CATSY’S BACKING FOR PRIDE DAY

Help to Buy for Elms Field homes

SUPPORT is being offered to first time buyers looking to move into a new Wokingham town centre development.

The government-backed Help to Buy scheme is available at the Landmark Square development on Elms Field.

Under the scheme, buyers need a 5% deposit and a 75% mortgage. The rest is an equity loan, offered interest free for the first five years, and repayable on the sale of the home.

Rob Allen, Sales Director at David Wilson Homes Southern, said it was a fantastic option for people looking to move.

“The government-backed scheme is a fantastic stepping stone with just a 5% deposit required, providing an opportunity for young couples to secure a first home together, or allowing renters to find a home of their own,” he said.

Prices at Landmark Square start at £275,000, with four-bedroom homes from £799,000. � For more details, log on to www.dwh.co.uk/offers/ help-to-buy-2021

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Picnic gathering marks this year’s Wokingham Pride

EXCLUSIVE

By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today

PLANS are being made for a bigger and better Wokingham Pride following last year’s covid-affected launch event.

And the community is already rallying round to show their support: among others, street artist Catsy is lending a paw.

The event on Saturday, July 10, starts with a gathering outside Wokingham Town Hall from 11.30am.

Then there will be a picnic in Elms Field from noon. Participants are asked to bring their own food and drink to enjoy.

It marks a step-up from last year’s event, which was just a gathering around Wokingham town hall and an online gathering due to the country being in the throes of the first round of coronavirus pandemic.

Shops and businesses also displayed a rainbow flag in their windows, something that will happen again this year.

Rachel Bishop-Firth (Lib Dem), Wokingham Borough Councillor and admin for the Wokingham LGBTQ+ Pride group, is looking forward to this year’s event being bigger and stressed that it was for all to enjoy.

“The event is for everyone in the community who wants to show their support for Wokingham Pride and our LGBTQ+ community,” she said.

“Please come along with a picnic or support one of our great local businesses by buying a takeaway in town to bring to Elms Field.”

The plans for this year will allow many participants to meet for the first time.

“We held a small event last year but it was mostly online, so this year we’re really excited to be holding our first ever face-to-face event to give the community a chance to meet new people and to feel welcomed and supported in the borough.”

She explained they have also received “good support” from churches and schools in the area.

Alongside the event, Wokingham Library will be providing information on charities and support groups and highlighting LGBT+ authors and subjects.

Cllr Bishop-Firth said that they

ALLIES: Street artist Catsy and the Oxfam store in Peach Street are backing the Wokingham Pride event next month have made “huge progress” on working towards equality.

She said: “There is still work to be done though, in particular, the transgender community is facing the same kind of attacks that gay men and lesbians faced in the 1980s so we hope that this event will help to build understanding between all parts of our community.” � To volunteer or find out more about the event, visit the Wokingham Pride Facebook group.

CORONAVIRUS LATEST How to get QUEUE UP: Pop-up vaccination centre opened at Bulmershe Leisure Centre covid support To access the ‘One Front Door’ service, call Citizens Advice Young adults encouraged to drop-in for their first jab on: 0808 278 7958 By PHIL CREIGHTON Those calling from a news@wokingham.today mobile phone should ALL WOKINGHAM borough enter if prompted: residents aged 18-24 are now able to have a covid vaccination. 0118 978 7258 Bulmershe Leisure Centre has been set up to offer a first dose as part of its surge vaccination Infection rate programme. It launched on Tuesday, and was initially for the areas most affected stuck at 220 by the Delta variant that has been spreading in Wokingham, but Wokingham Borough Council in town centre decided to expand the programme so that all young adults can take part. The scheme runs until Sunday, THE RATE of infection in Wokingham town June 27, and is for first doses only – of our younger people vaccinated are open from 8am to 8pm Monday precautionary measure to help continues to sit at 220 per 100,000 people, in the second doses should be booked via early because we know there is a to Saturday. prevent further spread of the virus –week up to Thursday, June 10. the NHS website. specific issue in these areas. Wokingham Borough Council all national restrictions remain the

Data from Public Health England revealed the Residents should bring proof of “This is in line with what we have staff have been busy reaching as same.” town is significantly higher than the rest of address, ID and their NHS number to done throughout the pandemic, many people as possible, including “Some our test centres have been Wokingham borough, where the number of the clinic, which is being held in which is to use the data to door knocking to raise awareness of very busy, particularly on the first confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents is Bulmershe Leisure Centre in proactively find ways to help the the project. More than 1,000 day of opening, and we will be 85.3 — up from 78.9 last week. Woodley. It’s open daily from community. residents were reached on the first adapting as we go, ensuring we

This is higher than the national rate of 9.30am to 8.30pm. “Some of our surge test centres day of this scheme. share important messages with infection at 70.2 per 100,000 people, which has Parking is available at the have been very busy and we very It has also been targeting residents through all our usual risen significantly from 42.1 last week. Woodley United FC/University of much hope to see a lot of young vulnerable residents to ensure they channels. Please remember that

In Wokingham borough, there were 18 positive Reading car park on Woodlands people coming to get an early jab have home test kits. getting tested is the right thing to do tests recorded on Tuesday, June 15, bringing the Avenue, almost directly opposite this week and next.” A similar scheme has been for yourself and others.” total number of infections to 8,735. the reception for the leisure centre; Those living in target wards of launched to reach more than 1,300 Residents aged 25 and over are

It comes as surge testing and vaccinations its postcode is RG6 1FR. Bulmershe & Whitegates, Evendons, businesses within the areas, as well encouraged to continue to book a continue across Wokingham borough to trace the And the car parks for The Norreys and Wescott should still get as affected schools. Covid-19 vaccination at a mass spread of the virus. Addington School and Bulmershe tested this week as part of the Last week, Cllr Margetts said: vaccination centre through the NHS

On Monday, June 14, Bracknell Forest Council School, which is next door to the council’s surge testing offer, even if “We’ve been massively impressed website. also launched its own surge testing programme leisure centre, can be used from they have had the vaccination. with the take-up of testing. We are More information is available to track the Delta variant, in postcode GU47 0. 5.30pm. This programme runs until seeing many people come forward at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/covid-

It also applies to staff and pupils at all the The council is asking people not Monday and the council has said who have never engaged in Covid 19-vaccinations borough’s secondary schools, staff at primary to park at the leisure centre site or that there had been an impressive testing before, and this is a true And for more information on the schools, and any children who attend Binfield cause obstructions in nearby turnout for people coming forward testament to the commitment of our council’s surge testing programme, Primary School. residential areas. If the car park is for the PCR tests. residents in keeping our borough log on to www.wokingham.gov.uk/

Since last week, Bracknell Forest has seen its full, people should park in Woodley These take around 24 hours to safe. surge-testing rate per 100,000 fall slightly, from 97.9 to 80.8. Town Centre. record a result but are considered to “At the same time, we’ve made � TAXI drivers are being urged to There were 11 new cases on Tuesday, June 15. Cllr Charles Margetts, executive be more accurate than the rapid sure that we’ve offered support to have a PCR test in a bid to stamp out

The figures in neighbouring Reading borough member for health, well-being and lateral flow tests. businesses, schools and our most the Delta variant of the coronavirus. are higher than in Wokingham again this week, adult social care at Wokingham There are testing sites at Shute vulnerable residents to ensure they This is part of the surge testing with an infection rate of 94.6, dropping slightly Borough Council, said: “We have End, Cantley Park, Sindlesham Court have access to tests. We know some programme Wokingham from 96.4 last week. On Tuesday, Reading worked with the NHS to provide and the Microsoft Campus in people will be feeling anxious about Borough Council is currently reported 22 new positive cases. this great opportunity to get many Thames Valley Park. The latter two surge testing; but it really is a undertaking.

Windsor and Maidenhead had five new cases reported that day, but its rate per 100,000 has more than doubled from 13.2 last week to 35.7 this week. Sir John calls for review of lockdown

West Berkshire recorded 15 positive cases, and its infection rate is 27.1, up from 23.4 last week. WOKINGHAM MP John Redwood And the veteran MP reminded simple relationship between length decision as soon as new data

Slough’s infection rate is 86.9, up from 72.2 wants the country to end its people that he had previously and severity of lockdown and death becomes available. It appears that cases per 100,000 last week. It also recorded 14 lockdown, despite Boris Johnson suggested a range of measures that rates. Countries like Belgium and the vaccines are very effective, and covid cases yesterday. delaying the date by four weeks. would have kept people safe while Hungary with lockdown that practically everyone

Nationally, 41,831,056 people have been given On Monday night, the prime unlocking much of the economy. policies suffered worse vulnerable to bad version their first dose of a vaccine in the UK, and minister gave a press conference “The basis of the whole package than others not of the disease has now 30,209,707 people have had their second dose. where he revealed that the planned was the principle of helping all taking so many had a vaccine.

In England, this is 34,965,745 first doses and ending of restrictions for June 21 elderly and medically vulnerable measures”. “I favour letting 25,566,178 second doses. needed to be put back due to people to stay away from others On the current people make more of

On Tuesday, there were 10 deaths in the UK concerns over the Delta variant. who might be a centre of infection extension to the their own decisions within 28 days of a positive Covid-19 test. There Sir John said that he did whilst allowing others unlikely to current lockdown, about how much risk were 184 patients admitted to hospital with the understand the caution of advisors, get a serious version of the disease he wrote: “The they are willing to virus. but the government had a task to more freedom if they wished,” he government run in their lives. “weight that advice in the balance said. “It was important to make it as announced a “If someone still has with advice coming from people easy as possible for those isolating continuation of a fear of this virus then of For the latest news visit wanting to reopen their businesses, get back to work, have a less to get deliveries of the things they needed from phone or on line measures for another four weeks. This will harm a range of course the employer, the family and the community should be restricted social and family life”. orders, and for them to keep in businesses still locked down, and sympathetic and help them to do as These groups, he felt, “think the touch by phone or Zoom or social continue to impede other much as possible without social current restrictions have gone on media.” businesses operating well below contact. For others who are at very long enough”. He also stated: “As the official normal capacity thanks to social little risk of a bad version of the He made the comments in a blog figures for cases and deaths built up distancing rules. disease, let them make more of post on his website on Tuesday. around the world there was no “I urge them to review this their own choices.”