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6 | NEWS Revd Richard Lamey made honorary canon
A WOKINGHAM rector is one of eight clergy to be made an honorary canon.
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Father Richard Lamey, from St Paul’s Church, will be installed at a special ceremony in Christ Church, Oxford later this month.
The Canons have been selected for their work within the Diocese of Oxford and the wider church.
Father Richard has been rector of the parish since 2012 and served as area dean of Sonning. Until September last year, he was acting association archdeacon of Berkshire.
Brought up in south Manchester, the first decade of his ministry was spent in the Diocese of Chester, where he was Vicar of Newton with Flowery Field and Rural Dean of Mottram. He is a young vocations advisor for the archdeaconry and a member of Bishop’s Council and Diocesan Synod.
The Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford is looking forward to the installation service, which takes place on Tuesday, June 22.
He said: “We are hugely blessed in this diocese to have so many people, lay and ordained, who do so much in their churches, their communities, and beyond.
“I am delighted that this service allows us to say thank you to some of those people for the outstanding work they have done and are doing to make a difference, especially over the last year which has, for so many, been a difficult time.”
CLASP launches healthy club
A GRANT has been awarded by Wokingham Healthwatch to allow CLASP to launch a Happy and Healthy Club.
The advocacy group for people with learning disabilities will now offer sessions promoting better wellbeing. This will include seated pilates and healthy eating exercises.
Sessions will run on the last Wednesday of a month from 10.30am-11.30am. Pre-booking is essential. � For more details, visit: wokinghamclasp.org.uk
Families enjoy a buzzing half-term at Emmbrook trail
CREEPY crawlies have taken over Emmbrook this half-term to help raise money for local pupils, writes Charlotte King.
Since Friday, May 28, insects have been spotted across town as Emmbrook Schools PTA hosts its Great Bug Hunt.
The trail takes youngsters out and about to find all manner of bugs, guided by a handy map.
Organiser Catherine Stott said more than £1,000 has been raised for Emmbrook Infants and Junior Schools PTA so far.
She hopes the money will be used to help fund an outdoor reading library for students.
“It’s been going really well and everyone is enjoying it,” she said. “Lots of families have been getting involved and it has been lovely to see.
“We’ve also had steady interest from outside the Emmbrook community, so people are coming in to see what a lovely village we have.”
The Great Bug Hunt
FLY TRAP: Charlotte, 5, and Claudia Goncalves, 8, with their fly-eating plant warn others of the danger ahead is taking place until Sunday.
Tickets cost £3.72, and £3 from every purchase goes towards the school.
Tickets can be redeemed for maps at Emmbrook Food and Wine,146 Clifton Road, and Emmbrook Post Office, 139 Reading Road. � For more information, visit: www.eventbrite. co.uk/e/the-emmbrooktrail-the-great-bughunt-tickets151349583679
HUNGRY CATERPILLAR: Annabelle, 7, James ,9, Catherine, organiser of the bug trail and William Stott All pictures: Steve Smyth
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Contact our Family Law team today for a free 1 hour consultation
Evolution House, 53-59 Peach Street, Wokingham, RG40 1XP Tel: 0118 978 1017 Email: Michele.Jenno@star-legal.co.uk www.star-legal.co.uk
Search and rescue team given £1,000 by Tesco
THE COUNTY-WIDE search and rescue team has received £1,000 from Tesco to support its work.
Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue will use the money for communications equipment so its teams can continue improving their emergency response.
The donation was part of the supermarket’s community grant scheme, which supports charities and organisations across the country.
Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue is the oldest lowland search and rescue team in the UK.
It works in partnership with Thames Valley Police to locate and rescue high-risk vulnerable missing persons such as children and those living with dementia.
All members are volunteers, trained in search and rescue techniques.
Fundraising officer Andrew Viney received the funds from Hayley Inwood, store manager at the Finchampstead Road superstore in Wokingham.
He said: “We’re very grateful to Tesco for this grant. It means a lot to us because it will go towards vital communications equipment that will undoubtedly lead to the saving of lives in Berkshire.
“The Finchampstead Road Tesco store has always been so supportive of us, as has the community as a whole, and we really do appreciate this because we rely on donations to help us save lives – so every penny counts.”
Louise Jedras, community champion at the store, praised the work of Berkshire Lowland Search and Rescue.
“We’re very pleased to support them,” she added. “They do an amazing job. Many people don’t realise they are a volunteer organisation and that donations are so important to them.
“They train their volunteers to the highest standard to ensure their own safety and that of the person they are looking for.
“It takes three months to train a volunteer to become operational, and I’m always amazed by the level of commitment their members give.”
Donations received each year provide on-foot searchers, search controllers and search managers, as well as equipment to manage a largescale search, including a control vehicle, computer mapping, radio technology and medical equipment.
HELPING HAND: UK’s oldest Search and Rescue group is presented with £1,000 from Tesco on Finchampstead Road Picture: Tesco
To advertise email advertising@wokingham.today Male domestic violence reports rise 30% last year
By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham.today
MALE domestic abuse cases have risen since the pandemic began.
Police officers have seen an increase of 30% in male domestic abuse cases over the past year.
During 2020, one in four men across the country reported they were victims to the police, with officers receiving 229,764 reports in that year.
This is worse than the year before.
In 2019, 176,294 men reported abuse to the police, and fewer in previous years.
It marks a 117% increase in documented incidents since 2014.
Thames Valley Police alone received 13,082 reports from male abuse victims.
Since Clare’s Law came into force in 2014, just 1,551 men have used the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme nationally where police can disclose information to victims about their partner’s previous offences.
Through the programme, figures confirmed that just 7% of enquiries have been made by a man.
Kaleidoscopic UK, a Finchampsteadbased domestic violence charity, has also offered its support for male abuse victims in the borough.
Vickie Robertson, founder of Kaleidoscopic UK, said it’s “vital” that people speak out.
She added: “There is a lot more awareness surrounding male abuse victims now and people need to realise that they have to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and that’s very important.
“We have had a massive increase in reports in the last year, especially men, but the Wokingham borough is very good at supporting victims and we are always more than happy to support men here at Kaleidoscopic.”
Men Reaching Out, run by BEAP Community Partnership, is a service open to victims of domestic abuse aged 16 or over.
The service held a conference last month where experts and survivors from across the country spoke about providing better support for male victims of domestic abuse.
Delegates heard about the experiences of running a helpline, spotting the signs of abuse, the barriers to reporting and delivering support and a Peer Support Group.
The conference was chaired by Ian McNicholl, a survivor of Domestic Abuse and ambassador for the Men Reaching Out Service.
Mr McNicholl said: “This event has demonstrated the need for professionals, charities and survivors from across the country to come together with a shared desire to reach out to create and/or enhance existing service provision for male victims.”
Humayun Islam, chief executive of Men Reaching Out, said: “Far too many men feel they are to blame, they’re weak and they’re alone often because they do not think there is any support for them.
“This event aims to ensure that no man suffers in silence and men recognise that they can escape and rebuild their lives.” � The Men Reaching Out helpline is 01274 731020 from Monday to Thursday 10am to 3pm
Enjoying tea and cake by the lake
THAMES HOSPICE has launched a new menu as it welcomes customers back to its cafe.
Café by the Lake is serving a range of hot and cold food and drink on its terrace overlooking Bray Lake.
Hospice chief executive, Debbie Raven, said: “It’s so wonderful to welcome back our visitors to the café again.
“We really have missed our community and it’s lovely to have the vibrant atmosphere back at the café once again. The food is excellent and it’s such a treat to dine in beautiful surroundings.”
Ms Raven said every meal purchased helps support families receiving care at the hospice.
“Whether you’re looking for energy to kickstart a local ramble or are returning from a gentle stroll around Bray Lake, Café by the Lake is a great place to enjoy a treat or two,” she added.
Café by the Lake is open everyday from 8am to 7pm. There is free parking in the visitors car park.
A NEW chief nurse has been appointed at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, writes Jess Warren.
Eamonn Sullivan, who was previously chief nurse at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, replaces Caroline Ainslie who retired last week after nine years with the trust.
RBH chief executive Steve McManus said: “Firstly I’d like to pay tribute to the fantastic work Caroline Ainslie has done with the trust.
“She’ll be a very hard act to follow but I know the extensive experience, expertise and knowledge Eamonn brings to the role will be invaluable to us as we continue and develop the work being done here.”
Mr McManus said Mr Sullivan will play a key role in helping shape the future direction of the trust to ensure patients and staff have the best modern, cutting edge facilities and services.
“There’s a real appetite for progress and development at the RBFT and this, coupled with the trust’s great work around staff inclusivity, wellbeing and achievement makes it a really great place to be,” Mr Sullivan said. “I’m looking forward to working with the trust teams to further enhance and expand the healthcare services being provided for the local community.”
Mr Sullivan was at the Royal Marsden for four years and last year was seconded to be the director of nursing at the NHS Nightingale London and, later in the year, chief nurse for testing at NHS Test and Trace.
Mr Sullivan is also a reservist in the Army Medical Services and has served as a nursing officer in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the days before taking on his new role, he was awarded an MBE for his services to nursing.
TEA TIME: Visitors can now dine in or out at Café by the Lake Picture: Thames Hospice
Reservist becomes chief nurse
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, June 3, 2021 House demand rises 71% in two months
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today
THE RACE for space is on as more people look for multi-bed homes in the borough.
According to Zoopla, demand for two- and three-bedroom houses in the area has skyrocketed by 68%, since pupils returned to in-person teaching.
There has also been a 71% rise in demand for four- and fivebedroom homes since March this year.
A spokesperson for Zoopla said Wokingham’s location might have something to do with it.
“Perfectly placed for commuting to Reading, London and other key cities in the UK, the town’s excellent schools make it a great choice for families experiencing a return to normality following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions.”
The property firm said Berkshire as a whole has also seen a “notable uplift” in interest, after demand for larger houses rose by 97% in neighbouring Reading and 41% in West Berkshire.
Mark Wright, regional residential sales director at Romans, which has its headquarters in Crowthorne, said families have been “grabbing the opportunity” to live in the borough.
“Since the schools reopened, we’ve seen a surge in demand for family homes in Reading and nearby towns,” he said.
“[This] is a fantastic place for families to live, with its proximity to cities like London and access to beautiful countryside, and we’re expecting demand to keep rising as we head towards the end of the stamp duty holiday in September.”
Gráinne Gilmore, head of research at Zoopla, added: “More families took the opportunity of the kids going back to school to look for a new home, and that has had a big impact on demand for homes.
“As lockdown restrictions continue to ease and demand for outdoor space continues at pace, homeowners have a golden opportunity to move to a new property before the stamp duty holiday ends in September.”
� Continued from front page Now, residents are concerned about the impact on their mental health, as anti-social behaviour continues at the site.
Ms Price said it has left a lot of residents “very disgruntled, unhappy and dissatisfied”.
“The car meets have affected me quite considerably, and at points I feel that I’m having a breakdown because I don’t enjoy living here,” she said. “It’s my right to live in my own home and not have to endure this noise every night of the week.
“It’s a real imposition, and fundamentally wrong.”
Mr Carter said he has reached out to Wokingham Borough Council more than 40 times to find a resolution, and made 24 formal complaints to police.
“I have been told constantly by the borough council to phone the police, but the police don’t attend antisocial behaviour calls,” Mr Carter said. “I feel like I’m wasting police time.
“The council also gave me an app to record the sound levels, but why do I have to spend my evening doing that?”
Ms Price, who has also been in touch with the council, said the response has been “woeful”.
“They’re not interested, they don’t care, and they’re not proactive,” she said. “They have not taken responsibility and have not found practical ways of helping us. Nothing is being done to stop this.”
Mr Carter and Ms Price are now urging the borough council to either install barriers to the car park, to stop people accessing the site 24 hours a day, or staff the area with security guards.
Cllr Maria Gee, Lib Dem councillor for Wescott Ward, accused the borough council of failing to take “effective action”.
“People are at their wits’ end,” she said. “They are having their whole lives disturbed.
“It’s a failure on behalf of anybody who is responsible for the car park, and the residents have been suffering.
“If Wokingham Borough Council don’t tackle this, nobody will want to use the car park at all and revenue will go down the toilet.”
Now, Cllr Gee is backing residents’ calls to reinstate barriers at the car park.
“They should reinstall barriers on the way in and way out,” Cllr Gee said. “And don’t let anybody in after 6pm, when the leisure centre shuts, but let people leave.
“I think that’s reasonable and I don’t see any other action that can be taken.”
Council leader John Halsall said the borough council is working alongside the police to stamp out anti-social behaviour.
He said the council plans to bring its public protection partnership services inhouse, and work has already begun with the localities team patrolling the Carnival area.
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “We take all reports of antisocial behaviour seriously and we will always respond to incidents that affect our communities the most, particularly where threat, harm and risk is at its greatest.
“We are aware of reports of such incidents occurring in Wokingham, and we would like to reassure the public that patrols are ongoing as part of our commitment to deal with anti-social behaviour and drug use in the community.
“We would like to remind residents to report any such incidents to police so that they can be looked into and dealt with properly.
“Anyone with information on such incidents is asked to make a report by either going online, or calling 101.”
Wokingham Borough Council was contacted for comment.
Distributor road changes could cost an additional £2 million says councillor
WOKINGHAM Liberal Democrats are “demanding better” from the borough council following last month’s planning meeting.
But the borough council executive for roads said this could cost an additional £2 million.
On Tuesday, May 18, the committee voted in favour of a range of proposals which will see 1,600 new homes built south of the railway line.
The committee also voted to extend the South Wokingham Distributor Road (SWDR), which caused a debate about active travel to dominate the evening.
The proposal for the new highway includes a three-metre wide, combined cycleway and footpath, which prompted a host of objections.
Cllr Rachelle Shepherd-Dubey, ward councillor for Winnersh and shadow planning and enforcement executive, said: “Lib Dems tried to get the council at the planning committee meeting to comply with the safer segregated two-metre cycle and two-metre pedestrian paths.
“We asked Wokingham Borough Council to stretch to the new Government guidelines [rather] than settling for an old, worn standard which forces pedestrians to share space with cyclists.”
In July last year, the Government revealed it wanted to see 50% of short journeys made on foot or by bike within the next 10 years.
Cllr Shepherd-Dubey added: “We would like to encourage cycling and walking to meet the council’s climate emergency declaration.
“Make it safer for both pedestrians and cyclists to be healthier and produce less climate change.”
But Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport, said the scheme will deliver “excellent infrastructure” to the town.
“We have been working on this scheme since 2014, the designs met the latest standards at the time, and have been assessed for safety by independent organisations,” she said.
According to the councillor, to separate the cycleway and walkway, 15% more land would be needed as well as an additional £2 million.
“It’s very easy for a councillor to demand changes to schemes which are already far through the design phase without regard to the cost to our taxpayers, instead of looking into the scheme to see how much of a benefit it is to the local community,” Cllr Jorgensen added. “The council, led by the Conservatives, is getting on with delivering for our residents. I suggest the opposition work with us on this, rather than against us.”
To advertise email advertising@wokingham.today Government puts ‘substantial’ pressure on borough building
EXCLUSIVE
By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today
THE pressure on local authorities to build homes is ‘substantial’ according to Wokingham borough council leader John Halsall.
He said the government determination to create 300,000 new homes meant that the new local plan, currently being prepared to release in draft form, had to include details of where roughly 14,000 would be built in Wokingham.
While last month plans for the South Wokingham Strategic Development Location were approved by the planning committee, Cllr Halsall said that there was a need to produce its local plan ‘post haste’ as its five-year land supply – used by the council to justify development plans in legal actions against speculative developers – will soon expire.
“Why are we not telling the Government to get stuffed on numbers? Wokingham has the disadvantage of being a very prosperous borough with a high level of education, and low levels of deprivation. It is very well managed by the borough council, and it’s a very desirable place to live,” Cllr Halsall said. “Almost every inch of the borough is an option to some developer.”
He said that while the council felt that even 600-700 new homes a year was excessive, without a plan the borough would face two, three or four times that number.
“The net effect is the local authority loses all control of its planning process, it gets passed to Whitehall,” he continued. “I’m sure Whitehall-controlled planned process will be considerably worse than our own in terms of local democracy and what people want.
“We will not be able to resist. If we allow speculative development to take place we would have no infrastructure payments.”
Cllr Lindsay Ferris, leader of Wokingham Liberal Democrats said they have also pressed for lower housing numbers.
He said the last local plan took the number of homes in the borough past 72,000.
“It is now expected to grow to close to 85,000 to 90,000 by the end of this new local plan,” he said.
The councillor said the Ministry of Defence objections to a garden village in Grazeley set back the draft local plan update.
“This puts added pressure on Wokingham Borough Council to get things moving, otherwise developers will use a number of loop holes,” he said.
The Lib Dem leader said his group would have taken a stand against the development numbers, if they were running the council.
“We are now dependent on a Conservaitive administration to keep the level of homes to a more reasonable level, while their national masters are being financed by many of the developers wanting to build yet more homes,” he said.
“Wokingham borough is a semirural area with all the green spaces we want to protect.
“But with the addition of roughly 15,000 properties, our area will become increasingly more like inner and outer suburbia. We have to make a stand now to protect the overall nature of our area.”
The council’s vision is to try and minimise housing numbers but “we should also try to configure it in such a way that it allows for a higher level of affordable housing than we currently have,” Cllr Halsall said.
“It will fit in with our housing strategy to deliver council houses on an unprecedented scale for those on medium and low incomes. It will be skewed towards the first time buyer and those downsizing.”
Cllr Ferris said he would like to see more bungalows built.
“This would enable our older community to move out of their current homes and still be able to
Cowshed wants your gowns
A HURST charity is appealing for Wokingham borough’s help to get Cinderella to the ball.
The Cowshed, which runs a prom outfit scheme, has been busy making sure all Berkshire students can attend their leavers’ balls by renting out dresses and suits for a discounted price.
It forms part of its programme Prom at The Cowshed, which launched in 2019.
Now, the charity is appealing to the public for help to find a range of shoes, as well as smart menswear, to keep the project going.
Sally Russell, CEO of The Cowshed, said: “The prom is proving to be an important part of the work we do in the local community. We have had many referrals and hire enquiries with over 50 appointments in the last six weeks.
“We have seen some very happy young people go out with their perfect outfits and it's amazing to see the students able to look forward to a prom again.
“We are so blessed to be in a position to help and are grateful to all our supporters, staff and volunteers for making this project such a huge success.”
The charity is currently in need of men’s and ladies’ smart, evening shoes in all sizes. There is particular demand for men’s shoes in a size 14.
It is also looking for men’s black tie trousers in a size 46 in waist and 34 in leg.
Anybody who can help donate these items should take them to the charity’s Winnersh donations centre, on King Street Lane. � For more information, visit: www.thecowshed.org live in this area,” he said. “We all accept that additional homes are required, but they must meet real local need and not just fill developers' pockets.”
Cllr Rachel Burgess, leader of Wokingham Labour called for more council homes.
“Too often in the past we have seen the term affordable housing used to describe housing that is far from affordable,” she said.
“We need to do much better in providing council houses.
“The borough is building the first 11 council houses it has built in over 20 years — a shocking state of affairs.”
The Labour leader said she was also concerned about the sustainability of the builds.
“We have to move away from a culture where merely meeting guidelines is good enough,” she said. “We need to be aiming to set a standard which others aspire to follow.”
This includes creating safe routes for cyclists and walkers, and having strong policies for the handover of developments to the council, she said.
She added: “My fear is that whatever our local plan looks like, it will be ripped up by the new legislation that was provided for in the manifesto, which the local Conservatives campaigned for in the General Election.
“This legislation will allocate most of our borough as a “growth” area and the developers will be allowed to do what they want, where they want: a Conservative developers’ charter.”
Cllr Ferris was also concerned about the planning reform.
It proposes to switch future planning to a zonal system – where land in a borough would allocated as a growth, renewal or protection area.
“Developers will by and large have greater freedom to build the homes that they want to build at the expense of local opinion and wishes,” he said.
“This is shameful and something I do not believe many people are aware of, as our minds have been on other issues this past 15 to 18 months.”
But Cllr Halsall felt that it was too early to take a view on the White Paper. He stressed that while he stood up to the government last year over housing numbers and would do so again, the White Paper was “an apple pie paper” that promised lots that, if delivered, would satisfy all — an impossible feat.
“I tend to feel that some of those objectives are in tension with one another,” he said, adding: “It’s really, really hard to be against an aspiration and we won’t know how those aspirations will are to be met until the detail comes out.”
Meetings may also be online – contact councils for details Thursday, June 3
Shinfield Parish Council. Planning and
Highways. 7.30pm. Parish Hall, School
Green, Shinfield RG2 9EH. shinfieldparish.gov.uk
Monday, June 7
Hurst Parish Council. Council meeting. 7.30pm. Hurst Village Halls, School
Road RG10 0DR. www.hurstpc.org.uk Wokingham Town Council. Arts and
Culture Committee. 7.30pm. Town
Hall, Market Place, Wokingham RG40 1AS. www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk
Tuesday, June 8
Earley Town Council. Planning committee. 7.30pm. Earley Town Council offices,
Radstock Lane, Earley RG6 5UL. www.earley-tc.gov.uk Sonning Parish Council. Council meeting. 7pm. Sports Pavilion, King George V
Playing Field, Pound Lane RG4 6XE. www.sonning-pc.gov.uk Winnersh Parish Council. Parish council meeting. 7.30pm. Community Centre,
New Road, Sindlesham RG41 5DU. www.winnersh.gov.uk Wokingham Town Council. Finance and
Personnel Committee. 7.30pm. Town
Hall, Market Place, Wokingham RG40 1AS. www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk
Wednesday, June 9
Finchampstead Parish Council. Amenities committee. 7pm. FBC Centre, Gorse
Ride North RG40 4ES. www.finchampstead-pc.gov.uk Shinfield Parish Council. Finance and
General Purposes. 7.30pm. Shinfield Parish Hall, School Green, Shinfield
RG2 9EH. Shinfieldparish.gov.uk Wokingham Borough Council. Planning
Committee. 7pm. Wokingham Borough
Council, Shute End RG40 1BN.
Thursday, June 10
Wokingham Borough Council.
Wokingham Borough Wellbeing Board. 5pm. Shute End RG40 1BN.
Monday, June 14
Remenham Parish Council. Parish Hall, off
Remenham Lane, Remenham. 8pm. www.remenhamparish.org.uk Wokingham Borough Council. Sacre meeting. 6.15pm. Health Overview and
Scrutiny. 7pm. Shute End RG40 1BN. Wokingham Town Council. Finance and
Personnel Committee. 7.30pm. Town
Hall, Market Place, RG40 1AS. www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk � A WINNERSH man who drove while over the limit has had his licence taken away for 19 months.
Joseph Winter, 27 and from Maple Close, pleaded guilty when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on April 29:
On March 30, he was stopped in Davis Street, Hurst by police. A test found that he had 77 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the prescribed limit.
His ban will be reduced by 19 weeks on completion of a safe driving course.
He was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 costs and £34 to victim services.
� A WOODLEY man who pleaded guilty to entering into an arrangement that would allow him to use or control criminal property on behalf of another person has been ordered to undertake 80 hours of community service.
Joshua Dean Besant, 20 and from Crediton Close in Woodley, admitted the charge when he appeared at East Berkshire Magistrates Court in Slough on April 30.
The incident took place on November 9, 20219 and involved the sum of £5,600.
He was ordered to pay costs of £85 and £90 to victim services, at a rate of £50 per month.
� DRIVING while over the limit has seen a Winnersh man banned from getting behind the wheel for 23 months.
Philip Smith, 34 and from Sandstone Close, was stopped on Lower Earley Way on January 24.
A test found that he had 90 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the prescribed limit.
His ban will be reduced by 23 weeks on completion of a safe driving course.
Smith was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £34 to victim services. � DRUG DRIVING has seen a Woodley man banned from getting behind the wheel for 12 months.
Reiss Louis Smith, 20 and from Ravensbourne Drive, was stopped on Wroxham Road in Woodley on October 16.
A test found that he had traces of Benzoylecgonine, a form of cocaine, in his bloodstream, exceeding the specified limit.
Magistrates also found he was driving a vehicle without insurance.
Smith pleaded guilty when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on May 5.
He was also fined £333, and ordered to pay £85 costs and £34 to victim services.
� A WOODLEY man who was over the drink-drive limit has been banned from driving for 23 months.
Piotr Jan Piekos, 31 and from Tipping Way, was stopped on Oxford Road in Reading on April 3.
A test found that he had 91 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, exceeding the prescribed limit.
He pleaded guilty to the offence and was told his ban would be reduced by 23 weeks on completion of a safe driving course.
Piekos was fined £200, ordered to pay £85 costs and £34 to victim services.
� AN EARLEY man who drove while under the influence of drugs has been banned for 14 months.
Imran Zaman, 32 and from Erleigh Court Gardens, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Reading Magistrates Court on May 5.
Zaman had been stopped on London Road on May 8, 2020.
A test found traces of traces of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of cannabis, in his bloodstream.
He was also found guilty of using fraudulent number plates, displaying a different registration to the one that the car actually had. The offending number plates, F4T GS, was confiscated by police under Section 152 of the Sentencing Act 2000.
In addition to the driving ban, Zaman was fined £300, ordered to pay £250 costs and £34 to victim services.
� A WARGRAVE woman who assaulted a police officer on May 31 last year has been given a community order.
Natasha Louise George, 34 and from Victoria Road, pleaded guilty to the offence, which took place in Wokingham.
At a hearing at Reading Magistrates Court on May 5, George was ordered to pay £95 to victim services and undertake rehabilitation activities.
� A WINNERSH man who failed to attend appointments made by a court order has admitted the breach.
Scott Pattemore, 36 and from Azalea Close, appeared before Reading Magistrates Court on May 6, where he admitted the breach on January 25 this year.
He was ordered to comply with the original ruling, and ordered to pay costs of £75.
Sindlesham charity makes shortlist for £10,000 grant
A SINDLESHAM charity has been shortlisted for a grant to support future fruit tree planting projects.
Freely Fruity, which grows free produce for the community, has been chosen to receive a grant to help fund their work.
The Grants For Good Fund, created by the Matthew Good Foundation, shares £10,000 between five shortlisted projects every three months.
The chosen projects are ones that have positive impacts on communities, people and the environment.
Having received more than 400 applications for the first round of Grants for Good, Freely Fruity has been chosen as one of the five finalists.
The charity will be sharing the grant with Harry’s Hydrocephalus Awareness Trust, Khushi Kantha, Mind Moves Mentoring and Yorkshire Rewilding Network.
The project that receives the most votes will receive £3,500, second place £2,500, third place £2,000 and fourth and fifth place will receive £1,000.
Matt Knight, one of the founders of Freely Fruity, said they are “really honoured” to have been shortlisted for Grants for Good.
He said: “There are so many fantastic people doing fantastic things so for us to have been chosen as one of the top five charities is a real honour.
“The team over at the Good Foundation have been brilliant and they really understand our charity’s ethos and are fully supportive of our work.
Mr Knight said the money will cover fruit tree supplies.
“With the grant we will be able to buy the initial fruit tree stock that will be used to propagate future trees from and these fruit trees will then be planted across the borough, into community areas.”
