COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, EARLEY, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING AREAS
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Health exec pushes for more covid jab sites
THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Thursday, July 15, 2021 No. 320
Rainbows in the rain
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By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today THE BOROUGH council’s executive member for health is calling on MPs to help open more vaccination centres in the area.
Cllr Charles Margetts has written to the borough’s MPs, urging them to put pressure on Berkshire West CCG to open more vaccination centres nearby. “When we had our vaccination drive at Bulmershe Leisure Centre, we were able to do 500 jabs a day,” he said. “We have the resources, and the volunteers — we can do more.” It comes as a vaccine bus will be in the borough for five days, starting Saturday, in a drive to increase vaccination uptake. It will be at Asda and Norreys Church, Cllr Margetts said, because vaccination uptake is not as high in Lower Earley, and Wokingham town centre. It is capable of giving 120 doses each day, but Cllr Margetts would like to see thousands given the opportunity for their second jab, as opposed to hundreds. “I’m not content with how it is,” he said. “We could have been further ahead in our vaccine programme.” Cllr Margetts said he is desperate to launch another walk-in service, as the country prepares to drop all covid restrictions on Monday. With case rates where they were in February, he believes more jabs will help protect borough residents. It comes as council leader, Cllr John Halsall, urged residents to keep wearing a mask. He wants residents to continue to maintain some measures to keep the virus at bay, and protect the community. “Please observe the social distancing rules and give people space,” he told Wokingham.Today. “You might not be worried about (covid), but someone next you might be. Consider wearing a face mask – it might protect others from you.” He is also aware some residents are yet to have one or two jabs, as younger adults are not eligible for their second.
BREWERY OPENS IN TOWN CENTRE P4
GRUB UP
PRIDE: 100 people were at Wokingham Pride, the second annual event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community – For more see page 5 Picture: Steve Smyth
Government funding and charity work will help provide children’s lunches during summer holidays
EXCLUSIVE
By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today CHILDREN that fall through the gaps won’t go hungry this summer.
That’s the mission for Juliet Sherratt, founder of the Woodley Lunch Bunch and one of many volunteers doing what they can to feed youngsters living in the borough. She said that over the six-week holidays, many families that don’t qualify for benefits-related free school meal vouchers will still need help. The group of volunteers say demand has soared, due to pressures from the pandemic. “We’ve got 130 children on our books this year,” she said. This is more than quadruple the
number helped in 2020. Ms Sherratt founded the organisation last year after recognising a need in Woodley, and it follows on the success of The Grub Club, a similar initiative in the neighbouring town. “There is a gap where some children don’t qualify for the Government support,” she said. This is particularly prevalent in Key Stage 1 pupils, explained Cllr Shirley Boyt, co-founder of the Woodley Lunch Bunch and Labour councillor for Bulmershe and Whitegates. Since 2014, all reception, Year 1 and Year 2 students in state-funded schools have been given a free hot lunch, regardless of their family’s financial situation. When it comes to the summer, some of these families struggle if they don’t
qualify for the benefits-related food support. “The vouchers only cover those receiving free school meals based on need,” Cllr Boyt said. “Key Stage 1 doesn't have to demonstrate that need, they’re excluded from that provision.” This, she said, puts many families with young children in a tight spot when the school holidays arrive, if they wouldn’t qualify for the benefitsrelated support. Anna Rogerson, team member at The Grub Club, said the number of families they are supporting have almost doubled, from 33 in 2019 to 60 this summer. The group will feed 129 children and their parents. She said some families will not qualify for Government food vouchers. � Continued on page 8
ANITA DROPS HER CLOTHES AT P6 THAMES HOSPICE NEW SCHOOL TAKES MUSICAL NAME P7
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2 | NEWS
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
Town regeneration wins international award By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today
BIG WIN: The Elms Field and Peach Place scheme has been celebrated Picture: Phil Creighton
W O K I N G H A M ’ S regeneration is top of the shops, scooping a top honour in a Europe-wide contest.
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Last week, judges of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Europe Awards for Excellence announced that the town centre project was a winner in its Awards For Excellence scheme, and will now go forward for a global award. The project was one of 33 considered for the awards, which were held virtually on Thursday, July 8. Entries came from all over Europe, as well as the Middle East and Africa. Winners were selected for their quality and forward-looking approach to development and design. Hosted by former BBC correspondent Luisa Baldini, the ceremony was watched
by real estate professionals. It included an overview of each project including comments from the judging panel and interviews with the winners. The citation noted that the “mixed-use project not only provided a focal point to the community throughout the pandemic but is also likely to be future proof as residents spend more time working from home and less time commuting into nearby employment centres including London”.
Judges felt “the town centre was reimagined as a thriving destination for commerce and urban living, with modern retail formats, food and beverage, leisure and a significant quantum of residential across two mixed-use developments at Peach Place and Elms Field”. They also noted that the project would create 750 jobs worth £21 million in wages, and £2 million in tourism as well as affordable housing and acting as a catalyst for future regeneration.
“In an extremely challenging year, these laudable projects demonstrate what can be achieved with great ambition and a flexible approach,” said Giancarlo Scotti, chair of the awards jury. “The quality of the entries was extremely high, but the winners stood out as case studies that highlight some of the best initiatives around currently, particularly with regard to housing, sustainability, circular building,
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regeneration, and community building. We believe that they will prove valuable for ULI members and others in the industry to learn from.” The news has been welcomed by Wokingham Borough Council. “There is something really special about Wokingham and the areas around it so, to see it receiving the recognition it deserves, is something I think everyone living or working here should be proud of,” said Cllr Stuart Munro, executive member for business and economic development at the council. “The regeneration has been our opportunity to give residents the town centre they deserve, and it’s been great watching the community embrace spaces like Elms Field and Peach Place as places to gather and enjoy.” And council leader John Halsall felt the award was well deserved as the town centre was fantastic. “It’s provided a whole set of facilities people of Wokingham didn’t have before,” he said. “I’m very pleased, not least as its existence was fought by the opposition.” This is not the first set of awards for the town centre. Others include the Royal Planning Town Institute (RTPI) excellence in planning for a successful economy award, and the Association of Public Sector Excellence (APSE) annual service award for best housing, regeneration or new build initiative. It has also been selected for inclusion in the Society for Public Architecture, Construction, Engineering and Surveying (SPACES) Yearbook, with Elms Field shortlisted as a finalist for the Civic Building of the Year award, judged later this year.
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NEWS | 3
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Youth council holds inaugural meeting THE BOROUGH’S young people made their voices heard at Wokingham’s first Youth Council meeting last week. On Tuesday, July 6, the new group held its inaugural meeting with a welcome from two of the borough's MPs: Theresa May (Maidenhead) and Matt Rhodda (Reading East). Led by Jonathon Dodd, Emmbrook School student and Youth MP for Wokingham, the Youth Council gives young people a chance to “act as champions” across a range of issues including the climate, mental health and equality and diversity. It will also create a platform where they can debate, challenge and give feedback to the council on its plans. At the meeting, Mrs May congratulated the students who took part and said: “Go to it, persevere, be enthusiastic and you will make a difference.” Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services, said he felt the first meeting was a huge success. “I’m really pleased that so many young people wanted to join and have their voices heard and listened to,” he said. “The breadth of topics and the enthusiasm, knowledge and maturity that they showed in the first meeting was incredible. “I am very interested to see what the Youth Council has in store and the impact it will have on the future of the borough.” The Youth Council is made up of students from across Wokingham borough, and each secondary school was invited to put forward two representatives. Its next meeting is on Monday, September 20, and will focus on how young people can help tackle climate change.
Sports cars join birthday boy By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy went for a spin in his dream car after getting the surprise of his life last week.
A Lamborghini, a McLaren, a Porsche and a Mustang were among the many vehicles that stepped on the gas to celebrate Woosehill-based Joey Flowers’ birthday on Tuesday, July 6. Joey’s mother, Vicky Flowers, had reached out on the Finchampstead and Barkham Facebook page asking for people to help surprise her autistic son. Expecting just a couple of replies, Mrs Flowers said she was “blown away” with the amount of messages she received from car owners who volunteered. She said: “I cannot thank these guys enough for making Joey's dream come true, they will never know how much they did for Joey. “We just told him we were going out for an evening walk, opened the door and all of these cars were pulling up and beeping at us, he was completely surprised and it was just so magical.” All the cars met up at the Morrisons car park, Woosehill, and from there drove in convoy to Joey’s house ready to greet him at 6pm.
Recycle your food RESIDENTS should start recycling their food waste, the borough council has urged, after finding a quarter of all blue bag rubbish could be binned more sustainably. Since April 2019, it said more than 11,000 tonnes of food waste has been recycled in the borough — enough to power
Joey got the chance to meet all the car owners, one of whom gave him a toy car model and even took him for a ride in his Lamborghini. Mrs Flowers particularly wanted to thank Lamborghini owners Kevin Gomez, Raj Sobratee, Jonathan Mott and Jonathan Reeve. Mr Mott, who runs Berkshire’s TVR Car Club and a member of the Teddy Bear Run, uses his cars to raise money for charity. He volunteered to help organise the surprise on the day by asking his other car fanatic friends to bring along their vehicles. As a thank you for his efforts, Mrs Flowers donated money to the Teddy Bear Run organisation, which helps hospices and children’s charities. “When I saw Vicky ask for some cars, especially a Lamborghini, for Joey's birthday I volunteered my car and asked around to see if any of my Lamborghini owner friends would be willing to come along,” Mr Mott said. Jonathan Reeve, another organiser of the car meet, said it was a “lovely way” to spend the evening making Joey smile. “My son is also autistic and a car fanatic, so it struck a chord with me,” he said.
more than 1,200 homes for a year, of nearly 444,000 for a day. Now, Wokingham Borough Council is asking all residents to make sure they dispose of food waste properly through its dedicated collection service. Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said: “Making the most of the food waste recycling service helps boost our
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TOYS: Joey Flowers marks his seventh birthday with a sports car, or a few Pictures: Elise Flowers and Jonathan Mott
“Unfortunately I don't have a Lamborghini, but I do have a sports car which I thought he might like so I volunteered to pop over. “Even the weather couldn't dampen things as we all met up in Morrisons car park to drive in a noisy convoy to Vicky's house to surprise the Birthday boy.” Mr Reeve added that even Vicky’s neighbours enjoyed the impromptu car show on their road. He said: “So many people kindly came forward, with cars ranging from Jonathan Mott's TVR through Raj's bright orange KTM XBow, to a tiny Messers c h m i t t bubble car, a Ferrari and the elusive Lamborghini, which the birthday boy got to go for a ride in.”
recycling rates and means residents will have more space in their blue bags for items which can’t go anywhere else. “No amount is too small and it all adds up to make a real difference.” � Residents can order indoor and outdoor food waste caddies online at: www.wokingham. gov.uk/rubbish-and-recycling/ food-waste/food-wastecollections
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Join in the summer run DINTON Pastures Country Park is hosting its annual summer running events next month. The Summer Series includes 5km (3.1 miles) and 10km (6.2 miles) runs, organised in partnership with Barnes Fitness. They give runners of all abilities the chance to get back in their stride. It is an off-road route suitable for ages 13 upwards for the 5km route and 16 plus for the 10km distance. Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure, said: “We support our residents to lead happy, healthy lives and I am delighted that the Summer Series is back for another successful year.” “Whether you take part in marathons or run for fun, Dinton Pastures’ Summer Series is suitable for all,” he said. There will be event trophies and overall series prizes for the first, second and third male and female runners. Runners will see their result after crossing the finish line, and will be awarded a medal. There is also an option to dedicate a tree. Fresh fruit and free event photographs will also be available on the day. The next race starts on Thursday, August 12, at 7pm. Entry to the 5km race is £18, and it’s £22 for the 10km event. For more, visit: www.barnesfitness.co.uk/ dinton-pastures-5km-10km-summer-series-2021
BEST FOR BEER NEWS
BREW UP: Dean Bond from Bonds Brews RIBBON CUT: Wokingham Town Mayor Cllr Tony Lack declares The Outhouse Brewery open, watched by its owner Peter Rhodes. The venue brews its beer on site Pictures: David Dunham
Mayor raises his glass to new brewery EXCLUSIVE
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today THE LAUNCH of Wokingham town centre’s first brewery in nearly 100 years has been a big success, according to its owner.
The Outhouse Brewery, which offers a micro pub and tap room off Denmark Street, opened its doors to the public on Saturday, July 10, for the first time. Independently run by Peter Rhodes, it’s the first brewery to launch in Wokingham town centre since Wellington Brewery closed in 1928. On Thursday, July 8, Mr Rhodes held a private launch for family, friends and supporters before welcoming the general public inside on the weekend — and he said the pub has been very well received by all. “It was absolutely amazing,” he said.
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BREW IN: Peter Rhodes explains The Outhouse Brewery to guests
“Everyone was really supportive and they all said this place was going to do really well.” The new brewery offers a range of craft beers, including pale ales, IPAs and stouts, as well as wines and spirits which are bought in. The beers are made on site in the tap room itself, meaning customers can sit and watch their drinks being made. “There are craft beers and breweries available on the outskirts of town but this is new to Wokingham,” Mr Rhodes said. “There’s no place where you can sit in the brewery itself and people are mesmerised by it.” He said some tables sit so close to the vessels that customers can touch them and hear the machines fermenting the drinks. Mr Rhodes decided to launch The Outhouse Brewery after being made redundant at the beginning of the pandemic, to turn his casual hobby into his craft.
Now, he said it feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. “I know I’ve got a long way to go, it’s a big learning curve and I’ve got to understand the logistics of everything,” he said. “But to get to that point where you open the door, a customer has a drink and goes out happy is a massive boost. “We’ve even got some new people at the Elms Park development who seem to have chosen us as their local already.” He said he is now looking forward to welcoming more of the town’s customers in the weeks to come. “I love it when someone comes in and likes the place,” the owner added. “It makes me feel like I’ve done justice to Wokingham. “I’m just very happy and relieved to get over the hurdles and open the doors.” � For more information on the micro pub, visit www. theouthousebrewery.com or search for ‘The Outhouse Brewery’ on Facebook.
Dean invites you to his birthday party
A PITCHER perfect beer festival will mark a brewery’s sixth anniversary this Saturday, writes Laura Scardarella. Bond Brews, at Gardeners Green Farm, will be pulling pints for punters as they mark the business’ success. The event will be set up at the brewery’s outside yard where people can enjoy a day of food, drink and live music. Offering seven draught beers on tap, there will also be cider, prosecco and soft drinks. Owner Dean Bond said he is “really looking forward” to celebrating his sixth anniversary, adding that it will be a family-friendly event to give the community a chance to catch up with friends and to enjoy being together again. He said: “As a one-man business, my events at the brewery just keep growing and growing, so I always want to do my best every year to celebrate our anniversary. “I really appreciate all the support I get from both my family, extended family who come to help serve beers, and also Campaign for Real Ale.” The Rural Pie Company, based in Twyford, will be making an appearance, serving up its specialty pies. Musicians from across the borough are also set to perform throughout the afternoon. The line-up includes Simon Williams, Abi Powell, Marc Woosnam, Des Daunt, Savour the Flavour and Aces Music. Mr Bond said: “I love helping out local singers and bands and giving them the opportunity to perform to, what we hope will be around 100 people, which they haven’t been able to do much recently.” Musician Simon Williams, who will be organising the festival entertainment, explained his excitement for getting back up on stage. “Like a lot of performers, we haven’t had the chance to play in front of real crowds for over a year, it will still be a bit different as there are still restrictions in place due to covid but it will be so nice to have people there in person, sitting and listening,” he said. “We have all appreciated supporting local businesses over the past year and Bonds Brews make some fantastic beer so it is a pleasure to be involved.” No reservations are needed, tables are based on a first-come first-served basis. Donations will be welcome – all proceeds will go to Prostate Cancer UK, a charity which Bond Brews has supported each year. � For more details, visit bondbrews.co.uk
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Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
WOKINGHAM PRIDE 2021
GATHERING: People shelter under a tree while taking part in the Wokingham Pride picnic in Elms Field on Saturday Picture: Steve Smyth
Picnics, parades and flags for Pride celebrations
By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today IT MIGHT have been wet, but Wokingham’s Pride celebrations still sparkled.
On Saturday, an estimated 100 people joined the second annual event that celebrates the borough’s LGBTQ+ community. Having grown from a dozen attendees last July – due to covid – this year also saw the first pride parade. Organiser, Cllr Rachel Bishop-Firth, said she was ecstatic with the turnout. “So many people were walking down Denmark Street on their way to Elms Field that we can legitimately say Wokingham had its first ever pride parade,” she said. After making their way to the park, attendees were invited to stay for a picnic.
“Pride goers made new friends, shared experiences and found new sources of support and advice,” Cllr Bishop-Firth said. Also at the event was Cllr Tony Lack, Wokingham town mayor and Cllr Keith Baker, Wokingham borough mayor. Cllr Imogen ShepherdDubey, leader of Wokingham Town Council, said despite the rain, there was a big turnout. “The people of Wokingham are embracing pride,” she said. Cllr John Halsall, leader of Wokingham Borough Council, said he was very happy to be there. “We support everybody’s right to be who they want to be, and encourage it,” he said. Sir John Redwood, Wokingham’s MP, was also at the event, where he talked
with people who had gathered. The day before, St Paul’s Church in Wokingham released a video affirming their support for the LGBTQ+ community. In it, the Revd Cara Smart said: "We are proud to be part of an inclusive church and we believe that God's love is for everyone; that our sexualities and gender identities reflect the beauty of who God is.” And Wokingham Borough Council flew a rainbow flag from its Shute End offices. It was raised by borough mayor, Cllr Keith Baker. Ahead of Pride, he said: “The pride flag is an important symbol and one that we’re proud to promote. “Whether you live, work or study in Wokingham Borough, we recognise, support and celebrate the diversity of our communities.
Together we look forward to a bright, colourful future where inclusivity is the foundation.” And Wokingham Borough Libraries highlighted various LGBTQ+ literature that could be borrowed from its venues. Cllr Bishop-Firth thanked the town and borough council for supporting the event, as well as nearby schools, businesses and churches. She thanked the pride team, and said she hopes next year’s event will be even bigger. “We are hoping that we will be able to enjoy live music as part of the afternoon,” the Liberal Democrat councillor said. “If you would like to get involved, please contact us via the Wokingham Pride Facebook group.” The event will run on Saturday, July 9, 2022.
Discounts in store for anniversary RESIDENTS set on improving their homes this summer have been invited to a twoday home makeover event. Danetti is offering 15% off selected furniture lines next weekend at its Binfield showroom. It is to celebrate the company’s 15th year in business. From Saturday, July 17, to Sunday, July 18, shoppers can browse new pieces for their bedroom, dining room, living room and home office. On Saturday, there will be free coffee for all customers, as well as one to one drop-in styling sessions. Danetti is also running a series of exclusive prizes and
offers that will be in-store only. Daniel Smith, company CEO, said: “This last year has seen two big milestones for the Danetti team; reaching our 15-year anniversary and launching our first ever showroom. “We wouldn’t be where we are today if it weren’t for our
loyal customers who are as passionate about furniture and interiors as we are. “We can’t think of a better way to celebrate than by having you join us in our showroom for a weekend of offers and celebrations.” Until the end of the month, showroom customers could also be in with a
chance of winning Danetti’s Luxe sofa. Instructions on how to enter can be found on Danetti’s Facebook page @DanettiFurniture. The John Nike Way store will be open from 9am until 5.30pm on Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.
NEWS | 5
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6 | NEWS
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
Marvellous news: tribute festival fun is going ahead
TOP SHOP: Actor Antia Dobson dropped inn to Thames Hospice with some clothing donations
EastEnder drops in to hospice A FORMER EastEnder took a tour of Thames Hospice’s new facilities last week. Anita Dobson, who has been a supporter of the charity for five years, visited the site on Monday, July 5. Patients, volunteers and staff were delighted to meet the actress and singer. Stephanie Peters, head of marketing and PR for Thames Hospice, said Anita is “an incredible ambassador” for the charity, which relies on donations. “She dedicates an enormous amount of her time to support us and makes such a difference to our cause,” Ms Peters said. “It was particularly special to be able to give Anita her first tour of the new hospice. “Anita paid a couple of visits during the construction phase in 2019 and was deeply moved yesterday to see it finished and
THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC: Marvellous Festival will return to Dinton Pastures this weekend
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today RESIDENTS can dance the night away in Hurst this weekend, thanks to the return of Marvellous Tribute Festival.
operational and serving the local community.” Ms Dobson, who is particularly fond of the hospice’s charity shops, arrived laden with bags of pre-loved clothing and accessories to help stock the stores. She was one of the original cast members of the BBC soap opera
EastEnders, and had a hit record with Anyone Can Fall In Love, with lyrics set to the show’s theme tune. It reached number four in the hit parade. She also appeared in shows such as Play Away and Red Dwarf. And she is married to Queen guitarist Brian May.
Fast track action on pollution POLLUTION concerns are now being fast-tracked by Thames Water. The company has changed its call centre response, so the team reaches the site within two hours to take quick action. There is also now a dedicated button on the provider’s homepage. Richard Aylard, Thames Water’s sustainability director, said: “Our aim will always be to try and do the right thing for our rivers and for the communities who love and value them, and we’re grateful to anyone who takes the
initiative to tell us about possible pollution. “We have made it as quick and easy as possible for people to report something when they see it, because the sooner we can get to a problem the better.” Common causes are an overflowing or blocked drain or a burst water pipe that washes a substance into water. Stuart Singleton-White, Angling Trust’s head of campaigns, welcomed the change. He added: “It would be good to see all water companies following this lead, making it
straightforward for people to report and ensuring swift action in response. “Often time can be a crucial factor in turning a minor issue into a major one. It is why it is important for anglers and other river users to report pollution as soon as they see it, not to wait a few hours or days. “Too often, however, the frustration has been that after reporting, nothing happens. It is good to see Thames Water seeking to tackle this.” � For more information, visit: www.thameswater.co.uk/help/ emergencies/pollution
On Saturday and Sunday, a whole host of tribute acts will be taking to the stage at Dinton Pastures Country Park for the annual music event. It had to take a year off last year due to covid, but it’s back with a bang this year. The tribute act festival is offering music fans and festival-goers the chance to sing their hearts out in a covidsafe outdoor space. On Saturday, July 17, the line up includes T Rextasy, Limehouse Lizzy and The ELO Show, a tribute to Jeff Lune and Fleetwood Bac. Sunday, July 18 will see more acts including Coldplace, Sounds of Simon and Typically Tina entertain festival-goers. Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment and leisure at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “I am delighted that the Marvellous Festival is taking place this year, and we have a fantastic lineup of
GET IT ON: T Rextasy performing at a previous Marvellous
tribute acts from disco to indie, and from rock to pop. “This year’s festival promises something for everyone.” Cllr Batth is urging anybody to book a ticket as soon as possible if they plan to attend. “At Wokingham Borough Council, we strive to engage and empower our communities through arts and culture and create a sense of identity for the borough which people feel part of,” he added. Last year’s Marvellous would have been the 18th event. This year, it will take place
under the Government’s stage 3 covid guidelines which allow outdoor events with a 50% capacity. Ticket sales have been capped at 3,750 per day, ground markings have been laid down to support social distancing measures, and all festival-goers are encouraged to take a rapid covid test before arriving at Dinton Pastures. There are a range of tickets available, including weekend (£74) and day (£46) options. � To find out more, visit: www.marvellousfestivals.com
Invite to join in virtual walk A VIRTUAL walking festival is taking place at the end of the month. Breast cancer charity Walk the Walk, founded by Wokingham woman, Nina Barough, is hosting a Virtual SunWalk Festival. Residents of all ages are invited to sign up for the walking challenge, which includes a DIY downloadable Festival Kit with activities for each day of the week. It will run from Saturday, July 31, to Sunday, August 8. Ms Barough, chief executive of the charity, said: “The past 18
months has had an impact on all our lives in one way or another, so Walk the Walk’s Virtual SunWalk Festival is just a wonderful opportunity for families, friends, work colleagues, neighbours and everyone you know, to finally get together, put up the bunting, create their own Start and Finish, cook up some delicious treats to eat at the end of the walk and have some summer fun. “The impact of covid on Cancer patients has been devastating, so to create
a week where people can reach personal goals, have a great time and where every step contributes towards helping those living with the physical and mental anxieties of cancer.” Research shows that being active can help prevent diseases including breast cancer. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, a low level of physical activity alone is responsible for 7.5% of breast cancers. � For more information, or to sign up for the Virtual SunWalk Festival, visit: walkthewalk.org
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
NEWS | 7
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COMING TOGETHER: St Cecilia’s Primary School is a modular construction Picture: Reds10
School’s name is a nod to patron saint of music By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today THE NEW primary school in Wokingham has been given its name.
The 210 place learning venue at Matthewsgreen will be called St Cecilia’s Church of England Primary School. It has been named after the patron saint of music and musicians by The Keys Academy Trust, which will run the school when it opens next September. Hester Wooller, chief executive at The Keys Academy Trust, said the decision was to chose a female saint. “The trust considers all of the creative arts as important ways for children to express themselves, which is reflected in
the choice of St Cecilia who is the patron saint of music and musicians,” she said. “As a trust our high performing schools nurture academic habits and skills, personal development and creativity across the whole range of subject disciplines and have a broad offer of sporting activities to promote health and well-being.” Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services, said: “St Cecilia’s is a fantastic name for the school, with a great story behind it.
“The Keys Academy Trust has a track record of running high performing schools in our area and I am sure this will be no exception. I’m looking forward to seeing it open and serving our community.” The new school is part of the north Wokingham development, where 2,000 homes are being built. Over the summer, the final few modules will be dropped into place. The project also includes a new community centre on the same site, with a separate entrance.
Splashabout in swimathon BOROUGH residents are invited to make a splash at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre this year, as part of a big ‘swimathon’. Former team GB swimmer Mark Foster is encouraging Wokingham borough to take part in one of four water events across Berkshire in September. From Friday, September 10 until Sunday, September 12, the Swimathon Festival will see people take the plunge and swim a variety of distances — from 400 metres up to 30.9km (19.2 miles). Challenges are being held at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre in
Earley, Bracknell Leisure Centre, Rivermead Leisure Centre in Reading and Willink Leisure Centre in Burghfield Common. The sponsored events will raise money for Cancer Research UK, Marie Curie and the Swimathon Foundation. Mr Foster said this year’s Swimathon Festival is more important than ever following the pandemic. “Both for getting the nation active again and for helping the charities that so need it,” he explained. “We know that swimming is
a wonderful boost for both physical and mental health, but it can also be a great help to charities. He added: “It’s been great seeing so many people back in the water, and with Swimathon combining two of their great events this year, I am looking forward to what will be a brilliant celebration of both swimming and charity in September.” Swimathon has raised more than £55 million for charities since its launch in 1986. � To find out more, visit: www.swimathon.org
Council plans autumn revival WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL will ‘start to come back to life’ from the autumn, according to leader John Halsall, writes Phil Creighton. Since lockdown, many of its staff members have been working from home, or redeployed into other roles to help with the covid response. As a result, offices have been closed or operating on reduced staffing levels, although all services have been maintained and staff on the ground have carried on as much as possible. But with the changes to restrictions from Monday,
it is now hoped that this will change. “As a council we will pretty much stay as we are before September, but from then we’ll start to come back to life,” Cllr Halsall said. “The real message is covid is with us, it will stay with us, we haven’t defeated it and we may never defeat it. Now we have to adapt our behaviour because it exists.” While staff has been at home where possible, Cllr Halsall felt that this will change. “Working from home has, generally, been a positive experience, but in September
some staff will start going back into offices. “Working from home is a deviation, not a permanent situation. “Between now and September, we will have to work out what they will be like in the future.” He added: “Innovation occurs through interaction of people, remote working can’t do that without that relationship. “People coming into an organisation for the first time need to be part of that culture, which is missed through virtual meetings.” � Council meetings page 15
EN ROUTE: Thames Valley Buses is to extend services for Farnborough students
College bus to launch STUDENTS at Farnborough Technical College and Farnborough Sixth Form College will have access to a new bus come September. Thames Valley Buses is extending its 194 service specifically to help pupils get to college. It has been running the 194 between Bracknell, Crowthorne, Sandhurst and Camberley service for the last six years.
It will be extended morning and afternoon for journeys to and from Farnborough via Frimley and Farnborough College. Simon Fisher, Thames Valley Buses manager: “We are delighted to be able to assist the students along the route of the 194 as we can see that there is no easy way to make this journey at the moment.”
He said tickets will be available on the Thames Valley Buses website and app. “The extended service will run Monday to Friday throughout the year for the benefit of commuters as well,” Mr Fisher said. “And the extension of the 194 will coincide with the introduction of upgraded buses with a smart new red colour scheme.”
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‘We’re here for kids that don’t qualify for the lunch vouchers’
Charity sector takes more families onto their books ahead of holidays � Continued from front page
Community meals Based at Norreys Church, the SHARE Wokingham group provides two meals for families each week of the summer holidays. Ms Rogerson said these include a meal to eat at home, and a meal to be enjoyed at Norreys Church. “People can come and all eat together,” she said. “It’s a community thing, families help out, and there are activities for the children.” This will range from arts and crafts to exploring reptiles, bouncy castles, and a visit from Circus Scene. “People can’t always afford days out,” Ms Rogerson said. The Grub Club is still accepting volunteers for this summer, who can help cook meals and run activities for the children.
Campaigning for change As part of its work, Ms Sherrat said the Woodley Lunch Bunch is also a campaign group. “We want to lobby about food insecurity and hunger,” she said. It comes as Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, launched the #righttofood campaign to change the law so that access to food becomes a legal right. “My hope is that strategies will be put in place by national and local government so that food insecurity doesn’t affect families,” Ms Sherratt added. “It’s a big issue for a lot of families. There are things in place for those most in need – but there is a group of children not being supported.”
Food vouchers This summer, Wokingham Borough Council is giving out vouchers to cover children’s meals, worth £15 per week. Funded through the Covid Local Support grant from the Government, it is open to all pupils who receive benefits-related free school meals during term time. Cllr John Halsall, leader of the borough council, said focus will be on areas of deprivation. “No one is complacent,” he said. “It's a huge task, but it’s what we’re here to do. “We said we would, so we are.” The funding was originally planned to end in June, but has been extended until the end of September. With the extra three months’ worth of cash, families will receive one voucher per child per week. Cllr Prue Bray, Liberal Democrat lead for children’s services, said she was pleased to see the borough council supplying food vouchers, but said it had been a “battle” from the beginning. Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services at Wokingham Borough Council, said the council wants to ensure that no
HELPING HAND: (Above and far right) Volunteers at The Grub Club prepare food and activites for families in the summer of 2019. (Left) The Woodley Lunch Bunch preapres its summer deliveries
child goes hungry this summer. But Cllr Boyt is concerned there is a reliance on charity help. “We’re normalising foodbanks,” she said. “Because of funding, the third sector was used a lot in the covid response.” She is concerned there could become a reliance on charities, instead of statutory provision by local authorities and the government. “We set up the Woodley Lunch Bunch in response to covid, but quickly realised the need was there before, and will continue after.”
‘We don’t qualify for vouchers’ Lauren Hillman, whose name has been changed, has four children. With only one qualifying for a £15 food voucher each week of the summer holidays, Woodley Lunch Bunch has been there for her. “They don’t leave any of my kids out,” she said. “The school told me about them last year, although I was worried it would make me a bad parent.” She said the children are happier in the holidays, and eagerly anticipate the delivery days. With fresh fruit, treats, sandwiches and activity packs, Ms Hillman said the support has helped her family. “They even delivered a card and some chocolate on one of my children’s birthdays,” she added. The human touch is what makes the Woodley Lunch Bunch, she explained. Volunteers arrive with a smile on their faces, and stay to chat to the children before moving onto the next location. “I can’t thank them enough — they’ve helped a lot of families out,” Ms Hillman said.
Summer holiday activities For the first time, children eligible for the food vouchers can also be signed up for activities. Funded by the Department for Education, the Holiday Activities and Food Programme will provide free places at organised holiday activity sessions over the summer and Christmas holidays this year. Children will also be given lunch during the sessions. All families eligible for this will have been contacted about signing up to specific sessions. Cllr Howe added: “We hope that the combination of providing food vouchers and free places at holiday activity sessions over the summer help our children and young people enjoy their summer holidays and help the families in the borough who most need our support. “It’s been a challenging year and these young people have earned a bit of summer fun.” Ms Sherratt said the Woodley Lunch Bunch was asked by the borough council to join the Holiday Activities and Food Programme, but declined. “We’re doing it independently,” she said. “We want to be selfgoverning. Working with the council means more bureaucracy. “We’re a community group in charge of ourselves. “The Holiday Activities and Food Programme is only for one year, but the need won’t go away after covid.”
Exposing the problem Ms Sherratt said food insecurity was already at play before the pandemic hit. “Covid just exposed the problem,” she said. “But the covid response doesn’t solve the long term problems of people on low wages, insecure jobs, zero hours contracts — there’s lots of issues to be addressed.” Ms Sherratt said this is particularly evident when borough residents wait five weeks for their first Universal Credit payment to arrive. “I don’t know what people would do without the third sector,” Ms Sherrat said. “The council refers people to the third sector as though it is a statutory provision. But what happens if we just downed tools?” The Woodley Lunch Bunch will provide packed lunches for two days a week, as well as a weekly bag of groceries and activities for children. The organisation has teamed up with First Day’s Children’s Charity, Freely Fruity, Woodley and Wokingham foodbanks and SHARE Wokingam. � For more information about the council run programmes, visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk � For more information about the Woodley Lunch Bunch, visit: www.woodleylunchbunch.org � For more information about The Grub Club, visit its Facebook page @theGrubclubWoky
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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Find a work space thanks to Arena Business Centres
F
ALL IN love with the office again, thanks to Arena Business Centres and its new flexi-working space in Winnersh. Last month, the firm opened a range of workspaces for two to 500 people at 100 Berkshire Place, Winnersh Triangle, in a bid to support businesses returning to work. Arena Business Centres, which launched in 2003, already own a portfolio of 10 business centres across Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset. Now, it is offering flexible workspace, meeting rooms and collaboration areas within this prime Wokingham borough location. The former Microsoft head office building comprises 50,000 sq ft and was purchased by Arena in 2019, and has undergone a £10 million transformation. The team has already welcomed clients including Evertz, Yoh Solutions, Inomize and Olax Engineering Consulting. Helen Deverill, marketing director at Arena Business Centres, said the team is excited to launch in the area. “Our focus is to deliver inspiring working environments where businesses can truly perform and succeed,” she said. “We focus on creating vibrant business communities where it is a pleasure to come to work.
0330 124 6598
“We’ve completely refurbished 100 Berkshire Place and brought it back to life from a really tired office block. We’re really proud of the results and can’t wait to show the local business community.” Arena has teamed up with award-winning interior designers and architects to create professional environments in which clients can do their best work. Arena gives clients the tools to be flexible in an ever-changing landscape and its outstanding dedicated teams create a platform for them to thrive. By combining wellbeing and productivity they want to help clients recruit and retain top talent. From setting up the computers to designing the office layout, Arena Business Centres can make bespoke areas for clients from a range of industries. “If firms are relocating, expanding or downsizing, we will look after them to make sure they can stay agile and perform well in any area,” the marketing director said. “We will configure the space to match exactly what they need. We have a unique ability to customise office space for our clients.” This includes accommodating special requirements, like creating server rooms, meeting areas, and individual offices within a larger space.
100 Berkshire Place, Winnersh, RG41 5RD
“The beautiful thing about our Winnersh centre is that you can also collaborate with your team or you can work alone,” Ms Deverill added. “But most importantly, it’s time away from home to give you that healthy work-life balance and much needed lineation between home and the office.” At 100 Berkshire Place, Arena Business Centres also offers cafe-style seating, individual work pods, sofa areas and bench working options – so people can work exactly how they want. And it’s even up-to-date with all the latest lockdown technology, including interactive whiteboards which can host anything from Zoom to Microsoft Teams. Following its launch, Ms Deverill said the firm is now looking for businesses in the community to experience its inspiring workspaces. “We have clients that have been with us since the very beginning, which is really testament to the relationships we have with every client,” she said. “Whether an entrepreneur or a large corporate we support clients on their journey, because ultimately we are on the same journey too.” � To find out more about Arena Business Centres, or call 0330 124 6598 or visit www.arenabusinesscentres.com and start your journey towards a new way of working today.
www.arenabusinesscentres.com
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Temporary bus shuttle for Finchampstead
Orchard revivals VOLUNTEERS from four businesses spent a day reviving a Winnersh orchard last week. On Wednesday, July 7, staff at four business parks owned by Frasers Property UK, spent the day cutting and clearing overgrown grass in Winnersh Meadows. This included Winnersh Triangle. It was part of Frasers Property UK’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. The event was organised by Amrita Reddy, member of the Wokingham Community Garden Projects leading the restoration of the community orchard and Camberley charity, Community Matters Partnership Projects (CMPP). Ms Reddy said the plan is to extend the community orchard, with trees supplied by Sindlesham charity, Freely Fruity. These will be planted in the autumn. At the same time, Ms Reddy will also sow the seeds for a wildflower meadow on site.
“On February 29 last year, I launched this project,” she said. “We had a wassail ceremony to mark the occasion with morris dancers. “After that, lockdown began.” Ms Reddy said she was thrilled the volunteers had come to continue with the restoration project. Rachel Austen, corporate volunteer coordinator at CMPP said the charity does the “legwork” connecting businesses with organisations that need support. “You just turn up and give back,” she said. “It’s great for employee wellbeing.” Also at the event was Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for environment at the borough council. “I fully support what CMPP has done in conjunction with Amrita,” he said. “I welcome the preservation of biodiversity, and the orchard is a welcome sight for the community. “I am grateful for the local businesses supporting this project.”
A TEMPORARY shuttle bus service has been introduced in Finchampstead. It is part of the Nine Mile Ride extension project which connects the existing A327 Eversley Road with the Nine Mile Ride/Park Lane junction.
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
The road is closed until October for the works. The shuttle bus runs every weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm and 8am to 2pm on Saturdays with services every 20 minutes. Run by ABC travel, it will pick up residents at Robinson Crusoe bus stops and drop them to the Biggs Lane stop where the Leopard 3 bus is still in operation. The shuttle will head to the closure at Nine Mile Ride then turn around and complete the
shuttle route for this section. It will drop passengers at either the Barkham Ride East stop, going towards Wokingham, and the Barkham Stores stop, going to Reading. Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said the shuttle service will help people access key bus services. “Our work on the Nine Mile Ride Extension will help ease congestion in this area in the
years ahead once the project is complete,” she said. “It’s part of our continued investment in our highways network, as part of our multimillion pound Major New Roads programme and £1 billion investment in infrastructure.” Construction is due to be completed next year with the road open for traffic in autumn 2022. � For more information, visit wokingham.gov.uk
Venessa Beresford with her Stained Glass Sculpture
Lucy Keeble with her artwork
Neil Onslow with his photography
Rebecca Howard with her art, including a map of Twyford
Art on show at Charvil Village Hall Pictures: Steve Smyth
Shelagh Casebourne, runner-up of the Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year
Art gets back on the trail By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today STUDIOS were bursting with colour last weekend, thanks to the Henley Arts Trail, and it’s not over yet.
Spanning across 40 venues, it aims to showcase the most vibrant and visual arts and crafts scene across Berkshire and Oxfordshire. Chris Harper, from one of the arts trail’s venues, Micklems Farm, said the artists “loved” getting to mingle in person after so long. “Here at the farm it was very busy, people enjoyed seeing the art work and with our open
studio we made sure that everyone felt safe,” he said. Visitors followed the socially-distanced one-way system and automatic hand gel dispensers were dotted around the exhibition space. Mr Harper added: “We think Art by Helen Long this weekend is going to be even busier, so if you’re visiting Henley this weekend be sure to pay us a visit.” The Arts Trail is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10am until 4pm at a number of venues, including in Charvil, Twyford and Wargrave. � For more details, visit henleyartstrail.com
Textiles by Kate Finlay
DJ Darren to rock Festival A TOP radio DJ is preparing to swap the record decks for a stage, thanks to Wokingham Festival. Darren Redick, who spins the discs on Planet Rock, will be hosting events on the August Bank Holiday Monday, the third day of the festival. Organisers say that his love of music is infectious and they can’t wait to see him take charge of the TradeMark Windows Stage, presenting a mixture of talent. Acts include Kyros, The Paradox Twin, Warmrain, The Room and headliners Wille and the Bandits who were described by The Daily Telegraph as ‘one of the best
live acts in the country’. Mr Redick said: “I have heard good things about Wokingham Festival so I’m really looking forward to coming along to see everyone there. “We’ve all missed live music during lockdown so it will be an ideal opportunity to see some great bands and party. “The line-up looks really strong and being a big Rush fan and also a bass player in my spare time, I’m going to have to resist jumping back on stage
after introducing R2, a tribute to Rush, to play along with them.” Wokingham Festival will take place in Cantley Park and include family entertainment, a beer festival and stalls as well as the bands. It was set up more than 14 years ago by founder Stan Hetherington, who also runs Wokingham Music Club, which returns later this month. � For more details, or to book tickets, log on to www.wokinghamfestival.co.uk
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
PARISHNOTICEBOARD Parish and borough council meetings Meetings may also be online – contact councils for details
Monday, July 19 Shinfield Parish Council. Full council meeting. 7.30pm. Mitford Close, Three Mile Cross RG7 1AT. Shinfieldparish.gov.uk Wokingham Borough Council. Standards Committee. 7pm. Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End RG40 1BN. www.wokingham.gov.uk
Tuesday, July 20 Arborfield Parish Council. Arborfield Village Hall, Eversley Road, Arborfield RG2 9PQ. Executive. 7pm. Full council. 8pm. https:// arborfield.org.uk/ Wokingham Town Council. Amenities Committee. 7.30pm. Wokingham Town Hall, Market Place, Wokingham RG40 1AS. www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk
Wednesday, July 21 Finchampstead Parish Council. Full council. 7pm. FBC Centre, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. www.finchampstead-pc.gov.uk Wokingham Borough Council. Extraordinary Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 7pm. Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End RG40 1BN.
Thursday, July 22 Finchampstead Parish Council. Planning Committee. 7.30pm. FBC Centre, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. www.finchampsteadpc.gov.uk Wokingham Borough Council. Council. 7.30pm. Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End RG40 1BN.
Monday, July 26 Winnersh Parish Council. Planning committee. 7.30pm. Winnersh Community Centre, New Road, Sindlesham RG41 5DU. www.winnersh.gov.uk Wokingham Town Council. Arts and Culture Committee. 7.30pm. Wokingham Town Hall, Market Place, Wokingham RG40 1AS. www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk
Tuesday, July 27 Winnersh Parish Council. Finance and general purposes committee meeting. 7.30pm. Winnersh Community Centre, New Road, Sindlesham RG41 5DU. www.winnersh.gov.uk Wokingham Town Council. Full council. 7.30pm. Wokingham Town Hall, Market Place, Wokingham RG40 1AS. www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk
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FROMTHECOURTS � A 20-YEAR-OLD from Woodley was given a three-month sentence in a young offender institution after being caught in public with a knife. Dodou Manneh, from Pearson Way, was stopped by police in Church Street, Woodley, on October 16 last year, where they found the blade in his possession. Manneh pleaded not guilty on February 2, and a summary trial held on March 25 found him guilty. He was sentenced at Slough Magistrates Court on May 14. He was also ordered to pay £128 to victim services. � A WOODLEY teenager who stole an electric scooter worth £350 has been fined £120 by Berkshire Magistrates Court. Reiss Anderson James, 19 and from Parkside Road, admitted the theft when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on May 18. The incident took place in Woodley on June 17 last year: James stole the scooter during a burglary. He was fined £120, ordered to pay costs of £85 and £34 to victim services, at a rate of £5 per week. � DRIVING while under the influence of drugs has seen a Reading man banned for 14 months. Jack Kevin Ramsden, 21 and from Sycamore Road, was stopped by police on Whitestone Close in Wokingham on September 26, 2020. A test found traces of Benzoylecgonine (BZE), a form of cocaine, in his bloodstream.
Although Ramsden had initially pleaded not guilty, he changed his plea when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on May 18. In addition to the ban, Ramsden was fined £510 and ordered to pay £130 costs and £51 to victim services. � A READING man who was stopped for drug driving has been fined £250 and ordered not to get behind the wheel for 15 months. Filipe Ramos, 26 and from Dulverton Gardens, was on Church Road on November 25 last year. A test revealed traces of Delta-9Tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of cannabis, and Benzoylegonine, a form of cocaine, in his bloodstream. Ramos pleaded guilty when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on May 18. He must pay £85 costs and £34 to victim services. � A WOODLEY man who drove under the influence of drugs has been fined £250 and banned for three years. Paul John Gosheron, 51 and from Caribou Close, was stopped by police on March 19 last year on the A4 Bath Road in Sonning. At a hearing at Reading Magistrates Court on May 19, he also pleaded guilty of failing to give information relating to the identity of the driver of the vehicle as requested by police. He was fined £250 for each offence, ordered to pay £150 costs and £50 to victim services. His licence will also be endorsed with six penalty points.
Cases heard in Reading and Slough Magistrates Court � A TEENAGER caught in possession of an imitation shotgun in Reading town centre has been given a 12month conditional discharge. Jacob George Manning, 18 and from Howth Drive, was stopped by police in Friar Street on March 16, 2019, where they found an ASG Franchi 3 Burst 6mm Airsoft Shotgun on his person, contrary to section 19 of and Schedule 6 to the Firearms Act 1968. In addition to the conditional discharge, he was ordered to pay £85 costs, and £21 to victim services. Manning’s case was heard at Reading Magistrates on May 19. � A SHINFIELD man who assaulted another has been given a 12-month conditional discharge. James Maughan had initially pleaded not guilty but changed when he appeared before the bench on May 19. The 25-year-old from Chestnut Crescent carried out the beating on May 30 last year in Reading. In addition to the discharge, he must pay £100 compensation. � A FINCHAMPSTEAD woman who handled stolen goods has been sent to jail for 10 years. Victoria Hawthorne, 48 and from Nash Grove Lane, pleaded guilty to stealing a Ford Transit van with Tristan Gooch. This took place on February 25 last year. Hawthorne, also known as Nicola Elkins, also pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in Wokingham
on July 16 last year, for this she was jailed for 10 weeks. As this offence was carried out while under a community order made on November 25 last year, the following offences were taken into consideration by magistrates at the hearing on May 20: • Stealing 13 bottles of whisky and gin, cans of gin and tonic and food items from Waitrose in Twyford on January 26, 2020 • Stealing alcohol worth £143 from Waitrose in Woodley on Febraury 16, 2020 • Stealing various items worth £843.58 from Tesco in Wokingham on February 2, 2020 • Stealing alcohol to an unknown value, also from Tesco in Wokingham on February 17, 2020. For these offences she was committed to prison for six weeks concurrent; her total sentence is 28 weeks. At the same sitting of Reading Magistrates Court, she pleaded guilty to the following offences: • On June 5 last year, stealing cosmetic items to an unknown value from Boots in Camberley • On July 20 last year, stealing cosmetic items to an unknown value from Boots in Camberley • Assaulting a man and a woman on the same day in Camberley; for these offences she was given an eight-week jail sentence • Failing to surrender to custody of Guildford Magistrates Court on October 30 last year.
12 | NEWS
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
EURO 2020 FINAL
Table football at The Hope & Anchor
A night to remember at The Gig House
Match fit at The Gig House ahead of kick-off
Dressing up for a night out at The Roebuck in Market Place
Bubbling together at The Roebuck
White and red army … England fans at The Gig House
All emotions were felt by fans at The Ship Inn as England stormed to an early lead against Italy, but ended up losing a penalty shoot out
Table service was the order of the day due to covid regulations, but it was still possible for bubbles to enjoy the game at The Hope & Anchor
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ENGLAND v ITALY Mental health focus
Pictures: Steve Smyth
Goal celebrations at The Ship Inn
Cheers for England at The Gig House
Raising glasses at The Gig House
Dismay at the result at The Ship Inn
Hopeful before kick-off at The Gig House
Fans gather – covid safely – at The Ship Inn
Coming home? No, the fans are going home!
By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today
SUNDAY’S match was wonderful for the first 45 minutes.
That’s the view of Carole Williams, landlady at The Queen’s Head, in Wokingham. Crowds flocked to the borough’s pubs in anticipation of England bringing football home in the Euro 2020 final. The home nation saw off Denmark last Wednesday evening to set up Sunday’s showdown with Italy. Although Shaw gave England an early lead, Italy responded with an equaliser, taking the game first to extra time and then to a tense penalty shoot-out, which didn’t quite go the Wembley way, denying Gareth Southgate’s men their first tournament
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trophy since the 1966 World Cup victory. Anticipation built up before the 8pm kick-out, Ms Williams said, with punters coming in for a drink before the big game. “The excitement was mounting all day,” she said. Across the road, Hattie Gutzman, landlady at The Hope and Anchor said she was fullybooked as soon as England reached the semi-finals. Many punters kept the same table throughout the tournament, building a “football family” at the pub, Ms Gutzman said. “It felt like a day out at the pub again.” With drinkers decked in England shirts and face paint, the day had a community spirit unlike anything Ms Gutzman and her bar
staff had seen for a while. But as the game went on, the mood quietened. The plus side of not winning was an earlier night for Ms Williams. “Everyone was so disappointed,” she said. “It was such a downer, but at least I didn’t have to throw anyone out. “They all left quickly — I just shut the door and went to bed.” But Ms Gutzman believes a big win could be around the corner. “It was a momentous day just to get to the finals,” she added. “This is the best England team we have had in a long time.” With the World Cup approaching next year, she said football may well come home for “the big one”.
A PAIR of mental health events will be held online to bring the community together. Oxfordshire Mind is hosting two virtual events to discuss mental health and wellbeing needs in the borough. The first will be the Wokingham Mental Health First Aiders Forum today, from 2pm to 3.30pm. On Tuesday, July 27 is the Mental Health and Wellbeing Community Alliance session from 2pm to 3.30pm. Claire Shropshall, Wokingham primary care wellbeing project manager for Oxfordshire Mind, said: “I’d like to take the opportunity to extend a huge thanks to all for your continued support with the new Wokingham Wellbeing Service we’ve launched in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council. “We’re simply overwhelmed with gratitude for all your input and can’t wait to begin this next phase of the project.” To register for today’s session, visit bit.ly/ 3dlUN1W, to register for July 27: bit.ly/3y0NFjz
Park’s partial closures PARTS of California Country Park have been closed for repair. The pontoon and nearby footpath has been blocked off, due to health and safety concerns. The borough council said it is working on repairs, and hopes to reopen the route from the start of next month. The cafe and park are still open as usual.
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
Bus trial is together in electric dreams AN ECO-FRIENDLY solution to transport has been trialled in Reading this week. Reading Buses is currently testing out the latest electric bus on the purple 17 route between Wokingham Road and Tilehurst. For the past seven days, it has given its new wheels a spin and now wants to hear customers’ thoughts. “Electric technology is reaching a point where we can see that some urban services could reliably be converted to battery electric vehicles in the near future,” said Robert Williams, Reading Buses CEO. He said the layout is different to the standard purple 17 buses to make space for the batteries. Each electric vehicle can
Covid cancels race, so Vickie does her own half-marathon EXCLUSIVE By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today A WOMAN has raised more than £300 in memory of her nephew after running a virtual half marathon last month.
Vickie Robertson, founder of domestic abuse charity Kaleidoscopic UK, had been due to take part in the Brighton Half Marathon on Sunday, June 27. Although it had been postponed, that didn’t stop Miss Robertson – she took on the borough’s streets so she could still raise funds for her nephew Sean and his family. Sean Myers, from Bracknell, passed away two months ago after battling bladder cancer at the age of just 17. Now, after running in the event last year to help fund Sean’s treatment, Miss Robertston wanted to extend her support to the family by raising more money for them this year. The funds raised has enabled Sean’s family to pick an urn and turn his ashes into jewellery stones to keep him close to their hearts. Setting off at 6.30am from the FBC Centre, on Gorse Ride North in Finchampstead, Miss Robertson headed towards Arborfield, then Barkham, down to Dinton Pastures and Lower Earley. She crossed the finish line around 10am back at Dinton Pastures where she enjoyed a nice cuppa and a biscuit with some of her supporters on the day. Miss Robertson explained she is “so grateful” to everybody for their donations.
STILL RUNNING: Vickie Robertson ran a half around Wokingham after the Brighton race was postponed due to covid
She added: “I really want to do this to, not only help my family, but to also raise awareness that cancer can affect anyone at any time. “Last year, I had such a lovely response from the community so I want to thank everyone for their continuous support towards our family and it was lovely to be able to run for Seano again this year.” Kim Sharman expressed her thanks towards Miss Roberston for her fundraising efforts and
said she has the “purest and kindest heart ever”. “Vickie always continues to be by our side and is always supporting and looking after me and the family”, she said. “She is truly an inspiration and I couldn’t be more proud of her, she’s the best auntie and sister ever and she continues to not only keep helping me but loads of other families.” � To donate, visit gofund.me/ c3efb025
travel at least 160 miles between charges. According to Mr Williams, while some Reading Buses routes cover more than 250 miles per day, he hopes the Wokingham Road journey will be within the lower limit. “We are teaming up with manufacturers BYD and Alexander Dennis to give their latest London double decker a try to gather as much real-life data as possible from running the bus in Reading,” he added. The trial comes following Reading Borough Council’s bid to the government’s Zero Emissions Bus Regional Area fund. If successful, Reading Buses could place its first orders next year.
Water, water everywhere FLOODING is the topic of a new exhibition by the University of Reading. Earlier this month, scientists at the university revealed how to create reliable flood forecasts to support global communities. It was part of their ‘What happens when there is too much water?’ exhibit at the online Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition 2021. Now, scientists are hoping to inspire creative poems about water, following their own collaborations with poet Dan Simpson, whose commissioned poem about flooding was performed as part of the exhibit. The competition will give a public platform for new poems about water and the natural world, with a prize of £100 for the winner. Professor Hannah Cloke, a hydrologist at the University of Reading leading on the Floods Ahead exhibit, said: “Floods are costly, both economically and emotionally, and they are increasing in frequency and affecting more and more people as a result of climate change. “An important part of increasing understanding is finding new ways of communicating science to new audiences. “Combining creative writing with environmental science will allow more people to engage with this important topic.” Poems can focus on rivers, rain, flooding or water in another natural setting. Entries can be submitted for the up to Year 9 or Year 10 to 13 categories via the exhibition website before Friday, September 3. The winner’s poem will be presented at the University’s Climate Education Summit on Wednesday, September 15. They will be judged by Professor Cloke and professional poet Dan Simpson. For more information, visit: research.reading.ac.uk/too-much-water
Crafts market at Holme Grange SATISFY your inner artist at a series of new Craft Markets in Wokingham. Holme Grange Craft Village has launched a range of events where local stall holders will be setting up shop to share their creations. The Markets are being held on the second Saturday and Sunday of each month. The next Craft Markets are taking place on Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15 from 10am until 3pm. Parking and entry is free to visitors. For more information, visit: www.holmegrangecraftvillage.co.uk
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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VIRTUAL REALITY: Some councillors want return to the chamber when it’s safe to do so
Council meetings to continue with hybrid in person and online format EXCLUSIVE By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today NEXT Thursday’s full council meeting will continue to be a hybrid format, despite the government relaxing rules on indoor gatherings.
During the pandemic, Wokingham Borough Council has organised virtual meetings which have allowed people to tune in from home. Councillors have used Microsoft Teams while the sessions have been on broadcast live on YouTube. Wo k i n g h a m .To d a y understands that some councillors had been pushing to allow the Shute End chamber to be opened to all now that social distancing is coming to an end. A compromise has reached and there will now be 28 councillors in the chamber – more than in previous meetings – with others will be taking part from home using Teams. This will be 16 Conservatives,
nine Liberal Democrats, two Labour and one independent. All virtual participants are unable to vote and the numbers in the chamber will be run on quorums. There had been concerns that if a full in-person meeting was held for all 54 councillors plus council staff and social distancing enforced a venue the size of a football pitch would be needed. This could cost around £10,000 to hire, and even then, some councillors would have stayed away due to health concerns. Cllr John Halsall, leader of Wokingham Conservatives and the council, said there was a duty of care neeeded for officers and councillors. “Officers have done a really good job in making these arrangements,” he said. “I wrote to all members, the government has basically said it’s for employers and organisations to make their own arrangements. The borough council will respect
that and err on the side of caution.” He added: “I can’t see the situation changing quickly, but this gives us some certainty about our meetings.” Cllr Lindsay Ferris, the leader of Wokingham’s Liberal Democrats, said the decision was a difficult one. “We’ve got to be careful, but there does come a point when councillors who want to be in the council chamber (should be) in a place where they can attend.
“We’re in a situation where (covid) numbers are growing, but we want to be able to do that (hold meetings open to all). “There’s the issue between what is safe to do so and the democracy issue of being able to get councillors in the chamber. It’s a balancing act. “Virtual councillors may be able to ask questions but when it comes to a vote, you can’t.” And Cllr Rachel Burgess, Wokingham Labour’s leader, felt that online meetings have been a “decent, workable alternative”.
“The Conservative government is behaving in an utterly irresponsible way in forcing councillors to meet in person when case numbers are soaring,” she said. “In its pursuit of a desired ‘normality’, the government would prefer that we adhere to 50-year old laws that state councillors must meet and vote in person, than continue with online meetings.” She felt that councils should be able chose how to run their meetings in a covid-safe way. “Instead, our Council officers have been put in a very difficult position by the government, and have spent needless hours working up solutions to this entirely unnecessary problem, by trying to find large (and therefore expensive) venues for meetings or forcing us to restrict the number of voting members in the chamber. “Reducing numbers is the only workable answer for the July council meeting – but this restricts our local democracy, in an attempt to keep people safe.”
Enjoy water and wildlife walk A WATER and wildlife walk will be held next month in Woosehill. The Emm Brook guided walk, organised by the South East Rivers Trust, will explore the waterway’s hidden potential. On Saturday, August 14, there will be two walks, starting next to the wildlife sign by the bridge behind the Morrisons. The first walk will run from 11am to 1pm, the second from 2pm until 4pm. Those interested must book in advance. For more information or to book, visit: bit.ly/ EmmBrookWalks
Volunteers needed FIRST DAYS children’s charity is appealing for volunteers to work as gift pickers. It needs people on Mondays and Tuesdays to work from its Wokingham-based warehouse, selecting items to form support packages for its clients. To volunteer contact volunteering@firstdays.net
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16 | BUSINESS
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
Got a business story? Email news@ wokingham.today. or write to Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS
IoD in a new Arena A NEW partnership is forming in Winnersh Triangle as Arena Business Centres teams up with the Institute of Directors (IoD). The workspace provider, which launched a new hub in the borough in June, has partnered with the IoD’s southern team to create a network of members’ hubs across the South of England. It means IoD members can use Arena Business Centres’ spaces as a drop-in centre and receive discounted rates on meeting rooms. Helen Deverill, marketing director at Arena Business Centres, said: “We are thrilled to form a partnership with the IoD. “Right from the start, we have worked closely to create an offering that will be valuable to IoD members. “Coinciding with the launch of
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today
Arena Reading in Winnersh Triangle, we look forward to showcasing our inspirational working environments across Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire and Dorset.” Faisal Khan, chair of IoD South, added: “As restrictions ease and the economy bounces back, directors will be looking for flexible, safe and professional locations to work and meet that enable them to stay agile and control their costs.” Arena Business Centres moved to Winnersh Triangle as part of an £8 million project and offers workspaces for groups of two to 500 people.
COLOURFUL: Art by Ken Nwadiogbu decorates a Flight Logistics vehicle
Ken’s art is a drive thru A NIGERIAN artist will be making waves in Wokingham borough, thanks to a friendly courier group. Ken Nwadiogbu is the next artist to feature in Flight Logistics’ Art On Wheels project, which sees delivery vans wrapped in artwork to bring it out of gallery spaces and to the public. The latest vehicle, which launched on the roads last week, exhibits his work on migration from his Journey Mercies solo exhibition. In June, it was announced that Mr Nwadiogbu, who was born in Lagos, would provide art for the 18th vehicle in the project. Also known as KenArt, he draws inspiration from issues he faces, including the everyday struggles of people, African culture, gender equality and black power. “My newest body of work focuses on stories of migration,” he said. “The creative driver of my works
often derives from a facet of my life in relation to a larger context of spaces that my expansive humanity occupies.” The faces that appear on the vehicle are his family and friends. “My love for drawing faces of everyday people through ripped paper was born from a need to identify Africans in major global contexts,” he added. “These juxtaposed pieces became my way of exploring, evaluating, interrogating, and challenging socio-political structures and issues within the society.” In 2019, Mr Nwadiogbu was also named one of the most Outstanding Personalities of 2019 by Guardian Life, and has been awarded for his contributions to the Nigerian arts community. Flight Logistics has been running its ShipArt scheme since 2016.
Vax centre opens in Windsor ACCELERATING the country’s covid vaccination programme is on the agenda for AEW, as it launches a new vaccination centre in Windsor. The UK investment manager has licenced an NHS vaccine hub in Windsor Yards which will be run by the East Berkshire Primary Care Out of Hours Service. Charles Royle, portfolio manager
Vail Williams gives shake-up to its property consultancy
at AEW, said: “We are very pleased that Windsor Yards can continue to play a key role in the community by welcoming an NHS vaccination centre. “We look forward to welcoming additional new occupiers in the near future.” The site is open daily, giving out up to 10,000 vaccinations each week.
A THAMES Valley property team is shaking things up as it expands its work across the South East.
Consultancy firm Vail Williams, which is based in Thames Valley Park in Earley, has introduced many new faces to its crew — and some of them are based in the local area. Earlier this month, it announced it has promoted Dan Reynaldo to Surveyor Level 3 at its Thames Valley branch, after he joined the team in 2016. After studying at the University of Reading, Mr Reynaldo qualified as a surveyor in 2019 and specialises in advising occupiers, landlords and investors on building needs. “As a keen cricketer in my spare time, I like to think I approach all of my valued clients with a straight bat as I look to provide them with the best possible service,” he said.
BRIGHT FUTURES: Vail Williams team (from left) Dan Reynaldo, David Thomas and Matt Doe
“This promotion will certainly spur me.” David Thomas, Thames Valley regional managing partner at Vail Williams, said the promotion recognises Mr Reynaldo’s hard working attitude. “He is very much an allrounder involved in all aspects, from dilapidation to bank monitoring as well as technical building consultancy,” he said.
“It is an absolutely welldeserved promotion.” Vail Williams has introduced Matt Doe to the Thames Valley team too. He has spent seven years specialising in lease advisory work and is now responsible for helping landlords maximise their rental income and support their clients. Mr Doe said: “I am excited to have joined Vail Williams, a
firm with a big reputation for doing things the right way. “I have always taken pride in providing the highest possible level of service to my clients and building relationships with them which last the test of time.” Mr Thomas said help the firm as it continues to grow. Alex Gauntlett and Jon Sharp are also new associates in the south coast region.
Tailored tech support for young adults HELP is on hand for Wokingham’s next generation of tech talent. AND Digital, a national tech consultancy, is launching a digital skills programme to support 18-24-year-olds in the Thames Valley region. The scheme, developed by The Curious Lounge in neighbouring Reading, will help people entering the workforce learn skills and help them find placements, internships and employment in creative industries. Throughout the six week programme, AND Digital’s
team will train the young adults who will be taught essential business and digital skills. It will also offer mentoring and tailored advice to support people entering different career pathways. Louize Clarke, programme lead for The Curious Collective partnership, said: “The Curious Collective is all about positive action. We know that bright young talent is essential for the future of our local economy right here in the Thames Valley. “Our new partnership with
AND Digital will help us to provide young people with a truly first class insight into what a modern tech career involves and what expertise they’ll need to develop if they were to go on and work for a fast paced and rapidly growing organisation.” She is calling on Wokingham borough businesses to support the scheme. Shan Beerstecher, club executive at AND Digital, added: “People are at the front and centre of AND Digital and this partnership
will allow us to make positive change in the communities in which we work and operate.” AND Digital aims to improve digital skills among 200,000 people across the UK by 2025. Applications open for The Curious Collective’s skills programme on Tuesday, September 7 here: www.thecuriouslounge.co.uk/ news/bootcampapply For more information about the programme and how to support it, visit: www.thecuriouslounge.co.uk/ news/collective
‘Flexi-work patterns a must for future’ THE FUTURE of business success lies in hybrid working, according to new research from TalkTalk. The connectivity provider said firms in the South East must offer flexible work arrangements if they want to attract the country’s top talent. Its report of 2,000 office workers showed that nearly nine in 10 (86%) employees in the region said a mixture of home and office working
would be important when searching for a job postpandemic. It also found nearly a quarter (23%) of people are happy to live more than one hour away from their office, as the daily commute becomes a thing of the past. And the majority of workers (51%) now see the office as a space to socialise, collaborate on tasks (36%) and hold key meetings (25%).
James Suzman, anthropologist, predicts the majority of businesses will never return to a five day office week after the pandemic. “[It] has forced employers to conduct a home working experiment they were never willing to take, with spectacularly positive results,” he said. “People are looking out for neighbours, shopping locally and spending less time commuting, all of which has
obvious environmental, mental health and societal benefits.” Jonathan Kini, managing director of TalkTalk Consumer and Business, added: “The pandemic has allowed people to balance their professional and personal lives through increased time spent at home, and we are proud to have helped facilitate this shift, not just as an employer, but as a provider of fast, reliable connectivity.”
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
Health leader calls on residents to get jabbed By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today WITH restrictions set to ease next week, the borough council is encouraging residents to get their first dose of the Covid-19 jab.
All over 18s are now eligible to book a vaccine through the NHS website. And the gap between first and second doses has been shortened from 12 to eight weeks. Anyone waiting on their second dose is urged to bring their next dose forward, if possible. In the borough, infection rates have risen to 162.5 cases per 100,000, with the majority
in unvaccinated younger adults. Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health at the borough council, said 83.6% of those eligible for the vaccine have had their first dose. And 58.6% have had both jabs. “This is really encouraging,” he said. “We now need everyone over 18 to come forward for both doses. “Remember, the first dose doesn’t offer notable protection until two weeks after you’ve had it, and you must have two doses for full protection. It is very safe and has proven to weaken the link between cases, hospital
admissions and deaths.” “With case rates remaining high in our borough, it’s very important that we get on the front foot.” He said the council is working with the NHS to make it easier to get a jab. This could include another walk-in clinic, following the surge vaccination programme at Bulmershe Leisure Centre last month. “Despite ‘freedom day’ being in sight, the race isn’t over when it comes to Covid19, and we will face challenges in the months ahead,” said Cllr Margetts. “However, the vaccine offers hope and protection for all, especially with a third
booster jab on the horizon. “Our residents have been incredible throughout the pandemic, but this final push is needed to help bring down infections and keep everyone safe.” Later this summer, people who have had both doses of the vaccine may be made exempt from self-isolation if in contact with a positive case, or flying to the UK from an amber list country. All residents are encouraged to keep up with their twice-weekly lateral flow tests to check they aren’t infected and spreading the virus unknowingly. Anyone with symptoms is urged to get a PCR test.
Vaccine bus comes to Lower Earley and Wokingham town ANOTHER POP-UP vaccine programme is happening this weekend, ahead of restrictions easing on Monday. An NHS Covid-19 vaccine bus will be at Asda in Lower Earley on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It will also be at Norreys Church on Tuesday, July 20, and Wednesday, July 21. Residents can get their first or second dose of the Pfizer vaccine there, on a first come, first serve basis. There will be 120 doses available each day. Anyone looking to get their second jab must have
waited at least eight weeks since their first dose, and bring their vaccination card with them. Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health at the borough council, said: “Following the success of our pop-up vaccination clinic at Bulmershe Leisure Centre last month, we’re really pleased to be bringing the NHS vaccine bus to the borough this weekend. Especially with restrictions easing from next week. “Our data tells us that uptake of the vaccine is lower in these areas, so we’ve worked proactively with the
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NHS to make it as easy as possible for local people to come and get vaccinated.” He said residents can also book their next jab at vaccination centres via the NHS website. Those arriving at the vaccine bus will be required to show proof of age. “As we head into the busier summer months and engage in more social activities, it’s really important that all adults over 18 come forward for the vaccine,” said Cllr Margetts. “Doing so ensures you have maximum protection against this nasty virus;
CORONAVIRUS LATEST MP asks for step four evidence and pushes for travel restriction changes ONE OF the borough’s MPs has asked the health secretary what evidence he has used to drop covid restrictions on Monday. James Sunderland, whose Bracknell constituency includes Crowthorne, Wokingham Without and Finchampstead, spoke at the House of Commons on Tuesday. He questioned Sajid Javid over the decision to proceed with step four of the plan to unlock the country next week. Mr Javid said the Government has committed to taking a “cautious approach” to easing restrictions. He said it had been “guided by data and not by dates”. The health secretary added: “The decision to lift the remaining measures on July 19 and proceed to step four is based on an assessment of the four tests that were set out in the road map.” These four tests are the continuation of a successful vaccination programme, along with evidence that vaccines are effective
at reducing hospitalisations and deaths. Test three is that infection rates do not surge, resulting in more people in hospital, and test four is that the scientific assessment of the ris has not changed by a discovery of a new variant of Covid-19. Despite the rising infection rate nationally, due to the Delta variant, Mr Javid is satisfied the four tests have been met. The same day, Mr Sunderland called on the health secretary to “embrace a bit more risk and open up the international travel sector”. He said many residents are employed in the sector. Mr Javid said more work is being done between the Department of Health and the Department for Transport on international travel. “The recent announcements made by the Transport Secretary will certainly help and be welcomed by the travel sector and travellers,” he added.
helping to slow the spread and keep everyone safe. Let’s all continue to play our part and enjoy the summer safely.” The bus will be at Asda from 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, and 1pm to 6pm on Monday. It will be at Norreys Church from 1pm to 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. There is no parking at Norreys Church. � Residents looking to get their second Oxford/Astrazeneca or Moderna vaccine can find their nearest site at: www.grabajab.co.uk
INFECTION RATES IN BOROUGH: Credit: Open Parliament copyright and database right 2020, Crown copyright and database right 2020, Royal Mail copyright and database right 2020, Crown copyright and database right 2020–2021 and Open Government Licence v.3.0
What rules are changing on Monday?
Borough infection rate sits at February level as country drops restrictions
ALMOST all covid restrictions will be dropped on Monday, despite a third wave peak expected in August. Legal restrictions on social contact will end, although residents are urged to proceed with caution. The approach to managing the pandemic has changed, with more focus on “personal responsibility”. Yet it is predicted there could be between 1,000 and 2,000 hospitalisations each day in mid-August, as infection rates continue to rise nationally. In Wokingham, the infection rate is 154.3 cases per 100,000 — levels last seen in February during the second wave. Health secretary Sajid Javid said case rates could reach 100,000 every day this summer, but said
THE RATE of infection in the borough has exceeded 100 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since February — during the second wave. The most recent data shows there are 162.5 cases per 100,000 people in the borough. This is up from 119.8 last week. On Tuesday, July 13, there were 54 positive tests. It means 9,648 people in the borough have tested positive for the virus since the pandemic began. On the same day, Bracknell Forest saw its rate per 100,000 rise to 267.6, from 137.9. There were 68 new cases on Tuesday, July 13. The figures in neighbouring Reading borough are higher than in Wokingham again this week, with an infection rate of 225.6, lower than 227 last week. On Tuesday, Reading reported 51 positive cases. Windsor and Maidenhead had 49
vaccinations had created a “protective wall” for the NHS to manage the third wave. The prime minister said he wants the end of restrictions on Monday to be “irreversible” but to do so would need a cautious approach. While the legal requirement to wear face masks has ended, Mr Javid said they were still "expected and recommended" in crowded indoor areas. From Monday, nightclubs will be able to reopen, and capacity limits removed for all venues and events. The prime minister said he will encourage nightclubs and large venues to check attendees covid status. Using the NHS app, people will be able to show if they have been double jabbed or have had a negative test.
There will no longer be any limits on how many people can meet and the social distancing rule will be removed. While working from home has been formally ended, guidance from ministers is a gradual return. This means residents that are clinically vulnerable or have a compromised immune system will have no legal right to home working, even if the workplace has no social distancing or mask wearing. Self-isolation rules are also changing — but not from Monday. Residents told to selfisolate on the NHS Test and Trace app will have to follow this until Monday, August 16. From there, it will be relaxed for anyone who has been double jabbed or is under 18.
Anyone who tests positive for the virus is still legally required to self-isolate. Council leader John Halsall said residents should consider the health of others as well as their own. “Please observe the social distancing rules and give people space,” he said. “You might not be worried about (covid), but someone next you might be. “Consider wearing a face mask – it might protect others from you.” He is also urging people to get a jab. “We have to learn to live with the virus, but we don’t have everyone vaccinated. “There is a group who will not have it and there are people waiting to have it. “If you haven’t had a jab please do. Protect yourself and everyone else. “
new cases reported that day, and its rate per 100,000 has risen from 144 to 209.3. West Berkshire recorded 56 positive cases, and its infection rate is 139.5, up from 104.8 last week. Slough’s infection rate is 133.1, up from 115.7 last week. It recorded 48 covid cases on Tuesday. The national rate of infection is 319.5 per 100,000 people, which has risen 26.6% in the last week. On Tuesday, 36,660 people in the UK tested positive for Covid-19, and this was 236,076 in the last seven days. On Tuesday, there were 50 deaths in the UK within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test. And there were 564 patients admitted to hospital with the virus. Nationally, 45,978,017 people have been given their first dose of a vaccine in the UK, and 34,997,491 people have had their second dose. In England, this is 38,574,387 first doses and 29,304,113 second doses.
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18 | VIEWPOINTS
WOKINGHAM.TODAY THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
Community events in community paper OUR team are loving the return of community events to our borough. As Wokingham’s only dedicated newspaper, we love to cover all of the wonderful occassions organised by you — our residents. As the only place to go for this kind of news, it’s wonderful to see culture and arts events returning with a bang. Of course there are still precautions being taken, but there is a sense of joy to the return of village fayres and school ribbon cuttings. In this week’s paper, we feature Wokingham Pride, the Henley Arts Trail, and of course, Marvellous Festival this coming weekend. Seeing people with a smile on their faces is heart-warming — and it is contagious. The good kind. Throught the pandemic, we have endeavoured to keep up the good news, and have dedicated our centre pages to all things weird and wonderful. From bake sales to bike rides, charity challenges and acts of kindness. We love being the place to champion the good in others, and will continue to do so. So whether you’re out and about this summer, or taking on an epic challenge for the good of others — we are here to document it. Here’s to a wonderful summer with a community focus — let’s celebrate local. And when you want to know what’s happening, pick up your copy of Wokingham.Today. We’re here for you.
CHURCH NOTES
Changing churches
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HERE are big changes going on with churches across the country and in Wokingham. Everyone knows that in Britain today the total number of people attending churches on Sunday is less than it was even 10 years ago. But that is not the whole story. There are some numbers about church activity that are large and increasing. Community action by churches keeps on growing. More than 10 million people in England say they have accessed community-based services (not church services) provided by the church. It is reckoned that churches are involved in around 35,000 community projects run by churches in England. And 93% of Church of England churches are involved in some way in provision of food banks, either through volunteers from their membership or through giving supplies and money. A recent report said church buildings contribute to the social and mental well-being of the country equivalent to over £10 billion worth in economic terms. It is a paradox. Church attendance on Sundays is decreasing but community activity by churches is growing. Is this a good thing? Well, I guess I’d rather see both of these numbers going up. But if it has to be one or the other, I prefer it is this way round than the other. What it tells me is that how to be a church is changing. I think God’s Spirit must be working here somehow. Churches are different now than they used to be, but God is still very much alive and working in people. The Revd Canon David Hodgson, Rector of All Saints Wokingham writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham
Your letters Send your thoughts to letters@wokingham.today
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
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@wokinghampaper.co.uk We reserve the right to edit letters Views expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the paper
Proud to see Pride in Wokingham town I WAS walking through Wokingham town centre on Saturday and the number of rainbow flags brought a smile to my face. I was pleased to discover this was the town’s second Pride event, as another onlooker explained to me. I hadn’t realised there was one last year, but from what I understand the even has grown significanlty in this time. It was wonderful to see so many people celebrating our LGBTQ+ community, and greeting strangers as friends. Moments like these remind me what a wonderful place Wokingham is to live. I am a firm believer that community events foster a greater sense of togetherness. Name and address supplied
Freedom Day ON MONDAY I will be staying firmly indoors. The day restrictions end, also known to others as Freedom Day, is not one I will be celebrating. I’m still scared to go out. Come Monday, mask wearing and social distancing won’t be required any more, and I fear being that close to people again. As someone who is unable to receive the vaccine, I feel wary of crowds, or even clusters of people. The Government might tell us to stay alert, but how can I stay alert to a virus I cannot see, and which could render me in hospital, if I have the misfortune of catching it. For many people like me, who cannot receive the vaccine, and may have been on the shielding list, Monday will bring a return of what I call forced shielding. There will be no laws in place to protect my decision, no workers rights to demand I stay home to protect myself.
And yet I will be at home, locked away from the rest of society, as the covid infection rates continue to rise. It feels as though the Government has given up on anyone in this vulnerable position. With covid racing across the country, little is being done to stop this. Instead, the focus has shifted onto the “protective wall” that vaccines have created for the NHS. We are no longer trying to stop infections, we are trying to stop severe reactions. But as I said before, those of us that do not fit this narrative will likely find ourselves back where we were at the start of the pandemic. Scared and isolated. Name and address supplied
Summer holidays FOR lots of people, some of the happiest and fondest childhood memories are from summer days. From beach holidays and camping adventures, to ice creams in the park with loved ones, summer is often associated with feelings of happiness, freedom and adventure. However, for many children and young people across the UK, the reality of this time of year can be very different. Though it can have its own challenges, school can provide a vital lifeline for many young people, often giving them a safe space in which to express themselves and to feel nurtured and supported. Without it, as we’ve seen over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, many can find themselves increasingly lonely, anxious and even unsafe. Summer holidays can also be a challenging time for disadvantaged families, as inequality becomes apparent through inadequate access to provisions and childcare, perhaps
Wokingham Volunteering Helena Badger
www.volunteer wokinghamborough.org.uk
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HE Wokingham Job Support Centre is a charity serving the Wokingham and Bracknell communities. It provides free advice to assist both those looking for a better job and also unemployed residents to gain employment through supervised provision of services and facilities not otherwise provided by the government's Employment Service. Since inception the charity has assisted more than 11,000 residents. Job seekers are offered a blend of support including; assessment, coaching, advice, support on internet applications, IT skills, workshops covering interviewing, writing CVs, use of social
media and working for yourself. The trustees are responsible both for overseeing the strategic direction of the charity and for the management of the organisation including trained volunteers who provide the interface with the clients. Administrative office work is performed by paid part-time employees. Trustees and volunteers are not remunerated for their work, however, they are entitled to reimbursement of expenses incurred when undertaking charity business. The charity is looking for up to two additional trustees to replace some who have stepped down and ideally with some IT/systems and/or marketing
coupled with reduced income. That’s why at Barnardo’s, the UK’s largest children’s charity, we have launched our Unseen Summer campaign. We would like to ask your readers to help us to continue to support some of the country’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children and families by making a donation to Barnardo’s. The money will be spent on fun summer activities for children with disabilities, the disadvantaged and young carers who can feel isolated at home caring for parents or siblings. It will also support mental health and wellbeing services, provide food parcels for those in need and help protect those at risk of abuse and exploitation. You can find out more and make a donation at www.barnardos.org.uk/unseensummer. On behalf of the children, young people and families we work with, a huge thank you, your kind donation will help us to make a difference. Emma Bowman, South East regional director, Barnardo’s
Don’t forget dads whose babies are in neonatal care BECOMING a parent and welcoming a baby into the world should be one of the happiest moments in life. But for parents whose babies start life in neonatal care, those positive feelings of optimism and joy can quickly be replaced by doubt, worry and fear. Having a baby in neonatal care is emotionally challenging for all parents, but for parents whose babies have been born since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s been even harder. Despite moves toward easing social distancing in the rest of society, ongoing access restrictions in neonatal units across the South
background, although this is not essential. The time commitment is no more than 1-2 hours per week and often less. � The 1st Wokingham Scout Group based at the Scout Hut in Evendons, need your help to create everyday adventure. The group, is looking for enthusiastic adult volunteers to help run activities for young people: Our cub group (agse 8-10) meets Wednesday evenings in term time. Scouts develops young people through fun, challenge and adventure. The position is voluntary and primarily involve helping to run the exciting activities with the children, as well as go on fun trips and outings. We can offer you training, career skills, and a great chance to improve your CV. There's also plenty of support from fellow volunteers and the chance to meet new people. The most important part is that it's fun and incredibly rewarding. We are looking for enthusiastic, fun seeking volunteers who enjoy getting out and
continue to have a serious impact on families. Parents have been unable to be with their baby as much as they need to be and some parents - often fathers and partners – have been unable to spend time with or be involved in their baby’s care at all. It can be especially tough for dads who are often forced to return to work while their baby is still in a neonatal unit. That’s why Bliss has long been calling on the Government to give both dads and mums an extra paid week off work for every week their baby is in neonatal care, to ensure the best outcomes for babies, families and employers. We know many dads find it really difficult to talk about their feelings and often experience a sense of guilt when separated from their partner and baby. At Bliss, we’re keen to let all dads know that our services are there for them too, whether they need information or support while their baby is in neonatal care. For more information visit bliss.org.uk/dont-forget-dads Peter Bradley, information and support manager at Bliss
Keeping my mask I DON’T know about you, but I’ll be keeping my mask on for a long time. Having built up quite the collection of reusable masks to suit all outfits, it makes sense to keep using them as I pop on the bus into town, and when I go shopping. I’m so used to fetching it from my handbag, I’ve even got a specific pocket dedicated to the thing. It would be a shame to see it go, I’ve become quite fond of my fabric face protector. Come Monday, I’ll be keeping it on when I go indoors. Jill Fielding, Wokingham
about and learning new skills. We promote flexible volunteering, you can volunteer weekly, fortnightly or monthly, whatever suits your needs. � Green 'n' Tidy' provides a basic gardening service for elderly, vulnerable and disabled residents of Wokingham borough who cannot maintain their own properties, do not have local family support and/or lack the financial resources to employ commercial companies. This project does not compete with established gardening businesses as we are a charity and the team of volunteers provides basic gardening, including lawn mowing, hedge trimming and weeding, to vulnerable people in need. We are currently looking for more volunteers to join our teams so if you like being outdoors, part of team and helping people in need, please get in touch now. � These are just a few of the opportunities on our books. Call: 0118 977 0749, email volunteer@wokvol.org.uk or visit our website www. volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk to find out more and have a look at all the roles we have to offer
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
It justwas That the week doesn’t Tony addJohnson up Jess Warren
Self-isolation advice varies
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RRIVING home after reporting on Wokingham Pride, my phone pinged. Was it a text from someone I saw at the event? Maybe a delivery update on one of my recent online-purchases? No, it was the message that no one wants to read the NHS Test and Trace app telling me to self-isolate for four days. Horror filled my mind. Had I just been a superspreader, infecting all those I spoke to at Pride? I had no symptoms, but did I have covid? Slamming shut my bedroom door, I read and re-read the alert. “The app has detected that you have been in contact with someone who has coronavirus,” it read. “Because you’re a contact of someone who tested positive, you can book a test to see if you have Covid-19.” Determined to act quickly, I clicked-through the links to book a PCR test. Did I want to drive to Bracknell, or do a walk-in at the University of Reading? I wasn’t sure, I just wanted the quickest option. Speeding my way through the questions, my birth date and NHS number reeling in my mind, I tried to book a test for that same afternoon. I couldn’t. There was a system error. Backpedaling, I went back through the booking system to see if I could get a test for the next morning. Hoorah, I had secured one. All hopes of a lie-in dashed, I was due at the University of Reading’s London Road walk-in centre at 8am on Sunday.
First action taken, I then texted my friend. We were due out for dinner in two hours’ time, and I had to cancel. I then alerted another, whom I was meeting on Sunday for a walk around Virginia Water – frivolities would have to wait. Sending a voice message to my family’s Whatsapp group, I explained what had happened along with a panicked screenshot of my self-isolation timer. For the next four days, meals would be left outside my bedroom door, along with alternating cups of tea
and water. Relieved I had booked a test, I then Googled the latest self-isolation guidance from the Government. It said self-isolate for 10 days, but don’t take a test. So why had I been told four days, and to book a test? It didn’t add up. Ruminating on this, the next morning I asked a volunteer at the PCR test centre what the current selfisolation guidance was. They told me there was a “change of procedure”. I didn’t have to self-isolate prior to the test, and only had to self-isolate if it came back positive. Seemingly three pieces of contradictory advice: the app, the helpline and the test centre. What did this mean? Could I go sit in a rowdy pub on Sunday to watch the Euros? Was that morally right? I wasn’t sure, because the app and Government website said I should lock myself away. Returning home confused and frustrated, I stuck with the app and hid in my bedroom. Where could I find the right answer? I rang Reading Borough Council’s covid hotline. Since the advice I had been given was at one of their test centres, I returned to them for clarity. The telephone operator was surprised to hear the isolation advice I had been given, and said it was completely wrong. Yes,I had to self-isolate for four days. No, I couldn’t watch the Euros in a pub. So why had I been told otherwise? Surely this would lead to numerous people, all expected to be isolating, roaming the streets? And why did the app say four days, and government site 10? The telephone operator explained, I had actually been in contact with the symptomatic person six days prior to being pinged on the app. So for six days, I could have unknowingly been spreading coronavirus. Who had I seen in that time? My partner's family, my parents and sister, 15 volunteers at a community event, a friend who works in healthcare. I’d been to three different gyms – don’t ask – a pub, a restaurant, and Wokingham Pride. What had I done? My test result came back, I was negative. Two more days of self-isolation, and I could head out into the world again. I can’t shake the feeling that I don’t want to. Jess Warren is the deputy editor at Wokingham.Today
Fromwas That the the week chamber
Tony Johnson David Hare
The cost of social care
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OR many years people have been angry at the fact that most of an individual’s savings can be taken away for Social care costs, especially when that person goes into a care home. The NHS is free at the point of delivery, social care is not. Munira Wilson MP, the Liberal Democrat care lead, has secured the promise of talks about social care funding with Sajid Javid, the new Health Secretary, on his first day in office, Monday, June 28, as the Liberal Democrats continue to push for full cross-party talks on the issue. She asked Mr Javid for a meeting with herself and the party’s Leader, Ed Davey MP, to start cross-party work on social care reform. She emphasised that: “We urgently need to build cross-party agreement on a long-term sustainable future for social care”. As things stand, more than 1.5 million people are missing out on the care they need. Some people are stranded in hospital, unable to leave because follow-up care just does not exist. There are people in the community, unable or unwilling due to cost to access essential care they desperately need.
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SOCIAL CARE: Cllr David Hare says 1.5 million people are missing out on care they need Picture: pxfuel The NHS, local councils and unpaid carers are all under huge and growing pressure. This agreement to talk marks a positive shift as Ms Wilson had repeatedly asked the prime minister and Matt Hancock to meet with her and Ed Davey to start cross-party work on this issue, but their pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears. A review of charges for residential care by Andrew Dilnot was published almost 10 years ago June 4, 2011, but nothing has happened to implement their ideas. The review recommended that the threshold, under which there was no charge, should be set at £100,000 for people in a care home, a large increase from the current threshold of £23,250. The commission then recommended that a cap for all social care charges should be set at £35,000. Once someone has reached this limit in their
personal contributions the state should pick up all ongoing care costs. In addition, an area many feel is very unfair, Mr Dilnot recommended that the value of the individuals house should not be included in their assets. With the present system it is embarrassing for Adult Care that they keep having to request payment for essential services. Mr Johnson said he had a ready-made package to solve this problem, but it has not emerged and crossparty work seems the only way forward. As Ms Wilson said: “People needing care and their families have been left waiting far too long for the system to be fixed. Liberal Democrats will continue to push for the progress they desperately need.” David Hare is the Liberal Democrat lead for Adult Care
Towards the Local Plan
Cllr John Halsall
The pressures of the local plan
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N last week’s column, I explained that the Council has a requirement to produce a new Local Plan to decide where new housing, infrastructure and services need to be located over the coming decades.
I acknowledged that there are some people who argue that we should just not put together a Plan. This week, I want to set out what would happen if we refused to meet our statutory obligations and produce a new Local Plan. First of all, it makes it much harder for us to stop planning applications which we think are inappropriate in Wokingham Borough. If we reject an application, and a developer takes it to appeal, we are likely to lose because it can be argued that we don’t have an up-todate Local Plan. This leaves us at the mercy of housebuilders who aren’t interested in where residents or their elected councillors believe that new homes should go. But it can be even more serious, as a recent example just to the north of our Borough demonstrates. South Oxfordshire District Council, which borders Wokingham Borough along the Thames, had a change in political control in 2019, with a Liberal Democrat and Green Party coalition.
Scrap The new Lib Dem-Green administration decided that they were going to scrap the draft Local Plan put together by the previous Conservative administration. The Government, seeing that this would leave South Oxfordshire without a Local Plan, stepped in to stop the Council just halting the work on planning for new development. Indeed, the Housing Secretary was concerned that the Lib Dems and Greens would spend years putting together a different Plan which wouldn’t be approved by the Planning Inspector. There were also open discussions about whether the Government would take over drafting a Local Plan, or hand it to a responsible local authority such as Oxfordshire County Council. South Oxfordshire’s refusal to be realistic and sensible meant that it came very close to losing control over planning for new homes. The unwillingness of the Lib Dems and Greens to recognise that there is a need for affordable housing almost robbed their residents of a voice in deciding the future of development. As it happens, South Oxfordshire backed down, and went ahead with producing a new, deliverable Local Plan. In December of last year, the Council adopted the new Plan, securing their position against developers up to 2035. I hope this makes it very clear that doing nothing is not an option. Creating a robust Local Plan in the best interests of all our residents is the right thing to do. The Conservative administration which I lead will make sure we do just that. We will draft a Plan together with our residents that delivers on the needs of our communities. In my next column, I will explain in more detail what we’re hoping to achieve.
20 | NEWS
Life of Brian
Brian Hicks
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The hand of God’s disciple goes on show BACK AGAIN: The relic of St James has gone on show in the church that bears his name in Reading
My two weeks of fame
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became a fan of top German singing star, Andrea Berg, after moving to Germany in 2011 and seeing her on TV. I went to several of her concerts. Little did I realise that soon I would be suing her company, creating headlines throughout Germany. In July 2014, I went to an Andrea Berg concert in a football stadium in Aspach, near Stuttgart, one of 10,000 fans there. It ended at midnight with a massive fireworks display. I looked up and felt something hot and painful shoot into my eye. I immediately got treatment from the Red Cross team, who repeatedly washed my eye out with water. The three nurses caring for me said a lady had received similar firework injuries the night before, but was okay. The pain worsened and, after a sleepless night, I went back to see the Red Cross director at the stadium. He found an emergency eye specialist, who diagnosed my cornea as badly burnt and wrote me off work for 10 days. I asked the Red Cross to phone the concert organisers. They said, if I had a problem, I should write to the address on my concert ticket, Andrea Berg Tournee und Promotion GmbH, Andrea’s own company. I wrote, but received no reply. I engaged a lawyer who wrote to the organisers, without response. He then started legal proceedings for €3,000 plus costs, and these came to court in Backnang in March 2016. The two companies who organised the fireworks denied liability. The judge awarded me €2,000 and my expenses. A few weeks later Andrea’s company lodged an appeal, even though the costs would have been covered by the insurance company. This led to an expensive second hearing at a higher court, the Landgericht in Stuttgart on March 9, 2017. In the meantime, Andrea Berg was herself badly burnt at a concert by a dragon spewing fire, part of her act that misfired. My lawyer, infuriated by Berg’s, asked his brother, who worked for the German press agency, DPA, to issue a press release days before the Stuttgart hearing. I was interviewed by Bild, Germany’s equivalent to the Sun, and die Welt. It spread like wildfire and articles appeared everywhere, including celebrity and women’s magazines. One comment was that Andrea could easily pay me from money in her handbag and did not care about her fans. The chief reporter at Bild in Düsseldorf had spoken to Berg twice and told my lawyer that the other side would withdraw their appeal, but this did not happen. There were three female judges presiding over my case and seven print and radio journalists there covering the story. The lead judge asked where the representative of the organisers was. One lawyer said he had the authority to act for the company, but the judge was angry that Andrea was not there. The judges told me the matter could be resolved if a fireworks expert was appointed to investigate everything, at my expense. My lawyer said it would cost over €4,000. I was given a fortnight to decide. The stories ran and ran, with Bild covering it four times. The other side offered me €1,127.50, with each side paying its own costs. Eventually, I had to accept as I had no legal insurance. Andrea Berg's personal lawyer approached me at the court. He told me that Andrea was sorry and wanted to offer me a ticket to one of her shows. I told him that I would accept the ticket if the fireworks were dropped . For me the damage, not least to my pocket, was done and I transferred my allegiances to other German stars without the fireworks! Andrea, in my opinion, had been poorly served by her lawyers and advisors.
THE MUMMIFIED Hand of St James is making a return to Reading, and it has inspired a new campaign to help the town reclaim its heritage. Yesterday, the ancient relic, which attracted pilgrims to the area in medieval times, was put on display by St James’ Church in the Abbey Quarter for people to see until Monday, July 26. And this has coincided with the launch of a new campaign, Reading for Modern Pilgrims, to spread awareness of the town’s history on one of the oldest international pilgrim routes. Reading was once the starting point of St James’ Way, a journey which took people down to Southampton to join the longer Camino de Santiago pilgrimage ending in north-western Spain, where St James was buried. The hand, which is held at St Peter’s RC Church in Marlow, dates from the 7th century and was found hidden in the walls of Reading Abbey in 1786, when workers cleared the site to build the Gaol. It is being displayed in St James’ Church ahead of the annual Feast of St James on Sunday, July 25. Reading for Modern Pilgrims has
been created through a new partnership between Reading UK, the Association of Councils on the Camino Ingles (ACCI), the Confraternity of St James, Friends of Reading Abbey and Reading Borough Council. Alex Brannen, tourism lead for Reading UK, said: “Reading’s medieval pilgrimage heritage and location as the start of the St James’ Way long-distance walking route will be attractive to the growing number of people looking for healthy, active, outdoor holidays or a spiritual experience. “Reading is set up to provide a leisurely, relaxing and engaging prelude to the start of your Camino.” Cllr Karen Rowland, lead for culture, heritage and recreation at Reading Borough Council, added: “I am delighted Reading is being reinstated on the international pilgrimage map. “Highlighting the town’s historic and modern place on one of the world’s oldest and best-known international pilgrim routes, the Camino de Santiago, is a fitting part of our celebrations this year and will help enhance Reading’s profile as a destination resplendent in heritage and culture.”
Harvest time with Freely Fruity From the orchards… Wednesday, June 30 – Woodley Lunch Bunch Foodshare: 5.2kg of organic strawberries Sunday July 4 – Wycliffe Baptist Church Foodshare – 59.1kg of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, logan berries, potatoes, chard, spinach, peas, broad beans, garlic scapes, chillies, carrots, spring onions, cucumbers, rhubarb, broccoli and mixed herbs. Sunday, July 11 – donated to SHARE Wokingham – 59.5kg of courgettes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, potatoes, chard, spinach, peas, broad beans, garlic scapes, chillies, carrots, spring onions, beetroots, garlic, onions, cucumbers, rhubarb, broccoli and mixed herbs. 2021 total so far - 261kg (seven donations)
Trust your gut, says science TRUSTING your gut has some real science to it. Described as the gut brain axis, there is a direct connection through biological chemicals. Many of us describe our feelings though our digestive system, from having guts to gut instinct and feeling gutted. Research from Yakult shows that two thirds of people trust their gut so much that they always or often follow their gut instinct. Psychologist Dr Aria, said there is real science behind our gut instincts. “The gut and brain appear to communicate on a regular basis, through the direct physical
connection of the vagus nerve and through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin,” she said. “These important brain chemicals are often described as happiness or feel-good hormones since they influence our mood and emotions. “Fascinatingly, neurotransmitters are also produced by gut cells and the trillions of microbes that live in our gut, known as the gut microbiota. “They help produce these neurotransmitters and it is estimated that more than 90% of the serotonin in our body is produced within the gut.”
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
If you can’t e theatre, head to
By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today A WOOSEHILL performing arts school held its own festival earlier this month.
Roughly 200 students from Platform YP took to the stage at Dinton Pastures Country Park, marking the first time all the school’s
students have performed together since 2019. School founder, Tracey Eley, said it was an incredible day. “Our students were outstanding,” she said. “All of the teachers were in tears during the opening number — completely taken by surprise by how emotional we all were seeing the school performing together again.”
Will power is the secret f By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today CHILDREN with disabilities in Reading and Wokingham boroughs have received a helping hand from a long-distance runner, who travelled more than 100km last weekend for Me2 Club.
William Bevis took part in Race to the Stones on Saturday, July 10 to raise money for the Woodley charity which supports youngsters with additional needs. William, who lives in Sonning Common, says he wants to help ensure all children can access extracurricular activities regardless of special requirements. “Clubs were really important to me and my development socially,” William explains. “My childhood wasn’t the greatest but clubs were essential and I’ve now carried on with sport all my life. “Me2 Club goes a long way to ensure that somebody’s disabilities or extra needs don’t stop them from taking part and that is really important to me.” The 102km (63.4 miles) Race to the Stones took more than 2,000 runners
across one of Britain’s oldest paths from Lewknor, Oxfordshire, to Avebury Stone Circle, Wiltshire last weekend. William, who completed the distance in 16 hours and 15 minutes, says it was physically and mentally exhausting. “I ran 100km around four or five years ago, so I felt really good up until the 80km mark when my ankles were starting to get a bit tender,” he says. “When the sun goes down and you’re tired and can’t see the views, it’s also mentally tough to keep plowing on. “You’ve only got that small bit of world in front of you, illuminated by your head torch.” So far, the runner has raised £620 for Me2 Club, overshooting his target of £450. He said he is pleased with the result after he struggled to fundraise during the pandemic. “Times are tight for a lot of people so you’ve got to go above and beyond to get them putting hands in their pockets,” William says. “It just shows how generous people are around me and how much people respect the work Me2 Club does.”
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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entertain in a the big outdoors THE SHOW MUST GO ON: A large inflatable stage was erected in Dinton Pastures to allow Platform YP to stage its show, raising funds for its project to take students to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Pictures: Platform YP
Dale and Alan pedal to the line TWO CYCLISTS completed an epic fundraising challenge for a Wokingham charity this month. Dale Thomas, a past Wokingham resident, and his long-term friend Alan Francis, set off on their 950 mile adventure on Monday, June 21. They cycled for Wokinghambased organisation, the Ollie Young Foundation, which funds targeted paediatric brain tumour research and support. Having set themselves a fundraising target of £5,000, the pair have now raised £8,500 with the hopes to still raise more. The pair cycled from John O’Groats, Caithness, Scotland, and made it to the finish line in Land’s End, Cornwall, on July 7. Come rain or shine, the duo travelled around 60 miles a day and climbed almost 47,000 feet on their bikes across the whole journey. Mr Thomas explained it was an “absolute pleasure” to take part in the challenge. “The bike ride was a fantastic adventure and both me and Alan really enjoyed it, although challenging at times with uphill climbs and some downpours, it was tremendous fun,” he said. “We are very proud to have taken part in this challenge, knowing the story behind the Ollie Young Foundation we know that the money is going to such a good cause.”
POETRY CORNER Henley Arts Trail Ms Eley said the audience of almost 500 people queued in the rain for the show, with the wet weather clearing for the performances. The troupe, which has students aged from three to 18, sang a mixture of songs from musicals. There were also tap dances, jazz routines, ballet performances. Ms Eley added: “We decided to put
it together to give our students their big end of year show as we could do it safely outdoors. “Our students had a brilliant day and parents all had a great time finally seeing their children back on stage. “I can’t believe we managed to pull this off.” It raised more than £600 for Platform YP’s Edinburgh Fringe fund.
for the race to the stones Shaun Polley, Me2 Club’s chief executive, said the charity is grateful for the runner’s support. “This was a truly amazing challenge that Will took part in to support local children with additional needs and disabilities,” he says. “With restrictions easing, and many of us enjoying greater freedoms, it’s crucial for us to not forget the impact of lockdowns on the children and families we work with.” Shaun says the charity is now working to reconnect children following more than a year of isolation. “We would like to say a big thank you to Will, and to everyone who has sponsored him so far, as together we will be helping children to return to the leisure activities they benefit from and enjoy being able to join in with,” he adds. Now, William is looking to the future as he prepares to run the Virtual London Marathon in October to raise more funds for Me2 Club. EPIC RUN: William Bevis covered 100km to raise funds for Me2Club
� To find out more about his recent epic charity challenge, and to make a donation, visit: www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/william-bevis1
Last weekend forty Venues Took part in the Henley Arts Trail. A number of these were in Twyford, Showing exquisite works for sale; Paintings, pottery and jewellery Were among the things on offer, Botanical paintings too That were painted by this rhyme’s author. If you think you might have missed the boat There is no need to panic, The Trail runs again this coming weekend In a completion of this classic. So check out the website; find some facts And decide where you’d like to visit, henleyartstrail.com is the site to find, And you sure don’t want to miss it!! Lorna Minton
Evacuation (1940) Remembered We gathered at the school that day. It was no longer ours All the classrooms offices Under Governmental Powers. The area where once we played Was crowded with us all And buses parked awaiting us So big, and red and tall. For me a smallish ten year old It was exciting and a thrill Off to an unknown place of safety Where blitz and warfare would not kill. My parents were unhappy To see me go from home I was the last to leave them My three siblings already gone. So, all the children gathered With gasmask, name-tag, case
JOGLE: Dale Thomas and Alan Francis reached Land’s End after cycling 950 miles
Mr Thomas added: “Thank you to everyone who has supported us by donating or by helping us along the way, we received so many donations from strangers as we passed by which is amazing and we are very grateful to them all.” Sarah Simpson from the Ollie Young Foundation expressed her thanks to the pair for their fundraising efforts. She said: “We are in awe and extremely proud of what Dale and Alan have achieved over the past 19 days on their mega JOGLE challenge for the OYF. “Following their progress through their daily updates has been wonderful and very entertaining and we are immensely grateful to have their support and cannot thank them enough.” � To donate to their fundraising efforts, visit pow21.org
We got on board the buses Not knowing what we faced. The buses reached the station A train for us stood there And soon we were all on it And bound we knew not where After what seemed ages travelling We arrived by Devon’s sea And taken to a local school Where we were given tea. Places for all had been found In readiness for us And in “crocodiles” we all set off Without any further fuss. Our “crocodile” grew shorter ‘Til I alone was there. We called at the house were I was due But, no reply, NO REPLY!! It was not fair. The teacher, with the list, in charge, Said, “Jimmy, come with me” And to her home she took me Into her family. T’was in that house I gladly stayed ‘Til an air raid hit that place. The bombs that fell damaged that home So, back home to “smoke” I faced. My days as an evacuee were very happy ones Away from blitz and warfare and noisy ack ack guns. Like many other ‘vacees I’ve written up my story Because it’s a time we must not forget In Great Britain’s history. Jim Horsnell
We love receiving reader’s poetry. Email your submissions to letters@wokingham.today
NEWS | 21
22 | NEWS
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SONNING, RUSCOMBE, TWYFORD&HURST, NEWS REMENHAM & WARGRAVE
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
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Businesses put forward for indie firms awards shortlist
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today
HANDOVER: Staff from Waitrose donate to The Cowshed
Tasty donation
CHILDREN in crisis will be getting an extra treat from The Cowshed, following a donation from a Woodley supermarket. The Hurst-based charity received a range of luxury food items from the team at Woodley Waitrose last month to honour Child Poverty Week. The treats are now being distributed with food parcels that are sent out to families on The Cowshed’s referral list, in a bid to put a smile on some youngsters’ faces. Becky Russell, the charity’s referrals supervisor, said: “We are always so grateful for the support we receive from local businesses. “The kind donation from Waitrose has provided the families we help in crisis with a lovely surprise in each of the usual Hillsong Church Reading food bags we give out. “The chocolate and other goodies have brought some definite joy to children who may not always be able to receive these luxury treats.” The Cowshed is a crisis support charity that offers food, clothes and essentials to families in need. � Find out more at www.thecowshed.org
Tennis camp ANY YOUNGSTERS inspired by Wimbledon can now sign up for Charvil Tennis Camp. Teqnic Tennis is hosting two junior tennis camps during the summer holidays for children aged six and over. Held at Charvil Tennis Courts, bookings cost £30 per day or £50 for two days. The camps run from 10am-1pm on Monday July 26 and Tuesday July 27, and Monday August 2 and Tuesday August 3. To find out more, contact ed.francis@teqnic.co.uk
TWYFORD and Wargrave have been making waves at a county-wide awards competition.
A whole host of Wokingham borough-based businesses are busy celebrating their nominations to the final round of the Muddy Awards — and a lot of them are based in the northern parishes. The annual awards ceremony is organised by website Muddy Stilettos to recognise indie firms in counties up and down the country. There are 27 awards in Berkshire, including Best Art Gallery, Best Bridal Store and Best Gift Shop.
Cruising into the final Go With The Flo, a paddleboarding company based in Wargrave, is one of the businesses to reach the final voting stage for the Favourite Family Attraction Award. Nick Judd, its director, said it was a surprise to be nominated. “It was lovely,” he said. “At that stage, it was just nice to know that people had heard of us and what we do, and seemingly like what we do.” But he was not confident his family-run firm would make it to the final five. “We’re simply trying to grow awareness of a sport we love and, in doing so, we’re trying to get more and more people outside, active and connected to our stunning surroundings,” he said.. “We’ve worked hard to grow this business and things like this really do mean the world.” Mr Judd thanked Wargrave’s “stunning surroundings” for making Go With The Flo a potentially award-winning experience. “Wargrave is just beautiful, and we never tire of our location,” he
NOMINATED: Go With The Flo, Stanlake Park and Victoria & Co have all been put forward for the Muddy Stilettos awards
said. “Every recommendation or vote means a lot to us because you never know what it might lead to.”
Award-winning interiors Victoria & Co, in Twyford, has also reached the final round for the Favourite Interiors Store category. Owner Victoria Willson-Copland, who launched the store late last year, said it is a privilege to be in the top five. “When we found out we were in the finals we were thrilled and shocked all at the same time,” she said. “I had to read the email twice just to make sure I understood it properly. We weren’t expecting it at all.” She said Victoria & Co’s customer relations are what make her firm stand out from the crowd. “We’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our clients and customers who have voted for us and supported our business, especially during the pandemic,” Ms Willson-Copland added. “It all means so much to us.”
A true testament Twyford’s Stanlake Park Wine Estate is a finalist in the Favourite
Local Food/Drink Producer Award. Stanlake Park’s Natalia Pezzone said the nomination is one of the greatest things the team could hope for. “The best recognition to receive is the one coming from your own customers,” she said. “It is a testament to the huge efforts we put into improving the quality of our wines last year.” She said the Twyford firm is the only drinks producer in the final round for its category. “No matter how voting goes, we already know that people consider us their favourite drinks producer in Berkshire, and that’s frankly amazing,” Ms Pezzone added. She said Stanlake Park’s history as one of the oldest wine producers in England is what gives it an edge. “We are so grateful and all credits go to our fantastic supporters, customers, business partners and social media followers,” she added. “It’s only thanks to them that we made it to the finals, and no matter the results we already feel like winners.” Sonning Flowers is also in the final round for Favourite Florist, and Creative Landscapes in Twyford
and Melissa Jolly Ecological Garden Design in Crazies Hill are up for the Favourite Garden Designer Award.
A huge year for Muddy According to Muddy Stilettos, 30,000 nominations were cast in Berkshire and more than 2,000 businesses were put forward this year. There are 135 finalists. Rachel Jane, editor of Muddy Stilettos Berkshire, said the team is excited to be running this year’s awards. “The irony of lockdown is that it brought communities closer together and we all discovered just how brilliant our independent local businesses are,” she said. “The Muddy Awards gives our readers and the public the chance to show them some love and acknowledge their hard work, bravery and stellar achievements in such an unprecedented year.” Voting in the Berkshire Muddy Awards finals is open until Friday, July 23 after which the winners will be announced. � For more details,, visit: www.muddystilettos.co.uk
Making area greener A HARE Hatch garden centre wants to make the village’s landscape greener with its latest community project. Dobbies Garden Centres has launched Helping Your Community Grow, a scheme to deliver a gardening project — and it wants residents to vote on their favourite. Last month, the firm invited people to register their ideas for spruced up civic spaces, memorial gardens, school vegetable patches and more. All projects have to benefit a wide group of people in the local community and be completed by February next year. Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies, said: “We are passionate about helping the communities around our stores to thrive. “We want to help make our local
landscape a little bit greener, benefit people living in the area and boost wellbeing with green spaces and gardening projects.” All submissions have been sent to the Hare Hatch store to be reviewed and shortlisted. Three will then be put to the vote soon, with one overall winner for Berkshire. � For more information, and to stay up to date on the voting process, visit: www.dobbies.com/helping-yourcommunity-grow
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Citizens Advice’s mobile van comes to the towns
Cheering for England RESIDENTS at a Lower Earley care home have been cheering the home side. Austen House has been decked with flags to celebrate the Euros over the last three weeks. Matches have been accompanied with a cold beer and football-inspired snacks by the Kilnsea Drive site’s head chef. General manager Natsayi Dunira said: “We have loved watching the Euros, we have watched pretty much all
the matches – lots of our residents are footie fans. “It has been fantastic to be able to cheer on all the home sides and especially England – it makes all the difference when your side is winning.” Resident, Mary, said the semi-finals were brilliant. “It was so wonderful to be able to watch it here with all my friends cheering on our boys – they did us proud.”
Residents invited to interfaith picnic A PICNIC later this month aims to help connect the community. Reading Interfaith group is hosting its first public event of the year, on Sunday, July 25. The interfaith picnic will be held at King’s Meadow, off Napier Road. Attendees should bring their own picnic, hand sanitiser and games. Organisers have asked everyone to refrain from hugging or kissing others outside their household, and use the available space when setting up. There is pay and display parking, and public toilets.
MAKE FRIENDS: Picture: Steve Daniels via geograph
Green fair cancelled EARLEY’S Green Fair has been cancelled this year. A spokesperson for Earley Town Council said they are disappointed to announce the event has been called off, due to uncertainty around coronavirus. They said: “With an event as big as the Green Fair, a lot of organisation is required and with the uncertainty that we all still face and the delay in restrictions being lifted, it would leave the council little time to prepare.”
Masks on at Oakwood
They said the decision to scrap the event for the second year was made with a heavy heart. “As a small consolation, the town council is hoping to organise some small-scale green themed activities over the next few months,” they added. Earley Town Council said it will relaunch the event for next August, and remains committed to supporting environmental issues.
THE OAKWOOD Centre is asking visitors to keep wearing face
masks after Monday, when restrictions ease — unless exempt.
EXCLUSIVE
What to expect
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today
The Mobile Advice Unit will feature everything Citizens Advice Wokingham needs to offer advice and information services on the go. This includes advice sessions in locations across the borough, with regular meetings in areas with high levels of deprivation. Citizens Advice Wokingham will also visit schools at pick-up times to support families, alongside appearing at supermarkets, GP surgeries and areas with greater footfall. Mr Morrison said the team is working closely with organisations including Wokingham Foodbank, Kaleidoscopic UK and CLASP to create different types of outreach sessions, too. “This means we can put on sessions together responding to emerging issues in certain areas, or by attending community events together,” he said. “Citizens Advice is also a catch-all service, with no wrong reason to contact us, so working in partnership means people can access support from charities without the fear of being seen to access that support out in communities.” The van will also have a room built on the inside so
CITIZENS Advice could be hitting the streets of Woodley and Earley in a new mobile advice van.
The Wokingham service is trying to raise £30,000 to buy and kit out a transportable workplace to support the borough’s residents when they are out and about. Since March 2020, its team has dealt with more than 14,500 calls and now wants to help people in different ways following the pandemic. Jake Morrison, chief executive of Citizens Advice Wokingham, said putting its office on wheels will allow the team to reach the Wokingham community more efficiently. “With Wokingham Borough spanning 17 different town and parish council areas and our main office being in Wokingham town centre, we have long recognised the need to proactively reach all the other parts of our communities that we are here to support,” he said. “Before the pandemic we had a 'pop-up' advice task force, equipped with a huge gazebo and other items, and this was successful — so this is our next step.”
To the streets In order to expand its support from the telephone lines to the streets, Mr Morrison’s team is now busy fundraising online. So far, it has raised more than £7,300 for the Mobile Advice Unit, which will go towards a six-year van lease and running costs. “It is clear Wokingham borough is a friendly, supportive and charitable area,” Mr Morrison said. “We're really pleased with the support and generosity of individuals, businesses and funders.” The service has also received support from British Gas, Wokingham United Charities, Clifton Ingram Solicitors and David Brownlow Charitable Trust. “All of this helps make the Mobile Advice Unit a reality, and we are all really excited about getting out and about to support more people,” the chief executive added.
Rising demand Throughout the pandemic, Citizens Advice Wokingham has supported residents struggling to access food, prescriptions and essential
services through its One Front Door scheme, helping more than 7,550 people. Since the first lockdown, it has seen a 122% increase in the number of people helped and a 132% increase in the number of issues recorded. At the same time, the service has continued to aid people with welfare issues, benefits, housing and more. “I just could not be more proud of our team who have gone far more than the extra mile to support people [during the pandemic],” Mr Morrison said. “We have strived to ensure that we do not let people down that rely upon our support, whilst also dealing with a huge increase in demand. “Our volunteers and small staff team have helped put over £2 million in people’s pockets and removed the burden of £673,000 of debt whilst also living through the issues this pandemic has brought to us all.” He hopes the new unit will help his team continue to support residents as employment, debt and income issues are expected to grow after the pandemic, and that it will support people who cannot call Citizens Advice Wokingham for help. � To find out more or to make a donation to Citizens Advice Wokingham, visit: www.bit.ly/ 3yUjKdt
Woodley boy’s Rashford letter goes viral A WOODLEY boy has written to one of the England football players following the team’s loss at the Euro final. Dexter Rosier, 9, wrote to Marcus Rashford, after the game. In his letter, which has been retweeted almost 2,000 times, he said: “I hope you won’t be sad for too long because you are such a good person.
Ceilidh comes to Woodley Vegan market on Sunday MUSIC will fill the streets of Woodley town centre this weekend. The Craigievar Ceilidh Band will be performing from 10am until noon on Saturday. Town centre manager, Brian Fennelly is encouraging shoppers to grab a coffee, listen to the live music and visit the shops. The music group is run by Stuart and Alistair Forbes, from Buckie in Scotland. Since the 1980s, they have performed across the south of England, and also featured in Four Weddings and a Funeral.
people can have confidential discussions, and residents will be able to request the vehicle to come to their area online.
WOODLEY’S Vegan Market is this Sunday. The town centre event is held every third weekend of the month. Organisers have reported a growing number of people visiting the stalls, as the amount of people going vegan continues to grow locally and nationally. The event has 30 stalls, featuring food, drinks, toiletries, health supplements and gifts. It will run from 11am to 3pm. Entry is free. � Stallholders can apply at: www.sparkleveganevents.com/woodleytraders
“Last year you inspired me to help people less fortunate. Then last night you inspired me again, to always be brave. “I’m proud of you, you will always be a hero.” Mum Samantha
said the footballer had inspired her son in his campaign against food poverty last summer. “Dexter is the kind of person that likes helping others,” she said. “He’s drawn to these kind of people that do the same.”
She said Rashford and the rest of the England team have proved positive role models for her son. “Individually, a lot of the players do great things,” she said. Since sharing the letter on Twitter,
Dexter has been invited on Good Morning Britain, and it has been shared by Marcus Rashford on his Instagram page. “It’s his letter, his words, and he wanted Rashford to read it,” Ms Rosier added.
24 | NEWS
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CROWTHORNE&FINCHAMPSTEADNEWS
Fairies lighting up Sebastian’s trail By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today FAIRIES have been spotted in Crowthorne lighting up a new nature trail.
Sebastian’s Action Trust, on Upper Broadmoor Road, has recently expanded its second premises – The Woodlands. The charity, which supports families of seriously-ill children, built its fully accessible facilities for everyone to use. One, Sebastian’s Tree House, sits at the heart of the woodland area overlooking the forest below. With wheelchair access, this nature-themed place provides activities for all ages. These include a swing chair, multiple books for children to read and a special colouring corner. There is also a TV. After visiting the tree house, families can then take a wonder through the magical fairy trail. An array of miniature models and houses can be seen as they walk on the guided track, most of which is wheelchair friendly. For children who wish to explore further, they can venture down steeper footpaths that twist and turn. At the end of the trail, a relaxation space including a hammock, bench and some outdoor games can be found for families to take a little rest. Ruby’s Den is a cosy wooden cabin on a lawn area, which has been built in memory of Ruby Thompson, the daughter of one of the support workers. The charity hopes that families can enjoy quality time together under shelter while appreciating the outdoors. The charity was founded in memory of Sebastian Gates who, when he seven, was diagnosed with a Wilms’ tumour – a rare form of cancer. Despite treatment, he died on Christmas Eve 2003.
OH, I SAY!: Pinehurst Care Centre residents enjoy a game of indoor tennis to mark Wimbledon ADVENTURE TIME: Sebastian Action Trust’s new accessible treehouse
His dying wish was to help others in a similar situation, and began fundraising for a holiday home that would provide respite care exclusively for families. It is from this that Sebastian’s Action Trust was founded. Abi Hurst, fundraising and communications officer for Sebastian’s Action Trust, said: “The Woodlands is the trust’s second facility and comes from the dream of a very special little boy, who wanted to create a place where families of seriously-ill children could go and make cherished memories. “The Woodlands is designed with our beneficiaries in mind, being totally accessible, safe and most importantly fun.” It’s not just the outdoor area the charity has been working on. The trust has also produced a generous, bright sensory room for children to play inside. The space offers a calming atmosphere with colourful equipment. Rachael Berry, carer of twins Matthew and Lucy Johnston, said they love coming to play at
The Woodlands. “They both love the sensory room,” she said. “We’re so grateful to have a place to go away from home to relax and be comfortable with all the twins’ needs being met.” Families can also grab some popcorn and watch the newest movie releases in the trusts’ large cinema room. Ash House includes a bereavement suite, toilet facilities and a dining area. The separate building on the site, Cedar, is a lodge where individuals can play with the care staff and for parents to have some time out. Miss Hurst said: “The trust does not get a single penny of government funding, so it is vital that we continue to get support from wonderful fundraisers. “Our incredible supporters and their wonderful fundraising are so important to Sebastian’s Action Trust, because without them we would be unable to continue providing support to families of seriously-ill children.”
Anyone for tennis? THE TENNIS rackets came out this month at a Crowthorne care home to mark this year’s Wimbledon. Pinehurst Care Centre, on Dukes Ride, held a special tournament to celebrate the annual tennis event. Residents competed in friendly matches throughout the day as the staff set up a small net in the communal area. “We had a great time having our very own Wimbledon tournament,” head of activities Victoria Pembroke said. “Some residents took the matches very seriously and enjoyed having a game, while other residents loved just being able to hit the ball over the net. “It’s great to be able to recreate sporting events that residents may have been involved with and we have many residents who have played tennis at one level or another.” Ms Pembroke added: “We are now looking forward to our very own Olympics where we will try and recreate as many sporting events as possible.”
� For more information, or to donate, visit sebastiansactiontrust.org
Game on
Should war memorial be moved on?
QUIZZERS will be brushing up on their general knowledge this Saturday. Crowthorne’s British Legion club, on Wellington Road, is welcoming members and non-members to its quiz night at 8pm. Entry is £2 per person with a maximum of six in a team. Winners will receive a £30 prize. Pre-booking required due to covid. To book, call 01344 772161 or 07754 595 580.
FINCHAMPSTEAD’S war memorial could be relocated over road safety concerns Currently, it sits at the junction of Rectory Hill, The Ridges and Jubilee Road. Unveiled on October 31, 1920, the memorial has the names of 22 Finchampstead men who died in the First World War, 12 in the Second, and one in Afghanistan. Finchampstead Parish Council has now flagged issues of the memorial’s position. There are fears that the remembrance parade and service can’t take place due to health and safety concerns. Prior to covid, the roads were closed to traffic to allow for a service to take place at 3pm on Remembrance Sunday.
TIME TO MOVE: Finchampstead’s war memorial could be moved on Picture: Phil Creighton
It sees a large turnout from the village and beyond, including Scouts and Guides. Other concerns include a lack of parking, and busy roads that are unsafe for visitors of the memorial.
If moved, the suggested place could be the large verge next to the Memorial Park, which is owned by Wokingham Borough Council. The Finchampstead Park Management Committee has agreed to the possible relocation there. The parish council is asking for residents to come forward and share their views; comments are needed by Saturday, July 31. To respond, fill an online survey is at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RHZL9T8, alternatively email clerk@finchampstead-pc.gov.uk Responses can also be posted to Finchampstead Parish Council, FBC Centre, Gorse Ride North, Finchampstead RG40 4ES.
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INTHECOMMUNITY
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
News from your community groups, clubs and societies Send your reports to news@wokinghampaper.co.uk
SPEECH: Lucy Zeal shares her support for the spaceforall project HONOUR: Linda Saul has been elected an associate of the Royal Watercolour Society
Wokingham Art Society GREETING: The Revd Canon David Hodson, from All Saints Wokingham, welcomed people to a garden party hosted by Lucy Zeal for the spaceforall project Pictures: Emma Ramskill FOOD: Early harvests were available to buy to support the project
GUESTS: Town Mayor and mayoress Tony and Claire Lack with Lucy Zeal
Spaceforall at All Saints Church THE rain stayed away for supporters and guests of the project spaceforall at All Saints Church Wokingham, who enjoyed a garden party in the beautiful gardens at the home of Wokingham’s High Steward, Lucy Zeal, patron of the project.
As well as traditional tea and cake, plant, produce, and tombola stalls, there was a short talk from Mrs Zeal about the history of the house and garden and her family's association with it. Guests at the event last
BARGAINS: A plant stall did a roaring trade from visitors to the garden party
Wednesday were also able to meet and chat with the professional gardeners who are developing the gardens. Guests included the Mayor and Mayoress of Wokingham, Cllr Tony Lack and Mrs Claire Lack, and David Finlay, head of Acanthus Clews of Banbury, the architects for the project. There were also other local councillors, representatives of grantmaking trusts, and local community groups who will benefit from the new space. Canon David Hodgson, Rector of All Saints Church Wokingham, thanked Lucy
DRINKS: A socially distanced tea table was a hit with guests
Zeal for opening the garden and spoke about the once in a lifetime opportunity “spaceforall” offers to create a new community space for Wokingham residents. The event raised £2,250 for the appeal for funds to start the works on the transformation of the church building. Canon Hodgson said: "As well as raising funds we wanted to bring people together around the project, to encourage support and share the great possibilities the project has to benefit Wokingham. “We were delighted that
over 100 people came out and thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the gardens, being able to catch up with friends and colleagues they hadn't seen in-person often for many months." And Lucy Zeal said: “‘This was an opportunity to not only raise money for spaceforall but to also allow people to safely get together again after a very difficult year. “It was a pleasure to welcome All Saints Church.” � To donate or set up a fundraising event, visit www.spaceforall.org.uk
The Arts Society Wokingham
BEAUTY: A detail from Charlie Waite’s landscape of Cadiz
Is photography really ‘art’? Members of the Arts Society Wokingham were left in no after doubt after attending Charlie Waite’s illustrated on-line talk entitled The Making of Landscape Photography. Charlie is justifiably hailed as one of the world's leading landscape photographers. Some of his early photographs may have been the result of being in the right place at the right time – such as an early black and white image of four girls with their bikes queuing for a ferry in Vietnam. But it is Charlie’s artistic vision and attention to detail that has made him so successful. The audience were treated to a stunning set of his photographs taken all over the world. Strongly influenced by the French photographer, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Charlie stressed that the landscape photographer’s emotional connection to nature is vital. To
WOKINGHAM Art Society member Linda Saul has recently been elected an Associate of the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS). The Royal Watercolour Society was founded in 1804 by a group artists who felt that the Royal Academy, the only professional artistic body at the time, discriminated against watercolour. The Royal Watercolour Society is based at the Bankside Gallery in London. Linda, based in Charvil, is vice-chair of the Reading Guild of Artists and a prominent campaigner for the Save Reading Gaol campaign. She is known locally as the instigator and organiser of the 2019 Reading Gaol Hug that saw about 1,000 people surround the Gaol linking hands. Also in
WADE 150 Club ON FRIDAY, July 2, WADE held its latest draw for its 150 Club lottery. The draw aims to help replace lost finances as a result of coronavirus cancelling many of its fundraising activities. The centre, on Reading Road, provides daycare facilities for the borough’s older residents, including hot lunches, entertainment and resources. Held monthly, there are three prizes for the draw. The more people who join the 150 Club, the greater the prizes. First prize was £138, and went to member number 86. Second prize was
quote Cartier-Bresson the most evocative images are achieved by ‘putting one's head one’s eye and one's heart on the same axis’. A good photograph can create many sensations – wonder, joy, serenity. The Neurological Department at St George’s Hospital, London, have recognised the power of Charlie’s photographs and commissioned him to produce a large back-lit image to display in their Reception area. This image of light streaming through a wood one early spring morning is bringing pleasure and a sense of calm and serenity to both patients and staff. More recently Charlie has become interested in the way that shapes work together – their colour, pure lines and their geometric patterns. His photograph of a boatshaped building in Cadiz, illustrated here, shows that he still retains his attention to detail. Imagine how long he had to wait to capture the moment when a bird flew just
2019, with Jenny Halstead, she organised the successful In Reading Gaol by Reading Town exhibition at the Riverside Museum. Last year, she co-authored the book Reading’s Influential Women with Terry Dixon of Terry’s Reading Walkabouts. Linda has participated in the Henley Arts Trail since 2017. In this year’s trail she will be at venue 24 in Charvil alongside painter printmaker Jane Somner. It is open to visitors this weekend, see page 10 for more. Linda said: “I am over the moon to be elected to the Royal Watercolour Society. “It has been my dream for some years and I am looking forward to regularly exhibiting at Bankside Gallery.”
£69 was given to member 33. And the third prize was £34.50 and awarded to 83. A spokesperson for WADE said: “Congratulations to the three lucky winners. “We have 69 Members in the club so far, spread the word among your friends and family and be in with a chance of winning, while supporting our Day Centre.” For more details, call Jess on 0118 978 7025, email wade150club@wadecentre.org.uk, and log on to the group’s website, wadecentre.org.uk.
above the lamppost and cast its shadow on the side of the building. It is rare privilege for the society to have the pleasure of hearing a living artist talk about their work. Our next on-line talk examines the eccentric and visionary world of one of the most creative and imaginative British painters of the 20th century, Stanley Spencer. Why not join us at 7.45pm on Monday, July 19? Val Woodgate is our speaker. She is a wellknown lecturer and guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern. This talk is free and will be broadcast via our unlisted YouTube channel. Just email memsectheartssocietywham@gmail.com in advance and you will be sent the link the day before the lecture. For more details go to www.theArtsSocietyWokingham.org.uk Sue Bryant
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Love for the Bard still in the air Romeo & Juliet Progress Theatre Reading Abbey Until Saturday, July 24 progresstheatre.co.uk
T
HE MOST famous love story ever written was like a breath of fresh air as Progress Theatre stepped into the spotlight for one of the biggest events in the Thames Valley arts scene. The Reading-based theatre company officially opened its open air Shakespeare production last night. Following on from 2019’s King Lear, the creative team has set up camp in Reading’s Abbey ruins for its 10-day run of Romeo and Juliet. The company has performed open air Shakespeare in the Abbey Ruins – and Caversham Court Gardens – since 1995. The play tells the story of two youths who battle to keep their love alive in the middle of a two-family rivalry. The classic production, with its tragic ending, has been a hit ever since it was first performed in the 16th century. The ambience in the setting of the Abbey ruins made it the perfect location. In terms of lighting, there was a row of flood lights that were set up behind the audience, which really added to the atmospheric mood while the sun began to set shortly after the interval. It was great to see director Tony Wernham had added in some modern language semi-improvisations, which
Under doctor’s orders
blended in well and didn’t interfere too much with the original script. One actor who stood out was Beckie Moir, playing Nurse, who added such great elements of comedy which can sometimes be overlooked in a heart wrenching play like this. Moirs' humour complimented John Goodman’s interpretation of Friar Laurence, whose presence also lit up the stage. The pair both made sense of the text and really committed to their character throughout, even when they were entering and exiting the performance space. Goodman’s added commentary at the start and between some scenes was a bonus, in particular his speech about the history of the ruins just before the last act was a lovely touch. It was refreshing to see all the costumes greatly complimenting each other, thanks to Helen Wernham, with each family wearing a different colour to help distinguish who’s who. As this is an open-air production, audience members will need to provide their own low back chair, or hire one from the theatre for a small charge. Blue Collar is providing a bar selling craft beers, Prosecco, wines, spirits, soft drinks and bar snacks, while picnic boxes can be reserved. Tickets prices start from £16. Romeo and Juliet is running until July 24 at the Reading Abbey Ruins. � For more details, or to book, log on to progresstheatre.co.uk LAURA SCARDARELLA
AN INFECTIOUSLY funny comedy show will be going into theatre at The Hexagon in Reading this September. Award-winning
comedian Adam Kay shares entries from his diaries as a junior doctor for his stand up gig, This is Going to Hurt.
SUPPORT: Mikron Theatre Company is preparing for a football-mad season
Shoot!
G
OLD FAVOURITE: Progress Theatre is presenting Romeo & Juliet Picture: Richard Brown This show has been rescheduled from its original performance, planned for June 19, and all existing tickets will be transferred over
to the new date. Tickets are available for £27 and signed copies of Adam’s book will be present to purchase on the night.
� For more details or to book, call the box office on 0118 960 6060 or log on to whatsonreading.com LAURA SCARDARELLA
More tickets on sale for Sir Ian’s Hamlet
H
AMLET might think that he is a rogue and peasant slave, but Sir Ian McKellen’s take on the price is drowning the stage in applause, not tears. As a result, the Theatre Royal Windsor is extending its run of the ageblind play. The show is the first for the Windsorbased theatre since it was allowed to reopen earlier this summer, and it has been a massive hit. Performances through to the end of July have sold out as people clamour to see the X-Men star offer his version of the Prince of Denmark in one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays. It’s not Sir Ian’s first brush with the Bard. He starred in a previous Hamlet that toured 50 years ago, was in Macbeth with Dame Judi Dench, and in Richard III with Maggie Smith. Also in the cast are Francesca Annis, Frances Barber, Jonathan Hyde, and Jenny Seagrove. It is one of two productions directed by Sean Mathias, with the same crew.
ALAS: Sir Ian McKellen as Hamlet at the Theatre Royal Windsor Picture: Marc Brenner In a ground-breaking move, the show is age, colour and gender-blind, offering one of the most radical reimaginings of the Bard’s work in years. And to fully immerse the audience into the court of Denmark, they are
seated on Shakespearean-style wooden bleacher seats placed either side of the stage. Following on from Hamlet, there will be a production of Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard. This was due to open in
September, but will now open on Friday, October 1, and run until Saturday, November 13. This allows Hamlet to run for an additional three weeks to meet the demand for seats. The theatre has a special rate for NHS workers and students of £25 per ticket, while there are royal and circle boxes available, with a refreshment package on offer. Performances run Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on Saturdays July 24, August 21 and September 11 – there are no evening performances on those days. The Cherry Orchard runs from October 1 to November 13, with performances also at 7.30pm, as well as a 2.30pm matinee on Thursdays and Saturdays. Tickets cost from £25 to £75. � For more details, log on to theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk or call the box office on 01753 853888. PHIL CREIGHTON
OALS will be scored as a theatre company presents its football frenzie show this summer. Mikron Theatre Company is kicking off at two Reading-area venues to perform Amanda Whittington’s Atalanta Forever. It's 1920, post-war Britain, and across the country all-girl teams are pulling in huge crowds holding fundraising games for wounded soldiers. Based on a true story, Huddersfield amateurs Ethel and Annie, teammates at Atalanta AFC, take a shot at the big time and tackle new football skills. Come and cheer for Atalanta as the plucky underdogs learn how to play the game, take on the legendary teams of the era - and find the toughest opponent of all is the FA. “I was an 11-year old footballer in the 1980s, the only girl who played in the boy's village tournament and I vividly remember being advised to stop because it wasn't appropriate,” said playwright Amanda Whittington. “I still feel the injustice, and the sense of shame for wanting to do something I wasn't meant to and it brings joy to my heart to see football's now the biggest team sport for girls in Britain. She said: “I wanted to write about the battle the women's game has fought to survive and prosper and perhaps to tell the 11-year-old me she was right?" Artistic director Marianne McNamara added: "Women's football is making a comeback and not before time. “We are thrilled to pay homage to the trailblazing Huddersfield women that paved the way against all odds." A performance at The Rowbarge, on Station Road, Woolhampton, will take place on Tuesday, July 27 at 7.30pm. Mikron Theatre will then make its way to Caversham Court, on Church Road in Caversham, for another performance on Sunday, August 1 at 5pm. Atalanta Forever will be touring nationally in the summer alongside Poppy Hollman's new play A Dog's Tale, celebrating canines past and present and explores the enduring love between people and their dogs. � For more details, or to book tickets, log on to mikron.org.uk LAURA SCARDARELLA
Jack’s magic THE FAIRYTALE classic, Jack and the Beanstalk, will be stomping its way to Camberley Theatre later this month. Audiences can expect lots of surprises and beautiful images as Cbeebies Patrick Lynch tells the story of Jack, who sells his cow for five magic beans and finds himself in the land above the clouds. Suitable for children aged three and over, the show is full of enormous shoes, tiny houses, showers of silver and gold and a big, leafy explosion. Showing on Saturday, July 24, performance times will be 11am and 2pm. Tickets are available to purchase for £10 for adults and £9 for children. � For more details, or to book, call the box office on 01276 707600 or log on to camberleytheatre.co.uk LAURA SCARDARELLA
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28 | LEISURE
At the theatre Due to coronavirus, performances may change at short notice. Check with box offices before heading out Bracknell – South Hill Park www.southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123 Beauty and the Beast. Fri-Sun. Shout! for the NHS. Wed. Shout! The Musical. Thurs 22-Sun 25.
Camberley – Theatre www.camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600 Boudica. Sat. The Fizz. Sat. Jack and the Beanstalk. Sat 24.
Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000 Guildford Arts’ Summer Exhibition. Until Thurs 22. The Woman In Black. Until Sat. The Surrey Police Band. Tues. Sarah And Duck’s Big Top Birthday. Wed. Ben Hart: Two Metre Magic. Thurs 22. Clara Schumann: A Life In Music. Fri 23.
High Wycombe – Wycombe Swan www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000 NEXT SHOW: Sarah Millican: Bobby Dazzler. Wed, Aug 25.
Maidenhead – Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997 Notflix. Sat. True Gold: The Spandau Ballet Experience. Fri 23.
Newbury – The Corn Exchange www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218 Forever In Blue Jeans. Sat. The Bon Jovi Experience. Thurs 22.
Newbury – The Watermill www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044 As You Like It. Until Sat 24.
Reading – South Street www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 NEXT SHOW: Kerry Godliman. Fri, Sept 3-Sat, Sept 4.
Reading – The Hexagon www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Anton and Giovanni: Him and Me. Thurs 22.
Reading – Progress Theatre www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195 Romeo and Juliet – Outdoor Shakespeare in the Abbey Ruins. Until Sat 24.
Shinfield – Shinfield Players www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 NEXT SHOW: No Naughty Bits. Wed, Sept 22-Sat Sept 25.
Sonning – The Mill www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 Relatively Speaking. Until July 30. The Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly Show. Sun A Day With The Mill’s Costume Designer. Mon. An Afternoon With Dame Judi Dench. Sun 25. The Swinging Big Band. Sun 25.
Windsor – Theatre Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888 Ian McKellen in Hamlet. Until Sept 4.
Wokingham – Theatre www.wokingham-theatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363 September in the Rain. Until Sat.
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
Funk and soul as disco returns
F
UNK, disco and soul will make a return to Reading later this month after the government confirmed that covid restrictions will be lifted. Sub89, on Friar Street, is launching a new weekly party night from Saturday, July 24 called Move On Up. Its DJs, including Readipop’s Pete Wheeler, will bring a mixture of classic funk, disco and soul to the dancefloor, including tracks from greats such as Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Diana Ross and Chic. “I cannot tell you how excited I am to be DJing regularly again at Sub89, my favourite venue in my hometown,” said Mr Wheeler. “Like everyone, I have missed dancing to great music in a proper venue with friends and Move On Up is going to be a weekly opportunity to do that. “I cannot wait to get it all started on Saturday, July 24 and feel what it’s like to see smiling faces on the dancefloor and hear music through a quality sound system once again.” It’s not the only thing to return to the popular nightspot in
TRUE: A Spandau Ballet tribute is at Norden Farm
Golden touch
POP AGAIN: Pete Wheeler DJing at Readipop Festival 2018 Picture: Luke Dyson Reading’s town centre. Just The Tonic comedy nights will be back on Saturdays, before the Move On Up DJs spin the decks. The line-up for the first four weeks will include comics such as Ed Byrne, Eddy Brimson and Glenn Wool. Doors open for Just The Tonic from 6.45pm, with the set starting at 8pm. Move On Up starts from 10.30pm, with music until 3am. Tickets for Move On Up will be
available for £3 before 11pm or free if you attended the Just The Tonic comedy night. Capacity will be reduced to ensure plenty of room for dancing with friends. � For more details, or to book, visit the Move On Up Party Facebook page. � To purchase tickets for the comedy night, log on to justthetonic.com/readingcomedy LAURA SCARDARELLA
A GOLDEN tribute concert will be heading to Maidenhead this month. True Gold – The Spandau Ballet Experience will be performing at Norden Farm on Friday, July 23 at 8pm. The band’s music will be recreated for one night only as audiences can listen to Spandau Ballet’s classic hits. Enjoy timeless songs including To Cut A Long Story Short, Through The Barricades, Only When You Leave, Lifeline, I’ll Fly For You, Communication and, of course, True and Gold. Having performed in hundreds of venues over the years, the group have been praised by well-known artists. True Gold performed twice with Spandau Ballet’s frontman Tony Hadley, one of those times being on BBC’s The One Show. Tickets will be available for £18. For more details, call the box office on 01628 788997, or log on to norden.farm
Wokingham Loves Music Chris Hillman
bit.ly/wokingham lovesmusic
S
ONGWRITING Is such an understated art that we’re pleased to focus on it this week. Our Wokingam Loves Music playlight highlights great acts with connections to Wokingham borough, including Wille and the Bandits. Their new song, as with A Better Life, features some great lyrics, deftly delivered. Why not have a listen? The playlist is FREE on Spotify. Make sure you have a listen at bit.ly/ wokinghamlovesmusic and search for our group on Facebook to join in the music chat.
Wille and the Bandits – Four Million Days This is a quality song by the band that will be headlining Wokingham Festival on August Bank Holiday Monday, the final day of the event. It’s taken from their album Paths and showcases the band’s musicianship and song-writing and features a great vocal performance from lead singer and guitarist Wille Edwards. They have been described by The Daily Telegraph as ‘One of the best live acts in the country’ so their visit to Wokingham is not to be missed – www.willeandthebandits.com
A Better Life – Mono Heart We featured this artist soon after the release of their debut single and since then, their album, Take a Deep Breath has been released. The album has been well received with tracks from it, including this new single, appearing on playlists and radio shows around the world. A Better Life is based around Phil Daniels, who you may know from his work in the local area putting on live events. This album shows that Phil is also a creative musician and producer in his own right – abetterlifemusic.com
Never The Bride – Worth it Work it Based around the dynamic duo of Nikki Lamborn and Catherine Feeney, this band never disappoint so well worth getting along to their show at Wokingham Music Club on Friday, July 23 – www.neverthebride.com
NO I IN WILLE: The guys from Wille and the Banidts will be at Wokingham Festival this August
One Eyed Man – Cornish Shores Stuart Hutton aka One Eyed Man is a talented artist who writes, records, and produces his music himself. We’re looking forward to seeing him at Wokingham Festival in August – www.facebook.com/ OneEyedManOfficial
Gemma Dorsett – Hunger Gemma has visited the area to play on many occasions and we hope it’s not too long before we see her here again as we’d love to see her perform this single live – www.gemmadorsett.com
Ben Portsmouth – Today, Tomorrow & Always A song from local artist Ben’s recent Remember Me EP. Many will know Ben in his Elvis guise where he has received worldwide recognition – www.takingcareofelvis.co.uk
Dennis Siggery & Neil Sadler – Gypsy Woman Dennis’s voice, combined with Neil’s guitar playing, go together perfectly on their new album, Higher
Ground, recorded at Neil’s, Wokingham based, No Machine Studios – ericstreetband.com
Modesty Blue – Time of Your Life Go back in time to the 80s with Ascot based Modesty Blue who have just released this Stock Aitken & Waterman inspired track with a retro feel and a hooky chorus www.heavytrafficmusic.co.uk/artists/modesty-blue
The Wave Machine – Slow Right Down The Wave Machine is the creative name for singersongwriter Angus Trott who grew up in Wokingham before moving to Brighton. He will be returning in August to perform at Wokingham Festival – www.thewavemachine.co.uk
Josh Okeefe – We’re All the Same Josh, who currently resides in Nashvile, Tennessee, has led a nomadic lifestyle and in August his journey brings him to Wokingham to appear at the festival – www.joshokeefe.com
LIFE | 29
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Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
Inthekitchen Freely Fruity facebook.com/freelyfruityUK
Sautéed Courgettes
SPOTTY: Cruella is a prequel to 101 Dalmations
Movies on show at Norden Farm LIGHTS camera action! It’s movie time at Norden Farm as the full list of screenings are announced for this summer. The Maidenhead-based arts centre will be showing new releases, Cruella, The Father, Uncle Vanya, In the Heights, Supernova, Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds, and Another Round. Tickets are available to purchase at £10.50, or three films for £27, and £9.50 for concessions, or three films for £24. For school holiday screenings, tickets cost £8 for adults, £6 for under 16s, and Family & Friends tickets for four people cost £24. All July and August screenings have socially distanced seating plans and reduced capacities. � For full details, or to book, call the box office on 01628 788997 or log on to norden.farm
C
Serves 4 as a side OURGETTES are in abundance right now and fortunately there are equally abundant ways to eat them. This is hardly a recipe; more inspiration for the best way to eat these beauties. Prepared carefully with a little patience the reward will be yours; serve with some poached or steamed white fish.
Ingredients � 500g courgettes (about 2 medium or 3 small) � Butter � Olive oil � Salt
Method 1. Remove the top and bottom of the courgettes and slice them very thinly, about 3mm, with a knife or mandoline.
Spread the slices onto a few sheets of kitchen paper in a single layer and blot dry. Season the with salt 2. Place a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-low heat and melt a knob of butter with a little oil 3. Start by adding just one third of the courgettes to the pan to sauté in 3 batches because a crowded pan will make them steam and this changes the flavour
4. Gently fry the first batch for 3 minutes until just soft and coloured in places, turn the slices and cook for another 3 minutes, remove to a bowl 5. Add a little more butter and oil to the pan and repeat step 4 with the remaining 2 batches then serve. By Charlotte Simpkins for Freely Fruity www.facebook.com/freelyfruityuk
healthwatchwokingham Joanna Dixon www.healthwatchwokingham.co.uk
Then and now: Healthwatch’s annual report
FAMILY MATTERS: The Father will be shown at Norden
It takes two RAY COONEY’S farce Two Into One will be making its way to The Mill at Sonning this summer. If you are a cabinet minister in the Government, it’s not easy to arrange an afternoon of … interesting pursuits … in a London hotel with a young lady. The problem is not so much that the minister and the young lady are both married, just not to each other. And to complicate matters, she is the personal secretary to the Leader of the Opposition. Add to this a smart waiter, a pompous hotel manager and a puritanical MP and you have the ingredients of a Cooney comedy. The play will run from Thursday, August 5 until October 9. Matinees will start at 2.15pm and evening shows at 8.15pm. Thursday matinees will be from August 5 to Saturday, August 26, and Sunday matinees will be from September 5. There will be a special gala performance on Saturday, September 11 – the day the theatre will name its auditorium after Ray Cooney. All tickets include a two-course meal in the restaurant before the show. Tickets prices start from £59.50 for matinee shows, £67.50 for weekday evenings and £69.50 for Saturday evenings. The gala performance tickets are available for £200 each. � For more details, or to book, call the box office on 0118 969 8000 or log on to millatsonning.com LAURA SCARDARELLA
I
T HAS been a year of change for all of us and at Healthwatch Wokingham as we have adapted to new ways of working during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with many other organisations.
Much of our planned public engagement and visits to services paused and we delivered an increased focus on providing advice, signposting and digital engagement. To support the local response to Covid-19 we worked closely with our partners at Wokingham Borough Council and the voluntary and community sector. You can read all about the work we have been carrying out, and what our priorities are for the next year, in our Annual Report available on our website, www. healthwatchwokingham.co.uk
Highlights In Spring last year, we undertook a Borough wide survey seeking to identify and understand the needs of residents impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This highlighted the need for accurate and timely information regarding health service changes, and as a result we undertook a mystery shop of GP websites. Our report, GP Websites – How Easy Is It To Find Information, made
SURVEY: Healthwatch undertook an overview of Wokingham borough’s health, including GP’s websites Picture: mcmurryjulie from Pixabay
six recommendations to the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) on improving information on the 13 Wokingham Borough GP surgery websites. This included improving information about Covid-19 safety and protocols in the building environment, being accompanied to an appointment, registration and giving feedback and making a complaint. The CCG agreed to implement the six website recommendations that we made, not only in Wokingham Borough but also GP surgery websites in Reading and West Berkshire – 47 in total. The worries, sadness and restrictions of the past year have been difficult for everyone. From people’s feedback, Healthwatch Wokingham became
aware of some specific effects on a cross section of residents: unpaid carers. We wanted to ensure carers in the Borough in 2020-21 could voice their current experiences so that health and social care decision makers would be aware of the challenges they were facing in the present and be able to plan how to meet their and their loved ones needs in the future. To gather the experiences of carers we ran online focus groups with local carers support organisations and ran a survey available digitally or over the telephone. Our full report will be published soon. Our opportunity to engage faceto-face with Wokingham residents had to change due to social
distancing requirements. In addition to our help desk we utilised our column in Wokingham.Today, website and social media presence to keep the public informed and updated regarding: Government advice, local health and care services and where to get help and support from the voluntary and community sector. We engaged with different groups meeting on video conferencing platforms. Healthwatch Wokingham was also able to engage, provide advice and information via the variety of boards members sit on. For example, we are the Health Champions on the Learning Disability Partnership Board (LDPB), which is an empowering and inclusive network whose aim is to break down barriers and enable positive outcomes for people with learning disabilities and their families. During this year, the LDPB has run regular roadshows for members of the Learning Disability community, their carers and families. � If you have a health or social care experience to share please get in touch. Call 0118 418 1418, email enquiries@healthwatchwokingham. co.uk or write to: Healthwatch Wokingham, Town Hall, Market Place, Wokingham, RG40 1AS
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30 | CLASSIFIEDS
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 15, 2021
PUBLIC NOTICES 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 211578
211841
Reasons for Advert Description
Woodside And Major Application Wayside House, Shinfield Road, Reading
Land North and South of, Cutbush Lane
Major Application
1. Victoria Road, Wargrave between its junctions with B477 School Hill and Blakes Road.
Full planning permission for the Science Park Creative Media Hub comprising the erection of film stages and associated workshops and office space and ancillary uses including equipment stores, cafe, post-production screening facility. Formation of associated access, decked and surface parking, and landscaping at the Thames Valley Science Park (TVSP). Application is accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment. Application is a potential departure from local plan.
Works requiring this restriction will take place between 2nd August and 6th August 2021.
Craigfoot, Lower Sandhurst Road, Finchampstead
Environmental Full application for the proposed erection of a Impact Assessment detached 4 no. bedroom dwelling with attached triple garage, following demolition of existing dwelling.
212085
Fox Steep, Highfield Road, Wargrave
(Affect setting of) Listed Building
212180
Lord Harris Court, Mole Road, Sindlesham
Conservation Area
23 Wargrave Road, Twyford
Conservation Area
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:
Outline application with some matters reserved for the proposed erection of a care home (C2 use class) comprising 77 bed spaces, with associated parking following demolition of existing dwellings. (Access, Appearance, Layout and Scale to be considered)
211962
212164
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (VARIOUS ROADS, WARGRAVE) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021
Application for Listed Building Consent for the proposed works to curtilage, listed Pool and Pool Terrace including: conservation, refurbishment, restoration of the terrace and rebuilding of the pool. To include partial demolition of the pool and terrace prior to rebuilding. Full application for the proposed installation of a Non Return Valve and 24 hour storage cesspit to store effluent. (Retrospective) Householder application for proposed erection of boundary wall treatment, following demolition of existing walls, repair and re- rendering of external house walls and changes to fenestration.
The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via B477 School Hill, B477 Mumbery Hill, A4 New Bath Road, A4 Bath Road and Blakes Lane or by this route in reverse.
2. Hamilton Road, Wargrave between its junctions with Victoria Road and Emma Lane. The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via B477 School Hill and Silverdale Road or by this route in reverse. Works requiring this restriction will take place between 13th September and 17th September 2021. The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Thames Water contractors to undertake new water connection 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 2nd August 2021 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier. Dated: 15th July 2021 Mark Cupit Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL
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 5th August 2021. 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: 15th July 2021
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (WHARFEDALE ROAD, WINNERSH) (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: At a speed exceeding 30 mph along the section of Wharfedale Road, Winnersh between its junctions with Wharfedale Road Roundabout and Loddon Bridge and The Bader Way Interchange. Works requiring this restriction will take place between 8th August and 12th December 2021. The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Wokingham Borough Council contractors to undertake installation of new access, statutory diversions, bus stop relocation and associated work in safety. 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 8th August 2021 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier. Dated: 15th July 2021 Mark Cupit Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL
CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP – CERTIFICATE D TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING (DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE) (ENGLAND) ORDER 2015 Proposed Development At: Sapphire Centre, Fishponds Road, RG41 2QL Take notice that application is being made by: Apacor Ltd (Agent: LPC Trull Ltd) Local Planning Authority to whom the application is being submitted: Wokingham Borough Council Local Planning Authority Address: Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BN Description of Proposed Development : Partial demolition of existing buildings and reconfiguration on site to provide new larger building for continued commercial use. Any owner of the land or tenant who wishes to make representations about this application, should write to the council within 21 days of the date of this notice. 'Owner' means a person having a freehold interest or a leasehold interest the unexpired term of which is not less than seven years. Dated: 15th July 2021
Please recycle me ! It’s good news for everyone
WELL BEING
JOB VACANCY
WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE UNDER SECTION 17 OF THE LICENSING ACT 2003 NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Greene King Brewing & Retailing Limited has applied in respect of the Greyhound, Longwater Road, Finchamstead, RG40 4NP for a variation to the premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 to allow for: This is an application to change the layout and design of the premises in accordance with the submitted plan, drawing number 21:31/08. The changes include the installation of bi-fold doors to the rear of the premises and the licensing of a small area outside the shop/private dining, to allow the sale of alcohol. To add the following conditions to the premises licence: The bi-fold doors will be kept closed during regulated entertainment; The front terrace will not be used for the sale of alcohol after 22.30 hours on any day. The opening hours and licensable activities authorised by the premises licence are to remain unaltered. Representations to this application must be made in writing, by the end of 9th August 2021, to the Wokingham Borough Council Licensing Authority at Council Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1WW where the register of licensing applications can be inspected between during office hours and/or at www.publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk/ licensing Representations may also be e-mailed to Licensing@wokingham.gov.uk It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with this application. Persons will be liable on summary conviction to an unlimited fine. Dated: 15th July 2021
MARVELLOUS FESTIVAL – JULY 17 AND 18 2021 Concert gates open 12 noon, ends 11pm each evening. Drones in operation. All safety guidelines followed and not directly overhead. Take all necessary precautions re livestock and pets.
Thursday, July 15, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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RAMS SHAPE UP AHEAD OF NEW LEAGUE SEASON
By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today RAMS strength and conditioning coach Daryl Watson is delighted with the state of the players following their return to preseason training.
The Senior Squad are back in action following a month off, but Watson was impressed with how they have kept themselves ticking along during June’s down time. He commented: “Joe (Southwell) and I are very, very pleased with the guys. We’ve seen all of the players bar a couple pass their 150s – the fitness tests we do for them – and strength-wise all the boys are looking in tip-top shape, and touchwood everyone seems to be in good health. “We’re both really happy with them and with the attendance at the gym here, and also with the results we’ve seen since they’ve come back it shows they’ve been working really hard.” He continued: “We did our best to keep the boys motivated during the month off – we sent them programmes to do – so even if they weren’t in the Rams gym itself, they were able to do stuff wherever they could do it.” While the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted life for the past 16 months and put paid to last season’s National One campaign,
www.trademarkwindows.co.uk
a number of new players have still come on board and Watson said it has been enjoyable working with them. He explained: “It’s usually quite a shock for them because a lot of them wouldn’t have the facilities we’re lucky enough to have here, and a lot wouldn’t have trained like we do where we programme them to do a lot of work to get maximum results. “It’s always really nice to introduce someone who maybe hasn’t trained that way before and to give them something new and have them working as hard as possible.” And with the Senior Squad now back in full training, Watson revealed how things will shape up in the next few weeks. He concluded: “We’ve got to be clever to balance the amount of on-field stuff they’ve got going on with the amount of stuff they’re doing in the gym, so we’re just working to keep the boys interested and we’ve got some new, exciting exercises lined up for them. “We’ve given them some new programmes to help them continue with their strength stuff and hopefully get them as powerful as possible. “Everyone’s buzzing and happy and it promises to be a really exciting year – it’s a really great environment to be involved in.”
RAIDERS ROAR PAST JAGUARS IN HUGE WIN
Elliot Wilson dives over for a classic winger’s try for Reading Raiders Picture: John Taplow
Reading Raiders 82 Worcester Jaguars 12 By DAVE PART sport@wokingham.today READING Raiders returned to winning ways with an emphatic victory over Worcester Jaguars.
With covid-depleted Worcester only able to bring a bare thirteen players, the visitors were faced with an uphill struggle throughout the game - yet the match was punctuated by three opportunist scoring chances resulting in tries for the Jaguars. Quickly the Raiders’ scoreline doubled as the game’s powerhouse utility forward, Gavin Egan, this week playing in the second row, stormed over from a Sol Robinson feed to bring the score to 8-0, to the home side, to which Ben Radford added the conversion. Alex Dorliac spied his chance with a nifty run that deceived the defence, as he added his well-taken try, again goaled by Ben Radford, to increase the margin to 20-0 by the end
of the first quarter. At this point Zac Mayo, introduced as forward replacement, with a forceful run. This break saw him offload to supporting left wing Elliot Wilson who proved his finishing capabilities for a classy try. Ben Radford’s goal brought the score to 28-0. New recruit Roy Wilkinson was the next to get on the scoresheet as he crashed in from the left wing to register his inaugural try. Radford’s simple goal kick made it 42-0 as more Worcester misery followed when Lewis Donnelly made one his typical barges, fed by Charlie Price at loose forward, after he gathered a misplaced dropout. Nevertheless, the Jaguars began the second half with renewed vigour. Luke Schofield, so far contained by a courageous Worcester defence, turned the tables and produced one of his typical solo tries. Not deterred by this, Worcester's Will Baillon leapt on a Raiders passing error to start a kick and chase, which he
gathered and brought the Jaguars their first score. This was quickly followed by another try, this time from a spirited Tom Lawlor initiative. Raiders were now back in the driving seat as Ben Radford’s conversion sailed over from wide. Schofield scored again from a short pass and Ben Radford added the goal. A further try by Gavin Egan was a just reward for his undefendable charging runs. Schofield’s final try scoring burst ended in him just about hopping over the line and pulling his hamstring along the way. The Jaguars finished the game with a well-worked and deserved try for Brad Smith. READING RAIDERS: Luke Schofield; Max Boucher; Tom Plater; Harry Stapleton; Elliot Wilson; Ben Radford; John Boucher; Andy Parr; ; Sol WallisRobinson; Lewis Donnelly; Dave Abbott; Gavin Egan; Charlie Price. REPLACEMENTS: Zac Mayo; Roy Wilkinson; Mike Beckly; Ollie Radford; Matt Wise; Alex Dorliac; Christian Floyd.
READING FC WOMEN
ROBERTS PUTS PEN TO PAPER ON PRO DEAL READING FC Women have signed defender Bethan Roberts up to her first professional contract.
Roberts joined the Royals when she was 10 and has worked her way through the development pathway all the way up to first-team level. She made her debut for the senior side when she replaced Fara Williams for the final 10 minutes of a Women’s Super League match at the Madejski Stadium last season against Bristol City. Roberts was then handed her first start just a month later, where she played an hour in a 2-2 stalemate
against Aston Villa. “I am over the moon to offer Bethan her first professional contract, she has definitely earned it,” said Reading Women manager Kelly Chambers. “Bethan is a player that has been through our pathway from the bottom up. “This is exactly what
our pathway is about and it’s great to see Bethan follow the footsteps of the likes of Emma Harries and Grace Moloney. “She is a great young player and last season she developed leaps and bounds. “She is a fast, technical player whose attributes for our style of play. “I can’t wait to see her grow even more.”
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www.trademarkwindows.co.uk RESULTS Saturday, July 10 FOOTBALL Pre-season friendlies Reading 1-0 Lincoln City Binfield 2-3 Slough Town Sumas 2-3 Wallingford Town CRICKET BCM Championship Shinfield (160 all out) lost to West Reading (188 all out) BCL Premier Division Farley Hill (95-5) beat Twyford and Ruscombe (94 all out) Woodley (173 all out) lost to Crowthorne & Crown Wood (174-2)
Members at Wokingham & Emmbrook Boxing Club
BOXING
BOXING CLUB SEEKS NEW HOME
WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK Boxing club are seeking a new home as their current site will no longer be available.
Prior to Covid, the club which was established in 2017, was flourishing, with more than 100 members and two fighters representing the home counties in bouts against Cornwall in December 2019. Unfortunately, covid restrictions
meant that the club has been unable to open for much of the past 12 months, but now those restrictions are lifted, it is seeing both junior and adults return to training with the hope that sparring and further shows and bouts are not too far away. The club runs sessions five times a week for adults and juniors, males and females, and provides a fun and fantastic way for all ages to get and
keep fit, as well as providing young adults with a great way of relieving stress, whilst learning about the discipline and respect that comes with any martial art. W&E Boxing has a number of ex-professional boxers running their sessions to ensure all fighters get the best guidance on technique and training. The club is looking for new premises as their current site at
Matthewsgreen Farm will not be available from the start of 2022, and is currently struggling to find suitable premises within the Wokingham area. � Anyone with information on potential sites should contact Mark Douglas on 07940 529746 � For more information, visit Wokingham & Emmbrook Boxing club’s Facebook page
CRICKET
BERKSHIRE EXTEND UNBEATEN RUN TO 35 By DAVE WRIGHT sport@wokingham.today BERKSHIRE had to be content with a draw in their opening NCCA Championship Western Division One game against Wiltshire as they extended their unbeaten run to 35 games.
The title holders generally had much the better of the match but were not helped by delays for rain on all three days and then dogged resistance from the Wiltshire middle-order batsmen in the final
session on Tuesday. It was a game that Josh Lincoln will never forget as he celebrated his NCCA debut with a remarkable knock of 96, which came off just 69 balls in 102 minutes with the help of five sixes and 13 fours. He was well supported by Savin Perera who remained unbeaten on 121 after facing 205 balls in 292 minutes and hitting 17 boundaries. The pair came together at 165-3 in the 44th over and lifted the total to 295 in 22 overs before Lincoln was trapped lbw.
A run-a-ball 24 from Andy Rishton enabled stand-in skipper Stewart Davison to declare at lunch on 347-5, a healthy lead of 168 after the hosts had been bowled out for 179 with Tom Nugent taking 6-33. Wiltshire made a dreadful start to their second innings, Jack Mynott being trapped in front by Nugent and it became a fight for survival. With the total on 67-3, an hour's delay for rain didn't help Berkshire's cause. They took two more wickets to leave the score on 79-5, but there was no more success for the visitors
with Wiltshire offering some very stiff resistance. Jack Stearman occupied the crease for 136 minutes and scored just 22 runs from 135 balls, while partner Jake Goodwin decided attack was the best form of defence, smashing a six and 10 fours in making 56 not out from 76 balls. The pair took the final total to 146-5 off 64 overs. Nugent followed up his six wickets in the first innings with 227, Luke Beaven claimed 2-49 and Rishton 1-26.
BOWLS
WOKINGHAM BOWLING CLUB ENJOY OPEN DAY WITH the easing of covid restrictions, Wokingham Bowling Club were able to hold their Club Open day on Sunday, July 11.
The open day was great opportunity for anyone interested in bowling to visit the club and to see for themselves what bowling is all about. In addition to seeing the
facilities, visitors had the opportunity of a hands on experience by having a bowling taster session with a coach or experienced player with plenty of club members available to chat about the formal bowling protocol or the variety of social events available throughout the year. The club is run by the members and is especially
proud of the sense of community spirit it has generated. This year, more than 50 visitors signed up for coaching which will take place over the coming six weeks. New members may be complete novices or experienced bowlers, all will be welcome at the club.
BCL Division 1 Crowthorne & Crown Wood 2s (156-5) beat Woodley 2s (154 all out) Reading Lions (131-6) beat Farley Hill 2s (130-6) Shinfield 2s (148-4) beat Earley (146-9) Waltham St Lawrence (263 all out) beat Warfield (133 all out) Chilterns Division 2 Emmbrook and Bearwood 2s (140 all out) lost to Phoenix Old Boys (141-7) Thames Valley Division 2B Eversley (136-8) beat Thatcham Town (134 all out) Binfield (176-4) beat Hurst (174-6) Wokingham 2s (162 all out) lost to Finchampstead 2s (181 all out) Thames Valley Division 3A Finchampstead 3s (106 all out) lost to Sonning (201-7) White Waltham (155 all out) lost to Cove 2s (156-6) Thames Valley Division 4A Maidenhead & Bray 2s (128-7) beat Wargrave 2s (127 all out) Wokingham 3s (109 all out) lost to Purley on Thames (162-8) Falkland 2s (167-8) beat Eversley 2s (166 all out)
FIXTURES Friday, July 16 FOOTBALL Pre-season friendlies Aberdeen v Reading
Saturday, July 17 FOOTBALL Pre-season friendlies Penn & Tylers v Sumas Eversley & California v Met Police CRICKET BCM Championship Braywood v Shinfield BCL Premier Division Crowthorne & Crown Wood v Goring on Thames
Stratfield Turgis/Hartley Wespall v Farley Hill Twyford & Ruscombe v Woodley BCL Division One Earley v Crowthorne & Crown Wood 2s Farley Hill 2s v Waltham St Lawrence Peppard Stoke Row 2s v Shinfield 2s Woodley 2s v Reading Lions Chilterns Division One Emmbrook and Bearwood v Harpsden 2s Home Counties Division One Aston Rowant v Finchampstead Home Counties Division Two Burnham v Wargrave Wokingham v Oxford Downs Thames Valley Division 2B Thatcham Town v Binfield Hurst v Reading Fleet v Wokingham 2s Finchampstead 2s v Eversley Thames Valley Division 3A Taplow v Finchampstead 3s Sonning v White Waltham Thames Valley Division 4A Wargrave 2s v Theale & Tilehurst Reading 2s v Wokingham 3s Eversley 2s v Maidenhead & Bray 2s Thames Valley Division 6A High Wycombe 4s v Wargrave 3s Thames Valley Division 6B White Waltham 2s v Sonning 2s Finchampstead 4s v Hurst 2s Thames Valley Division 7A Wokingham 4s v Kidmore End 2s Newbury 2s v Eversley 3s Binfield 3s v Bradfield 2s Thames Valley Division 8A Finchampstead 5s v Wokingham 5s Eversley 4s v Bracknell 2s Thames Valley Division 9A Wargrave 4s v Fleet 3 Wokingham 6s v Yateley 2s Sonning 3s v Kew 4s Thames Valley Division 10A Eversley 5s v Newbury 3s Binfield 4s v Kidmore End 4s Wokingham Oaks & Acorns v Sonning 4s
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Excellent Euros comes to an end
M
OST football fans will agree, I'm sure, that EURO 2020 has been a great tournament filled with exciting games.
I am still drooling about two in one day, Croatia against Spain and Switzerland against France, but these were just two of many. As a referee, I think that a lot of this is due to Roberto Rosetti, UEFA referees committee chairman, who was in charge of the referees for the competition. I’ve previously mentioned the extra pace they seemed to have after their pretournament fitness training, so often getting almost unbelievably close to play. Rosetti was, I’m sure, pleased with some data compared with the 2016 competition after 36 games had been played. This showed that the number of fouls and yellow cards has dropped but the effective playing time has increased. I imagine this is exactly what he aimed at. This in great measure I believe is due to the referees not being taken in, with some exceptions, for players falling down too easily or feigning injury. Also, I think this has been due to improved behaviour on the part of players. For example, there has been relatively few occasions where players have surrounded the referee arguing about decisions, which is all too prevalent on the Premier League. Many also feel there was better use of the VAR. I know that there has been special training before the start of the competition for the VARs and an additional assistant was added to concentrate on offsides. Mark Halsey, former Premier League referee, said recently that he felt it had shown the Premier League how VAR should be used. The job of VAR is only to point out to the referee where there has been an obvious error, not to referee the game for him, or as Roberto Rosetti said ‘to help football not change it. Of course, as always, there has been some controversy. These include Spain’s complaint that the referee blew exactly on the 45 minutes when they were mounting an attack against Italy, and England’s semi-final penalty against Denmark. But, in my opinion it was an excellent tournament exceptionally well refereed.
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READING FC
ROYALS STAR DEPARTS FOR PREMIER LEAGUE PALACE
FRENCH midfielder Michael Olise has completed a transfer to Crystal Palace for a record fee.
It has been reported that the Premier League club activated a release clause in Olise’s contract which sees him move for £8 million, the highest ever fee received for the Royals. Olise burst onto the scene last season and took the Championship by storm under Veljko Paunovic’s side, where he was awarded the EFL young player of the year award for his outstanding performances. The 19-year-old made his Reading debut in March 2019 and went on to make 67 Championship appearances for the club, scoring seven goals. The Frenchman won plenty of admirers for his unique creativity which was on display last campaign, which has seen him earn the move to the Premier League. Crystal Palace, who recently appointed legendary French midfielder Patrick Vieira as their new manager. Olise posted a farewell message on social media: “Thank you to everyone at Reading FC. “I am grateful for all the opportunities this club has given me. “I’ve grown not just as a player but as a person too, met many lifelong friends and had the best years of my career up to date at this club. “Also a special thank you to all the fans that have supported me along the way and wished me the best. “I wish everyone at the club the best for the future.”
Michael Olise will be playing in the Premier League for Crystal Palace from next season Picture: Steve Smyth
READING FC
ASHCROFT NETS IN FIRST PRE-SEASON OUTING
THE ROYALS opened their preseason campaign with a one-goal win as Tyler Ashcroft’s strike gave the honours against Lincoln City.
In a behind closed doors friendly at Reading training ground, Bearwood Park, the Royals shook off the cobwebs as they look to find fitness and match sharpness ahead of a new season. Veljko Paunović’s team are yet to make any new summer signings, but did have a new home strip on display after the club’s 150th anniversary kit was released on sale to fans last week. Early chances came the way of Reading when Andy Yiadom found Dejan Tetek’s run, the Imps goalkeeper smothered the ball at the feet of the midfielder. Tetek won a free-kick in a promising position that was put over the top by John Swift. Rafael Cabral didn't have much action to face as Lincoln failed to breach the Reading defence in the first-half. Another chance fell for the League One side but Draper dragged
a header wide of goal, before Lincoln’s goalkeeper made a super stop to keep out Yiadom’s powerful drive. Swift then came even closer when he smacked an effort off the crossbar, before Rafael prevented Maguire from putting the visitors in front. The second half continued in similar fashion as the Royals created more chances. Josh Lauret arrowed a shot just off target as Tetek continued to look bright and kept the ball well in midfield. Two young players combined to create the only goal of the game as Camara found the run of Tyler Ashcroft who met his teammates targeted long ball and flicked the ball past the goalkeeper. READING: Rafael (Southwood HT), Yiadom (Sackey HT), McIntyre (Bristow HT (Abbey 72)), Morrison (Stickland 56), Holmes (Dorsett 56), Tetek (Ashcroft 56), Laurent (Osorio 56), Rinomhota (Leavy 56), Trialist (Camara 56), Azeez (Ehibhatioman 56), Swift (Melvin-Lambert 56).
READING FC WOMEN
CHAMBERS ADDS TWO MORE RECRUITS READING FC Women have added two more new signings to the squad as Faye Bryson and Chloe Peplow join Kelly Chambers’ side.
Bryson, 24, has signed a two year deal with the Royals after her contract at Bristol expired. Bryson began her career with Everton, where she progressed through the youth teams and went on to make 42 league appearances for the Toffees. She then joined Bristol last season and made 18 Women’s Super League appearances and scored one goal in her only campaign with the club. “I am delighted to bring Faye to the club,” said Reading Women manager Kelly Chambers. “She is a young player that is hungry to get better. “She has great full back attributes which definitely fits our philosophy, and she is a difficult player to play against and is going to add to my backline this season. “I know there is more to come from Faye and I believe in the right
environment she could really blossom and that makes me excited to work with her.” Meanwhile, Peplow joins after the expiration of her contract with Tottenham Hotspur. She made 22 appearances in all competitions in two seasons with the North London club. She began her career with Birmingham City, where she won the FA WSL Development League Cup in 2015, Chambers said: “I’m delighted to bring Chloe to Reading with losing the likes of Haz and Fara, it was important for me to get a player that is comfortable on the ball in those areas and I believe Chloe brings those attributes. “I don’t believe anyone has seen the best of Chloe yet, so I am excited to push her to new levels. “Chloe is a young player with a lot of experience at this level but she knows that she still has plenty to learn and she is hungry to do that and that’s why I’m excited to work with her.”
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Binfield earned an away win at Arbour Lane againt Slough Town Pictures: Andrew Batt - FootballinBerkshire
FOOTBALL ROUND-UP
MOLES MOUNT WIN OVER NATIONAL LEAGUE SLOUGH
By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today SEVERAL local teams were in preseason action at the weekend as BINFIELD earned an away win against National League South side Slough Town.
In a game at Arbor Lane, the Moles came away with the win after a fivegoal contest.
Callum Bunting headed in an early opener via the post to give Binfield the lead inside three minutes. Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg’s side then doubled their lead from the penalty spot just before the half hour mark. On the stroke of half-time, Slough were awarded a penalty of their own and former Reading academy graduate Aaron Kuhl slotted the ball past the
keeper to put them within a goal at the break. The Rebels found an equaliser through Warren Harris in the 63rd minute, but just two minutes later Joe Gater headed the Moles back in front. WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK also returned for their first outing of preseason as they begin to build their fitness levels ahead of a new campaign.
Wokingham & Emmbrook Ladies faced S4K Ladies in a pre-season friendly Pictures: Andrew Batt - FootballinBerkshire
The Sumas were beaten 3-2 after a late comeback by their opponents, Wallingford Town. WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK LADIES were in competition as they faced S4K LADIES in a pre-season friendly at Emmbrook. Sammy Sadler gave the Fawkes the perfect start but the Sumas hit back to equalise before half-time. There were two more goals in the
second half, one apiece as the game ended in a stalemate. Meanwhile, BERKS COUNTY FC came out as 2-1 winners in a friendly against Tadley Calleva. The Swords also have an exciting cup fixture to look forward to in September as the team will compete in the FA Vase for the first time in the clubs history. They will face Newen Town FC on Saturday, September 11.
Wokingham & Emmbrook were beaten by Wallingford Town in their first pre-season match
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CRICKET
FINCH FIGHT TO OUST OAKS IN LOCAL CLASH By ARTHUR STRAND sport@wokingham.today FINCHAMPSTEAD came away with 25 points as they got the better of Wokingham 2s by 19 runs in a Thames Valley Division 2B contest.
Mark Jefferson in bat for Finchampstead
Oaks bowler Iain Muirden
Wokingham won the toss and chose to field. Finchampstead openers Jefferson and Doug McMurray parted company when he was bowled by Callum Creighton in over two for one run. Madhawa Fernando came in to bat and they pushed the score up to 19 in over seven when Salman Khalid caught him off bowled Creighton for eight. Jefferson was then joined by Uzman Ijaz who remained until over 10 when he was caught by Sean Bendall bowled Iain Muirden for one run. Two boundaries from Jefferson pushed the score up in the next over and Creighton conceded a boundary and a two scored by captain, Andrew Lazenbury, but Jefferson caned Muirden for a six plus a two and a single in over 14. Paul Dewick replaced Muirden but Jack Fisher conceded 13 in over 21. Lazenbury scored a boundary off Dewick as the score reached 92-3 and the 100 came when Lazenbury hit a six from Bobb and over 26 saw Lazenbury caught Fisher bowled Dewick for 33 on 107-4. K Khanti hit a six from Bobb as the total reached 114-4 in over 27. 2 overs later, Jefferson hit a six from Bobb. The fifth wicket fell as Kartik Khanti was stumped by Bendall for 17 bowled by Bobb. A wicket maiden occurred when Jefferson was caught behind by Bendall, bowled Bobb for 76, 139-6 showed on the scoreboard. Bobb then captured the wicket of Adam Kite by bowling him the ball after Kite hit a boundary. Naha Kishore took over from Kite,
Finchampstead got the better of Wokingham 2s Pictures: Steve Smyth
who had scored six. In over 40, Dewick bowled King for 16, on 161-8. Few runs were scored by Kishmore Naha and Leach until over 47 when Jack Fisher caught Naha bowled Creighton for 10 at 175-9. Six more runs were added until Muirden caught and bowled Sam Daniel as Finch finished with 181. Wokingham opened with George Horsley and Salman Khalid, while Adam Kite bowled maiden overs and Henry Leach conceded the majority of the first 50 runs in 14 overs. In over 12, George Horsley was given out LBW on 23 bowled by Samm Daniel. Then disaster struck for the hosts as Khalid was caught by Jefferson, bowled Fernando, for 16. In over 14, Anthony Clapham was caught by Naha bowled Fernando for a
golden duck and the over ended on 59-3 and the new batsman was Jayden Barson at number five. De Souza stuck around but Barson was bowled by Fernando in the middle of over 17 for two to puts the Oaks on 68-4. Daniel and Fernando continued bowling in tandem to Desouza and Fisher who consolidated until Fisher was bowled by Lazenbury for 27 in over 34 on 130-5. Lazenbury bowled a wicket maiden, dismissing Bendall, caught by Leach in over 42 and the next over Creighton was caught McMurray bowled Daniel. Jarrett Bobb went LBW to Daniel for 15 in over 45 and the last wicket fell when Finch skipper, Lazenbury bowled Dewick for zero as Wokingham were all out just 19 runs adrift of the target.
CRICKET
CROWS CRUISE PAST WOODLEY WITH EMPHATIC VICTORY CROWTHORNE & CROWN WOOD took the bragging rights over Woodley in the BCL Premier Division with an eight wicket triumph.
Saraff Saleem attempts to take a catch for Woodley
Woodley elected to bat first and opening batsman Rizmy Nilamdeen built solid foundation for the innings as he formed a strong partnership with Shamil Nilamdeen. Rizmy scored 64, while Shamil hit 31 runs. But it was an mesmerising bowling display from Crows bowler Anthony Cluett that ripped through the rest of the Woodley order. He was clinical to take
six wickets as the middle and end of the order were removed for a relatively low combined to score, but Woodley still managed to score a challenging total of 173. With a big total to chase down, Crowthorne made a brilliant start to their innings as the opening pair of James Whitehurst and Nikunj Mehta got their team off the mark with consistent runs on the board. Mehta fell for 21, but Nick Outram joined Whitehurst, who finished with 62, and totalled 48 as Crows came closer to chasing down the first innings score.
Ant Avrili was at the middle for Crows and hit 31 runs as they sealed victory after 29.1 overs and dropped just two wickets in the process. WOODLEY BATTING: R Nilamdeen 64, Rimzan 6, S Nilamdeen 31, Shakoor 13, Mohamed 5, Raja 4, Faux 3, Saleem 10, N Raja 0, S Raja 6, Saldeen 8 CROWTHORNE BOWLING: Emes 1-23, O'Loughlin 1-11, Golding 0-40, Kruger 0-26, Cluett 629, Vogel 2-16 CROWTHORNE BATTING: Whitehurst 62, Mehta 21, Outram 48, Avrili 31 WOODLEY BOWLING: Mohamed 0-20, Saldeen 1-24, Saleem 0-5, S Raja 0-26, N Raja 0-25, Rimzan 0-23, Nilamdeen 1-21
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Emmbrook and Bearwood 2s fell to a home defeat against Phoenix Old Boys Pictures: Steve Smyth
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Adrian Trueman batting for Emmbrook
CRICKET
BEARS BOWLED OUT BY VISITING BOYS By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today
Chilterns Division Two EMMBROOK AND BEARWOOD 2s lost out by three wickets against Phoenix Old Boys. David Painter (56) and Adrian Trueman (39) hit big scores as the Bears finished with 140. Despite three wickets from Dan Mead and two each from Ravi Balakrishnan and Mark Lazenbury, Phoenix wrapped up the win after 44.4 overs.
BCM Championship SHINFIELD fell 28 runs short in defeat against West Reading as they dropped further down the table. Prashant Gandhi took two wickets for Shinfield, but West Reading managed to total 188 before they were bowled all out after 44.4 overs. Shinfield’s chase was put into disrepute when they lost three early wickets. The middle order recovered the
score for Shinfield as Muhammad Hafeez top scored with 57, but Shinfield fell just short as they were bowled all out after 40 overs.
BCL Premier Division FARLEY HILL remain in second as they beat bottom of the table TWYFORD & RUSCOMBE by five wickets. Twyford elected to bat first and after losing their opening batsman for just one run combined, Amit Puri batted excellently to score 69. But the rest of the order was removed quickly by Farley as Richard Pilkington collected 5-15 in a remarkable performance. Farley dropped just five wickets as they surpassed the score after 21.4 overs.
BCL Division One WALTHAM ST LAWRENCE moved up to second after they defeated Warfield in a convincing performance. Waltham batted first and totalled a huge score of 263 as Ankish Gandhi
Top scorer David Painter strikes a big shot for Emmbrook
(91), Abhishek Gard (64) and Rehan Siddiqui (53) helped to boost the total. Warfield were skittled out for 133 to gift Waltham a 130-run triumph. SHINFIELD 2s put 31 points on the board against EARLEY to maintain their spot in third place. A 33 from Gary Shacklady saw Earley post a score of 146, while Aadil Patel and Santoh Kundar both took three wickets for Shinfield. Arijit Ghosh scored 46 runs as Shinfield wrapped up a six wicket win after 38.2 overs. FARLEY HILL 2s are just a place off bottom after they lost to Reading Lions by four wickets.
Home Counties Division One FINCHAMPSTEAD put 10 points on the board in a draw against Tring Park. Finch opening batsman Gregory Smith contributed 95 runs from 112 balls, making their score 171 from 43 overs. Lewis Sharp took three wickets for Finch but Tring Park held out as they conceded just five wickets to draw the match.
Home Counties Division Two
WOKINGHAM tallied 12 points as they drew away at Harefield. Andy Rishton (58) and Chris Peploe (45) helped the Oaks to 159 from 40 overs. Oaks bowler Max Uttley collected four wickets but Harefield held out to draw the game. WARGRAVE got the better of Amersham with a 19-run victory. Mishan Silva hit a half century for Wargrave as they scored 145 before they were all out. Rhodri Lewis bowled exceptionally for Wargrave as he took five wickets to see them take the win.
Thames Valley Division 2B FINCHAMPSTEAD 2s stay in second after they defeated WOKINGHAM 2s by 19 runs. Mark Jefferson hit 76 runs for Finch, while Jarrett Bobb and Callum Creighton both took three wickets for the Oaks. Four wickets from Samm Daniel helped Finch to take the win as
Wokingham were bowled all out just 19 runs short of Finch’s total. EVERSLEY are in third after they defeated Thatcham Town by two wickets. Benjamin Salter starred for Eversley by earning four wickets. BINFIELD are up to fourth after they beat HURST by six wickets. Lampreht and Morgan both hit half centuries for Binfield in their triumph.
Thames Valley Division 3A SONNING stay top of the table after they beat FINCHAMPSTEAD 3s by 95 runs. WHITE WALTHAM stay in fifth despite suffering a four wicket defeat to Cove 2s.
Thames Valley Division 4A WARGRAVE 2s are still at the summit despite losing out by three wickets to Maidenhead & Bray 2s. WOKINGHAM 3s dropped down to fiftH, while EVERSLEY 2s are just a place off the bottom after they were beat by two wickets by Falkland 2s.
ALL-ACTION OLISE MAKES PICTURE POWER EAGLES SWITCH SIBLINGS’ OLYMPIC CALL
TOKYO: HERE WE COME
By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today WOKINGHAM sibling duo Ben Fletcher and Megan Fletcher are heading to the Olympic Games in Tokyo after their selections were confirmed.
The Fletcher siblings from Wokingham, whose selection has been officially confirmed, will be competing for Ireland in Tokyo, with Ben all set for ISSN 2634-8330
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a remarkable return to the mat just five months after breaking his leg while competing in Israel. He fought at Rio 2016, while older sister Megan, who is retiring after the games, has successfully qualified to make her first Olympic appearance, the perfect conclusion to a career which saw her win Commonwealth Games gold. “It just goes to show how high the quality of the players and coaches here at Team Bath is,” she said. “We set that goal to qualify for the Games and all three of us did – me, Ben and Prisca (Awiti-Alcaraz) – so it’s a very special moment to all be going there after the journey we have been on together.”
CROWS IN CRUISE CONTROL
BINFIELD AREBACK P37 BINFIELD made a tremendous start to pre-season with a win over Slough Town. The Moles took a 3-2 win at Arbour Lane against the
Fletcher, coached by Juergen Klinger and Ciaran Ward, is also grateful to be competing alongside her brother at this Games having watched him from the stands at Rio 2016, particularly as no spectators will be allowed in the Budokan. “It was hard in Rio because I’d missed out on going so I was upset about that but I was also really happy for Ben, so it was a real mixed bag of emotions,” she said. “This time round we’ve both qualified and we’re going to be there together. “I love him being at the competitions with me, I can always hear him cheering in the crowd, and it means I have a family member with me.”
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National League South side in the first of several friendly matches before they begin life in the Isthmian League from the 2021/22 campaign.