyford and Wokingham, meaning businesses would suffer.

And the increase in charging times to 10pm, rather than 6pm, would also hit the nighttime economy, while worshippers on Sunday would be forced to pay to pray.

Some readers say they’ll start shopping Bracknell, where they can park for free at The Point.

n

DON’T DO IT: Read our verdict on proposals

on page 5

Family notices

SELLWOOD Eric William

Passed away peacefully on 6th September aged 93 years He will be sadly missed by all his family, friends and his loving wife Sheila of 69 years

Funeral service will be held at Easthampstead Park Crematorium in the Braccan chapel on Friday 30 September 2022 at 1.30PM.

Family flowers only please

Donations in Eric's memory to the British Heart Foundation may be made via www abwalker co uk

All enquiries to AB Walker & Son Ltd Tel: 0118 978 4040

Strikes to cut services on railways

By GRANT WILLIAMS Local democracy reporter

SOUTH Western Railway (SWR) has warned passengers they face ‘severe disruption’ as unions prepare for their next strikes.

More than 2,100 SWR members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) and Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) unions will take part in Industrial action on Saturday.

RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said the union will continue to negotiate “in good faith” but told employers and government that the industrial campaign will continue “for as long as it takes.”

Both unions have issues with rail companies over plans to revamp the network, so the dispute is not just about pay, but working conditions and jobs.

South Western Railway says customers should only travel if “absolutely necessary” on October 1 and 2, and to expect significant disruption.

SWR will run a severely reduced

service on the Saturday between 7.15am and 6.30pm, however, it warned that “significant parts” of the network will be closed entirely – including all stations between Windsor and Feltham.

The reduced timetable comprises two trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Feltham, two semi-fast trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Basingstoke, four trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Woking, and two fast trains per hour in each direction between London Waterloo and Southampton Central – trains will not stop at all stations on these routes.

The following day will also be significantly impacted by the strike as the first trains will start much later than usual.

SWR’s Performance and Planning Director, Steve Tyler, apologised for the disruption and advised customers who needed to travel to do so “by other means”.

“Large parts of our network will be closed on the strike day and

This proves there is such a thing as a free lunch

A RETIREMENT complex in Crowthorne is opening its doors this week so prospective customers can get a taster.

McCarthy Stone’s Birch Place is holding the opening week until Saturday. Visitors can see the social spaces, seen an apartment, meet the team, and enjoy tea and cake.

There is also the chance to enjoy a complimentary three-course meal from the on-site bistro.

The development comprises oneand two-bedroom apartments for people aged 70 and over.

Nicki Beswarick, divisional marketing manager at McCarthy Stone Southern, said: “We are incredibly excited to welcome local retirees to Birch Place and offer

them an exclusive opportunity to experience the independent and sociable lifestyle on offer at a McCarthy Stone development.

“Interest in Birch Place has been high amongst retirees who are keen to explore the many benefits of downsizing, as well as see what it is like to become part of a connected community.

“That’s why we are hosting a special Autumn Extravaganza Open Week - as well as joining us for a slice of cake and a hot drink or a spot of lunch, local retirees can also have a tour of the development and ask the friendly team any questions they may have.”

n For more details, or to book a lunch, call: 0800 153 3076.

there will be a late start up on the morning after. Those who must travel are urgewd to carefully check the times of first and last trains and avoid them if possible as they are likely to be very busy,” he said.

“We are grateful to our customers for their continued cooperation, patience, and understanding as the rail industry works to bring this damaging nationwide strike action to an end,” he added.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said that it was encouraging that the new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP had met with the union.

“We welcome this more positive approach from the government to engage with us as a first step to finding a suitable settlement,” he said.

“However, as no new offer has been tabled, our members have no choice but to continue this strike action.

“We will continue to negotiate in good faith, but the employers and government need to understand our industrial campaign will continue for as long as it takes.”

Additional reporting: Phil Creighton

Playground improvements are ‘almost complete’

SWALLOWFIELD residents will not have to wait much longer to enjoy a refurbished play area.

In an update posted on social media, Swallowfield Parish Council confirmed works at Riseley playground were ‘almost complete’.

Cllr Laura Edmonds, recreation lead for the parish council, said: “Playgrounds are very expensive things and we have worked hard to ensure value for money.

“We do hope that you enjoy the new playground and if there are any teething issues, please do contact us.

Cllr Edmonds confirmed around £40,000 had been invested into the refurbishment, funded by development money from Dukes Meadow and the parish council reserves.

She said: “May we thank those residents who completed the Riseley Playground survey at the start of the project, to allow us to hopefully deliver much of what you wanted, namely mud-free play and some new equipment.

“Many thanks to all those involved.”

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TAKE ACTION: South Western Railway has made alternative plans for strike action days Picture: SWR

Charity fun day helps fitness centre celebrate new home

MP speaks out against fracking

READING EAST MP Matt Rodda has expressed his concerns about the resumption of fracking.

He asked an urgent question in the House of Commons on Thursday, September 22, after it was revealed the government was going against a manifesto pledge to start the controversial gas extraction process.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, told the chamber he was “glad to be able to announce that the moratorium on the extraction of shale gas is being lifted”.

He continued: “It is important that we use all available sources of fuel within this country. It is more environmentally friendly to use our own sources of fuel than to extract them in other countries and transport them here at great cost, both financially and in terms of carbon.

“It is therefore something we need to revisit, and we need to revisit the seismic limits to ensure that shale gas extraction can be done in an effective and efficient way.”

A number of MPs were critical of this decision, including Mr Rodda.

His question to Mr Rees-Mogg was: “Residents across the south of England are deeply concerned about the risks of fracking and indeed oil drilling.

“Why is the Secretary State not listening to those concerns? And why is he also not listening to the concerns of the Government's former Chief Scientific Advisor and indeed, those of the British Geological Survey?”

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@wokingham.today

A PERSONAL training gym has hosted a fitness fun day to celebrate its new facility.

PT:U marked the opening of their new training centre, at the Pinewood Recreation Centre on Old Wokingham Road, with a range of activities and charity fundraisers.

Richard Jones, co-owner of PT:U, said: “It was a really good day and we had good attendance.

“We did fitness competitions like holding out two big tubs of protein for the longest and a hang tough to see who could hang from a pull-up bar for the longest.”

There was also a DJ, a free barbecue and sweet treats supplied by Unholy Donuts.

The gym has moved from its previous location, on an industrial site in Winnersh, to the heart of a community, something Mr Jones is excited about.

He said: “It’s a key area to the community of Wokingham.

“We share the venue with a judo club and then there’s the Pinewood Café, gymnastics, Scouts and everything else that’s around us.

“It’s a really nice area and on the day we had a steady flow of people, new and old, come in to show their support for the move.”

As well as celebrating the new location, the open day was also raising money for a cause close to gym owners’ hearts.

“Kevin was a long term client and had worked with three of us throughout the time he trained with us,” said Mr Jones.

“During covid he was diagnosed with bowel cancer and unfortunately, just before we were due to move sites, he lost his battle so he was unable to see our new gym but we know he would’ve been fully supportive.

“We felt like we wanted to do something in memory of Kevin, a local businessman, a family man and an all round nice guy.”

The fundraising activities included a raffle and a sports massage and in total, the event raised £460 for Bowel Cancer UK.

Looking forward, the team is hoping to raise money to create a new outdoor training area.

The space will allow them to host a number

of outdoor classes and small boot camps.

On Saturday, November 26, the gym will hold a powerlifting competition to help fund their expansion.

Mr Jones added: “We’re all about trying to self invest and self promote and expand the business as best we can.

“We want to continue to integrate ourselves within the local community, get more people involved and help them with their fitness.”

n For more information, visit pt-u.co.uk, alternatively, search ptupersonaltraininggym on Instagram.

The response was: “The concerns of this house are being represented by Members of Parliament, so they are being listened to by Her Majesty's Government.”

Speaking after the debate, Mr Rodda said: “Fracking is a dangerous and expensive way to produce energy.

“It will not provide the clean, secure energy we need in the South-East.

“To underline the dangers of lifting the moratorium on Fracking, the British geological survey has confirmed that, ‘Hydraulic fracturing can trigger earthquakes large enough to cause structural damage.

“These events were not predicted in advance of operations’.”

Members of the coaching team

Grace Povey coaching a fitness session

Members of the PT:U coaching team with visitors to the Centre as they took part in a special fundraising day to support Bowel Cancer UK Picture: Steve Smyth

Member, Jen Gough taking a challenge to help raise funds for Bowel Cancer UK

Marathon feat to help The Link

A WOKINGHAM man, is running his first London Marathon on Sunday.

Kevin McDaniel is to raise money for local charity The Link Visiting Scheme as he pounds the streets in the 26.1 mile race.

He has already gained more than £500 in sponsorship for his chosen charity, which links volunteers with older or housebound people who otherwise face loneliness.

Liz McDaniel, Kevin’s wife, says of the challenge: “Kevin has completed the Brighton Marathon, and has always wanted to run the London race.

“He’s tried for many years to get in, and this year he’s done it.

“He’s chosen to support The Link Visiting Scheme, probably because of me.

“I’ve recently started working for the charity and I keep coming home and telling him about all the wonderful work that has been going on, and the numbers of people being supported.

“The Link is a great charity doing fabulous work.

“And with things as they are now, it’s really important to be supporting older people, who may find it difficult to heat their homes this winter.”

Kevin’s fundraising page will remain open for some time after the marathon.

“The money will go towards the activities we run for older people at Christmas time.

“We’ll be having a Christmas day lunch, for example, for a large number of people who would otherwise be on their own.”

Kevin will run the TCS London Marathon on Sunday.

n To support him, visit: www. localgiving.org/fundraising/ RunningForLinkFriends/.

Boots ram raider jailed in connection with spate of Wokingham burglaries

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@wokingham.today

TWO MEN have been jailed in connection with a spate of burglaries in and around Wokingham, including the raid of Boots in the town centre earlier this year.

Following multiple Thames Valley Police investigations, James Frost, aged 32, of The Oaks, Bracknell, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, September 13.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of dwelling burglary and one count each of non-dwelling burglary, aggravated taking without consent, dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and handling stolen goods.

Terry Smitheyman, aged 26, also of The Oaks, Bracknell, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of dwelling burglary and one count of handling stolen goods.

At around 2am on Wednesday, June 9, last year, police say Frost and Smitheyman stole an Apple Mac laptop from a property on Bracknell Road, Warfield.

At around 3.25am the same day, Frost and Smitheyman burgled a property in Hogoak Lane, Warfield.

According to police, they stole a gold ring, two watches, a Zippo lighter, an iPad, a debit card and a large quantity of cash from a downstairs bedroom.

They also took the keys to a Toyota Hilux hire car and the vehicle itself from the driveway.

Police say there was extensive damage to the electric gates, as if they had been rammed when the car was stolen.

Directly outside of the gates on the roadside were two discarded mountain bikes and a pair of disposable rubber latex gloves.

The two bikes had been taken from a nearby property in Bishops Lane, where their electric gates had also been damaged.

A tracker on the Toyota showed it had been stopped at around 3.40am on the Britwell estate in Slough, where officers found it later that morning.

Officers forensically linked Frost and Smitheyman to the offences during their investigation.

They were arrested on Friday, June 11, last year and charged on Sunday, June 13.

Between 3am and 4.40am on Friday, January 14, this year, while on bail for the offences in June last year, police say Frost

burgled a property in Beehive Lane, Binfield.

He entered through the kitchen window and ransacked the property, ripping off cupboard doors, stealing a garden strimmer.

From there, Frost walked to Milward Gardens and stole a Land Rover Discovery, which was parked on the drive of a property.

According to police, at around 6am he reversed the stolen Land Rover Discovery into the storefront of Boots in Market Place.

Once inside, Frost smashed a glass door to the fragrance cabinet and stole a quantity of high value men’s

Charity gainsnew members

A charity that helps youngsters has recently welcomed three new members to its team.,

Pat Meadowcroft, Andrea Caplin and Vanessa O’Donnell have joined Soulscape, which works with borough schools.

Pat will support two of Soulscape’s projects in schools; The Lounge, and Mentoring.

The Lounge is a lunchtime club in schools that provides space for young people who want somewhere to relax and play games. It’s also a place where they will always find someone to talk to, and a lsitening ear.,

fragrance.

He then made off in the car, which was abandoned in Emmbrook Lane, Wokingham, shortly afterwards.

Officers found numerous boxes of fragrance inside the Land Rover as well as the garden strimmer stolen from the Beehive Lane property.

Officers forensically linked Frost to the burglaries as his DNA was found on the car jack that was in the front of the recovered vehicle.

Frost was arrested for these additional offences on Thursday, May 5, and charged the following day.

Detective constable Kelly Turner, based at Loddon Valley

Michelle McLeish from Soulscape says: “With The Lounge, our strapline is ‘come as you are’.

“Young people come along and we all have lunch together, play games and talk about whatever it is that they want or need to talk about.

“We currently have seven Lounge groups running in school each week.”

Pat will be supporting the group leaders, the volunteers, and the day to day running of The Lounge.

Her other role is to support the Mentoring teams, who work with individual pupils, and are, effectively, their champions.

“Working with young people in this way feels like it’s a privilege to be in their space,” says Ms McLeish.

police station, said: “Thames Valley Police is committed to bringing burglars to justice, which is important as burglary is an incredibly invasive crime.

“James Frost and Terry Smitheyman went on a spree of offending on June 9, last year.

“They stole a car, two bikes, numerous personal items and a large amount of cash and damaged two pairs of electric gates, all of which had a substantial impact on the victims.

“Then around seven months later while on bail, Frost broke into another property and ransacked it before stealing a Land Rover.

“He then used the car to smash his way into Boots in Wokingham town centre and steal several high-value fragrances before driving off.

“Their offences have caused concern in the community and a lot of damage to the properties and businesses.

“I am pleased by Frost and Smitheyman’s sentences, which should serve as lessons to others who seek to commit burglaries that we will investigate and put offenders before the courts.”

“Soulscape is growing bigger, so we are delighted to have Andrea and Vanessa join us too.

“Andrea is taking care of our administration, and also looks after our bakers and cake makers.

“And Vanessa is our project coordinator, who handles the logistics and planning of all our projects.

“We’re so delighted that all three have joined us, and very lucky to have them.”

Soulscape creates space for young people to enable them to reflect, ask big questions, explore what’s going on inside, and creatively express their own ideas. n For more information about the charity, or to support its work, log on to: www.soulscape.org.uk

DAMAGE: The front doors of Boots in Market Place were smashed open, with glass scattered on the floor in a ram raid carried out by James Frost earlier this year. Picture: Phil Creighton

James Frost

Terry Smitheyman

Shake-up of parking fees will see charges for evenings and Sundays

n Continued from front page

And other readers fear that business that would have gone to Wokingham’s independent shops will instead end up going to online retailers like Amazon.

There are also concerns that the borough will see residential streets overtaken by people seeking to park for free rather than using the car parks.

Councillors are being asked to vote on proposals that would see fees for borough-run car parks from 6am to 10pm seven days a week. At the moment, it is free to park on Sundays and after 6pm the rest of the week.

While parking fees would increase, there is one bright spot: overnight season tickets for residents, which are currently £292, would be free.

For vehicles in the car parks after 10pm, police have requested that motorists display a free vend ticket on their dashboards.

The council argues they need to make up an £800,000 shortfall in parking revenue, caused in part by changing habits due to the covid-19 pandemic. Spiralling inflation is also having an impact on council budgets.

Last week, Cllr Clive Jones, leader of the council, said: “All our services are under pressure

due to rising costs, which is making us look very hard at everything we do to see if we can make any savings and whether we could raise more revenue.

“We need to do this to ensure we have enough to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”

The report to be considered at the meeting, to be held at Shute End from 7pm, adds that, even with the proposed increases, parking costs will remain at the “lower end” compared with

other local authorities.

It is estimated by officers that the earliest implementation date would be in the new year.

Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, transport and highways, defended the plans.

“As a local authority, our number one priority is to protect the most vulnerable,” he told Wokingham.Today.

“To do that, in a time of immense financial pressures, we need to look at all of our spending to ensure every penny

is well-spent and then turn to areas where we can generate revenue to make up for the shortfall caused by rampant inflation and spiralling energy costs.

“The cost of living crisis is affecting all of us, and the council is not immune.”

He said as part of this, the council had reviewed car parking charges, and they had not seen an increase for four years.

“They are some of the lowest in the area and in the region,”

Cllr Fishwick explained.

“Raising them to bring them in line with our neighbouring authorities is the right thing to do – to allow us to use the income generated from car parking charges to put it towards keeping our highways services going.

“We know this won’t be popular – increasing charges never are. But we face unprecedented financial pressures and are having to make some very difficult decisions.”

New charges at a glance

Charges would increase as follows - up to one hour, from 80p to £1.30; up to two hours, from £1.20 to £2.50; up to four hours, from £2 to £4.50; up to six hours, from £3 to £6.50; over six hours, from £4 to £9. Market traders would pay £6.50 for an extended day at Cockpit Path car park instead of £4.

Season tickets would be charged as follows - one month, from £82.23 to £168.50; three months, from £240.35 to £506.50; six months, from £450.34 to £1,013; 12 months, from £900.68 to £2,026. An overnight 12-month season ticket, previously £292, would be free of charge.

n Editorial page 32, From the chamber, page 34

Green Park wind turbine tour

READING residents are set to enjoy behind the scenes access to one of the town’s most visible landmarks.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the Green Park wind turbine on Saturday.

The structure can generate green electricity at a rate of 4.5 kilowatts per hour every year, enough for around 1,500 homes and businesses.

Completed in November 2005, the 120m-tall windmill is one of the UK’s largest landbased windmills.

Soaring above Junction 11 of the M4 motorway, it is owned and operated by Ecotricity, an electricity supplier which looks to supply clean energy to customers across the country.

The event will give visitors the chance to find out more and is part of Reading Climate Festival.

The programme of events is run by Reading Climate Action Network and is supported by Reading’s Economy and Destination Agency (REDA) and The Great Big Green Week.

The tour takes place at Green Park Business Park from 2pm-3pm, with visitors asked to arrive in good time as the Royals have a home match.

Tickets are free.

n For more information or to book a place, search: Green Park Wind Turbine Tour on www. eventbrite.co.uk

DECISION: Wokingham Borough Council’s ruling executive will consider raising car park charges this evening Picture: Phil Creighton

M4 closures

MOTORISTS using the M4 may be required to find alternative routes due to planned closures.

Various parts of the road will be shut over the next three weekends.

The M4 and slip roads will be closed eastbound between junctions 12 and 11 from 8pm on Friday, September 30 to 6am on Monday, October 3.

Signed diversions will be in place utilising the A4 and A33.

The following weekend, from 8pm on Friday, October 7, to 6am on Monday, October 10, the section between junction 11 and 10 will be inaccessible, with motorists directed to use the B3270, A3290 and A329M.

The same part of the M4 will be closed between 8pm on Friday, October 14, and 6am on Monday, October 17, with the same diversions used.

The works are part of the M4’s smart motorway project, adding an extra lane and introducing new technology on the road to smooth traffic flows.

Drivers are advised to check for updates online as poor weather conditions could cause works to be postponed at short notice.

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

More than 1,000 free Reading FC tickets given to grassroots teams

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@wokingham.today

READING FC’s principal sponsors are giving 30 free tickets to young footballers for every home match this season.

Select Car Leasing will be inviting children at nearby clubs the chance to attend 23 Championship and 11 Women’s Super League games as part of its Tickets for Kids initiative.

Kidmore End FC under 10s, with their parents and siblings, were at the Select Car Leasing Stadium to watch Reading defeat Stoke City 2-1.

The Gallowstree Common side, who play in the Berkshire Youth Development League, witnessed striker Lucas Joao score twice to secure three points for the Royals.

The club’s treasurer and coach, David Bird, said: “The kids all had a fantastic time.

“For some it was their first game, and for others it was the first time they’ve ever seen Reading win.”

Whitley Youth under 15s will be making the short trip

down to the ground to support Reading as they take on highflying Norwich on Tuesday, October 4.

Team manager Maria Cox will bring 11 players, one of whom is her own son Reece, and their parents along to the night game.

Ms Cox said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be able to take the entire team to Reading FC to watch the match against Norwich.

“As a lifelong Reading fan, having been to watch the team

when they played at Elm Park, it’s going to be a really special night for me.

“Lots of the boys in the team follow Reading. Our goalkeeper is already a season ticket holder, but for a lot of the players this will be the first time they will ever have seen a professional match.

“We’re going to use the occasion as a team-building event. We’ll also treat it as an opportunity to watch and to learn, spotting patterns of play and where the Reading players

position themselves.”

Ms Cox is a community development worker at the Whitley Community Development Association, based on Northumberland Avenue.

She describes the team as a ‘second family’ for youngsters who wear the shirt.

“At Whitley Youth, we simply want to encourage the boys to carry on playing, even with all the distractions that come with being a teenager.

“And we’ve had some tough times. Some of the players actually lost parents during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“So for us to be able to give them a night to remember with this ticket donation really does make a difference.”

The Reading-headquartered company’s Tickets for Kids initiative was first launched last season. It is open to junior football teams with players aged under 16.

The ballot process for the competition was open between August 4-25, with each club able to put forward one application.

Winners and matches were drawn and allocated at random.

Mark Tongue, director at Select Car Leasing, said: “As a company, we’re passionate about giving back to grassroots sport.

“I grew up playing football in the local area and, as a youngster, I would have loved the chance to go and watch my beloved Reading FC.

“So to now be able to provide such opportunities to hundreds of youngsters is one of the most rewarding things we can do as a socially-responsible business.”

Reading FC’s head of commercial, Tim Kilpatrick, added: “We’re extremely fortunate to work with a principal partner in Select Car Leasing, who are so passionate about our community and our future generation of fans.

“Community and grassroots engagement is key to the club’s growth and success, so we’re proud to work with Select in welcoming new clubs and hopefully new, lifelong, fans to the stadium for each and every matchday.”

URRRZ: Kidmore End FC Under 10s were given free tickets to watch Reading FC’s home victory over Stoke City. Picture courtesy of Select Car Leasing

Shinfield shows its support for refugees at barbecue fun day

A VILLAGE demonstrated its togetherness, raising more than £2,000 for refugees at a community event.

On Saturday afternoon, Shinfield Baptist Church’s barbecue saw hundreds flock to School Green to show their support for refugees around the world and at home.

Organiser Rachel Walker said:

“We are all so passionate about loving our neighbours, and this includes our neighbours from far and wide.

“Refugees are some of the most vulnerable people in the world and we are so passionate about their protection and safety –especially as we have so many Ukrainian refugee friends in our

community now too.

“It was so wonderful to see so many people from our community in Shinfield support this event and show love for people who really need it.”

With a selection of activities to enjoy, the children got involved with face painting, hair braiding, football and a bouncy castle.

Live music, refreshments and a raffle proved a treat for the adults, with the barbecue making sure visitors left well-fed.

Funds raised from the event will go to Choose Love, a charity which provides refugees with anything from search and rescue boats to food and legal advice.

The event was supported by Shinfield Parish Council.

Police target massage parlours as they tackle modern slavery

By JOHN WAKEFIELD news@wokingham.today

A CAMPAIGN to tackle modern slavery has been hailed a success by officers at Thames Valley Police.

The force teamed up with the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Europol, visiting massage parlours under Project Aidant, an NCA-led law-enforcement response.

The activity took place over a three-week period between August 22, and September 9, as part of a Europe-wide operation, involving partners from Immigration Enforcement and local councils.

The project aims to enhance and develop knowledge of modern slavery linked to massage parlours, focusing specifically on adults or under 18s who have been trafficked to the UK, or exploited while in the country.

Officers visited 57 premises across the Thames Valley and encountered more than 50 people who were spoken to about Modern Slavery and given advice.

Of those, five were identified as potential victims and safeguarded.

Chief Superintendent Jim Weems, Head of Force Intelligence and Specialist Operations, said: “Working in partnership with Immigration and local council teams, Project Aidant created significant intelligence and

identified vulnerable individuals, for whom safeguarding has been put in place to ensure that they are no longer at risk of modern slavery and human trafficking.

“Modern slavery and human trafficking is absolutely abhorrent, and we remain committed to ensuring that any such offences are investigated thoroughly and offenders brought to justice.

“We remain committed to ensuring the safety of vulnerable people, and would always urge the public to contact us if they have any information that could help us to safeguard anybody at risk of such offences.”

Concerns around modern slavery can be reported to the Modern Slavery Helpline.

Anyone who thinks they are or have been a victim of modern slavery can receive help from the Victims First Specialist Service which incorporates specialist skills and knowledge on exploitation and modern slavery.

They can provide practical and emotional support, tailored to meet your individual needs, to help you cope with the effects of the crime.

n For details, call: 0300 1234 148 or log on to: www.victims-first.org.uk/ get-support-now

n Reports can also be made by calling 101, or for 100% anonymity, via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Church launches Alpha course

A FINCHAMPSTEADchurch will provide a meal with discussion every Tuesday evening for eight weeks.

The Alpha Course is held in churches in more than 100 countries around the world, and it is coming to Finchampstead Baptist Church next week.

In a series of eight sessions exploring the Christian faith, it asks a different question each week and then allows people to discuss it.

The church will provide an evening meal, engaging content and friendly discussion.

The course will run in the library at FBC, on Gorse Ride in Finchampstead.

It takes place on Tuesdays from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Week one starts on Tuesday, October 4.

n

For more details, log onto: fbc. churchsuite.com/events

Jazzing it up

A THEATRE is becoming a music hall for the evening.

Next month, The Oakwood Centre will welcome back The Martin Hart Triofor a concert called 100 Years Of Jazz Trumpet.

The group features Stuart Henderson on trumpet and flugel horn, with a programme that includes music from Buddy Bolden, Miles David and more.

The event is organised by Woodley Theatre, and takes place at the centre in Headley Road, Woodley, on Saturday, October 15. Doors open at 7.45pm, and tickets cost £12.

n Tickets: www.woodleytheatre. org, or call: 07488 337 838.

Helping the over-65s stay independent

Do you wish to remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible and still have a say in your well being? Let me show you how you might be able to get regular financial assistance to help you remain independent in your own home and make your life easier.

Attendance Allowance is a government benefit for those in receipt of the State Pension who have health issues or needs that cause difficulties or challenges in your day to day living It is a benefit for those who need help with personal care

There are two levels weekly rates of Attendance Allowance A lower rate of £61 85 per week is paid if you need help during the day to maintain your independence Should you have health issues that disturb your night, then the weekly benefit may increase to over £92 40 per week The level you receive is determined by your circumstances

You can claim this benefit even if you haven t paid National Insurance and it is not means tested, it doesn’t matter where you live or if you have savings Attendance allowance is tax free

Are you or is someone you know eligible?

We offer an initial free 30 minute confidential consultation to allow us to assess whether we can help and for you to decide if you’d like help If we both agree that claiming Attendance Allowance is right for you, then we will look after you every step of the way

We complete all the necessary forms and explain the process of claiming in straightforward, plain English so that you understand everything and are in complete control You may decide, after your initial consultation, that you d like to continue as you are for now; that’s fine too We’re only a phone call away if you change your mind, or would like to talk things through again

A family who recently left Ukraine with organisers Rachel Walker (upper centre) and Sarah O’Neill (upper right)

ON THE GRILL: Tyrone Patrick looking after the barbecue with the help of Furn Patrick, Laurie Holmes and others. Picture: Steve Smyth

Nigel Pearce AIPW Grey Matters Consultancy Wokingahm

Blue bag shake-up to help council save up to £1m

n Continued from front page

Postcards will be sent to every home inviting residents to take part in the consultation, which will run from Monday, October 10, through to Saturday, December 10.

The executive member for environment, sport and leisure, Cllr Ian Shenton, said: “As our residents are hearing, the council is facing immense financial pressures – the cost of living crisis isn’t just hitting our residents, it is hitting the council as well.

“Inflation and rising energy costs affect our contracts, our buildings, our supplies – really almost all of our services.

“We are having to look at all of them to see where we can make efficiencies.

“We were in the middle of working on a new waste and recycling collections strategy as the financial crisis began, so we are well placed in waste to understand how we can make savings.”

He said Wokingham was one of a “small number” of local authorities who continue to collect rubbish weekly.

Neighbouring Reading collects fortnightly, while Bracknell has switched to once

every three weeks.

“Weekly is expensive and has a negative impact on the environment,” Cllr Shenton said.

“With the financial pressure we are under, we just don’t have the choice to continue with collections exactly as they are.

“In any future collections, we would continue to have weekly food waste collections as that is absolutely necessary, but we will look at the possibilities of having our rubbish and recycling – what we put in the blue and green bags – less frequently, in line with the majority of other councils.”

He continued: “We will be launching a consultation in coming weeks, but it isn’t a vote on whether we will keep weekly rubbish and recycling collections or not. It will explain to residents the costs of what we do now and the

ways in which we could make significant savings and improve our recycling rate at the same time.

“It will ask residents of their views and ask them if there is anything they think we haven’t thought of.

“It’s important that we hear from as many residents as possible – both those in favour of the changes and those against.

“It doesn’t mean we won’t have to make changes – but we need to understand the impact of any potential changes to help us make the best decisions for us as a borough.”

The Conservatives leader, Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, was against the removal of caddy bags.

At a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council last Thursday evening, she said: “The Conservative Group believe that the removal of free Caddy liners is likely to damage the level of food recycling in the Borough, this is when food recycling has a target to increase.”

But Cllr Shenton said: “These changes make perfect sense because they are in line with the previously set budget and in line with our commitment to

protect the environment.

“The financial pressures on us are immense and we must find ways to re-work our services to ensure we continue to protect our most vulnerable residents.

“Most people and most families should be able to make do with one blue bag of rubbish per week – use the food waste recycling collections, use the green waste collections, and recycle all your plastics, paper and card and tins. This is an easy saving for us to make.

“However, that won’t be enough. We just aren’t going to be able to continue with our waste and recycling collections as they are now – we are one of the few areas in the country that still collect everything every week.

“If we alternate rubbish one week and recycling the next, for example, while keeping food waste collections weekly, we will save around £1 million per year.

“This money would then be available to spend on our elderly, our children, our most in need. I think it’s the right thing for us to do, but we want to hear from residents about how it would impact them.

Construction to start on new sports area

SPENCERS WOOD residents will not have to wait much longer for a new sports facility.

On Tuesday, Shinfield Parish Council confirmed works for the proposed multiuse games area (MUGA) at Spencers Wood Recreation Ground would start on Monday.

Primarily for older children, it will feature a tarmac-surfaced pitch suitable for football, basketball and mini-tennis.

A trackway will first be laid to allow workmen to access the rear of the playing field.

The parish council warned residents the car park will be closed for around four weeks.

Parking is available on Clare’s Green Road.

In 2018, residents voiced a desire for sport and recreation facilities at public meetings while putting forward ideas for

improvements to facilities in the area.

Earlier this year, outdoor gym equipment was moved to free up space for a proposed multi-use game area (MUGA).

The plans were given the green light at the end of July in an attempt to alleviate pressure on local sports facilities due to the village’s new home developments and population growth.

A FREE event offers fans a chance to see David Scott-Morgan in concert.

The band member played guitar with ELO between 1981 and 1986.

He and his wife, Mandy present an evening of Music, Story and Faith that features original music, rock ‘n’ roll classics and ELO hits.

It also shares anecdotes of Scott-Morgan’s life and how he became a Christian.

Scott-Morgan is a songwriter and video-maker, as well as lead singer and guitarist with his band Morganisation.

On top of this, he runs record label, Grimm Doo Records.

A man of many interests, he is also an inventor, a software writer, a commercial pilot, and has pastored a church for more than 10 years.

The event is organised by Lower Earley Baptist Church.

Steve Scrivener, church administrator, says: “We’re very pleased to be running this event.

“Dave is quite well known, and really easy to listen to.

“We’re looking forward to some rock ‘n’ roll classics from him.

“We do try to put on a couple of events a year as a church, but this one is bigger - and a bit of a first for us.”

He added: “It’s definitely not for church members only – this concert is for our local community.”

The event takes place at Maiden Place Community Centre on Saturday from 7.30pm. Tickets are free.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.eventbrite.co.uk

Sainsbury Singers set to dazzle in Dagenham

MUSICAL-LOVERS are set to have their heartstrings pulled at a Reading theatre group’s upcoming production.

The Sainsbury Singers will be performing the musical comedy Made in Dagenham at Leighton Park Theatre, Shinfield Road.

Based on the 2010 movie, the show follows Rita O’Grady and her friends as they fight for equal pay at the factory they

Friendship and love are tested throughout, as the women take on the might of Ford and the corruption of the union which was supposed to protect

The NODA-winning group has previously put on productions of Sweeney Todd, Chess, Guys and Dolls, and Little Shop of

Performing in venues including The Hexagon Reading, The Oakwood Centre, Woodley and Leighton Park Theatre, the group has performed to thousands of people, gaining a stellar reputation in Reading and beyond.

Visitors are warned that Made in Dagenham features strong language and adult themes.

The performances take place at 7.30pm each day from Tuesday, October 25, through to Saturday, October 29.

Tickets cost £22 for adults and £19 for children.

The group is offering a four-forthree deal on the opening Tuesday and a 10 percent discount when more than 10 or more tickets are booked.

n For more information or to book tickets, visit: www.sainsburysingers. org.uk

RUBBISH SHAKE-UP: Wokingham Borough Council’s blue waste bags

Picture: Phil Creighton

MUSICAL DUO: Dave and Mandy will be in concert on Saturday. Picture: courtesy of Lower Earley Baptist Church

Free concert with ELO David

Register for scarecrow trail

SUPERHEROES are on their way to Crowthorne as the village holds a scarecrow trail next month.

Crowthorne Trails, organised by Hatch Ride Parent Teacher Organisation, is hosting a heroes and villains themed trail in a bid to raise funds for the school and the First Days children’s charity.

This is the group’s first event of the year following last October’s trail which raised £2,802.

Residents are being invited to get involved by making their own scarecrows and take part in the trail throughout the week.

The Scarecrow Trail will take place between Saturdays October 22, and October 29.

Registration for displays is open now at a cost of £5 for residents and £20 for businesses.

n For more information, or to register a display, visit: crowthornetrails.org

Parents call for crossing and 20mph speed limit

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

PARENTS attending one of the borough’s newest schools have signed a petition calling for a speed limit to be reduced to 20mph.

More than 500 people put their name to the call for road safety measures to be installed on William Heelas Way, the home of Floreat Montague Park School.

Heather Murray, a resident in the estate since 2016 and parent of two, presented the signatures at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council on Thursday, September 22, backed by the schools headteacher Patrick Pritchard.

She said: “The petition is calling for working in Borough Council to put in place some essential interventions that keep our children safe as they go to and from the school.”

The 20mph zone was needed because, now that a bridge over the railway line had opened, cars were speeding through the estate.

“From the south, you go over a hump bridge to go over the railway followed by a sharp left turn immediately beside the school,” she said.

“There are no speed limit

pedestrians on the pavement.”

Mrs Murray said that other schools had a 20mph speed limit, meaning “the precedent had been set and our school should not be an exception”.

Parents also wanted railings to be installed, and a crossing to be reinstated.

“There has previously been a painted crossing in place but the white lines were removed when the road surface was relayed,” Mrs Murray said.

“This crossing is indicated on the safe route of school but it’s no longer official, although it’s used by parents and children

daily.

“The danger of this is that there are dips in the curb and there is a section in the middle of the road for people to wait. But without the white lines. It is leading to increase ambiguity and therefore danger as some cars stop when they see pedestrians but others don’t.”

She also said pupils in school year four upwards were being encouraged to walk to school by themselves to create independence.

A previous ward councillor, Julian McGhee Sumner, had arranged with developer David

Wilson Homes to fund half of the costs for reinstating the crossing, so the petition called on Wokingham Borough Council to fund the remainder of the costs.

“Ultimately, our key concern is the speed of traffic on the road outside our primary school, Floreat Montague Park,” she concluded. “We’re asking the Council to take preventative steps to reduce the chance of an accident … We believe it’s in the best interest of all children that they can walk and cycle to school in safety.”

n More council news pages 34-35

Hollow Lane road closures this week

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

Overnight works are currently being conducted on Hollow Lane, Shinfield closed between Cutbush Lane and Wychelm Road.

They run until Friday, September 30.

The closure will allow Wokingham Borough Council to carry out plane inlay surfacing.

A diversion route will be in place on Shinfield Eastern Relief Road.

It will only be in place between 8pm-6am.

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

Musicals night

AN EVENT of live musical theatre numbers is coming to a local sports and social club.

Fans of West End shows will enjoy the evening of musicals, which is presented by Platform YP Events, a group of talented youngsters who have performed at Edinburgh Festival.

The show takes place at Emmbrook Sports and Social Club in Wokingham, RG41 1JB.

The music begins on Saturday, October 1, at 7pm.

All tickets cost £8.

n For tickets and information search for An Evening Of Musicals at: www.ticketsource.co.uk

PARENTS AND CHILDREN ARE CALLING FOR A SAFE CROSSING AND A 20MPH SPEED LIMIT ON WILLIAM HEELAS WAY IN WOKINGHAM PICTURE: Charles Margetts

‘We’re not finished’: Fundraiser vows to return

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@wokingham.today

A WOKINGHAM resident has expressed his desire to finish a fundraising effort he was unable to finish.

Taking on the daunting Three Peaks challenge this weekend, Mark Summers and friend Paul Cowan were forced to abort their attempt due to dangerous weather.

The pair had completed two of the three peaks when they had to stop.

Mark said: “It’s a real mixture of emotions. The past few days have been a rollercoaster.”

The Three Peaks challenge requires participants to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowden, negotiating an ascent of 3,064 metres.

After completing the first two climbs and descents, the pair were faced with weather warnings as gales and poor visibility put paid to their chances of completing the route.

Mark, whose wife Jeannine has multiple sclerosis (MS), was raising money for Berkshire MS Therapy Centre.

He explained: “My wife kept reminding me I’m 57-years-old, and I promised I wouldn’t take any risks.

“Paul and I made an agreement that if one of us couldn’t go on, we would stop together.

“I’m very disappointed. We worked well together, and Ken, who drove us, was amazing too.”

Despite the set-back, Mark said he is more motivated than ever to complete the challenge, believing the extra time will allow the pair to regain their fitness.

It will also allow his

childhood best friend, Ken Critcher, who was unable to take part this time around due to injury, to join them.

He explained: “We haven’t failed, the challenge is not dead. The first opportunity we get, we will be climbing [Snowden].

“If anything, I’m more determined to do it. Not for me, but for everyone at the MS centre, it’s them we’re doing it for.”

Through his JustGiving page, Mark has raised almost £2,000

so far. The page will remain open until the challenge is fully completed.

All funds raised go towards the running of the MS centre, whose operating costs are £470,000 per year.

Mark moved to Wokingham three weeks before the first Covid-19 lockdown.

He has described the town as ‘unfriendly to disabled people’, saying he and his wife have to plan routes to get around safely.

He said: “I love my wife so much, it hurts me to see her in constant pain, or when it’s hot because hot weather has a horrible effect on people with MS. She wasn’t enjoying the hot summer.

“You have to live with it, or live with someone who lives with it, to fully understand.”

“I wish I could take a bit of that struggle away from her.”

Through his efforts, he wants to raise awareness of the struggles faced by people with disabilities.

Mark believes that people can make small adjustments, such as looking where they’re going or leaving enough room for wheelchair users when walking in large groups, to make a big difference in the lives of others.

Evening of entertainment for Macmillan

A WOODLEY woman is organising her third variety concert to fundraise for a cause close to her heart.

Emma Macedo will host the event at The Whitty Theatre on Saturday, October 22, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

Shechose to support the charity after her father was diagnosed with Myeloma in 2015.

She said: “Macmillan provided us with support and information to have a better

understanding, so I thought what a better way to do so by getting together a bunch of talented people and entertaining friends and family.”

After holding two successful fundraiser shows in 2016 and 2017, she is aiming to hold a bigger and better event this year.

The show will include musicians, singers and dancers from across the region including ukulele band Chord Capers,

singer songwriter Simon Williams, Selina and the Howlin Dogs, Trudi Craig and Russell Thompson.

There will also be a range of refreshments and a raffle to do that little bit extra in raising some cash.

n For more information contact Emma Macedo on 07910 838112 or email: emmamacedo@aol.com

n To book tickets, visit: ticketsource.co.uk/ emmamacedo

Take time to sing for joy

A CANCER support group is offering a chance for people affected by cancer to enjoy singing together.

There will be opportunity for coffee and chat, before singing the blues away with Sabrina, in Sing For Joy.

The Wokingham Cancer Support Network helps people living in the borough.

Jo Mason is currently the group’s operations manager.

She says: “We offer a number of different services for people who are affected by cancer, or who are caring for someone with cancer.

“They join up to access our network, and can then receive support in lots of ways.

“One benefit of the network is peer support groups, which we facilitate by means of a number of events.

“Some, like our Sing For Joy event, are in person, but others, because people with cancer can’t always get out and about, are online.

“We have, for example, online zumba classes and there are online talks once a month.”

Wokingham Cancer Support Network also offers direct peer-to-peer suport, monthly meet-ups, online support and information/signposting.

The Sing For Joy workshop is a relaxed in person singing session, with no experience needed.

Sabrina welcomes everyone, including those who don’t want to sing but would rather listen and enjoy some company.

It will be time and a safe space to focus on a fun activity.

It will also offer a chance to chat about concerns and to share experiences with others who understand.

“We would love to welcome new members to our peer support network,” says Jo.

“Membership is free.”

Sing For Joy will take place in the Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Centre in Peach Place.

The group will meet on Wednesday, October 5.

The event runs from 10.30am to noon in the Luke Room.

n For more information, or to join the Cancer Support Network, visit: www.involve.community/ cancer

WADE wine tasting

A WINE tasting evening will take place at The WADE Day Centre next month, with six high-end bottles for people to try.

Provided by Majestic Wine, these will be accompanied by notes to help compare and contrast the different flavours.

Sandy Sweet, a trustee of WADE, said: “There will be six good quality wines: a sparkling wine, two white wines, two red wines and either a rosé or a dessert wine, and we’ll also provide tapas bowls.

“Mark from Majestic Wines will give a short talk about each of the wines, he’s very highly qualified, and easy to listen to.

“You don’t need to be an expert to come along, and there’s nothing pompous about our wine tasting –it will just be relaxed and easy, in a fun environment.”

She added: “Drivers can enjoy sampling the different flavours too, as we’re providing spittoons for those who don’t want to consume alcohol.

“We had a similar event two years ago and it was very popular.”

Funds raised by the event will support the WADE Day Centre, which provides a social and caring environment for the over 60s in Wokingham and surrounding areas.

Services include arts and crafts sessions, home cooked food, minibus trips, live performances, chiropody, exercise classes, and annual fairs.

The wine tasting event will take place at the WADE Day Centre, on Reading Road, Wokingham.

A raffle will be held, and there will be an opportunity to order wines during the evening.

Doors open at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 20, and tickets cost £15.

Parking is available at the centre, with overflow parking across the road at the Masonic Hall car park. Places are limited, so early booking is advised.

n To book a table or seat log on to: www.wadecentre.org.uk

CHALLENGERS: Paul Cowan (left) and Mark Summers (right) climbed Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike, but were not able to take on Snowden due to dangerous weather conditions. Picture: Mark Summers

SING FOR JOY: Musical sessions are a time for relaxation and some fun for people with cancer Picture: Alisa Dyson via Pixabay

Seasonal delights on display

SEASONAL delights took over a community hall in Twyford earlier this month.

The Twyford and Ruscombe Horticultural Association hosted its autumn show at Loddon Hall with a range of produce on display.

As well as the flowers, fruits and vegetables on show, there was a collection of homemade cakes and conserves.

And there was also a raffle

with the society’s president Jean Moody presenting the prizes.

After the judges had studied all of the entries, awards were handed out for the best in show as members competed for honours at the event.

Alan Phillips and Jo Lucas collected awards for flowers.

Richard Eyles and John Evason shared the Roy Poulton Cup in the fruit and vegetables category.

John Wager collected two prizes with the first in the fruit and vegetables category and the second for his work in the horticultural section.

Val Halman and Gemma Alford were recognised in the miniature and petite floral art classes and shared the Doreen Scott award.

In the domestic category, Jenny Wager and Carol Sandom were commended for their work with prizes presented to both.

Who is Twyford’s fastest family?

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today

PEOPLE will be putting on their running shoes in Twyford next month.

The Twyford Together Charity 5k and Fun Run returns with races for all ages and distances.

Twyford Together chairman, Rob Yeadon says: “It’s the 10th anniversary of the Fun Run this year and it promises to be extra special.

“We have races for all ages and abilities, stalls, entertainment and some great prizes.

“New for this year, we’ll be crowning our Fastest Family’ (one adult and one or two children aged 11-18) as well as the Fastest Business/Club/ Society, and Best Fancy Dress, in the 5k race.

“As this is our 10th anniversary, we’re really hoping some of our original runners will come back to join us.

“We’d love to see any of our 2012 toddlers (now teenagers) at the event, running with their parents or neighbours.

“And we look forward to welcoming new parents.

“It’s a great opportunity to get active for a good cause and it’s always special to see roles reversed, with the children cheering on their parents.

“You don’t have to be a seasoned runner to enjoy the Fun Run, it’s all about taking part.

“The Have A Go Hero prize celebrates just that.

“Last year, it went to the truly inspirational Clara who is a student at The Piggott School.

“She ran with her guide to raise money for Wolfram Syndrome.”

The starting and end point for all races is The Piggot School on Twyford Road in Wargrave.

The event takes place on Sunday October 9.

Registration starts at 9am, with races ending by noon.

n Pre-school toddle takes place at 9.30am.

Reception and school years

1 and 2, 1km race starts at 9.45am.

n School years 3 and 4, 1km race starts at 10.05am.

n School years 5 and 6, 2km race starts at 10.30am.

n Twyford Together charity, multi-terrain, fun run, 5km race starts at 11am.

Runners should book entry online by noon on Saturday, October 8.

Entry costs are: preschool toddle £3, 1km and 2km races £6, 5k race £12.50.

It may be possible to join on the day, but only if spaces remain.

The race is organised by Barnes Fitness and Twyford Together.

All profits from the event will go towards Twyford Charities Together, but runners are welcome to raise funds and awareness for a charity of their choice.

n To book and for more information, visit: www. barnesfitness.co.uk

Preschool jumble sale on Saturday

A WOKINGHAM jumble sale is set to return on Saturday, October 1.

The Swallowfield Preschool sale will give parents and children the chance to give high quality items a second life.

Toys, books and clothes are all waiting to be loved by new owners, with tea and cake also available to visitors on the day.

The event will take place from 2pm-4pm at Swallowfield Parish Hall.

Organisers ask that donations, which will all be vetted to ensure they are in saleable condition, be delivered between 8.30am-11am.

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

Rhymetime

BABIES and children can enjoy some rhyming fun.

Every second Monday of the month, Rhymetime will visit Arborfield Library.

The sessions introduce youngsters to the spoken word in a fun and engaging way, using music, props and storytelling.

The Wokingham Borough Council-organised event is free to attend but booking is essential.

Classes take place between 10.30am-11am.

n To make a booking, contact: 0118 978 1368 or visit: www. wokingham.spydus.co.uk

Sarah Brunsden and Teddy (7) deciding what marks they will give these flowers

Time for a tea break

Mandy Beagent with her prizewinning tomato

Joan and Alan Phillips with his prizewinning roses

FLORAL SHOWCASEE: The Twyford & Ruscombe Horticultural Association Autumn Show saw Mandy Beagent and Lynn Raymond looking after the raffle Pictures: Steve Smyth

Spacephiller Phil Creighton

I like my listening to be easy

LONG, long ago, when mobile phones were tin cans and a bit of string pulled taut, I used to get calls from music PRs wanting me to take an interest in some bright young thing.

The trouble was, I told them, my musical knowledge starts and stops with Steps.

Yes, it’s a Tragedy – something I’m convinced they sang better than The Bee Gees.

But pop music, especially the barrage of noise that masquerades as the current hit parade, is not my forte.

When it comes to listening, I’m easy.

During the pandemic, BBC local radio underwent many detrimental changes. Presenters now do four-hour shifts, specialist shows have been axed – no more Irish Eye on BBC Berkshire, they’ve brought in the worst jingles ever known to humanity, and they’ve also updated the playlist.

Anything remotely decent – sorry, pre-1980s –has been dumped. Instead it’s stuff that makes me immediately reach for the off-switch.

And that makes me sad.

The flipside is BBC Sounds allows you to tune in to any BBC local radio station programme of your choosing.

Such is my appetite for music from the best decade ever, during one of the cold snaps when schools where closed for the day and the mercury plummeted while the white stuff fell, I’d run out of Tony Blackburn’s Sound of the Sixties and stumbled upon BBC Radio Manchester’s Sweeney’s Sixties Classics.

Even that wasn’t enough … and it wasn’t quite right either, especially when the shake-up happened and Mike Sweeney’s sublime show was axed in favour of bland modern stuff.

You see, when I say my listening is easy, that’s exactly what I like. Easy listening.

Light classical music, bit of the Rat Pack, music from the 1920s to the 1960s … it’s an eclectic mixture of stuff, but I seem to be on my own. After all, Radio 2 is now more like Radio 1 was, while my favourites including The Organist Entertains, Big Band Special, and Sing Something Simple have all disappeared. Radio 3 doesn’t even come close to filling the gap.

Enter the internet. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon it, but Serenade Radio has entered my life. It launched in 2015, and is only online. The station is loosely based on the old Light Programme. A sentence that will mean little to people used only to Radios 1 to 5. Prior to September 1967, BBC Radio was the Light Programme, the Home Service and the Third Programme.

Pirates, broadcasting pop from the sea, meant Auntie had to revamp its offerings, initially Radio 2 was fairly similar to what had gone before. Certainly, easy listening was on the air well into my childhood.

That’s possibly why I’m so fond of it. There’s some nostalgia attached to these 100-year-old tunes, but not for their original performances, but for the 70s and 80s on daytime Radio 2. That and there was an antiques and curios shop in my home city of Canterbury that sold vintage newspapers and had a gramophone outside.

While the BBC’s musical playlist doesn’t do it for me, the wonder of the internet means there are niche stations out there playing something that does. So while Serenade is a safe haven of musical loveliness for me there’s an online station for you.

Whether any of them play nothing but Steps I’ve never quite looked. Looking for it has been the Last Thing On my Mind, but if there is, I’ll be there in a Heartbeat. And as those music PRs will say, I know Him So Well.

Climate stripes artwork to feature in London gallery

THE UNIVERSITY of Reading’s climate stripes are being displayed at an art exhibition in London.

Glass artist Cathryn Shilling has been taking her sculptures on tour as she looks to raise awareness about global warming.

Her collection, entitled The Path We Follow, was recently on display at the British Glass Biennale in Stourbridge in the West Midlands.

It features a mosaic of the stripes, as well as several glass vessels adorning the design.

Cathryn said: “The rise of temperature change across Europe using observed data can be visualised in more than one way, however there is no doubt that we are following a dangerous path.

“This installation is in two parts. A mosaic visualises the temperature change across Europe for the 50 years from 1975-2020.

“The vessels represent an assembly of European nations, each displaying their own rise in temperature change over 80 years.

“It is only by taking action now and working together that we can follow a new temperature path to a sustainable future.”

Cathryn was one of 103 artists selected from 223 applicants to present the most diverse and outstanding glass art made in the UK over the past three years.

The stripes will be showcased in VETRO II: Exploring the Venetian Influence at London Glassblowing in Bermondsey Street from October 7-29.

The exhibition is set to take place after Reading Climate Festival, where the stripes will once again be on display.

Running until Tuesday, October 4, the programme of events sims to encourage positive action on climate change.

Imagined by the university’s Prof Ed Hawkins MBE, the climate stripes were created in 2018 to illustrate rising temperatures in towns and cities across the world.

They have featured publicly on the main stage at Reading Festival, on Reading FC’s home and away kits this year, and on badges worn by US senators.

n For more information about the stripes, visit: www.showyourstripes. info/s/globe/

Celebrating older residents

NEIGHBOURING Reading will celebrate the contribution that older people make to the community with a free event tomorrow.

From 10am, Broad Street Mall will host a number of activities and events which celebrate the achievements and contributions of older people, with more than 30 local organisations set to take part.

Age UK, Reading Community Learning Centre, Firtree Reading retirement centre, and the Royal Berkshire Hospital will all be present at the event.

After the mayor of Reading, Cllr Rachel Eden, welcomes attendees, accessible activities such as seated yoga and exercise, hand bells, the Dementia Bus, free health-check services, and hearing tests.

A tour of the Abbey ruins is also running between 11am and noon.

Seated Yoga will begin at 10.30am, followed by hand bells at 12.15pm, physiotherapy from 1pm, and seated exercise at 2.15pm.

Sessions looking at dementia, cyber-security, will also be run through the day, with the Dementia Bus offering attendees a training session to help them experience

what dementia might be like to help improve support.

Services such as Berkshire Vision, the Older People’s Mental Health Team, Get Berkshire Active, ReadiBus, Reading Museum, and Healthwatch Reading will also feature at the event.

Reading’s lead councillor for adult social care, Cllr John Ennis, said: “Older People’s Day is an opportunity to celebrate later life and the huge contribution older people make to our communities.

“This wonderful free event aims to celebrate these achievements and I’d encourage people to come along and join us on Friday, meet other people and services who can help you look to the future.”

“Reading is a vibrant town with a rich array of local services that support residents, come along and find out how they can help you.

“Please spread the word, invite neighbours, friends, family – anyone you know who might benefit.”

Older People’s Day will take place from 10am until 3pm.

n For more information about the event, visit: servicesguide.reading. gov.uk

Filmmaker looks side of organ

By JAKE CLOTHIER jclothier@wokingham.today

A FILM-MAKER has created a documentary which examines the impact that organ donation has on people’s lives, as Organ Donation Week begins.

The death of the Queen meant that Organ Donation week 2022, originally slated for September 19-25, is instead being held until, Sunday, October 2.

Luke Alexander, 22, was born with a rare, congenital liver disease called Biliary Atresia, which causes blockages in the bile ducts between the liver and gallbladder.

This can lead to cirrhosis, or damage, of the liver, which is fatal if not treated, and often requires a transplant during treatment.

After being helped by Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, Luke has now produced a documentary looking at the effect of organ donation on people’s lives.

He said: “I was diagnosed when I was three-weeks- old, and as a kid, before the age of one, I think was three operations in total.

“They postponed my need for a transplant until I was about 12, when I received a liver transplant – in total, I waited nine months, with only one false call.”

He explained that those waiting for organs to be donated are sometimes called for operations, but which for some reason are then no longer viable.

“You get sent to the hospital and then during the procedure of receiving the organ, or from the donor to getting it over to the hospital, it may get tainted, or perhaps the surgeon doesn’t think it’s healthy enough.”

His documentary, The Other Side, doesn’t just look at patients themselves, he said, but also “the shared experience of going through that”.

He continued: “I compete at the Transplant Games, which really helps

keep transplant patients active after surgery, and to help raise awareness of the amazing work organ donation does.

“It was a really good experience for myself to meet other people and make friends my age who had transplants and been through the same experience.

“But it was really good for my parents, because they could speak to other parents who had shared their experiences too.”

He said that it was this which sparked his interest in exploring the parents’ perspective of the transplant

Orchestra shortlisted for musical awards

AN orchestra has been shortlisted for an award from Making Music Awards, a UK organisation that champions music in the community.

And the Aldworth Philharmonic Orchestra (APO)’s assistant music director, Wokingham resident Mel Le Breuilly, has also been given special mention in the Best Music Director category, for her work leading Reading Youth Orchestra.

The winner will be announced in an online ceremony.

The Aldworth Philarmonic has been recognised for its project, Joy! with composer Derri Lewis, in 2021.

Joy! was commissioned when music making was severely restricted in late 2020.

The orchestra asked Derri to write a piece of music that would give the players something to look forward to once they could return as a full orchestra, and provide a way to keep playing despite separation during

Covid restrictions.

He created a chamber version of the music with six individual parts, deliberately chosen so that the covid rule of six could be adhered to.

The parts were written across different ranges, clefs and transpositions so that all players could work on a part suitable for their instrument.

The final element of the project was three miniature solos.

Musical director of APO, Andrew Taylor says: “We are delighted by the shortlisting, it’s lovely to be recognised.

“It was a super project, and worked really well. APO prides itself on its ability to innovate and its desire to commission new music.

“This was a situation where everyone really made the best of a difficult situation.

“In lockdown, when we couldn’t be together, we were still able to connect

ON SHOW: Cathryn Shilling is taking her collection The Path We Follow on a nationwide tour to raise awareness of global warming. Picture: Cathryn Shilling

Luke Alexander, from Reading, produced The from the perspective of the recipients’ parents.

looks at the other organ donation

it’s something that’s experienced differently – there’s no right or wrong way.

“It is kind of rare the process you go through, but it’s not that rare, and there are other families around us that have gone through that journey, and I wish there was more material like this available.”

He says that when making the film, the resilience of the families struck him.

“So many feel that after a diagnosis, it’s ‘that’s happened, now what are our next steps’ and look for an action plan towards it.

“That’s one of the things that really impressed me.”

Organ Donation Week works to build awareness of the difference to people’s lives being an organ donor can make.

This year, the movement is asking people to use the colour pink to show their support, as well as to publicise and celebrate organ donation.

It is also holding a Race for Recipients, where participants can remotely contribute to a team target of 7,000km’s distance, which represents the 7,000 people waiting for life-saving transplants in the UK.

journey, not just from that of children.

The documentary focuses on three families who have experienced organ donation, those of Ollie, Amelia, and Leighton, who all underwent organ transplants.

“The documentary explores how they’ve dealt with it, and to give them and some families who are about to go through that same journey, that kind of cathartic experience.

“I was quite young at the time, so I didn’t ask too many questions but looking back it would have been a major help just to know that

A regional total target of 50,000km has been set to represent the 50,000 people living in the UK with a transplant.

The race is free to join, does not require a team, and can be achieved through any number of traveling activities.

The Other Side was directed by Luke Alexander and scored by Lost OR Stolen, with Callum Wood as director of photography, and produced in collaboration with the Childrens Liver Disease Foundation.

It is available to watch on YouTube. n To find out more, or to see how you can register as an organ donor, visit: www. organdonation.nhs.uk

held a day of workshops with different combinations of players booked into slots during the day, recording and sharing their work.

The full orchestral version of Joy! was performed with the miniature solos, played in between the full orchestral programme.

Mel Le Breuilly, APO’s assistant music director, has also been shortlisted in the Best music director category, in recognition of her work with Reading Youth Orchestra.

“Mel is brilliant, there’s no two ways about it,” says Andrew.

Football ref donates his wages to Ollie Young

FOLKESTONE

Reader travel

Market

through the solos that Derri wrote for us.

“He’s lovely to work with, and very flexible – we thought the orchestra couldn’t play during covid, but he made it possible.

“We’ll all be watching online to see if we win the award, but also to celebrate all the music making going on in the UK.”

As restrictions lifted, the orchestra

“She is an inspirational leader, and is developing a lovely, relaxed community of young people who want to come together and make music, as well as having fun.

“Mel is the perfect person to be taking Reading Youth Orchestra forward.

“She’s approachable, welcoming and a highly skilled musician.

“Everything she does benefits from her positivity, her creativeness and her inspiration.

“We are delighted that she has been nominated for an award.”

THE Ollie Young Foundation is delighted to have received a cheque for £250.

Gub Singh, who recently started working as a referee at Ashridge Park Football Club, decided to donate his wages to two charities.

One of these is The Ollie Young Foundation, a charity dedicated to funding research into prevention and cure of brain tumours in children.

Ollie’s mum, who set up the foundation when her young son died as a result of a brain tumour, says: “We are absolutely delighted that Gub has donated this sum to us.

“It’s so lovely for him to think of us as a family.

“Gub’s middle son grew up with Ollie, so there is a special connection.”

POETRY CORNER

Rain Dance

We are little plants and bushes

Sat in the the garden soil

On our own, once the seeds are sown

Like a car that needs it’s oil.

This sun has been atrocious

Too much I have to say

We pray each day for rain

The clouds to turn a heavy grey

We haven’t got water on tap

Or fans to keep us cool

We’re in this searing heat you know

We can’t dip our petals in a pool

We’re all dying of thirst

So we have to rely on man

As we’re about to get a well earned drink

They impose a hose pipe ban

“The other part of his donation is going to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, a cancer treatment centre, where his father-in-law was treated.

“The family, and especially Gub’s wife, Sue, is very grateful for the care her father received there.”

Gub’s football club meets at St Crispin’s School in Wokingham.

It has 25 junior teams playing in the East Berkshire Football Alliance, and three adult teams playing in the Reading Football League and District Sunday League.

n For more information about The foundation, visit: www. ollieyoungfoundation.org

n For more information about The Christie cancer treatment centre visit: www.christie.nhs.uk

n For more information about Ashridge Park Football Club visit: www.ashridgepark.co.uk

With three nights in the Edwardian seaside resort of Folkestone, we take a hassle-free jaunt over the Channel to the enchanting Bruges Christmas Market, along with an additional excursion to Canterbury, which dazzles with its twinkling lights and decorations.

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Reading & Slough

3 nights at the Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone with breakfast plus 2 dinners

2 for 1 bar (6pm-9pm) on selected drinks

Entertainment every evening

Excursions to Bruges Christmas Market & Canterbury

THE NEW FOREST & Bournemouth – Turkey & Tinsel

Enjoy our Christmas themed break in Bournemouth, a fantastic resort boasting seven miles of golden sands and a historic pier. From our base here, we explore neighbouring Poole with its nautical atmosphere and the timeless scenery of the New Forest.

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Wokingham & Crawley

4 nights at a selected hotel, Bournemouth with dinner & breakfast (includes traditional ‘Christmas’ dinner)

Tea, coffee and mince pies on arrival

2 for 1 bar (6pm-9pm) on selected drinks

After-dinner tea and coffee

Light entertainment every evening

Excursions to the New Forest (Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst and Lymington) & Poole

We flowers woke up this morning

All crinkly like the hedge next door

The clouds were grey, hip hip hooray

Look what we have in store

The skies just burst wide open

We rain danced in the showers

One happy garden once again

Just a sign of God’s great powers

We love printing your poetry. Email your verse to news@wokingham.today, and we’ll do the rest

GIFT: Gub, handing over a cheque for £250 to Sarah Simpson of the Ollie Young Foundation. Picture Sue Singh and courtesy of OYF

Mickey Brown

The Other Side, which looks at organ donation parents. Picture: Courtesy of Luke Alexande

SHORTLISTED: The APO. pictured in rehearsals in 2020, will be watching the awards online Picture: Phil Creighton

A tosledgehammer crack a nut

THE PLAN to more than double car parking rates in Wokingham borough is the wrong answer to the difficult question facing the council leadership.

In a week where the new Chancellor’s reckless not-a-budget has sent the pound plunging and led to fears mortgage rates will rise to 6%, while inflation remains unchecked, raising car park prices only makes the cost of living crisis worse.

The council is in a difficult financial position, made worse by the national events since last Friday.

As the nation lurches into a recession, our independent businesses, the jewels in Wokingham’s crown, need as much support as they can get.

The sharp increase in car park fees is too much, too soon, at the wrong moment.

It will put people off from visiting our terrific, and unique, shopping centres. It will see our businesses suffer, and it will cause misguided resentment to the council and its officers.

It is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

The council, whichever party in charge, would be facing the same financial pressures, and deserve our sympathy.

But if this rise goes ahead, they won’t gain respect, just dismay.

An urgent rethink is needed.

CHURCH NOTES

Is Zoom an answer?

IHAD

attended a course and returned with a bad cold – should I go to Quaker Meeting for Worship and risk passing the cold onto the others in the meeting?

No – we have Zoom – that’s how I could join in.

Shortly after the pandemic started we began to meet online for meeting for worship, our weekly healing circle also moved online to send distant healing out to those in need.

This weekly circle then became two with an evening session to cater for those who worked, along with the morning session.

At last we were able to return to meeting in person in the Meeting House and re-start our healing circle there – but in the meantime Friends from all over the country, including the Channel Islands, had joined the healing circle.

They were often isolated, even after the end of restrictions, and so enjoyed the weekly gatherings as well as the important task of sending distant healing. So we now have three weekly healing circles running, two online and one in person.

When the Meeting House reopened we were asked to give a summary of the positive and negative affects of the pandemic.

Bizarrely with Zoom we now have more opportunities to see each other – but the personal contact is still missing even when we meet in person, no shaking of hands after meeting or holding hands during the healing circle.

Things will never return as they were, but the use of Zoom has given us more opportunities – I can still join in with Meeting for Worship with a bad cold without feeling guilty.

Anne Le Marinel from Wokingham Quakers, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham

Your letters

Send your thoughts to letters@wokingham.today

Sign Hall Farm petition

Save Our Loddon Valley at Hall Farm (SOLVE Hall Farm) are starting a petition asking Wokingham Borough Council to say NO to 4,500 houses at Hall Farm. Specifically the petition states: “We the undersigned petition Wokingham Borough Council to not include any significant housing development at Hall F arm as part of its Local Plan Update”.

We are looking to get 1,500 signatures before the petition closes at the end of December to force a debate by the Council in 2023. (The Revised Local Plan Update is not now expected until next year).

When the petition goes live in the next few days it will be accessible from:www.green4grow.org/links

We will also be asking Parish Councils to host paper copies for people without internet access to sign. Visit the website listed above for further details.

Paul Stevens, SOLVE Hall Farm

This is not the time

I understand that there is a proposal by the Council Executive Committee, to raise car parking charges in the town, which will effectively double them.

They also intend to introduce the charge to include Sunday and evening parking.

I’m not quite sure which dimension these individuals exist in, but they have possibly failed to notice the rampant inflation, fuel poverty, cost of living crisis and all the rest of it, which is engulfing us at the moment.

In addition, you do not have to venture far into the town centre, to be confronted by the whitewashed windows of business premises, where the previous occupants have thrown in the towel. My sympathy with these enterprises knows no bounds.

This is not the time to go into the

Westminster diary

Sir John Redwood

In support of fracking

IAMreceiving several copies of a lobbying letter condemning fracking in particular and the new government’s approach to energy and the road to net zero.

The general complaint is we should not extract any more fossil fuel at home, run down our oil and gas industry quickly and accelerate renewable electricity.

I disagree with these emails. Let me begin by explaining they are wrong in their own terms.

Substituting imported gas for home produced gas increases the

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

Coverage of Queen was over the top

As a regular reader of Wokingham Today I was very disappointed by the OTT coverage in the September 15 edition devoted to a person who never lived in the borough, and whose connection with it was less than the commuters from Reading who pass through the borough on trains or along the M4 heading to London.

I was so disappointed that after flicking through it I decided not to buy it. Fortunately, lessons were learned, and coverage was much reduced in the September 22 edition, but it was biased and stuck to presenting the official line.

Just as Trump tried to exaggerate the numbers at his inauguration Wokingham Today tried to contrast a picture of a crowd in a particular part of Windsor with empty streets in Wokingham.

As all the shops were “encouraged” to close the latter was hardly surprising.

To put things in perspective, the culture secretary stated 250,000 people queued to see the coffin in Westminster Abbey.

To put that into perspective for what was billed as a once-in-alifetime event 1,000,000 attend the annual New Year’s Day parade for the Westminster Lord Mayor.

damage which has been inflicted on the town by politicians over the past couple of decades, but if they are trying to ruin what is left of it, they are going the right way about it.

Me? I can’t pretend that this will change my future voting habits, as I didn’t vote for any of them in the first place. That said, I get no satisfaction at all from having a clear conscience about that matter.

Perhaps these individuals would care to emerge from the sanctuary of their meeting room and arrange to

And that’s on a day a large portion of the nation is still in bed nursing hangovers. The annual London Marathon also attractions a million spectators.

I decided to look for myself and cycled to Windsor on the day of the funeral. Spectators leaving the car parks and stations were corralled into a short 400 metre section of the Long Walk, with the approach road closed to the public.

It reminded me of the coverage of women’s football on TV where if a small crowd is anticipated they are all placed in the lower tier of the stand opposite the cameras with the rest of the ground being completely empty.

debate their thought processes with us publicly? No - I thought not.

Roger Fearn, Wokingham

Increase are disgusting

I am a resident of Wokingham and for many years had to use the local car parks to park whilst working in the town, I’ve just seen that the new council want to increase the fees for parking.

I find this totally and utterly disgusting.

The people that park all day in

comes up against the inconvenient fact that most UK people heat their homes and water with gas or other fossil fuels, and most drive petrol or diesel vehicles.

Expecting a large crowd, the organisers at Windsor laid on big screens in the public section of Home Park next to W&E Riverside Station.

As can be seen from the attached photos literally only a handful of people were there, and they were vastly outnumbered by police and stewards in purple bibs. The photos were taken at 11.05am with the cortege walking up the aisle in the abbey visible on the screens.

Please can we have more balanced reporting in future and a return to the Wokingham Today’s traditional high standard.

Peter Humphreys, Wokingham

these car parks are staff of the shops we all use. £9 for a day’s parking is an hours wage, if not more, for some. This is too much.

It comes out of their own salaries, which is a massive chunk of money.

For someone of national minimum wage working full time (five days a week, 48 weeks of the year) this will be £2,160) from £960.

How can they be doing this and even more so in the current climate where cost of living is already a struggle?

supplies and buttress jobs at home.

amount of carbon dioxide produced globally. LNG in particular requires substantial energy use to liquefy, transport and convert back the gas compared to pipeline gas from the North Sea.

Importing energy intensive products similarly entails more global carbon dioxide while cutting UK output of energy intensive products.

The net zero movement must look at global impact, not just national generation. Every extra amount of home produced gas eases the global shortage a little, and cuts the overall output of carbon dioxide by saving on LNG volumes.

The pressure to go faster with expanding renewable electricity

All the time this is true we need fossil fuels to live. If we accelerated the rate of converting our vehicle fleet to electric it would raise carbon dioxide output from the scrappage processing and from the manufacture of new electric vehicles.

You need to drive a lot more miles than most car owners to make the switch favourable on CO2 accounting instead of running your older vehicle for its full useful life.

The carbon dioxide accounting for replacing good functioning gas boilers with electric heat pumps is also problematic. Anyway, governments cannot make people rip out their gas boilers or replace their cars, especially at a time of income squeeze when most cannot afford to do so.

Meanwhile, government has a duty to ensure there is sufficient energy at affordable prices to keep us warm, provide necessary

On any analysis the next few years will see the need for plenty of gas, whether from home or foreign sources and whether used to make things here or imported things from overseas. Indeed, if we import more from places like China and Germany more will be made with coal based power, producing more emissions than using gas.

The Greens say there will be new jobs making wind turbines. There will not be enough to offset the big hit to jobs if we fail to keep enough sensibly priced hydrocarbons for the period of transition.

The West is already too dependent on China and her satellites for raw materials and products required in wind farm and battery production.

We also need to consider the environmental impact of mining the materials and handling the waste from battery and other electrical products.

Sir John Redwood is the MP for Wokingham, this is taken from his blog, johnredwoodsdiary.

Please please use the power of social media and press to put a stop to this. Let’s put people first.

Amy Chilver, Wokingham

Dismay at fee increase

I want to express my dismay at the proposal to increase parking charges in Wokingham by between 62.5% and well over 100%, as well as extending these charges to evenings and Sundays.

At a time of significant cost of living increases affecting every household, pushing parking charges up so dramatically is a blatant attempt to extort more council revenue from the motorist, and can only discourage residents and visitors from using local businesses for shopping, eating and entertainment.

David Currer, Wokingham

Don’t panic...

My letter is a response to something I read in last week’s paper.

“We are not immune to these pressures” (Wokingham Today, Sept 22) was an interesting and also, perplexing read.

Covid has undoubtably affected the Council’s coffers. An example being reduced car park use. In the same missive we learn that the response to this is.... to increase the cost of parking in the council’s car parks. That should do the trick.

Economists, eh? With a recession firmly entrenched, muddling through will be a bit Dad’s Armyesque at Shute End.

Don’t panic fellow citizens, it’s Cllr Jones in charge not Corporal Jones.

John Bennett, Wokingham

Gary’s missives

I wondered when Councillor Gary Cowan, Independent Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham Borough Council, would re-surface in the Wokingham.Today letters column again.

This is the same councillor who seems not to want any houses built anywhere in Wokingham Borough, but now claims in his latest letter that “At Arborfield Garrison new schools were built for the occupants of the new Garrison 3,500 houses. New residents snapped them up....”

Well I never, people wanting to buy newly built houses in Arborfield.

For a Councillor who seems not to like any new housing being built anywhere this must be particularly galling. I wonder how many of the incomers voted for Cllr Cowan? Perhaps the incomers became Nimbys the moment they moved into the new houses.

Of Cllr Cowan’s letter overall though I detect a whiff of confected outrage. Could this be because he is already trying to distance himself from the ad-hoc coalition of which he became a willing member?

He has after all hitched his cart firmly to the Lib Dem donkey and as there seem to be some pretty unpalatable choices to be made in the near future, maybe he is

starting to experience buyer’s remorse.

The buck stops with the adhoc coalition, of which Cllr Cowan has volunteered to make himself a part. There is no wriggle room for Cllr Cowan now by trying to blame others, as he was wont to do in the past.

That’s what the Non-Liberal Non-Democrats do each week in Wokingham.Today. This is because even though they had lots of time in opposition to prepare, and claimed that they could do a far better job of running WBC, they’ve had to resort to whining about how difficult things are.

Cllr Cowan writes about global warming. Here is my definition of the Climate Change emergency: A scheme whereby the rich folks expect the poorer folks to make all the sacrifices so that the rich folks can continue with their jetset, multi-property, gas guzzling lifestyles.

You may know them as rich folks who are very fond of lecturing the poorer folks about Climate Change. It’s called Greenwashing and Greenwash.

If there really is a climate emergency then every building in the UK would have had solar panels fitted to them by now for free, along with free electric vehicles to all drivers.

As long as political parties are not prepared to do this then the Climate Change Emergency cannot be that serious, can it?

Paul Clarke, Wokingham Disingenious

Last week’s (22nd September edition), From the Chamber article by Cllr Norman Jorgensen must be one of the most disingenious articles written by the Local Conservatives, particularly disappointing as it is from someone who I have some regard for.

Only a few days after taking on the responsibility for running Wokingham Borough Council, the new administration was advised that there were a number of omissions in this year’s 2022/2023 Council Budget. This included the complete absence of a specific budget for the green food waste caddy bags, among others.

I can only conclude that the previous Conservative administration had either decided not to fund the caddy bags themselves, or had simply forgot.

Now they are saying they would provide the caddy bags.

With what I ask? They made no provision for these bags (now estimated at £120,000 per annum) and now expect someone to find this money out of thin air.

I should add this is in addition to them leaving a £2.2 million hole in the council finances.

The WBC Budget Papers are public documents. I challenge the local Conservatives to find any specific budget for these caddy bags in this year’s budget.

In fact I am quite prepared for the editor of this paper and his colleagues to be Independent adjudicators to assess whether this lack of budget is, or is not as I

have mentioned.

Shinfield Councillor citing 11 dates, none of which suited him. So, no hope of working together.

Having offered an olive branch, it was snapped in half.

Blame game

Don’t blame it on the sunshine Don’t blame it on the moonlight

Don’t blame it on the good times Blame it on the … Tories (song courtesy of Michael Jackson, Pop Star)

Nineteen weeks in and isn’t it about time the LD’s stopped the Blame Game and admonishments

‘The Conservatives have left behind a legacy of misdemeanours; made unfunded commitments in waste collection and buses; left us overstretched; left us to find extra funding for Park & Ride; failed to reach income targets; left us in a very difficult position that will require ‘grown-up’ decision making says Mr. Jones.

Doom-laden Cllr. ShepherdDubey states “It is impossible to overstate difficulties we are facing from the previous administration”.

Gary Cowan, not to be left out, is still writing long bemoaning armchair tomes.

Mr Jones says “The new administration at Wokingham is working hard with our officers to find savings”. Oh good.

How about the cost of thousands and thousands of pounds putting scaffolding up around blocks of flats, putting in new doors/windows on two bedroomed apartments that INSIDE are crumbling, broken, tatty, leaking, the result of botch job after botch job, and where tenants (overcrowded families - one I know where parents are on the floor on a mattress – no bed frame – in the lounge, three toddlers in one bedroom and a teenager in another) are ALL under the doctor for depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.

What about the appalling case of a severely autistic eightyear-old, who cannot speak in sentences, where school transport failed to supply a chaperone or a car seat for a full week, and the driver was a different non-English speaking male each day, with the new administration completely tardy in their responses.

More realities: Bin liners being shelved, no bins or bottle banks on an estate of 2,000 houses, buses scrapped, Local Plan swerved, consultations ignored, but still residents can “Get on Yer Bikes”.

This is the real world and Mr Jones emphasizes week on week his hope for a Partnership of Trust, Working Together in the interests of Wokingham residents, while in the same columns patronises the Tories for their vast supposed errors.

In my two examples above there have been massive abuses of trust and I/we cannot do a thing about it but shout out to no avail.

In the interests of a working friendship with the coalition, I offered to meet with Mr. Jones’

Cllr Jackie Rance, Conservative councillor for Shinfield South, Wokingham Borough Council

Join Optalis

In the previous administration, as Deputy Executive for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services, I was proud to take the Wokingham Borough Council Voluntary and Community Sector Strategy through to approval and implementation.

The strategy was about providing longer term funding to voluntary sector organisations with contracts for up to five years providing financial stability and the ability to plan longer term. It was very well received by all.

Some of those voluntary service organisations are now based in the Charity & Community hub at Erfstadt Court which I visited when it opened earlier this year and is an excellent location.

What I saw and learnt was that there are fantastic volunteers involved in such a wide range of activities from driving to gardening to admin work to girlguiding to befriending. You can offer as little as a couple of hours a month to a few hours a week and everybody I met spoke highly about their enjoyment of taking part, being active and giving to the community.

We also reorganised the ownership and control of Optalis to provide better value for money and ensure provision of high quality care and support in Wokingham. Optalis staff I have spoken to have paid testament to what a good organisation Optalis are to work for and how they are enjoying their careers.

I had a chat with Wokingham Borough Council’s Director of Adult Services last week to catch up on these arrangements. He emphasised on more than once that there is one area that is always of concern – recruitment.

So, if you are thinking ‘I would like to volunteer but don’t know what I could do’ or if you are looking for employment and a career in the care sector is something you are interested in, now is a great time for you to take a step.

If you are interested in a career with Optalis, you can visit: https://www.optalis.org/careers

If you interested in a career in the wider local care sector, visit this page for all the organisations that might interest you locally: https://www.wokingham.gov. uk/jobs-and-careers/careers/ careers-in-care-work/

If you are interested in volunteering, the range of volunteering opportunities can be found at: volunteerwokinghamborough. org.uk, or you can call Wokingham Volunteer Centre on 0118 977 0749

I was so disappointed to leave

that role as a result of the Borough election in May but could not be more proud that the Conservative group initiatives I took part in are still delivering brilliantly for Wokingham.

Councillor Phil Cunnington, Shadow Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services

Climate emergency

As reported last week the excellent work to date of Councillors Gregor Murray and Sarah Kerr on climate emergency in Educational terms but how does the Borough Councils climate emergency policy work with planning the boroughs future?

Aspirational policies are wishful thinking but for the climate emergency policies to work in planning issues they must have the full support of the borough’s Planning Department and the country’s Planning Inspectorate. Nothing less will do as past examples have shown to all our cost.

Rightly or wrongly planning approvals in the past has in some cases paid scant attention to climate related matters such as the risk of flooding, the impact of noise, air pollution and cutting down mature trees and hedgerows to facilitate housing development.

To prevent this happening in the future it’s important that all planning related aspects in the climate emergency plan must be incorporated into the Draft Local Plan. This is crucial as the Public Inquiry process must examine them so it can rule them fit to guide or not future development.

A Public Inquiry would give the Climate Emergency policy real teeth. Future housing development is necessary but aspirational polices can be ignored. This is why it is so very important for all future policies to be a part of any proper consultation/public inquiry ruled on by a Government Inspector.

Climate and pollution issues were not taken fully into account when planning permission was granted for a 70-bed dementia care home and a children’s special needs school both by polluting noisy motorways were approved yet other more suitable sites could have considered.

Not very nice if one has a relative with dementia or a child with special needs.

A request for a temporary tree preservation order on a site identified for 4,500 houses in the draft Local Housing Plan Update to prevent a repetition of ‘premature felling’ developers have undertaken in the past. The answer was NO.

How green is that?

As I see it, the lunacy of Wokingham Borough Council even thinking of building 4,500+ houses on the banks of the Loddon River in a climate emergency where any of us over 25 will probably be retired or even dead and the building will not be complete is madness.

Our future and that of our children, their children and their children’s children depends on Wokingham Borough Pettit right and they will only have one go at it. DON’T GET IT WRONG

Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham Borough Council

Sort out the strikes

This country should sort out these strikes across the country and pay them what they need or ask for to get this country working again.

Everyone is losing big money, even passengers on the railway and freight from the docks, also court cases are pilling up.

It is no good to run anything like it is.

Also, Labour should have a single market and a customs union – the mistakes of coming out of the EU is tragic.

Labour will never win an election if they just sit on their hands as Nato is doing for the last seven months.

There are five million children in poverty and this government did not put up money for school dinners or uniforms or pay the mothers more child allowance.

University students are struggling more and more with fees that are far too much for any student to pay. It is outrageous.

Iit is time these chancellors at university had a pay cut and give the excess money to all students then we may be on the right road and get away from their greed.

This should all be done to help the next generation.

Victor Rones, Bracknell

Organ donation week

I am writing to you today to let you and your readers know that this week is Organ Donation Week and there has never been a more important time to talk about organ donation.

Currently in Berkshire there are 75 people waiting in need of a kidney transplant. There are usually around 5,000 adults and children in need of a transplant in the UK but due to the pandemic and the impact this has had on the number of transplants that have been carried out - as well as the number of people too poorly to be able to have a transplant - this number has now increased to around 10,000.

We are the UK’s leading kidney patient support charity and see every single day the life changing impact that a kidney transplant can have one someone’s life. You are more likely to need a transplant yourself than you are to become an organ donor because only 1% of people who die do so in a way that allows organ donation to take place. If you do nothing else this week, please think about what you would like to happen to your organs when you die and take a couple of minutes to register your decision and let your loved ones know.

Fiona Loud, Policy Director at Kidney Care UK

Cllr Lindsay Ferris Exec member for Planning and Local Plan and Lib Dem member for Twyford

From the Stump Louise Timlin

Modern childcare that works

WEhave the second most expensive childcare in the world.

Years of underfunding from our government have made childcare unaffordable for many families. Two-thirds of parents in the UK are spending more on childcare than on their mortgage or rent.

Amid reports that there are more job vacancies in the UK than job seekers, the previous Chancellor and Work and Pensions Secretary stated in June that they wanted to get more people on benefits into work.

Kwasi Kwarteng, current Chancellor, announced new rules in the mini-budget for part-time workers to increase their hours or face having their benefits reduced.

The cost of childcare is not being considered in any of these announcements despite estimates from The Women’s Budget Group that there are 1.7 million women in England who cannot take on more paid work due to the cost of childcare.

The current government seems unable to recognise that lack of affordable childcare is a huge barrier to parents, especially single parents

From the Chamber

Cllr Keith Baker

(90% of whom are women), from taking on paid work or more hours.

I would love to see robust measures announced to help parents with childcare costs, giving parents a realistic choice around increasing their paid working hours, particularly given the current cost of living crisis which is already affecting local families.

A recent Guardian article quoted the Chief Executive of Wokingham Citizens Advice, Jake Morrison, on the increasing numbers they are referring to the local food bank. https://www. theguardian.com/business/2022/ aug/31/crisis-support-demand-soarscitizens-advice-uk

When I had my children and returned to work in 2009, I paid around £2,000 per month for a local full-time nursery for a baby and a toddler. An unaffordable figure for many families.

Things have only got worse since then.

The cost of childcare is rising faster than wages. Local mum, Laura, told me that when she went back to work part-time, three-days a week, she was paying £640 per month just for two days of childcare and this took up 40% of her take-home pay.

Both Laura and I know mums who went back to work who were paying more for childcare than they were earning. Other cost issues include the up-front fees charged by most nurseries.

Given we have the third worst ranking maternity pay in Europe, if you are returning to the workforce after maternity leave good luck with finding a month’s fees for a deposit before you’ve even earned your first pay packet.

I spoke recently to a local grandma who is trying to scrape together the nursery deposit that would enable her daughter to get back to work. She’s not sure she will be able to. What happens then?

Cost is not the only barrier to accessible childcare. The “full-time” care I had for my children was 8am to 6pm which required manic dashes to and from work, in rush hour, on many occasions. The lack of flexible, realistic options meant that there was no room for unexpected delays, emergencies or sickness.

I’m still hugely grateful to my neighbour who collected them one evening while I was stuck in the snow. Think about the added barriers to find affordable childcare if your working pattern is outside of normal office hours.

I remember visiting nurseries in 2007, while pregnant in order to secure a place, and waiting lists continue to grow. In 2019, only around half of local authorities in England and Wales had enough childcare for parents working fulltime and less than one in four local authorities had enough childcare available for children needing after school care, parents working outside normal office hours, disabled children, or those with special educational needs.

During the pandemic, amid reports of local issues, I raised a question to Wokingham Borough Council regarding the availability of childcare locally.

I was assured they would continue to fulfil the requirement of

the Childcare Act 2006, to report annually on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report accessible to parents.

The link to the report on the WBC website does not work and two weeks after reporting this I’m still waiting to get access to it.

This clearly demonstrates how childcare is not being prioritsed in local politics either.

The Women’s Budget group has long reported that investment in childcare would create at least twice as many jobs as the same investment in construction.

The Women’s Equality Party (WEP) is the only political party with a policy for free universal childcare.

We have a costed plan that would provide universal childcare of 40 hours a week, 48 weeks a year, to more than three million children from the age of nine months to five years.

The number of jobs created, tax paid and Universal Credit savings mean this scheme would be ultimately close to cost-neutral.

You cannot fix the economy, as Liz Truss promises she’ll do, without fixing the childcare disaster.

WEP’s policies are the types of bold policies needed to enable mothers to return to the workforce, to increase the representation of women in key sectors, to reduce the motherhood pay gap and to help families during the current cost of living crisis.

Investment in social infrastructure, recognition of the realities of childcare, from cost to availability to quality, and the end of state reliance on women’s unpaid care work is what will make a difference.

Louise Timlin is the Branch Lead, Reading and Wokingham Women’s Equality Party

From the Leader Cllr Clive Jones

Raising car park charges is the wrong thing to do

THIS week the Lib/Lab Coalition will be making a decision that is likely to have a massive impact on both residents and business in the borough.

They will be agreeing a proposal for the largest increase in car park charges in nearly 20 years.

They will be more than doubling almost every charge, extending the charging period from 6pm to 10pm, removing free Sunday parking and removing the 30-minute charge.

None of these exorbitant changes were consulted on which goes directly against their oft stated mantra of them being the party of openness and transparency. They also stated they would listen to residents; well, you cannot listen to them if you do not consult them.

As the Executive Member for Highways for seven years I had many debates on parking charges so know very well about the dynamics of

charges versus usage.

It is about how attractive the “offer” is to encourage visitors to our towns, to come and park and visit our shops, restaurants and pubs and spend money.

The more attractive the offer is the more likely visitors will come.

If your offer is less attractive then by providing lower parking charges than neighbouring areas it becomes more attractive.

We are currently going through a cost-of-living crisis so the timing of these increases could not be worse.

Businesses are slowly recovering from the huge financial hit from the pandemic together with energy cost rises. Many businesses will not be able to cope with the lower footfall and will simply cease trading.

Town Centre restaurants, without a car park, will equally suffer as residents go elsewhere where parking is free.

Everyone knows, except the Lib/

Lab Coalition, that doubling charges will not increase usage or “better use of the car parks” as the report states.

Initially the Coalition said they would have to take money from essential services. In recent days the truth has come out which means the impact is on highways maintenance so essential services are protected.

So why are they doing this? We recognised there was a parking income shortfall during Covid but Conservatives, earlier this year, made the conscious decision not to increase charges because we wanted to continue to support local town centre business.

We are very concerned that these swingeing increases will simply drive

small businesses in our Town Centres to the wall.

It would be much better to leave car parking charges alone and encourage more use which helps both retailers and Council revenue.

At the last set of elections voters cast their votes for a new Liberal Democrat led coalition and therefore democracy has given them the power to do this.

I wonder if those that did are now regretting this?

Cllr Keith Baker MBE is the leader of Woodley Town Council and Conservative ward member for Coronation in Woodley, on Wokingham Borough Council

Difficult financial issues mean we have to act

SINCE

the Liberal Democrats took over the administration of Wokingham Borough Council in May we have uncovered some very difficult financial issues.

One of these has been the charges for car parks within the borough.

Unlike other councils around us, such as Reading and Bracknell, there haven’t been any increases in Wokingham for nearly five years.

This has been poor management of car park revenue by the Conservatives.

It is widely known that they considered increases in car parking charges roughly at the same level we are proposing, this time last year.

They shied away from this difficult decision because they feared the political consequences.

In these very uncertain economic times, the Lib Dems cannot, and will not, do this.

If there had been small increases in charges in each of the last five years an increase this year would not have been necessary.

The decision not to keep our charges in line with other towns in the county was a mistake by the Conservatives.

They also had other problems with their budgeting of car park charges. It is estimated that the revenue income shortfall will be nearly £800,000 this year. This money has to be found from somewhere.

On top of this, we have had to deal with bus services that were not budgeted for properly. So far, this has cost us in excess of £450,000.

There is an overspend on the Winnersh Park and Ride extension of £1.3m that was ignored by the Conservatives for more than six months and now has to be dealt with.

We do not like having to increase car park charges in the borough, but the worsening condition of council’s finances dictate that we have to.

Inflation was 5% in January when the budget was set, it’s now 10% and is forecast by many to be 18% next year. We cannot ignore these massive increases in inflation.

Residents will know that costs everywhere are going up, and they are going up for the council as well.

We have to act responsibly to ensure the councils’ budgets are properly balanced and we will take the difficult decisions to do this.

Cllr Clive Jones is the leader of Wokingham Borough Council and Lib Dem member for Hawkedon ward

THE GOVERNMENT’S decision to support businesses with their energy bills has been welcomed by the CBI.

Last week, it was announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, a discount on wholesale gas and electricity prices for all non-domestic customers, including all UK businesses, the voluntary sector like charities and the public sector such as schools and hospitals, whose current gas and electricity prices have been significantly inflated in light of global energy prices.

The scheme will run for an initial period of six months from October.

Prime Minister Liz Truss said: “As we are doing for consumers, our new scheme will keep their energy bills down from October, providing certainty and peace of mind.”

And Matthew Fell, CBI Chief Policy Director, welcomed the government’s proposals.

“The package will ease worries about otherwise viable businesses shutting up shop and smaller companies especially will benefit from the discounted rate,” he said.

“Businesses will also want to know more about the exit strategy and what happens when the six-month cap runs out.

“Working closely with business will be key to successful implementation.

“The long-run solution is to double-down on energy security and to incentivise firms to push ahead with ambitious energy efficiency programmes to lower demand.”

Fines over anti-money laundry measures grow nearly 1,000%

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

THE NUMBER of fines over antimoney laundering measured issued to estate agents has increased by nearly 1,000% in the past year according to new data analysis.

The UK Government has made it a legal obligation for the business sectors defined by the Money Laundering Regulations - such as estate agents, accountants, financial service businesses, and solicitors - to register for anti-money laundering (AML) supervision from HMRC, officially known as Economic Crime Supervision.

If a business covered by these regulations is deemed to have insufficient AML practices, monitoring, and precautions in place, HMRC is able to issue significant fines.

Sector data analysis and insight by Credas Technologies, an identity verification checks provider, shows that while overall anti-money

laundering (AML) fines have declined by almost 19%, the sum of fines being issued to estate agents has increased by 980%, totalling £772,618.

Despite this overall drop, two particular industries have seen enormous increases in fines: Accountancy Service Providers have seen fines increase by 1,083% in the past year, while fines for Estate Agency Businesses have gone up by 980%, reaching £772,618 in the last year.

It’s not all bad news: Credas Technologies’ research shows that the estate agency sector leads the way when it comes to new AML registrations and the sector accounts for a sizable proportion of all AML registered businesses.

As a result, a higher level of fines issued is only to be expected given the sectors greater acceptance of AML compliance.

What’s more, the total sum of fines issued to estate agency businesses since the start of the pandemic (2020 to 2022) is actually

Hospitality sector facing a ‘very, verydifficult time’ says chef Tom Kerridge

A POPULAR chef says he is facing a ‘very, very difficult time’ as costs soar.

Tom Kerridge, a Great British Menu judge and Michelinstarred chef based in Marlow, says he is facing a near 700% increase in electricity costs, although this will be reduced by the government’s new price cap pledge for six months.

“The whole of hospitality is facing a very, very difficult time at the minute,” he said.

“There’s lots of talk that seven out of 10 pubs are not going to survive unless the government does something quite rapidly and announce how they’re going to help with the cost of the energy crisis.

“There’s many small and wonderful pubs dotted up and down the country, in the centre of towns where the landlord lives upstairs.

“They may well eke out a bit of a living and may make £25,000-30,000 pounds a year, just about.

“But if you’ve got electricity bills that are doubling, trebling, three or four times it’s so hard. Our first quote for our electricity bill at the pub that I’m sitting in right now, it has gone up nearly 700%.”

In an interview during Breakfast with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster on

GB News last week, he added: “Obviously, we haven’t decided what to do, we’re still looking around.

“But in those small pubs where the landlord makes a little bit of a living, if all of a sudden they’ve got an increase of £50,000, £60,000, or, £70,000 a year, then there’s no way those pubs are going to be able to operate.”

Speaking before the government announced it would offer an initial six-month energy bill relief scheme. This would reduce bills by half for the average business, starting from October.

Mr Kerridge said the issues he faced go beyond just the hospitality sector, as the whole supply chain was affected.

“The butchers, the

fishmongers, the farmers, the veg growers – it is inevitable with food inflation that costs go up,” he said.

“And at the same time, the guests and the consumer at home has less money because of that food inflation and price inflation, it kind of like pulls everything apart.

“It’s going to be a very, very difficult couple of years.”

Announcing the energy price cap, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng said: “We have stepped in to stop businesses collapsing, protect jobs, and limit inflation.

“And with our plans to boost home-grown energy supply, we will bring security to the sector, growth to the economy and secure a better deal for consumers.”

41% lower than the total sum of fines issued in the two years prior (2018 to 2019).

In the two years prior to the pandemic, the sector paid a total of £8.215m, but in the last two years, this has fallen to just over £4m.

The only industry to have seen the total sum of fines increase during the pandemic is accountancy, up by 483%.

Tim Barnett, CEO of Credas Technologies, said: “At a glance, it may seem as though estate agency is very much the bad egg of AML compliance, with a huge annual increase in fines issued, surpassed only by accountancy service providers.

“However, this is perhaps a little unfair and there are a few factors that are important to consider here.

“First of all, the property industry was not only locked down for a period of time due to Covid protocols, it then experienced an unprecedented period of boom which is yet to show any signs of slowing.”

“With many firms also fighting tooth and nail to adapt to a changing landscape, there was always likely to be a period of adjustment and, when coupled with a far higher rate of output, an increase in AML compliance slip-ups.”

He continued: “Secondly, estate agency has been leading the charge when it comes to the number of new businesses registering for AML compliance and so this will naturally lead to a greater level of fines when compared to other sectors.

“Finally, when you compare the level of fines issued since the start of the pandemic versus the two years prior, the estate agency sector has actually seen a 41% reduction.

“So, while there may have been an annual spike as the industry has sprung back to life, the estate agency sector has actually seen a reduction in AML fines issued during the pandemic as a whole.”

In association with Winnersh Triangle

A business park that is changing CBI welcomes energy support

Tom Kerridge speaking on GB News

COUNCILNEWS

Affordable housing target support

A COUNCILLOR has asked Wokingham Borough Council to support a target of 50% social and affordable housing on new developments.

At a council meeting on Thursday, September 22, Cllr Laura Blumenthal, Conservative councillor for South Lake, asked: “When Cllr John Kaiser held the housing portfolio, he was exploring with officers to increase the percentage of social and affordable housing to 50% on all new sites.

“Please can you share if you

agree that this is a good idea to help tackle the housing crisis for those on lower income and will you be supporting this target yourself?”

Cllr Stephen Conway, deputy leader executive member for housing, said he “greatly admired” the efforts of Cllr Kaiser and acknowledged the target makes sense, given demand in the borough.

He added: “Whether we can achieve 50% or some percentage higher than the current 35% on major strategic development locations (SDL)

will depend on whether the viability of development at such a percentage can be demonstrated to the local plan inspector.”

Cllr Blumenthal then asked if the council would maintain its commitment to delivering an additional 1,000 affordable homes in the next five years.

Cllr Conway said: “Most certainly my intention is to maintain momentum.

“In fact, if it’s possible, I would like to increase the pace.”

Calls for council to continue supporting Freely Fruity

A COUNCILLOR has called on Wokingham Borough Council to continue supporting Freely Fruity, a charity which plants fruit trees across Berkshire, as well as community allotment schemes.

Cllr Michael Firmager, Conservative councillor for Sonning, asked the question at a council meeting on Thursday, September 22.

He said: “When he was executive member for climate emergency Cllr Gregor Murray, following my introduction,

was working to provide Freely Fruity with land at the Barkham Solar Farm site to use as a permanent base for their fruit tree and vegetable growing charity.

“What will the new executive member do to ensure that Cllr Murray’s commitment to this amazing charity is delivered?”

Cllr Sarah Kerr, executive member for climate emergency and resident services, said the discussions are ongoing but feels it crucial to work with a

“vibrant ambitious” charity.

Cllr Kerr added: “We’re currently reviewing the business case for their request to plant a community orchard, whilst considering the legal requirements regarding the use of the land as well as being able to meet all the operational requirements that Freely Fruity require.

“We need to ensure that we’re being diligent with the use of council assets and secure best value for our residents.”

Call for meetings in tennis courts

AN ERROR in the constitution, not spotted since November 2015, was highlighted during residents’ questions.

Tony Johnson pointed out that the constitution of July 21, 2022, referred to rule 4.2.2.1, but the correct reference should have been rule 4.2.2.2.

He asked for a clarification.

Cllr Clive Jones, the leader of Wokingham Borough Council, thanked Mr Johnson for bringing the typographical error to the council’s attention.

“A nasty error has appeared in our constitution in 2015, we are intended to address this error in our next council meeting in October,” he promised.

Responding, Mr Johnson said the council had been “acting beyond the powers granted it in its own constitution”.

He continued: “Although addressed to the leader, this supplementary is as much for all of you as members.

“Would this council prefer

to behave and conduct itself in accordance with the existing constitution? Or should you citizen councillors find a tennis court somewhere and work out a more equitable constitution, which is not subject to the diktat of whichever autocrat or bureaucrat believes they’re in charge?”

Cllr Jones said he would prefer to conduct themselves in accordance with the constitution, and promised to come back with a written answer.

‘Wokingham’s finances remain robust ... don’t cock it up’ says former finance executive

“WOKINGHAM is not a council in crisis, unlike many others”.

That’s the verdict of the former executive member for finance, Cllr John Kaiser.

The Conservative, who lost his role when the council changed leadership in May, was speaking on a financial report presented to a meeting of the council on Thursday, September 22.

“The financial standing of the council remains robust, achieved through years of good financial management. The council have built up financial resilience and sustainability,” he said.

“I accept, we’re all faced with a lot of tough challenges. But I believe that Conservatives left this council in the very best place financially with the issues to deal with the issues. And I would suggest that we as a party, or I would have been quite happy to steer the council through these tough times.

“I just hope Clive Jones, the new leader of the Council, continues to deliver the high quality services the residents have come to expect and at reasonable cost. But also remember, to enable him to do this, the Council must remain solvent.

“We have high levels of usable reserves, and high levels of control over our revenue spending. And with the sustainable capital programme for growth to the future.

“My advice to you, Clive is stop pointing at the past and get on with dealing with the future .. and don’t cock it up.”

He was responding to the report presented by his successor, Cllr Imogen Shepherd-Dubey, who said: “(This) is a good news message.

“It shows that the amount of external borrowing that the Council was predicted to need has declined.

“This has a reduced some of the potential impact on our General Fund as that is where the interest payments are made from.

“It is also where we are seeing most of the financial pressures at the moment.

“It shows that the investments we have are a Benefit to the council, however, the Internal Borrowing to Capital Financing Requirement – is outside of the target meaning that the council is using more of its own internal money to finance its needs, but it is still better than borrowing from external sources.”

Cllr David Davies expressed his concern over the report being amended before it came to the council chamber. Cllr ShepherdDubey said this was not the amendment agreed by the audit committee, hence the change.

The report was noted by councillors.

Local plan not expected until 2023

THE ONGOING problem of creating a local plan for Wokingham, detailing where homes would be built in the borough up to 2036, was the subject for a question from the public.

Andrew Bailey wanted an update on the process including approximate dates for its publication.

Cllr Lindsay Ferris, the executive member responsible for the plan, said the new cross-party working group was currently familiarising themselves with options and schemes

suggested across the borough.

“The working group has recently been briefed on the main issues raised by respondents to previous consultations and continues to be briefed on any new technical evidence as it emerges,” he said.

He added: “The programme for submitting a new local plan will be highly influenced by whether a further consultation is required before proceeding to confirm the strategy we wish to submit for examination.”

No detailed programme

would be published until “early next year”.

Mr Bailey wanted to know if the administration supported building houses beyond the plan period.

“This is a very controversial question,” Cllr Ferris said, saying that they needed an announcement from the new secretary of state for levelling up.

“I find it very difficult to be able to consider the planning arrangements for a site close to a river that takes us 20 years into the future,” he added.

PHIL CREIGHTON and DANIEL BLACKHAM report on a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council held on Thursday, September 22

Council will rise to challenge of ‘most difficult period’ for 40 years says leader

THE leader of Wokingham Borough Council has said his administration will rise to the challenge as the council faces its “most difficult” period of the last 40 years.

Cllr Clive Jones delivered the statement at a council meeting on Thursday, September 22.

Cllr Jones said: “There is raging inflation, energy costs are rising as are fuel costs.

“Food prices and the cost of other goods in our shops have been rising for months.

“Only today interest rates have risen to their highest level in 14 years at 2.25%. Adding further pressure to the budgets of residents and the council.

“These are unprecedented times where we as the administration of the council have to make many difficult decisions.

“We won’t shy away from them.”

Cllr Jones believes the first priority for the council is to get the budget right.

He said: “Cllr John Halsall, the former Conservative leader, only a few months ago said reserves are for a rainy day and it’s now raining. Inflation was then around 5%.

“Well, things have now moved on; inflation has nearly doubled and is forecast by many to reach 18% next year.

“Things were so bad, the previous administration

used £2m of reserves to plug the gap in the budget. That is the equivalent of a nearly 2% increase in council tax.

“There is massive uncertainty in the economy, and the council is not immune to these difficulties.”

Cllr Jones insists he and other councillors are working together with senior officers to maintain services and continue helping the borough’s most vulnerable residents.

As well as inflationary pressures and the impact of the cost of living, the council will be tackling “serious shortfalls” in revenue.

“There will be a shortfall in the revenue budget

from leisure services and a massive shortfall in revenue from car park charges, this could be up to £800,000,” said Cllr Jones.

“This year’s budget for the provision of blue waste bags was the same as last years.

“Why didn’t anyone think there could be a rise in costs of blue bags?

“There are also pressures from rising demand for council services across the board, including many statutory services that we must support.”

Over the coming months the Corporate and Community Overview and Scrutiny committee will be looking at the budget for the next three years.

Cllr Jones said: “Councillors of all parties will be able to look at what is being considered before the budget is finalised in January.

“I encourage all councillors to take part in this process.”

Despite the issues facing the council, Cllr Jones maintains the administration will tackle the challenges ahead.

He said: “As I have said, we are living in very challenging times, but this Liberal Democrat administration will rise to the challenge, protect services as best we can and balance our budgets demonstrating financial competence.”

Climate emergency report sees cllr accuse a ‘Judas’ of stabbing officers in the back

‘BACK-STABBING’ accusations have been thrown around during a furious outburst from one councillor while discussing climate change, writes Grant Williams, local democracy reporter.

Opposition parties discussed the progress of Wokingham Borough Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan at a meeting this week that started amicably.

Executive member for climate emergency and resident services, Liberal Democrat Cllr Sarah Kerr, started the meeting by thanking council members for “unanimously” declaring a climate emergency in 2019, and also paid tribute to her predecessor, Cllr Gregor Murray.

This move saw the council pledge to make the borough carbon neutral by 2030.

“Unbelievably, we still live in a world of climate change deniers and sceptics, so to know that this crucial agenda has the full support

of Wokingham Borough Council politicians is a fantastic base upon which to build.” she said.

However, Cllr Kerr’s predecessor, Conservative Cllr Gregor Murray, objected to the report and accused an “anonymous Judas” of stabbing the council’s climate officers in the back during the furious outburst.

He spoke of Wokingham’s place in the top 10 out of 400 councils following a six-month review of their climate action plans by an organisation called Climate Emergency UK.

“The jubilation rightly felt across the officer group quickly fell to heartache, resentment and despondency though when an anonymous person decided that it wasn’t acceptable to them that Wokingham had performed so well.

“The mysterious individual, who I have reason to believe is in this chamber tonight, contacted Climate

Emergency UK and provided them with so-called evidence that has not been shared anywhere else that resulted in Wokingham being downgraded to 22nd overall.”

Cllr Murray said officers felt being downgraded by an “anonymous Judas” was a “stab in the back”, suggesting the individual “should be ashamed” of themselves.

“Personally, I don’t understand how you can show your conceited face to the officers, they deserve so much better,” he added.

Speaking out against Cllr Murray, the executive member for children’s services, Liberal Democrat Cllr Prue Bray, said she was “gobsmacked” by the idea that “not being honest” about what was in the plan constituted a “betrayal of the council”.

Cllr Murray interrupted to claim that “no officer lied” in the submission to Climate Emergency UK, which prompted Cllr Bray to

Wokingham residents call for road repairs

THE MANAGEMENT of “poorly maintained roads with low traffic density” was raised by a member of the public.

Alan Davis asked Cllr Paul Fishwick, the Executive Member for Active Travel, Transport and Highways, how the Council actively managed the risk of injury to pedestrians and other road users, including consequent compensation claims, on roads such as South Close.

Cllr Fishwick said that safety inspections were carried out by trained inspectors at defined frequencies, and defects can be inspected and repaired.

Housing complaints on the rise

THE number of housing-related complaints has risen in Wokingham, having been responsible for 40% of all formal complaints in the first quarter of the year, writes Grant Williams, Local democracy reporter.

Data from Wokingham Borough Council shows that housing accounted for 35 of the 88 total complaints that were logged during the three months, a steady increase on the previous quarter.

The deputy leader of the council and executive member for housing, Cllr Stephen Conway, said the council has experienced a “slight uplift” in complaints following changes to some of its maintenance contracts and “more engagement” with tenants on how to make a complaint.

But he insists this is still an “incredibly low number” when compared to the “thousands of maintenance jobs” the council carry out each year.

Quarter 1 saw a drop in the number of complaints closed at early resolution (six) and a rise in the number that were escalated to Stage 1 of the formal complaints process (30) – the total adds up to more than 35 as complex cases can involve more than one issue.

The council puts these changes down to the introduction of a new complaint policy, which was implemented in May of this year under guidance from the Housing Ombudsman (HO).

clarify that she was “not accusing any officer of having lied”.

“I just can’t believe you are prepared to play games of the nature that you’re playing and I’m very sorry that you’ve changed the tone and spoken as you have,” she added.

Cllr Bray continued by saying she supported the findings of the latest report, which summarised the borough’s current carbon profile and the council’s performance for the last year, as well as recommending gaps that need addressing.

“It’s still not a finished work it’s a work in progress but, if we don’t make some progress soon, we are going to be in real trouble as a planet,” she added.

Labour’ Cllr Andy Croy said the latest recommendations were “much more honest” but also suggested that a “more ambitious approach” is required.

The new process removes the possibility of an informal resolution and instead moves straight to a formal Stage 1 response.

The council says this is the “likely explanation” for the 72% drop in early resolution closures and the subsequent increase in Stage 1 responses.

Cllr Conway said the local authority has introduced a feedback option on their website which has helped shape services and the “improvements” made to the housing complaints system are “a great example” of this in action.

“We needed to review our process to reflect guidance from the Housing Ombudsman Service and wanted to make sure tenants were involved from the start,” Cllr Conway said.

“Our tenant volunteers helped review our existing approach, create a new complaints policy and procedure, as well as helping establish a new tenant’s panel to provide advice.

“By making these changes, and placing tenants at the heart of decision making, we’re continuing to see a fall in complaints and high customer satisfaction figures from our tenants.”

Since the implementation of the new policy there have been zero escalations beyond Stage 1.

Mr Davis invited Cllr Fishwick to South Close to see how the report differed to the reality, something the executive member confirmed he would do.

Later in the meeting, Mr Davis then presented a petition signed by all residents of South Close, constructed around 1961 “and we believe it has never been resurfaced since”.

The petition, he said, “documented the extremely poor condition of their road and pavement highlights the safety risks and cause for remedial action”.

Residents in the street includes people in

their 70s and 80s, with several having mobility issues.

“There are broad areas where the tarmac has worn away exposing bare concrete,” he said. “The pavement is infested with weeds, grasses and extensive areas of slippery moss.”

“Our biggest concern is not the appearance, but the safety of residents and other uses which we believe is compromised.”

As part of this, he said that one resident, who needed a walker for support, felt they had to walk on the road, while another with a mobility scooter said the “road surface actually loosens Its nuts and bolts when she’s trying to use it”.

The data shows that all housing complaints were sent in by email, with the majority in relation to a dissatisfaction with maintenance repairs (13) and being provided with an inadequate service (8).

Residents also had issues with a lack of communication (7), staff conduct (4) and being unhappy with complaints decision (4).

Four of the complaints related to the poor service received from the gardening contractors Tivoli.

“As with all council contracts there are systems in place to address issues if they persist and tenant volunteers are involved in those contract management meetings,” Cllr Conway said.

PHIL CREIGHTON and DANIEL BLACKHAM report on a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council held on Thursday, September

Wokingham Horticultural Association’s autumn showReader travel

AUTUMN was celebrated in all its glory at the Wokingham Horticultural Show, held, after a three-year absence, at St Paul’s Parish Rooms.

Some 100 attendees enjoyed more than 180 exhibits including a flower section awash with colour.

Dahlias took centre stage with a brilliant display from keen growers.

With three nights in the Edwardian seaside resort of Folkestone, we take a hassle-free jaunt over the Channel to the enchanting Bruges Christmas Market, along with an additional excursion to Canterbury, which dazzles with its twinkling lights and decorations.

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Reading

3 nights at the Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone with breakfast plus 2 dinners

2 for 1 bar (6pm-9pm) on selected drinks

Entertainment every evening

Excursions to Bruges Christmas Market & Canterbury

First-time exhibitor Carl Curtis gained the most points in the dahlia classes, winning the Dahlia Cup as well as the Wokingham Times Cup for five excellent pom pom dahlias whilst Terry Miller won the National Dahlia Society bronze medal for the best exhibit overall.

Terry also won the Murray Chrysanthemum Cup and the Banksian medal for most points in the horticultural section.

The Greywell Challenge Cup was awarded to Cathy Stratton with most points in the flower section, excluding dahlias and chrysanthemums; her vase of Japanese Anemones in three different shades won first prize.

The Wilkins Memorial Plate for a display of mixed flowers went to WHA President Jenny Gilbert.

WARNER HAYLING ISLAND Experience

In the vegetable section, Sheila McKeand gained the most points and the RHS Bronze medal with entries of beetroot, carrots, cabbages, sweetcorn, chillies and tomatoes from her allotment, while nonagenarian Fred Preston won the National Vegetable Society Medal with five exceptional potatoes and the Premier Cup.

Roy Rabbitts’ superb Collection of Vegetables gained him the Garden News Shield, and he also won the Victory Cup aggregated over the year in the Vegetable Section.

Fellow Ormonde Road allotmenteer Kevin Beautement won both the Fruit Cup and the annual fruit section award of the Phillips Cup.

Talented Cheryl Cook’s colourful and mouth-watering selection of

mixed vegetables displayed in a basket, visited by a knitted bee, was admired by many for the quality and variety of vegetables and the Judge awarded her a Certificate of Merit for an outstanding exhibit.

Cheryl also excelled in the Domestic Section winning the Mitchell Cup for most points in that class.

Her entries included a wonderful and traditional Harvest wheatsheaf.

The most outstanding entry in the Domestic Section was a delicious Harvest Quiche in the Gentlemen Only class, made by Marek

Lokuciewski, who was awarded a Certificate of Merit.

Nine-year-old Hemashri Radhakrishnaiah’s entry of a dolphin made from recycled materials caught the eye of the judges and visitors, and won the Southfield School Autumn Cup

There were fantastic and eyecatching displays in the flower arrangement section, with the Bellamy Cup for the most points awarded to Doreen Hogston.

Visitors to the Show voted overwhelmingly for Pauline MacBrayne’s interpretation of a floral

handbag as an outstanding exhibit.

Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr Sally Gurney, was delighted to attend to tour the exhibits and present the prizes.

She was impressed with the variety and quality of the exhibits and enjoyed talking to exhibitors, particularly about the displays of dahlias.

The WHA was pleased to welcome her to the show along with other new faces and old friends.

n For more details, log on to: www.w-h-a.org.uk

PAULINE MacBRAYNE and SHEILA McKEAND

Departing Mon 28 Nov ‘22

Treat yourself to a fantastic Warner Leisure break on Hampshire’s Hayling Island, perfect to get you in the festive mood. Relax and enjoy some early Christmas celebrations with great food, a free bar and festive entertainment in the company of like-minded people.

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Reading

4 nights at the Warner Lakeside Coastal Village with dinner & breakfast

Free bar (6pm-midnight) on selected drinks

activities

every evening

of leisure facilities

to Portsmouth & Chichester

Historians hear the story of Henley Management College

WARGRAVE

Local History Society’s September meeting was a presentation by Dan Remenyi about the Henley Management College.

He had had a close association with the college, having worked in the computer industry for a number of years before teaching computer management at the college.

He began with a brief history of the site.

The college is based in one of the most beautiful houses alongside the Thames, Greenlands.

There had been a house there since possibly Tudor times, and by the Civil War it was occupied by a Royalist family – but when Charles I was defeated, the Parliamentarians used their guns to demolish the house.

In due course, a new house was built on the site, which was bought by the Smith family (of W H Smith fame), who had founded

a newsagent’s business in London 1792. The family acquired a number of estates in this area, including of Hambleden village nearby –later generations being known as Viscount Hambleden.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the building at Greenlands was made available to the government to use, but, at the end of the war, the family decided that they did not wish to re-occupy the house.

In 1939, Great Britain was not really prepared for war and British industry was not able to respond as needed.

A programme to train managers led to the formal registration of the Administrative Staff College in 1945. It was in needed a home and Greenlands was provided to those starting the college for a peppercorn rent of £100 per year.

The first principal was appointed in 1946 - Noel (later Sir Noel) Halland courses were planned to start

in 1947, although that was delayed until March 1948.

Facilities at that time were described as “just good enough”.

The courses were based on the ideas of the Army Staff College, where those on the course engaged in syndicate group work, learning from each other’s experience, and a strong emphasis on selfdevelopment.

It was a great success, and ‘the world came to Henley’ which was the clear leader in management development, with a two-year waiting list for entrants.

However, financially the fees charged did not cover its costs, and over the years this became a recurrent problem.

A later principal, Thomas Kempner, introduced the idea of liaison with Brunel University, offering degree courses for the first time. an MA.

Re-named as an MBA (Master of Business Administration). The

course was then readily filled, and Kempner made the Henley Management College into a good business.

This was the ‘golden age’ of Henley, but competition from universities that set up their own business schools meant that the number of course participants declined.

A young and energetic former director at Cadbury Schweppes, Chris Bones, became principal, and believed that the College should change radically, but it was again struggling financially.

As a result, a merger with Reading University was arranged, with Henley Business School (as it had become) at both Greenlands and Whiteknights in Reading.

n More details of the Society can be found at www.wargravehistory. org.uk - or email info@ wargravehistory.org.uk to confirm meeting details.

PETER DELANEY

Cheryl Cook with her prizewinning, Mixed Veg Basket at the Wokingham Horticultural Association show Pictures: Steve Smyth

The Trophy winners with Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Sally Gurney, third from right

Visitors enjoy the flowers

Gerald Cooper with his prizewinning Dahlias, loved by his wife, Sylvia

LEISURETODAY

Amelie actor Audrey to star in Jekyll & Hyde

was the star of one of the most famous French plays of all time, and now she’s preparing to star in an astonishing new take on a classic tale.

SHE

Audrey Brisson, who was nominated for an Oliver and a Grammy award, will star in the world premiere of Jekyll & Hyde, the latest production from

and naive girl in Paris with her own sense of justice. She decides to help those around her and, along the way, discovers love.

She can currently be seen as Cinderella in the much-anticipated revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into The Woods at Theatre Royal Bath

Now she’s discovering the beast within thanks to the Kings Road based

The show starts on October 10, and runs through to Saturday, October 29,

from its base next to Reading College.

Adapted by Gary McNair from Robert Louis Stephenson’s Victorian novella, it aims to be a captivating and comic adaptation that turns the classic story on its head, revealing the depths of one person’s psyche and the lengths people will go to hide their deepest secrets.

This isn’t the first time that Audrey has worked with director Michael Fentiman – he directed her Olivier and Grammy award-nominated performance in Amélie in the West

End’s Criterion Theatre, The Other Palace, UK Tour & Watermill Theatre.

He has also directed a West End version of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.

The show will launch Reading Rep’s 10th anniversary season, and all seats will be £20.

There are some special offers too: a tenth of all tickets to Jekyll & Hyde will be free for those who can’t afford them, and 30 tickets priced at £5 will be available to people aged 30 or under for each performance during the first

week of the production’s run.

Reading Rep’s anniversary season will include five plays that aim to honour the company’s roots in collaborations with ongoing creative partners, while also championing a new frontier of creatives.

Reading Rep: 10 features a mixture of bold new work, reimagined classics and family favourites and as part of the season.

n Tickets are on sale at www.readingrep.com.

PHIL CREIGHTON

Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

Hallelujah, a night of Cohen’s music awaits

KEITH JAMES will perform the songs of the late songwriter Leonard Cohen.

The programme includes Anthem, Famous Blue Raincoat, Sisters of Mercy, and Hallelujah.

Described as atmospheric and emotive, the tour has performed nearly 500 concerts throughout the UK.

Fans of Cohen should head to Norden Farm Arts Centre, Maidenhead.

The event takes place there in the studio, on Friday, October 7.

Doors open at 8pm and tickets cost £18.

FOR a night of rich Zimbabwean cultural music and dance, audiences should head to Maidenhead.

Tsungai Tsikirai, Zimbabwean born singer, songwriter and performing artist, presents Motherland Voices.

Her show, a musical journey of Southern African music and dance, is inspired by the rich African music of Tsungai’s childhood.

The production runs from Wednesday, October 5 through to Saturday, October 8.

Performances start at 7.30pm, with an additional matinee on Saturday at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost £17.50.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.cornexchangenew.com or call the box office on: 0845 521 8218.

Head to Mars

AN ORIGINAL, interactive story invites under fives and their families to get ready for take off.

Amy’s life is loud. She lives in a loud house, in a loud town.

n

For tickets and information log on to: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788977

A celebration of boy bands

BOYZLIFE performs classic hits from Boyzone and Westlife.

Keith Duffy, formerly of Boyzone, and Brian McFadden, who played with Westlife, both enjoyed success with the bands.

Together they form Boyzlife, a band heavily influenced by the sounds of the 80s and 90s.

This concert offers old and new songs, with material from the studio album, Old School.

Boyzlife play at Reading’s Hexagon Theatre.

The event takes place on Wednesday, October 5.

Doors open at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £38.50 or £46.50 depending on seat location.

n For tickets and information visit: whatsonreading.com or call the box office: 0118 960 6060

Enjoy Life In The Fast Lane with Talon

TALON performs its 25th Anniversary tour, The Best of Eagles music.

It’s a show that features greatest hits, Hotel California, Take It Easy, One Of These Nights, Life In The Fast Lane and more.

The seven piece tribute band promises an eventful night at Reading’s Hexagon Theatre.

Talon’s The Best of Eagles - 25th Anniversary Tour plays on Sunday, September 25.

Doors open at 7.30pm.

AT THE THEATRE

Tickets cost £28.50

n For tickets and information visit: whatsonreading.com or call the box office: 0118 960 6060

There’s treasure in this trash

ALBERT and Harold were family favourites in the television sitcom of the 1960s and 1970s, Steptoe and Son.

The forever rowing rag-and-bone men of a Shepherd’s Bush scrapyard, were household names for a generation of viewers.

Apollo Theatre adapts three original episodes of the long running show, faithfully recreating a live radio recording, and reliving some of the pair’s finest misadventures.

The Steptoe and Son Radio Show airs at Bracknell’s South Hill Park Arts Centre, in the Wilde Theatre.

It takes place on Thursday, September 29.

Doors open at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £18.50, members cost £16.50, under 18s cost £13.50.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on: 01344 484123.

New balls please as we solve a murder

CRIMES on Centre Court is a quick-fire theatrical whodunit.

At The Whombledun International Invitational Tennis Tournament, chair of the event, Lord Knows, has died.

His son, Hugh Knows is suspicious, but the police won’t take the case.

Private investigators, Perry and Penny Pink step in and the hilarity begins.

With a cast of four performers playing countless characters, the play demands

With a live band, she performs songs, lullabies and dances from her motherland, in a concert that she hopes will promote her African heritage and encourage others to celebrate theirs.

Motherland Voices plays at Norden Farm Arts Centre’s Courtyard Theatre in Maidenhead.

The event takes plays on Friday, October 7, at 6.30pm.

Tickets cost £20 for adults, and £12 for under 16s.

n For tickets, log on to: norden.farm or call: 01628 788977.

quick changes and quick wits.

The show can be seen at South Hill Park Arts Centre.

The event takes place in the Wilde Theatre on Sunday, October 9.

Doors open at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £21, members cost £18.

n For tickets and information log on to: www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on: 01344 484123.

Home for Nomads

NOMADS Musical Theatre returns to the stage in Newbury with its musical comedy, base on the Adam Sandler movie, The Wedding Singer.

The company promises to take the audience back to 1985, when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up and a wedding singer was the coolest guy in the room.

To see the show, audiences should head to The Corn Exchange, Newbury.

Longing for some quiet, she builds a rocket and flies to Mars.

There she finds peace, and quiet friends… but will she miss the noise?

Told by Hannah Summers, and with illustrations by Miranda Summers, Amy’s Rocket is an enchanting adventure to delight young families.

For a place on the rocket, head down to Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Amy’s journey takes place in the Mill Studio on Wednesday, October 5.

There are two shows, with lift off at both 11.30am and 1.30pm.

Tickets cost £10.50 for an adult and child, with aditional children costing £7.

n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.ukor call the box office on: 01483 440000.

A classic dark comedy

EUGENE IONESCO’S classic dark comedy, The Lesson, is brought to the stage by Icarus Theatre.

The one-act play is a comically surreal study of power, knowledge and people who hoard both.

The story begins with a mildmannered professor who takes on a new pupil, swiftly descends into tyranny, and finds himself bent on her destruction.

With dynamic projections, and creative captioning, the production is accessible for deaf and hard of hearing audiences.

It has been described as ‘timely and fascinating’.

Audiences can see The Lesson at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, in the Mill Studio.

The event takes place on Saturday, October 8 at 7.45pm.

Tickets cost £18, with concessions available at £13 or £12.

n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.ukor call the box office on: 01483 440000.

Sat 8. You Win Again. Sun 9.

Henley – Kenton www.kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050

Probably the best Comedy Songs in the World Ever, Maybe. Thurs 29. Henley Literary Festival. Sat 1-Sun 9.

Maidenhead –Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997

Wycombe –Wycombe Swan www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000

Hellfire Comedy Club. Thurs

Bowie Experience. Fri 30. Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow Live. Sat 1. Abbamania. Wed

Oh

A Night.

Harry Hill: Experiments in Entertainment 3, a work in progress –SOLD OUT. Thurs 29. Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me. Fri 03. Norden Farm Market. Sat 1. Les Dawson: Flying High. Sat 1. The Middle East in the 20th Century presented by WEA Maidenhead. Mon 3. NT presents Much Ado About Nothing. Wed 5. Helen Bauer: Madam Good Tit. Wed 5. Official Competition (15).

Tues 4-Wed 5. The Band of the Household Cavalry open rehearsal. Thurs 6. Sari Schoor: Back To LA Tour. Thurs 6. Motherland Voices with Tsungai Tsikirari. Fri 7. Keith James in concert: The Songs of Leonard Cohen. Fri 7. Purple Zeppelin. Sat 8. The Vinyl Frontier: The Whole Story by Kate Bush. Sat 8.

Newbury –The Corn Exchange www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218

Les Dawson: Flying High starring jon Culshaw. Thurs 29. Crimes on Centre Court. Fri 30. Apollo Big Band. Sat 1. RB Live: Mayerling. Wed 5. NT ENcore: Jack Absolute Flies Again. Thurs 6. The Wedding Singer. Wed 5-Sat 8.

Newbury –The Watermill www.watermill.org.uk

01635 46044 Othello. Until Sat 15.

Reading –South Street www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

The Cromagnon Band and Revbjelde. Fri 30. Double Dot Bash. Sat 1. Mark Thomas: Black and White. Tues 4. Little Bulb presents: Hibernation. Sat 8.

Reading –The Hexagon

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060

Dinosaur World Live. Fri 30-Sun 2. Boyzlife. Wed 5. Katherine Ryan: Missus. Fri 6.

Reading –Progress Theatre

www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195

The Pride. Oct 10-15.

Reading – Reading Rep Theatre www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620

Jekyll and Hyde. Oct 10-29.

Reading –Concert Hall www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Jeneba Kanneh-Mason: Piano. Oct 11. Grace Petrie. Oct 20.

Shinfield – Shinfield Players www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 Our House. Fri 30-Sat 1, Thurs 6-Sat 8.

Sonning – The Mill www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000

Funny Money. Until Nov 5. Sounds of the 60s With The Zoots. Sun 2. The Rod Stewart Experience. Sun 9.

Windsor – Theatre

Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888

The Chalk Garden. Until Sat. Darker Shores. Wed 12-Sat 22.

Wokingham – Theatre

www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363

Wokingham Lions comedy night. Fri Oct 7.

Wokingham – The Whitty Theatre

www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247

Steve Norman and the Sleevz. Fri 30. Wokingham Film Society: The Duke (12a). Thurs Oct 13.

Woodley – Theatre

www.woodleytheatre.org 07488337838

NEXT SHOW: Teechers. Until Sat 1.

Take a trip back to the 60s with psychedelia in Henley

PEOPLE with a passion for the 1960s can meet Karl Ferris, a master of psychedelic photography who shot and created images for the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and Cream, when a Henley art gallery showcases his work next month.

Some 55 years after the release of Jimi Hendrix’s debut album Are You Experienced, Hypergallery, of 47 Market Place, will feature a retrospective exhibition entitled The Karl Ferris Psychedelic Experience.

It will feature some of his most interesting album and singles covers and a host of other incredible images from his archive, published in large scale format as signed, limited edition prints.

The exhibition opens on Saturday, at noon.

Visitors will get a live music treat from Tom Webber, who will be bringing his guitar along to the print room to open the exhibition with a special performance.

Tom will be playing at 4.30pm and 6pm, giving a sneak preview of his headline appearance at the Kenton Theatre on November 11.

On Tuesday, October 4, visitors will be able to meet the man behind the camera, and see the actual Nikon F camera used to capture Hendrix and others.

Ferris will be at the gallery between 2pm-6pm.

Emily Clement, who runs Hypergallery with her father Rob, said: “We are thrilled to be able to bring you this collection of incredible, iconic and important images.

“Karl is looking forward to meeting fans on October 4, and will be on-hand to share his incredible stories and historical encounters.

“If you want to hear first-hand memories of hosting Joni Mitchell in Ibiza, or creating the famous feather boa look for Hendrix, this is your chance.”

The opening of The Karl Ferris Psychedelic Experience has been timed to coincide with the

appearances of Olivia Harrison, George Harrison’s widow, and Pattie Boyd, his former wife, at the Henley Literary Festival.

Olivia is appearing on Sunday, October 2, at 6.30pm, while Pattie will be there on Tuesday, October 4 at noon.

Ferris’ work was last shown exactly one year ago at the exhibition Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture at the Fashion and Textile Museum, London.

Karl said: “I think psychedelia is really coming back into vogue.

“The resurgence of interest in the counter-culture that began in the 1960s, the benefits for our way of thinking, all these things that I was part of, has new

Comic Nick in Norden Farm gig

CRITICALLY acclaimed and multiaward-winning comedian Nick Helm hits the road this Autumn with his brand new show What Have We Become?

He embarks on a show so insightful, so honest, so legitimate that it will fix all of society’s problems and lead the way to a new plane of existence, he claims.

As the survivors of a global pandemic crawl from their fortified boltholes and begin to rebuild society - what is left of them and who amongst them dares to lead them to the light?

This is the future. The future is now.

Nick said: “Can’t wait for the tour. Can’t wait for Christmas. Can’t wait for Easter. Absolutely

chomping at the bit to go on tour and show off these new pills I’m on.”

The BAFTA-nominated writer, broadcaster, actor and comedian Nick Helm starred in BBC Three’s three-season comedy Uncle, for which he was nominated for a Royal Television Society Award in 2016 for Best Comedy Performance.

In 2017, he starred as Watto in Channel 4’s comedy Loaded, about four friends who become multi-millionaires overnight.

He also hosted his own comedy show on BBC Three, Nick Helm’s Heavy Entertainment, in 2015.

Nick also starred in his own food travelogue show, Eat Your

Heart Out with Nick Helm, which launched on Dave. He appears regularly on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, and has also had appearances on Celebrity Mastermind and The Crystal Maze.

He has released two studio albums Hot ‘n’ Heavy and ‘Nick Helm is (pretty) Amazing’, with the latter receiving a large album launch at the O2 Forum. He is currently recording his third album.

He will appear at Maidenhead’s Norden Farm on Tuesday, October 18, tickets cost £15.

n For more details, or to book, log on to norden.farm, or call the box office on: 01628 788997

Sinfonia opens its autumn season

THE West Forest Sinfonia will present its first performance of the season. this weekend

The orchestra welcomes back principal conductor Philip Ellis and soprano Janice Watson. Leader is Giles Wade.

The programme includes Rachmaninov’s Caprice Bohemien, Ravel’s Sheherazade, and Shostakovich’s Symphony number five.

Cathy Laney, from West Forest Sinfonia, says: “Janice, our soloist is a beautiful singer, and Philip is an inspirational conductor, so we are really

delighted to have them both at this concert.

“It’s a programme of many moods, and with the fabulous acoustics of Reading University’s Great Hall, it will be a wonderful event.

“It’s a real mixture – the first half is a combination of Ravel’s joyous romp, which is very jolly and upbeat, and Rachmaninov’s more reflective piece with soprano, which is lighter, more relaxed and really beautiful.

“The second half will be loud, rousing and full of Russian emotion, with a rich orchestral

sound and loud percussion and brass. It’s going to be huge and exciting.”

The performance will take place at the university’s Great Hall, in London Road, from 4.30pm. Tickets cost £15 for adults, students and under 18s cost £5.

n For tickets call 07977 050265, email tickets@ westforestsinfoina.org or log on to: www.whatsonreading.com

n Tickets are also available from wegottickets.com or, if tickets remain, by cash or cheque on the door.

relevance now.

“Jimi loved my work and we really got on famously – we had both lived in Vancouver and swapped stories about living there.

“I told him if I was to do the cover for him then I would really need to absorb his music for inspiration.

“So he brought me along to the Olympic Studios where he was recording Axis Bold As Love and I was blown away.

“The whole lifestyle seemed to change in the summer of 1966. People were experimenting with mind expanding drugs, and I was starting to respond to all of this.”

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

Club Velocity brings punk’s Pink Diamond Revue to Rising Sun

A READING-based electro punk group will be headlining a musical night taking place on Friday, September 30.

Club Velocity is presenting the evening of entertainment, which will take place at the Rising Sun Arts Centre in Silver Street.

Pink Diamond Revue will be the main attraction. The twopiece are said to be world class and a one-off, true original band.

Supporting them will be Rodney Cromwell, who organisers say delivers great bedroom synthpop that sits

somewhere between electronica and new wave, and is always compared to bands like Kraftwerk, New Order and Stereolab.

Rodney’s music has been heard on BBC 6 Music and featured in the NME, Louder Than War and Shindig.

Also performing will be Uncle Peanut, who is said to be ‘more punk than your mum’.

The show kicks off at 8pm, with tickets costing £7. They’re available from www.wegottickets. com

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Scarlet Page, Hypergallery artist and Henley Literary Festival photographer, with Karl Ferris and Charlotte Martin, who was regularly photographed by Karl Ferris in the 60s

COMING SOON: Pink Diamond Revue will headline a musical night for Club Velocity at the Rising Sun Arts Centre in Reading on Friday

A perfect Afternoon Tea at Easthampstead Park

Easthampstead Park Off Peacock Lane Wokingham RG40 3DF eastpark.co.uk 0118 974 7576

AFTERNOON

The idea of having a light meal and drink late afternoon or early evening was introduced to England by Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford.

Anna’s lifelong friend Queen Victoria enjoyed the same pastime so much that she granted it Royal approval, after which its popularity soared.

Being one of my favourite pastimes, I was very eager to sample the new quintessential afternoon Tea menu at Easthampstead Park in Wokingham.

Having undergone an extensive multimillion-pound refurbishment over the past few years, Easthampstead Park has changed a great deal, and is well worth a visit for this alone.

On approach to the hotel we made our way towards the main house, set in more than 80 acres of picturesque countryside.

With afternoon tea options being somewhat limited in the Wokingham Borough, this hotel really is a relatively unknown hidden gem.

I was worried about taking my children and my four-year-old niece with me, however I was very pleased to be told that children are as welcome as adults.

On arrival, we were greeted by very polite reception staff that showed us the way.

We were shown to our seats inside a very dramatic, luxuriously decorated room, although we did have the option of sitting outside on the terrace overlooking the stunning manicured gardens.

Our amazing attentive waiter Fabio seated us, and we were offered a choice of eight varieties of tea, or some coffee. Other drinks are available, and my children opted for orange juice.

For those who want something with a bit more sparkle, there is also a variety of wines and Champagne that can be purchased separately.

Myself and my two children opted for the Lady Evelyn Afternoon Tea priced at £35 per person. A vegan option is available for the same price.

My four-year-old niece chose the children’s afternoon tea, which is £20.

Napkins were laid on our laps and our table was adorned with three beautiful birdcage tiered cake stands filled with sandwiches, cakes and scones.

The presentation was immaculate.

The Lady Evelyn Afternoon Tea featured elegantly hand cut fingers of white and brown bread. Fillings included egg mayonnaise with watercress, smoked salmon with dill cream cheese, honey roast ham with wholegrain mustard mayo, and roast beef with horseradish.

They were fresh, flavoursome and were very quickly devoured.

Portion sizes were perfect, and enough to satisfy the appetite of my forever hungry teenager.

Moving onto the eagerly anticipated pastries, and delicacies.

The Victoria Sponge was light and fluffy with the perfect amount of jam and cream. The double chocolate Brownie was everything a brownie should be, and more, with a crunchy outer and gooey rich middle.

The passion fruit cheesecake was tangy, light and melted in your mouth and the tropical coconut mousse dome consisted of a delicate pastry bottom and a light and airy domed mousse sprinkled in coconut.

As if this wasn’t enough there was a whole tier of freshly baked mini scones accompanied with strawberry jam and clotted cream. These were delightful, not too filling but just enough to savour the flavours.

Every single item on the birdcage platter was devoured. During this time, we were continually topped up with fresh steaming tea and soft drinks.

My four-year-old niece couldn’t believe she had a whole afternoon tea to herself.

This was her first encounter of this very British tradition. Her sandwiches were a mix of freshly made finger cut sizes of strawberry jam, cheddar cheese, ham and tomato and egg and cress.

She saidthey were yummy and the

bread was lovely and soft.

The top tier of her platter comprised gooey chocolate cookies, chocolate brownie and a Victoria sandwich. The Chocolate cookies were a big hit.

Finally, just so she didn’t miss out, she was treated to one of the mini scones with jam and cream.

The portion size was generous for a child and the presentation was just as perfect as the adult version.

After we had finished our afternoon tea, we took a walk around the beautiful grounds.

The children played badminton on the beautifully manicured lawns whilst I relaxed and enjoyed the views.

Mine and my family’s overall opinion of the full afternoon experience was an “Excellent” gastronomic experience.

The presentation of the food was commendable, the food itself was fresh, indulgent, flavoursome and plentiful.

The service was outstanding and the location and building was stunning.

If you are looking for a high class, sumptuous, fairly priced afternoon tea in beautiful surroundings, I would highly recommend Easthampstead Park. n Booking is highly recommended, either by calling: 0118 974 7576, or logging on to: eastpark.co.uk/dining/afternoon-tea/ CLAIRE WORSFOLD

Three opportunities to see comic opera take to the road

GILBERT

and Sullivan fans have something to look forward next month.

Three concert performances of the musical duo’s comic opera, Iolanthe, will be given by Park Opera.

The company usually performs two major pieces in Bracknell each year, employing full professional orchestras for its productions and drawing principals of a high standard, often aspiring young singers beginning their careers.

It also takes simpler concert performances to local churches in the area.

Park Opera’s Iolanthe will see a full cast of singers, but with piano accompaniment rather than full orchestra.

The show is filled with memorable tunes and is suitable for all ages.

Chair of Park Opera, Sallie Ward says: “The music is delightful, with some beautiful melodies.

“And the songs are very funny too, particularly the fairies’ music.

“They sing about being dainty little fairies, but the clunky rhythmic tune they are given suggests that they will be neither dainty nor fairy-like on stage.

“Our singers are very much enjoying rehearsals and they love the comic music.”

Iolanthe describes confrontation between fairies and mortals.

It is also a comic satire that draws attention to aspects of society, the law, and the workings of the British government.

It’s Gilbert & Sullivan at their satirical best, poking fun at power, privilege and parliamentary democracy.

Iolanthe, the title role, is a fairy who has stepped out of line.

Despite it being forbidden in fairyland, she has married a human and has been subsequently banished by the queen of the fairies for her crime.

She spends her banishment alone in a frog-infested pit, missing not only her husband but also her son Strephon, now a young man.

Strephon is half human: fairy down to his waist, but with the legs of a man.

Employed as a shepherd, he is in love with a young human, Phyllis.

But she is a ward of court, and to marry her Strephon needs the permission of the Lord Chancellor.

However, this gentleman, along with half of the House of Lords, has the same idea.

And when Iolanthe finally returns to fairyland and embraces her son, she is mistaken by Phyllis as his lover.

Phyllis, believing she has been deceived by Strephon, sets in motion a full-blown confrontation between fairies and peers.

A series of ridiculous mishaps and mischiefs ensue in the form of mistaken identities, revelations, and even changes to the law.

All these are marked throughout the opera with absurdly comic lyrics and music.

“Our concert performances will see the chorus singing from the book, but our soloists will be performing their roles freely,” explains Sallie.

“There will be indications of costume, but this is not a fully staged production.

“The company will sing to piano accompaniment, not a full orchestra.”

Park Opera relies on its smaller shows to help fund bigger staged productions.

“Opera is a very expensive hobby,” Ms Ward continues, “and we spend a lot of money hiring in orchestras for our big productions.

“So our touring concert performances are really important fundraisers for us.

“This show is funny and entertaining.

“With sections being narrated, it’s a little shorter than the fully staged version, but we’re convinced our audiences will go home singing and laughing.

“And for anyone concerned about late October temperatures, we’ve been assured that the churches will be warm.”

Brian Chapman is musical director, and accompanist is Jo Miller Shepherd.

Ian Henderson plays the Lord Chancellor, George Priestley is Strephon, Lucy Dickson is Phyllis, and Diana Vivian plays The Fairy Queen.

Iolanthe takes place in three locations on three consecutive nights.

n On Thursday, October 20 at St Michael’s Church, Bray SL6 2AB

n On Friday, October 21 at St John’s Church, Windlesham GU20 6BL

n And on Saturday, October 22 at All Saints Church, Woking GU21 5SH.

All performances start at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £12 for adults and £6 for children.

Refreshments will be available in the interval.

n For tickets and information log onto: www.ticketsource.co.uk/parkopera, or email: tickets@parkopera.org.uk

MERCHANT

tea is a British tradition. What could be better than a chance to catch up with a good friend, and enjoy sandwiches, scones with butter and jam, and some sweet pastries?

LIVEMUSIC

Raw Sounds Today Chris Hillman bit.ly/raw soundstoday

WElove championing new sounds, and that’s exactly what we’ve got this week.

Kate Herridge has created Dakorra, and the title track from her new EP is the first tune you’ll hear this week, and we think it’s a cracker.

The RaW Sounds Today playlist is on a mission to champion and showcase great music from acts that have a connection to Reading and Wokingham (that’s the RaW in our Sounds Today name).

It’s an eclectic mix of stuff that will help you discover something new. All you have to do is find it on Spotify.

To hear this week’s selection, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday and enjoy the music.

There is also a Facebook page and group chat that bands and music fans can tap into. You can search for RaW Sounds Today and it will come up.

Dakorra – Elevate Me

Dakorra is a new project created by Kate Herridge from Ocean Ruins and this song is the title

Thursday, September 29

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Skylines: tribute to the music of Camel. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Request night. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING - Lola Lo, Friar Street. Skint Thursdays: Skint Rock, pop punk and classic rock, plus house and techo. Details: Twitter @skintmondays

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Found Native. Details: 0118 959 7196

READING – The Roseate, The Forbury. Heavy Pop presents The Roseate Sessions with Bethia and Phantom Booth. Details: whatsonreading.com

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Beardyman. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING - Wild Lime, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Open mic: spoken word, music and vibes. From 6.30pm.

Friday, September 30

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Moments of Pleasure: Kate Bush Tribute. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Ed Sheeran Experience. Details: 01344 303333.

EMMBROOK – Emmbrook Sports & Social, Lowther Road RG41 1JB. Wokingham Music Club presents Marky Dawson piano heroes. CANCELLED Details: www. wokinghammusicclub.co.uk

PINGEWOOD - Lagoona Beach Park, Pingewood Road South RG30 3UH. ASubfactory presents end of summer and 17th birthday party. Ticket only. Details: www.fatsoma.com

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Friday Night live. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Gaz Brookfield. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Retro Karaoke night. Details: 0118 402 7800.

Lilac are a Reading based three-piece band comprising of Beth on vocals and guitar, Lewis on keyboards, guitar and backing vocals and Olly on Drums.

They describe their sound as floral indie which is a great description as this single certainly fits that with its catchy chorus melody that you find sticking in your head after a few plays – https://lilacband.co.uk

Rila’s Edge – Someone New

This is the latest single, released in July, by this Wokingham-based band who recently packed out The Redan for their hometown show. One of our fave releases of the last few months – https://www. rilasedge.com/

Dandy Man – Flat Earth Society

With guitar riffs over a pulsing electro beat combined with Kate’s powerful vocals, it’s a good uplifting anthem which the band performed to great effect at their recent appearance at Loddfest.

You can see Dakorra again live on Friday, October 28, supporting LoneLady, at the Heavy Pop promoted show at South Street Arts Centre –https://www.facebook.com/dakorraband

Lilac – Losing Myself (In You)

This song came to our attention when the band posted a link in our Wokingham Loves Music chat group. We gave it a listen and loved it.

READING - Hope and Bear, London Road RG1 5DE. The Tim Kay Band. Details: 0118 935 4095

READING - The Jolly Anglers, Kennetside RG1 3EA. DJ Mark Antony.

READING - Phantom Brewery, The Haunt, Units 2-3, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Rockotober Fest. Ticket only Details: https://www.phantombrew.com/

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Housebase. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Club Velocity presents Pink Diamond Revue w/ Rodney Cromwell & Uncle Peanut. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING - O’Neill’s, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Live music Fridays. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – South Street Arts Centre. The Cromagnon Band and Revbjelde. Details: 01180 960 6060.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Black Shot Rose Band. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – Zerodegrees, Bridge Street RG1 2LR. Friday night live, from 6pm. Details: 0118 959 7959.

RISELEY – The Bull at Riseley, Basingstoke Road RG7 1QL. Bazooka Joe. Details: 0118 343 0565.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Side Hustle. Details: 0118 977 3706.

WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. Spandau Ballet’s Steve Norman.

Saturday, October 1

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Rock Night with Broken Calling, Divide The Truth, Stone Soup. Details: www.theacousticcouch. co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Originals. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. Eat Candy. Details: 01344 422622.

BRACKNELL – The Silver Birch, Liscombe RG12 7DE. Lewis and the Sound of the Suburbs. Details: 01344 457318.

CAVERSHAM - The Last Crumb, Prospect Street RG4 8JN. Beer, Beats and BBQ: family fun times, retro DJs and more.

Details: dodopubs.com/locations/thelast-crumb

GORING – Goring Social Club, High Street RG8 9BA. The Midnight Rebel Band. Details: 01491 873105.

PURLEY – St Mary’s Church, St Mary’s Avenue RG8 8BJ. Sam Carter. Details: 0118 942 4390.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Rock and Roll Night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Larkham and Hall. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING - Phantom Brewery, The Haunt, Units 2-3, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Rockotober Fest. Ticket only Details: https://www.phantombrew.com/

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Soundjam. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. Fusion 6. Details: 0118 376 9159.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. P’Jam. Details: 0118 931 0232

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. WATT4. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Riot Promotions presents Goddard, Cryptik, Faded Audio and more. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – South Street Arts Centre. Double Dot Bash!

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Highwasters. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – The Wishing Well, Oxford Road. Abi Powell.

TADLEY – The George and Dragon, Wolverton Townsend RG26 5ST. The Beatin’ Hearts. Details:01635 298292

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. Gary Roman as Elvis. Details: 0118 942 9606.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. The Bootlegs Band. Details: 0118 977 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Three Frogs, London Road RG50 1SW. Beatles and Buddy Holly Tribute. Details: 0118 978 5925.

WOKINGHAM - The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Pink Fish. Details: 0118 979 7402.

YATELEY - The Dog and Partridge,

Here’s Reading based alt-indie/folk rockers, Dandy Man, with their new single which was recorded at Pyramid Studios in Hurst and is from their forthcoming debut album, Something I Have To Say – https://dandymanmusic.com/

The Wave Machine – So Far So Good

Angus Trott aka The Wave Machine has recently performed at both Wokingham Festival and Loddfest and here’s his new single which is another of his self-penned joyous uplifting songs – https:// linktr.ee/thewavemachine

Elucidate – Crossroads

Elucidate are an alt-rock band from Reading and this is their latest single which was released in

Reading Road GU46 7LR. Silver Searchers. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, October 2

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Lynne Heraud and Pat Turner. Details: www.readifolk. org.uk

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

SONNING - Coppa Club, The Great House, Thames Street. Live lounge. 3pm-5pm.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. Sounds of the 60s Show with the Zoots. Details: 0118 969 8000.

TWYFORD – The Golden Cross, Waltham Road. The Bullfrogs Sunday Session. Details: 07889 226309.

Monday, October 3

NETTLEBED – Village Club, High Street RG9 5DD. Nettlebed Folk Club presents: Andy Irvine. Details: www. nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU. From The Jam. Details: 01491 681048.

Tuesday, October 4

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. New Music Tuesday. Details: www.theacousticcouch.co.uk

READING – The Lyndhurst, Queen’s Road RG1 4DG. Open mic night. Details: 0118 950 3888.

SHERFIELD-ON-LODDON – The Four Horseshoes. Equinox jazz night with Simon Allen Quartet. Details: 01256 882296.

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU. From The Jam. Details: 01491 681048.

Wednesday, October 5

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk. Boyzlife. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING - Veeno, Valpy Street RG1 1AR. The Lily beck Trio. 7pm. Free. Details: 0118 950 5493.

STOKE ROW – Crooked Billet RG9 5PU.

From The Jam. Details: 01491 681048.

the summer. It’s a good slice of melodic indie pop rock as are their other releases – https://linktr.ee/ ElucidateUK

OSP – Iyah

One of the success stories of Wokingham Festival was OSP, who stepped in at last-minute to cover for a cancellation, and got the crowd moving with an excellent set. Here’s Iyah, their most recent singlehttps://www.facebook.com/ospmusicuk

Phantom Booth – Apparatus

The latest single from the Reading/Londonbased band who create catchy indie pop. They play or played. depending on when you read this, at the Roseate Sessions in Reading on Thursday, September 29 – https://www.facebook.com/ thephantombooth

The Room – Vanished

This is taken from The Room’s 2019 album, Caught by the Machine, album which we added few weeks ago in tribute to the brilliant guitarist from the band, Eric Bouillette, who sadly passed away recently - https://theroom.band/

Flutatious – Wendel the Witch (Mitchell Mix)

They are a favourite at Wokingham Music Club and Wokingham Festival and in August they returned to the festival. It was great to see this crowd pleaser getting the crowd going - https:// www.flutatious.co.uk/

Thursday, October 6

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. The Greatest Hits of Motown: How Sweet It Is. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – Blue Collar Dining, Hosier Street RG1 7JL. Grand reopening party with Jamie Reynolds (Klaxons) DJ set. Free entry, table bookings available. Details: www.linktr.ee/blue.collar

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Requests. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – Q Club, Friar Street. The ABBA Disco.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Black Sabbitch. Details: 0118 959 5395.

Friday, October 7

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Tim Shez Band and The Evening Edition. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Ultimate RnB tribute: A flavour of the Old Skool. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Bracknell Jazz: Tony Woods Project. Details: 01344 484123.

CHARVIL - The Wee Waif, Old Bath Road RG10 9RJ. Rewind 90s.

READING - The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Friday Night live. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Sham 69. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING - Hope and Bear, London Road RG1 5DE. Greg The Axxeman Winters. Details: 0118 935 4095

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Big Untidy presents All That Jazz. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Resurrections: The Stone Roses Tribute and Noel Gallager’s High Flying Carpets. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – Zerodegrees, Bridge Street RG1 2LR. Friday night live, from 6pm. Details: 0118 959 7959.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Neon Daze. Details: 0118 977 3706.

YATELEY - The Cricketers, Cricket Hill Lane GU46 6BA. Je’Zell. Details: 01252 872105.

Saturday, October 8

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Sell By, Holler, The Cover Up. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

BRACKNELL - The Bridge, Wokingham Road RG42 1PP. Self Preservation Society. Details: 01344 862912.

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Altitudes. Details: 01344 303333.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Rocket Kings. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Beyonce tribute. Details: 0118 402 7800.

READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. Sound Intentions. Details: 0118 968 1442.

READING – The Pond House, Oxford Road RG30 1EH. Wardour Street. Details: 0118 958 3664.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. The Sidemen. Details: 0118 376 9159.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Storm King. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Hedex. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Syn City Rockers. Details: 0118 957 6930.

TWYFORD – The Golden Cross, Waltham Road. BAT. Details: 07889 226309.

YATELEY - The Royal Oak, Reading Road, GU46 7UG. The Congakeyz. Details: 01252 872459.

Sunday, October 9

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. ReadifolkTheme night, A Sting in the Tail. Details: www.readifolk. org.uk

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. The Rod Stewart Experience. Details: 0118 969 8000.

Kate Herridge of Dakorra Picture: Andrew Merritt

track from the new Elevate Me EP.

LEISURE

Friday, September 30

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

COLEY – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue. The Watchmen Tour with Tom and Melissa, in association with Why Israel. Details: www. allnationselim.org

READING – The Atrium, Scours Lane RG30 6AY.

Bollywood party night organised by Reading Lions. £35, includes Indian buffet meal, Bollywood dancers, Dhol drummer and more. From 7pm. Details: 07970616283 or www.readinglions.org.uk

READING – The Biscuit Factory, Queens Walk RG1 7QE. Drag Movie Night: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Details: readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk

READING – Turbine House, Riverside Museum, Kenavon Drive RG1 3DH. Reading Guild of Artists Small Works exhibition. 10am-6pm. Free. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

SHINFIELD – Robyn’s Nest, School Green Centre RG2 9EH. Ice Queen experience with Afternoon Tea. 4pm5.30pm. Booking essential. Details: www.robynsnest. co.uk.

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

SILCHESTER – Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Silchester Players present The Tempest. 7.30pm. £10, £8 concessions. Details: silchesterplayers.org

THEALE – Library, Church Street RG7 5BZ. Play bridge. Suitable for beginners and experienced players. 10.45am-12.45pm. No booking required. Free. Details: 0118 930 3207, or: thealelibrary@westberks. gov.uk

TWYFORD – St Mary’s Church, Station Road RG10 9NT. Kathyrn Roberts and Sean Lakeman in concert. 7.30pm. £19.25. Details: https:// www.wegottickets.com/ event/539730

WOKINGHAM – Charity & Community Hub, Erftstadt Court, Wokingham, RG40 2YF.Natter and Needlefelt in aid of Cancer Support Network. Free. 10.30am12.30pm.

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. 2pm-

4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.

WOODLEY – Oakwood Centre, Headley Road. RG5 4JZ. Woodley Theatre presents Teechers by John Godber. From £10. 7.45pm. Details: www. woodleytheatre.org

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, October 1

BURGHFIELD – The Hatch Gate, Reading Road RG30 3TH. Classic cars gathering. From 11.30am. Details: 0118 983 2059.

BURGHFIELD – Reading Road RG7 3YG. Guide Dogs Fun Day. Noon-4pm. Guide Dog Displays, Pet Dog Show, Children’s games & activities, Face painting, Stalls from the local area, Various food options, Licensed bar.

CAVERSHAM – From The Weller Centre, Amersham Road. Reading RESCUE Litter Pick with Keep Caversham Tidy. 10amnoon. Details: Search Facebook for Keep Caversham Tidy.

CROWTHORNE – The GW Anneberg Performing Arts Centre, Wellington College RG45 7PU. Handel’s Messiah – A Choral Workshop from Crowthorne Choral Society. £17. 10.30am4.30pm.

EMMBROOK – Sports and Social Club, Lowther Road RG41 1JB. Platform YP presents An Evening of Musicals. 7pm. Details: www.platformyp.co.uk

LOWER EARLEY – Maiden Place Community Centre RG6 3HD. An Evening of Music, Story and Faith with Dave & Mandy Scott-Morgan. 7.30pm9.30pm. Details: www. lowerearleybaptistchurch. org.uk

PADWORTH – Village Hall, Padworth Lane. Jumble sale. 2pm-3pm. Donations 10am-11.30am. In aid of village hall.

READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road. Board games club for teenagers upwards. Noon-2pm. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

READING – Bar 77, Kings Road RG1 3BJ. Reading’s Got Drag Hallowe’en special. £10 on door. Details: 7748@greeneking. co.uk

READING – Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Reading Farmers Market. 8.15amnoon. Details: www. thamesvalleyfarmers market.co.uk

READING – Downshire Room, Downshire Square. Macmillan Coffee Morning. 10.30am-11.45am. Free entry. Details: 0118 958 4131.

READING – IKEA, Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, Pincent Lane RG31 7SD. Balloon artist and face painter. 11am-5pm. Free. Details: www.ikea.com

READING – Star Lane Wharf, behind Queen’s Road Car Park. Kennet and Avon trust 45-minute boat trips on Matilda Too. Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. £9.50, £5.50 children, under threes free. Details and advance booking: matilda.katrust. org.uk

READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. DNA for Family Historians – Online. Organised by the Berkshire Family History Society. 2.30pm. £5, £4 members. Booking essential. Details: 0118 950 9553.

READING – Turbine House, Riverside Museum, Kenavon Drive RG1 3DH. Reading Guild of Artists Small Works exhibition. 10am-6pm. Free. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

SHINFIELD – St Mary’s Church, Church Lane RG2 8BY. BWCB Liquorice Allsorts Clarinet Ensemble concert. Noon-1pm. Free, retiring colllection in aid of church funds.

SILCHESTER – Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Village market: local produce and businesses. 10am-12.30pm. Details: 0118 970 0999 or www. silchestervillagemarket. org.uk.

SILCHESTER – Village Hall, Little London Road RG7 2ND. Silchester Players present The Tempest. 7.30pm. £10, £8 concessions. Details: silchesterplayers.org

SONNING – Reading Cricket Club, Sonning Lane RG4 6ST. Reading Dandiya Night: traditional Gukarti, live band, raas garba, food stalls, fireworks, fun fair and more. Tickets and details: Amees Kitchen, Oxford Road; HK Stores, Crockhamwell Road, Woodley; Best Foods, Reading town centre.

THEALE – Theale Green School, Church Street RG7 5DA. Reading Family Roller Disco. 5pm6.15pm. Details: www. revolutionactive.co.uk

WHITLEY – The Well Church, Dawlish Road RG2 7SD. Rest Days Family Awareness Day. 1pm. live music from Josephine Belle. Details: www. thewell-church.com

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Wokingham Library Teen Writing Session 1 for Year 6 to 8. 9.45am. Session 2 for Years 9-13. 11.45am. Booking essential. Bring notebook, pens, paper, water bottle. Free. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents

Saturday market. 9am3pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

WOODLEY – Oakwood Centre, Headley Road. RG5 4JZ. Woodley Theatre presents Teechers by John Godber. From £10. 7.45pm. Details: www. woodleytheatre.org

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, October 2

BRACKNELL – Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Wedding fair. 11am-3pm. Free entry. Details: berkshire weddingfairs.co.uk

CAVERSHAM – Waitrose Car Park, off Gosbrook Road. Artisan & Farmers Market. 10am-3pm.

EARLEY – Whiteknights Indoor Bowls Club, Beech Lane RG6 5PT. Whiteknights Indoor Bowls Club taster days. Booking essential, wear flat-soled shoes such as trainers. Free. 2.30pm-6.30pm. Details: 0118 986 0759.

READING – The Great Hall, University of Reading, London Road RG1 5AG. West Forest Sinfonia autumn concert: Rachmaninov’s Caprice Bohémien, Ravel’s Schéhérazade and Shostakovich’s Symphony No 5. 4.30pm, note time. £15, students £5. Details: 07977 050265 or email tickets@ westforestsinfonia.org

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. Details: prospectparkrailway. wordpress.com

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Dreading Poetry Slam. 7.30pm. Free entry. Details: risingsunartscentre.org

READING – Star Lane Wharf, behind Queen’s Road Car Park. Kennet and Avon trust 45-minute boat trips on Matilda Too. Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. £9.50, £5.50 children, under threes free. Details and advance booking: matilda.katrust. org.uk

READING – Turbine House, Riverside Museum, Kenavon Drive RG1 3DH. Reading Guild of Artists Small Works exhibition. 10am-6pm. Free. Details: www.rga-artists.org.uk

TILEHURST – Double Barelled Brewery, Stadium Way RG30 6BX. Reading’s Indie Market. From noon-5pm. Crafts, food, and more. Oh, and beer. Details: doublebarrelled.co.uk

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents car boot sale. 8am-1pm. Cars £10, vans £15. Details: 07861 654674 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Monday, October 3

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.

9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org

ENGLEFIELD – Englefield House RG7 5EN. PACT garden party, rearranged from July. 2pm-5pm. £20. Booking essential. Details: events@pactcharity.org.

LOWER EARLEY – Library, Chalfont Close, Chalfont Way RG6 5HZ. 40th Anniversary of u3a: Amblers, Town Study, Birdwatching, Photography, German, Italian, Current Affairs and Art groups and there will be a demonstration by our Tai Chi group at around 10.30am. 10amnoon, 2pm-4pm. Details: readingu3a.org.uk

READING – The Outlook, Kings Road. Mates Rates Comedy Raw – open mic night. 7.30pm.

SHINFIELD – Library, School Green. Storytime session for under fives. 10am10.30am. Free. Drop-in.

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Knit, Stitch and Natter. 2pm-3pm. Free. All welcome. Drop-in. Details: 0118 978 1368.

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, October 4

BEECH HILL – Memorial Hall, Beech Hill Road. Village teas: sandwiches, cakes and tea. 3pm-4pm.

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

LOWER EARLEY – Library, Chalfont Close, Chalfont Way RG6 5HZ. Storytime for under fives. 10am10.30am. Booking essential. Free. Details: 0118 931 2150.

READING – Reading Minster Of St Mary The Virgin C Of E Church, Chain Street RG1 2HX. Craft at the Minster: a craft session for all. 11am-12.30pm. Details: readingminster.org.uk

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. The Finches social club for people with or without autism. 7pm-9pm. Drinks and snacks available to buy. Music, and friendship. Details: kingwood.org.uk

TWYFORD – Library, Polehampton Close RG10 9RP. Rhymetime for under threes. 10.30am-11am. Booking essential. Free. Details: 0118 934 0800.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. CLASP Wokingham cafe with

Friendship table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Storytime for ages 4-7. 4pm-4.30pm.. Free. All welcome. Drop-in. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Bulmershe School, Chequers Way RG5 3EU. Thames Valley Chorus free singing course for men. 7.30pm-9pm. Free. Details: www. tvchorus.co.uk

Wednesday, October 5

DUNSDEN GREEN – Village Hall RG4 9QG. English Country dancing evening: beginners welcome. £4, first session free. 8pm. Details: 07714 226723.

EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

EARLEY – Earley Crescent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. MS weekly drop-in. 10.30am1.30pm Details: 0118 921 0555.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church RG40 1AS. Singing for Joy with Sabrina, organised by Cancer Support Network. 10.30am-noon. Details: www.involve.community/ cancer

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Wokingham Embroiderers Sessions. 10am-11am. Free. All welcome. Drop-in. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table. 10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Artisan market. 9am2pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Thursday, October 6

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group present Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group. 8pm. £10-£12 plus booking fee. Details: www. twyrusdrama.org.uk

SPENCERS WOOD – Library, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AJ. Rhymtimes for under fours. Booking essential. Free. 10.30am-11am. Details: 0118 988 4771.

SPENCERS WOOD –Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship

Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac lunch club with Friendship table. Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club meeting: Round 1 PDI judged by Graham Sleeman. 7.30pm. Details: www.webcc.org.uk.

WOKINGHAM – The Ship Inn, Peach Street. Comedy on Tap. 7pm. £17. Details: 0118 978 0389.

Friday, October 7

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group present Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group. 8pm. £10-£12 plus booking fee. Details: www. twyrusdrama.org.uk

WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, RG40 5TU. Wokingham Lions presents comedy night. 7.30pm. £17. Over 18s only. Details: wokinghamlions.org.uk

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.

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, October 8

CAVERSHAM – Caversham Methodist Church Hall, Gosbrook Road RG4 8EB. Artists and Makers Fair. 10am. Free entry. Details: jean@alljazzedup.com or 07808 966928.

CROWTHORNE – Royal British Legion, Wellington Road RG45 7LJ. Quiz night. 8pm. Details: 01344 772161.

READING – Battle Library, Oxford Road. Board games club for teenagers upwards. Noon-2pm. Free. Details: 0118 937 5103.

READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Meet the author

event: Annie Murray. £3. 11am-12.30pm. Details: 0118 937 5950.

READING – IKEA, Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, Pincent Lane RG31 7SD. Balloon artist and face painter 11am-5pm. Free. Details: www.ikea.com

READING – The Rising Sun, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Bookface Chapter 13: handmade books, independent publishers, comic books, small books and more. 11am-4pm. Details: 0118 986 6788.

READING – Star Lane Wharf, behind Queen’s Road Car Park. Kennet and Avon trust 45-minute boat trips on Matilda Too. Noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. £9.50, £5.50 children, under threes free. Details and booking: matilda.katrust.org.uk

SHINFIELD – Shinfield Players Theatre, Whitley Wood Lane. Our House: A Musical. 7.45pm. £16, concessions £15, child £9. Details: www. shinfieldplayers.org.uk

TWYFORD – Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road RG10 9JA. Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group present Twyford & Ruscombe Theatre Group. 8pm. £10-£12 plus booking fee. Details: www. twyrusdrama.org.uk

WINNERSH – The Pheasant, Reading Road RG41 4LR. Doggie meet up. From noon. Details: 0118 978 4529

WINNERSH – The Pheasant, Reading Road RG41 4LR. Comedy with headler Darius Davies, presented by Mates Rates Comedy. 7.30pm. Details: 0118 978 4529

WOKINGHAM – St Crispin’s Leisure Centre, London Road RG40 1SR. SEND Voices Wokingham and Wokingham Borough CAN Network present Local Offer Live Day 2022: Information day for residents with special education needs or disabilities. Information stalls, Berkshire Reptile Encounter, Circus Skills, Face painting, refreshments. 11am3pm. Free, booking essential. Details: www. sendvoiceswokingham. org.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Town Hall, Market Place RG40 1AS. Craft and gift market. 10am-4pm.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT –Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market. 9am3pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

WOODLEY – Bulmershe School, Woodlands Avenue RG5 3EU. Woodley Concert Band presents Four Seasons In One Day. 7.30pm. £14, £12 concessions, £5 under 16s. Details: 0870 321 2186.

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

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.

MAGIC SQUARE

IN

MUTUAL ELEMENT

Using all 16 letters of the phrase above, form four words each of four letters which will fit in the grid to form a magic square in which the words can be read both horizontally and vertically.

Quiz Challenge

1. The reigning king, Umberto II, was deposed in 1946 in which country?

2. If you ordered saag aloo in an Indian restaurant, what would you be eating?

3. ‘Some boys kiss me, Some boys hug me, I think they’re ok’ is the opening of which Madonna song?

4. Which animal appears on the badge of Ferrari racing cars?

5. Which is the largest of all the Caribbean islands?

NONAGRAM

6. American actor Austin Butler plays which rock ‘n’ roll legend in the 2022 film of the same name?

7. Which London tourist attraction has a red pagoda in its grounds?

8. The scientific name for which nut tree comes from the Latin for ‘Jupiter’s acorn’?

9. The middle names Fingal O’Flahertie Wills belong to which writer?

10. What invention did Philips publicly demonstrate in Eindhoven in March, 1979?

WORD PYRAMID

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:

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).

Spell out a 15-letter word or phrase by moving from one chamber to another within the pyramid. You may only enter each of the chambers once and may only proceed through openings in the walls. The first letter may appear in any chamber.

ALIVE

Here are two miniature fivesquare crosswords using the same grid – but the letters have been mixed up. You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.

EQUALISER

1. Lively maiden at play (8)

6. Part of a ship on Humberside (4)

8. Dig down into the ground painlessly for a prickly seedcase (4)

9. Room for an oar on eastern railway (8)

10. Initial communication from Madrid perhaps (7,6)

11. Not in favour of a drink (4)

13. Well back with fellow having a petty quarrel (4)

17. At a wild guess it’s flash photography (4,2,3,4)

20. Usual arrangement of a halibut (8)

21. Reluctant to remove top from material (4)

22. Not on to summon to the brook (4)

23. Speculate that the alternative is eastern (8)

2. Needed a gun to remove the sticky sweet (6)

3. Taking notice, showing if it is correct or not (7)

4. Hardy heroine with one other girl (5)

5. Show misgiving about the French garment (7)

6. Ambassador gives a pound back to the slave (5)

7. Fat queen found in pantry (6)

12. A case of insufficient evidence about casual clothes? (7)

14. Does he scrape a living by cheating? (7)

15. Sherpa relays a few words (6)

16. Shakespearean does not quite go back in public transport (6)

18. Consider this tank for academics (5)

19. Shelves part of axe handle (5)

Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.Easy Hard

SUDOKU

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.

CROSSCODE

Enjoy some sweet dreams

Healthy Heart Tip

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 of shuteye every day is one of the best things you can do to support your overall 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?

While a small amount of caffeine early in the day is unlikely to impact our sleep, caffeine can stay in our bloodstream 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

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

Volunteercorner

Helena Badger

GIRLGUIDING

is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK.

Thanks to the dedication and support of 100,000 amazing volunteers, we are active in every part of the UK, giving girls and young women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their lives and their communities.

Our incredible volunteers contribute more than 10 million hours to guiding every year.

Some give us a couple of hours here and there – helping out with driving for trips and holidays, fundraising and events planning, or even doing the annual accounts for local groups.

Others give their time as Leaders or Assistant Leaders for units, providing girls and young women with a space where they can be themselves.

Whatever your skills and interests, and no matter how much time you have to spare, one of our volunteering roles is bound to suit you. Across Wokingham Borough, we are looking for Unit Leaders for Unit Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Rangers.

The aim of role is to give girls opportunities for fun, friendship, challenge and adventure.

The unit leader is responsible for the unit although of course you’re not alone.

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 lowstimulation 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

n To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https:// heartresearch.org.uk/ heart-research-ukrecipes-2

n Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers: https://heartresearch. org.uk/heart-researchuk-cookbook

The cost of travel and the cost of living

THEnews agenda is set to return to the soaring cost of living.

Oil and gas prices are at an all-time high and inflation for consumers is hovering around 10%.

The government is about to cap a typical domestic energy bill at around £2,500, at a reported cost to future taxpayers of around £150Bn.

The cost of travel is also a concern.

Public transport in our area is limited and can be expensive, particularly if travelling as a group.

volunteers in a wide range of community, voluntary and charitable groups across the borough.

We work with, and support, groups and organisations that require volunteers (including providing training).

We promote the benefits of volunteering to the local community and run a number of schemes including the Wokingham Transport Scheme and the Green ‘n’ Tidy community gardening service.

The Trustees of Wokingham Volunteer Centre need a volunteer to take minutes at their monthly meetings.

Our Unit Leaders usually work with other volunteers to deliver a high-quality programme to the girls and young women in the unit on a weekly basis, ensure the safety of the unit members and oversee the administration of the unit.

n Wokingham Lions are looking for help at the Wokingham Winter Carnival.

The event is on Sunday, November 27, and will be open to the public from 11am until 5.30pm.

Steward help is needed before, during and after the event.

During the event, stewards will be allocated roles around the town to support the stall holders, the management of the crowds, litter

collection and the road blocks.

Before and after the event, stewards, who are able to offer one of these slots, will be supporting the Lions Winter Carnival Committee in the setting up and the setting down of the event.

The time slots for the stewards will be: 6am-8.30am; 8.30am-11am; 11am-1.30pm; 1.30pm- 4pm; 4pm6.30pm.

Stewards will be fully briefed just before they start their shift.

Please get in touch if you can help.

n The Wokingham Volunteer Centre is a registered charity that works with and places

These take place once a month on Monday mornings, last no longer than two hours and are held at our offices in the Community and Charity Hub in Wokingham Town Centre.

After the meetings, the role includes writing up the minutes and circulating to the board.

Key skills for this invaluable role are attention to detail, an interest in the work of the Volunteer Centre and an appreciation of the need for confidentiality.

n These are just a few roles on our books.

Please visit our website www. volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk to find out more about volunteering and have a look at all the roles we have to offer.

If you would like to get in touch with us, please call 0118 977 0749 or email volunteer@wok-vol.org.uk.

Motoring costs are rising, and national newspapers have been reporting on people leaving their cars on the driveway in favour of walking or cycling to work, to the shops and for the school run.

Of course, not everyone has the option of travelling by car.

Data for Wokingham shows us that around one in 10 households have no access to a car and, in around one in five households, two or more adults share access to a single car.

Some of us are unable to drive for medical reasons, or have no prospect of parking where we work, or have accepted that the harm to our environment and air quality from cars simply isn’t worth it.

For others, cost is often the reason. Including leasing costs or depreciation, owning a car is estimated to cost around £3,500 per year, a whole 40% more than the energy price cap, and there’s no prospect of the government stepping in to help.

According to the RAC, until 2021, the cost of motoring had risen by only half of the increase in wages over the past 10 years.

However, this year’s spike in fuel costs has closed the gap, and the average increase over 10 years now matches the increase in salaries.

Of course, for travelling locally, the costeffective, simple and sustainable option is to walk or cycle when we can.

As well as helping our personal budget, we can collectively reduce the taxpayer-funded costs of our car-dominated transport system, which economists calculate significantly exceeds the revenue from motoring-related taxation.

Change is rarely easy.

But has never been more necessary.

n For more, search Facebook for ‘WATCH Wokingham’

Betteridge

The Wokingham Winter Carnival needs volunteers

CHAMBERS

FUMES AT OFFSIDE CALL

‘REFS NOT GOOD ENOUGH’

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Deanna Cooper had her goal chalked off in the first-half, but the replays showed that she was incorrectly flagged for offside.

The Royals went on to lose 2-1 which leaves them at the bottom of the Women’s Super League table after two matches.

Chambers said: “We’re disappointed not to come away with anything as I think the referees have cost us the game.

“We watched our goal back, Cooper is three yards onside.

“We have the highest level of women’s football, yet the level of

the officials are not good enough, nowhere near good enough.”

The Royals now have two consecutive home games to look forward to.

They host Tottenham Hotspur at the SCL next Sunday.

n Full report and reaction on p22 -23

MOLES DUO DEPART TO JOIN BRACKNELL

BINFIELD FC has announced that management duo Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg have departed the club to join Bracknell Town FC.

The Moles have made an excellent start to their 2022/23 campaign in the Isthmian South Central and currently on a winning streak of seven games in all competitions.

A statement released by Binfield FC reads: “We are disappointed to announce the departure of joint managers Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg and the First Team Coaching Support team following an approach from Bracknell Town over their vacant management position.

“The timing of this news, particularly on the back of the club’s recent success on the pitch in both league and all cup competitions where we remain unbeaten, coupled with the enormous effort by the club in supporting our move up to Step 4 football through significant investment in Ground improvements, is somewhat disappointing.”

Withers and McClurg made history by Binfield in what was a momentous journey in the FA Vase that saw them the reach the final of the competition.

Binfield FC chairman Andy Cotton said: “We shall miss Carl and Jamie and I want to express my thanks to them both and to the coaching team for all their hard work over the past couple of seasons.

“I wish them the very best.

“They leave us with a wonderful group of First Team players whom we will continue to nurture and support as we’ve always done.

“I’m pleased to announce that Roger Herridge who is part of this season’s First Team Coaching group will immediately take over as Caretaker Manager supported by Tony Perry and Keith PennicottBowen.”

READING FC WOMEN’S boss Kelly Chambers was left infuriated by an offside call that she believes cost her team defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion.

READING HURT AT HOME BY CLINICAL VISITORS

By PETER CHIDGEY sport@wokingham.today

READING lost by 44 points to a Marlborough team which have scored at least 40 points in all their previous games.

Marlborough have recruited heavily in the close season and had seven British Army based Fijians in their squad who displayed a level of physical power combined with speed and handling skills which Reading have not faced for some years.

Marlborough always looked dangerous and posed a threat both from their pack and their slick back line.

Despite the score, Reading played well and held their high-flying opponents for long periods in the game and doubled the points scored against them so far this season.

Marlborough started with pace and force, running

back the kick off and almost scoring and although they were initially held out, were 12-0 up after 10 minutes.

Both tries started with their forwards.

The Reading scrum was under early pressure and Marlborough’s number eight broke from a scrum close to the line and slickly offloaded for a try under the posts.

They then drove a lineout to score an unconverted try.

Reading fought back well after the early reverses but strong tackling and aggression over the ball by Marlborough kept them out.

Marlborough then showed how dangerous their backs were running in an unconverted try from their own 22 which was finished off by a kick and chase by their winger.

Reading were rewarded for taking the game to the opposition and opened their

account with a try resulting from a precise cross kick by Alex Murray Smith over the opposing winger into the hands of Jordan Gomez for him to touch down on his first game since returning to Reading.

Reading continued their good period of pressure and scored the next points when after an attack broke down Sam Bowers dropped a goal to bring the score back to 8-17.

Reading kept their opponents out until just before the break.

In the last five minutes, Marlborough extended their lead, firstly taking advantage of a turnover in midfield to score a converted try and on the stroke of half-time a slick backs’ move following two scrum penalties resulted in a converted try.

Marlborough soon added to their 8-31 lead, as they ended the first half

with two quick tries, both down the left.

The first a converted try from another slick backs’ move and the second from running back a kick that didn’t find touch for an unconverted try.

Marlborough looked like they could score from anywhere on the pitch but Reading coped gamely with them for the rest of the second half gaining a good share of the ball but lacking their opponents finishing power.

Marlborough again showed this with two further tries from good back play one of which was converted.

Reading came back well at the end of the game pleasing the home support with a try from Ryan Smith who made an initial break and then took advantage of good forward driving to cross from close in.

By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today

DELIGHTED Seb Reynolds saluted his Rams players after a hugely impressive 40-10 National One triumph at Bishop’s Stortford.

A superb all-round performance saw the visitors leading 26-3 at the break on the back of a double from man-of-the-match Max Hayman and tries from Ollie Cole and Vince Everitt, Alex Seers with three conversions as the Hertfordshire men had only a Dan Cole penalty to show for their efforts.

Director of Rugby Reynolds said: “It was a very good performance and I’m really pleased.

“Bishop’s Stortford is one of the toughest places to come in National One – they always pose a threat, they play outstanding rugby and so

for us it’s a very impressive win.”

“Early on we had a couple of defensive sets where we put them on the back foot and they coughed up an error when under pressure, and then we got a penalty into the corner and the drive went well.

“But we also had some good attacking play – the continuity got going – but against Bishop’s Stortford you never feel completely comfortable because they can hit you at any moment.

“They have the ability to score a few tries quickly and get back into the game, so you always have to be focused and on the money, and we were.

“You can’t give them a sniff because they’re so skilful that as soon as you drop off your level, they’re back.”

Reading RFC v Marlborough Pictures: John Newport

Rams RFC v Stortford

MAx Hayman in action for Rams

Reading stride forward with possession

Reading kick at the posts

Reading win the ball from a lineout

Reading RFC on the attack

RUGBY UNION

STORTFORD 10-40 RAMS

SOUTH BERKS WIN OPENER THAMES VALLEY KINGS GEAR UP FOR NEW SEASON

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

South Central Men’s Premier 2

SOUTH BERKSHIRE collected three points with a 3-1 triumph over Milton Keynes.

South Berks are away at Oxford Hawks 2s in their next league match.

South Central Men’s North Division 1

READING 3s and SONNING 1s took a point each after being locked in a 1-1 stalemate.

Reading are away at YATELEY 1S next weekend.

South Central Men’s North Division 2

SONNING 2s took the win over READING 4s in their league opener.

In a goal-filled game, Sonning earned three points after winning the match 5-3.

Reading host Amersham & Chalfont next Saturday.

SOUTH BERKSHIRE 2s were dealt a defeat in their 3-1 home loss to Windsor.

South Central Women’s North Division 1

SOUTH BERKSHIRE smacked six past PHOENIX READING 1s.

Doubles from Emily YorkeGoldney, Pippa Longfield and Anabella Pio secured a 6-1 win for South Berks.

South Central Women’s

North Division 2

SONNING 2s were dealt a 3-2 defeat on the road to Oxford 3s.

South Central Men’s North Division 4

SONNING 3s came away with a 3-2 triumph away to Berkhamsted & Hemel Hempstead 2s. They are at home to Buckingham 1s next week.

South Central Men’s Thames 2s

SONNING 4s smacked five past YATELEY 3S without reply to open their season with victory.

Sonning are away at SOUTH BERKSHIRE 5s next weekend.

South Central Women’s Premier 1

SONNING lost out in their first match of the season in a 2-0 defeat to Maidenhead.

THAMES Valley Kings Wheelchair Basketball Club is gearing up for the all-new British Wheelchair Basketball Season with their first fixtures of the new season occurring this Saturday.

The Berkshire-based Kings will have three teams competing in the National League competition again this year.

Kings’ first team will be in Division One this season, looking to boomerang back to the top flight after a tough first season in the Premier Division last year.

They will be backed up by an experienced second team in Division Two looking to cement the beginning of their own legacy and a Third Team who will look to emulate or beat the overall third-place finish from the National Finals they achieved last season.

Full fixtures:

Thames Valley Kings - Division One South Fixtures 08/10/22 Plymouth Fusion (H)

Thames Valley Kings Wheelchair Basketball Club

15/10/22 Exeter Otters (H)

05/11/22 Plymouth Fusion (A)

12/11/22 Southern Sharks (A) 10/12/22 Jaguars (A) 07/01/23 Southern Sharks (H) 04/02/23 Jaguars (H)

11/02/23 CWBA II (H)

11/03/23 High Rollers (H) 26/03/23 CWBA II (A)

08/04/23 London Titans II (H) 09/04/23 Exeter Otters (A) TBC London Titans II (H)

South Berks 2s v Windsor Picture: Steve Smyth

FINCH DENY YMCA WIN WITH LAST GASP STRIKE

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Thames Valley Premier League

READING YMCA were denied a second consecutive win over FINCHAMPSTEAD after a last gasp leveller from the champions.

Having earned an impressive 5-1 win over Finch last weekend, the teams returned to face each other for the second consecutive weekend.

In a dramatic ending to the match, Pele Hagger thought he had given YMCA the winning goal in the 87th minute.

But Finch ensured it wouldn’t be a second defeat on the bounce as they fought back to find an equaliser in stoppage time from Jason Baverstock Finch are in seventh with seven points from their opening four matches.

Reading YMCA are in sixth on seven points from five games.

BURGHFIELD made it three wins from four with a thumping 5-1 victory away to Marlow United.

In a clinical display from the Fielders, Lewis Butcher bagged a brace, while Oliver Brown and Rhys Iremonger added to the score.

Burghfield are in fourth place with nine points from their first four games.

Thames Valley Division One

HURST got off the mark with a win in their opening league game against

Westwood Wanderers Reserves.

A brace from Steven Hawes and goals from Jake Horwood, Shaun Bannon and Andrew White sealed a 5-3 win for the hosts.

Thames Valley Division Two

READING YMCA RAPIDS made it two out of two with an away success at Allied Community Elite.

Latham, Harrison and Porter were on the scoresheet to help the Rapids to a 4-2 win.

HURST RESERVES claimed victory in their opening league match against Cookham Dean.

Jordan Watson opened the score, Philip Burke added a second and Scott Peacock scored the third in Hurst’s 3-1 success.

Thames Valley Division Three

READING CITY DEVELOPMENT are top of the table with their second victory of the season.

A double from Sean Akintola and goals from Chase Rowland and Owen Turnbull saw City take a 4-1 win against AFC Winkfield Reserves.

BINFIELD DEVELOPMENT U23’s earned their second win of the season up against Henley Town Development.

Connor Gonzalez claimed a barce and Reegan Basilo Artman scored to help the Moles win 3-2.

FINCHAMPSTEAD DEVELOPMENT got the better of Farnham Royal Mavericks after Matthew Hudson’s 85th minute winner.

Thames Valley Division Four

BERKS COUNTY ROVERS got their first win of the season with a 4-1 away triumph at HARCHESTER HAWKS.

BURGHFIELD A secured their first victory of the new season with a 1-0 win over FINCHAMPSTEAD UNITED READING CITY U18’s lost out away at AFC Corinthians.

Reading & District Sunday League

Premier: AFC Bradfield 1-2 Mortimer, Burghfield 3-3 Tilehurst El Patrons, Emmer Green 2-6 FC BAPCO, Give Back 5-2 FC Sporty, Tilehurst YM 4-4 Central Berkshire

One: Arborfield 4-4 Twyford Comets, Barton Rovers 4-1 Burghfield Reserves, Caversham United 0-2 116 Exiles, Goring United 5-0 Wayback Wanderers, TRBL Tesla’s 1-2 GC United

Two: Berkshire Royals 0-5 Barton Rovers Reserves, Hurst 1-1 Burghfield A, Reading Kites 2-9 Give Back Reserves, Reading United 6-0 Zone RG, Westwood Wanderers Development 7-3 Rose & Thistle

Three: New England 1-4 RE United, Southcote Colts 1-2 Farley Hill

Four Allied Community 2-0 Barton Rovers, Arbor Athletic 4-2 Thames Valley Railway, FC Kensington 7-3 Calcot, South Reading 4-1 116 Exiles Reserves

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Combined Counties Division One

WOODLEY UNITED climbed above BERKS COUNTY into fourth after their home win over the Swords.

The Kestrels made a quick start when Connor Suckling put the hosts ahead with eight minutes on the clock.

With just over 10 minutes to go, Woodley extended their lead to seal the three points when Jahson netted.

Woodley are in fourth on 18 points from nine games, while Berks are in fifth with 17 points from 10 matches.

FA Vase second qualifying round

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA completed a second-half turnaround to beat Bitton AFC.

The home team went in front after 20 minutes and held onto their lead at half-time.

The Boars started their recovery in the second-half when Ross Mckernan equalised in the 49th minute.

With the game in the balance, Eversley made sure their name would be in the hat for the next round when Jamie Griggs headed in from a free-kick five minutes from time.

READING CITY suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Milton United.

Milton broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, but the Cityzens ensured the match would go to a shootout when Joe Waight

netted in stoppage time.

But in a tense shootout, Milton got through with a 4-3 triumph.

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two

S4K BERKS COUNTY were involved in a six goal thriller in their first league match.

After a goalless opening 45 minutes, the goals began to flow in the second-half.

Megan Cox notched a hat-trick for S4K as the points were shared in a 3-3 draw.

Southern Region Women’s Premier Division

ASCOT UNITED maintained their winning start with a convincing 6-1 win over Abingdon Town.

After falling behind, Ascot clicked into gear to claim a huge win with goals from Dominique Carrington, Skinner and doubles from Leonard and Nicole Brown.

Ascot are top of the table with two wins from two.

They are in FA Women’s Cup action next with an away trip to Milton United next Sunday.

Southern Region Women’s North Division

CAVERSHAM UNITED were dealt their second league defeat of the season in their home match against Penn & Tylers Green.

The Goats were 1-0 down at half-time and conceded two more late goals.

They are in fifth with three points from three matches.

They host Eversley & California next weekend in the FA Women’s Cup.

S4K Berks County Ladies took a point in a six-goal game Pictures: Andrew Batt

Reading YMCA v Finchampstead (blue & white shirts) Pictures: Andrew Batt

THAMES VALLEY FOOTBALL

TREBLE FOR FAWKES

Berks & Bucks Women’s Cup

WOODLEY UNITED progressed in their cup tie against Long Crendon.

May Hamblin put the Kestrels in front seven minutes into stoppage time in the first-half.

Ellen Surtees netted the second goal to seal the game and put Woodley through with a 2-0 win.

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

ASCOT UNITED RESERVES made it two wins from two with a clean sheet victory against Slough Town. They hit four past Slough without reply to put them in second place in the table

TILEHURST PANTHERS smashed nine past Haddenham with an emphatic success.

WARGRAVE kickstarted their season with a 2-1 win over Procision Oxford.

FA VASE

GRANT AND MATTHEW BAG HAT-TRICKS AS ASCOT STRIKE 10 IN FA VASE

By ARTHUR STRAND sport@wokingham.today

HAT-TRICKS from Harry Grant and Brendan Matthew helped Ascot United strike 10 past AEK Boco in their FA Vase victory.

Played at the Racecourse Ground, the clinical display puts the Yellamen into the first-round proper of the FA Vase.

The visitors are a Step lower than Ascot, but managed to open the scoring after a quarter of an hour with Jenkins and Fred TaylorFox providing Drew Thomas with

a shot that came off the post and into the net.

A few minutes later the first goal by Brendan Matthew levelled the score-line. He had chased an overhead cross by Tucker and headed in beyond keeper Luke Bond.

Harry Grant scored with a surprise header to give Ascot the lead three minutes later.

Then the goals began to arrive. Ascot forwards approach work was thwarted and cleared but the third goal came in useful with a ball placed nicely for Marcus

Mealing to send on to Ollie Harris who scored deftly.

Half-time was imminent and McCormack sent the ball neatly into the space in front of Matthew who collected the ball and lashed it into the corner of the net to make it 4-1 to the home team.

After the break, Ascot began by attacking and because of erroneous play were well offside.

They came back, working deep into Boco’s defence and gained a corner but Boco cleared the ball.

Harry Grant tapped in goal

number five increasing the unassailable target for the opposition.

Matthew added a sixth and substitute Lalustani popped in a seventh goal four minutes later.

Walters crashed in another to make it 8-1 and he scored again with a run onto the ball just one minute later.

This put Grant into a position to step round keeper Bond way off his line and net the ball beyond a defender who was guarding the goal line to round off a sensational attacking display.

FINCHAMPSTEAD FC PLAYER CELEBRATES 10 YEARS WITH WYCOMBE

FINCHAMPSTEAD FC Sunday League player Gareth Ainsworth celebrated 10 years as Wycombe Wanderers manager last weekend.

Ainsworth, who turns out for Sunday League side Finchampstead FC when he’s not on managerial duties with Wycombe, celebrated a decade as boss of the Chairboys.

Ainsworth has been a regular on the grassroots football scene in Berkshire having previously played for Woodley United FC and signed up last season to play with Finch’s Sunday team.

Ainsworth led Wycombe to the heights of promotion to the Championship in the 2019/20 season, where they were relegated back to League One after a valiant fight in the second division.

Last season Wycombe came agonisingly close to winning promotion back to the Championship, but were beaten in the play-off final.

Having finished sixth in League One in the 2021/22 season with 83 points, the Chairboys got the better of MK Dons to reach the final with a 2-1 win on aggregate.

At Wembley Stadium in the final, they were defeated by Sunderland after goals from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart.

It wasn’t all celebrations for Ainsworth at the weekend after completing 10 years with the club as he saw his side beaten 3-1 at Sheffield Wednesday.

Wycombe are currently 17th in the table with 11 points from 10 matches after a slow start to the 2022/23 season.

S4K Berks County Ladies in league action

S4K Berks County Ladies v Oxford City Pictures: Andrew Batt

FC Showcase (green) v Freeman Royals Pictues: Andrew Batt

Berks Cobras Picture: Martin Aves

The Sumas away at Burnham

SEAGULLS PECK AWAY

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Made some important stops including a smart double save in the first-half. Fumbled the ball which allowed Lee to open the scoring.

DEANNA COOPER

Thought she had opened the scoring with a header only to be denied by the offside flag. Was a threat from set pieces throughout.

EMMA MUKANDI

Was guilty of giving the ball away a few times at the back, as were several of her teammates in a shaky first-half display.

Played in front of a crowd of more than 5,000 at Brighton’s home, Lee Guem-Min put the Seagulls in front five minutes before the break to give her team a deserved lead.

Defended better in the secondhalf. Had a half chance with an acrobatic effort that went over the top.

FAYE BRYSON

Played a precise through ball to Tia Primmer whose saved shot led to Reading’s best chance, but Dowie couldn’t convert.

A disappointing debut for the new signing. Picked up an early yellow card for a rash challenge. Sloppy in possession and subbed at half-time.

LILY WOODHAM

Provided constituent deliveries with free-kicks throughout the match that led to chances, but not her strongest defensive display.

TIA PRIMMER

Provided good energy and came close to scoring when she forced a save from Walsh that dropped at the feet of Dowie, but couldn’t convert.

RACHEL ROWE

Put in some dangerous crosses, free-kicks and corners. Had a couple of efforts at goal and kept the Royals ticking in possession.

DIANE CALDWELL AMALIE EIKELAND GEMMA EVANS

Kept quiet for much of the first-half, but became a threat in the second-half and put in some decent deliveries from the right.

NATASHA DOWIE

Had some big opportunities but uncharacteristically couldn’t finish her chances. Had an open goal but she couldn’t score.

Despite a spirited second-half performance from Reading which was much improved from a shaky first-half, they were unable to find an equaliser despite testing Brighton’s defence on several occasions.

The hosts sealed the game in the 80th minute when they caught Reading on the counter attack and finished through Katie Robinson.

Charlie Wellings scored her first Royals goal late in the game but there was no time for Reading to muster a comeback.

Both teams entered the contest on the back of respective 4-0 defeats in their opening games of the new Women’s Super League season.

Royals debutant Caldwell was the first player carded after she flew into a crushing tackle which left Veatriki Sarri on the deck and needing treatment 10 minutes into the game.

Brighton had a couple of half chances before they produced the first clear cut chance of the game.

Royals goalkeeper Grace Moloney came to her side’s rescue with an excellent double save when she

Match stats

BRIGHTON: Walsh, Fox, Williams, Robinson, Pattison, Bance, Zigiotti, Lee, Sarri, Terland, Green

SUBS: Park, Carter, Jarvis, Ferguson, Startup

READING: Moloney, Cooper, Mukandi (c), Evans, Bryson, Woodham, Caldwell, Primmer, Rowe, Eikeland, Dowie

SUBS: Wellings, Wade, Burns, Poulter, Meadows-Tuson, Troelsgaard

GOALS: Lee 40’, Robinson

amended for Diane Caldwell’s short back pass and saved first from Katie Robinson before collecting Lee Geum-Min’s mishit rebound.

After Elisabeth Terland skipped away from two challenges, Caldwell got her body in the way to turn her shot behind for a corner.

to be denied by the offside flag. Brighton went straight up the other end where Lee broke away and was denied by Moloney before the offside flag again was raised.

Wellings

Reading thought they had snatched the lead in the 28th minute when Rachel Rowe’s floated free kick in behind the Brighton defence was nodded in by Deanne Cooper, only for her

The Seagulls broke the deadlock five minutes before half-time to take a deserved lead when Lee latched onto a spill from Moloney and slotted the ball into the empty net.

With her team trailing, Chambers made a switch which saw Caldwell replaced by Lauren Wade.

Chambers: ‘The officials are nowhere near good enough’

READING FC WOMEN’S manager was left unimpressed with the match officials after the Royals’ defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Royals thought they had taken the lead in the first-half through Deanna Cooper, only to be denied by the offside flag.

However, replays showed that Cooper was in fact a few yards onside which left Reading hard done by after a mistake from the officials.

Brighton took the points with goals from Lee Guem-Min and Katie Robinson, while Charlie Wellings scored her first goal for the club with a consolation strike in stoppage time.

“We’re disappointed to not come

away with anything as I think the referees have cost us the game,” said Chambers.

“We watched our goal back, Cooper is three yards onside.

“It’s something we worked on in training yesterday, it’s worked and then to have it taken away from us, it’s not good enough.

“We have the highest level of women’s football, yet the level of the officials are not good enough, nowhere good enough.”

Chambers was left to rue Reading’s missed chances in the second-half which saw them fall to defeat for the second consecutive match.

She continued: “Regardless, we created more than enough chances

to win and I said that to the girls.

“But the moment the offside happened, it created a different game.

“When you’re one nil up you get a boost, momentum, then from there who knows what can happen.

“Unfortunately, we’re now looking at another loss, and if this (officiating) isn’t addressed, it’s going to start costing managers jobs.

“If the decision was marginal I could perhaps come to accept it, but in this instance we’re talking

about a good few yards.”

Chambers was impressed with her team’s response in the secondhalf and praised her side.

“Even though we went a goal behind, we came out fighting in the second and created more than enough.

“So of course we hold our hands up and say even though the big decisions went against us, we had the game in our own hands but we lacked a bit of clinical edge when we needed it.

“But I truly believe that free-kick in the first half cost us the game.”

Brighton scramble clear from a corner

Deanna Cooper strikes over the top

Gemma Evans wins the ball back

Brighton add their second goal of the game

The Royals fell to a second consecutive

GRACE MOLONEY

Lauren Wade 7, Charlie Wellings 7, Sanne Troeslgaard n/a

READING FC WOMEN fell to their second consecutive defeat to begin the new Women’s Super League season after Brighton & Hove Albion collected three points at the Amex Stadium.

AWAY TO ROYALS’ DISMAY

From the middle Video Assistant Referees

AFEW

disputed outcomes on the same day recently, again raised criticism of VARs.

The first thing to be said, is that VAR stands for Video Assistant Referee and not Video Assisted Referee. We often hear talk of VAR decisions but actually, VARs don’t make any decisions.

Like the other assistant referees, those with flags, their task is to ‘assist not insist’. The VAR’s job is to draw the referee’s attention when they feel there might be a ‘clear and obvious error’.

I like the way they do it in America. Before becoming manager of the PRO, (Professional Referees Organisation) in America, Howard Webb went there to introduce VAR, as America was chosen to trial the system.

There is no doubt that he was very successful but he has never criticised the Premier League. He has always said that the two countries have different audiences, as football or soccer as they call it, is still an infant sport in America.

American soccer fans have a television programme showing where the VAR has been in action. As well as the incident, they are shown the VAR and hear the conversation with the referee. They don’t say, ‘there was an offside’ or whatever the perceived error might be, but ‘I recommend a review for a possible offside’.

Reading’s best chance of the game came in the 52nd minute after Faye Bryson’s incisive pass found Primmer and she forced a save from Megan Walsh, the ball fell at the feet of Dowie with an empty net at her mercy, but she couldn’t adjust her feet quick enough to seize the chance.

Dowie got in behind the high Brighton defensive line, but Kayleigh Green got across to make a last ditch tackle.

An improved spell saw the Royals push hard for an equaliser as substitute Wade made an impact when she raced down the left and sent in a cross that just evaded two

teammates in the middle.

Reading kept asking questions of the Brighton defence in a much improved second-half display when Cooper went close when she worked space for a shot but couldn’t keep her shot down.

Dowie’s last contribution of the match saw her come agonisingly close to grabbing an equaliser only for a small deflection on her shot.

Reading’s persistence was shot down when Brighton finished clinically with a counter attack to wrap up the game as Robinson tucked the ball into the corner after she was unselfishly played in by Lee.

Wellings tried to get Reading back into the contest, but Walsh made an exceptional save from close range to keep out her header.

Moloney made a fabulous save when she reacted quickly to get a hand to Terland’s shot to deny Brighton a third.

Wellings did get on the scoresheet deep into stoppage time when she arrowed the ball past Walsh with a powerful strike inside the box.

But there was no time for a dramatic late leveller as Brighton took the points.

Reading are bottom with zero points after just two matches.

HIGH FLYING ROYALS TO HOST STRUGGLING TERRIERS

READING FC’s men’s team are back in Championship action this weekend when they host Huddersfield Town at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The Royals have won four out of five league fixtures at the SCL this season which has helped them climb up to third in the table.

Paul Ince’s team recovered from their only home loss of the campaign so far against Sunderland by beating Wigan Athletic away from home thanks to Tom Ince’s free-kick.

Huddersfield have endured a tricky start to the season and are

currently in 23rd place on seven points from nine matches.

The Terriers’ slow start to the season cost Danny Schofield his job as manager after just two months in charge.

Assistant bosses Narcis Pelach and Paul Harsley are currently in caretaker charge while the club searches for a new manager.

The game after Schofield’s departure, Huddersfield earned just their second win of the 2022/23 season when Jordan Rhodes scored the only goal of the game to defeat Cardiff City.

Prior to that win, Huddersfield

had been on a run of three successive defeats that came against Bristol City, Blackpool and Wigan.

Huddersfield have yet to pick up a point away from home this season having lost all three of their matches on the road.

They have lost out to Birmingham City, Norwich City and Bristol which leaves them in the relegation zone.

The disappointing start to the campaign has come in contrast to what was an excellent 2021/22 season for the Terriers.

They finished in third position

in the table on 82 points and were unfortunate to lost out in the playoff final to Nottingham Forest.

Huddersfield’s last trip to the SCL was a seven goal thriller that was taken 4-3 by the Terriers.

Danny Ward netted a hat-trick to ensure that Huddersifled went back up north with all three points at the beginning of 2022.

Reading will be hoping to have forwards Andy Carroll an Yakou Meite in contention to make the squad against Huddersfield after they both featured for Noel Hunt’s Under 21’ side on Monday in their 2-1 win over Millwall.

The referee then views the monitor to make up his mind about the incident. Finally, the PRO presenter Greg Barclay, explains to viewers what has happened and the Law involved.

Spectators are most annoyed about the time taken for a decision to be made. The American television also shows that the VAR has four television screens, each showing the incident from a different angle.

So if he thinks an error has been made, the VAR has to check the screens to find the clearest view of what happened.

This is what takes the time as it will involve rewinding each videos. If the reviews do not indicate an infringement, they inform the referee, who carries on with the game.

If however they feel an error has been made, the referee is recommended to view the monitor. From what he sees, he and he alone makes the decision.

VARs are all professional or ex professional referees but not necessarily Premier League referees, they could be from Select group two.

Some VARs find it more stressful than refereeing, saying there is even more pressure.

Not quite the simple job it appears to be.

Referee

consecutive defeat in the Women’s Super League Pictures: Neil Graham

Reading push for a leveller Brighton celebrate taking the lead

Eikeland fights to win possession

Tia Primmer takes control

Evans blocks a shot Brighton go in front in the firsthalf

Dick Sawdon-Smith

FC BRACKNELL WILDCATS RETURN

By GUEST CONTRIBUTOR sport@wokingham.today

WILDCATS sessions are back as FC Bracknell’s girls take to the field for training at Farley Wood.

Has your daughter been inspired by the brilliant Lionesses?

Has she started to dream about becoming the next Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, or Ella Toone?

Maybe, she wants to be a keeper like former FC Bracknell goalkeeping coach Mary Earps.

Whatever their dream, they can start their football journey with FC Bracknell.

Girls football is thriving at the community club and they continue their sessions on Sunday, at 10am at Farley Wood, suitable for Key Stage one and Key Stage two females.

Darby Green 8

FC Bracknell 1

Due to injury FCB U13s played most of this match with 10 players and against a well drilled opponent this proved too big a task.

Frankie F bagged a consolation goal and a share of parents’ player of the match, tied for votes with Bethany E and Marcellus W. Riley W was coaches’ player of the match.

U15 Youth Colts drew 2-2 against Sandhurst, Vinnie scored both goals.

Youth Colts U15’s 2 Sandhurst 2

FC Bracknell U15 Youth Colts earned a point against Sandhurst with two strikes from Vinnie.

FC Bracknell U15’s 2 Rotherfield United Raiders 1

FC Bracknell U15 beat Rotherfield United Raiders 2-1 with goals from

Aidan Fry and man of the match Archie Shadbolt securing the three points

U17 Colts 6

Hearts of Teddlothian 1

In a tough away game for the U17 Colts, they raced into a 2-0 lead within 10 minutes.

They cruised into a 5-1 lead and Hearts of Teddlothian Cheetahs had a penalty, but after scoring the boys

Hamblin and Surtees strike to send Kestrels through in Cup clash

By MARK ROZZIER sport@wokingham.today

Woodley United Ladies 2-0 Long Crendon

WOODLEY United ladies progressed into the next round of the Berks & Bucks FA Women’s Senior cup thanks to a goal in each half against division rivals Long Crendon.

The visitors enjoyed the opening spell forcing a couple of corners and the closing minutes but in between United were comfortable with keeper Jennifer Heine having little to do thanks to the performance of defenders Gemma Simms and Charley Evans.

May Hamblin’s running was a constant threat to the Long Crendon’s defence with the Woodley forward flagged offside in the fourth minute.

On the quarter hour, Mollie Haines skilfully ran past three defenders to pass to Sarah Lawrence in the opposition

penalty area.

Lawrence was crowded by defenders with the ball falling to Steph Slann who shot over the bar.

Long Crendon saw appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Steve Anderson when Kirsty Walker fell following a challenge following which Lawrence fed the ball to May who fired wide of the goal.

A combination of defender and keeper denied Simms with a header from a Maddie Sawyer corner.

Three minutes into first half stoppage time Long Crendon’s keeper Amy Whale denied Lawrence but the opening goal came four minutes later and was a fair reward for Hamblin’s first half performance.

Evans’ clearance was headed by a Long Crendon player towards her own goal which Hamblin reacted first two some 30 yards from the goal line.

Beating two players, Hamblin fired past Whale from the edge of the penalty area into the net.

Two minutes into the second half a Woodley free kick was parried by Whale and bobbed around the penalty area before Slann again fired over the bar.

Lawrence saw a shot blocked as Woodley continued to press forward with what was to be the winning goal coming in the 70th minute.

Ellen Surtees played a short corner one two with Hamblin before advancing to the edge of the penalty and put a cross towards the far post that Whale pushed into her net.

As the game approached full time, Long Crendon’s Michelle Bailey saw her 25 yard free kick rebound off Heine’s cross bar and cleared for a corner and then Emilie Lovelock attempted to lob Heine only for the effort to sail over the cross bar. Shortly afterwards the referee called time on proceedings.

Woodley United: Heine, Evans, Wilkins (Haines N), Gooch, Simms, Measham (Surtees), Haines M, Slann (Quinn), Hamblin, Sawyer, Lawrence (Stringer) Sub not used: Benton

RESULTS

Saturday, September 24

FOOTBALL

FA Trophy second qualifying round

Thame United 1-2 Binfield

Combined Counties Premier North Burnham 3-0 Sumas

Combined Counties Division One Sandhurst Town 4-2 Spartans Youth Woodley United 2-0 Berks County

FA Vase second qualifying round

Bitton 1-2 Eversley & California Milton United 0-0 Reading City (4-3 on pens)

Thames Valley Premier League Marlow United 1-5 Burghfield Reading YMCA 1-1 Finchampstead Wargrave 1-0 Reading City U23’s

HOCKEY Men’s National Premier Division

Reading 4-2 Brooklands Manchester University

FIXTURES

Saturday, October 1

FOOTBALL

Championship Reading v Huddersfield

FA Cup third qualifying round

Beckenham Town v Binfield

Combined Counties Premier Division North Broadfields United v Reading City North Greenford United v Sumas

Combined Counties Division One

Bedfont v Eversley & California Berks County v Sandhurst Town Woodley United v Rising Ballers Kensington

RUGBY UNION National Division One Rams v Darlington

responded quickly adding the sixth goal of the match to make it two wins from two.

n FC BRACKNELL U18’S suffered a 6-2 loss to Laurel Park.

In the Bracknell & District Sunday Football League, FC Bracknell lost 10-0 against Bracknell Spartan 1st in Division 4, FC Bracknell Saints drew against Harts of Bracknell Reserves 4-4 in Division 3.

Berks County FC to run inclusive football sessions

BERKS COUNTY FOOTBALL CLUB are running a new initiative aimed at boys and girls aged between 12-18 with any disabilities.

The club are running sessions to inspire those with disabilities that are unable to attend mainstream football to get involved in the beautiful game.

They hope to provide the opportunity for young children to play regular, fun and engaging football in a safe and friendly environment using FA qualified coaches.

The sessions will take place on the 3G training pitch at Cantley Park, Wokingham.

The first session will start on Sunday, September 25.

Anyone interested in joining should contact wayne@berkscountyfc.com

HOCKEY Women’s National Premier Division Wimbledon 1-0 Reading

South Central North Division 1 Reading 3s 1-1 Sonning

South Central Women’s Premier Division Maidenhead 2-0 Sonning

South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire 3-1 Milton Keynes

South Central Women’s Division 1 Phoenix Reading 1-6 South Berkshire

RUGBY UNION

National League One Bishop’s Stortford 10-40 Rams

South West Regional South Central Reading 13-57 Marlborough

Sunday, September 25

FOOTBALL

Women’s Super League Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 Reading

Southern Region Women’s Premier Division

Ascot United 6-1 Abingdon Town

Southern Region Women’s North Division

Caversham United 0-3 Penn & Tylers Green

Thames Valley Women’s Division One

Ascot United Reserves 4-0 Slough Town Tilehurst Panthers 9-0 Haddenham

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two

S4K Berks County 3-3 Oxford City U23’s

South West Regional 2 Tottonians v Reading

London & SE Regional Division Brighton v Bracknell

HOCKEY Women’s National Premier Division Reading v Clifton Robinsons

South Central Men’s Division 1 Sonning v Phoenix Reading

South Central Women’s Premier Sonning v Trojans

South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire v Milton Keynes

South Central women’s Division 1 South Berkshire v Newbury & Thatcham

Sunday, October 2

FOOTBALL

FA Women’s Cup Milton United v Ascot United Caversham United v Eversley & California

Tilehurst Panthers v Long Crendon

Southern Region Women’s Division One North Woodley United v Carterton

Thames Valley Women’s Division One New Bradwell v Wargrave Procision Oxford v Ascot United Reserves

Thames Valley Women’s Division Two S4K Berks County v Oxford City U23’s

HOCKEY

Men’s National Premier Division Beeston v Reading

FC Bracknell snaps from the weekend