Wokingham Today, February 10, 2022

Thursday, February 10, 2022 No. 350 90p

Poor mental health rises in pandemic

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today NEW DATA from the Office for National Statistics suggests that poor mental health is prevalent in Wokingham.

The organisation has grouped data into three categories in a new interactive tool on its website.

These focus on boosting living standards, spreading opportunity and improving public services, and restoring local pride.

In Wokingham borough, out of the 21 measures available for the town, 10 were classified as positive and one as negative.

The data suggests that during the pandemic, anxiety was an issue among residents. And residents also had lower happiness and life satisfaction during this time.

During the pandemic, Oxfordshire Mind created a wellbeing service to support borough residents, in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council.

It focuses on recognising mental health issues early and intervening to prevent conditions deteriorating. The service also ensures timely referrals to specialists, coordinates support available for those with mental health issues and promotes awareness of the issues.

Mind in Berkshire wellbeing workers can offer free one-to-one appointments over 18s in Wokingham.

The sessions focus on practical steps to manage everyday stress and wellbeing challenges.

The service is available via all GP practices in the borough, and can be delivered by telephone or video sessions. Face-to-face support is also available in certain GP practices or residents who may find virtual communication challenging.

Later this year, Mind in Berkshire is hosting a mental health and wellbeing conference for anyone working with children and young people in Berkshire West.

The Youth in Mind conference will be held on Wednesday, May 18, at The Globe in Reading, and draws on extensive research and the experiences of young people.

It is aimed at people working in the statutory and voluntary organisations and will include workshops.

AUTISM CAFE OPENS IN EVENDONS P6

NEW ARTWORK UNVEILED FOR TOWN CENTRE

The Arc will bridge the Carnival Hub’s new entrance

EXCLUSIVE

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today WOKINGHAM, meet the Arc. The planned sculpture will form a new landmark for the town centre and be erected outside the new Carnival Hub development.

It is the proposal from awardwinning artist Nicola Anthony.

Her plan was selected from 60 different proposals submitted to Arts4Wokingham.

Five shortlisted artists made presentations to a panel that included Wokingham Today editor Phil Creighton.

Each artist had to explain their concepts, and how they would develop their ideas while working with communities.

Ms Anthony’s proposal is for a metal text sculpture that will feature words relating to each of the 17 towns and parishes that comprise Wokingham borough. n Continued on page 3

PARENTS WORRY FOR FAMILY HEALTH IN WOODLEY P10

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

Mrs May opens newly expanded water treatment site WE COVER WOKINGHAM BOROUGH

CHEERS: South East Water Operations Director Doug Whitfield with Theresa May Picture: South East Water

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HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US Due to the coronavirus, our offices are closed to the public. The best way to contact us is by email Email news@wokingham.today Newsroom: 0118 327 2662 Advertising: 0118 327 2662 Write to: Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS Publisher • David Riley Editor • Phil Creighton Deputy editor • Jess Warren Reporters • Natalie Burton, Daniel Blackham Sports reporter • Andy Preston Graphic designer • Charlotte Simpson The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation. If you have a complaint about a Wokingham Paper Ltd publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance email: editor@wokingham.today. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk.

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ONE OF the borough’s MPs has officially opened a newly expanded water treatment site in Bray.

Theresa May MP unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the completion of the expansion project, which cost more than £25 million.

It means that the site can now pump up to 68 million litres of water a day — a 50% capacity increase and enough to fill 27 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Mrs May said that she was pleased to unveil the project and said that it is an important resource for the community.

“Water is something that many of us take for granted but producing

safe drinking water is a very complicated process,” she said.

Bray Keleher treatment works first opened in 1996, pumping 45 million litres of water a day to customer taps.

The expansion project began in 2018 and involved installing a series of tanks.

Desmond Brown, head of engineering at South East Water, said that the money invested in the scheme shows a dedication to supplying “top-quality drinking water” as the population grows.

“I am delighted the expansion is now up and running and already pumping water to your taps.”

MP calls upkeep charges at Loddon Park a ‘raw deal’

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today ONE of the borough’s MPs is calling for the “imbalance” between housebuilders and residents to be addressed.

Matt Rodda, whose Reading East constituency includes Woodley, spoke in the House of Commons last month about the Loddon Park development, off Mohawk Way. Speaking on Monday, January 24, he said: “When the whole development was given planning permission, the local authority— mistakenly, I believe – allowed the site developer to charge upkeep for those common areas in perpetuity.

“There is no limit, as I understand it, to the charge that can be made.

“It is deeply unfair for normal householders—many of them have young families, are commuters who work locally and are facing, like many people across the country, significant rises in the cost of living — to face in addition ongoing costs

for maintaining the landscape around their homes. Frankly, that is wrong.”

Mr Rodda was speaking in support of a new clause to the Leasehold Reform Bill.

Proposed by Sir Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, the clause said: “Within 30 days of the day on which this Act comes into force, the Secretary of State must publish draft legislation to restrict ground rents on all existing long residential leases to a peppercorn.”

The new clause aims to ensure that the Government introduces further legislation to remove ground rent for all leaseholders, whereas the Act currently only applies to newly established leases.

During the debate, Mr Rodda said that there is an “enormous imbalance between powerful developers ... and people buying a property for themselves, who possibly do not have all the information before them that ideally they should.”

LODDON PARK: Picture: Steve Smyth He said that there was a clear need for action at Loddon Park, where hundreds of residents are paying for the land’s upkeep.

Speaking to Wokingham Today, Mr Rodda said that households are “getting a raw deal” and said that the charges were not fair.

Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement at the borough council,

said that no mistakes were made in the planning approval.

He said: “Mr Rodda MP is incorrect in asserting that we ‘allowed’ the developer to charge upkeep for common areas at this site, or indeed that any error was made during the planning process.

“In deciding planning applications and imposing or enforcing conditions, our responsibility is to ensure that the developer provides the correct amount and standard of open space, as they did in this instance.

“They aren’t required to hand the site over to us for adoption and can instead arrange for it to be managed by private agreement between residents and the landowner or a management company, which is a common and entirely lawful practice.

“As such, this is a civil dispute between those parties.

Its resolution would depend on the terms of their agreement, in which we have no involvement.”

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Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

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Meet the Wokingham Arc — the new sculpture for the town n Continued from front page

Her piece follows on from a recent commission in the United States that was initiated by moviemaker Steven Spielberg – he unveiled her work at its launch.

The arches in the design will combine to offer a pathway into and out of the Carnival Hub, which will house leisure facilities including a swimming pool, a performance area, a gym, and a library.

The text will include braille as Ms Anthony is keen to ensure the work is inclusive.

She was thrilled to be chosen for the challenge of turning her idea into a reality.

“I can’t wait to embrace the local community and secure their input into helping me shape my initial ideas into something that is both relevant and meaningful to all those who live in the borough,” she said.

The project will be funded through donations and support from the Wokingham community. A number of major donations have already been made, and will be announced in due course.

Ms Anthony has had a stellar career to date. Not only has she created for Spielberg, but in 2021 she was chosen to be the artistin-residence for the UK Pavilion in Dubai. Prince William is due to visit the area this week and it is hoped that the sculpture’s message of sustainability will resonate during the visit.

A trustee of the Royal Society of Sculptures, Ms Anthony has also been shortlisted for the Sovereign Art Prize, the Sovereign Asian Art Prize, the ING Art Prize, won a ‘New Voices of Ireland’ award, and been featured in influential public and private collections around the world.

She said that her artwork aims to explore what makes the essence of being human, including beauty, vulnerability, challenges and hope. This is drawn out through her research with people, places and communities.

“I’m thrilled to be working on this, I think it’s going to be

PCC: Matthew Barber

Police precept rises by 20p per week for Band D properties

VIRTUAL IDEA: A CGI showing what the Arc would look like in situ at the new Carnival Hub All pictures: Nicola Anthony a very meaningful project,” she said.

“My role is to give voice to people, to make sure their voices are coming through accurately and are represented. It’s a big role of the arts actually. If I can do that through sculpture, it helps it become more relatable to people who might not be involved in the arts or visit museum. Public sculpture has to be for everyone.”

She said that the brief from Arts4Wokingham intrigued her and, after working abroad in recent years, was looking forward to working more locally, with the community.

“The Arc is about people’s roots in Wokingham, and the rich fabric they weave. It is important that the community feels a sense of ownership. It’s not just for people, they’re also part of it.

“That sort of thing gets shared through families and friends and newcomers to the borough, so this lovely sort of oral history around the sculpture will also build up.”

Ms Anthony said she feels a big responsibility to the artwork, as it can “open up the mind and it opens up the world”, and promised to be sensitive and respectful as she

creates the artwork.

The judging panel she admits was nerve wracking as, “I put my heart and soul into creating the content”, but was full of praise for the Arts4Wokingham organisation.

“The whole approach they’ve had, they’ve already engaged the community and community stakeholders,” she said. “They took the time to give me a site visit, and talk through any questions I had. It was all very thorough.”

The Arc is a working title for the piece, but Ms Anthony likes it, and said it could be synonymous with Wokingham BEHIND THE ART: Award-winning artist Nicola Anthony as London architectural sites such as the Gherkin and the Shard.

“The arcs themselves are quite simple, they’re segments of circles, so it has an organic appeal, but it becomes an archway, a portal,” she said.

“With sculpture there should be this physicality where you want to come and touch it, be near it or, if you’re kids, run through it. I think that’s a good ting to lean into rather than putting a barrier up and stop - "Be my Valentine" Dining Experience people from interacting with it.”

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n For more on the sculpture project, log on to: arts4wokingham.com

Wokingham Lions open applications for May Fayre stalls ONE OF Wokingham’s big calendar events is returning this year.

The May Fayre, organised by the Wokingham Lions Club, will be back on Monday, May 2.

Organisers are now inviting charities, crafters, food vendors, commercial traders and providers of children’s rides and entertainment to apply for a pitch or stall.

Having been cancelled for the last two years, organisers say that expectations are high for this year’s event.

“The Wokingham May Fayre

commenced in 1995, organised by the Wokingham Lions Club,” said Alan Rouse, May Fayre chairman. “It is one of the largest street fairs in the south of England.”

Mr Rouse said that the main goal of the fayre is to help charities and organisations raise money for their causes.

“It’s a wonderful day out for families and people of all ages, where we celebrate the town’s culture on the stage, with many local groups performing,” Mr Rouse added.

“Our committee is working

THE COUNCIL tax police precept will rise to help make streets safer, said the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner.

On Friday, January 28, Matthew Barber set out his spending plans for the region. This will set the policing element of the council tax at £241.28 for a Band D property.

Mr Barber said that the funding will “lay the foundations for investment” in more police, to help “deliver justice for victims”.

The money will be used to develop a specialist rape and sexual offences team, improve and speed-up forensics, fast track cases, improve technology and hire more officers.

Mr Barber said: “Recruitment of additional police officers continues and is accelerating with a further increase of 244 officers in 2022/23.”

This includes 13 for the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit.

“Beyond the national Police Uplift programme, I will seek to increase numbers to ensure the size of the Force at least keeps pace with our population growth,” Mr Barber said.

John Campbell, Chief Constable for Thames Valley Police, said that the precept increase equates to less than 20p extra a week for an average Band D property.

“I understand that with the cost of living increasing, these are tough times for households, so I want to thank residents for all this extra investment, which will help Thames Valley Police continue to keep our communities safe,” he said.

very hard to make it a success. We also always have tremendous support from our Town Council.”

Allocation of stalls is on a first come basis. This year’s event will take place in the town centre and Elms Field.

All applications and payments must be made before Thursday, March 31, to allow for pitch allocation. n For the stall booking form, visit: wokinghamlions.org.uk/mayfayre-2022 n For information, email: may fayre@wokinghamlions.org.uk

What could be more romantic than a table for two in the stunning candlelit surroundings? Treat that someone special this Valentine’s to spectacular five course menu with glass of Pommery Champagne on arrival and strawberries dipped in chocolate to finish.

Glass of Champagne | Five-Course Menu | Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries Valentine’s Menu is available on Friday 11th, Saturday 12th, Sunday 13th and Monday 14th of February.

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To book please call us direct on 0118 979 8805 or email us at enquiries@chalkrestaurants.com

www.chalkrestaurants.com Chalk Restaurant, 31 Broad Street, Wokingham, RG40 1AU

4 | NEWS

Virtual talk: The life of a soldier THE life of a soldier will be explored at a talk next month.

On Wednesday, March 23, Peter Must from the Wokingham Society will be giving an illustrated talk about the life of the Hon. Adam Williamson.

Mr Williamson was the owner of Montague House in Wokingham, and a soldier under the Duke of Marlborough in the war of the Spanish Succession.

He was also chief military commander of the Tower of London from 1722 to 1747.

The talk will be held virtually at 10.30am via Microsoft teams. n For more information or to register, email libraries@ wokingham.gov.uk

Former GP charged with sex offences dating back to 1990 A FORMER Bracknell GP has been charged with historic sexual offences.

Stephen Cox worked from the Ralphs Ride Surgery, now the Waterside Practice in the 1990s.

The 62-year-old has been charged with four counts of indecent assault, relating to offences between October 1990 and September 1997.

Now living at Marton in Welshpool, Powys, he was charged via postal requiustion on Thursday, January 20.

Thames Valley Police said that Cox will appear at Reading Magistrates Court on Wednesday, February 23.

Job workshop HELP CREATING a job is available at a workshop later this month.

On Tuesday, February 22, Wokingham Job Support Centre on Norreys Avenue is running a workshop for residents.

The free session will start at 10am and is open to all.

It will focus on becoming self-employed, and setting up a business.

For more information, visit: www.wjsc.org.uk or call 0118 977051.

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

‘They’re already cracking up’: concerns over plastic kerb trial EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today THE LEADER of Wokingham Labour has criticised the borough council’s findings from a plastic kerb trial.

At the end of January, Wokingham Borough Council announced that the edging will be used more often, after they were trialled in 2020.

Plastic kerbs were first installed a new cycle path on London Road in Wokingham in a pilot scheme.

Council research has now concluded that the plastic edging is faster to install, reduces carbon, and has improved worker health and safety.

However the decision to continue using the kerbs has been criticised by Cllr Rachel Burgess.

She said that large holes and cracks have appeared in some of the kerbs on the corner of Plough Lane.

She said: “Despite the Conservatives’ grand claims about the durability of these kerbs that are ‘designed not to chip or crack’, already the disrepair and damage is clear to see at the corner of Plough Lane.

“These kerbs have large holes in them, and the cracks and holes have left

sharp edges that are plainly dangerous.

“We need infrastructure that will last, not kerbs that will need replacing every few months with the inevitable disruption that will cause.”

The borough council recognised that the kerbs have not been in place long enough to test their long-term durability. However it said that other areas have reported that they last as long as concrete kerbs.

Crowthorne landlord awarded contract compensation A CROWTHORNE woman is warning landlords across the borough they may have signed a “misleading contract”.

Karen Markham was recently awarded compensation after the Property Ombudsman ruled she signed a contract with Romans estate agents that breached the Property Ombudsman code.

This was after a trading standards officer verbally told Ms Markham that the estate agent’s terms of business were “ambiguous and not clear”, she said.

Wokingham Borough Council confirmed that an officer from the Public Protection Partnership (PPP), which delivers trading standards, had contact with Romans in relation to the terms within their letting contracts.

Following an FOI request, a spokesperson for WBC said: “The officer emailed with comprehensive advice as to how to ensure compliance with the legislation, and that advice has been taken on board by Romans who

have amended their documentation as required by Trading Standards.”

Ms Markham is concerned that other landlords in the area may also be in the same position, but do not know.

However the managing director of lettings at Romans said that they do not enforce old policies.

Around three years ago, Ms Markham bought her Crowthorne property from Romans and asked the company to market it on her behalf.

As a portfolio landlord, she has three other properties that she collects the rent for herself, but in this instance, decided to use Romans’ rent collection service as she was busy, she explained.

“I thought, I’ll let them do this, and then in a year, I’ll give notice and take over,” she said.

Later down the line, she discovered that the contract said that if she wanted to serve Romans notice, this could not be done with a tenant in situ, and she would have to continue paying commission.

DAMAGE: Broken plastic kerbs along Plough Lane Picture: courtesy of Cllr Rachel Burgess

It said that the Plough Lane kerbs will be replaced.

Cllr Pauline Jorgenson, executive member for highways and transport at the council said that she was pleased to see “positive outcomes” from the trial.

The council reports that the kerbs save enough carbon to power 35 houses for a year.

Cllr Gregor Murray, executive member for residents, communications

and emissions, added: “I am hugely encouraged by the carbon savings that have been made just by this small pilot project.

“It’s easy to forget how big an impact an everyday occurrence like changing the way we replace a kerb can have on our carbon emissions. This project proves that we should be thinking about our carbon savings in every piece of work we do.”

In the case review in September last year, the Property Ombudsman said: “I have found that the Terms of Business and Lettings Authority provided to the complainant, did not meet the requirements under the Code (section 5). They did not clearly outline the circumstances under which Romans’ instruction could be terminated.”

The Ombudsman said they are “not satisfied that this liability for continuous fees, without the ability to serve notice, was specifically drawn to the attention” of Mrs Markham.

“Moreover, the fees in the contract are not expressed in clearly labelled sections,” they said.

“For example, the continuous liability is expressed in the first paragraph of the Letting Authority but is not repeated in the fees section.”

This led the ombudsman to support Ms Markham’s complaint that “information on Roman’s fee poster was misleading”.

“I have also not found that the contemporaneous system notes are sufficient to conclude that the indefinite nature of the rent collection service was explained sufficiently,” they said.

The Ombudsman said they found aspects of Romans communication with Mrs Markham “inconsistent” and criticised this as well.

This advice covered three areas, the Early Determination Fee, Right to Vary fees and Withdrawal Fee. Mrs Markham was awarded £408.55 in compensation. She said it is the “principle” she is more concerned about.

Richard O’Neill, managing director of lettings at Romans, said: “We are sorry that Ms Markham was unsatisfied with the service she received from Romans and are happy that the issues have now been resolved. We always take this type of feedback seriously and aim to provide consistent and transparent service to all customers.

“We have worked closely with the Trading Standards Office to review our documentation and have actioned their suggestions to improve clarity and avoid similar issues in the future.

“A review of this kind is strictly confidential between Romans and the complainant. We will not be publishing the results publicly, however we have now changed our Terms and Conditions and we do not enforce old policies.”

Free no more: Waitrose ends newspaper perk IT’S BEEN a perk enjoyed by Waitrose shoppers for several years, but the store is stopping it later this month.

Shoppers with a MyWaitrose card who spent £10 or more have been able to pick up a free newspaper from tills.

But an email has gone out to MyWaitrose customers informing them that it will come to an end.

It says: “Nobody shops quite like you – so we’re updating myWaitrose to make it even more personal.

“As part of these changes, the myWaitrose newspaper offer will be ending on (Tuesday) 22 February 2022.

But we’re replacing it with something

new – look out for updates in the coming weeks.”

This follows on from the axing of a free cup of coffee for customers.

The founder of money-saving website Quotegoat.com warned that affected shoppers could vote with their feet, no longer visiting the supermarket which has branches in Caversham, Wokingham, Woodley, Tilehurst and Twyford.

Its head office is in Bracknell.

“First, the free coffee was scrapped for loyal customers; next to be axed is the complimentary

newspapers,” Michael Foote said.

“Waitrose customers won’t like this change, and I suspect this could be enough for loyalty cardholders to consider switching where they shop.”

He added: “With food prices rocketing up, the eye-watering sums for a weekly shop in Waitrose are likely to force shoppers to vote with their feet.

“To scrap one of their most loved benefits at this time without an explanation of what’s to replace it could be a harmful move for the supermarket.”

Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

NEWS | 5

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Theatrical fundraiser for MS Therapy Centre

The cakes are baked by Nic Lander’s eldest daughter

FOUNDER: Nic Lander, CEO of the Kimel Foundation has opened the Kimel Cafe Pictures: Jess Warren

Autism cafe opens EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today A CAFE making a difference has opened its doors in Wokingham.

The Kimel Cafe, created by the Kimel Foundation, provides workplace training for young people with autism.

It was founded by Nic Lander, who has three neurodivergent daughters. He created the foundation over concerns about the number of people with autism in employment.

In 2016, the National Autistic Society found that only 16% of autistic adults are in full-time paid employment.

But he said around 70% do want a job.

Mr Lander now has a team of three full-time, and three parttime young people running the cafe on Evendons Lane.

The aim is to help employees with social anxiety, increase their skills, and help them find future employment, Mr Lander said.

He chose the suburban

location for its quieter, community feel as part of this, instead of a busier town centre spot.

The premises has been kitted out in the most environmentally-friendly way possible, Mr Lander explained.

This included collecting the duck egg blue paint from a recycling scheme, and upcycling the tables and chairs.

Some of the other equipment and fittings were donated by businesses in the area.

The cafe serves its own “Kimel Imagination” blend of coffee — a mix of Columbian and Vietnamese beans — and there is a Brazilian mix for decaf too.

The cakes are made by his eldest daughter, Rachel, and the team are currently experimenting with a hot food menu for lunch.

They hope to launch this in the coming weeks.

Mr Lander said that there has been a great response from Evendons residents since the cafe opened.

“We’ve already got our regulars,” he said. “People want to support the project. They like what we are doing and why.

Enjoying the coffee is a massive bonus.”

Mr Lander said that all of the young people who have worked with the Kimel Foundation see a positive change, and hopes to show Wokingham Borough Council the impact that his organisation is having.

“We were told to be bold, and we are,” he said.

At the back of the cafe, there is a private training area for young people.

It includes a kitchen, where those supported by the Kimel Foundation will be able to learn practical, home cooking skills.

“At school they learn how to bake cakes,” Mr Lander said.

“But you can’t live off cake.

“We will be doing the basics — liveable food like breakfasts, scrambled egg, sausage and mash, how to cook pasta. These kinds of things.”

And this can also be done from home. The foundation has

Look out for new blue bags NEW BIN BAGS are being delivered across the borough from this week.

Green food caddy liners and blue general waste bags will be delivered over a six-week period, with all residents receiving them by mid-March.

Each household will be given 80 blue bags in two rolls of 40, to last between April and next March.

Any residents who need more blue bags before they are due to be delivered, can order them from the council website for collection.

Households will be given 75 food waste bags. Anyone not using the food waste service that would like to can collect indoor and outdoor caddies from hubs listed on the council’s website.

DELIVERY: Blue bags and food waste liners are being distributed Picture: WBC Last year, residents threw away 36,000 tonnes of rubbish — half of which is estimated could have been recycled.

Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure urged residents to cut down on the amount of waste going into their blue bags.

Instead, he called on people to use the food waste and green recycling bag services.

“Around 24% of waste going

into the blue bags still comes from food waste and a further 25% from other recyclable materials so we all need to do our bit when disposing of household waste,” he said.

Residents can order more green recycling bags on the council’s website, or collect some from the council’s distribution hubs.

n For more information, visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk/rubbishand-recycling

Inside the Kimel Cafe, a training ground The cafe has its own blend of for neurodivergent young people coffee avaliable Nic Lander said there has already been a lot of support from Evendons residents

secured support from Coventry, London South Bank and Leicester universities to launch a virtual reality (VR) training ground.

It will mean that young people will be able to access the kitchen from the comfort of their home, and practice their food preparation.

Virtual reality sessions will also explore a range of challenges, including danger awareness. Sessions such as these will simulate someone crossing a road and being encouraged to stop, look, and listen before they do.

The universities will analyse data collected from the VR sets, including wearer heart rate, to help the foundation understand

how its young people are reacting to the challenges.

Mr Lander explained that it is important for the Kimel Foundation to innovate in its support for neurodivergent people. The foundation already uses specialised software to track each employees’ outcomes on a monthly basis.

This, he said, helps to quantify the impact that the organisation is having on young people’s lives.

The cafe is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday, and 9.30am to 4pm at the weekends.

It also has outdoor seating and bicycle racks. n For more information, visit: kimelcafe.com

A SPECIAL theatre night in aid of Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre will be held later on this year.

The Mill at Sonning will host the fundraiser on Friday, June 10. The theatre will donate some money from ticket sales for the evening’s performance of Busman’s Holiday to the charity.

The last event in aid of BMSTC held at the Mill raised £2,132 from ticket sales and a raffle.

BMSTC, at Bradbury House in West Reading, offer a range of treatments to support the health and wellbeing of people with MS across Reading and Wokingham.

Busman’s Holiday is a detective comedy written by Dorothy L Sayers and directed

by Brian Blessed.

Tickets are available from the therapy centre until Monday, February 28. n For more information, visit: bmstc.org/theatre2022

Taxi fare rise?

TAXI FARES in Wokingham borough could increase for the first time since 2010.

The council is consulting to increase fares.

It comes after a request was submitted to the Licensing and Appeals Committee by the Licensed Hackney Carriages.

Late evening tariffs apply from 10.30pm, this would increase, as would extra passenger and cleaning fees.

If there are no objections, the changes would apply from Tuesday, March 1. If there are it will be discussed at the Committee the next day.

The deadline to respond is Wednesday, February 16.

n Fordetails, visit: public protectionpartnership.org.uk and search “Wokingham Borough Council consultation on hackney carriage tariffs”.

6 | NEWS

Libraries host online events WOKINGHAM borough libraries are running three online activities for youngsters later this month.

Two creative writing groups and virtual a storytime will be both taking place online.

The teen writing group, for 11- to 18-year-olds, will be joined by author Lisa Williamson on Saturday, February 12.

Her books include First Day of My Life and All About Mia. The session runs from 10.30am to noon.

The children’s creative writing group, for those aged eight to 10, will meet on Thursday, February 10, from 4pm to 4.45pm.

Virtual storytime promises lots of fun for families with children aged seven years old and under. It takes place on Thursday, February 15, at 11.30am. n For more information, email libraries@wokingham.gov.uk

Book signing ONE of the comics behind the hit sitcom Not Going Out will be signing books in Wokingham on Saturday.

Paul Kerensa has written several books for children, including Planet Protectors, and will be at Quench in Holme Grange Craft Village from 3.30pm. Entry is free.

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

Renters feel the sting of commercial electricity rates

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM residents say they have been left feeling the sting of their electricity bill, after moving into new apartments.

Andrew Carr moved into Parkview House, off Oaklands Park along Fishponds Road in November.

The property was converted from a commercial building into 24 flats, and overlooks Leslie Sears Playing Field.

Mr Carr said that he and his neighbours are paying “top dollar rents”, with his exceeding £1,400 per month, for “amazingly ineffective management”.

He believes that they have been misled over energy bills by Prospect Estate Agents, which manages the property on behalf of the landlord.

When a property is changed from commercial to residential, the postcode also changes.

But Mr Carr said that issues with the new postcode meant that the switch-over from a commercial electricity supplier to residential was delayed.

Commercial electricity can

cost around 64p per kilowatt hour, plus a daily charge both at 20% VAT instead of 5% for residents.

While Mr Carr and his neighbours were waiting for the switch to happen, he said they were hit with a bill for more than £500 for two months of power.

“A Prospect staff member said we should bear with them until the end of November,” he said. “But then I got a bill that included a late payment surcharge, even though we were originally told not to worry about paying any bills, as these were being covered by the landlord.”

Mr Carr said he visited the branch to speak to someone about the costs.

“They said it was all sorted and the landlord would pay until it was all sorted out,” Mr Carr said.

But in the new year, Mr Carr was told by Prospect to pay the late payment bill, and that other tenants had. He says they told him the landlord had not agreed to pay the electricity bill during the transfer.

Mr Carr said that he feels that Prospect has been “deceitful”

over the bills, with different agreements made in person and in writing.

“Up to last week, my electricity bill was £1,241,” he said. “I expected to move in and really enjoy it, but it’s been nothing but hell.”

Had he not paid upfront for seven months rent, Mr Carr said that he would be looking to move out now and get out of any agreement that had been made.

The landlord of Parkview House said: “I am surprised that [Wokingham Today] finds this to be somewhat newsworthy.

“Although there was initially an issue with energy bills for eight of the 25 apartments, where they were switched to a business account, instead of residential, the energy company accepted fault and have already released the apartments to the new suppliers.

“They have also applied a discount on the total usage on final invoice to reduce their bills further.

“As this matter has been resolved satisfactorily, we will not comment further.”

Prospect Estate Agents did not comment further.

LEADS: Rob Barlow and Maddie Deeks star as Bonnie and Clyde in the musical retelling of the American criminals’ lives Picture: Simon Drake

Platform YP returns to The Whitty Theatre STUDENTS at a Woosehill theatre school returned to the stage last month as they fundraiser for their place at Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Almost 250 pupils at Platform YP performed five shows at The Whitty Theatre on Saturday, January 29, and Sunday, January 30.

These included Bonnie and Clyde, Singing in the Rain, Bugsy Malone and two shows with different casts performing James and The Giant Peach.

For many of the younger students, this was their first time on the stage.

Delivering the shows to an

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A NATIONAL charity is appealing for help as its Great Daffodil Appeal returns.

End of life charity Marie Curie is calling on residents to give two hours of their time to hand out daffodil pins in return for donations.

This year will be the first Great Daffodil Appeal in two years, due to covid.

Last year, the charity provided direct support to more than 69,000 people – a 15% rise on 2020 and more than ever before.

Fiona Turner, community fundraiser for Berkshire said the team is excited to get back out there for its collections.

She added: “We rely on

Trust shortlisted for portering awards

PORTERING staff at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust have been recognised as among the best in the country.

The team has been shortlisted for two awards in this year’s MyPorter Awards These include the Portering Team of the Year, and Newcomer of the Year.

Kenneth McIntyre was nominated by his colleagues for being a newcomer who makes the whole team stronger, pushes others to even

volunteers to help us raise as much money as we can so that we can continue to ensure Marie Curie is there for terminally ill people, and their families in their final days, weeks, months.

“Volunteering is not only a great way to support Marie Curie but also a chance to meet new people in your community.”

On Wednesday, March 23, the charity is encouraging everyone to wear a daffodil pin and take a moment to show their support for the millions of people bereaved during the pandemic.

n For more information, visit: Mariecurie.org.uk/collect

better work, and has great ways of communicating with colleagues and patients that bring a smile to everyone’s face.

Jose Antunes, portering services coordinator at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, said that all of the portering teams play a vital role in keeping the Trust running smoothly.

Steve Sellwood, facilities manager responsible for Portering Services, said that he is delighted the department has been shortlisted. The award ceremony is later this month.

audience of almost 900, the interval refreshments raised £704 for the group’s Fringe fundraiser.

The school is now £2,400 away from its £6,500 target, which will be used to get its team to Scotland this summer.

They will spend seven days performing Madagascar JR, based on the DreamWorks film series.

School founder Tracey Eley said that she is so proud of her students.

“We have started rehearsing for our Fringe show and it already looks and sounds amazing,” she added.

Comedy night back A COMEDY night is being held to raise money for Wokingham charities.

The Wokingham Lions Club is hosting its third comedy night on Friday, March 4, at the Wokingham Theatre.

There will be three comedians taking to the stage: Mike Gunn, Sarah Callaghan and Tom Ward.

The night will be led by David Ward, with all proceeds going to charities in the area.

Members of First Days Children’s Charity will be selling raffle tickets on the night.

Organiser John Cleary said: “It’s been a long time coming, but it’s great to be able to bring back the Comedy Nights in Wokingham after a two-year break.

“We would like to thank the trustees of the Wokingham Theatre for letting us use their fantastic venue.

“The demand for tickets has been incredible, with most of the tickets already sold.

“It shows what a tremendous appetite there is for comedy. It promises to be a great night, and we hope to be running more comedy nights in the future.”

Tickets cost £16, plus a £1 booking fee. n For tickets, visit: wokinghamlions.org.uk

Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

NEWS | 7

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

New Community Speedwatch ‘No plans for Pinewood homes’ Group launched in Norreys

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

And on Pinewood, he said: “I would EXCLUSIVE like to clear up a misunderstanding By JESS WARREN on the future of the Pinewood WOKINGHAM Borough Council has Centre. It is a valued community jwarren@wokingham.today no intention of building homes on facility that we’re committing to maintain and potentially improve.

Pinewood Leisure Complex.

A NEW Community Speedwatch group “This could allow the facilities to has been set up in Wokingham town That’s the promise of council leader John Halsall, who was be improved if funding is available by volunteers, as part of an initiative launched by Thames Valley Police last responding to a petition set up by and local support forthcoming.

“To be clear, we aren’t advocating year. residents who fear the opposite after its inclusion in the Draft Local any development, but we’re offering And in one session, volunteers caught Plan Update, showing where homes development as an opportunity for more than 40 drivers exceeding the could be built in the borough up to the current lease holders to obtain limit. the funds if they say they need 2036.

Community Speedwatch involves More than 3,800 people signed them. volunteers recording details of speeding “The regeneration funding could vehicles using special detection devices. a petition launched by concerned residents after the popular site was come from any source.

The data is passed to Thames Valley “But if Pinewood did take a Police, which writes to the registered listed in the update, as being suitable small amount further to attract keeper of any vehicles caught exceeding for “self-funded regeneration”.

Cllr Halsall said: “We have funding, the council is committed to the limit. absolutely no intention of building investing in the facilities to ensure The information also helps police that future generations can benefit.” understand the scale of speeding in the on Pinewood.

Cllr Halsall thanked people who area.

“I sent a letter to every home in the borough to explain some of the responded to the consultation, Cllr Rachel Burgess, leader of the things (in the consultation) that saying the council had had a good Labour group, has helped to set up level of response. seemed to be obscure. a Community Speedwatch group for “I’m very grateful to everybody Norreys and Wescott in response to “We made a lot of efforts to ensure who has written in,” he said, adding resident concerns. that everybody was informed.”

Despite this, he said that “There that he was “not that happy with At a recent session on Bell Foundry have been misleading comments on people signing up to petitions which Lane the group found 44 drivers social media and elsewhere – fake are clearly erroneous”. exceeding the 30mph limit in just The responses will be reviewed 90 minutes — one was driving above news as it’s now called.”

He repeated previous comments and the next phase of the local 60mph.

TOO FAST: Cllr Rachel Burgess and volunteers running a recent Speedwatch session on Bell that the borough needed a local plan update is expected later this Cllr Burgess said “Speeding and road Foundry Lane plan to protect it from unsolicited year, with more opportunities for safety is one of the top issues reported to “I’m grateful to the residents sessions in the speeding hotspots.” developments. The greenbelt, he residents to comment. me by residents. As well as campaigning “We do need to produce a plan for safer roads, I wanted to take some who have already helped us run n To join the Norreys and Wescott added, can’t be moved, and the council couldn’t plan to build homes because it’s a better alternative than more action in the community to try and Community Speedwatch sessions — Speedwatch group visit: www. in the emergency planning zone not producing a plan,” Cllr Halsall curb excessive speeding in our area and we are keen to recruit more communityspeedwatch.org and follow the said. Today Paper_ 265X160mm_HalfPage_MARCH_event_2022_V2 around AWE site in Burghfield. improve residents’ quality of life. volunteers so we can hold regular links to register and join existing group.

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To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today DISCUSSION: PCSO Elena Ispas with Cllr David Hare

Plan for new sewer system divides Heath Ride residents EXCLUSIVE

By DANIEL BLACKMAN dblackham@rdg.today

Events Field safety raised with PCSO AN EARLEY councillor is hoping to help reduce anti-social behaviour in one of the town’s green spaces, writes Jess Warren.

Cllr David Hare is concerned that a shelter in the Earley Event Field off Kilnsea Drive is being used for some “unsavoury behaviour”.

The Liberal Democrat councillor for Hawkedon said that he has spoken with Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Elena Ispas, who is being “very helpful” in finding a solution for the park.

Cllr Hare said that the shelter was built by Earley Town Council, with its proximity to Maiden Place chosen so that police could monitor it easily.

“The use of the shelter has some positive uses, and can be a place

where relatives and friends can sit as the children play,” he said.

“But it is also used for antisocial reasons, drug exchange and use being a particular problem, as well as unsavoury language or behaviour.

“The discussion with the police is about how we can make the shelter easier to access so that the police can make it a safer place for most users.”

Cllr Hare said that he does not want something “spoilt” for the majority because of a minority, and said that he has spoken to PCSO Ispas about the site.

He added: “We have some ideas to try out to make the shelter, hopefully, less attractive to antisocial behaviour.”

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

THAMES WATER has developed plans for a sewer and pumping station on Heath Ride after it received formal applications from multiple households to be connected to a public system.

Properties in Heath Ride are not currently part of the network and most residents use septic tanks to collect waste.

Due to the Water Industry Act, Thames Water is duty bound to make a connection when a property owner requests access to the main sewer network.

Of the 78 home owners surveyed in 2018, 24 were interested in connecting to the new sewer.

However, some residents on the road believe that the disruption and costs involved are not worth the hassle.

Aaron Reader, who lives on Heath Ride, said: “It’s a total waste of money and I think

you’ll be lucky if you get 10 of the residents connected.

“To connect to the system I will have to dig up the driveway, pay a connection fee and then pay more on a yearly basis compared to maintaining the current system I have got in.”

This view was shared by another homeowner who described the plans as “not economically viable.”

Although the new sewer will be funded by Thames Water, anyone wishing to join the system will have to pay a one-off connection fee and then an ongoing wastewater charge.

Individual property owners have the option to maintain their current systems if they do not wish to join the new network.

Due to the narrow nature of the road, some homeowners are concerned about gaining access to their properties while work is ongoing.

Thames Water is keen to appease residents’ worries.

A spokesperson said: “We

appreciate some residents have concerns about potential disruption and we will do everything we can to keep it to a minimum.

“We’re experienced at working on infrastructure projects on narrow roads and, wherever possible, will ensure access is maintained for residents, visitors, and the likes of emergency vehicles, bin collections and online delivery services.”

Thames Water has also committed to no night-time working and will ensure access is always available at the start and end of each working day.

As well as maintaining private and domestic waste, the sewer will help protect the environment, Thames Water staff said.

They believe that there is clear evidence that some private systems have failed and are causing pollution in nearby watercourses.

This is usually caused by sewage water leaking from septic tanks into the

surrounding ground and into nearby waters or via surface water drains.

Planning consent to lay the new pipes is not required, however it is necessary for the pumping station.

An application is due to be submitted to the council this spring.

The pumping station will be designed with landscaping and plants to screen it from neighbouring properties and the Thames Water spokesperson said that they already have similar stations in place which cause little disruption to those who live nearby.

Once the application has been received by the council, residents will be able to comment on the proposals.

If approved, work is expected to start in February 2023, and completion is scheduled for February 2024.

The Thames Water spokesperson said that pipes being laid four metres deep is a “significant factor” in the expected project duration.

9 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

Residents along Kiln Green A4 fear for their ‘health and safety’ EXCLUSIVE

A4: A section of road surface on the A4 as it goes through Kiln Green, which residents say adds to road noise Picture: Simon Chapman

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today RESIDENTS who live along the A4 say they are “fearing for their health and safety” following an increase in traffic and deteriorating road surface.

The rising number of vehicles using the road, particularly HGVs, was first noticed by people in Kiln Green and Hare Hatch during the M4 smart motorway closures.

Traffic levels “have remained very high” since the works were completed, according to Cllr Wayne Smith, chairman of the Scarlett’s Lane Resident’s Association.

Cllr Smith also represents Hurst ward as a Conservative member of Wokingham Borough Council (WBC).

In a letter sent to WBC and seen by Wokingham Today, Cllr Smith outlines a number of issues being faced by residents who live along the A4 in Ruscombe and Wargrave.

These include noise from the poor road surface, inconsistencies with the speed limit through the area, speeding, and obstructed pathways.

His letter includes comments from residents who have contacted Cllr Smith

with their concerns.

One of the letter’s contributors, Simon Chapman, said that there is growing frustration at the lack of action being taken by WBC, despite residents having the support of both the ward’s borough councillors, plus a third who is a resident in the area.

“There has been an ongoing dialogue between our councillors, Cllr John Halsall and Cllr Graham Howe, Cllr Smith as a resident, and Cllr Pauline Jorgensen and the highways department for well over a year,” Mr Chapman said.

“The highways department said that they might be able to do something about the road surface in 2023 using lockchip material, which will actually make things worse.

“The chips set proud of the

road surface and stay that way for years, and that’s if it doesn’t break up because of the weight of increased traffic.

“That is what happened when lockchip patchwork was carried out along the A4 last year.

“It seems that Cllr Jorgensen is holding out for lockchip which is presumably cheaper.”

Another contributor, Karen Robinson, has lived along the affected stretch of A4 for almost 21 years. She has two children attending nearby schools, who need to walk along the road to get there.

“Clearing the pathways of all the overhanging hedges and brambles should be an easy job, surely it’s part of what we pay Council Tax for,” she said. “The council is trying to encourage sustainable travel, but it seems

as though the funding for this end of the borough just isn’t in place.”

Ms Robinson stressed that the main interest of residents is safety.

She added: “There are no safe places to cross the road, and the area around Hare Hatch is so dangerous.

“We’ve had to dodge vans mounting the pavement to get around traffic waiting to turn at London Road.”

She is also concerned about the speed limit in the area.

“There is not enough time for drivers to slow down from the 60mph stretch before reaching the traffic island, which is too close to the beginning of the 40mph section,” she said.

“The speed warning sign is always flashing as people are driving too fast, yet we have not seen a police speed check and are told by WBC that there is not an issue.”

Cllr Smith said that he recognises that anyone living close to the A4 cannot expect peace and quiet, but the situation is deteriorating.

According to Cllr Smith, lockchip surfacing works previously carried out along the A4 have failed.

“Local residents, many of them elderly, deserve immediate and enduring relief

from the traffic noise, and that will mean inlay rather than lockchip surfacing,” he said.

“Indeed, WBC have been promising them relief for years but the problems only seem to get worse.”

A spokesperson for WBC said that residents should report issues with road signs and markings, and apply for a review of the speed limit on the council’s website.

They added: “The issue of encroaching vegetation and detritus on the footpath has been passed to our contractor for action, it is expected the rectification will commence within six weeks.

“The 2022-23 plane inlay programme is currently being produced by our contractors.

“We anticipate it being available in the coming few weeks and will be publishing it once it is available.”

A Thames Valley Police spokesperson added: “We rely on the public to provide information and would encourage anyone with information about speeding or poor driving to please report it on our website or by calling the non-emergency number on 101 so that we can gather information about a particular area and take action where appropriate.”

Memories of Wokingham group to hold a reunion AN ONLINE discussion forum is organising a reunion.

The Memories of Wokingham group is to hold the event on Saturday, May 21 from 4pm, at the White Horse Pub, Easthampstead Road.

It is aimed at people who were born or went to school, lived in or grew up in and around Wokingham between the 1950s and 1970s.

There will be a band playing music from the era, and plenty of opportunities to reminisce.

Tickets for the event are £5, with profits going to Cancer Research UK. n For more information, search for Memories of Wokingham on Facebook. For tickets, search Memories of Wokingham on wegottickets.com

Creative Cantley A PROGRAMME of arts and crafts is starting at Cantley Park.

The first session is candle making today (Thursday) between 10am and noon.

Collage for wellbeing will take place on Thursday, February 24, and Thursday, March 10. There are two sessions available on both days, 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm. n For more information, visit: wokingham.gov.uk

Hurst plans Platinum Jubilee parties A CALL has gone out for talented pets, jugglers, singers and bands to help celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in Hurst writes Sue Corcoran.

Also needed is a metal worker to make a beacon that will be lit as a part of the UK-wide lighting ceremony to mark the jubilee.

Hurst Parish Council are planning the four-day celebration starting on Thursday June 2, with the beacon lighting. It’s hoped St Nicholas Church’s bells will ring out at the same time.

The organisers are already asking performers to sign up for the Hurst’s Got Talent contest.

Parish councillor Paul Palmer, pausing from placing the festive bunting order, said: “We’d like to hear now from everyone who’d like to take part in Hurst’s Got Talent on the family festival day, Saturday June 4, at Martineau Lane green.

“You could have a talented pet, be a juggler, a singer, play an instrument, or entertain in any other way, like on Britain’s Got Talent.

“There’ll also be games including tugs of war, a fancy dress parade and cream teas.

“Let us know now if your band would like to perform later that day when there’ll be

PARTY: Cllr Paul Palmer is helping organise the Hurst celebrations a bar and food. We’ll have a sound engineer and a stage.”

Sport loving villagers are invited to take part in and watch football, bowling, cricket, tennis and a jubilee cycle ride visiting Hurst pubs for traditional games on Friday, June 3.

“On the Sunday, the final day, we’re hoping to close a road for a massive street party,” Cllr Palmer said. “You can bring

your own picnic and decorate your table.

“We’d love to hear from anyone who can help sponsor what will be a real community celebration of the Queen’s 70 years.

“This event will become part of Hurst’s history.” n To sign up for Hurst’s Got Talent or get involved in any way, including by sponsorship, visit: www.hurst-jubilee.co.uk

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

NO VENTILATION: Black dust on windowsills and high carbon monoxide

Woodley children develop LILLY MAY COURT: Residents would like Housing Solutions to buy back the properties All pictures: Steve Smyth

A discreet approach

F

inding a property that gives you butterflies when you walk in the front door is not always easy, especially in a market with limited supply like we have seen over the past 18 months.

Scouring Rightmove and Zoopla and ensuring you are registered with local estate agents should cover you for 85% of the properties for sale… but what about the other 15%?

These are properties which never hit the open market. I am not talking about the Rightmove listing you see which states “SOLD PRIOR TO MARKETING”…that’s just a sale that happened before photos were ready and a description was written.

There is a sector of the market which never gets advertised and remains private throughout the transaction and usually after completion. So why does it happen and how can you hear about these properties?

Not all sellers want their properties advertised publicly. This may be for privacy reasons, security, a change in life circumstance or simply a personal preference, but whatever the reason, the need for discretion requires a different approach to a normal sale. When we are instructed to sell a property ‘off-market’ we speak to the most suitable buyers on our database first, so if you are not registered with the agent, then you will never know about these properties.

Building a relationship with local estate agents is essential in order to hear about properties which others simply don’t know about, and that will also mean being frank and transparent about your buying position and how you are funding a purchase. You need to be the agent’s first call when they are instructed. These types of sales are becoming more common but tend to be limited to a handful of agencies who are able to offer the level of service and experience required to broker this type of transaction.

Hat and Home Founder, Ben Gee

Hat and Home discreetly sold six houses in January, without the need for full market exposure. In each case we achieved a record price for our client. Our private sale service is led by me personally and matches discreet buyers with discreet sellers in the upper quartile of the market. With twenty years' experience in the sector, in both prime central London and the local area, I know what it takes to broker a deal and facilitate its successful execution. If you have a property to sell or let which requires a private approach, please drop me a line to arrange a consultation. Ben Gee on 0752 310 6629 or email ben@hatandhome.co.uk

EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today CHILDREN living in a Woodley housing block have been struggling with respiratory issues after moving in five years ago.

Families at Lilly May Court believe that living next to multiple haulage yards without appropriate ventilation systems in the property has left their children with asthma.

Elise Maslen moved into the property in 2017 with her husband Kai Meade and their three-year-old son Archie.

After three years, Archie was diagnosed with asthma and given an inhaler.

“I noticed that he had developed a cough for a while,” said Mr Meade.

Mrs Maslen added: “At that point, I didn’t know that other residents’ children had been prescribed inhalers as well.”

The couple believe that this respiratory condition is a result of breathing in pollution from the neighbouring yards, due to correlations they have observed.

“In the warmer months, we open the window to let the air in,” Mrs Maslen explained. “I noticed black dust coming in through the open windows and settling on the white windowsill.

It’s coming into the property and it’s airborne.”

This dust was also spotted by other residents.

“When we had the windows open, Archie would cough,” Mrs Maslen said. “And when it got colder and the windows were closed, the cough would go away.”

Hauliers Mrs Maslen explained that her family have no ill-feeling towards the haulage companies, but believe that homes should not have been built in such close proximity to them.

Jeff Cahill, owner of BDT Haulage Services, said that he opposed plans to build residential properties next to existing hauliers.

His company sits around 100 metres west of Lilly May Court, and is one of many companies based at the industrial estate off Headley Road East.

“I was upset when they built that development,” he said. “I have helped these people as best I can.”

Mr Cahill said that the majority of lorries on the site are Euro Six, which produce the “cleanest diesel emissions”.

He said that it was “unlikely” that emissions from these trucks were causing asthma in the children, but said that it could have been dust from the site, or emissions from forklifts.

He said that when planning the site, it would have been better to build in a “drop-zone” for the dust, rather than building homes along the site border.

Planning conditions As part of the planning conditions set out in 2015, alternative ventilation measures were agreed by Wokingham Borough Council so that windows could be kept closed to limit noise pollution.

But these were never installed.

“I know [the pollution] is damaging my child’s lungs, which is why we are all so angry about this,” she added.

Mr Meade said that he is still worried about Archie’s health.

“I know this is having an impact on us mentally,” he said. “We’re scared our son will develop more symptoms.”

“We don’t know what we are breathing in,” Mrs Maslen added. “We put our son in this situation, and we can’t move away.”

Carbon monoxide in pregnant women

They are not the only family to feel concerned about their children’s health.

Damaris Sende and her family of four are also scared about the impact pollution could be having on their lungs.

While pregnant with her now 19-month-old son, Mrs Sende was found to have higher than normal levels of carbon monoxide in her blood.

“In the routine check-ups, they asked me to blow into this instrument, and said that I had quite dangerous levels in my body,” she said.

“They asked if we travelled to the appointment by car, and if it had any faults, as high carbon monoxide is usually linked to fumes.”

The pollutant can stop oxygen from reaching vital organs, and stop infants from getting enough oxygen to grow during a pregnancy.

Mrs Sende said that she recorded nine parts per million of carbon monoxide in her breath, a level usually found in smokers.

“It was really alarming, knowing this was going into my child’s lungs,” she said.

Charlotte Cummings, who was pregnant at the same time as Mrs Sende, also had the same experience at a routine check-up.

She recorded six parts per million of carbon monoxide in her breath, and said that was told by her nurse it was the equivalent of smoking 20 to 30 cigarettes each day.

“I was horrified at that,” she said.

After her check-up, Mrs Sende’s doctor at Woodley Surgery wrote a letter over concerns about the proximity of the homes to the haulage companies.

Within a year of Mrs Sende’s son being born, he was given an inhaler.

“He is wheezing everyday and hasn’t gone two weeks in his life without a cough,” she said.

Mrs Sende said that she and her husband had hoped to expand their family, but feel unable to do so while living in Lilly May Court.

Moving on They had previously been “on the cusp of moving out” but the sale fell through because the borough council confirmed in writing that the homes had been built in a breach of planning conditions, due to the lack of alternative ventilation and specialist glazing.

“I feel trapped,” she said.

Mrs Cummings was able to move out of the property with her husband and two children last summer due to help from her parents.

However they are still paying the mortgage at Lilly May Court.

She said that her three-year-old daughter Rosie had developed a cough “she couldn’t shake” while living at the property, and was prescribed an inhaler.

“We’ve not had to use Rosie’s inhaler once since we moved out,” she said.

Her toddler, who is a similar age to Mrs Sende’s son, has not had any health issues.

“My heart breaks for Damaris,” she said. “That could have been us too.”

Making good Wokingham Borough Council’s housing executive, Cllr John Kaiser, has said that the developer, Bloor Homes, is now in a place to retrospectively install the ventilation measures.

A Housing Solutions spokesperson said that they have been working with the residents to facilitate this.

However Mrs Maslen and Mr Meade said that they never would have purchased the property from Housing

Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

NEWS | 11

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e in pregnant women living at Lilly May Court

asthma while living next to haulage yards Solutions under shared ownership if they had been made aware of the yards and potential for pollution when paying their deposit.

They do not want the measures installed, but instead for Housing Solutions to buy back the homes.

The couple said that they bought of plan and were not told about the yards until later down the line.

Under the planning permission granted in 2015, the developer confirmed that prospective purchasers would be made fully aware of the haulage yards next door.

Meeting minutes detailed that “the applicant has agreed to have this as a covenant put on the deeds, and in this way, it will be raised as an issue each time there is a change of ownership.

This will be secured by way of a legal agreement.”

A spokesperson for Housing Solutions said: “As purchasers, the residents would have been aware of the yard itself as well as the planning conditions that had been imposed by the local authority through the legal information supplied during the conveyancing process.

“The existence and location of the haulage yard would also be obvious on any viewing.”

Speaking in a meeting last month, Cllr Shirley Boyt, Labour councillor for Bulmershe and Whitegates, said that a covenant regarding the yard and the mitigation — which did not exist — wasn’t disclosed at the point of sale.

She has defined point of sale as the payment of a deposit.

“The majority of residents would never have bought into these properties had they been given the full facts at the point of sale and have requested the properties are bought back by the provider, who has refused,” Cllr Boyt said in the meeting.

She wanted to know if the borough council could do anything to encourage Housing Solutions to buy back the flats from the shared owners.

Cllr Kaiser said that it would not “be appropriate for the council to interfere with the contractual position between the residents and the Housing Association”.

Mr Meade said that his family are unable to sell their home, and that the “value has diminished”.

He said: “Out only hope is that Housing Solutions takes back these properties, as we were mis-sold. It would allow us all to move on with our lives.”

Political support Matt Rodda, Labour MP for Reading East said that he is deeply concerned by the situation.

“The residents have had to suffer dreadful noise and air pollution problems and the housing association does not seem to have listened to their very serious concerns,” he said.

“I am calling on Housing Solutions to completely change its approach and offer residents the fair treatment and financial help they rightly deserve.

Housing Solutions should now buy back the flats so that the residents can leave and get on with their lives.”

This call has been echoed by other residents and Cllr Boyt, who has been looking into their concerns.

She said: “Since I became involved, I have been appalled at woefully inadequate response from the

organisations whose job it is to protect these residents — Environmental Health, Wokingham Borough Planning, and Housing Solutions.

“The planning process was more concerned with ensuring there would be no complaints about the haulage companies rather than the impact of this activity on the health of future occupants.

“From 2018 onwards, countless complaints to Environmental Health and Housing Solutions about health issues caused by intolerable noise and poor air quality were ignored and residents were even told by the housing association, that they must keep their windows closed and not complain.”

She first visited the site in 2020, and said that on arrival, she could “taste the fumes” in the air.

“I knew that I was breathing in something horrible,” she said. “I was gobsmacked that anyone in Woodley could be living under such circumstances.”

On her return home, Cllr Boyt spent time looking through the planning documents, and it was then that she discovered mitigation measures were meant to have been installed in the property.

This was in the form of high performance glazing and an internal fan, similar to an extractor fan. The fan was designed to support the windows being closed to limit noise pollution.

After discovering the breach of planning, she reported it to Wokingham Borough Council, but said that she was told that there was no breach.

After pushing some more, she said that officers visited the site and saw the lack of ventilation measures themselves.

Wokingham Borough Council said that a potential breach of planning was first raised in August 2020, and then confirmed in November that year.

Planning enforcement officers, building control and environmental health visited in February last year.

The council did not serve a formal breach of planning notice but called on developer Bloor Homes to retrospectively carry out the work.

A spokesperson for Housing Solutions said that they became aware of the breach “last September”.

They said that an internal fan was included in the plan “to support the windows being kept closed when needed due to noise” and that “the planning conditions were not intended to address air quality at the site”.

They added: “The issue of air quality and, or pollution is not under Housing Solutions’ responsibility or control and the local authority did not impose any conditions on the developer in terms of air quality.

“Irrespective of this, we naturally share our residents’ concerns around the potential impact of the haulage yard on themselves and their families.

“This is why we asked Wokingham Borough Council’s environmental health team to undertake specialist air quality testing in the area.

“We are pleased to see that this is now being undertaken and we very much look forward to receiving the results of those investigations.”

Retrospective installation The Housing Solutions spokesperson said that they have “made a number of

TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT: A view from one of the Lilly May Court flats

Lilly-May’s Mother offers her help to the families LILLY MAY Court was named after a Woodley girl who died in 2014 after collapsing from a cardiac arrest at school.

Her mother, Claire Page, said that she was completely unaware of any issues at the property but found the news very upsetting.

“My heart goes out to all of the families living there,” she said. “After what I’ve been through with Lilly, it’s upsetting to know that children living there are poorly.”

Ms Page said that she is now upset about the legacy this leaves for her daughter.

“The planning breach with no ventilation is really shocking,” she said. “They have been mis-sold.”

Ms Page added: “If there is anything I can do to help, I am happy to.”

interventions” to try and get the issue the owner of Lilly May Court as to the extent of the works, which will require resolved for residents.

“We have been in regular, ongoing a very short period of access to each discussions with the developer, the individual flat.

“The residents have been informed planners and the environmental health department, alongside residents, to get of the works, which will be carried out shortly at Bloor’s sole cost.” the measures implemented,” they said.

This was confirmed by the executive “Due to these efforts, Bloor Homes has agreed to carry out the work needed member for planning and enforcement at its own cost and we have, since then, at the borough council.

Cllr Wayne Smith said: “We take been working with the residents to facilitate access to their flats so it can be action to protect people against development when necessary. carried out.

“However, enforcement action is slow “We have offered support to the residents to remove as much of the and is not always the best way to resolve inconvenience as possible including issues. It is often better for the residents offering the services of a professional if we work will all involved to find a mediator at our cost to support them in solution.

“We’ll be keeping on top of this issue the process.”

They added: “Some of the residents to make sure the breach of planning is are reluctant to engage with the resolved properly.” developer to progress the work that is needed to address the issue of noise.

“We have stood shoulder to shoulder with our residents in our efforts to resolve the situation and we will continue to support the residents affected however we can.”

A spokesperson for Bloor Homes said: “We were made aware of issues at Lilly May Court by We can replace your existing kitchen worktops with new Wokingham quartz or corian, rejuvenating your kitchen and giving it a Borough Council and fresh new look. have been in regular contact with the council in order to resolve the matter.

“Bloor has recently reached an agreement with the council and

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12 | NEWS

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Honest motherhood

Wokingham Wa founder’s leg

Angela Garwood

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today

If the shoe fits...

I

THE LEGACY of the founder of a Thames-side canoe centre continues to live on, thanks to a team of staff and volunteers.

T’S official, our darling boy is walking at last. (Not that we’ve been impatient or anything...)

He’s still adorably hesitant and it only takes a brief gust of wind to knock him over, but his steps are frequent enough that we felt it was time to acquire the adequate footwear.

I think Joel was more excited than I was to buy Leo’s first pair of shoes. (Probably because I’m eight years more accustomed to the ludicrous cost of children’s footwear.)

“We’ll have to wait till Saturday, I want to be there. We have to take photos,” he says.

I was quietly delighted, we differ on many things but documenting the children’s milestones is not one of them. I just didn’t realise a first-shoe purchase was a milestone.

We went along and Leo wriggled and whined on Joel’s lap as the shop assistant attempted to take his measurements. This wasn’t the happy photo we were imagining but I snapped away anyway.

When the shoes were finally on, it appeared our boy had forgotten how to move. What were these strange things attached to his feet? What was the need for them?

He took a few wobbly steps sustaining a look of deep concentration. A lot of frowning. This was serious stuff.

“He er, walks a bit differently at home,” I said, picturing him happily tottering up and down our kitchen with a tad more haste.

It didn’t take long, and a minute later he had his usual toddle back. I made about four videos. £58 later (we bought two pairs) we left Clarks feeling simultaneously triumphant and hard done by. I believe the trainers I was wearing at the time were cheaper than my son’s new shoes.

I was going to make sure he wore these daily.

Keen to test out the new investments, we walked from Clarks all the way to GAIL’s. This took approximately 28 minutes. I’ve never paid so much attention to the pavement. Or to the pace and location of other pedestrians. I’m now forever fearful he’s going to be knocked over.

“I wish the ground was made of mattress,” I muttered to Joel as we comforted a tearful Leo after a fall.

Still fearful but equally excited by this new phase, I decided it’d be fun for us to walk from the car to collect Maia from school, a short journey I’d normally do with Leo in his pushchair.

It is not, in fact, a short journey for an 18-monthold. It is a very very long journey.

When it soon became clear this was not going to be particularly efficient, I scooped him up and carried him. (This was not well received.)

Thankfully Maia still enjoys seeing Leo walk, so when the rest of the school had vacated the area, (you wouldn’t have known it was a school day) we took our time meandering back to the car.

Meander being the key word.

Because, of course, toddlers don’t follow the path. Explorers by nature, they want to go where they’ve never been, where the masses might avoid.

Like the driveways and front gardens of strangers.

“No Leo that’s not our car… Not our lawn… NO LEO!” Maia was admirably patient holding Leo’s hand and cautiously accompanying him at snail pace. She giggled as he took us off into yet another driveway and we attempted to guide him back.

“Come on Leo… this way,” She repeated.

As I put her to bed that night, I asked what her favourite part of the day was. “Seeing Leo walking,” she replied without hesitation.

“Mine too,” I said.

Seeing the two of them walking together, hand in hand, really was the best thing.

Angela blogs at The Colourful Kind

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

NEXT ROUND: INOV8 Robotics won a regional heat

Lego robotics team off to finals A TEAM of Lego fans have won a place in the national finals of a robotics competition for youngsters.

INOV8 Robotics won a regional heat of First Lego League robotics competition and will go one to the final, due to take place in Harrogate at the end of this month.

They also won the award for the highest score in the robot game section of the event.

The team is made up from seven Year Eight pupils, four of whom are from schools in Wokingham and Reading.

Simrat Basra from Bohunt Wokingham, Mehul Gupta from Reading Blue Coat School, Aarush Vardhan from Reading Boys and Jessica Widdicombe, from Kendrick School were joined by three pupils from Herschel Grammar School, Slough —Yuvraj Basra, Anvi Bhatkal, Arya Sujit Kaimal — to form the winning combination.

The FLL is run by the Institute of

Engineering and Technology and aims to support STEM learning.

The theme for the FLL tournament was Cargo Connect, which explores modern transportation.

Competitors take part in a project, the robot game, robot design, and are tested on core values such as teamwork and effort.

The team was organised into two groups, one concentrating on the project and the other concentrating on robot design, coding, and the build, all using Lego Mindstorms.

INOV8 Robotics has been active for a number of years. Members meet every weekend to discuss ideas, write code and build a robot designed to perform a set of tasks.

This isn’t the first time team INOV8 has won FLL’s regional competition. Several members of the current team were part of the group which saw off the opposition in January 2020.

NAP TIME: Silentnight is looking for snorers to have sweet dreams

Enjoy the sound of silence ... sweet dreams are made of this

FOR some, visions softly creeping come from the sound of silence, but for others it’s not the flash of a neon light that splits the night, it’s a snorer.

A new contest has been launched by bed specialists Silentnight, aimed at giving people well, a silent night.

One in four sleepers say they are kept awake by their partner’s snoring, so to help Silentnight has launched a search for volunteers to test its sleep products. And the serious snorers will also receive £300 for their troubles.

The prize includes a sleep bundle worth up to £700: a king-size, rolled mattress from the Studio

by Silentnight collection, a pair of innovative Anti-Snore pillows designed to encourage improved breathing, and a So Snug 13.5 tog winter duvet to keep snorers cosy

while they doze.

Kat Collins, senior brand manager for Silentnight, said: “This is official business and we’re looking for applicants who take their sleep seriously.

“As part of our mission to change how people sleep for the better, we know that customers’ feedback on our products is fundamental to our future launches so can’t wait to hear our new ‘employees’ thoughts.”

To take part, visit the firm’s website and sign up to its newsletter, and follow @silentnightbeds on Instagram or Facebook.

Winners will be contacted by email and Silentnight will remove the old mattress as well.

Forget Simon and Garfunkel, the best sign-off line comes from Eurythmics: sweet dreams are made of this. Who am I to disagree?

Wokingham Waterside Centre, at Thames Valley Park, is celebrating its 21st anniversary this month.

The facility opened in February 2001. It was the result of a decade of campaigning for improved access to the water for canoeists by Scout leader, John Cooper.

John died in 2013 after a short battle with cancer, but his ambition for residents to enjoy paddling along the Thames is still being fulfilled.

Assistant operations manager Connor Maroney says that people holidaying in the UK last summer led to an increase in visitors to the centre.

As a result, the centre has been able refurbish some areas and buy new kit.

This included expanding its fleet of katakanus for people with additional needs to get out onto the water.

“A katakanu is basically two Canadian canoes linked together to improve stability so they won’t capsize,” Connor explains.

“They are used for organised social groups as well as individuals, and we’ve noticed an increase in confidence amongst regulars.

“One person has progressed to a sit-on-top kayak, which is fantastic.”

The centre, which is a not-for-profit organisation, bought the sit-on-tops in 2020 thanks to a £3,800 grant from Toyota’s Para Spirit project.

Get Berkshire Active funded free, women-only paddleboarding sessions with female instructors last year to encourage more women to try the sport.

Wokingham Waterside Centre’s ethos of progression and accessibility also extends to staff and volunteers.

Several younger members of staff,

21ST ANNIVERSARY: Assistant operations m including Connor, first attended the centre’s youth clubs before becoming volunteer and then paid activity instructors there.

Amie Warner, 16, is working on a level three City and Guilds team leader apprenticeship at the centre.

She is the youngest member of staff.

“I’ve been paddling since I was a toddler,” she says. “I gained my instructor award when I was 14 and now I want to give other kids the same opportunities I had.

“Being outside is something I enjoy,

Alehouse regular’s dying wish fulfilled by friends A SPECIAL beer has been brewed to fulfil an Alehouse regular’s final wish, writes Natalie Burton.

The Merry Gardener was created in honour of Meredith Gaultier

by Elusive Brewing and Ian Wisdom, Twyford Beer Festival organiser.

Mr Gaultier, known as Merry, died last week from throat cancer.

As well as being a long-time punter at The Alehouse in Reading town centre, Merry was a regular member of Team Tango, the nickname used for stewarding staff at Reading Beer Festival.

He was also a volunteer Twyford Beer Festival.

Ian Wisdom was asked by Merry to brew the beer for a celebration of his life, to be held at The Alehouse in Broad Street later this month.

“He was a very private man, I never knew his surname” Ian explains.

“But the beer and its name

The Merry Gardener was his idea.

“He was a horticulturalist and gardener who once worked at Windsor Great Park.”

Merry moved into the Reading area from north-west England for work.

In the final stages of his illness, he was cared for at St Richard’s Hospice, Worcester.

All proceeds from pints sold from the cask of beer, a classic bitter featuring cascade hops from Herefordshire, will be donated to the hospice.

Andy Parker, managing director of Elusive, says that the brewery is pleased to be donating proceeds to St Richard’s.

“We were very happy to be involved in raising money for the hospice which looked after Merry, he was a familiar face to many on the local beer festival circuit,” he says.

The Alehouse manager Carl

NEWS | 29

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Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

aterside Centre gacy lives on

How to enjoy a rugby session with ex-England star James Haskell

Volunteer corner

Helena Badger

How you can help CLASP

RUGBY: James Haskell has teamed up with Greene King to celebrate its grant scheme for grassroots sports clubs, Proud To Pitch In

manager Connor Maroney with Amie Warner Picture: Natalie Burton and I wanted to do something a bit different after GCSEs.” Connor agrees, saying that he is enjoying the chance to give something back to the centre, which has nurtured his love of kayaking since he was 12.

He credits Kathryn Hill and James Guy, centre managers, for creating a welcoming and enjoyable atmosphere.

“The family feel of the centre keeps people coming back,” he says.

“We’ve already got a lot of repeat

bookings from schools who visited us for trips last year and we’re looking forward to another successful year.”

Wokingham Waterside Centre’s outdoor season runs from April to October.

During winter months, it runs pool sessions.

The centre is also home to Wokingham Canoe Club and University of Reading Canoe Club, which meet all year round.

n For more information, visit: wokinghamwatersidecentre.com

FAREWELL GIFT: Meredith Gaultier, a regular volunteer at Twyford Beer Festival, brewed a special beer which will be drunk at his wake

WITH the Six Nations in full swing, rugby mania is sweeping the nation.

And what better way to celebrate than entering a contest to win a training session with a former England player?

James Haskell has teamed up with Greene King pubs to be its Proud To Pitch In ambassador.

The rugby union star made 77 appearances for England, and captained Wasps RFC. He also played for the British & Irish Lions in 2017.

The scheme sees sporting clubs able to apply for grants of up to £3,000.

The funding comes from people buying pints of Greene King IPA – the brewer will donate 10p from each drink sold at participating pubs, up to £500,000.

To celebrate, Greene King is arranging for James to showcase his skills and share tips on how to maximise sporting community and team spirit to enhance the experience of playing grassroots sports.

James said: “Local clubs are an essential part of the sporting landscape here in the UK. They’re the best place to spot future talent, and what’s more, they have a profound impact on mental and physical wellbeing in the local community.

“I’m so excited to be involved with the Greene King IPA Proud

POETRY CORNER The BIG Surprise.

We had a BIG surprise today, A big surprise indeed Of something we found hard to buy And which we always need.

It came by ‘Prime’ delivery.

“Is this, you’re sure, for us”.

“Quite sure. It’s listed here”.

So we made no further fuss.

The contents of the parcel We eyed with great delight.

But who had sent it to us?

No card or note in sight.

Mellors agrees, saying: “Merry was an Alehouse regular well before I started drinking in here, let alone running the pub.

“He was a lovely bloke who lived up to his name, and he was always prepared to help out in

the pub even though he didn’t have to.

“He dealt with his illness with good humour and serenity.”

The barrel is now conditioning ahead of Merry’s wake.

His funeral is on Monday, February 21 in Worcester.

to Pitch In initiative and look forward to seeing how these grants help clubs in dire need of further funding. I also cannot wait to be digging my boots out again and hopefully sharing some advice and knowledge to whichever deserving club wins.”

Will Hemmings, Greene King Brewing & Brands marketing director said: “Here at Greene King, we know just how important local sport is to our communities and how our pubs are so often the meeting place of choice for a postmatch pint.

“We’re committed to doing everything we can to ensure grassroots sports can flourish not just for the physical benefits, but for the community spirit it delivers.

“To support our Greene King IPA Proud to Pitch In scheme, we have launched the chance for clubs to experience just how an elite level athlete approaches his craft. The winning club will be able to learn directly from James how to get the most out of playing sports, whether that be physically or mentally.”

To win the training session with James Haskell, adult clubs must visit www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk and head to the Proud To Pitch In section before the end of the month.

The winners will be announced in early March.

They can also apply for grant funding at the same time.

We thought about this mystery.

T’was then that we recalled A conversation we had had With our family when they called.

We’d told them how we could not get This item when we tried.

Had they found some way to get it Through some system they’d applied?

A word with them confirmed our guess.

Our thanks was most profuse.

We are delighted with this gift Which soon will be in use.

Jim Horsnell

We love receiving your poetry, and print a selection every week. Send items to news@rdg.today

C

LASP is a local charity supporting adults with learning disabilities to speak up for themselves, so they can lead independent lives and create positive change in the community.

Projects include: a member-led training group who run Learning Disability Awareness Training for support staff, school children and the police; a campaigning group; and the Learning Disability Partnership Board which is a support network for the whole learning disability community.

CLASP is looking for a volunteer with good website and social media skills to support our charity for one or two hours per week, either from the office or from home.

The role will involve; keeping our Facebook page and Twitter feeds up to date, updating our website using Wordpress with news and general postings and using your initiative to find ways of making the most of social media.

As CLASP is a user-led organisation, it is essential that all volunteers believe in empowering people with learning disabilities and welcome the opportunity of volunteering alongside them as equals. n Home-Start Wokingham District provides friendly, non-judgmental support to young families with at least one child of pre-school age.

Volunteers visit weekly providing a listening ear and encouragement to young parents across the Borough.

We are looking for a dynamic, financial expert to join the Board of Trustees as Treasurer.

This is an essential post for us and we encourage anyone interested to contact us and chat about what the role might involve.

The time commitment is four trustee meetings per year, four finance meetings per year plus one Annual General Meeting, plus ongoing work on financial scrutiny and oversight of budget and expenditures. n The Link Visiting Scheme aims at improving and enhancing the lives of older people.

We do this through quality time and focused attention for our volunteer Befrienders; a chance to hear stories of days gone by and build a connection.

With the covid situation over the last 18 months, we have not been able to provide our normal face-to-face service, however now restrictions are easing we have now resumed this, and we would like to recruit and train new volunteers to help as we also start to resume some of our additional activities.

We ask you to give one or two hours per week or per fortnight to visit and offer friendship and support.

Regular visits are our minimum requirement for at least six months.

We provide training before you start visiting and on-going training if you need it. We have a support structure in place so you can always call on someone if you have any questions or concerns.

We stay in touch regularly and put on events so you can meet other volunteers too. n These are just a few roles on our books. Please visit our website www. volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk to find out more 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 .

XX | VIEWPOINTS 30

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Your letters Art installation is WOKINGHAM.TODAY THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

a town landmark

A NEW sculpture commissioned for Wokingham town centre has been unveiled on the front page of Wokingham Today.

The Arc will sit outside the Carnival Hub, which is due to open in the summer.

Created by award-winning artist Nicola Anthony, the piece will feature metal arches with words on each that represent the borough’s towns and parishes.

The arches will combine to create a path leading into the Carnival Hub, with braille also included in the design.

Wokingham Today editor, Phil Creighton, was one of the panel judges invovled in selecting the town’s newest piece of art.

Ms Anthony will be working with the community to choose meaningful words for each area, with resident input encouraged.

We hope that while the piece sits in Wokingham town centre, residents from all parts of the borough will feel included in its creation.

The aim is to represent the borough, and promote communtiy values.

Wokingham Today will continue to document the sculpture’s progress, and eagerly anticipates its final unveiling in the summer.

CHURCH NOTES

Our greatest fear is ...

‘

TO be loved but not known is comforting but superficial,’ someone has said.

Which is true – isn’t it? However much someone may say they like me, it doesn’t mean much if it’s only because I’ve made sure they never see who I really am.

‘To be known and not loved is our greatest fear,’ they go on.

That really is true. Many of us have known the pain of seeing others back off as they begin to realise who we really are.

‘But to be fully known and truly loved is…’

I wonder - how would you complete that sentence? ‘… like a dream come true’?

Because deep down, beneath the protective layers of cynicism we may have built up, isn’t that the thing we long for most of all?

How wonderful to have someone who sees everything about us, including all the secrets we usually try to keep hidden away, and who loves us even so.

But that’s exactly who Jesus claims to be.

I love the way we’re told Jesus responded to one rather self-obsessed, slightly arrogant, and quite insecure young man who came to him one day. ‘Jesus looked at him’ – we’re told – ‘and loved him’ (Mark 10:21).

He saw him and loved him.

And from heaven, Jesus says, that’s still what he’s doing today. Whoever we are, whatever we may have done, he sees it all and yet loves us even so.

David Horrocks is from Christ Church Wokingham, which meets every Sunday at St Crispin’s School at 10.30am. He is writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham

Send your thoughts to letters@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

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

A cult of personality IT’S disappointing to see how the British Parliamentary system has descended into a cult of personality.

Despite the incompetence and scandals of Partygate, £13 billion written off in waste/fraud and a defective NI trade deal, Tory MPs have stood by Boris Johnson.

Sue Gray’s update puts it in black and white – there is a “failure of leadership and judgment”.

In normal parliamentary system, the PM would resign to avoid being a distraction and allow the party to get on with its agenda.

Yet, my own MP and the majority of Tory MPs stand by the man who refuses to leave. As a result, the party agenda stalls and the country suffers.

With 16 illegal parties, 300 photos and police investigations, we can expect scandals to continue.

I fear that most MPs actually prefer talking about parties than about policies.

They see a braggadocious, sloganeering Boris Johnson as a welcome distraction from, and a greater electoral asset than, Tory policies.

And so, I ask – what happened to Parliament that the majority party prefers ongoing scandal when they could elect any other Tory MP to drive the Conservative agenda forward?

Tom Ross, via email

How high quality will our cycle routes be?

When Wokingham Borough Council approved its own plans for the new South Wokingham Distributor road, we were assured that the provision of cycling infrastructure would be to a high standard, even if it failed to meet the nationally agreed standards. Indeed just last week when announcing the opening of the new rail bridge connecting in to Montague Park they reiterated this ‘high quality’ intent.

Despite having a green field, blank canvass without constraints on which to build, local walking and cycling groups saw the ‘poor quality’ of the design and advised against it.

So it was no surprise on discovering that the first piece of the road to be

MORNING WALK: A misty morning meander in Swinley Forest Picture: John Duffy of Binfield opened, proudly displays ‘CYCLISTS DISMOUNT’ signs at its very first junction.

Advice on such signs has been clear since at least 2008 – they should be used only when no alternative exists – yet the SWDR designers have chosen to do so at the first opportunity.

The 2008 guidance also says that ‘practitioners should be able to defend their decision’ [to use the sign] and explain why it cannot be avoided by design. Perhaps WBC would care to do so in this paper?

Al Neal, Earley

Pinewood The three borough councillors for Wokingham Without would like to respond to the article featuring Mrs Brunel-Walker which was printed in last week’s paper criticising us for not signing her petition. The petition was to ask for the Pinewood Leisure centre in our ward not to be developed for housing.

In fact there was no point in our signing it because Pinewood is not going to be developed for housing and never was going to be.

Its appearance in the draft Local Plan may have confused some people, but was put there simply to say that Wokingham Borough Council has the objective of upgrading some of the clubs’ buildings and facilities many of which are well past their sell by date.

The site is in the council’s New Leisure Strategy which in itself safeguards it for the future solely and

Westminster Diary Matt Rodda

F

EBRUARY always feels like the bleakest month.

The cold days and the long nights remind us that although it is the start of a new year, it is still the depth of midwinter. Normally, the approach towards spring is an antidote the January blues.

However, for thousands of families in Reading, Woodley and Earley, the spring will bring a cost of living squeeze, the like of which we have not felt since the 80s.

From my regular conversations with constituents, it is clear that local people are concerned about the impact that tax rises, soaring energy bills and increases in inflation and interest rates will have on their household budgets.

The announcement that April will see the energy price cap lifted by 53% - adding an average of £700 to every household bill – was a shock to many people who have already seen their energy costs go up and up.

totally for leisure.

We had already clarified and publicised to our local residents that this is the case and that it is not a site for housing a long time before the petition was presented.

We fear that people may have been misguided by Mrs. Brunel-Walker’s petition, and wish to correct these inaccuracies. Pinewood always was safe from housing and will remain so.

Thank goodness we had the only two independent councillors Cowan and Frewin to bring sanity to the situation in Wokingham Today 20/01/22. This was over Cllr. Halsall’s letter wasting rate payers money to every house in the borough and Tory officers arguing over the housing plan which is very divisive.

Residents were not able to query the housing numbers but to tell the council where to build. How can residents know where houses should be built? One just has to read in Wokingham Today that residents in Arborfield cannot stand any more destruction from houses already built.

They are still waiting for the promised village infrastructure.

Early responses to the council indicate that residents want reduced numbers of houses or none at all. It

is time residents in the north of the borough showed some sympathy towards those in Shinfield, Sindlesham and Arborfield with plans to build 4,500 houses.

These areas have already taken a hammering.

The plan is totally impractical, ludicrous and not acceptable to any sensible resident.

The plan then goes to the government inspector in Bristol who will have the final say. If it is approved, this is the time when all groups in Wokingham should get together to challenge this very unfair plan in every respect of numbers of houses and lack of infrastructure.

At this time there might even be a new government run by people who might understand residents problems.

Residents in Woodley are facing the nightmare of turning Woodlands Avenue into a one-way road with a cycle track.

This will cause chaos in the shopping centre and in streets nearby.

These schemes have been tried elsewhere and were very underused. and in some cases have been withdrawn.

All new planning applications of over 200 houses should have the infrastructure needed in the plans at the same time.

This doesn’t happen now. Our local doctor’s surgery was overwhelmed when new houses were built close by, and one can no longer get a quick needed appointment.

But to add insult to this injury, the same day as we were told that we would have to pay more for our gas and electricity, Shell announced a record £12bn of profit.

Those on low incomes will face the unenviable choice of eating or heating while seven-figure bonuses will be paid to the directors of big oil and gas companies.

Of course, because the Government refused to follow Labour’s suggestion and cut VAT on fuel bills – for every £1 that our energy bills rise, and extra 5% goes to the treasury in tax.

The Government is raising the bill and then taxing us.

But that is not the only tax going up.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has confirmed that his National Insurance increase will also go ahead – taking more money out

of the pay packets of everyone working person in Woodley, Earley and Reading.

It breaches a manifesto commitment, and it hits both employers and employees at a time when every penny counts.

Raiding the wage packets of working people is the wrong thing to do.

It’s also an extraordinary burden to place on those with the least, particularly when the Government has written of £4.3bn in fraudulently claimed covid support payments which prompted the resignation of Lord Agnew, the Minister responsible for fraud reduction.

It’s a catalogue of errors and poor decisions which will leave us all worse off.

Matt Rodda is the MP for Reading East

Cllr Chris Bowring, Cllr Angus Ross and Cllr Pauline HelliarSymons, Conservative borough councillors for Wokingham Without

Independent councillors

The government’s latest Social Care programme for reforms in social care would leave the council £20m in deficit and would mean an extra £500 per household each year in council tax.

These proposals and the present planning laws are just not feasible and lack proper legislation from an unstoppable government failing to serve fairly.

You have one last chance in two months time at the council elections to vote for a party that is going to bring democracy back to Wokingham.

Perhaps we might even have fairer borough plans for residents in Shinfield, Arborfield and Sindlesham which in the end will affect everyone in Wokingham.

responsibility for helping to stop male violence and abuse towards women wherever it occurs and whether the perpetrator is known to the victim or not. There are many good things in the council’s Domestic Abuse Strategy, but nothing resembling that pledge.

I don’t think it is too hard to understand the difference between domestic abuse and White Ribbon.

Unfortunately it seems that Cllr Rance and her Conservative colleagues just don’t get it.

Cedric Lander, Woodley

I read, with great interest, Wokingham Today’s coverage of White Ribbon, and of the local measures to tackle domestic abuse – 27th January, and 3rd February.

I support both, of course, but I incline to the view that a local council is better concentrating its efforts on dealing with local domestic abuse.

White Ribbon is a national campaign, and changing attitudes and culture is a mammoth task. Don’t we, in mental health, know it!

I would like mental illness to be regarded as being just like any other illness, but it isn’t.

Twenty-five years ago, we were seeking to purchase a seaside holiday caravan for our service users. When approached, the manager of one site said, ‘We don’t want a bunch of nutters here. We have children on the site.’

Wind the clock forward a quarter of a century, and in 2022, the mentally ill are still being referred to as ‘nutters’.

In her letter – 27th January – Cllr Sarah Kerr says: ‘Society blames women for what we were subjected to. Maybe we were dressed inappropriately. Maybe we should have taken a different route home.’

Did not the young women of

Abuse I am writing in response to Conservative Cllr Jackie Rance’s letter of last week.

Wokingham Borough Council has adopted a domestic abuse strategy, (not an “abuse strategy” as Cllr Rance claimed) which Liberal Democrat councillors were pleased to support.

The council has not agreed to sign up to seek White Ribbon accreditation.

The Lib Dem proposal to do so was voted down by the Conservatives.

White Ribbon is directed at ending violence against women and girls.

Clearly tackling domestic abuse and tackling violence against women and girls overlap. But they are equally clearly not the same thing.

To highlight just some of the significant differences, women and girls are not the only victims of domestic abuse – it can also happen to men and boys; and violence against women and girls does not just take place within domestic settings – it can happen anywhere.

Additionally, the White Ribbon pledge is specifically about getting men as individuals to promise never to commit, excuse or remain silent about violence against women, thus taking

Cllr Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat councillor for Winnersh

White Ribbon

From the chamber Rachel Burgess

M

ANY people in Wokingham are feeling the pinch from rapidly rising prices.

With inflation predicted to rise to 7% this year, levels not seen since the 1990s, whether it’s the weekly shop, the latest energy bill or the gauge at the petrol pump, people’s pockets are being hit hard.

But while the crisis mounts, the Conservative government are dealing with their own misdemeanours, rather than getting serious about the issues that matter to my residents – the cost of living crisis, spiralling energy bills and tax increases.

As residents have wearyingly told me on the doorstep, our feckless Prime Minister is too distracted by his own scandals to deal properly with these pressing issues.

Whether it’s the Prime Minister’s yacht, gold wallpaper, public contracts for ministers’ chums, or so called ‘partygate’,

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people now realise that Johnson’s Conservatives are treating the public with contempt.

The Conservatives’ “buy now, pay later” approach to the energy crisis is patently inadequate – and of little comfort to those most hard hit by the breath taking rise in energy prices.

By contrast, Labour would utilise a one-off windfall tax on the North Sea oil and gas producers (who, incidentally, have made a fortune from rising prices) in order to reduce energy bills directly, with more help for those who need it the most.

The Conservatives’ response to the crisis will make it worse.

They have already cut Universal Credit by £20 per week – half of Universal Credit claimants started claiming during the pandemic, and many of my residents are badly affected.

So the last thing people need is a National Insurance rise, or a Council Tax rise – but that is what

yesteryear adopt the chant – ‘However we dress and wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no’?

Have attitudes or culture changed at all since this chant was first adopted?

At least women still in possession of their confidence, and self-esteem, can deal with inappropriate male behaviour by giving the man concerned, a good smack in the mouth!

For women trapped in domestic abuse, things are not so straightforward. They have lost their confidence and self-esteem, and, before just leaving, they have to consider where they are going to, what they will do for money, the effect on the children, and horror of horrors, that they are also his children, and may have inherited his propensity to violence.

Cllr Jackie Rance’s letter – 3rd February – filled me with horror.

‘Full blown beatings, broken teeth, head bashed open, strangled.’ Such a victim should be given a safe refuge place, immediately.

This brings me to Louise Timlin’s letter – 27th January. She states that ‘Cranstoun still do not have a refuge in Wokingham. Refuge continues to be provided by Berkshire Women’s Aid.’ I have long since reached the conclusion that the best thing that I can do for the mentally ill of Wokingham is to provide a practical facility – a place for them to come to.

The same applies to abused women.

We need plenty of local refuges to which they can come immediately.

Offices are no good to them.

Finally, I would prefer that such women be referred to as ‘ladies’. As George Bernard Shaw would say – the difference between the two is in the way that they are treated.

Pam Jenkinson, Wokingham Crisis House

Courts Sir – in response to the letter, “On

the Conservatives have lined up this year.

Working people are due to be hit with tax rises at the worst possible time – a rise even some of Johnson’s own MPs are strongly against. In the context of cuts to support, real wages falling, inflation rocketing and the energy crisis, the Conservatives are asking people to pay more.

In the coming weeks we will find out how much the Conservatives will increase Council Tax this year, as Wokingham Borough’s budget is due to be approved by Council.

Council Tax is a highly regressive tax - using Council Tax bands to distribute money is an inefficient way of targeting support as Council Tax bands are based on property prices from over thirty years ago.

Yet Council Tax levels have spiralled under the Conservatives, and they have pushed the financial burden from central government to Council Tax payers, squeezing money out of ordinary working people and all the while slashing funding for Councils.

The recently announced £150 Council Tax refund pales into insignificance when inflation is hitting people’s wallets, and when you bear in mind that Conservatives have increased Council Tax over and over again.

Against this backdrop the

the BBC” (06.02.2022), magistrates’ courts are not, as was claimed, clogged up with TV licence cases – these are mainly handled through the efficient single justice procedure and even before that was introduced cases only took-up just 0.3% of court time.

Indeed, John Bache, then National Chair of the Magistrate’s Association said in 2020, “removing TV licence cases from the courts would make a minimal difference. It is less than 1% of the time spent. So really it would be an insignificant difference. We would hardly notice it”.

More broadly, prosecution is always a last resort. TV Licensing works with groups throughout the UK which support people who fall into financial difficulty, and we offer instalment plans to help people make regular payments.”

Pipa Doubtfire, director of revenue management, TV Licensing

TV So the attacks on the BBC continue. At just over £13 a month, the licence fee is amazing value, and it’s a national institution we can all be proud of: it educates, informs and entertains across the web, broadcast TV, iPlayer, and radio stations.

It is trusted and respected around the world — something we need as the government continues to damage our country by behaving like spoilt children internationally, and lying on a daily basis at home.

If Peter Lucey thinks cost is an issue, can I suggest that he look at much larger wastes of money like the £9 billion of taxpayer’s money spent on substandard and defective PPE written off by the Department of Health, or the massive drop in GDP the Tory Brexit is causing — twice as bad as covid?

We can afford the BBC. We can’t afford this incompetent Tory government.

Dr Peter Hornsby, Wokingham Council is currently consulting on its Anti-Poverty Strategy.

This is a strategy which expects miracles from the charity sector, and whose objectives include strengthening people’s “resilience to poverty”. Being truly “anti poverty” is not helping someone who is struggling to be more “resilient” in the face of poverty.

Rather it is acting to halt that poverty in the first place by tackling its root causes.

We cannot do that fully without a change in national policy, yet nowhere in the strategy is there any mention of lobbying the government for change.

This Conservative Council are content to lobby government on other issues, so why not poverty?

The squeeze on the cost of living can’t go on, it is unsustainable, especially for those who are struggling the most.

And yet our Prime Minister’s efforts are focussed on dealing with his own mess. It’s time for our local Wokingham Conservatives, who campaigned for Boris Johnson at the last general election, to do the right thing and call for the Prime Minister’s resignation.

Cllr Rachel Burgess is the group leader of Wokingham Labour on Wokingham Borough Council and ward member for Norreys

From the chamber Paul Fishwick

C

ONSERVATIVE-LED Wokingham Borough Council is targeting a 40% reduction in car journeys by 2030 as part of its climate emergency tackling initiatives.

Why then is it wasting £17 million on easing congestion when it’s planning for 40% less cars on the road? Yes, you read that right.

The local Conservatives are spending £17 million tackling a problem they say isn’t going to exist.

The Department for Transport’s own analysis indicates that around 60% of car journeys are only up to 5km and within Wokingham borough, the vast majority of residents live within a 5km radius of the geographic centre.

So, instead of wasting £17 million on ‘shiny new traffic lights’ this money would be much better spent on providing an improved standard of Active Travel routes for walking and cycling, connecting where people live to schools, shops, businesses etc.

Evidence shows that with good and safe infrastructure, a significant model shift from the car to walking (up to 1km) and cycling (up to 5km) can be made for these shorter journeys, and in turn remove motorised traffic from the roads. The Council may then actually meet it’s target because it’s provided safe alternatives and therefore choice.

As well as reducing congestion, there is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates that cycle and pedestrian-friendly streets can boost footfall and retail sales, helping to revive traditional high streets and town centres by creating more pleasant conditions.

Passing motorised traffic does not do this but brings noise and pollution and an unpleasant environment.

In the past the Borough Council has continued with a policy of building poor quality infrastructure that does not attract new users.

Therefore, over the last six-year period this Conservative-led authority has spent £6 million on cycling infrastructure and not achieved anything in the take up of cycling. That’s because it is not safe and doesn’t connect.

In addition to installing safe infrastructure for cyclists, the council must consider emerging modes of transport like e-scooters.

The e-scooter is on trial at more than 50 locations across the country, but not Wokingham, and the first report has been published by the Parliamentary Advisory Committee for Transport Safety (PACTS) with some alarming evidence on casualties.

During 2020, it has been estimated that there were 484 casualties recorded in incidents involving e-scooters. Of these, 384 were the e-scooter users.

However, it is known that these casualties are under recorded.

PACTS has collected more information for 2021, and the interim casualty data collected so far indicates that casualties are growing at a worrying rate.

In the first 10 months of 2021 there were nine deaths involving an e-scooter and more than 300 other casualties with many having head injuries due to helmet use being uncommon.

These e-scooters, although not legal to use on the roads and cycleways of Wokingham Borough yet are likely to be legalised in the near future.

The Bicycle Association has estimated that 360,000 e-scooters were purchased by the public during 2020 and sales remain similar.

The e-scooter as a method of transport is coming, but the Borough Council’s infrastructure is not ready and not safe. That needs to change now.

Instead of wasting £17 million on making it easier to drive, and thus generating more emissions, the money must be invested urgently into greener, safe modes of transport

Cllr Paul Fishwick is the Liberal Democrat councillor for Winnersh

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A business park that is changing

Blandy & Blandy advises on WOKINGHAM’S first zero waste shop received advice from the commercial property team at Blandy & Blandy.

The law firm, with offices in Reading and Henley, helped Maya Gheorghe, owner of Maya’s Refillables, sign up to the store, which will be based in Wokingham Borough Council’s Peach Place development, as featured in Wokingham.

Today.

Ms Gheorghe explained: “Behind the scenes, there is a small network of great people helping me and I am also thankful for Wokingham Town Council who gave me an opportunity and supported me on my journey.

“Many thanks to Gemma Smith in the Commercial Property team at Blandy & Blandy, who advised on the new lease in Wokingham.

The firm was recommended to me and were excellent, so I’d happily do the same by recommending Blandy & Blandy to others.”

It is the second lease in Peach Place that the team has advised on, having acted for the owners of gin bar, The Leafy Elephant, in 2019. n For further information or legal advice, visit www.blandy.co.uk.

As moviemakers move in, Winnersh Triangle looks to an exciting future

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today AN EXCITING future awaits Winnersh Triangle, as new businesses – and the film industry – move in and existing tenants expand.

Owned by Frasers Property, the business park intends to build upon its 2021 achievements.

Most notably will be the expansion of the creative cluster at Winnersh. Joining the likes of Pip Studios, Virgin Media and Evertz, Stage Fifty film studios committed its future to the estate.

A planning application has been submitted for the first phase of development that will result in the delivery of two stages and several workshops.

It also leased 50,000 sq ft of offices and is looking to expand the facility to create a complex of circa a quarter million sq ft of commercial space.

It will be known as Winnersh Studios and create around 250 new

WITH A HEART: Winnersh Triangle has plenty of green space and facilities jobs in the UK film and production sector, and support up to a further 500 indirect jobs in the supply chain.

Major film production companies MGM and Sony Pictures will be filming during 2022, and by the end of the year, Winnersh Studios will deliver the world’s largest virtual production stage, making Winnersh Triangle an international beacon for the film and high-end TV sector.

It’s not just movies at the

business park. Tenants from a variety of sectors including Healthcare and Science, through to Technology and Engineering.

Last year, Berkshire Medical Clinic moved into Building 130, and Tepeo, who design and develop zero carbon domestic heating solutions, has moved onto the park.

BMC Software re-committed its future to Winnersh by leasing alternative office space at Building 1020. Similarly, Evertz expanded into building 270 and Sequans expanded within Building 155.

Frasers Property says that one of the things that sets Winnersh Triangle aside from other business parks is its commitment to sustainability and wellbeing.

Last year, the estate received two-star Fitwel accreditation, which assesses all site outdoor and communal areas accessible by all occupiers.

This is something in abundance at Winnersh Triangle, which features outdoor walking trails, green public space, universal access

for wheelchairs and pushchairs, health promoting events and a new gym facility MOVE HQ. Frasers Property also received four GRESB stars.

The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark measures the environmental, social and governance performance of real estate and placed Frasers Property UK first amongst its competitors.

This is aligned with Winnersh Triangle’s ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Rupert Batho, commercial director at Frasers Property UK, said: “Last year was a transformational one for Winnersh Triangle and the achievements secured set the direction of travel for the years ahead.

“We adopted a counter cyclical approach to invest within our estate during the pandemic.

“Our commitment for inspiring experiences and creating places for good is paying dividends.”

Frasers Property UK is advised

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£19m sale could see Reading office space turned into homes A READING town centre office space could become residential accommodation following a real estate deal.

McKay Securities Plc (McKay) has exchanged contracts to sell the freehold interest of Great Brighams Mead, off Vastern Road.

Residential property developer King’s Oak has agreed a sale price of £19 million (£224 psf). Completion of the sale is conditional on delivering vacant possession and is anticipated in April.

Great Brighams Mead was developed by McKay in 2000, and has been let since then on a 21-year lease which expires on 24 March 2022. Tenants include telecommunications firm Hutchison 3G UK, which runs the Three mobile network.

The 84,840 sq ft three-storey building sits on a 2.6 acre site, close to Reading Station and

the River Thames.

The site was part of a larger holding acquired by McKay in 1973 for £0.91 million. Since then a range of disposals and asset management initiatives have enhanced the value of the site, culminating in the development of Great Brighams Mead.

McKay said it reviewed a range of options to maximise the asset’s value ahead of lease expiry and was subsequently successful in obtaining planning approval for the conversion of the building to 110 residential apartments, enabling the freehold to be marketed for a range of commercial and residential uses.

Proceeds from the sale will initially be used to reduce borrowings, prior to reinvestment in value add opportunities including

acquisitions, development and asset management initiatives.

Simon Perkins, Chief Executive of McKay, said: “This sale is a positive conclusion to the Company’s ownership of this site and Great Brighams Mead’s lifecycle as an office.

“It is a good illustration of our active asset management and our ability to maximise the value of our portfolio for the benefit of shareholders. In this instance, our analysis of a full range of potential uses for the building concluded that a residential sale would optimise value.

“We have been able to achieve this, having obtained planning consent for residential conversion prior to disposal, delivering a 21.0% surplus over book value.”

Savills acted for McKay and BNP Paribas acted for the purchaser.

Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

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Theresa May backs campaign to stop council axing ‘essential’ arts funding

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today

A CAMPAIGN has been launched to stop a Berkshire council axing local grant funding for the arts.

The Public Campaign for the Arts has called on Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) to rethink its plans to stop helping venues such as Norden Farm, Maidenhead and The Old Court, Windsor.

RBWM had already cut core support for local organisations, which includes the two theatres, from £233,000 last year to £120,000 this year.

Jack Gamble, director of the Public Campaign for the Arts said that there is concern that the planned cuts will threaten the future of the two organisations.

“Norden Farm and The Old Court will play a vital role in RBWM’s post-pandemic social and economic recovery,” he said.

“At a time when they are already contending with the severe financial impact of the pandemic, a 100 percent cut in council support is indefensible.

“If this new budget is approved, councillors in the second most-affluent local authority in England will be

investing nothing in the arts for the first time in living memory,” he said.

In a statement on the theatre’s Facebook page, Jane Corry, chief executive and artist director of Norden Farm, welcomed the petition and said that when RBWM cut funding by 45% because of the pandemic, it was upsetting but understandable.

“In response, we reduced our opening hours, reduced staffing and reduced our programme of events,” she said.

“We fundraised intensively to ensure we could deliver projects for residents, especially for children, young people and disadvantaged groups.

“We hoped that the grant would return once the economy picked up again.”

RBWM have paid for a consultant to carry out a study on Norden Farm to determine other measures the venue could take, a move welcomed by Ms Corry.

“If there is anything we’ve missed anything then we definitely want to try it,” she added.

“We earn money from hiring space, catering, memberships and fundraising.

Love is in the air

ARTS: Norden Farm runs several free community events, including the annual Lantern Parade Picture: Tom Waller

“But the core funding from RBWM is absolutely essential to keep the charity going.

“The grant helps with the running costs of the building, including utilities, repairs, maintenance and insurance.

“Last year, these amounts alone came to more than £120,000.”

Residents of RBWM can take part in

an online budget consultation survey.

“If there is enough support from residents in the comments section we are very hopeful that funding will be re-instated.” Ms Corry said.

“Norden Farm is the only professional arts venue in Maidenhead and a place for Maidonians to be proud of.

“It took years and years of lobbying from local people and politicians to get funded and built, and 40 years of hard work to become the thriving venue it has.

“To lose all of that would be too tragic to imagine.” n For more information, visit: campaignforthearts.org

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Archaeological Society launches poster competition ARTISTS are invited to take part in a poster competition running this spring.

Berkshire Archaeological Society is looking for people to inspire and inform with their work.

This competition includes sites in parts of Berkshire which became parts of other counties in 1974.

The first prize is £300, with £150 for second and £100 for third place.

A selection of the entries will also be displayed by the Society at its events and meetings and used in its publicity material.

All entrants will be granted access to lectures, visits and receive newsletters until March 31, 2023.

Entries must be over 18. The deadline is Saturday, April 30. n For more information, visit: www.berksarch.co.uk

Council invests in adult social care through community organisations MORE than £250,0000 will be spent on voluntary, community and faith organisations by the borough council this spring.

The investment is part of the council’s adult social care prevention programme which aims to prevent, reduce and delay the need for formal care and support.

By April, the council intends to award some 28 contracts to these organisations.

Services include wellbeing and mental health support, dementia support, social isolation, emergency respite, home from hospital, gardening and handyperson services and advocacy services.

Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health and wellbeing and adults services at the borough council said that one of the borough’s key strengths is its rich and vibrant voluntary sector.

“I am very proud of the partnership we have and look forward to building on from the positive work that’s taken place in recent years to improve the lives of so many of our residents,” he said.

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Ruscombe residents brand fly-tipping ‘disgusting’

DUMPED: Fly-tipping in Ruscombe Picture: Natalie Burton

RUSCOMBE residents have branded a large fly-tip of household waste last week as “absolutely disgusting.”

The dumped rubbish on Castle End Road spilled across the road, causing an obstruction. It included several blue bin bags, normally used as part of Wokingham Borough Council’s weekly kerbside waste collection service. Other loose items included building materials and children’s toys.

The pile was reported to Wokingham Borough Council at approximately 8.30am on Thursday, February 3.

The council’s neighbourhood and communities team attended the scene that morning, where they found evidence that can be used to investigate the offence.

The team are now working to investigate

the dumped waste in order to take legal action.

A spokesperson for the borough council said that following information from residents, it is believed that the rubbish was left at approximately 5.30am.

They added: “Due to the location of the fly-tipped waste, this was prioritised as a two-hour removal and was successfully removed by our contractor the same day.”

Wokingham Today took photographs of the scene at 4.15pm that day.

Residents said that it took longer than two hours for council contractors to attend the scene to clear the rubbish, and questioned the contractor’s speed of response. n For more information and advice on waste removal and fly-tipping, visit: wokingham.gov.uk/roadworks-andoutdoor-maintenance/fly-tipping

Parents petition over safety worries on new Eastern Gateway road EXCLUSIVE

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today PARENTS of children at a Wokingham primary school are petitioning for safety improvements to the newlyopened Eastern Gateway.

The road was officially opened by representatives from Wokingham Borough Council, contractors Balfour Beatty, and staff and pupils from Floreat Montague Park Primary School on Monday, January 24.

It links William Heelas Way, passing the primary school, to a new roundabout on the other side of the railway at Waterloo Road. It is part of the borough council’s £250 million major new roads initiative as part of its local plan.

Borough mayor Cllr Keith Baker attended the opening event.

He said: “These [new roads] are just some of the benefits of our strategic approach to development. By planning new communities from the ground up, we can ensure they’re served by new roads, schools, green spaces, leisure centres, sports facilities and more, while ensuring developers pay for it.”

However, concerns about the safety of new road were quickly raised by parents of children who attend Floreat Montague

Park Primary School.

These include missing markings on crossings, no safety barrier between the road and pathway, and a lack of adequate signage and traffic calming measures.

One parent, Mike Williams, said that because the road is wide, it encourages speeding.

“There are also some blind bends coming into William Heelas Way and now the road is a through road, cars are coming down here at a ridiculous speed,” he said.

“Just driving it on the day it opened I felt that there was going to be an accident soon.”

“These things are planned on paper, it seems that how people actually use them is not the same.”

“There is no drop-off or parking area at the school for parents, and one of the zebra crossings we need to use doesn’t have any lights.”

Petition organiser Heather Murray, who is a resident on the estate with children at the school, said that estate developers David Wilson Homes “haven’t done their bit” to make the road safe.

“We know that there will be issues around adoption of the road by the council, but we want assurances about what safety measures are going in place and when,” she said.

“This is not about blame, it is

NEW ROAD: Pupils from Floreat Montague Park School take part in the official opening of the Eastern Gateway. Parents have called the road dangerous Picture: Stewart Turkington about working collaboratively with the council to achieve the best outcome for the community,” “Accidents don’t wait for roads to be adopted.”

Wokingham Today understands that several residents have contacted WBC and Wokingham MP Sir John Redwood with their concerns.

A spokesperson for David Williams Homes said that the road officially transferred to the borough council on the day it opened.

“The safety of the pupils at the school has always been an absolute priority,” they said.

“The design of the roads was approved by WBC during the planning process and inspections were carried out during construction.

“We created additional parking spaces within the local centre adjacent to the school and installed vehicle activated signage to signal a 20mph speed limit at the beginning and end of the school day.

“As the road has now been adopted, any alterations must be approved by WBC prior to installation.”

Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said that the

Borough council responds to Miles Aircraft demolition concerns WOKINGHAM Borough Council has responded to concerns raised by a petition to save the Woodley headquarters of Miles Aircraft from demolition.

The online campaign to protect the art deco building on Headley Road East has almost 3,500 signatures.

It is subject to a planning

application to erect five commercial buildings for light industrial work and storage, as well as offices, car parking and a new access.

Responding to concerns, Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement on the borough council, stressed that the site is not owned by the borough council, and

neither is it the applicant.

“This planning application is being assessed in accordance with our usual procedures,” he said.

“We cannot comment on the quality of any documents submitted as part of a live application.

“We’re awaiting a decision

by Historic England on whether or not to list the

road was subject to a detailed planning and design process which required it to comply with Department for Transport standards.

“There are signs warning users of the new road layout and the nearby primary school,” she said.

“There is a parent parking area at the nearby neighbourhood centre with a toucan crossing and an off-road foot and cycle path leading to the school, plus two uncontrolled crossings and a zebra crossing within a few minutes’ walk.

“We’re also considering a 20mph speed limit outside the school although this would be advisory, as is standard practice.”

Cllr Jorgensen added that borough council officers have visited the site on numerous occasions since its opening to traffic, and have confirmed that there are no known safety issues.

“An independent safety audit has also been undertaken and, if this identifies a need for further measures, this will be addressed,” she explained.

“We appreciate that our residents value their safety, and especially that of their children, but hope they will see we’ve taken every step to protect them while encouraging active, sustainable ways of travelling.”

“We can assure residents that the impact on the heritage asset, whether designated or non-designated, will be fully considered in making the final decision, as will any representations they may wish to make.”

building before determining the application and, if officers are minded to recommend approval, it will be put before

our planning committee and residents will have the chance to express their views at this point.

n For details of the planning application, visit: wokingham.gov.uk/planning and search for application number 213106. n For more details about the petition, visit change.org and search for Miles Aircraft Woodley.

NEWS | 35

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Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

sign Lib Dems warn elections every four Councillors hate crime charter years could lower accountability EXCLUSIVE

VOTES: Elections could switch to once every four years in shakeup. Picture: Phil Creighton

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today WHAT IS the price of democracy? That is the question coming from the Liberal Democrat group, over suggestions to change the election process in the borough.

Last month, Cllr John Halsall, leader of the borough council proposed that elections be changed from once every year, to once every four years.

This, he said, would save the council money.

Cllr Stephen Conway, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrat group said that he felt Cllr Halsall’s speech at the executive meeting on Thursday, January 27, was “one-sided” and “unbalanced”.

“I don’t accept the argument that elections are expensive, so let’s have less,” he said. “What price is democracy? We value it for what it means — the ability to kick the rascals out.”

Cllr Conway said that accountability is very important, and was concerned that if elections moved to once every four years, councillors may respond less to resident concerns.

“Our group is still discussing the pros and cons of both suggestions, but what we are in favour of is accountability.

Regular elections give people the chance to express their view.

“This is about democratic responsibility, not money. You don’t price elections.”

At the meeting, Cllr Halsall said that each election costs the borough council around £1 million each year.

But Cllr Clive Jones, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, wrote to the council and questioned this figure.

At Wokingham Town Council, elections cost around £7,000 said Cllr Imogen ShepherdDuBey, Liberal Democrat lead for finance, and leader of the town council.

She said scaling this up to the borough should cost around

£210,000, before hall hire and staff time is factored in.

“How is it so much more for a borough council election,” she questioned.

Costs provided by the borough council to Cllr Jones suggest that the direct costs of an annual election are £182,000.

The document then reported that there were more than £2 million of indirect costs.

This included £2,032,800 on work from democratic services and the election team in the two months before and after an election.

The document said that the £2,032,80 price tag also included “impact on strategy and delivery slow down prior to elections and reworking post elections.”

To run this process for each year for three years, with a fallow year in the fourth, would

Woodley Town Council opposes Woodlands Avenue one-way plan WOODLEY Town Council has opposed a proposal to turn a stretch of a Woodlands Avenue into a one-way system and cycle path.

If approved, it would see the closure of Woodlands Avenue to eastbound traffic, between Howth Drive and Lytham Road.

On Tuesday evening last week, more than 50 residents attended a town council planning committee meeting at the Oakwood Centre to oppose the change.

It meant that discussions on the plan were extended from 15 to 30 minutes to allow for more residents to speak.

Reasons for opposing the plan included concerns over the impact it would have on emergency service arrival times.

Two emergency first responders at the meeting said that their navigational systems can sometimes overshoot an address. They said that having to follow the one way system would add significant time to the response.

Also discussed was access for disabled and elderly residents, and delivery vehicles.

Some cyclists at the meeting said that they regularly use Woodlands Avenue and have never felt unsafe. They

questioned why there was the need for such a significant change to the road.

During the meeting, Cllr Keith Baker, speaking as borough councillor and not borough mayor, said that council officers had not consulted with borough councillors prior to issuing the consultation.

He noted that this was disrespectful to both councillors and to the public who had elected them.

Cllr Baker said that Woodlands Avenue is one of the busiest roads in Woodley and strongly objected to the one-way proposal.

Cllr Shirley Boyt, Labour councillor for Bulmershe and Whitegates encouraged all residents to respond to the consultation, and said that the plan was not a done deal.

And Cllr Al-Sanjari, Woodley town councillor for Bulmershe asked whether Wokingham Borough Council officers had met with borough councillors.

Cllr Bill Soane, Conservative councillor for Loddon and Cllr Baker confirmed that they had not, with Cllr Soane adding that this was not normal.

Cllr Baker, who is also Woodley Town Council leader, explained that he is trying to find out why this

cost the council £6,774,591, the council document stated.

Whereas it suggests that having one larger election every four years would cost the borough council £2,305,785.

Cllr Jones said that he thinks the £4 million price difference between the two options is “absolute rubbish” and was critical of the borough council document detailing the costs.

“The way that they have calculated it is pure guesswork,” Cllr Jones said. “You can’t quantify the pre and post election costs. It can’t be proved.”

This, he said, is because the costs are not broken down.

Cllr Jones also said that he was concerned about the impact that elections have on the council.

“The council does not shut down for two months before and after an election,” he said.

“If it is true that Wokingham Borough Council has difficulty in this time, then there is something seriously wrong with the way that the council is being run.

“You know that elections are coming each year, surely you can plan for that?” he added.

Cllr Jones said that moving elections to every four years

could also encourage more residents to vote based on the national picture.

“People are more prepared to vote for individuals in local elections,” he said. “In general elections, most people vote on party lines.”

The election decision is out for consultation, after the Boundary Commission ruled that Wokingham borough needed to review its system to ensure that residents get the best representation.

It could also include a shakeup of the current wards, to make them match the evolving population of the borough. New wards would have the same number of councillors.

Council leader Cllr Halsall has previously welcomed the review.

“The Boundary Commission said we should have carried out a review some time ago as they should take place every 10 years, but this will be 20 years,” he said.

He added that councils were unusual for the system of elections in thirds – other polls were once every four or five years.

“We have to make a choice as to whether we’re going to change our system or not,” he said.

MORE THAN 50 borough councillors have signed a charity’s Hate Crime Charter.

Created by learning disability advocacy charity, CLASP, the charter encourages businesses, volunteer sectors and stakeholders to become more aware of hate crime, help raise awareness and support a zero tolerance approach.

Wokingham borough mayor Cllr Keith Baker said: “I am delighted that 53 of my fellow councillors have signed CLASP’s Hate Crime Charter. This is an incredible achievement for a very important issue.

“We have a zero tolerance against hate crimes in our borough and have been working closely with CLASP and Thames Valley Police to address this issue.

“On behalf of Wokingham Borough Council, I would like to thank and applaud the vital work CLASP carry out to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities in our community.”

CLASP CEO, Debra Morrison said that she is immensely proud of CLASP and the Listen to Us training team.

“The charter is an ongoing project for us and we really need the community to support the fight against Hate and Mate Crime, and make Wokingham borough and beyond a safer, inclusive place to live,” she said.

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After the discussions, the committee agreed to register its opposition to the one-way route, and highlight significant concerns over the lack of prior consultation and communication.

It also agreed to invite a Wokingham Borough Council representative to attend a future Planning and Community Committee Meeting to hear views from councillors and residents.

A petition against the route is collecting signatures. Anyone wishing to sign it is invited to contact Cllr Baker by calling 07917 673370 or emailing him.

The proposal is being considered as part of a Wokingham Borough Council consultation on creating a Woodley to Reading travel route.

It closes on Monday, February 21. n For more information, visit: engage.wokingham.gov.uk

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

The Oaks is the latest phase at Berkeley’s Woodhurst Park selling at lightning speed.

T

HE year has started where it left off for our housing market, with house prices continuing to rise at their fastest pace in 15 years¹ fuelled by a lack of supply of homes available. Rightmove’s latest data compounds this further, revealing buyer enquiry levels are up 15% compared to this time last year². This has meant new launches are getting snapped up.

Berkeley’s latest collection at Woodhurst Park The Oaks - has seen a burst of activity with the first release of homes reserved in just eight weeks, with the next release of homes in this collection due to be available soon.

Benjamin Ivey, Director of Sales and Marketing at Berkeley Homes (Oxford & Chiltern), says: “It has been the perfect blend of country living, great commuter links, the desire to buy a new-build, as well as the overall lack of supply in the area, that has culminated in especially buoyant sales for Woodhurst Park.”

The latest release of new properties at the end of November led to over 70 appointments to view the first release of the 35 homes in The Oaks. The remaining homes in this collection range from three-, four- and five-bedroom family homes.

The gulf between supply and demand will continue to characterise housing activity in the coming months, particularly as buyers look to ‘lock in’ a mortgage deal before interest rates rise.

Tim Foreman, the selling agent for Woodhurst Park and Managing Director of Land and New Homes at Romans Group, says: “We are seeing multiple offers on almost every new home that is being launched. We had expected business might quieten down after the Stamp Duty holiday ended, but people want to get a fixed rate before interest rates go up again, putting a ticking clock on their move. I haven’t seen a market

like this in 20 years.”

Benjamin says: “The homes at The Oaks which have sold most quickly have been four and five-bedroom detached. There is a particular shortage of this type of family home in the area, so Berkeley has responded by including more large, high-quality properties in this development and they are proving extremely popular.”

Woodhurst Park boasts excellent transport connections; Bracknell Railway Station is less than two miles away with services reaching Waterloo in around an hour, whilst nearby Maidenhead Station, just a 15 minute drive away, has the new Crossrail line which reaches London Paddington in 16 minutes.

Parents will appreciate the good selection of nearby schools, with a number of Outstanding rated primary and secondary schools within easy reach – including popular Warfield Primary which sits in the heart of the development.

The 65-acre parkland on which the development sits on has been the ultimate draw for many buyers, however. Benjamin says: “The beautiful surroundings are tempting buyers from London, who are discovering that flexible working means they can move further into the country and enjoy the benefits of rural life while still being able to get to the office quickly when they need to, as well as families looking for safer, greener communities to bring up children.”

The whole development has been designed to have nature at its heart, with a landscaped Greenway running through the centre, providing a safe walking route to the new primary school, along with a wealth of landscaped areas, nature walks and play areas, as well as a village green and a pond. The Oaks is close to tranquil and beautiful walks along the natural watercourse at The Riverside Cut.

In the local area, attractions including the Lookout Discovery Centre with its miles of walking and cycling paths and Go Ape high ropes course, the John Nike Ski Centre and the Royal Berkshire Health and Racquets Club, while excellent shopping and eating out is available at The Lexicon in Bracknell, just two miles away.

Tim Foreman is expecting a busy spring as pressure on the availability of homes increases. “We are valuing and taking on half as many houses as normal for this time of year, but there are just as many able purchasers – so buyers are fighting over fewer properties, and we are back to the days of having multiple offers on one home. House prices are increasing on all new developments, but buyers are not being deterred, and there is simply nowhere near enough stock to satisfy demand.” ¹https://www.theguardian.com/business/²0²¹/dec/³0/ukhouse-prices-in-²0²¹-show-fastest-growth-rate-in-¹5-years ² www.express.co.uk/life-style/property/1550157/houseprices-latest-news-property-market-stock-rightmove � For more information on the remaining homes available at The Oaks or to enquire about future phases at Woodhurst Park, please call 01344 981691 to arrange an appointment or visit www.woodhurstpark.co.uk

37

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Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

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PUBLIC NOTICES ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (A321 WARGRAVE ROAD, WARGRAVE) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (WILTSHIRE ROAD, WOKINGHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that on the 3rd February 2022 Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority made an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

A321 Wargrave Road, Wargrave between its junctions with Wargrave Hill and Willow Lane.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via A329 Wiltshire Road, A329 London Road, Binfield Road, Keephatch Road and Warren House Road.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via A4130 White Hill, A4130 Henley Road. Henley Road, A404, A4 Bath Road, A4 New Bath Road and A321 High Street or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place on 15th February 2022 between 09:30 and 15:30.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow BT contractors to undertake overhead network cabling work in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 15th February 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Wiltshire Road, Wokingham from its junction with A329 Rectory Road.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 1st March and 4th March 2022.

Heathlands Road, Wokingham between its junctions with Honey Hill and B3430 Nine Mile Ride.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via B3430 Nine Mile Ride, Old Wokingham Road and Easthampstead Road or by this route in reverse.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 28th February and 25th March 2022.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Southern Gas Networks contractors to undertake gas main replacement and associated connection work in safety.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 1st March 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow South East Water contractors to undertake trial hole excavation to establish a route for a new drinking water main in safety.

Dated: 10th February 2022 Dated: 10th February 2022

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (HEATHLANDS ROAD, WOKINGHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 28th February 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Dated: 10th February 2022

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (CONISTON CLOSE, WOODLEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021 NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: Coniston Close, Woodley from its junction with Loddon Bridge Road.

Works requiring this restriction will take place on 4th March 2022.

WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING APPLICATION The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 AND/OR Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 The following application(s) have been submitted and are advertised for the reasons below: Application

Address

Reasons Advert

220035

The Shealing, Backsideans, Wargrave

Conservation Area

220111

Evolution House, 2-6 Conservation Easthampstead Road, Area Wokingham

220131

1 Chiswick House, 32 Works to a Application for Listed Building consent for the proposed High Street, Twyford listed building replacement of gutters and new downpipes, cleaning and repointing brickwork on the north elevation, rebuilding of main stack following dismantling, replacement of modern window in south elevation with timber four panel door, replacement of modern glazed door in west elevation with window, removal of partition in dining room, insertion of two partitions at ground floor (one in kitchen dining room and one in former rear office), removal of concrete slab in ground floor and replacement with insulated solid floor, new limestone flags in principal rooms on ground floor and removal of modern infill to fireplaces in ground and first floors.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Thames Water contractors to undertake sewer cover replacement work in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained but may be restricted at times.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 4th March 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Dated: 10th February 2022 Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

for Description Full application for the erection of a new two storey threebedroom detached dwelling with a balcony and 4 no. rooflights with further detached garage, amenity space, parking area, access, and associated works.

Full application for the proposed conversion of the existing office building (Use Class E(i)) into a mixed use of 1 no. 2 bedroom residential unit and 1 no. ground floor commercial unit (Use Classes C3 and E), plus the erection of a first floor rear extension, changes to fenestration and addition of 5 no. rooflights, part rendering of the existing building and provision of rear balcony and front and side entrance canopies.

The application is available to view online at wokingham.gov.uk � Planning � Search planning applications and typing in the application number above. Comments on the application can be made online from this web page.

Any comments must arrive on or before the 3rd March 2022. Any comments made are not confidential and can be seen by anyone as they form part of the public record. The comments, unless offensive, discriminatory and/or racist, will appear on the Council’s website within 24 hours and include the submitted name and address. Due to the high volume of comments received we do not provide individual responses.

Date: 10th February 2022

For the latest news visit

Frien d ly Serv ice E m a i l u s t o d ay f o r a p ri c e

Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

Please recycle me !

It’s good news for everyone

38

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PUBLIC NOTICES WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL THE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 2012 (AS AMENDED) (REGULATION 16) PUBLICATION OF THE RUSCOMBE NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

For up to date news in the borough follow us on

Wokingham Borough Council is seeking views on the Ruscombe Neighbourhood Development Plan.

Ruscombe Parish Council, as the qualifying body, have prepared a neighbourhood development plan, entitled ‘Ruscombe Neighbourhood Plan 2019 – 2036’. The plan aims to manage the development coming forward in the area to better reflect the wishes of the community and take greater account of what makes the area special to them. The plan, if adopted, will be used to help determine planning applications within the parish.

The preparation of the plan has involved consultation with residents, community groups, statutory organisations and other groups.

@wokingham.today

The consultation on the plan and supporting documents runs from Tuesday 8 February 2022 to 4.45pm Friday 25 March 2022 and your comments are invited. During the consultation period, the plan and supporting documents can be viewed: • On the council’s website at https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/planning-policy/ planning-policy information/neighbourhood-planning/ • On the council’s online engagement platform (Engage) at https:// engage.wokingham.gov.uk/en-GB/ • At the Council Offices: Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN Please submit your comments using the response form available at: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/planning-policy/planning-policy-information/ neighbourhood-planning/

@WokinghamToday

All completed response forms and comments should be returned by: • Email: policyandplans@wokingham.gov.uk • Post: Growth & Delivery Team, Wokingham Borough Council, Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1WR Following the end of the consultation period, all comments will be passed to an independent examiner who will consider whether the plan meets the national requirements.

As part of your comments, you may request to be notified on the Wokingham Borough’s decision to adopt (make) the plan.

@wokingham.today

Dated: 10th February 2022

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LEISURETODAY LEISURE TODAY

10.02.22

Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

Listen up!

Music festival line-up revealed

It’s a music festival like no other, celebrating some of the best venues in Reading. Are You Listening? is a fixture in the cultural calendar and it is returning in May. DANIEL BLACKHAM looks at the treats in store

A

HOST of acts have been confirmed as Reading’s Are You Listening?

Festival dropped details of the 2022 line-up.

Leading the announcement is indie-pop wonderkid, Alfie Templeman (pictured) who has captured the attention of the leading musical establishments such as BBC Radio 1 and NME as well as audiences across the country.

Alfie is no stranger to Reading after performing in the Dance Tent at

Reading Festival last year, graduating from the BBC Music Introducing stage in 2019.

His hotly anticipated debut album Mellow Moon is set to be released later this year and follows the successful mini-album Forever Isn’t Long Enough.

Punk-grime two-piece, Bob Vylan, have also been confirmed for this year’s lineup.

The London-based duo have gained significant attention after supporting Biffy Clyro and making a guest appearance alongside Frank Carter

and The Rattlesnakes in a BBC Radio 1 session.

Folk singer Kathryn Joseph will return to the town, having previously played Down at The Abbey Festival in 2019.

The Scottish singer-songwriter has drawn comparisons to Joanna Newsome and Björk after releasing her award-winning debut album in 2015.

Also confirmed is Dutch band Pip Blom, pop-grunge artist Du Blonde and unique pop duo Jockstrap, who will take the audience on a wild ride jumping from classical violin to dancehall.

Other acts set to perform include indie-pop-rock band Second Thoughts, trans-national quartet ENN and rising sensation Lauran Hibberd.

Lauran has garnered support from BBC Radio 1 DJ’s Annie Mac, Huw Stephens and Jack Saunders and is

also featured in DIY magazine’s class of 2022.

Representing the local scene are As Loud As A Mouse, folk singersongwriter Darcey Hope, experimental power-pop solo artist Jack Goldstein, Mirror Pictures, DJ duo Twin Sun and the new electro-pop project Dakorra from Kate Herridge of Ocean Ruins.

Rounding out the confirmed acts is live MC Rhymestar, Wesley Gonzalez, Youth Sector, Anorak Patch and Leedsbased electro-punk artist Straight Girl.

This year the event will welcome back fan-favourite venue, Saint Laurence Church, which hosted some amazing performances from previous headliners.

The festival is set to take place across multiple venues in Reading on Saturday, May 7, and raises money for local learning disability charity, Reading Mencap.

Over the last eight years, the money raised has been vital in helping to keep their premises running so they can run a day service, clubs and activities.

Also returning in 2022 is the art auction which invites local artists to give their own take on an act playing the festival with 100% of money raised going to the charity.

Organisers are proud to support lineup diversity and will once again partner with the Safe Gigs For Women initiative in fighting sexual harassment and intimidation in live music.

After early bird availability sold out within four days, tier one tickets are now on sale.

Adult tickets are priced at £25 plus a booking fee and teen tickets £15 plus a booking fee. n For more information, or to book tickets, visit www.areyoulistening.org. uk

14 | LEISURE

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

Enjoy some verse

imagination and wit to transform audience suggestions into hilariously funny scenes in the blink of an eye.

Each show is completely different with an array of random characters, witty one liners and more energy than you have ever seen before on stage.

BrewDog is on Castle Street. The gig starts at 8pm and tickets cost £5 in advance. n To book, or for more details, log on to: whatsonreading.com

POETS’ Café takes place this Friday, February 11, at South Street Arts Centre.

Reading Stanza poetry society present guest Alan Buckley. His works have been widely published in magazines and anthologies. Alan’s first full collection, Touched, was published in 2020.

The evening will be hosted by Hampshire based poet, Vic Pickup and will include an open mic slot.

Doors open at 8pm, poetry starts at 8.30pm.

Tickets cost £5, or £4 for open mic readers. n For more details, or to book, log on to: whatsonreading.com or call the box office on: 0118 960 6060.

Now, that’s what I call the 90s

Noble night out

LAST few tickets remain for Ross Noble’s show, Humournoid.

Ross asks important questions such as: What happens when pure comedy takes human form? What happens when a creature is created and bred to do stand up? Nobody knows because that isn’t a thing. What is a thing is he is doing a show at The Anvil, Basingstoke on Saturday, February 12.

Ross’s on-stage credits include 16 nationwide comedy tours and his recent critically acclaimed performance as Igor in Mel Brooks’ West End revival of monster hit musical Young Frankenstein.

He is a regular on television and radio programmes such as QI, Have I Got News for You and Just a Minute.

The performance starts at 8pm and is suitable for those aged 15 years and over.

Tickets cost £29, including a £3 booking fee. n For more details, or to book, visit: anvilarts.org.uk or call: 01256 844244.

Blues to a T

BLUES and Roots music takes centre stage in Bracknell next Wednesday, February 16.

Mark T and Ajay Srivastav will perform in South Hill Park’s Cellar Bar, with the gig starting at 8pm.

Mark T will sing original music and traditional numbers, spanning English Folk, American Blues and Greek Rembetika, performing on National Steel Guitar and Bouzouki. Ajay Srivastav is a London-based singer and songwriter, who plays a genre-bending mix of Indian Folk, Blues and Americana. His lyrics explore issues of identity, loss and spirituality. In an age of cultural division and societal conflict, his performances

A BROADWAY thriller has begun a two week run at Theatre Royal, Windsor, bringing Hollywood with it.

Catch Me If You Can stars Dallas legend Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl, whose acting credits include playing Fonzie’s girlfriend Ashley in Happy Days.

The cast also includes Coronation Street actor, Gray O’Brien.

Inspector Levine is called to a house

in the remote Catskill mountains to investigate the disappearance of newly married Elizabeth Corban.

In a bizarre development a woman arrives at the house claiming to be the missing Elizabeth but, instead of celebrating the reunion, her husband Daniel accuses her of being an impostor.

So begins a series of baffling events, in which nothing is what it seems and

have been described as passionate, healing and uplifting.

Tickets cost £14, members £12. n To book or for more information, call the box office on: 01344 484123 or log on to: southhillpark.org.uk

Mode, OMD, Japan, ABC and Soft Cell.

The last few tickets remain for this rescheduled show, priced at £25.50. n For more information, or to book, visit: whatsonreading.com or call: 0118 960 6060.

GO BACK to the 1980s at the Hexagon next Thursday.

Calling Planet Earth: The Ultimate 80s Show, lands at 7.30pm on Thursday, February 17.

Performed by a live band, the show will take the audience on a journey through the music of the decade.

The line-up features music from new wave and synthpop artists who defined the genre.

Expect to hear classics by Ultravox, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, The Human League, Tears for Fears, Depeche

NORDEN Farm will show the acclaimed film Licorice Pizza from next Friday, February 18.

Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, it stars singer Alana Haim and Copper Hoffman, the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman, in their film debuts.

Set in San Fernando Valley in 1973, the story follows Alana Kane and Gary Valentine as they grow up, run around and go through the treacherous navigation of first love.

Back to the 80s

Friday morning at the movies

no-one is as they appear.

The play runs until Saturday, February 19.

Performances begin at 7.30pm daily. Matinees on Thursdays and Saturdays start at 2.30pm. There is no performance on Sunday, February 13.

Tickets from £27.50. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on 01753 853888 or log on to: theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk Empire magazine gace the film five stars and said: “This is Paul Thomas Anderson operating at full capacity, a master at work.”

The film is rated PG and begins at 11.30am. There are three further screenings, including a socially distanced event on Wednesday, February 23, at 8pm.

Tickets are £10.50, £9.50 concessions. n For more details, or to book, log on to: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788997.

Monkeying about

COMEDY returns to BrewDog Reading next week.

The Mad Monkey Improv group will be back with their first show of the year on Friday, 18 February.

With no rehearsal and no script, the team will have to rely on their

DISCOVER the decade where Shaparak Khorsandi left an important part of her brain somewhere in a field in Hampshire, in Maidenhead next weekend.

Shaparak Khorsandi’s show, It Was The 90s!, comes to Norden Farm on Saturday, 19 February.

From indie discos to unflattering crop tops, discover the decade when Shaparak found herself flying about London with hope in her heart, a tenner in her pocket and spare knickers in her handbag.

Shappi will examine how the decade of binge drinking and walks of shame look now without the benefit of snakebite and black tinted specs.

The performance is suitable for an audience aged 14 years and over.

Tickets cost £16 and the show starts at 8pm. n For more information, or to book, call the box office on: 01628 78899 or log on to: norden.farm

Speaking in Polari

RADIO comedy show Round the Horne comes to the Wilde Theatre next weekend.

From 1965 to 1968, audiences of up to 15 million people would gather around the wireless on a Sunday afternoon to listen to Kenneth Horne and his merry crew get up to all sorts of mischief.

With its infamous movie spoofs and hilarious regular characters such as Rambling Sid Rumpo, Charles and Fiona, J. Peasemold Gruntfuttock, and Julian and Sandy, Round the Horne is one of the biggest radio comedy shows of all time, and still endures today.

The show uses original scripts by Barry Took and Marty Feldman, and takes place on Sunday, Feb 20, starting at 3pm.

Tickets start from £16.50, under 18s £12. n For more details, call: 01344 484123, or log on to: southhillpark.org.uk

AT THE THEATRE

Coronavirus means that shows could be cancelled, postponed or rearranged at short notice. Check with theatres to avoid disappointment.

Bracknell – South Hill Park

www.southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123 Road. Until Sat. Gary Delaney: Punderland. Thurs.

Conservatoire International Concert Series: Florian Mitrea.

Fri. The Comedy Cellar. Fri. Pop Divas Live. Sat. West Forest Sinfonia in concert.

Sun. Matilda The Musical Jr. Wed-Sat 19. Blues and Roots Double Bill: Mark T and Ajay Srivastav. Wed. Bracknell Jazz: Tom Smith. Fri 18. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 18. Round The Horne. Sun 20.

FILMS: Ghostbusters Afterlife.

Thurs. The Lost Daughter. FriSun. The Boss Baby 2: Family Business. Sat-Tues. High Noon dementia-friendly screening.

Mon. Royal Opera House ballet: Romeo and Juliet. Mon, Sun 20. Drive My Car. Tues.

Clifford The Big Red Dog. WedSun 20. National Theatre Live: The Book of Dust - La Belle Sauvage. Thurs 17. The King’s Man. Fri 18-Sun 20.

Camberley – Theatre

www.camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600 Rave On: The Rise of Rock and Roll. Thurs. Dame Dolly Does.

Sat. Aldance: A Night at the Movies. Sat. Celine: My Heart Will Go On. Sun. The Greatest Musician. Wed. Forbidden Nights. Fri 18. Comedy Club 4 Kids. Sat 19. Newsrevue. Sat 19. Come What May. Sun 20.

Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000

Shelia’s Island. Thurs-Sat 19.

Mayflower The Musical. Sat 12.

I, Elizabeth. Thurs 17-Sat 19.

High Wycombe – Wycombe Swan

www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000 Tony Stockwell. Thurs. Comedy Club. Thurs. Killer Queen. Fri. Justin Live. Sat-Sun. Carmen.

Wed 16. Magic of Motown.

Thurs 17. Ahri Shah: Dress. Fri 18. Jim Davidson. Fri 18. Banff Mountain Film Festival. Sat 19.

Henley – Kenton

www.kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050 Pulse: The Pink Floyd Tribute.

Fri. Blake. Sat. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Tues-Thurs 17.

Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams.

Fri 18.

Maidenhead – Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997

The Tragedy of Macbeth (15).

Thurs. Magical Bones: Black Magic. Thurs. The Electrical Life of Louise Wain (PG). Fri, Sat. The Dime Notes. Fri. The Humans (15). Fri. The Sharon Shannon Quartet. Sat. Here’s What She Said To Me. Wed. Luke Kempner: Macho Macho Man. Wed. The Vinyl Frontier: Charity Shop Vinyl. Thurs 17.

Licorice Pizza (PG). Fri 18, Sat 19. A Band Called Malice: The Definitive Tribute to The Jam. Fri 18. The Duke Ellington Songbook. Sat 19. Saparak Khorsandi: It Was The 90s.

Sat 19.

Newbury – The Corn Exchange

www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218 Belfast (12a). Thurs. Nightmare Alley (15). Thurs. BBC Big Band: The Music of James Bond and Beyond. Thurs.

Fastlove: Everything She Wants. Sat. The Band. Wed. Jenny Eclair: Sixty (FFS). Thurs

17. Magical Bones. Fri 18.

Suggs: What a King Cnut - A Life In The Realm of Madness.

Sat 19.

Newbury – Watermill www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044 Spike. Until Mar 5.

Reading – South St

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Poets Cafe. Fri. Simon Munnery: Alan Parker Warrior Farewell Tour. Sat. Campsite. Tues. The Beautiful Game. Thurs 17.

Poets’ Cafe Online. Fri 18. The Dark. Sat 19.

Reading – Hexagon

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Pasion de Buenea Vista. Tues CANCELLED. Fascinating Aida.

Wed. Calling Planet Earth.

Thurs.

Reading – Concert Hall www.whatsonreading.com

0118 960 6060 NEXT SHOW: Tine Thing Helseth, Trumpet. Feb 22.

Reading – Progress Theatre www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195 Write Fest. Wed-Sat 19.

Reading – Reading Rep Theatre

www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620 NEXT SHOW: Alby the Penguin Saves The World. April 6-18.

Shinfield – Players www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 NEXT SHOW: Last Tango In Whitby. Mar 2-5.

Sonning – The Mill

www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 The House on Cold Hill. Until Mar 26. West End Meets Broadway.

Sun. Magic Night. Mon.

Whitney: Queen of the Night.

Sun 20.

Windsor – Theatre Royal

www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888 Catch Me If You Can. Until Sat 19.

Wokingham – Theatre www.wokingham-theatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363 NEXT SHOW: Apologia. Jan 27-Feb 5.

Wokingham – Whitty www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247 Wokingham Film Society presents: The Courier (12a). Thurs. Broke. Wed. Wokingham Music Club: Harriet The Piano Sessions Live. Fri 18.

Woodley – Theatre

www.woodleytheatre.org 07488 337838 NEXT SHOW: The Things We Do For Love. Feb 22-26.

LEISURE | 15

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Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

A long-distance affair CONTEST: Progress Theatre is selling tickets to its festival of new writing Picture: Steve Smyth

Celebrating new writing talent with Progress SIX short plays from new writers will receive their world premiere in Reading later this month.

Progress Theatre’s Annual WriteFest is returning, a showcase for new writing from Reading’s aspiring playwrights.

The plays are all entries to the contest which the theatre has held since 2006.

Each has a different take, meaning the amateur company can perform everything from drama to comedy, and try their hand at different roles.

All of this year’s winners, chosen from a pool of anonymous submissions, are also members of the group’s Playwrights community. This helps writers develop their skills, and it has been shortlisted for this year’s Creative Lives People’s Choice Award.

The evening will open with Adrian Tang’s A Thousand Words. In it, a court artist must navigate the delicate balance between keeping her patron happy and staying true to herself.

A3 by Neil Jarvis looks at two grieving siblings who spend their father’s wake sifting through memories in the attic. Will they find closure?

Death By Misadventure, by Liz Carool, sees a wedding turns to tragedy in a comic recounting by various quirky guests. The question is: was it murder?

The Fisherman and His Wife is a retelling of the The Brothers Grimm story by Stephanie GunnerLucas. It aims to tell us exactly why the wife is so demanding of the magical fish.

Factory Children focuses on a YouTube star who fabricates a haunting in a creepy factory building for views, but, asks Matthew Beswick, is there something more genuine going on in the dark?

And A Shot At Life, by Neil Jarvis, explores what happens when a marriage turns sour, with dark secrets and schemes coming to light. But everyone deserves a second chance. Right?

The plays are performed from Wednesday, February 16, through to Saturday, February 19, at 7.45pm nightly, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Socially distanced seating will be available at this matinee and also on Thursday, February 17.

Its Come As You Are night is on Wednesday.

Tickets cost £10, or £8 for concessions. n For more details, log on to progresstheatre.co.uk

Charming rom com Same Time, Next Year prepares for a South Hill Park date later this month. It’s a comedy of a couple who want to ensure the grass is greener. PHIL CREIGHTON finds out more

A

NEW production of a charming rom com is coming to South Hill Park later this month, giving audiences a chance to see what was wowing Broadway in the 1970s.

Bernard Slade’s Same Time, Next Year tells the story of Doris and George who meet in 1951, a chance encounter in a Californian hotel that leads to a passionate one-night stand.

Both are married to other people but, soon aware that this might be the start of something, they promise to meet 12 months later.

So begins a romantic love affair that lasts 25 years.

The play charts their lives through the ups and downs of parenthood, career highs and lows as well as the shifting fashions and morals of the passing decades.

Michael Cabot directs Kieran Buckeridge (George) and Sarah Kempton (Doris) in the show, which will be at South Hill Park on Friday, February 25, and again the following day.

He said: “We’re delighted to present this wonderful play. Same Time, Next Year is a charming, nostalgic romantic comedy from the 1970s, with a witty, engaging script.

“It’s our first new show in two years, so it’s been fantastic to be back in design and costume meetings as part of our pre-production.

“One of the big challenges of this play is the timeframe, which runs from 1951 to 1975, and convincingly showing the ever-changing fashions and styles as the years go by.

“Designer Bek Palmer has been ingenious in bringing these very different decades to life.”

Kieran and Sarah are thrilled to be performing in the show.

“It is a funny, romantic, and sometimes moving comedy which charts the relationships of Doris and George,” Kieran says.

“A one-night stand turns into

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LOVE IS: London Classic Theatre is presenting Bernard Slades’s Same Time Next Year, starring Sarah Kempton as Doris Picture: © SBurnett something quite unexpected, and the audience gets the chance to watch their unfolding lives, both together and with their respective spouses. It is a reflection of 25 years of American morals and attitudes mirrored in the two protagonists.”

It is a bittersweet production, as Sarah explains: “There are lots of laughs, maybe even a couple of tears, mostly an evening spent in the company of two loveable, engaging characters in a very interesting situation. “ Kieran plays George, a husband, accountant, and father of three.

He describes him as a fairly neurotic, insecure man, completely racked with guilt for doing what he’s doing.

“As Doris says he ‘walks around like an open nerve’, though I have to say I still like him, I can’t help it,” he says. “I’d probably be just as anxious given the circumstances we find him in.”

Sarah says that Doris is a fantastic character to play.

Not only is she witty and charming but she goes on this fantastic journey from dissatisfied 1950s housewife to powerhouse businesswoman, via lots of twists and turns of self-discovery on the way,” she explains.

“There’s so much to get my teeth into and I’m loving playing around with how she changes each time we see her in these five-year jumps in her life.

“What’s also nice is seeing what doesn’t change about her, if we still see shadows of the young, free, playful Doris in the more serious mature

businesswoman she becomes.”

She continues: “Doris is from an Italian American family and had to leave high school early when she fell pregnant with her first child. Although life can be tough with her husband and three young children, she clearly has a lot of love there.

“What’s lovely is seeing how her relationship with George helps her to develop and grow as a person.”

After two years of no-shows, theatre is finally awakening from its hibernation.

Kieran and Sarah are both pleased to be back in the rehearsal room ahead of the tour, saying it’s amazing.

“I admit I was a little anxious about the first day back, but it’s amazing how it all just comes flooding back,” Kieran said, while Sarah admits: “It’s been a tough couple of years for the entertainment industry with some pretty heart-breaking moments. It’s so wonderful to be back in the room working on a live play and I can’t wait to be back in a theatre sharing a unique experience with an audience.”

She continues: “The energy of a live performance is impossible to replicate, and I’ve certainly missed it.

“There’s something magical about that time in rehearsal taking a play from a page in a book and working as a company to piece it together and create this live experience together as a team.

“Even though you can only see two of us on stage in this play, the

rehearsal is a team effort with a group of us working together to create what you see. There’s something really fun and satisfying in that.”

And this tour is extra special, given the pandemic has prevented much travel over the past two years.

Kieran says: “I’m very much looking forward to visiting some new places. I shall make the most of being out and about. There are some lovely places on our tour so I shall be doing a bit of sightseeing, getting some walks in, and finding the best coffee in the UK.” Sarah loves touring, and feels blessed to live in a country where each area has its own identity.

“There are several places on this tour I’ve never been to so I can’t wait to explore, find some interesting little coffee shops and places to eat.

I’ve been mostly just in London for two years, so it’ll feel like a massive adventure just leaving the house,” she laughs.

And there will be laughter in the show itself, Kieran promises, adding that the show has a heart.

“I imagine there will be some heated debate between partners and friends about what they feel is acceptable and unacceptable within a relationship and whether you can be truly in love with more than one person at a time,” he says.

Sarah adds that Same Time Next Year is an interesting, unique play with two loveable characters.

“Seeing how they each develop as people, through a really interesting time in history, seeing how they come together and drift apart at times, watching them learn about each other and themselves in these little five yearly pockets,” she says.

“It’s such an interesting premise for a story. And, of course, it’s a lot of fun.

“It’s genuinely brilliantly written with a great comedic pace and rhythm that’ll keep you laughing while watching George and Doris fall in love.

“You’ll leave the theatre feeling like you shared the past 25 years with a couple of your best friends.” n Same Time, Next Year is at South Hill Park on Friday, February 25, and Saturday, February 26. Tickets cost £21, £18 for members, £19 for concessions, and £15 for the matinee.

For more details, call the box office on 01344 484123, or log on to southhillpark.org.uk

Mates Rates Comedy Club is bringing Live Stand-Up Comedy to Reading W h e t h e r i t i s TV n a m e s o r n u r t u r i n g n ew ta l e n t a t t h e g ra s s ro o t s , i f yo u l ove s ta n d - u p co m e d y, M a te s Ra te s Co m e d y h a s a s h ow fo r yo u !

Fo r m o re i n fo r m a ti o n c h e c k o u t t h e l i n ks be l ow a n d s ca n t h e Q R co d e to bo o k yo u r ti c ke t s .

Fo l l ow u s o n: f: / M a te s Ra te s C o m e d y c: @ M a te s ra te s co m e d y www. m a te s ra te s co m e d y. co . u k

16 | LEISURE

RPO back at The Hexagon with special guest Ellinor D’Melon THE ROYAL Philharmonic Orchestra will be in concert at the Hexagon on Saturday, February 26.

Acclaimed young violinist Ellinor D’Melon will join the RPO to perform Bruch’s Violin Concerto No.1.

The piece has been described as unleashing the full spectrum of the violin, from beautiful melodies to astounding virtuosity.

Framing the concerto are two great Russian masterpieces. The energetic, scurrying strings of Glinka’s Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla complement Tchaikovsky’s final symphonic manuscript, a work that encapsulates the composer’s emotional power.

The orchestra will be conducted by Pablo Gonzalez and the concert begins at 7.30pm.

Tickets are priced from £17.

A free pre-concert talk will take place in the auditorium at 6.30pm.

A Noisy Kids concert takes place at 11.30am the same day, featuring music from Star Wars and ET, as well as the Blue Danube Waltz and Clair de Lune. n For more details, or to book, log on to: whatsonreading.com or call the box office on: 0118 960 6060.

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

Young pop pickers will enjoy this celebration

TRICKY BUSINESS: Ben Hart will perform an amazing evening of magic at The Kenton Theatre in Henley Picture: Matt Crockett

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ATURDAY night will see a tribute to famous acts such as Dua Lipa, Oliva Rodrigo and Billie Eilish.

And the Pop Divas Live! show will celebrate other favourites including Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Beyonce and many more.

There will also be an appearance from teenage sensation JoJo Siwa, and a special tribute to Little Mix. Pop Divas Live! has been touring since 2017, and is back with its biggest and boldest show yet.

Organisers are promising an evening of superb vocals, choreography and state of the art videos the show is a perfect night out for both little divas and big divas alike.

The production also offers a chance for four lucky little divas to join the stars live on stage to sing and dance.

The show was the brainchild of Phoenix Theatre Group’s Creative Director Phil Dale and the shows creative lead Katie Barker-Dale. Katie trained at Laine Theatre Arts and has been in the industry for 10 years as a professional dancer and choreographer working in theatre, TV and film.

She has travelled the world working for brands such as

Amazing magic coming to The Kenton

TOP POPS: Pop Divas Live! celebrates favourites from the current music scene Topshop and Benefit Cosmetics as well as appearing in films such as ‘Legend’ and TV commercials for brands such as Samsung and Honda.

Katie said: “It’s been amazing to see my vision come to life with the help of a fantastic team. I’ve always wanted to create a show like this and the best part of the

whole experience has been seeing the kids and their parents having fun, singing and dancing along together.” n The concert will be at South Hill Park on Saturday, February 12, from 6pm. For more details, or to book, call the box office on 01344 484123, or log on to: southhillpark.org.uk

A funny, subversive, often dark and amazing magician is preparing for a date at Henley’s Kenton Theatre.

Britain’s Got Talent 2019 finalist, West End star and multi award-winning magician Ben Hart is heading back to the stage with his Wonder tour.

He has established a reputation for always creating wonderfully alternative magic.

When he was 1, he was awarded the prestigious Young Magician of the Year award by the Magic Circle and is one of the youngest ever members of The Inner Magic Circle (with gold star) – the highest level of the famous Magic Circle. He was nominated for the Time Out and Soho Theatre Cabaret Award in 2013.

When not performing magic, Ben invents writes and directs magic tricks and illusions for TV, theatre and film. His ideas have been performed by some of the top magicians

working in the world and he has designed illusions for The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Old Vic, The Globe, The Hampstead Theatre.

He was also the mind behind the acclaimed special effects in the west end productions of The Exorcist and Magic Goes Wrong and Bagdad Cafe at The Old Vic for acclaimed Director Emma Rice.

In 2021 Ben created 2 Metre Magic, a show to accommodate social distancing onstage and off and toured the UK extensively continuing to spread amazement against the odds and pioneering new magical techniques allowing audiences to be involved from a distance. n His show comes to The Kenton on Saturday, March 26, from 7.30pm. For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01491 525 050, or log on to: kentontheatre.co.uk

Fun with the Pied Piper PANTOMIME is returning once again as members of a Wokingham church prepare for curtain up on their 17th show.

This year’s Corpus Christi pantomime tells the story, in song, comedy and dance, of the Pied Piper.

It will be performed at Caudwell Hall in Holme Grange School next month, all for a good

cause.

Trouble is striking the city of Red Leicester as the town’s cheese is going missing, and further problems brew as the Mayor’s daughter disappears too.

Can Jacob, the Pied Piper himself, overcome a group of nasty rats to save her? Find out as the multi-talented cast take you through their own interpretation

of the story.

This year, the team from the Corpus Christi Parish Pantomime Group will be supporting the Wokingham Foodbank.

The show will be on Saturday, March 5, at 3pm and 7pm, and Sunday, March 6, at 3pm. n Further information and tickets are available at piedpiperpanto. eventbrite.co.uk

Panto stars sign up for the Beanstalk THEY’RE a festive tradition that Reading can’t get enough of, and thankfully they’ll be back this Christmas.

Reading’s pantomime double act, Justin Fletcher and Paul Morse, will once gain be treading the boards together.

And while the festive season might seem far away, work has already begun on The Hexagon’s show, which this year will be Jack and the Beanstalk.

CBeebies megastar Justin is well-known as Mr Tumble, but this year he will be one of the Trot family, while Paul will once again play the dame.

Over the years, they have formed a formidable double act, reducing audiences to tears of laughter through their skits.

They include the hilarious ballet routine where they only say one word ... balloon.

Other cast members will be announced in due course, but

organisers are promising all the ingredients for a perfect family pantomime, including a dastardly villain, musical numbers and some slapstick fun.

It will once again be produced for Reading Arts by Imagine Theatre.

The show runs at The Hexagon

from Saturday, December 3, through to bank holiday Monday, January 2. Relaxed and signed performance will take place.

Early bird tickets are on sale, with special rates, until March 31. n For more details, call the box office on 0118 960 6060, or log on to www.readingarts.com

LEISURE | 25

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Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

LIVEMUSIC

To advertise in this section, call Claire on 0118 327 2662

RaW Sounds Today

STAR STRUCK: John Mitchell is Lonely Root.

Hear his latest single, Under Stars, from our playlist

Chris Hillman

bit.ly/ rawsoundstoday

Y

OU’RE all familiar with Damon Albarn’s virtual band The Gorillaz, but have you discovered Lonely Robot?

he will be playing songs from throughout his career interspersed with anecdotes and stories – https:// johnmitchellhq.com

Lonely Robot – Under Stars

Mordecai Smyth – Fear of Flying

Lonely Robot was created by John Mitchell who works from his Reading-based recording studio, Outhouse as a songwriter, singer, musician and producer.

John is also in Frost*, It Bites, Kino and Arena and has played guitar with artists such as Fish and Robert Plant.

He heads to the Everyman Cinema in Kings Cross, London on Wednesday, February 16, for a special one-off intimate acoustic solo show where

Mordecai has appeared in our playlist before with his wonderful psychedelic pop sounds released on Wokingham’s Mega Dodo Records. He is releasing a brand new album in May and has just released this single, Fear of Flying from it.

Mordecai describes the song as one of the ‘less apocalyptic’ new songs on the album. Intriguing.

We’ll look forward to hearing those songs and in the meantime we’ll enjoy the mellow feel of this one – https://www.facebook.com/stickytapeandrust

Thursday, February 10

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Jenny Colquitt and Paul Alexander Low. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Tonto Popadopoulos.

Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Boundary, St Mary’s Butts RG1 2LS. Thursday night karaoke.

Details: 0118 951 9001.

WOODLEY – La’De Kitchen, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3JP. Buzuki Serkan and Cem Iyibardakci. Details: 0118 969 2047.

Friday, February 11

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Heathrow Jets. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Silver Birch, Liscombe RG12 7DE. Anna Nightingale.

Details: 01344 457318.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Pop Divas Live.

Details: 01344 484123.

GORING – Goring Community Centre, The Old School, Station Road RG8 9HB. Goring Community Jazz Club presents Ewen Baird, Nick Hill, Howard King and Mike Goff. Details www. ticketsource.co.uk/goringcommunity-jazz-club READING – The Butler,

Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Boundary, St Mary’s Butts RG1 2LS. Friday night with mr Reckless.. Details: 0118 951 9001.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. The DeRellas. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – Lola Lo, Friar Street. Love Island takeover with Jack Fowler.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Jewels and the Jacuzzis.

Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Large Portion. Details: 0118 926 5804 READING – The Spread Eagle, Norfolk Road, RG30 2EG. The Midnight Rebel Band.

Details: 0118 957 4507.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Glasvegas.

Details: 0118 959 5395.

WHISTLEY GREEN – The Elephant and Castle, Lodge Road RG10 0EH. Pixi Devalle. Details: 0118 934 0886.

WOKINGHAM – The Duke’s Head, Denmark Street RG40 3BQ. DJ Night.

Details: 0118 978 0316.

Saturday, February 12

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. The Enchanted Market: Spriggan Mist,

Harriet has a truly wonderful voice and we are going to be lucky to get the chance to hear her live when she visits Wokingham Music Club at Whitty Theatre on Friday, February 18.

Here’s her beautiful version of 10cc’s classic – https://www.harrietsmusic.com/

The Honey Pot – Somewhere Between Here and Anywhere

The Honey Pot, who released their latest album, The Secret, on Wokingham’s Billywitch Records, performed at the legendary Half Moon Putney on January 30 – https://www.facebook.com/ thehoneypotband

Their latest musical treat joins our weekly round-up of the best bands performing or from the Reading and Wokingham areas.

Under Stars is the perfect track to put you in the mood for a gig Lonely Robot is to perform in London next week.

There are 10 great tunes that you can listen, for free, thanks to our Spotify playlist.

The RaW Sounds playlist is a terrific way to explore a wide range of brilliant artists, discover some new music and keep dancing – make sure you bookmark the Spotify page.

To hear this week’s set, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday and get ready to rock.

There’s 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.

GIG GUIDE

Harriet – I’m Not in Love

Quantum Pig – Statement of Intent This Progressive Music Awards nominated duo supported The Paradox Twin at Reading’s Facebar on Friday, February 4. The song is from their acclaimed debut album Songs of Industry and Sunshine– http://quantumpig.net

The Room – Run

Victor and the Bully, Jadoo Tribal Dance, Support and more. . Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Sound Intentions. Details: 01344 303333.

CROWTHORNE – The Crowthorne Inn, High Street RG45 7AD. Live music. Details: 01344 530615.

GORING – Goring Social Club, High Street RG8 9BA. Undercovers. Details: 01491 873105.

PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. Sing-a-long-a-Nick Valentine’s Special. Details: 0118 969 98978.

READING – Bar 77, Kings Road RG1 3BJ. Lip Sync Karaoke with Big Jay! Details: 7748@greeneking. co.uk READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Wardour Street. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Gateway, Greyfriars Road.

Dreamsellers and Moonlight Foxes.

READING – The Jazz Cafe, Select Car leasing Stadium RG2 0FL. Valentines Luv Affair Details: 0118 968 1442.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. The Turn.

Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ.

Dirtbag. Details: 0118 957 6930.

WINNERSH – The Pheasant, Reading Road RG41 5LR. The Clique. Details: 0118 978 4529.

WINNERSH – The Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Wokingham Music Club presents South Coast Soul Revue’s Funk n Soul Party. £20. Details: www. wokinghammusicclub. co.uk WOKINGHAM – The Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Tim Shez Band. Details: 0118 978 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Jamie Trick. Details: 0118 979 7402.

Sunday, February 13

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: The Jigantics. Details: www.readifolk.org.uk READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays.

Details: 0118 959 7196.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. West End Meets Broadway. Details: 0118 969 8000.

WOODLEY – La’De Kitchen, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3JP. Ayce Abana and

The Wave Machine – Don’t Pretend Angus Trott aka The Wave Machine appeared in our best of 2021 list with Ocean’s Brew and now here’s his new single.

It’s another uplifting positive song that makes you smile – https://www.facebook.com/ thewavemachine

The Paradox Twin – Perfect Circles They appeared in many best of year lists around the world and recently played in their home town of Reading with a show at Facebar.

This song is from their acclaimed Silence from Signals album – https://www.theparadoxtwin. com/

Yunuscan Kaya. Details: 0118 969 2047.

Monday, February 14

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. The Night Cafe – SOLD OUT. Details: 0118 959 5395.

WOKINGHAM – The Oakingham Belle, Oak Avenue RG40 1LH. Valentine’s Beatles Tribute night. Details: 0118 324 9894.

Tuesday, February 15

WOODLEY – La’De Kitchen, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3JP. Ayce Abana and Yunuscan Kaya. Details: 0118 969 2047.

Wednesday, February 16

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Blues and Roots Double Bill: Mart T and Ajay Srivastav. Details: 01344 484123.

Thursday, February 17

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Just Genesis. Details: www.theacousticcouch. co.uk READING – The Boundary, St Mary’s Butts RG1 2LS. Thursday night karaoke.

Details: 0118 951 9001.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk. Calling

Planet Earth. Details: 0118 960 6060.

WOODLEY – La’De Kitchen, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3JP. Buzuki Serkan and Cem Iyibardakci. Details: 0118 969 2047.

Friday, February 18

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Greeny and the Voyagers, Damn Good Liars. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. I Got Soul: Soul and Reggae Swing Night. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Silver Birch, Liscombe RG12 7DE. 80s Night with CJ DJ. Details: 01344 457318.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Bracknell Jazz: Tom Smith. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Pitcher and Piano, Friar Street. Stars in their Minds Karaoke and disco.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. AntiNowhere League. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Lee Aaron Band. Details: 0118 957 6930.

HOLDING A GIG, QUIZ OR GAMES NIGHT? SEND DETAILS TO EVENTS@WOKINGHAM.TODAY

This band with members from the area were invited as special guests at the Hammersmith Club in London on January 22, by a brand-new group, Little Finger, whose members are made up of Gary Numan’s backing band – https://theroom.band/

Penelope Isles – Have You Heard Penelope Isles are from Brighton and were due to be appearing at Reading’s Facebar on January 28. Their tour has been cancelled but this is still well worth a listen – https://www.penelopeisles.com/

Toyah – Levitate She’s an iconic performer who first came to fame with some classic 80’s hits and she headed to Wokingham Music Club (WMC) at Whitty Theatre on January 21. Levitate is from Toyah’s latest album Posh Pop – https://toyahwillcox.com/

Saturday, February 19

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. DJ Night: Shivoo Underground A Night of house and Tech. Details: www.theacousticcouch. co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. NBS. Details: 01344 303333.

CROWTHORNE – The Crowthorne Inn, High Street RG45 7AD. Live music. Details: 01344 530615.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Rev John H and the Revelations with special guests. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. As Loud As A Mouse. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Fidget and the Twitchers!, Seed of Greed, Ssaule, Personal Issue, BJ Bevy, Temperamental Flint, Otter Producdes, Ketty Yeti Book Launch and more. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. The Replays. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Jungle Riot and Concrete Junglists. Details: 0118 959 5395.

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. Wardour Street. Details: 0118 942 9606.

WHISTLEY GREEN – The Elephant and Castle, Lodge Road RG10 0EH. Abi Powell. Details: 0118 934 0886.

WOKINGHAM – The Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. Hattie’s Leaving Do: Peach and the Prairie Dogs. Details: 0118 978 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Ship Inn, Peach Street RG40 1XH. The Gas Trick Band.

Details: 0118 978 0389.

WOKINGHAM – The Duke’s Head, Denmark Street RG40 3BQ. DJ Night.

Details: 0118 978 0316.

Sunday, February 20

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Singers night. Details: www.readifolk.org.uk READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. Whitney: Queen of the Night. Details: 0118 969 8000.

WOODLEY – La’De Kitchen, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3JP. Ayce Abana and Yunuscan Kaya. Details: 0118 969 2047.

No. 5400

Your weekly puzzle challenge

26 | LEISURE

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

TO ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE, CALL CLAIRE ON: 0118 327 2662

Quiz Challenge

CROSS CODE

9

21

6

3

11

13

26

21

5

3

18

12

3 18

3

12

1

18

12

18 3

23

5

16 1

6

13

20

3

11

9

12

9

21

3

12

20

2

1

6

8

8

11

20

10 3

14

3 23

20

12

3

9

3

23 3

18

13

21

21

5

6

12

3

13 3

3

18

3

NONAGRAM

18 21

7. Which family of plants produces the spices cayenne, chilli and pimento?

E O N

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1

U

14

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

L

S

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

MITE KEPT OINTMENT

T

I

R

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: 26 Good; 31 Very Good; 36 Excellent.

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).

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.

IO

MN

OU

CA

VL

LE

CE

EM

LH

UO

PE

5 4 2 6 7 2 3 1 5 9 6 4 2 8 9 5 7 1 4 8 9 6 3 4 1 8 3 9 4 7 6 8 9 4

3

9 2

5 9 6 4 7 3 7

9 3 6 5 4

2 1

1 7 5

13 12

13

14 15

18

T

16 20

17 22

L

A

A

L F

N F

A

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.

YD

24

24

DOWN 1. Next to the second eleven, we hear (6) 2. Clothing put in order (5)

3. Advance payment made to one parliamentarian before the others (7) 5. Very bright Roman numerals (5)

6. Get back into the centre of the procession (7) 7. Low pressure container (6) 8. Celebrity character (11)

14. Offer more and take the lot perhaps (7)

15. Leave quietly with one’s underwear showing (4,3)

16. Restaurant hanger-on? (6) 17. Right to throw out an imperfect article (6)

19. Donald accepts you as the senior member (5) 20. Illustrious aristocrat (5)

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

2

3

4

5

8

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.

10

6

11

12

13

13

14

15

16

17

17

18

19

20 22

7

9

21 23

20

21

24

25

26

27

This puzzle page is supplied by Sirius Media Services Ltd.

4

To try our new puzzle, Zygolex, go to www.zygolex.com

9 6

© Sirius Media Services Ltd

28

29

30 4 1 8 9 3 7 6 2 5

2 5 9 4 8 6 1 7 3

7 8 3 6 2 9 5 1 4

9 2 1 5 4 8 3 6 7

6 4 5 1 7 3 2 8 9

1 9 4 8 5 2 7 3 6

5 6 7 3 9 1 8 4 2

8 3 2 7 6 4 9 5 1

WORD PYRAMID: Football fanatic.

EQUALISER: Clockwise from top left – multiply; add; divide; subtract.

Total: 7

SOLUTIONS

17

19

ACROSS 1. A small English county; it provides somewhere to live (6) 4. Wandering to cave to find a feathered creature (6) 9. High church feature (7) 10. Fierce woman loses a sign (5) 11. Did without what the chemist made out? (9) 12. Urge, say, to start gambling (3) 13. Where to play snooker in the garden? (7,4) 18. Trouble reported with drink (3) 19. Amorous activity enjoyed by many before the union (9) 21. Flighty creature brought back by the cat (5) 22. Head of treasury has currency problem (7) 23. Journeying in old Yorkshire (6) 24. Witness at the international match (6)

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.

3 2

15

16

EQUALISER 2 10 3 2 1 4 4 15 1 2 1 2

Hard

7

12

23

C

DN

SM

6

11

I

AD

PI

5

21

LA

AX

4

11

21

DE

AE

Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.

2 8

10

FIVE ALIVE NM

4

10

10. According to her 2011 hit song, where did Rihanna find love?

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 B through openings in the walls. The T first letter may appear in any chamber.

O O

3

9

9. What type of birds are said to gather in a muster?

SUDOKU Easy

2

8

WORD PYRAMID

T R V

14

1

8. Which island has the highest sea cliffs in the world, much favoured by hang-gliding enthusiasts?

5. Which royal house ruled Portugal from 1640 to 1910?

2 12

2. What is the innermost colour on the curve of a rainbow?

4. The science of growing plants without soil is called what?

3

4

6. Since 2018, Mandip Gill has played Yasmin Khan in which popular sc-fi TV series?

3. What O is a city in Florida and the first name of an English actor who starred in Pirates of the Caribbean?

9

11

3 21

21

25

11

21

3

12

1

1. Snooker cues are traditionally made from which species of hardwood?

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

PZ1P5400

20

9

7

3 7 6 2 1 5 4 9 8

17

11

18

24

3

7 5 1 2 3 9 8 6 4

3

9

11

23

9 6 3 4 7 8 5 2 1

18

3

12

4 2 8 6 1 5 7 3 9

3

12

11

5 3 2 9 6 4 1 7 8

3

1

19

6 9 7 8 5 1 2 4 3

4

12

8 1 4 3 2 7 9 5 6

15

11 6

11

7

21 4

3

2 8 6 7 9 3 4 1 5

4

22 12

21

13

18 11

11

3 4 5 1 8 2 6 9 7

25

1 7 9 5 4 6 3 8 2

11

5400

28. Shelf (5) ACROSS 29. Ground (7) 1. Demise (5) 30. Unusual (7) 4. Cavort (7) 8. Fencing stakes (7) 31. Pursues (5) DOWN 9. Line up (5) 1. Storehouse (5) 10. Light brown (5) 2. Permit (5) 13. Perpetually 3. Bee product (5) young (7) 4. Disqualify (6) 17. Snoop (3) 5. Debonair (5) 18. Reanimate (6) 6. Chemical 19. Parish official (6) compound (5) 20. Primate (3) 7. Fireside 22. Spire (7) implement (5) 25. Vocal confusion (5) 11. Watchful (5)

31

12.

14.

15.

16.

17.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

Sound (5) Change course (4) Tropical vine (5) Work out (5) Chime (4) Pounding tool (6) Vends (5) Senior (5) Clean feathers (5) Mooring (5) Muscular strength (5) 27. Connects (5)

QUICK CROSSWORD: Across – 1 Death; 4 Disport; 8 Palings; 9 Align; 10 Tawny; 13 Ageless; 17 Pry; 18 Revive; 19 Beadle; 20 Ape; 22 Steeple; 25 Babel; 28 Ledge; 29 Terrain; 30 Strange; 31 Hunts.

Down – 1 Depot; 2 Allow; 3 Honey; 4 Disbar; 5 Suave; 6 Oxide; 7 Tongs; 11 Alert; 12 Noise; 14 Gybe; 15 Liana; 16 Solve; 17 Peal; 21 Pestle; 22 Sells; 23 Elder; 24 Preen; 25 Berth; 26 Brawn; 27 Links.

QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 Ash; 2 Violet; 3 Orlando (Bloom); 4 Hydroponics; 5 House of Braganza; 6 Doctor Who; 7 Capsicums; 8 Hawaii; FIVE ALIVE: 9 Peacocks; 10 In a hopeless place.

(1) Across – Nomad; Vexed; Lumpy.

Down – Novel; Maxim; Daddy.

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: CROSS CODE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Across – 1 Bedsit; 4 Avocet; 9 Steeple; 10 Virgo; 11 Dispensed; (2) Across – Mince; Llama; Hosed.

U V E W O P X I D C A S N 12 Egg; 13 Potting shed; 18 Ale; 19 Dalliance; 21 Tabby; 22 Down – Mulch; Neaps; Eland.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Trouble; 23 Riding; 24 Attest.

Y K J F R H M L B T Q Z G Down – 1 Beside; 2 Dress; 3 Imprest; 5 Vivid; 6 Cortège; 7 NONAGRAM: envoi; inro; into; intro; INTROVERT; Trough; 8 Personality; 14 Overbid; 15 Slip out; 16 Waiter; 17 iron; ironer; nitro; noir; nori; norite; MAGIC SQUARE: EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU Reject; 19 Doyen; 20 Noble. knit; note; item; note; orient; otter; oven; over; overt; temp. ovine; renvoi; retort; retro; riot; rioter; rote; roti; rotten; rotter; rove; rover; tenor; tiro; tone; toner; tonier; tore; torn; torr; torrent; tort; torte; tote; trio; triton; tritone; trot; trove; trover; veto; vino; vireo; vote; voter.

LEISURE | 27

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, February 10, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

WHAT’SON Thursday, February 10

LOWER EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Wellbeing cafe: coffee and chat in the church. 2pm-4pm. Details: 0118 931 3124.

READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Smiths Coaches of Reading, a talk by Paul Lacey. Organised by the Berkshire Family History Society. 2pm-3.30pm. £5.

Details: 0118 950 9553.

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 – Cantley Park RG40 5QG. Candle making workshop. 10am-noon.

Details: wokingham.gov.uk WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club

meeting. Folio Evening.

7.30pm. Details: www. webcc.org.uk.

Friday, February 11

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge 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, February 12

READING – Broad Street Mall, Broad Street RG1 7QE. Love Is In The Air – a day of special events to celebrate

Holding a community event? Send your listings to events@wokinghampaper.co.uk Valentine’s day. 11am-4pm.

Includes string musicians from noon, Reading Male Voice Choir at 10am, a caricature artist, and more.

READING – Kadampa Meditation Centre, bath Road RG1 8HH. Cravings, Attachment and Addiction.

10.30am-1pm. £20.

Details: 0118 959 9133.

WINNERSH – Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Wokingham Music Club presents South Coast Soul Revue’s Funk n Soul Party. £20. Details: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ wokinghammusicclub WOKINGHAM – Quench bookshop, Holme grange Craft Village, Heathlands Road RG40 3AW. Book signing by Paul Kerensa.

4pm. Details: 0118 977 6715.

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market.

9am-3pm. Details: 07861 654674 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, February 13

WOKINGHAM – Market

Place. Wokingham vegan market. 9am-1pm. Details: www.sparkleveganevents. com 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, February 14

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.

9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org READING – The Biscuit Factory, Queens Walk RG1 7QE. Jelly presents a life-drawing class.

6.30pm. £20.. Details: readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge 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,

February 15

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 WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. CLASP Wokingham cafe with Friendship table.

10am-noon. Every third and fourth Tuesday of the month. Details: linkvisiting. org WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

4pm. Details: linkvisiting. org 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 with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Artisan market. 9am-2pm.

Details: 07861 654674 or www.woodleytowncentre. co.uk

Thursday, February 17

Wednesday, February 16

DUNSDEN – Dunsden Green Village Hall RG4 9QG. Dunsden Green Country Dancing Club: country dancing with a caller. 8pm10pm. £4, first evening free. Details: 07714 226723.

EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe with Friendship Table. 2pm-

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org 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 3 Print competition: open, judged

by Caroline Colegate.

7.30pm. Details: www. webcc.org.uk.

Friday, February 18

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge 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.

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, February 19

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market.

9am-3pm. Details: 07861 654674 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Sunday, February 20

WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Vegan Market. 11am-3pm.

Details: 07861 654674 or www.woodleytowncentre. co.uk

Monday, February 21

Binfield - Newbold College Church, Popeswood Road, RG42 4AN. The Arts Society Wokingham’s monthly lecture: A Carpet Ride to Khiva - reviving Timurid carpet designs,

by Chris Aslan at 7.45pm.

Also live-streamed via YouTube. Details www.

TheArtsSocieyWokingham. org.uk

Half Term at Saturday 19 February, 11am Peut-Etrê Theatre presents

THE DARK

Stage adaptation of Lemony Snicket’s beloved book, for ages 5+ Tuesday 22 February, 2pm

SHLOMO’S BEATBOX ADVENTURE FOR KIDS

Beatboxer and top entertainer SK Shlomo shows you how to be a beatboxing legend!

Wednesday 23 February, 11.30am & 2pm Half Moon Theatre presents

PARTY

A quirky and heartfelt show for children aged 2-5 years, all about overcoming social anxiety

Pictured: Shlomo’s Beatboxing Adventure For Kids

21 South Street Reading RG1 4QU

0118 960 6060 whatsonreading.com

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

Vegetable Soups with Toppers In the kitchen Good4U

Quick Pea Soup Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes Serves: 4 n 1 tablespoon of oil n 1 small onion, finely chopped n 450g frozen peas n 750ml vegetable stock n Salt and freshly ground black pepper To serve n Good4U Garlic and Herb Salad Topper n Crusty bread Method: 1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and cook the onion on a low heat for 4-5 minutes until soft but not brown.

2. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

3. Add in the peas, season well with salt and pepper, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the peas are cooked.

4. Puree the soup with a

stick blender or in a liquidiser.

5. Serve sprinkled with Good4U Garlic and Herb Salad Topper and with crusty bread.

How to care for wildlife in your garden

Carrot and Coriander Soup Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes Serves: 4 n 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil n 1 onion, finely chopped n 1 teaspoon of ground coriander n 1 medium potato, peeled and diced n 500g of carrots, peeled and chopped n 1.25 litre of vegetable stock Method: n Salt and freshly ground 1. In a saucepan, fry the pepper onion in the oil for To serve 5 minutes until n Crusty bread soft. n Good4U Garlic and 2. Add the potato and Chilli Salad Topper coriander and fry n Good4U Sprouted for another minute Super Sprouts Salad then add the carrots Topper and vegetable stock.

T Season well with salt and pepper, bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are soft.

3. Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a liquidiser.

4. Serve sprinkled with Good4U Garlic and Chilli Salad Topper and Good4U Sprouted Super Sprouts Salad Topper. n Recipes supplied by Good4U, a family-run

health food company based in Sligo, on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. It makes created wholesome snacks that are affordable and sustainable. For more details, log on to: good4u.co

Fire Authority urges people to keep safe when cooking this February

W

Food Aim to offer a variety of seeds, nuts, grains, fruits, and fats to satisfy the needs of a range of species. Different birds like to eat different things.

Robins like fruits, Sparrows and Finches enjoy seeds, and Tits like nuts. Starlings will eat almost anything.

You can buy wild bird food and specific food for hedgehogs and squirrels too.

Feeding stations It is very easy to put a bird feeder in your garden.

Ensure it is placed in an area where birds can feel safe and make a quick getaway. There are also feeders for other animals too. Add a squirrel feeder to your garden and let them entertain you with their antics.

ITH Valentine’s Day around the corner, and Shrove Tuesday on the horizon, there is an expectation that people will be busy in the kitchen as they bake, cook and create.

Members of the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service want budding chefs and Bake Off experts alike to pay attention to fire safety while they are conjuring up seasonal delights.

It’s part of a national fire safety campaign, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service is encouraging people to take extra care in the kitchen this month.

Its prevention manager, Nicola Smith, said: “Half of all accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen - often because of distractions like phone calls or family. So, whatever happens elsewhere in your home, always make sure you have one eye on the hob or oven.”

Here are Nicola’s top tips n Take care if you need to leave the kitchen while cooking. Take pans off the heat or turn them down to avoid risk. n If a pan catches fire, don’t take any risks – Get out, stay out, and call 999.

HIS time of year can be tough for wildlife. Cold temperatures cause animals to lose body heat much faster, and natural food is less available, particularly if the ground freezes and they cannot forage around for insects.

Squires Garden Centres, which has a branch in Wokingham, says we can give native wildlife a helping hand.

Think of your garden, or your balcony or window ledge, as a vital patch where animals can get the shelter and food that they need.

To help care for wildlife in your garden, households can provide food, feeding stations, water and shelter.

Water All creatures need water to drink, but birds also need to bathe themselves every day. It’s a crucial task for feather maintenance as it loosens dirt and makes their feathers easier to clean.

To help with this, a pond or bird bath is great, but you can also use an upturned bin lid or even a saucer.

Shelter

n Double check the hob and oven is off when you’ve finished cooking. n Keep tea towels and cloths away from the cooker and hob. n Take care if you’re wearing loose clothing – this can easily catch fire. n Avoid leaving children in the kitchen alone when cooking.

Keep matches and saucepan

handles out of their reach to keep them safe. n Take care with electrics - keep leads and appliances away from water and place grills and toasters away from curtains and kitchen rolls. n Keep your equipment clean and in good working order. A build-up of fat and grease can ignite a fire. n Don’t cook after drinking alcohol.

n Hot oil can catch fire easily - be careful that it doesn’t overheat. n Never throw water on a chip pan fire. n In the event of a fire, have an escape plan in place. n If you would like to find out more about fire safety when cooking, you can find further information on the RBFRS website: Cooking (rbfrs.co.uk).

It’s National Nest Box Week from Monday, February 14. Help celebrate by installing a nest box to provide birds with a much-needed place to raise their young.

Rupert Sleight, a manager at Squires, said: “The more boxes you have, the greater the chance of birds nesting. Provide enough space between them though, as birds are territorial.”

You could also add a hedgehog home, a bee, butterfly or bug hotel, or simply create some log piles for insects and beetles.

Squires Garden Centres is offering 15% off all wildlife food, shelters and accessories until February 27.

NO ONE CHRONICLES THE ACTION BETTER THAN US WOKINGHAM EDITION

10.02.22

HIGH FIVE: WOMEN SET NEW RECORD BOARS’ WINNING STREAK ENDS

AWESOME ABBEY EARN AWAY WIN

FLIPPING BRILLIANT! OJONG HEADS SUMAS AWAY FROM DANGER

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK climbed away from the relegation zone in the Combined Counties Premier North with a vital three points against Wembley.

With the game locked at 0-0 after an hour, the Sumas came up with the all-important winning

goal in the 63rd minute.

Enow Ojong endereared himself to the home crowd at Lowther Road when he headed past the goalkeeper after latching onto Nathan Mindomba’s cross to break the deadlock.

Ejong then followed up his goal with a superb display of athleticism and showmanship with a back flip to celebrate.

Eliot Whitehouse’s team defended resolutely to limit Wembley’s chances in front of goal and ensured that they had all three points when the final whistle was blown.

The Sumas will now be looking to kick on after earning their second home win of the campaign to push them up to 16th in the table on 18 points.

Wokingham have the scope to

look further up the standings, with games in hand to play over the six teams directly above them.

The Sumas are back on home turf again this weekend when they host Spelthorne Sports (3pm kick-off).

The visitors are currently in 13th position in the table on 23 points having played one more match than Wokingham. n Full football round-up: pages 22-23

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SOUTH BERKS SAIL PAST SONNING

UNHAPPY BIRTHDAY: ROYALS FANS PLAN PROTEST A GROUP of Reading FC fans are planning a protest ahead of the club’s 150th-anniversary match on Saturday.

Fan group Club 1871 are inviting Royals fans to join a protest with banners, placards to voice their concerns about how the club is currently being operated.

Fan group Elm Park Royals have also given their support to the planned protest which is due to take place at 1pm outside the Select Car Leasing Stadium at the main entrance by the club shop, on Saturday.

Club 1871 outlined their reasons for the protest on social media: “Our primary objective is change of management. Second if the removal of Kia (Joorabchian) from leading our transfer recruitment.

Third is clear comms from Dai/CEO around a plan moving forward.

“We encourage everyone who wants to attend to create their own banners and placards.

“In the stadium, we will celebrate the 150th anniversary of our great club.

“We have a display showcasing this so make sure you get in the stadium early enough.

“And of course we will continue cheering on the boys to hopefully three points.”

Aswell as problems off the pitch, there are immediate concerns with the current league position.

Ahead of a round of midweek fixtures in the Championship, Reading are one place and two points above the relegation zone.

However, they have played one more game than the side directly below them, Peterborough United.

18 | SPORT

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www.trademarkwindows.co.uk Bracknell celebrate getting the ball over the line in their match against Windsor Pictures: Paul Ridley

RUGBY UNION

BRACKNELL BAG BONUS POINT IN DERBY Bracknell fight to keep the ball

By GARY MILES sport@wokingham.today

Bracknell 29 Windsor 14 BRACKNELL RFC got back on track with a bonus point home victory in a local derby against Windsor.

On a dry sunny, increasingly cold breezy day Windsor kicked off playing towards the clubhouse.

Windsor turned over after a ruck, they kicked on and the resulting breakaway enabled a converted score just left of the posts to go seven points in front in the opening score.

Bracknell hit back within five minutes. The restart had the ball to the 22, a sequence of rucks and mauls eventually ended with a penalty which was kicked to touch.

The lineout was good and with safe hands from Bradley Walters, after a couple of phases had the ball down the attacking line ended

with Jasper Miranda going over to score to reduce the deficit despite a missed conversion.

Bracknell won the maul from the resulting lineout and five phases later the ball was passed out right for Alex Frame to score with the match at 10-7 to the hosts.

The final score of the half was the best try of the match.

A kick by Windsor was well taken by Simon Bayliss in his own

22 and he evaded tackles fto make 30 metres or more to make a hole Windsor’s defence which released the backs for Ian Burch to score easily under the posts.

The conversion was successful to see Bracknell in front 17-7 at the break.

The bonus point try came 10 minutes later after a kick to halfway was gathered by Bayliss and another fine run resulted in

a converted score in front of the clubhouse.

A breakthrough came with 30 minutes of the half played, Bracknell were playing advantage, unfortunately a knock on when there was an overlap meant play had to go back for a penalty which was kicked to the five-metre line.

A Windsor kick to touch and from the following lineout Windsor knocked on, the resulting scrum was won by Bracknell and a pass out to Ben Bathurst from Ken Hodgson who scored in the corner, the conversion was missed so Bracknell’s last score of the match left the score at 29-7.

Windsor enjoyed some possession in the final minutes of the match and after the restart from the last score a lineout on our 22.

The Windsor backs passed down the line to score under the posts with the conversion successful, the score line was 29-14.

RUGBY UNION

11 TRIES FOR AWESOME ABBEY IN DAZZLING AWAY DISPLAY Supermarine Ladies 0 Abbey RFC 67

Abbey RFC touch down to score a try Picture: Your Sport Swindon

ABBEY RFC WOMEN responded from last week’s defeat with a thumping victory away at Supermarine Ladies.

There were seven different try scorers in an 11-try 0-67 thriller with in-form centre Alice DentonRice bagging five for herself, as well as six conversions.

Annette Bevan, Tori Kiff, Claire Stevens, Ellie Denton-Rice and Hollie King also crossed the whitewash, as did Keni Lenton on her first-team debut.

Although the conditions were trying, Abbey Women still managed to produce an exciting, free-flowing spectacle where forwards and backs interlinked well to rack up the impressive score line.

Abbey looked the more dominant side from the start, with strong

carries from the returning Fern Edgar, as well as debutant Lenton testing the Swindon outfit’s defence.

Good defensive pressure ensured Abbey were never too long without the ball in hand and it wasn’t long before a gap opened up for Bevan to junk through.

Alice Denton-Rice enjoyed

the good platform the forwards provided in the scrum, bagging a first-half hat-trick with ease, as her powerful running proved too much for the Supermarine defence to handle.

Hooker Stevens also capitalised on and finished another breakaway run from Edgar, while Kiff ran a timely line off Bevan to cross

beneath the posts.

Defensively, Abbey always seemed in control. Huge hits from Alice Lawrence and Joey Fowler kept the momentum high, while the backs were marshaled well

by Hayley Matthews, who gave a trademark excellent defensive performance.

Debutant Lenton, having made several breakaway runs throughout the match, was rewarded with a try, while the back three of Lou Pullan, Olivia Grane and Nat Bow worked well together to consistently threaten the wings.

Alice Denton-Rice grabbed two more, not before Ellie Denton-Rice, ever the selfless playmaker, was rewarded with the most deserved try of the match, if not the season, for her performances thus far. It wasn’t long before proceedings were rounded off with a good break from substitute Meg Parks, which ended in prop King crashing over from short range.

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RUGBY UNION

BERKSHIRE U20’S START IN STYLE BERKSHIRE Under 20s started their Jason Leonard County Championship campaign with a bang as they blitzed visitors Hampshire 43-7 at Old Bath Road.

The hosts made a brilliant start as they took the lead inside five minutes, a perfectly crafted rolling maul crossing the whitewash from a fivemetre line-out, skipper Spencer Hayhow the man to touch down.

The Rams hooker doubled his tally shortly afterwards as Berkshire again made their way into Hampshire territory, some patient build-up ending with Hayhow finding a gap to cross on the right-hand side.

The former Pangbourne College student then completed an incredible hat-trick as he grabbed his side’s third try from close range, pushing Berkshire into a 15-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

And he then made it four as the rolling maul again got to work, Reading University fly-half Matt Smith finding his range from the tee to add the extras.

It was another University man, Exeter’s Josh Norman, who collected his side’s fifth at the end of a nice move, and with Smith again on target with the conversion, Berkshire led 29-0 at the interval.

With props Harry Etwell and Toby DannMuirhead, representing Rams and Maidenhead respectively, helping boss the scrum, the hosts enjoyed solid ball and they extended their advantage early in the second period.

On this occasion, however, it was a first try for the backs, as Reading University’s Finn Matthews produced a beautiful run to beat a couple of defenders and cross on the right.

Smith was again on target to make it 36-0, but Hampshire kept battling away and prevented any further score for most of the second period.

Full-back Matthews had a second try disallowed for a foot in touch, but the Royal county were not to be denied a seventh as replacement Charlie Robson – who has scored two tries in three National One appearances for Rams – collected an Etwell pass before darting in on the left wing, Smith slotting the conversion for 43-0.

The visitors picked up a deserved consolation for their efforts late on as anice arcing run from full-back Matt Barrett created the space for left wing Harry Clarke to cross the whitewash.

Harry Rabjohn bisected the uprights with the conversion, but it was Berkshire who take command of the group ahead of the return fixture later this month.

SPORT | 19

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RUGBY UNION

REYNOLDS PRAISES ‘GOOD JOB’ IN AWAY TRIUMPH RAMS SECURE BONUS POINT WIN ON THE ROAD

By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today

SEB Reynolds has hailed a job well done as his side secured a bonus-point 26-5 victory at Birmingham Moseley.

Two tries from Max Hayman and further scores from Tom Vooght and Ant Marris – his maiden effort for the club – overcame a Seb Nagle-Taylor five-pointer as the visitors made it four National One wins in five games.

The club’s director of ruby Reynolds said: “It’s not an easy place to win – they have a very passionate crowd who are always very exciting to play in front of, and we were up against a side who have come into form.

“We did a good job in shutting down their width, which was one of the aims pre-game, and our tempo was very good.

“Our commitment was good and our tackle technique was excellent, so I was pleased.

Birmingham Mosely v Rams Pictures: Tim Pitfield “It’s a funny one because the score-line looks comfortable, but Moseley are one of those sides where they hit you with a try, then they get another and then one more and they’re in the lead, so you have to be aware of that the whole time.”

He continued: “The past two weeks (following the 43-19 win against Taunton) are the product of us

developing during the season – I’ve never had any concerns about people saying ‘how do we play in the second-half’ or ‘how do we play after big wins or losses’ because as long as we see the development, the season’s a long one.”

A key moment in the contest came early in the second half when Moseley seemed certain to score,

only for skipper Robbie Stapley to incredibly hold the ball up over the line, Rams going down the other end for Marris to dot down within 90 seconds to make it 19-0 following Rowan Grundy’s conversion.

Reynolds lauded his skipper: “I would argue Robbie is in the best form of his rugby playing career – what he does around the side at the moment is outstanding,” he said.

“His captaincy is superb and he’s also got an exuberance of youth about him on the pitch which is great to see.”

“Ollie’s been great and another whose just playing some superb rugby.

“He managed the game really well, he kicked with control and played some high-tempo rugby when he needed to.

“But it’s important to also mention the experienced guys who’ve been in National Two, come up and are now helping these boys.”

A THOROUGHLY professional performance from Rams saw the visitors earn an excellent 26-5 bonus-point victory at Birmingham Moseley.

The away side started strongly and took a deserved lead early on.

A surging rolling maul was stopped short of the Birmingham line, but again some patient buildup was finished as Tom Vooght fought his way over on the right, Grundy’s wind-assisted conversion attempt unfortunate to strike the right post.

Some slick handling from the excellent Ollie Cole enabled Kieran Leicester to feed an inside ball to prop Ant Marris to dive over for the third try and his maiden score for the first team.

Mn-of-the-match Hayman – who produced yet another all-action display all round the park – peeled off the back before diving over for his second try.

Grundy’s kick from the 15-metre line on the left was good, and with 10 minutes to play, the game was all but up for the home side.

They continued to give it their all, though, and could have

Birmingham Mosely v Rams Pictures: Tim Pitfield scored a second try only for some magnificent cover defence from wings Henry Bird and Charlie Robson, albeit the former received a yellow card for his efforts.

Yet Rams repelled a final attack from Moseley as they picked up a fourth win in five games since the turn of the year, remaining in sixth place but closing the gap on the chasing pack behind Rosslyn Park.

National League One Rugby is back at Old Bath Road Saturday 19th February 2022 K.O. 3.00pm 1st XV v Bishop’s Stortford RFC A range of great food and drink is available for you to savour. Great Beer, Great Food and Great Rugby!

E tickets can be pre-purchased via our Ticket Office at: Entry is £15 for over 18s for non-season ticket holders, FREE for under 18s.

FREE Park and Ride available for this fixture.

Rams Rugby, Old Bath Road, Sonning, Berkshire RG4 6TQ © RAMSRUGBY 2022

160mmx8 columns (265mm) Bishops Stortford Home 19th February - Wokingham and Reading Paper 9-10.02.22.indd 1

07/02/2022 13:21:35

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, February 10, 2022

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0800 30 50 30 How they rated

GRACE MOLONEY

A vitally important display from the returning keeper, her magnificent penalty stop early in the second-half to keep her team in the game.

LILY WOODHAM

Unfortunate to have conceded a penalty when the ball struck her hand. Delivered some dangerous deliveries into the box.

GEMMA EVANS

Perfectly placed on the goal line to stop Everton going two ahead when she headed Turner’s goal bound header out of danger.

TASH HARDING

Defended well in really tough conditions that played havoc when having to defend aerial balls into the box.

FAYE BRYSON

Got down the right on a few occasions to whip in some nice crosses which caused trouble for Everton keeper Sandy MacIver.

JUSTINE VANHAEVERMAET Played the pass to set up the equaliser. A dominant midfield display, particularly in the secondhalf.

SANNE TROESLGAARD

Beginning to form a formidable partnership with Vanhaevermaet.

Controlled the game to help Reading to a superb comeback.

EMMA HARRIES

A quieter half from the usually very lively forward. Worked hard down the wing before she was taken off for the returning Rachel Rowe.

AMALIE EIKELAND

Provided some good quality down the wing. Was sometimes let down by her final ball, largely down to the horrible weather conditions.

NATASHA DOWIE

Came close to equalising in the first-half but came up with the leveller with a powerful strike from distance for her sixth league goal.

DEANNA ROSE

A bright spark all afternoon.

Made plenty of runs to trouble the Everton defence and put in some dangerous deliveries.

Subs: RACHEL ROWE A positive display off the bench on her return from injury. Injected more impetuous in the attack and played her part in the win.

TIA PRIMMER

What a week it has been for the academy graduate. Notched her first senior goal last week in the FA Cup win and added to that with her first WSL goal in what proved to be a late winner.

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WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE

8 6 7 6 7 7 7 6 7 8 8 7 8

PRIMMER STRIKES LATE TO KEEP ROYALS WINNING STREAK ALIVE EVERTON 1 READING 2

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today READING FC Women kept their sensational unbeaten run alive after Tia Primmer scored with an 88th minute winner.

An early goal from Anna Anvegard put Everton in front at the break, but they missed their chance to double their lead when Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney made an excellent penalty save from Izzy Christansen.

With just over 15 minutes left on the clock, the Royals were rewarded for their persistence when Dowie beat Sandy MacIver from distance.

The Royals pushed for a winner after a much improved secondhalf and snatched the three points through substitute Primmer who bagged her first Women’s Super League goal.

The win puts Reading up to fifth position in the table after 12 matches after an outstanding run of five wins on the bounce.

Everton were looking for a fresh start under the new interim management team of Chris Roberts and Claire Ditchburn in what is remarkably already their third appointment of the 2021/22 campaign.

Meanwhile, Kelly Chambers’ side were seeking to continue their terrific form which has seen them win four WSL games on the bounce.

The Toffees made a bright start in front of their new boss and got off to the perfect start with an opener inside five minutes.

They worked a neat short corner routine which gave Claire Emslie space to hit a shot, and after taking a deflection, Anna Anvegard got her toe to the ball to prod it past Grace Moloney.

Reading FC Women’s squad Looking to recover from their slow start, the lively Deanne Rose got on the ball to try and spark Reading into life, with her tenacious work down the left wing bringing their first corner of the game.

In blustery conditions on Merseyside with 50mph winds, Lily Woodham hung up a cross to the back post that troubled goalkeeper Sandy MacIver who missed her punch, but Justine Vanhaevermaet couldn’t capitalise on the mistake and headed wide.

Everton were back on the front foot when Toni Duggan was left unmarked at the back post, but she was unable to get the ball under her spell before Moloney parried a shot behind for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Everton came inches away from a second after Danielle Turner headed goalwards only to be denied by the perfectly placed Gemma Evans on the line who made a vital clearance.

The high winds caused all kinds of trouble again for MacIver who misjudged Faye Bryson’s cross, but the ball was somehow kept out on the line as Natasha Dowie tried her best to squeeze it in but

was blocked by Nathalie Bjorn and Gabrielle George.

The Royals applied pressure with a spell of corners late in the half but Everton held on to maintain their lead going into half-time.

The hosts had a chance to double their lead when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after a handball in the box from Woodham.

Izzy Christiansen stepped up to take responsibility but goalkeeper Moloney flew down low to her left to make a superb stop.

Match stats Everton: MacIver, Maier, Bjorn, George, Turner, Galli, Christiansen, Emslie, Dali, Duggan, Anvegard Subs: Magill, Gauvin, Brosnan, Finnigan, Bennison, Pattinson, Weir Reading: oloney, Harding (c), Evans, Woodham, Vanhaevermaet, Troelsgaard, Eikeland, Harries, Dowie, Rose Subs: Peplow, Cooper, Stewart, Rowe, Roberts, Primmer, Thomann, Joslyn Goals: Anvegard 5’, Dowie 74’, Primmer 88’

Chambers made her first change just before the hour with Rachel Rowe on to replace Emma Harries.

Reading’s best chance of the match came and went in the 69th minute when Rose dug out a low cross that was first missed by Eikeland before Dowie turned the ball wide on the stretch.

After a promising spell of pressure from the visitors, they were finally rewarded in the 74th minute with an equaliser.

Dowie tried her luck from distance, and despite MacIver getting a strong hand to the ball, the shot was too powerful to keep out.

Last week’s goalscorer Tia Primmer entered the contest for the final 10 minutes in place of Vanhaevermaet.

Just as she did last weekend in the FA Cup, Primmer popped up with the decisive goal in the contest when she poked the ball into the bottom corner after a scramble in the box.

Reading held out to earn another three points to keep their sensational run going in what was a hard fought comeback in tricky conditions.

REACTION

CHAMBERS: ‘IT’S A BRILLIANT TEAM PERFORMANCE’ READING FC Women’s manager Kelly Chambers hailed the impact of substitutes Tia Primmer and Rachel Rowe in their comeback win over Everton.

“It’s a game we grew in to,” said Chambers.

“We started slow. We knew that and had that discussion at half-time.

“In the last 20 minutes of the first-half, I felt we managed to establish some control and started to impose ourselves on them.

“We had to stay on top and I feel we did that in the second-half.

“I think we were the most dominant side in the second-half and then people we introduced with the likes of Rachel Rowe and Tia Primmer, they both made a great impact.

“We made a tactical change mid-way through the second half, to keep Everton in their half, and to get a goal on the board.

We did that with two great goals, for different reasons,

and we come away with another three points.

Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney made a significant save from the penalty spot to prevent her side from going two goals behind early in the second half.

Chambers continued: “The penalty save from Grace was phenomenal, that was the turning point for us where you saw our mindset change and felt we could win this.

“The introduction of

Rowey gave us some much needed composure in the heart of midfield, so changing the shape really played to her strengths and gave us someone to build through, linking all the parts of our team.

“Overall it’s a brilliant team performance, but there were some key moments where players stepped up which turned the game in our favour.

“I think there was also a couple of other individuals who deserve a mention

today, I thought Sanne put in her best performance in a Reading shirt and I know there is so much more to come from her.

“Obviously people will start talking about the Champions League, but for us it’s the first year of a new foundation team with the turnover we had in the summer.

“It’s a case of continuing to build on the squad that we have here now, seeing where that takes us this season.”

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PREVIEW

RED HOT READING PREPARE FOR BIRTHDAY ROYALS FACE BASH AGAINST SKY BLUES STRUGGLING BRIGHTON

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Lucas Joao in action against Coventry City Picture: Steve Smyth

READING FC will be celebrating their 150th-anniversary in front of a bumper crowd at home to Coventry City this Saturday.

Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium READING FC WOMEN will be looking to extend their run of five consecutive Women’s Super League wins when they face Brighton & Hove Albion.

Kelly Chambers’ team have set a new club record of five league wins on the bounce after their remarkable late turnaround at Everton.

That result lifted them above Manchester City and up to fifth in the table, just three points outside of the Champions League qualification places.

Hope Powell’s Brighton side have been in poor form ahead of Sunday’s match with four defeats and one draw from their last five.

The South Coast side made a flying start to the 2021/22 campaign but have since dropped down to eighth.

After earning an impressive goalless draw at home to Cheslea, the Seagulls have lost three in a row in all competitions, with league defeats to Arsenal and Tottenham.

Meanwhile they exited the FA Cup in the fourth-round after they lost out to Reading in an entertaining cup tie.

The Royals went two goals in front through Justine Vanhaevermaet and Deanne Rose only to be pegged back by Emma Koivisto and Kayleigh Green.

But Tia Primmer popped up with the winner just seven minutes from time to see Reading through.

Reading also got the better of Brighton when the teams met at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the WSL back in November.

Natasha Dowie gave her a team an early lead before Emma Harries sealed the points late on.

With a crowd of more than 21,000 fans expected at the Select Car Leasing Stadium to mark the club’s historic birthday, the Royals will be hoping to bring an end to their dreadful form and give them something to cheer.

The Berkshire club were originally scheduled to celebrate their anniversary game at home to Luton Town in December, but the match was postponed after a covid-19 outbreak.

Reading’s well-documented problems on and off the field has left fans in dismay after five successive Championship defeats.

That leaves them just one place above the drop zone prior to the midweek fixtures, while 22nd place Peterborough United have a game in hand to play which would see them go above the Royals if they are victorious.

Saturday’s visitors to the SCL are in 12th spot prior to their Tuesday night match at home to Blackpool.

They were knocked out of the FA Cup at the weekend by Premier League Southampton after forcing the game to extra-time.

Mark Robins’ team have had a mixed run of form in the league with three defeats and two wins from their previous five.

They were beaten 1-0 at

Middlesbrough in their last league outing, while they earned three points at home to Stoke City after Viktor Gyokeres’ goal the week before.

Gyokeres lease the goalscoring charts for the Sky Blues with 10 goals and three assist from 26 matches.

Matt Godden is level with his

teammate for goals despite having played nine fewer matches.

Ahead of midweek, Coventry were 18 points above Reading in the standings having scored 35 from 27 games and have conceded 31 compared to the Royals’ 55.

Coventry took the points in the team’s last meeting at the Ricoh Arena early in the season.

Reading went ahead through John Swift’s penalty but were pegged back by Jamie Allen and then suckerpunched

by Godden’s 98th-minute winner.

The Royals beat Coventry 3-0 on their last trip to Berkshire with goals from Lucas Joao, Andy Rinomhota and Swift.

READING FC

PROUD ROYALS: FAN LAUNCHES NEW LGBTQ+ GROUP READING FC fan Tom Williams has launched a new LGBTQ+ fan group ‘Proud Royals’ to promote inclusivity for Royals fans.

Tom, who is also a matchday stand supervisor at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, has received overwhelming support from the club, fan groups and supporters since setting up the group.

The aim of the group is to improve the experience of supporting football clubs for LGBTQ+ supporters and offer them a place to communicate and gain support if needed.

“The response in the last few days has been amazing,” said Tom to the Reading FC official website.

“Especially from other LGBT groups who have messaged offering their support to us, also STAR (Supporters Trust at Reading) have

Proud Royals been lending a hand in giving me great support and advice.”

A statement from Reading FC reads: “We are proud to show our support following the formation of Proud Royals, to improve the matchday experience of those within the LGBTQ+ community.

“Tom’s aim is to improve the footballing experience for LGBTQ+

supporters, offering a support network to them and making them feel increasingly safe and comfortable to express themselves at the SCL, and it goes without saying we’re fully behind him.

“His ultimate aim is to have a long-term group, not just for those in the LGBTQ+ community, but for all fans who have suffered from any hate or discrimination, as well as those who may feel like they can’t talk to anyone about their personal worries.

“He hopes they can use Proud Royals as a place to communicate, and come get the support they need. Eventually Williams hopes to launch a website dedicated to Proud Royals, in addition to a direct telephone number for those seeking support or looking to get involved.

Tom continued: “The response

from Reading has been absolutely fantastic.

“Every single club in the EFL near enough has an LGBT following.

“I have had messages of support from The Tilehurst End, Club 1871 and STAR. “I want to bring all our fans together, whether they’re gay or straight, as well all love the same things, football and Reading FC. “The aim is to raise awareness, not just around homophobic abuse, it can be anything.”

The group is currently managed solely by Tom, but he is seeking for fellow fans to become members or volunteers in the coming months. n For more information, to become a member or volunteer, Tom can be contacted at proudroyals1871@gmail. com

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SUMAS CLIMB AWAY FROM DROP FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

Wokingham & Emmbrook earned a crucial win over Wembley Pictures: Steve Smyth

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Combined Counties Premier North WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK gained a vital three points to lift them away form the drop zone.

Coming up against mid-table Wembley at Lowther Road, the Sumas picked up just their second home league win of the campaign.

Wembley’s goalkeeper made

two outstanding saves to deny the Sumas. First from Jordace Holder-Spooner and then from Nathan Mindomba to deny Wokingham a late goal in the half.

The Sumas continued to threat and smacked the crossbar through Parkes.

They eventually converted a chance in the 63rd minute when Enow Ojong headed in.

That goal proved to be critical as the Sumas held on to earn three points to move into 16th.

Bedfont & Feltham v Eversley & California Pictures: Richard Milam

READING CITY marked manager Simon Johnson’s 100th game in charge with victory at home to Holyport.

City found a breakthrough in the 15th minute when Ellis Cowd nodded them in front.

The Cityzens added to their advantage when Michael Butcher delivered a cross for Jemel Johnson who converted with a tidy finish.

Holyport got back into the contest when they scored from the penalty shot three minutes before the break.

The hosts held on to the points to maintain their position in 11th in the table.

Isthmian South Central BINFIELD picked up a point away at South Park to stay ahead of their opponents in the table.

The Moles made a slow start and were punished in the opening minute when South Park went in front.

It took Binfield just five minutes to respond with an

equaliser courtesy of Callum Bunting.

Bunting added a second to put Binfield in front, but the hosts clawed back a secondhalf leveller to share the points.

Combined Counties Division One EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA’S remarkable 14 game unbeaten run was finally put to an end by Bedfont & Feltham.

The Boars conceded a goal in each half as they went down

2-0 away at Bedfont.

Eversley manager Matty Angell said: “Gutted to see the lads couldn’t continue their unbeaten run in my absence but hats off to Bedfont & Feltham.

“I’m so proud of this group of players and staff to go 13 games unbeaten with 13 wins and one draw is some feat.”

BERKS COUNTY climbed up the table after they saw off Langley.

Lee Simpson eaded the Swords ahead after just seven

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ZONE WITH VITAL WIN

From the middle

Dick Sawdon-Smith

The phantom offside

L

minutes, but Langley levelled up just two minutes later.

Berks hit back through Laverty in what turned out to be the winning goal in the 39th minute.

Thames Valley Premier League BURGHFIELD remain top of the tree after they earned a clean sheet victory over Yateley United.

Teoman Atik and Billy Margetts both got on the scoresheet to help their side to three points.

They are two points above second placed Finchampstead having played two more matches.

FINCHAMPSTEAD stay hot on the heels of the league leaders after

a seven-goal thriller at Westwood Wanderers.

In a tense battle between the second and third placed teams, Finch snatched a late winner to take the points. Goals from Dylan Chaffin Callum Vallance, Alex Woodhead and D Palmer helped them to a 4-3 triumph.

WARGRAVE grabbed an away win with a narrow 3-2 victory over READING CITY U23’s.

READING YMCA stormed to a 5-0 win against Mortimer.

Bevan Van Wyk bagged a brace, while James Bozarth, Ryan Adams and Pele Hagger added tothe score.

WOODLEY UNITED ROYALS stay one place off the bottom after they lost 3-1 to Wraysbury.

Berks & Bucks FA omen’s Trophy CAVERSHAM UNITED booked their place in the final after they knocked out Slough Town.

Freya Jenkins and Emma Hopkins kept their calm from the penalty spot to send Caversham through on penalties after a goalless draw at the end of 90 minutes.

WARGRAVE fell in the semifinals with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Penn & Tylers Green.

Thames Valley Women’s Division One TILEHURST PANTHERS are in

fourth after they lost out 3-2 to Stonesfield Strikers.

Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S S4K BERKS COUNTY’s unbeaten run came to a halt in emphatic style after they were defeated by Goring United.

The Fawkes found themselves one goal behind at the break but suffered a secondhalf collapse which ended in a 6-0 loss.

The defeat leaves them with an eight point lead over second placed Goring at the top having played one more match.

SUNDAY LEAGUE FOOTBALL

FC BAPCO HIT TILEHURST FOR SIX IN SENIOR DIVISION

By ANDY PRESTON Sport@wokingham.today FC BAPCO smashed six past TILEHURST YM to keep the pressure up in the top two in the Reading & District Sunday League Senior Division.

BAPCO are in third after their 6-0 triumph over Tilehurst.

They are two points behind second placed AFC Bradfield, and three points behind leaders FC Sporty, but have two games in hand to play on both teams which could see them rise to the top of the table

if they win both of their matches.

Meanwhile, in Division One WESTWOOD WANDERERS continued their surge at the top of the table with a 4-1 win over LOXWOOD PARK RANGERS. CAVERSHAM UNITED fell to a heavy 7-1 defeat to second placed EMMER GREEN. Division Two league leaders GORING UNITED lost their first match of the campaign with a 5-3 loss to BURGHFIELD A, who closed the gap at the top to five points.

NEW ENGLAND have a four point buffer at the top in Division Three

after they defeated SANCTUARY STRIKERS 2-1.

BERKSHIRE ROYALS are in second with three games in hand over the table toppers.

In Division Four, HYPE TRAIN made it 10 wins from 11 matches with a thumping 8-0 victory away at WHITLEY WOOD. Reading & District Sunday League Senior: AFC Bradfield 9-3 Twyford Comets, Arborfield 1-2 Englefield Eagles, BAPCO 6-0 Tilehurst Ym One: Berkshire Dons 9-2 Reading Kites, Caversham United 1-7 Emmer Green, Give Back 6-1 GC United, Westwood Wanderers 4-1 Loxwood Park

Two: Burghfield A 5-3 Goring United, Calcot Royals 4-0 Farley Hill, Southbank 1-4 Barton Rovers Three: New England 2-1 Sanctuary Strikers, RE United 2-3 Berkshire Royals, Thames Valley Railway 2-4 Racing Club de Woko Four: Barton Rovers 2-5 Core, Brothers United 1-2 Give Back Reserves, FC Whitley Wood 0-8 Hype Train Bracknell & District Sunday League Premier: Bracknell Rangers 1-1 Crowthorne Inn One: AFC Dukes 3-5 Panthers, Bracknell Corinthians 3-0 Woodley United, Winnersh Rangers 2-7 Freeman Royals Two: Bracknell Athletic 1-1 Woodley Saints Tigers, Bracknell Cavaliers 2-3 Bracknell Spartan Vets,

AST week I wrote about a highly contested penalty in the Crystal Palace match against Liverpool, which gave Liverpool a 3-1 lead.

There was another debatable goal by Liverpool, their first one of that game.

Two of the Sky pundits were adamant that it should have been disallowed for offside, while I’m sure that many people who watched it, will wonder what the fuss is all about.

Let me reset the picture.

Liverpool player Andy Robertson was running down the left-hand side of the pitch when he crossed the ball into the Palace penalty area, where team mate Roberto Firmino was waiting in an offside position.

Firmino jumped to head the ball but it was too high and went over his head.

Had he headed it of course, it would have been a clear offside decision.

Waiting behind him but not in an offside position was another Liverpool player, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain, who after controlling the ball, kicked it past keeper Vincente Guaita, into the Palace goal.

The offside Law has been with us since the first set of Laws was formed back in 1863.

Since then it has had many deletions, adjustments and additions but the basics of the Law are I think fairly well understood.

To be offside a player has to be in the opponents half and nearer to their goal line that the second nearest opponent.

But it is only penalised if that player touches the ball or interferes with an opponent, preventing them playing the ball by clearly obstructing their line of vision or by challenging for the ball.

The part of the Law that the pundits were talking about is not so well known, only having been introduced in 2016.

This says the offside player should be penalised if he clearly attempts to play the ball which impacts on an opponent or clearly impacts on an opponent from playing the ball, What this means in this case, is did Firmino prevent an opponent from tackling Oxlade-Chamberlain or did Guaita get ready to save the ball in case Firmino did head it, and so didn’t have time to adjust for OxladeChamberlain’s kick?

Personally, I don’t think it did either of those things but as I have said. others disagree, In the end there’s only one person who has to make the decision, the referee.

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HOCKEY

SOUTH BERKS 4S SMASH SEVEN PAST SONNING 4S

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

SOUTH BERKSHIRE consolidated their place in the top half of the table with a win over Newbury & Thatcham.

South Berks are in sixth place after their 3-2 triumph with 17 points from 14 matches.

SONNING faced back to back defeats in a double header weekend.

They fell to an agonising 5-4 defeat at home to Staines 2s on Saturday, before they were thumped 6-1 away at Banbury 2s the following day.

South Berks find the back of the net

South West 1 East Bracknell 29-14 Windsor

SOUTH BERKSHIRE 2s went down to a heavy away defeat at Yateley.

League leaders Yateley hit five past South Berks without reply.

The defeat leaves South Berks in fifth position on 21 points.

Men’s National Division 1 South READING returned from Brighton & Hove with three points to make it three wins in a row.

Reading took the points with a 5-2 win.

South Berks 4s v Sonning 4s

Women’s National Division 1 South READING keep the heat on league leaders Sevenoaks after they hit three past Harleston Magpies.

They kept a clean sheet on their way to victory to put them just two points off the top.

Cup

South Berks and Sonning South Berkshire 4s beat Sonning4s battle for the ball Pictures: Steve Smyth READING 3s made progress in The 2-1 loss to 11th place Yateley the cup as they eliminated SOUTH leaves Sonning in seventh.

BERKSHIRE in the process.

Liz Goodey and Yellie Powley South Central Women’s netted for South Berks but they Division 3 were defeated 3-2.

SOUTH BERKSHIRE 2s put three more points on the board with a South Central Women’s clean sheet win over Oxford Hawks Division 2 5s.

The 2-0 victory takes them out of SONNING 2s were edged out the drop zone and into 10th. away from home at Yateley.

BASKETBALL

ROCKETS SEE OFF REBELS TO TAKE AWAY VICTORY

The victory looked on the cards from the very first three minutes as Meshack Lufile scored 11 personal points as Rebels just couldn’t cope with his huge presence in and around the paint.

Rebels did as their name implies and disturbed Rockets as Rebels struck three trebles including a buzzer beater to be just a single point adrift at the first break 22-23.

Thames Valley Premier League Burghfield 2-0 Yateley United Reading City U23’s 2-3 Wargrave Reading YMCA 5-0 Mortimer Westwood Wanderers 3-4 Finchampstead Wraysbury 3-1 Woodley United Royals RUGBY UNION National Division One Birmingham Moseley 5-26 Rams

South Central Men’s Division 2

READING Rockets overcame adversity to take victory in their fourth consecutive away game in eight days.

Isthmian South Central South Park 2-2 Binfield

Combined Counties Division One Berks County 2-1 Langley Bedfont & Feltham 2-0 Eversley & California

South Central Men’s Division 1

Essex Rebels 71 Reading Rockets 82

Saturday, February 5

Combined Counties Premier North Sumas 1-0 Wembley Reading City 2-1 Holyport

South Central Men’s Premier 2

By STAFF WRITER sport@wokingham.today

RESULTS

Jaz Bains had hit Rockets only other treble of the opening quarter though he featured in a great passing exchange with 16-year-old Isaac Round to finish off the glass.

The second period began with Lewis Champion fighting for possession with great floor hustle but seven unanswered Rebels points game them the lead at 29-25 just three minutes into this quarter.

A Pinnock steal was quickly released to Rockets captain Ben Dixon to score off the glass before Dixon sent an assist for the returning Sam Toluwase to score and extend Rockets’ lead.

A wide Bains treble coupled to a Round pull up score saw Rockets with a 13-0 run and a 42-29 advantage.

However the Rebels hit another buzzer beating treble

to stay in the hunt at the interval as Rockets led 45-36 with Lufile amassing 21 points by this point.

Champion, Pinnock and Lufile combined in the opening phase of quarter three to add to Rockets lead as they scored the first seven points finishing with a three man move and Lufile slam dunking moments before Pinnock did a double handed slam dunk too.

Despite a three from three from the foul line by Toluwase and a Bains buzzer beating treble, Rebels scored well to end the third period just six points adrift at 61-67.

Champion scored off the glass but Rebels hit a treble before Rockets went into game management mode to see out the remainder of the game and take the win by 82-71.

WHEELCHAIR BASKETBALL

KINGS JUNIORS QUALIFY WITH PERFECT RECORD THAMES Valley Kings juniors team secured qualification for the British Wheelchair Basketball Junior League Elite 8s Finals with a 100% record.

Kings juniors confirmed qualification to the British Wheelchair Basketball Junior League Elite 8s Finals with a 100% record in Pool C after defeating Warwickshire Bears juniors at the Castlewood School in Birmingham on Sunday, 59-28.

Liam Barker was Kings’ Top Scorer with 28 points, followed by Conal O’Donovan with 10 points.

Unfournatelty, the London Titans were forced to cancel their arranged fixtures, but Bears and Kings filled in the time on the day with a unique friendly featuring younger and less experienced players to give them the opportunity to get valuable competitive court time.

With baskets and smiles flying in from every direction, it was Kings who took the win in the friendly by three points, 33-30.

Kings’ top scorer in the friendly with eight points was Corey Bloomfield and the game also saw the first Kings’ basket from the free-throw line for George Heanue.

HOCKEY South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire 3-2 Newbury & Thatcham South Central Women’s Division 1 South Berkshire 2-1 Marlow 2s South West Men’s Division 1 Sonning 4-5 Staines 2s South West Women’s Premier 1 Sonning 1-3 Havant Women’s National Division 1 South Harleston Magpies 0-3 Reading

Sunday, February 6

FOOTBALL Women’s Super League Everton 1-2 Reading Southern Region Women’s Division One South Eversley & California v Southampton Reserves Thames Valley Women’s Division One Stonesfield Strikers 3-2 Tilehurst Panthers Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S Eversley & California Reserves 1-7 Taplow United Goring United 6-0 S4K Berks County Wallingford Town AFC 4-1 Caversham AFC HOCKEY Men’s National Division 1 South Brighton & Hove v Reading

Wednesday, February 9

FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship Bristol City v Reading (report online Wokingham Today)

FIXTURES

Saturday, February 12

FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship Reading v Coventry Isthmian South Central Binfield v Bedfont Sports Combined Counties Premier North Sumas v Spelthorne Sports Virginia Water v Reading City Combined Counties Division One Eversley & California v AFC Hayes Sandhurst Town v Woodley United Kensington & Ealing Borough v Berks County Thames Valley Premier League Burghfield v Wargrave Mortimer v Reading YMCA Woodley United Royals v Reading City U23’s Berks & Bucks Charles Twelvetree Cup Hale Leys United v Finchampstead RUGBY UNION National League One Rosslyn Park v Rams South West 1 East Bracknell v Chippenham HOCKEY South Central Men’s Division 1 Oxford Hawks 3s v Sonning South Central Women’s Premier 1 Oxford Hawks 2s v Sonning Women’s National Division 1 South Reading v ISCA

Sunday, February 13

HOCKEY Men’s National Division 1 South Teddington v Reading Women’s Super League Brighton & Hove Albion v Reading Southern Region Women’s Premier Division Winchester City Flyers v Woodley United Southern Region Women’s Division One South Bournemouth Sports v Eversley & California Thames Valley Women’s Division One Caversham United v Stonesfield Strikers Long Crendon v Wargrave Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S Caversham AFC v Yateley United S4K Berks County v Wargrave Development