FARLEY HILL PUTS PEDAL TO THE METAL FOR SOAPBOX RACE

Under carters orders: sign up for soapbox race

EXCLUSIVE

By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today

A WHEELY good day at the races is on the carts – sorry, cards – if residents sign up to take part in a family-friendly challenge this September.

The inaugural Farley Hill Soapbox Derby will see teams race each other from the top of Priest Hill, vying to be the fastest, the greatest and even the most creative.

The event, organised by Farley Hill resident Ben Teale, takes place in the afternoon on Sunday, September 19.

It’s open to homemade carts, no longer than 2 metres. The carts must also have a minimum of three wheels, brakes and a rigid steering system. However, any wannabe Dick Dastardlies are warned that they can’t use any catapaults, pedals, or jet engines to give them an unfair advantage.

Each entrant in both the junior and adult categories will take part in timed heats, with the quickest receiving a trophy – and bragging rights – while the cart deemed to have the best design and construction will also be up for an honour.

Half of the funds raised from the event will go to The Victory Hall, on Church Road, and Mr Teale has been actively involved with its supporting society, helping at previous events such as quiz nights.

Mr Teale said it would be “amazing” to get around 20 carts racing in the soap box derby, which will run from 1pm on the day, and see a diversion for motorists in place to allow the derby to take place safely.

Everyone Mr Teale has spoken to has been “really enthusiastic” about the event.

“Although I’ve had a few challenges, the council have been brilliant and they have offered to do (the road closures) for free which has been great,” he said.

Mr Teale encouraged people to take part and said it is just a “bit of fun” for the day.

“We just want people to have lots of fun, have a cool day out, and the carts don’t need to be of a high level,” he said.

“You don’t have to have built the world’s best cart, as long as it has brakes and it’s safe that’s all that matters.”

Along with Malcolm Pridmore from Speedweld Engineering, on Parson’s Farm, Ben has offered to support to any participants needing help with the construction of their vehicle ahead to the event.

And to make the derby a big event, Bluebell Box, a vintage horsebox catering cafe and bar, will provide teas and coffees for spectators on the day.

In addition to the funds raised for The Victory Hall Trust, proceeds will be shared with a charity chosen by one of the event’s sponsors, Woodley-based

CONSTRUCTION KINGS: Ben with his son, William (14) sitting in a very early mockup of a possible soapbox cartie ahead of the Farley Hill event on September 19 Picture: Steve Smyth audio-visual production supplier SFL. Entry fees cost £30 for a cart entered in the adult category and £15 for juniors. Spectator tickets cost £4 for adults, £2 for children and £10 for families. Tickets will go on sale at the end of this month. � For more details, or to register visit farleyhillsoapbox.co.uk IMAGES: CCTV stills showing thieves trying to break into Heathlands Road business units Thieves point ‘shotgun’ during late night raid

POLICE have released CCTV of three men following a burglary on Tuesday, June 29.

Officers would like to speak to them about the incident.

At around 11pm, three offenders were seen walking on Heathlands Road breaking into business units.

The victim, a man in his 50s approached the offenders, when one reached into his car and turned and pointed what is believed to be a shotgun at the victim.

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

The car is described as a silver Nissan X-Trail with no registration plates and a dent in the rear driver’s panel.

Investigating Officer, PC Philip Davies, based at Loddon Valley police station, said: “I am releasing these images as I believe the individuals may have information about what happened.

“If you recognise these people or if you think one of them is you, please get in touch.”

PC Davies is also appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information about the events.

Residents can make a report online or by calling 101, and should quote reference 43210287313.

Anonymous reports can also be made via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Healthy Start help

For advice and assistance on

Family Law matters including:

• Divorce and separation • Child arrangements • Cohabitation agreements

Contact our Family Law team today for a free 1 hour consultation

PARENTS are being given a helping hand if they use Healthy Start vouchers – the Co-op is adding £1 on to their value.

At the moment, each voucher is worth £4.25, but the Southern Co-op, which has branches in

Wokingham’s Market Place and in Binfield, is • Property/financial settlementspromising to top them up as part of its • Family disputescommitment to tackling food poverty. The vouchers are for families on lower • Prenuptial agreementsincomes with children aged four and under, or pregnant women, and can be used for fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables, fresh, dried or tinned pulses, cow’s milk and certain infant Evolution House, 53-59 Peach Street, Wokingham, RG40 1XP formula.

Tel: 0118 978 1017 Holly Bramble, Southern Co-op's Community and Campaign Co-ordinator, said: “It breaks my

Email: Michele.Jenno@star-legal.co.uk

heart to know that 4.28 million children in the UK were living in poverty last year, according to data published by the Department for Work and Pensions. "Poverty and food inequality are issues that we have been working with our communities to tackle through food donations, our Feed a Family Fund, and other financial support. But while there are children still going hungry, then more needs to be done.”

Once families have received their vouchers, they simply need present them at the till when buying any eligible food items at a Southern Co-op store and the value will automatically be topped up to £5.25. � Locations of eligible Co-operative Food stores, can be found at stores. thesouthernco-operative.co.uk/ search.html.

Green routes will help residents switch to cycling

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

THREE new eco-friendly transport routes are set to get the go-ahead today, making it easier to cycle and walk between Woodley town centre and Reading’s Palmer Park.

Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, Wokingham Borough Council’s Executive Member for highways and transport, will chair an Individual Executive Member Decision meeting at 5.30pm. In it, she is expected to approve a recommendation that the council uses funding from the Department of Transport to build an initial section.

This will link Woodlands Avenue between Woodley’s town centre and Bulmershe Leisure Centre and is part of a £4 million project, for which £576,650 will come from the government’s Active Travel Fund. The remaining funding will be found by the council.

When completed, it will continue to Palmer Park, on the border between Reading and Wokingham boroughs. It should be in use from spring next year.

A second scheme will run along the A4 London Road to either Sutton Seeds roundabout or Thames Valley Park.

The final scheme will go from Wokingham town centre, along London Road and then Seaford Road, Denton Road and Luckley Path.

Each project would be segregated cycle paths.

Research from the council showed that at the moment, between two-thirds and three-quarters of road users were motorists but would be more likely to switch to greener routes if available.

For the Wokingham scheme, 31% said they would be more likely to cycle, but 28% said it would not change their plans.

For the Earley A4 London Road scheme, 44% would cycle more and 18% said it wouldn’t change their behaviour.

And for the Woodley route, 45% said they would get on their bikes more frequently and 21% would drive less often.

Further consultation with residents on detailed plans for the Woodley to Reading route will come forward later this year.

“Feedback from our residents tells us they want to see segregated cycleways and these would lead to more of them feeling safe to travel around their area on their bikes,” said Cllr Jorgensen.

“We’re hoping to bring that to Woodley over the next year, with the first section of the Woodley to Reading route between Woodley town centre and Bulmershe Leisure Centre. We’re already looking at how to get funding in place to complete the rest of the route.”

The other routes will be progressed subject to further consultation and when funds allow.

The full engagement summary will be available on the MyJourney Wokingham website.

Cllr Jorgensen said that the council continues to invest in infrastructure across its road network to make it easier for residents to walk and cycle across the borough. This includes the greenways network and investment in cycle paths in other areas as better facilities will help cut the number of car journeys within the borough.

YES AND NO: re3 has produced an infographic showing what can and can’t be recycled Hard plastics recycling trial

Watch your water use during hot weather

A NEW trial is being launched, aimed at reducing the amount of rigid plastic sent to landfill.

Re3, which runs recycling centres on behalf of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Borough councils, wants to cut back on the estimated 700 tonnes of waste produced each year.

The company says that for every 100 tonnes recycled, it can cut 250,000kg of carbon dioxide emissions – equivalent to the consumption of 180 cars.

Items that can be accepted include plastic buckets, crates, bins, storage boxes, garden furniture, pipes, toys or plastic plant pots.

However, items contaminated with paint will not be accepted, neither will polystyrene, fibreglass sheets, garden hoses, plastic film or car seats with textiles.

The new rigid plastic trial is expected to last up to six months and, if successful adopted on a permanent basis.

The plastic will be used in pipelines, the automotive industry, construction materials, furniture and household items.

In a joint statement, Cllr Dorothy Hayes (Bracknell Forest), Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward (Reading Borough) and Cllr Parry Batth (Wokingham), said:

“We are delighted with this trial and invite all residents to take notice of the full list of new rigid plastic materials that can now be recycled when visiting either the Bracknell or Reading recycling sites. “This initiative represents an ideal opportunity to recycle even more plastic items that are no longer needed at our homes and plays an important part in the sustainable production of new plastic items. “It is our aim to work towards a zero-landfill rate and adding rigid plastic to our recyclable waste stream is another step to achieve that.” Evening be-gin Mouse hunt

A GIN night will be held at Crowthorne’s British Legion club this Saturday.

Based on Wellington Road, the club is welcoming members and non-members to the event.

Premium gins will be available to try and entry is £10 for three gins and one tonic.

Numbers will be limited so booking is advised.

Social distancing will be followed in line with the current government guidelines.

To book a table call Jod on 07812 350281. � For more details, log on to Crowthornerbl.co.uk THERE’S a mouse loose in the house – and you’re invited to find him.

Several knitted creations have been made by members of the Mothers’ Union at St Paul’s Church.

They will be hidden in the Reading Road building and churchyard on Saturday, July 17.

Visitors are welcome between 2pm and 4pm to find the wee timorous beasties before enjoying refreshments in the Parish Rooms.

Entry is free, but donations to the Mothers’ Union are welcomed.

THE RECENT hot weather has seen demand for water increase, and residents are being reminded to use water wisely.

On Sunday, June 13 – one of the hottest days of the year so far –South East Water said that it extracted, treated and pumped 666 million litres of water to 2.2 million customers – 100 million litres more than in an average June.

The company, which supplies Wokingham borough residents, said that while there is enough water in its reservoirs and underground aquifers, it had to push extra water through the treatment process to meet demand.

Douglas Whitfield, South East Water’s operations director, said: “When the temperature increases people use more water, it’s something we expect and plan for.

“As we’re still not commuting or travelling as normal, coupled with the recent hot weather, demand in our supply area is higher than we normally see.

“If a lot of people make a few simple changes it can add up to a big difference. An easy one is to cover paddling pools when not in use then re-using the water when emptying and not watering lawns when rain is on the way.”

He added: “Since the high demands experienced during the heatwave last year we have worked hard to make changes to improve the network, but with everyone at home this summer we are asking for everyone to help save water where they can”. � For water saving tips, log on to: www.southeastwater.co.uk/ savewaterinthesun

ADVERTISER'S ANNOUNCEMENT Plenty of choice thanks to Bob’s Fish & Chips

THE ARGUMENT over what to eat has been solved … head to Bob’s Fish and Chips and you can order the world on a plate.

The Finchampstead takeaway is more than just a chippy: you can order Thai, the tastiest Grilled Peri-Peri Chicken and pizzas, as well as kebabs, salads, burgers and Southern Fried Chicken – among many other culinary delights.

No more disagreements as to where to go for a treat, Bobs has it all and in one location.

Open six days a week, the popular takeaway is at the heart of the village and you’ll regularly see a steady stream of visitors coming in and out of its base at California Crossroads.

The menu includes set meals, favourites such as Thai fish cakes, dim sum and massaman curries.

Ordering online means you can choose collection time and customise your order. The team at Bobs can temper dishes to suit allergies – just fill in the form when placing your request.

Bob’s decided to get onboard with selling Thai food in Finchampstead due to requests from customers and owner Jazz Brar was pleased to be able to offer such an extensive menu to his customers.

“We have something for everyone and it makes ordering easy for families who want a variety of dishes to be ready to collect together rather than having to dart around to different places,” he said.

“Customers enjoy coming to us because of the good quality of food and customer service and because they can order a huge variety of items.”

Jazz added that their online ordering system is straightforward to use, but walk-ins are welcome.

He said: “We've got a good website on which you can order everything, you can also put notes on any allergies you may have, what time you want to collect and anything else you want to let us know.

“I’d recommend pre-ordering any Thai dishes or pizzas so that customers aren’t waiting around for too long when they collect them.”

The shop is open 11.30am-2pm and 5pm-10pm every day except Sundays.

Pizzas and Thai food are only available to order in the evenings, with fish and chips available throughout the day. � For more details or to place an order, visit bobsfinchampstead.co.uk

Bob’s Fish and Chips in Finchampstead naturally serves fish and chips

Chicken Pad Thai Chicken in a barbecue sauce

Freshly made burgers Chinese meals are available

From the grill … peri peri chicken

Kebabs with fresh pitta and salad

425 Finchampstead Road, Finchampstead RG40 3RL bobsfinchampstead.co.uk

6 | NEWS Mental health crisis centre to open in Reading

A CRISIS support centre is opening in Reading to provide short-term help to people in distress.

The Breathing Space will open for each evening from Friday to Monday.

It will be run by national charity Together for Mental Wellbeing, providing a safe, supportive, inclusive and homely environment to talk about poor mental health.

Niki Cartwright, director of joint commissioning at Berkshire West CCG said she was pleased to announce the next step in opening up.

“We already commission Together For Mental Wellbeing to provide local services at Berkshire West Your Way, working alongside people with mental health issues to help them lead fulfilling and independent lives,” she said. “They consistently show they have a good knowledge and working relationship with our partner agencies in Berkshire West and this, coupled with experience at a national level, puts them in a strong position to fulfil our brief and provide an exceptional service for our people.”

Those visiting the centre will be signposted to resources such as recovery colleges or secondary care mental health services.

It is hoped it will provide better and timely support for people experiencing mental distress.

Last year, the CCG reviewed its Mental Health Crisis Service.

It flagged a need for a one-stop signposting service, with face-to-face support.

It will open later this year.

For the latest news visit

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, July 8, 2021 The Mill celebrates playwright with Ray Cooney Auditorium

EXCLUSIVE

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

THE MILL at Sonning is to celebrate one of the nation’s most-loved living playwrights by renaming its auditorium in his honour.

From September, plays will be performed in The Ray Cooney Auditorium. And the first show that will be performed will be his classic farce Two Into One.

And among the cast is Carol Royle, the daughter of comedian Derek, who appeared in the very first production of the comedy in the West End.

For The Mill’s owner, Sally Hughes, the association is a way of thanking Mr Cooney for his support not just over the pandemic, but going back many years.

“Around our second year that we were open we did a production of Run For You Wife,” she explained. “I’d never met Ray but his manager suggested Dennis Ramsden as director, who became a great friend. During the run, he became ill. He wasn’t just directing, he was playing one of the main parts.

“Ray sent his understudy down to us from the West End production. That was his first act of generosity to The Mill. It meant we didn’t have to cancel the show, they were fantastic.

“We’ve done a Ray Cooney play every year since, some of them we’ve done three times and Ray has directed some of them.”

And when lockdown hit last March, Ray was one of the first to offer to help out.

“We were going from income coming in to nothing, absolutely nothing coming in to the box office, it just stopped. There was no furlough (for the industry), but there was all the staff and bills to pay. What where we going to do? Ray stepped in and was just extraordinary in his generosity.

“I’ve seen him step in over the years and help people, very quietly. He’s helped actors and productions. I just thought how can I thank you? I think it’s very fitting.”

And Ray, Ms Hughes says, was thrilled when she told him.

“He was delighted, he just adores the Mill,” she said. “And he will be there on the night, and he’s coming to our first rehearsal next Monday for a readthrough, which will be exciting.”

Two Into One opens on Thursday, August 5, and runs until Saturday, October 9. The unveiling will be at a special star-studded gala performance on Saturday, September 11. Tickets for this are £2,000 each and there are also opportunities to sponsor a seat, with all proceeds going to the Mill’s Angels fund which helps ensure the dinner theatre can keep going.

It’s not the only way in which The Mill has been reaching out to supporters since it was able to reopen earlier in the summer. It has been hosting special celebrity events featuring supporters such as Upstairs Downstairs star Simon Williams, Strictly Come Dancing star Debbie McGee and an afternoon with Dame Judi Dench.

“Debbie did a wonderful show for us last weekend and Judi raised a huge amount of money for us. I emailed her way back towards the beginning of the year, asking if she would consider doing an afternoon for us. She came back immediately and said, ‘Darling, you know, whatever, whatever you want’. Just amazing.”

The theatre has benefited from the cultural recovery fund, which is allowing the production of Two Into One to go ahead, and it will continue to offer appropriate covid-safe measures to keep everyone – actors, staff and visitors – safe.

“I think it’s so very important that people get behind us now,” Ms Hughes says.

“I feel that we will bounce back really well. I feel that because we’re a slightly smaller venue, people feel a little bit safer.

“Theatre is important, not just to people’s wellbeing, but to the economy, and The Mill is a huge boost to the local economy and we employ local people, so it’s very important.” � For more details on Two Into One, or to book, call 0118 969 8000 or log on to millatsonning.com

NEW NAME:

The Mill at Sonning has renamed its auditorium after Ray Cooney Picture: Rod Allday via geograph

CINE VALLEY: A TV studio for chat and game shows is planned by the University of Reading as part of a film and creative hub in Shinfield Picture: Jess Warren

Game show TV studio plan to be heard

PLANS FOR a new TV studio will be heard by the council next week.

The 4,591 sq m studio is part of the University of Reading’s Cine Valley project in Shinfield.

It will be heard by the borough council’s Development Control Committee on Wednesday, July 14.

Designed for audience-based chat and game shows, the studio could seat 600.

It will adjoin and match the look of the existing Gateway building and sit beside the Rutherford Cancer Centre.

It is hoped the TV studio will be complementary to the Shinfield Studios proposal.

Darren Browne, commercial director of the University of Reading, said demand for filming space is increasing.

“This project is perfectly suited to help provide additional space for TV productions, alongside the separate Shinfield Studios film complex,” he said.

“This studio would support 150 full-time equivalent roles involved in the running of the studios, such as engineers, electricians and office staff, as well as production roles including camera operators, sound engineers and lighting specialists, and for audience handling, such as catering and security.”

The site would also offer opportunities to university students for hands-on experience, Mr Browne said.