COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, EARLEY, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING AREAS
WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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6,300 CHILDREN IN POVERTY & RISING
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Charities warn Covid has worsened situation, with more families in need EXCLUSIVE By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today ONE-IN-SIX children in the borough is living in poverty, according to the latest government statistics.
And charities say the pandemic has made the situation even bleaker. According to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the
number of children living in poverty in Wokingham has risen from 4,809 in 2014/15 to 6,283 in 2018/19. Between 2018 and 2019, there were 3,337 children living in relative poverty across the borough. This is where a household earns approximately £195 a week for a single parent with two children. And there were 2,946 children living in absolute poverty, where the household income is less than 60%
of the median UK income in 2011. Combined, this presents a rise on the four previous years. Despite the increasing numbers, Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services at Wokingham Borough Council, said the area has the lowest rate in Berkshire and one of the lowest in the country. She told Wokingham.Today: “We are not complacent and as the demographics of our residents change
we continue to strengthen the monitoring and scrutiny of long-term indicators related to child poverty and mobilise our services to best meet the needs of vulnerable children. “This will help us address the pockets of deprivation which exist in our communities and the impact deprivation has on our children and young people.” � Continued on page 6
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
Views wanted over Woodley precept rise WOODLEY residents are being asked for their opinions over the town council precept. This is the sum of money added to council tax bills to help pay for services run by Woodley Town Council, including parks and detached youth work. It also helps pay for the allotments on Reading Road, the Garden of Remembrance, and venues such as The Oakwood Centre and Coronation Hall. Other services run by the town council include bus shelters, the public toilet by Waitrose, street lighting, noticeboards and public seating. The precept money also helps fund community events and activities. Like many councils, it is facing a funding shortfall as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes income from room hire. It had expected to receive around £763,000 from its facilities but this is now thought to be around £200,000. As a result, it will cover some of this shortfall from its reserves, but will look to increase the precept in the next financial year to replenish its back-up fund and cover the lost income. Woodley already has the highest council tax precept in the borough and is currently asking residents for their views. A survey has been launched with four options. The cheapest option – 43p per week or £22.36 a year extra – would see some services closed. At 65p a week/£33.80 a year some services would operate at a reduced level. The third option, of 87p a week or £45.24 a year, would see most services continue in their current form. The final option, £1.09 a week or £56.68 a year, would see services continue as they currently do. The town council is hoping to receive as many responses as possible. Cllr Keith Baker, who leads Woodley Town Council, said that the survey was necessary now as plans need to be made for budgets, but the final decisions wouldn’t be made until next year. The coronavirus is causing uncertainty as to what is around the corner and the figures suggested in the survey are just potential outcomes. “No one knows what will happen between now and next May, we just don’t know,” he said. “We are anticipating some hard decisions. This survey enables us to get a feel (for residents’ views).” Cllr Baker had been encouraged by the response to date, but hoped for more people to come forward: “We absolutely do want to hear from you,” he said. � For more details, or to take part in the survey, log on to www.woodley.gov.uk/financial-covid-19
Grocer Phil opens eco EXCLUSIVE By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokinghampaper.co.uk WITH AN ambition to make local produce accessible, a Wokingham man has launched a new grocery shop in the town centre.
Phil Edgecombe opened Phil’s Good Food on Broad Street earlier this month. Stocking locally grown, often organic produce, the shop focused on supporting small farmers and businesses. “I’ve always been banging on about knowing where my food comes from, and what’s in it,” explained Phil. “When lockdown began, I realised
I wasn’t going to have much work — so I started thinking about opening my own shop. “I knew nothing about owning a grocery shop, so did lots of research,” he added. The shop sells fresh fruit and vegetables, freshly baked bread is delivered from Warings bakery each day and there is a chilled meat and cheese counter as well. And all local food and drink is from producers within 25 miles of Wokingham. Inside, the walls are laden with dried produce, quirky independent brands, local wine from Stanlake Park in Twyford, beer from Siren Craft Brew, in Finchampstead and cider from
Council contractor celebrated in awards WOKINGHAM Borough Council’s carbon cutting initiatives have helped its highways contractor win an international award. VolkerHighways’ Wokingham team has won the International Green Apple Environment Award. Organised by The Green Organisation, the Green Apple Awards are dedicated to recognising, rewarded and promoting environmentallyconscious practices across the globe. Some of the projects VolkerHighways was recognised for were commissioned by the Borough Council, including trialling
recycled plastic kerbs and adopting electric vehicles. “I’m delighted to see international recognition for environmental best practice taking place in our borough,” said Cllr Gregor Murray, executive member for climate emergency. “To achieve our goal to be a carbon neutral borough by 2030 we need to work with our partners and residents, and it’s fantastic to see one of our principal contractors helping us do this thanks to a variety of schemes right on our doorsteps.” The award will be presented on Monday, November 23 at the House of Commons.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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Teri takes the chair for children’s charity
Teri Kearsey is the new chair of the Board of Trustees at national charity, Harry’s HAT
A WOKINGHAM WOMAN has been appointed as chair of trustees for a national children’s charity. On Sunday, October 18, Teri Kearsey took on the role at Hydrocephalus charity Harry’s HAT, having worked with the charity for just a year. Ms Kearsey said: “I am honoured to be appointed as the new chair of the board of trustees of Harry’s HAT. “Hydrocephalus — the abnormal build-up of fluid on the brain — affects one in 1,000 babies born in the UK and Harry’s HAT is the only UK charity to focus solely on this condition.
o shop in town centre Tutts Clump, near Reading. “I know where everything comes from,” explained Phil. “The honey is from Wokingham hives, the eggs from Beechwood Farm in Thatcham. The fruit and vegetables are all from small, certified organic farms. “And in some cases, I even know which field they’ve come from.” Phil’s premise is to sell local, organic and exceptional foods while using sustainable practices. The company gives a percentage of its profits to good causes and any surplus food is given to those in need. Phil added: “My family have all been involved in choosing our stock, we really have a range of exceptional and award-winning products.
“My wife likes vegetarian and vegan food, so we have plenty of that. “My passion is in wine and cheese, but I’m becoming really proud of my fruit and veg too.” Since opening on Saturday, October 3, Phil said the shop has seen a steady stream of customers — with many returning for their freshly baked bread each morning. “I love meeting the local community, it’s nice chatting with people when they come in.” Phil is hosting a Hallowe’en event on Saturday, October 31, where some of the most popular products will be available to sample. The shop is open from 8am until 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to
“I am excited to be taking on the responsibility of leading the volunteer led organisation as it works hard to raise awareness and fund research to find a cure for this brain condition.” Ms Kearsey has been working in the voluntary sector for more than five years, supporting hundreds of charities during that time. Caroline Thwaites, founder of the charity and Harry’s Mum, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Teri has taken on this role. “She has been a valued and active member of our board of trustees.
Teri has tremendous skills and charity experience which will be instrumental in helping us as we continue to grow.” Ms Kearsey replaces Lucy Mu, who served as chair since the charity was founded. Ms Thwaites added: “I would like to thank Lucy who has chaired Harry’s HAT since our inception in 2018. “Lucy’s leadership helped bring the organisation to life and we are delighted and thankful that she is going to remain with us as a volunteer. � For more information, visit: harrys-hat.org
Christmas drawing competition at The Lexicon THE LEXICON has launched its annual Christmas art competition. Children are encouraged to create a piece of art 5pm on Saturdays and 10am until based on what they’d like to find in their Christmas 4pm on Sundays. They also offer a click and collect stocking. The competition is open service for some of the products. to children aged between � For more information, visit: three and 12. philsgoodfood.co.uk Phil Edgecombe opened a new grocery store, stocking local, organic produce Pictures: Jess Warren
Community litter pick in Charvil A LITTER picking group will host its next session this Saturday. Charvil Matters will be meeting at 9.30am for one hour at Milestone Avenue layby, opposite the Texaco petrol station.
Ten winning designs will be chosen to decorate a bespoke Christmas tree located in Braccan Walk. The winning design will receive a gift card from The Lexicon to the value of £50 and the second placed a £25 gift card. And they will also receive a pack of Giotto art products worth
Organiser Sam Akhtar said: “This month we are going to cover the area that runs along the A4 and near and around Texaco however we feel Milestone Avenue is the best meeting spot due to easy parking for those arriving by car. “We will of course be following government guidelines on social distancing.”
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£200 for their school and a Giotto set for themselves. Eight other shortlisted entries will also receive a gift card from The Lexicon worth £10 each. The closing date is Sunday, November 15. � The entry form can be found at: www.thelexicon bracknell.com
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Lions return to pub quiz THINKING caps on: Wokingham Lions is holding an online quiz next Thursday evening in aid of Berkshire Vision. Quizmaster Ian Grange said: “October 8 was World Sight Day, so we have named Berkshire Vision as the beneficiary of this month’s quiz. “We welcome anyone interested in having fun to join us.” The quizzes have been a lockdown staple and, after a summer break, are now taking place on the last Thursday of the month, live-streamed over Facebook from 8pm. Friends and families who can’t be together
have formed virtual teams, with Wokingham members being joined by friends and family across the UK and the world, including players in New Zealand, Sweden, Singapore, Canada, Portugal and the United States. So far, it has raised more than £4,500, which was donated to the Wokingham Borough Community Hub, to support individuals and families in need during the Covid pandemic. In addition, the club donated a further £1,000 from Lions District funds, bringing the total to £5,500. � To take part, log on to fb.com/wokinghamlions
Coaches get a thumbs up A COMPANY that aims to help businesses boost their teams is celebrating after receiving some top feedback. ActionCOACH Reading & Wokingham (South Central) has taken part in a survey of its work, known as an NPS – a Net Promoter Score. Undertaken by WorkBuzz, it asks customers to rate the likelihood of them recommending the company to others. And the survey found that ActionCOACH had a score or 75 – similar to Starbucks on 77, Costco on 79 and nearly twice than of Apple, on 47. The company specialises in helping clients work on sales, marketing, team building and recreational activities. Rob Pickering, the company’s senior partner and coach, said: “Achieving such a high NPS is an important recognition for our team and our coaching practice. We’d like to thank our clients for judging us thus, and for the dedication and commitment they make to their coaching.” � For more details,visit: reading.actioncoach.co.uk
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
New independent restaurant to open in Wokingham this month EXCLUSIVE
WORK IS well underway for the opening of a new restaurant in Wokingham town centre.
General manager Ben Bond says the restaurant will feel like home
Chalk on Broad Street will open its doors for the first time later this month, bringing an independentlyowned British eatery to the borough. With a nod to its past, the restaurant takes its name from its history. Based in the former school house on Broad Street, owners Ben Bond, David Brunner and Craig Vandermere wanted to respect the building’s heritage. Ahead of its opening, the trio outlined their vision for Wokingham. “David is the mastermind that brought us here,” explained Mr Vandermere, the restaurant’s head chef. “We’re focusing on seasonal, fresh British food. There are no British restaurants in this area,” he added. “It won’t be too fussy. It’s about making flavoursome, honest food.” The restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner with prices ranging from £6 to £9 for starters, £14 to £23 for main courses and £6 to £7 for desserts. And there will be an additional grab-and-go style cafe at the front of
the building. Formerly a Prezzo, Chalk will repurpose the old Italian restaurant’s secluded main bar to become a separate coffee outlet serving homemade cakes, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. The owners each have a background in the hospitality industry, with Mr Bond and Mr Brunner previously working together in the Fego chain, and Mr Vendermere joining from his role as head chef at Stoke Place Hotel, in Slough. Mr Bond, general manager, said: “We want it to feel like a home away from home — somewhere you can come at any time of the day. A brunch with friends, a working lunch, a family celebration. “We hope to host events in the extension area when they’re allowed — birthdays, engagement parties, anniversaries, those kinds of things.”
By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today
The old school house, formerly a Prezzo will be home to British restaurant, Chalk
And the trio hope to better utilise the front and back garden patios, for outside dining. “We’ll be placing lots of tables in the courtyard out the front,” Mr Bond added. “And I can see the back garden becoming a fantastic spot for brunch.” With a large footprint, Mr Bond said he is confident they can create a bustling, covid-safe restaurant. “We started thinking about this project in April — everything we have done has considered all of the covid rules,” he said. “Tables will be spaced apart, sanitising stations will be available and we will have a softer, phased opening. There’s still a hunger for people to go out, as long as it’s a safe, considered environment.” The interior has been created by
Elise Bowd-Jones, of Beau-Riley Designs, said Mr Bond. “The decor will all be sympathetic to the building. “As an old school house, we’re using a lectern as the host point, and we’re keeping the original fireplace,” he said. “We’re using lots of greenery, plants and earthy tones.” The team have built a new, central bar in the main section of the restaurant, with a range of bench, round and high-table seating throughout the three rooms. Chalk on Broad Street will be open for breakfasts, lunch and dinner Tuesdays to Saturdays and breakfast and lunches on Sundays. � For more information, and to find out the opening date, search for Chalk Wokingham on Facebook
Brewery launches tap room It’s the same, but it’s looking a little different. A Twyford-based brewery has a modern new look and celebrated by launching its new tap room last weekend.
Binghams Brewery is now under new management and last weekend welcomed visitors to its new look shop. Based at Ruscombe Business Park, the team have revamped the
Taz Maze with customers, Malcolm, Michael and Richard Gibbs Picture: Steve Smyth
retail space to create the new bar area. Tables were made from recycled materials and placed two metres apart to allow for social distancing. New owner Ella Harrison said: “We were clearing out the brewery and the shop and realised we had loads of space, and thought we may as well have a tap room. People had always stopped by to visit the shop, but never really had the space to stop. “Over the weekend, loads of people came over, it was really nice to be able to host them. We had a great turnout, with so many tables sold that we had to put some extra ones out.” Although there is a new look to the brand, the baby has not been thrown out with the barley water. “We’ve rebranded, but we’re aware there’s a strong local following,” Ms Harrison said. “We’re quite traditional, yet modern. Our old branding didn’t quite reflect the strength of the product.” The new look will be introduced “bit-by-bit”, with no changes to the core lines which include Tywford Tipple and Space Hoppy.
The reason is simple: “(Previous owner) Chris Bingham brewed such high-quality beer”. Ms Harrison added: “It’s quite something when you know you’ve got a great quality product and great customers. We don’t have to convince people – they already know.” Plans to grow are now underway, even in lockdown, with a view to expanding the bottling operation. “We want to have a bigger reach, there is lots of space in our warehouse, and we want to expand, and create new ranges. “We’re also doing everything we can to support pubs, we wouldn’t exist without them. Pubs want Binghams – we’re very grateful.” New ranges include a veganfriendly brew, Mabon, which was created during the autumn equinox. The Tap Room is currently open 10am to 5pm on weekdays, and 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays. But Ms Harrison wants to open longer when possible. “We’re trying not to rush things too much,” she said. � For more details, visit: binghams.co.uk
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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Dog boarders celebrate win over licence fee reduction
Growing for Wokingham: Borough charity appeals for winter support Matt Knight working in Freely Fruity’s newly-built allotment off Mill Lane, Sindlesham
EXCLUSIVE By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today DOG BOARDERS across the borough have declared victory, after a 379% licence fee hike was dropped.
In August, Wokingham.Today reported that residents who run dog home boarding businesses were being asked to stump up £570 a year in licensing fees, a massive increase from £199 the year before. At the time, Andy Pragnell, Keephatch resident and owner of dog boarding and walking business, One Man and Your Dog, called the price rise “daylight robbery”. The charges were set up by the Joint Public Protection Partnership, which includes Wokingham, Bracknell Forest and West Berkshire borough councils. But numerous complaints from boarders across the three local authorities brought the issue to the Joint Public Protection Committee on Monday, September 28. Their concern was that all license fees, regardless of business type, have been created and are being managed illegally — because they have all been set at a single price of £57 per hour. Karen Fleck, an independent dog boarder in Sandhurst, previously said that licence fees cannot be used to cross subsidise other licenses. “They have to be able to provide an audited account of what the money has been spent on — each type of license should be kept separate,” she said. “And if there is money left in the pot at the end of the year, the LGA says they have to pay us back.” At the meeting last month, the PPP agreed to reduce the licence fee increase from £570 a year to £241.85 for a renewal and £271.85 for a new licence. Dog boarders will be charged an additional £115 if inspectors are called out following a complaint. Ms Fleck added: “All our hard work has paid off. We didn’t think it would after the dreadful meeting but the new fees are a lot lower.” Mr Pragnell told Wokingham.Today the fee reduction was a “moral victory”
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Andy Pragnell, owner of One Man and Your Dog joined the call for the Public Protection Partnership to change its licence fees, after being raised to £570 earlier this year
for dog borders. “It’s a positive sign they’ve come down from the original £570,” he said. “The only bit I am disappointed about is that there’s been no formal apology for all of this, which has caused undue stress, especially with the pandemic going on. “But through the hard work everyone has done, it’s paid off in the end.” Councillor Hilary Cole, chairman of the PPP and Conservative councillor for Chieveley & Cold Ash in West Berkshire Council confirmed the fee change in a written response to a question in the September meeting. She wrote: “At no point has the PPP made a surplus on its licensing operations and based on the current
budget methodology there is no evidence that it has used surplus from one fee to subsidise another. “In fact, it has often been the case that the scale and resilience of the PPP has shielded businesses from undesirable increases in fees and charges over the years. “We have liaised with our legal colleagues and they have reviewed both the amount of the fee, based on evidence provided about the workload requirement, and the level of transparency available to explain how the hourly rate was calculated. “Any business charged the previous rates for 2020/21 and have not received a mid-year inspection will be refunded.”
FOUNDERS OF a community food charity are calling for support from borough residents. Freely Fruity, which was set up this year to provide fresh, locally grown food to vulnerable members of the community, is now welcoming donations. This year, the team worked in collaboration with Share Wokingham to provide fruit and vegetables to those in need. Over winter, the team is planning to increase their growing space for the following season. They will be building two long strawberry beds; a dedicated herb and garlic bed; planting a large area for sweetcorn; and creating a 20m by 5m polytunnel to help them grow more in both the winter and summer seasons. Founders James Whittingham, Ryan Simpson and Matt Knight are appealing for support to keep the community growing project alive. Residents are invited to fundraise in the charity’s name, hosting cake sales, garage sales or completing
sporting challenges. They have set up an Amazon Smile account, so that the charity benefits from 0.5% of each order placed by supporters. And they’ve also launched an Amazon wishlist, with a range of gardening tools named. The charity is also part of the Reading Community Lottery. There is a big draw on Saturday, October 31 where one lucky family could win a £500 holiday voucher for Forest Holidays. The team said: “Everything you donate goes into producing more food for the people who really need it. We are a registered charity comprised solely of volunteers. No-one takes a salary and none of our volunteers are paid. We do what we do for the love of our community.” � To take part in the lottery, visit: www.readingcommunitylottery.co.uk � To donate via the Amazon Wishlist, visit: bit.ly/FreelyFruityWishes � For more information, email: info@freelyfruity.org
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
NEWS FOCUS: Child poverty on rise and charities warn more families in need of help
‘We’ll do everything to make this tough Christmas better’
Charities across the borough say the situation has worsened, with the types of families in need of support changing drastically. Emma Cantrell, founder of First Days Childrens’ Charity in Hurst said she is not surprised by the historical data. “I think that the trajectory will become harsher once the data appears for the year we’ve just had,” she said. “We’ve seen a change in the type of support that people need — a lot more
contact a charity before,” Ms Cantrell said. “Lots of people live on 100% of their income. Even on furlough, families have had to find a way to spend 20% less. Annette Medhurst, manager of Wokingham Foodbank said that more families were collecting food parcels than ever before. “At the start of the pandemic, lots of schools contacted us asking to become referring agents,” she said. “There was a flurry of activity from local schools wanting to get on our books. “The government issued vouchers for families on free school meals, but £15 a week for a child isn’t a lot — children eat a lot of food when they’re growing. “And schools were also concerned about separated families. “They found some mums were struggling to make ends meet if the kids weren’t with
more regularly.” Another charity that has seen the same rise in demand is Citizens Advice. Sue Cornish, debt advice project manager at the Wokingham branch said she has seen an increase in young families struggling. She told Wokingham.Today: “We do feel that we’re getting busier. There are lots more people with priority debts —
dad at the weekend.” Ms Medhurst also said that a more diverse range of people are being referred to the charity, many who have not needed support before. “There should be no shame in coming to the foodbank,” she said. “Some people may only come once, others may come for a month while they resolve some issues, and other members of the community may use us
rent, utilities, council tax — and these either end up with bailiffs or being cut off. “Anecdotally, there are lots of young families with children who tell us they don’t know why the cost of things is increasing. Ms Cantrell also joined Ms Cornish’s concerns, questioning whether the rising cost of living was a cause for child poverty in Wokingham. “People are saying their
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people are coming to us in need of beds and mattresses. “We always hear of some children sleeping on the floor, but the number without beds is rising. “This could be due to a variety of additional needs. Beds getting broken, mattresses ruined when children struggle to stay dry in the night.” She added: “The situation is becoming more bleak. Shocking situations are becoming the norm. Child poverty has been increasing for years and its setting deeper into family life. “If a child needs a bigger bed, or grows out of their school uniform — there’s just no money.” And coronavirus has tightened family budgets as thousands of workers found themselves furloughed during lockdown. “Uniquely to the pandemic, we’re supporting more families who have never needed to
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As the impact of lockdown sets deeper into family life, charities across the borough warn those who used to be financially stable are seeking help to feed their children and manage debts
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Share: It’s spreading human kindness BASED IN Norreys, one of the most deprived areas within the borough, Claire Revie, volunteer with food distribution charity, Share Wokingham agreed that there
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY First Days has been helping provide beds to children sleeping on the floor Picture: Donnie Ray Jones via Flickr
money just isn’t going as far,” Ms Cantrell explained. “They’re buying the same things but struggling more and more.” Having worked in debt advice for the last 15 years, Ms Cornish said the change from tax credits and housing benefits to Universal Credit may have affected families. “For those under 25, they can receive a Universal Credit payment of £342.72 per month,” she said. “It’s a small amount to
live off. They’ve got to pay for food, utilities, council tax and travel. “Last week we saw nine debt clients. People are starting to receive red letters or enforcement officers at their home. And it tends to be families that have the most pressure on them.” She added: “When I first joined Citizens Advice in the 90s, there were more acute issues. People were facing negative equity on their homes. And once those same people got on their feet, they were facing a massive mortgage shortfall on their house. It was hitting specific types of homeowners. “Now, it's much more of a chronic challenge, across a huge spectrum of people who we haven’t had to help before. “Wokingham is an expensive area to live, rent is high.” Ms Cornish said she feared homeowners may also begin to feel the pressure, with families forced to remortgage their homes or dig into savings to keep afloat. Cllr Clark said the council works collaboratively with other charities and organisations, including Citizens Advice with the common goal “to give every Wokingham child the best chance to thrive”. She added: “Our teams work with families across the area, through our Early Help, Health Visiting and School Nursing services, Adult Education, Children’s Centre and Localities teams.
“We are supporting them with the right life, vocational and educational skills to improve their, and their children’s lives. “The council remains committed to our work with our partners in the voluntary and community sectors to resolve other problems which can lead to child poverty and are affecting resident families.”
Foodbank, Share Wokingham does not require referrals, and works with supermarkets and food suppliers to feed anyone in need. It was created as a direct response to the pandemic and will continue to operate until there is no more demand, said Ms Revie. “Every week it seems to be getting busier,” she said. “Since we started in July, there has been an increase in the different types of people coming to us.”
Having built up a reliable network of suppliers, the charity often receives highquality food. “On Monday we had a huge delivery from Brakes,” she said. “There was sirloin steak, gammon steaks, ribs, all sorts. Frozen meal retailer COOK has started doing 50 portions for us every week, and Morrisons, Waitrose and M&S are all on board. “It’s all food that is perfectly good and usable — some of it is even restaurant stuff. It’s nice to be able to offer people a treat. “It helps people’s mental health to be eating properly. People come along and they say it’s like Christmas — that makes it all worthwhile. “One lady told us she was so thankful, because she was able to give her children a treat before telling them they were being evicted — it started the conversation and we’re actively supporting her family. “She’s now in emergency accommodation, with two children and no car. She struggles to get out to us, so we’re going to get a delivery to her. “We try to avoid doing too many deliveries, at the end of the day we’re all volunteers. But we strike a balance, if there are people in need, we’ll see what we can do. “It’s just about human kindness — what can I do to help someone else?”
‘She was able to give her children a treat before telling them they were being evicted’
are more people struggling to cope. “Numbers are on the rise, especially for what we call the JAMs, the Just About Managing,” explained Ms Revie. “There are more people in that category now. People with lovely houses and nice cars who are losing their jobs and just can’t pay for them. “We even have a number of pilots and air stewards coming to us, because they’re just not working at the moment.” Unlike Wokingham
Each week Share feeds 150 families with high-quality, often fresh produce. “The biggest demographic is families with growing, hungry children that just struggle to afford enough food,” Ms Revie added. “People don’t have to justify why they come to us, nobody is judging them. That’s why we don’t ask for referrals. It’s none of my business how someone came to needing help. “Lots of the time, families will come along and pick up food to deliver to other families they know,” Ms Revie explained.
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Christmas scheme Currently, the four charities have Christmas at the forefront of their mind. “In February, we’re expecting to see a rise in debts,” Ms Cornish explained. “People use their credit cards to do their Christmas shopping in December. The bill arrives in January and they can’t pay it, so the debts start rising by February and March. So we’re trying to prepare for that.” Hoping to intervene and stop the debts raking up in the most vulnerable families, First Days and Share Wokingham have teamed up with Wokingham Foodbank to create Christmas boxes. Ms Revie said: “Emma, Annette and I wanted to do something together for Christmas this year. “We’re going to be working with local supermarkets to provide a Christmas dinner in a box, with some presents too. “It’s going to be a tough Christmas, so we thought we’d see what we could do to help.” Ms Medhurst added: “Over Christmas, we are expecting to
have a surplus of mince pies, nice biscuits and chocolates those kinds of things. “We thought there must be a way to use that and put something special together for families. “Often when we put requests for biscuits, chocolate, treats and things on our foodbank wishlist, people question the importance of these items, saying they’re not essential. “But we’re just hoping to make a difficult time that little bit more special.” And First Days will be coordinating gifts. Ms Cantrell said: “We’ll be launching a wishlist that people can use to buy gifts for local children. And we’re launching a Christmas Stocking Campaign tomorrow. “We’re handing out bags, asking people to fill them with Christmas stocking gifts, return them to First Days and we’ll be handing them out to families. “It’s about making sure that children have a lovely Christmas. It’s the joy of giving — we have lots of that at here.” � To access support, residents can contact Citizens Advice on: 0300 330 1189 where a volunteer will help support and signpost people � Citizens Advice can refer residents to the Foodbank for a parcel, and winter fuel top-ups � Alternatively, residents can visit Share Wokingham at Norreys Church, no referral is required � To contact First Days, call: 0118 921 9338 or visit: www.firstdays.net
Foodbank restarts fuel top-up scheme WOKINGHAM Foodbank has re-started its fuel top-up scheme for households who are struggling with energy costs this winter. Last winter the project provided 75 energy top-ups for residents who have prepayment gas and electricity meters. Originally the Foodbank planned to carry on their fuelbank throughout the spring and summer months but the pandemic meant they were unable to offer the service during lockdown. The Foodbank received a grant from Berkshire Community Foundation and funds were topped up by donations from local churches during Harvest Festival. Annette Medhurst, the manager at Wokingham
Foodbank said: “As the colder months approach, households can face difficult decisions about how to spend their money. “By helping top up people’s gas and electricity meters we hope that this can go some way to reduce the financial pressure households find themselves in at this time of year. “This year more than ever residents are finding it hard to make ends meet, we want to encourage people to reach out for help.” Households across the borough can access the scheme alongside their referral for a food parcel. Anyone struggling to afford food and finds themselves worried about heating their home this winter is advised to contact the foodbank on 07926 524605 or by email: info@wokingham.foodbank.org .uk. The team can then signpost residents to an organisation that can make a referral.
8 | NEWS
PARISH NOTICEBOARD
Parish and borough council meetings Assume meetings are online – contact councils for details Thursday, October 22 Finchampstead Parish Council. Council meeting. 7.30pm. Memorial Hall, The Village, Finchampstead RG40 4JU.
Monday, October 26 Winnersh Parish Council. Planning committee. 7.30pm. www.winnersh.gov.uk
Tuesday, October 27 Winnersh Parish Council. Finance and General Purposes Committee. 7.30pm. www.winnersh.gov.uk Wokingham Borough Council. Individual Member Decisions: Planning for the Future White Paper Consultation. 3.30pm. Details: www.wokingham.gov.uk
Wednesday, October 28 Wokingham Borough Council. Extraordinary, Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 7pm. Details: www.wokingham.gov.uk
Thursday, October 29 Wokingham Borough Council. Executive committee. 7pm. Details: www.wokingham.gov.uk
Monday, November 2 Hurst Parish Council. Parish council meeting. 7.30pm. www.hurstpc.org.uk Sonning Parish Council. Planning committee. 7pm. www.sonning-pc.gov.uk Wokingham Without Parish Council. Full council meeting. 7.30pm. wokinghamwithout-pc.gov.uk
Tuesday, November 3 Arborfield Parish Council. Planning committee. 7.30pm. Parks Committee. 8pm. F&GP committee. 8.30pm. arborfield.org.uk
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FROMTHECOURTS � DRUG driving has seen a Wokingham man banned from getting behind the wheel for 18 months. Umer Arshad, 22 and from Waterloo Road, pleaded guilty when he appeared before Reading Magistrates Court on September 17. Police officers had stopped him on John Nike Way in Binfield on January 23 this year. A test found that he had traces of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of cannabis, in his bloodstream. For this he was fined £120. He also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, for which he was fined £120, and possession of cannabis, for which he was fined £80. Arshad also admitted to driving without a license and insurance. He must also pay costs of £85 and £32 to victim services, at a rate of £20 per month. � A FINCHAMPSTEAD man has been fined for assaulting a woman. Neil Matthew Drake, 48 and from Roycroft Lane, had pleaded not guilty to two counts of assault on July 18 last year. However, Reading Magistrates Court found him guilty and ordered that he must pay £220 for each offence. They also ordered him to pay £775 costs and £44 to victim services. Drake can repay at a rate of £100 per month from October 15.
� A WOKINGHAM man who pleaded guilty to drug driving has been banned from getting behind the wheel for 12 months. Stuart Robert Bernard Moss, 30 and from Clifton Road, appeared before Slough Magistrates on September 17, after being stopped by police on Church Road, Bracknell on May 20. A test revealed that he had traces of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of cannabis, in his bloodstream. In addition to the ban, Moss must pay £180, £85 costs and £34 to victim services at a rate of £50 per month. � DRUG DRIVING has seen a Reading man banned from getting behind the wheel for 12 months. Jake Martin Edward Collis, 27 and from Linden Road, was stopped by police on Rushey Way on December 12 last year. A test revealed that he had traces of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of cannabis, in his bloodstream. He was also found to be in possession of a quanity of cannabis. Collis was fined £101, ordered to pay £85 costs and £32 to victim services. The cannabis was ordered to be destroyed. � A SHINFIELD WOMAN who drove while under the influence of drugs
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
Cases heard in Reading and Slough Magistrates Court in recent weeks has been ordered not to drive for 12 months. Angela Cox, 47 and from Westall Street, was stopped by police in Reading on October 31 last year. A test revealed that she had traces of delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol, a form of cannabis, in her bloodstream. Cox, also known as Angela Harte, was fined £101, ordered to pay costs of £85 and £30 to victim services. She pleads not guilty to a second charge of being in possession of a quantity of cocaine, and has been remanded on unconditional bail until December 15 for a summary trial.
� A CROWTHORNE man has been banned from driving for 12 months. Harry Pritchard, 22 and from Addiscombe Road, had been stopped on Old Wokingham Road on December 6 last year. A test revealed that he had 59 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. Police also found that he was driving a vehicle without a valid MoT. His ban will be reduced by 12 weeks on completion of a safe driving course. In addition, Pritchard was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 costs and £32 to victim services.
� A WOKINGHAM woman who damaged a car and assaulted a police officer has been ordered to undertake 80 hours of community service over the next 12 months. Nour Rabah, 19 and from Norreys Avenue, appeared before Slough Magistrates Court on September 18 where she pleaded guilty to the two offences. On August 6, 2019, she caused criminal damage to the value of £2921 on the car which belong to another person. And on the same day, she beat a police constable, for which she was ordered to pay £90 compensation. There was no order for costs as there was no means to pay.
� A WOKINGHAM man pleaded guilty to drink driving when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on September 21. Michael Rogers, 68 and from Elizabeth Road, had been stopped by police on Binfield Road on February 29. A test revealed that he had 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. He was fined £80, ordered to pay £85 costs and £32 to victim services. Rogers must also surrender his driving licence for 12 months; this will be reduced by three months on completion of a safe driving course.
NEWS | 9
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Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
A327: Finchampstead residents push for road safety measures Woodley neighbours
‘Traffic slowing improvements were promised a year ago’ EXCLUSIVE By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today PROMISES TO improve a dangerous road in Finchampstead were made a year ago and are yet to be upheld, according to a concerned resident.
Last month, Wokingham.Today reported that the borough council will install a vehicle activated sign scheme, to help slow traffic on the A327 Reading Road. But road resident Gareth Rees, who has spoken on behalf of the community at many council meetings said that same promise was made in November last year. “All we want is a clear timeline,” he said. “I had a meeting with the highways executive and it was amicable but not committal. “They said they would acquire the Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) and install poles to place them on within three months.” Mr Rees said these same actions were agreed last autumn, but nothing has been done. And as the nights draw in, he’s concerned that the residents using the path will be at higher risk of an accident. “The council’s school safety report in April said action needed to
be taken to clean it — but it hasn’t been done.” This would see debris cleared, giving walkers full use of the path. But six months on, it is yet to be cleared up. Mr Rees said he’s not confident in the improvements being made unless the council communicates clear timelines to the residents. “Until I see some action, I’m sceptical,” he added. He’s also concerned the data the council uses to analyse traffic speed lacks accuracy. “In the meeting, they said they’re monitoring the road and pulling the data from a source that uses drivers’ mobile phones,” Mr Rees said. “It’s GPS data from Google and Apple and isn’t as accurate as radar monitoring used for speed cameras. “It has a higher inaccuracy band. It would record a car doing 50pmh but that could be anywhere between 45mph and 55mph.” And Mr Rees said by analysing a weekly speed average, the data isn’t accurate. “On a weekend there’s less traffic, but moving at a faster speed. And on the weekdays there's more traffic moving at a lower speed. “Combining the two means it
looks as though less drivers are speeding. When really if they took an average of the weekday and weekends separately, this would be a more accurate representation of the road. “It sounds to me like people are hiding behind the numbers.” BT Openreach have also raised safety concerns to the borough council. Last month, temporary traffic lights were installed on Park Lane so that engineers could move the broadband box to a safer location following a crash last year involving a BT van. “I spoke to the engineers and they were all refusing to work there as it's just too unsafe,” Mr Rees said. “So they’ve moved the cabinet 100 yards way, towards the ford down New Mill Road. “BT asked for temporary traffic lights for the safety of the engineers and the council refused. “It took a year for BT to get permission from the council.” Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for highways and transport said the two SIDs will be installed early next year and said Covid-19 had impacted their progress. She said: “Borough council
Virtual book fest is a hit FUN, LAUGHTER and great works of fiction – that was the premise for last weekend’s Wokingham Children’s Book Festival. Usually held across the town centre and featuring special sessions for young bookworms to attend in person, the coronavirus meant that it had to go online this year. But that didn’t stop it from being a real page-turner. Children were able to log on to sessions via the internet featuring talks from authors and illustrators. Aimed at youngsters aged three to 12, sessions covered everything from Illustrating the new Chitty Chitty Bang Bang book to writing techniques, a fun-packed storytime, and championing causes that young people believe in, as well as what it means to be a young person campaigning in 2020. In the run-up to the event, Wokingham Library ran 22 hugely successful interactive, online ‘Authors into School’ sessions across 40 schools borough-wide. In all, 410 classes from reception to year 8 listened into selected authors covering everything from storytime With Portia Mushambi’s Who can save the Baobab tree?, Magic Moments with Winnie and Wilbur from illustrator
Authors delighted visitors to the Children’s Book Festival
Korky Paul, chatted about Diversity and Inclusion in Picture Books with Nadine Kaadan, plus non-fiction talks on The True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons with author Natascha Biebow. Organisers said that there was fun, lots of laughter, funny stories and some fabulous tips to help aspiring young writers and illustrators develop their ideas. And even though the festival was online, the live chat box enabled everyone to ask questions throughout the author sessions, and what great questions they were. Cllr Sally Gurney, Chair Wokingham Town Council Arts and Culture Committee, said:
“The book festival attracted over 700 participants across the weekend, which was a real testament to the quality of authors and illustrators attending. “Our aim each year is to share the love of books and help develop young storytellers and writers across the town. “We hope everyone enjoyed the weekend and we look forward to welcoming you back next year.” She added: “Our thanks go out to Steve Antony, Onjali Rauf, Peter Bunzl, Roopa Farooki, Smriti Halls, Inbal Leitner, Iszi Lawrence, Ken Wilson-Max, Chitra Soundar and Elle McNicoll for entertaining us all over the weekend.”
officers and elected members met with residents in November last year and made a commitment to assess the vehicle speeds and pedestrian crossing safety on the A327. “The data shows that most of the traffic using this section of the A327 is doing so in compliance with the current 40mph speed limit. “Although some drivers exceed the speed limit, mainly during quieter, off-peak periods, the road safety performance of this very busy strategic route is generally good. “An independent study into pedestrian safety has highlighted the difficulty for young pedestrians in crossing the road. “As a result, the council is developing measures to help reduce excessive speeds and assist crossing safety, alongside designing locations for Speed Indication Devices (SIDs) to be installed for short term periods. “I completely understand the frustration of residents that SIDs devices have not yet appeared, unfortunately the impact of Covid and resulting workload has delayed progress. “Installation of poles is planned before Christmas with two Speed Indication Devices (SIDs) to be installed early in 2021.”
win £9,000 in lottery
Danyl Johnson is pleased about some Woodley winners
SOME lucky numbers – and letters – have seen nine Woodley neighbours enjoy a grand boost. Residents in Knowle Road saw their postcode drawn in the People’s Postcode Lottery on Tuesday. Nine of them each won £1,000 in the organisation’s daily draw. And who better to celebrate their win than local lad and People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson? Due to the virus, he could only send his well-wishes to the winners. He said: “Brilliant news for all the winners in RG5 3QE, congratulations. I hope you enjoy the winnings.” This draw was promoted on behalf of Barnardo’s which has received more than £5 million in funding from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Barnardo's, which runs High Close School in Wokingham’s, aims to transform the lives of some of the country’s most vulnerable children through essential services, campaigning and research. Many good causes close to the winners have also benefitted from players’ support, and local charities can apply for funding next year. A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £600 million to date. � www.postcodelottery.co.uk
10 | BUSINESS
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
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Firm’s new name is a head-turner A NEW name is a real head-turner. A Reading and Henley-based law firm has changed its name to THP Solicitors. It had formerly been known as The Head Partnership. Last week, it announced a transition to the new name along with a new visual identity and contemporary website. The company rebrand comes after the law firm undertook a strategic review of both the market and the attributes that clients’ value. Richard Rodway, family partner at THP Solicitors, said: “During the coronavirus lockdown, our staff quickly adapted to the challenges of delivering excellent legal expertise
in a remote environment and we continued to provide all of our services to both new and existing clients. Our refreshed branding tries to encompass the strengths and flexibility our team demonstrated during this period.” He added: “It was important to us that THP Solicitors retained its established core values but at the same time developed an identity that reflects our current attributes and capabilities. “The rebrand is our way of letting people know who we are and what they’ll get when they work with us. � For more details, log on to www.thpsolicitors.co.uk
Rebrand illustrates growth ONE BERKSHIRE care agency has recently announced a major rebrand. Helpd, a specialist live-in care agency which runs services across the UK, has changed its name to The Live In Care Company. “The rebrand is a significant milestone that marks our growth as a company since launching in January 2017,” said Luca Rado, co-founder of The Live In Care Company. “We are driven to continue sourcing only the best carers, and with the branding and company name now fully mirroring the
service we provide, we are confident this will only increase our visibility to both prospective clients and carers seeking our expertise.” And the company has announced a new logo, tagline and website redesign, too. “We are restating our fundamental belief that our clients deserve the highest quality of care at home, total respect and a brilliant level of service,” Mr Rado added. “Post-pandemic, we are confident that this business restructure will lead to further growth and recognition for future clients, carers and partners to come.”
New book is good work in lockdown By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today A GROUP of local authors published a business book during national lockdown – and not once did they meet in person.
Good Work Good Business: Practical People Strategies for a Changing World has been written and published by 11 Thames Valley professionals. It draws on the writers’ experiences to offer insights, guidance and practical tips on how to thrive in an everchanging world. And the authors created the entire book from start to finish while working remotely. “Producing this book has been an invaluable distraction and source of support through the pandemic,” said Michelle Bailey, one of the book’s authors. “It shows that people can use new, innovative ways of working to foster team spirit and collaboration and achieve great things, despite the challenges of not being able to meet and remote working.” Heather Mills added: “The real challenge was the motivation to keep going. We all hit a pain point at some point and needed the help and support of others in the group to keep going.” Each collaborator chose a subject for
their own chapter and then used national lockdown to reflect, read, learn and write their section. The group then came together online to share ideas and give feedback. “The chapters reflect a wealth of life experience and professional practice, and a generosity of heart,” said Dr Wilson Wong, who wrote the introduction to the book. � Good Work Good Business is available from Amazon. All proceeds go to The Trussell Trust.
Wokingham construction firm up for award A LOCAL construction firm has been shortlisted for an industry-renowned award. Wokingham-based organisation Procom Construction Consultants is a finalist in the Construction News 2020 Consultancy of the Year Award. The company, which celebrated its 10th birthday earlier this year, specialises in construction procurement and project management. A spokesperson for Procom Construction Consultants said: “We are extremely proud. “Our success in getting to the final of the awards demonstrates our strength in seeking to offer more efficient ways of doing business with clients and offering unique industry solutions against a field of competitors,” The Construction News Awards seek to celebrate the best companies, projects and achievements in the construction industry. Due to the pandemic, this year’s award ceremony will be held virtually on Thursday, November 26. � For more information, visit: awards.constructionnews.co.uk
‘Coronavirus impact is becoming clear’ THE IMPACT of the coronavirus pandemic on people and businesses is starting to become clear. That is the view of R3, the trade body for restructuring and insolvency professionals in the South and Thames Valley. Insolvency statistics for September show that there has been a month-on-month rise in personal and corporate insolvencies. “The situation remains
worrying for both businesses and consumers,” said Garry Lee, chair of R3’s Southern and Thames Valley region. “These results show that the toll the Covid-19 pandemic is taking may be starting to be felt in the official insolvency numbers, although the Government’s support measures have reduced the size and scale of the initial impact.” Despite the increase, however, insolvency figures
remain lower than this time last year. “It’s likely that directors and owners of businesses in Berkshire, that would have remained profitable had Covid not happened, will start seeing signs that their businesses are struggling, possibly for the first
time ever,” Mr Lee added. R3 is urging business owners to take advantage of its free consultation service, whether that be about their personal or corporate finances. � For more information, visit: www.r3.org.uk
Businesses not prepared for new lockdown ONE QUARTER of businesses in the South East are preparing for a second coronavirus wave, and 48% have not planned for a local lockdown. This is according to a recent report by Driving For Better Business (DFBB). It surveyed 150 business owners of small- and medium-sized enterprises and 150 decision-makers in larger companies in the South East to assess how businesses are preparing for potential future lockdowns. “Every organisation puts in place a business strategy and a plan to deliver on that strategy,” said Simon Turner, campaign manager at DFBB.
“Very few would have entered 2020 with a contingency to deal with the fallout from a global pandemic though. “Covid-19 caused thousands of deaths across the world and we are only beginning to see the longer-term impact it will have on society, the economy and businesses.” According to the report, the top three business concerns for the South East are staying in business in the event of further lockdowns, the costs of running a business, and staff absence due to Covid-19. Nearly half of South East businesses have already implemented flexible
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working policies to enable working from home, and more than half anticipate an increase in working from home in the future. “Overall, the findings show that business leaders have similar concerns,” Mr Turner added. “The economic outlook is uncertain, to say the least, with experts divided over how badly different sectors could be affected. “One thing is certain though: firms must adjust quickly and take every opportunity to minimise operational costs in order to give themselves the best chance of survival.”
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Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
NEWS | 11
Defib vandalism could cost lives
Co-op keeps community happy with local grants
EXCLUSIVE
THOUSANDS of pounds has been made available to support local causes across the South East. Southern Co-op, which runs the Market Place branch in Wokingham and another in Binfield, is offering funding to those helping people throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this year, the company donated £40,000 to a community fund to support those affected by the virus, and so far, 30 local groups have been awarded the £400 grants. As a result, is believed that Southern Co-op’s micro grants have helped support over 5,500 people and have provided more than 6,700 meals in local communities across the South East. Miles Henson is station director at Express FM, a regional community radio station that received one of the grants. “Our programmes run health advice, programmes which link to local groups and items that celebrate and encourage neighbourliness,” he said. “This help from Southern Co-op will support our volunteers in providing companionship and information to the community. Thank you.” Organisations based near Southern Co-op’s stores or funeral homes can apply for grants now on Neighbourly, using the referral code ‘SouthernCoopPartner’.
By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today A LIFE-SAVING piece of equipment has been vandalised in Earley, meaning it is no longer availablefor public use.
Last week, the defibrillator cabinet outside of Radstock Lane Community Centre was damaged — the perspex glass casing has been smashed. The defibrillator inside was left intact, but the device has been removed in order to prevent it from being stolen. This means it is now unavailable for the foreseeable future. Steve Blythen, from Beyond First Aid, a training organisation based in Earley, is a ‘guardian’ for the defibrillator — he is responsible for maintaining the device. “I did some of the fundraising work to install this defibrillator,” Mr Blythen said. “One of the ladies in the community lost her brother to a heart attack because there was no defibrillator around. “Thankfully this one has never been used.” And Mr Blythen is now concerned about the community not having access to this device. “If someone in the community were to have a cardiac arrest, this equipment could potentially save them,” he said. “It’s absolutely vital, and this vandalism could now cost a life.” “Shame on whoever did this, it’s
The defibrillator perspex was smashed open, and the device was then removed to prevent it being stolen Picture: Steve Blythen
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absolutely disgusting and I hope that whoever caused this never needs to use it.” Claire Page, who founded the Lilly-May Page Trust following the death of her daughter in 2014, has campaigned tirelessly to have defibrillators installed in the area. She was equally upset when she heard that the Radstock Lane Community Centre defibrillator had been damaged. “I feel really disappointed with
whoever has done this”, Ms Page said. “After the past six years, I don’t understand why someone would go and vandalise life-saving equipment. “There was so much awareness around Lilly-May, and I feel very hurt that someone could do this.” And Ms Page wants to remind the community about the importance of having public defibrillators. “The survival rate for those having sudden cardiac arrest out of hospital is incredibly low, but with
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T
A new foodie destination
HE FLAVELL is quite possibly the biggest dining establishment in Wokingham that you’ve never heard of. That’s about to change and it’s all thanks to our love for a Sunday roast and if that is not your fayre, you may be more comfortable with a pubstyle meal during the week. The Flavell is part of Sindlesham Court, which dates back to the late 1700s. The banqueting suite can host up to 400 people and has been used for both corporate and fundraising events, together with weddings and other private celebratory occasions. Sadly Covid has placed restrictions on its hospitality offerings. So the team that run The Flavell have brought forward plans to let diners enjoy some fine food at a price that won’t break the bank. For those that need something to look forward to, it will be providing festive fayre throughout December – and will also be open on Christmas Day for a traditional meal with all the trimmings. For those that can’t wait, it’s current opening hours areThursday to Saturday from 4pm to 10pm, and from 12 to 4pm on Sundays. With generous social distancing measures in place, The Flavell is easily able to accommodate up to 70 people in a single sitting, and, as part of covid secure
measures, reservations have to be made in advance with staggered entry times for tables of up to six. Despite only being open for two Sundays the quality of the food and safe environment has been appreciated by all of their customers, so going forward, expectations are high for selling out Managing director Mark Hepplethwaite said: “I’ve just arrived and one of my first priorities was to launch the Sunday luncheons. We lost a lot of trade on the basis that weddings, functions and various events could not go ahead due to Covid. “But even if Covid wasn’t around, we’d still be launching the Sunday luncheons. It’s a very good way of utilising the huge space we have available, we have excellent chefs and serve real quality food.” The menu features a mixture of starters, main courses and desserts, with all dietary needs catered for. Dishes include a Breaded Camembert with a redcurrant and port dressing and salad garnish; Poached Salmon with a cream Chardonnay and Dill sauce with new potatoes; and a Traditional homemade sticky toffee pudding with butterscotch sauce and clotted cream, which Mark says is divine. There’s also a selection of roasts – beef, pork and turkey – served with roast potatoes, vegetables and cauliflower cheese.
And children have their own meals which are typically half price. Weekday choices include a chili con carne, curries and vegan alternatives available. It’s good value too, with main meals starting at £9.95. Head chef is Richard Sherwood and his Sous chef Jack Bedford. “Richard has been here all of his working life,” Mark says. “They’ve worked together for around a decade and they know their food. They deliver some excellent Sunday lunches. It’s all homemade, including the yorkshire puddings and the desserts. The portion sizes are generous, we’ve only had positive feedback during our first two weeks.” Mark adds that everyone can have confidence that they will be safe in The Flavell. “The Covid secure environment is something we pride ourselves on,” he says. “We’re fully aware of covid safety compliance ensuring everything is as it should be: track and trace, sanitising stations, and a web app for ordering. Full table service and we all wear face coverings.” There are big plans for the Flavell – “we’re planning to be a recognised foodie destination” Mark says. “We’re focusing on the quality of our food, and use local butchers were possible.” � For more details, or to book a table, log on to theflavell.co.uk
01189 783 902 | Mole Road, Sindlesham, RG41 5EA | www.theflavell.co.uk
the use of a defibrillator it goes up to 70%,” she added. “It’s important that they are available because with every minute that passes when someone is in cardiac arrest, chances of survival drop.” Mr Blythen has since been offered a perspex screen free of charge in order to fix the cabinet, and is now waiting on the order to arrive. It is estimated that the cabinet will be out of use for the next month.
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12 | NEWS
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CORONAVIRUS LATEST Help available for those self-isolating PEOPLE ISOLATING due to the coronavirus could be eligible for financial support from Wokingham Borough Council. Those who are unable to work from home can claim a £500 payment if they meet the right criteria. Cllr John Kaiser, deputy leader of the borough council and executive member for finance said: “It is vital that people who are told to selfisolate do so – but that could leave some in financial difficulties so these payments are most welcome. “Local authorities have been given the responsibility of running this offer and we want to make it as easy as possible for people to find if they are eligible and, if they are, to get the payments they need.” The £500 payment is available to people who have been isolating from September 28, and anyone isolating before that date could be eligible for back-payments. The borough council is also running a limited discretionary
scheme for people in self-isolation who are not currently claiming any benefits, but fill the remaining criteria. The criteria which must be met to receive the selfisolation scheme payment are: � You must have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, because you have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with somebody else who has � You are employed or self-employed � You are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result � You are currently in receipt of Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, incomebased Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit � For full details on how to apply for test and trace support, visit: www.wokingham.gov.uk/benefits/ test-and-trace-support-payments
How to get help in Wokingham borough: To access the ‘One Front Door’ service, call Citizen’s Advice on 0300 330 1189 Those calling from a mobile phone should enter if prompted: 0118 978 7258
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
‘Support each other: stick to the Covid rules’
By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today
THE number of Covid-19 cases in our borough is increasing, as it is just about everywhere in the country.
In response to this increase, Wokingham Borough Council is launching In It Together – a campaign to help everybody keep to the Covid-19 rules and slow the spread of infection. It will focus on how the borough council and its partners are working together to reduce the impact of Covid-19 and how everybody can play a part in this. Leader of Wokingham Borough Council John Halsall said: “Wokingham Borough Council has been proactive to protect its residents throughout the crisis and our communities and schools have responded magnificently to the challenge Covid-19 has brought. “We face a threat that is not going away, in fact, it is increasing in our borough as it is elsewhere and so we will re-double our efforts and are calling on all residents to do the same: we are all in this together.” Initiatives that the borough council has tackled since March include sourcing its own PPE, publishing accurate data on
outbreaks, buying emergency testing kits, and becoming the first authority in Berkshire to volunteer to run local test and trace services. It has also worked to help re-open schools safely, and launched a self-isolation payment scheme (see left). As the number of cases rise again, the borough council is working with partners in the voluntary sector to keep the Wokingham Borough Community Response up and running to help those most vulnerable. The council is also writing those people who were shielded in the spring in order to make sure they have the latest guidance. Cllr Charles Margetts, the executive member for health and welleing, said: “The coronavirus levels are still below national levels and our test and trace scheme is going well. “We will keep our schools open, we will work to keep our businesses open. “To our residents, we ask that you work with us, follow the rules and we should be able to slow the virus down and make it easier for us all, especially if you have to self-isolate. “We have to work together.” The borough council is to
host a mobile testing unit at Cantley Park in Wokingham today, as well as November 13, 21 and 27. There will also be a site at Prospect Park in Reading. Attendance at the site will be via appointment/booking only. If no local appointments are available you may be able to book a home testing kit, or find a booking at a nearby regional testing unit (Newbury and Slough). Cllr Halsall added: “If we all can change our behaviour and observe the rules as a matter of course we may avoid the worst. “I am asking everyone to be an evangelist for these rules. In essence the virus is spread through social contact, the more you minimise social contact the less the virus will spread “The effort to control Covid19 and support the vulnerable in the borough has been phenomenal. But the numbers are going up and there are still some people who are not following the rules – and I have to say that they are putting others at greater risk. “We must all stick together in this – keep to the social distancing rules and, if you have to isolate, please do so.” � Tests can be booked via the national website www.gov.uk/ get-coronavirus-test
Health officials call on public play their part TWO senior health officials today backed Cllr Margetts calls for people to be responsible and abide by the Covid rules around hands, face and space. Dom Hardy, Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, and Dr Abid Irfan, Chair of the Berkshire West Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) called on people to do all they can to look after their own health in a bid to keep Covid cases under control and help ease pressure on local NHS services. “We are heading into winter which always puts big demands on our services and staff. And, of course, this winter we have the added pressures of Covid-19,” said Mr Hardy. “We are very well prepared and able to cope, but there is a lot local people
can do to help us. Please come into hospital if you have an appointment or an operation planned. It’s essential we keep on top of your treatment and manage your conditions. “Our hospitals and clinics are all extremely safe places with stringent cleaning standards and social distancing,” said Mr Hardy. “Please don’t think you’re a burden to our staff – we are here to help and we need to see you if you have appointments booked. “That way we can prevent backlogs building up which could put more strain on our services in the future. “And if you are seriously ill with something like upper chest pains and respiratory problems you must ring 111 for immediate attention,” he added. His call for people to seek medical help was backed by
Dr Irfan who said it was vital for people to get advice from their local GP if they found lumps or bumps, experienced unexpected bleeding or weight loss. “Our surgeries have been open for business during the pandemic but are operating in slightly different ways to make sure we keep everyone safe and protected,” he said. “GPs and their health care colleagues at the surgeries are still seeing people face to face when necessary. If people are worried about symptoms they must ring their practice and talk to a member of staff who will be able to advise them on the best course of action. “Of course, people shouldn’t forget the healthcare advice available from their local pharmacy or online at nhs.uk,” added Dr Irfan.
Arts Council gives Covid grants to local groups; track and trace centre to launch – see page 22
Police issue more than 800 fines POLICE across the Thames Valley have handed out more than 800 fines since the coronavirus pandemic – and the majority given out this month are for breaking the rule of six. Officers are urging the public to continue to follow the restrictions to help avoid spreading Covid-19. Thames Valley Police said that cases are rising, and communities should stick to government regulations. Chief Superintendent Rob France, Gold Commander for the Thames Valley Police response to Covid-19, said: “It is clear that cases of coronavirus nationally are increasing and action needs to be taken by us all to stop this indiscriminate virus from spreading and leading to the deaths of many more people.” Thames Valley Police has handed out 846 fines since the start of the pandemic, including 39 in October — the highest fine in the region was for £680. And since the beginning of September, the force has also received over 2,600 calls for Covid-related services. The entire Thames Valley area currently sits in Tier One of the Government’s new restriction system — meaning it is a ‘medium risk’ area. While businesses and venues can continue to operate in a Covidsafe manner, some must close between 10pm and 5am. Schools, universities and places of worship also remain open, and weddings and funerals may go ahead but there are restrictions on how many people can attend. And the rule of six is in force, meaning people must not meet in groups larger than six when indoors and outdoors. “Our approach throughout has been to support the public in following regulations by engaging, explaining and encouraging,” Chief Supt France added. “And we have been using discretion before enforcement. “Where people are choosing to breach the regulations and not listening to police officers, we will move more quickly to enforcement by issuing a fine or other enforcement such as dispersal or arrest.” According to Thames Valley Police, while the vast majority of people in the region continue to follow the Government regulations, there are some who are not observing the rules. “It cannot be right that the small number of people deliberately flouting the rules should be able to do so without consequence,” Ch Supt France said. “We will continue to prioritise our response to coronavirus to where the risk is greatest.” To report any breaches, call 101 or search the police force’s website.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
New team takeover reins of Hurst’s popular Post Office By SUE CORCORAN news@wokingham.today CUSTOMERS are celebrating the reopening of a Post Office which has been closed for two months.
There’s been a big welcome for the two people who are now running the Hurst branch, splitting the times between them. Coincidentally, both lost their previous jobs due to Covid-19 shutting down so much of the travel industry. The Post Office closed in August following the sudden death of its much-loved manager Debbie Kaur. The new counter assistant is Pam Buckett of Woodley who worked for 13-and-a-half years at Henley Post Office before moving to work for a travel money company. “I was furloughed in March and made redundant in August,” she said. “It’s the first time I’ve been out of work since I was 15. I couldn’t wait to get back into work. “It’s nice to be back, to see people and talk to them. Everybody has been really nice. “I didn’t know the previous postmistress, but I know she
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JETS propelled jobseeking support JOBSEEKING will be JET-propelled thanks to a new programme launched by the government on Monday. Open to people living in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, the JETS – Job Entry Targeted Support – is backed by a £238 million investment and dedicated to supporting those who have become unemployed as a result of Covid-19. It is open to those who receive Universal Credit (UC), All Work Related Requirements (AWRR) or New Style Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) and have done so for at least 13 weeks. The JETS scheme will offer specialist advice on how people can switch careers, as well as CV and interview coaching. The Department for Work and
Pensions says that it hopes the programme will give job hunters the boost they need to return to employment through an action plan agreed with their personal Work Coach, peer support and opportunities to build their skills. They add that it will be tailored and flexible support. Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Therese Coffey said that it will give a helping hand to more than 250,000 unemployed people across the country. “We have provided unprecedented support for jobs during the pandemic including through furlough and subsidising the incomes of the self-employed, doing all we can to protect peoples’ livelihoods - but sadly not every job can be saved,” she said.
Bell Foundry closure for road works Gaurav Vats and Pam Buckett are the new team behind the counter of Hurst Post Office
was very well-liked. It was obviously a big shock for everyone. “I’m glad to see the Post Office open here again. “It’s the hub of the community.” Mrs Buckett, who is married to Glenn, has two daughters Natalie, 36, and Nicole, 32, and a 20-month-old grandson Oscar. Gaurav Vats of Shinfield had been working for 14 years for a travel company in London as operations manager when he was made redundant.
“There were no travel jobs available at all,” he said. However, he says his experience of operations and customer service will stand him in good stead for his new position as Hurst Post Office manager. “I’ve been made very welcome here,” he said, adding: “I have big shoes to fill after Debbie, I’ve been reading about what people thought of her.” Mr Vats, who is married to Manisha has a three-year-old daughter Hazel. Hurst Village Society has
used its latest newsletter to welcome Mrs Buckett and Mr Vats to the village. Customers travel some distance to Hurst, partly due to closure of other branches. The Post Office hours are the same as they were before: 9am to noon and 12.30 to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday; and 9am to 12.30pm on Saturday. It is part of the Central Convenience Stores in The Street Hurst. The shop’s hours are 6.30am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday; and 6.30am to 8pm, on Sunday.
TO ASSIST in the construction of the new North Wokingham Distributor Road, Bell Foundry Lane will be closed to traffic from Monday. It will be shut between Eldridge Avenue and Wiltshire Road until next spring as the programme of works continues. Access for residents will remain open at all times, as will access to the Thames Water service road, but a diversion will be in place for everyone else. The upcoming works will include construction of the project site office, vegetation clearance and construction of the new junction.
When completed, the road will link the A329 close to the BP garage on Reading Road, with the A329m via the Coppid Beech roundabout. It should take traffic away from Wokingham’s town centre. For further details and regular updates about the North Wokingham Distributor Road scheme please visit Wokingham Borough Council’s social media pages – Facebook, Twitter and MyJourneyWokingham to help plan your journey. For more details, email: NWDR@balfourbeatty.com or call: 0800 121 4444.
14 | NEWS
Befriending app launches next month A NEW app hoping to bring kindness to the community is launching in Reading next month. Companiions, which aims to make it easy and safe to arrange companionship and help is a social enterprise. It brings people together, with those willing to help being paid for their time. And it's offering £20 on Free Kindness Mondays until Monday, November 16. CEO and co-founder Lisa Robinson said: “There are lots of people who could benefit hugely from having quick, easy, safe access to friendly and helpful individuals in their community. “Meanwhile there are people out there brimming with compassion, who want to make money while making a difference. So we created companiions to bring the two together.” Organisers can arrange help for themselves or a loved one, and residents that love to help offer support to others locally, while getting paid for their compassion and care. Residents can download the app, create a profile and search for local companions or offer companionship at a rate and time that suits. Companiion helpers can set their hourly rate between £12 and £25.
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
Earley council join residents to oppose 5G mast in Sol Joel Park EXCLUSIVE By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokingham.today EARLEY TOWN Council has received a formal proposal to erect a 5G mast in the area.
At a council meeting on Wednesday, October 14, councillors debated the suggestion to establish one in Sol Joel Park. But they agreed that the park and nearby Mays Lane burial ground would not be suitable for the mast, which has been proposed for the northern edge of the field, near to Earley St Peter's C Of E Primary School.
Responding to the proposal, Lib Dem Cllr Clive Jones, leader of Earley Town Council said: “The mast seeks to enhance the 5G network for train users, but land exists alongside the railway line that could be used instead of encroaching on to Sol Joel Park. “The park is special because of its enormous recreational and historic value, having been gifted to our community almost a century ago.” Since 2013, the park has been safeguarded by the fields in Trust Protection, an organisation which aims to protect the future of parks and green spaces. And this designation prohibits the
erection of masts. Cllr Guy Grandison, Conservative councillor for Maiden Erlegh ward, said: “We need to improve connectivity within the borough, especially around that area of Earley, but having the mast next in a field in Trust and next to a school is a completely nonsensical decision,” he said. “I’ve yet to hear anywhere sensible to put it, other than the cemetery which I suggested before but the council have rejected. “I think the field is a silly location,” he added. Prior to the council meeting, Earley Town councillors were also
contacted by residents about the proposal. One resident wrote: “I have lived in St Peter’s Road for over 30 years. I have used Sol Joel Park with my children and my grandchildren and the thought of erecting a mast here fills me with horror.” Another resident, in Mays Lane, added: “It would destroy the rural character of the park. It would dominate the skyline from virtually every viewpoint.” Earley Town Council is now writing to the contractor dealing with the 5G mast proposal to outline their reasons for opposing the proposed site.
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Grounds Maintenance team member Aaron Rogers and Grounds Maintenance Manager Terry Gough holding the 2020-21 Green Flag for Woodford Park
Woodley wins green flag award for Woodford park A MARK of quality is flying proudly across a Woodley park this week after a vote of confidence from the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. For the third year in a row, Woodford Park has been judged worth of a green flag. It is awarded to green spaces that are well-managed and managed by voluntary and community groups. Woodford Park is one of more than 2,000 sites across the country to collect the award for 2020. This is particularly poignant in the current Covid-19 pandemic, when millions of people across the country have seen the value of having great quality green spaces on their doorstep. Town Council Leader Cllr Keith Baker said that he is proud that Woodford Park has retained the award, providing local residents and
visitors with a spectacular space to enjoy. “Winning the Green Flag award for the third-year running is a great testament to the hard work of the Town Council staff and the volunteers from the Friends of Woodford Park who help maintain such a beautiful facility,” he said. “This has been all the more important during the lockdown period of Covid-19, where accessing green spaces was vital for mental and physical health. “The Council is particularly proud that this is the only park in the Wokingham Borough area to have received and retained Green Flag status.” Keep Britain Tidy, which manages the scheme under licence from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, was also
pleased to include Woodley in what has been a recordbreaking year. It has awarded more than 2,000 such flags across the country. Keep Britain Tidy chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “This year, more than ever, our parks and green spaces have been a lifeline and we know that millions of people have used them to relax, meet friends, exercise or simply escape for a short time. “It is testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of parks staff and volunteers that, despite the challenges that went along with record numbers of visitors, Woodley Town Council has achieved the highest international standards for Woodford park, demanded by the Green Flag Award.”
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
Residents left shocked over ‘poison’ spray plan for park EXCLUSIVE By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today RESIDENTS of Montague Park say they are concerned a second round of “carcinogenic poison” will be sprayed on their neighbouring meadow, killing hordes of wildlife.
Edward Bentley, who moved to the new-build estate five years ago, said he was distraught last year when David Wilson Homes’ contractors embarked on a weed killing mission in the nearby fields. The SANG, a suitable alternative natural greenspace designated for people’s enjoyment, was ploughed up last summer, and sprayed with glyphosate. The chemical, identified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Working Group as a probable carcinogen, will be sprayed in mass at the back of the park again this year, on land next to the woodland occupied by roe deer — a protected species. Across the site, nearby residents have spotted hedgehogs, also a protected species. David Wilson Homes said the chemical spray is “unlikely” to impact the wildlife, but
Edward Bentley and his wife spotted a hedgehog, now a protected species, out in the day
residents have been left unconvinced. Mr Bentley, whose family bought a dog after moving to the area, said: “Last summer there was a giant tractor with a tank on the back of it spraying glyphosate across the SANG. “And they completely ploughed it up, as though they were going to plant a field of corn. “The roe deer completely panicked – there were terrified deer running through the estate. They must have been wondering where their home had gone.”
Mr Bentley said he thinks David Wilson Homes have “zero competence” after their contractor rendered the SANG unusable for months last year. “I was incredibly shocked and disappointed,” he said. “Wokingham is meant to be one of the best places in England, and this is how you manage green spaces – are you kidding?” After the SANG was ploughed, the contractor did not plant any of the planned wildflower seeds. A year on, thistles and weeds have grown across the land, pushing the developer to start the whole process again, including more glyphosate spraying. Liberal Democrat town councillor for Wescott East, Cllr Peter Dennis, said he contacted the borough council on behalf of residents to push for a better method. He said: “The residents don’t want the same experience as last year. “Cllr Maria Gee and I have raised the residents’ concerns with WBC officers, and they have agreed to contact the contractor directly and ensure they’re taking the right action. “I feel from our perspective, we’ve done everything we can by raising the red flag.” Visitors to Bond Brews’ fifth anniversary party wave flags calling for a top-up Picture: Steve Smyth
Bonds Brews celebrate fifth anniversary A LOCAL brewery has been busy celebrating its fifth anniversary – and live music, great food and local pints were the main items on the menu, writes Charlotte King. Bond Brews, based on Heathlands Road in Wokingham, commemorated its birthday last weekend with a miniature, Covid-safe festival. After spending 20 years in IT, Wokingham resident Dean Bond decided to ditch the office and follow his dreams, which led to him launching Bond Brews five years ago. And Dean had hoped to celebrate the company’s anniversary in June, but postponed the event due to the
coronavirus pandemic. Performers at Saturday's festival included local artists Abi Powell, Savour the Flavour, and Dezzie Daunt. “I like to support local, and that’s why I kept all the beers, food and artists local,” Dean said. “It’s a way of promoting our local businesses and musicians, and giving them a chance to get out again after the virus has kept them inside for so long.” Bond Brews’ event raised approximately £400 and all proceeds will be going to charity. “My dad passed away from prostate cancer a few years ago, and now every time we raise
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any money it gets donated to Prostate Cancer UK,” Dean added. “I’ve had nothing but positive feedback. Customers have passed on messages to us to say it was great and they really enjoyed it.” In order to keep festivalgoers safe, the organisers treated the event as if it were in a pub, enforcing the rule of six. “We made a QR code so that people could register at the gate, we separated tables and we organised a table-service system,” Dean explained. “Last year we had over 200 people turn up to celebrate our anniversary, so we used our outdoor space.”
A spokesperson for the borough council said they are aware of residents’ concerns and spoken to the developer about them. They said: “We have agreed with the developers that the work they do to manage weeds will not harm mammals, such as deer and hedgehogs. “They will be using a chemical spray, glyphosate, to control the weeds so that the wildflower meadow can successfully establish. “To protect both wildlife and nearby residents, the developer has agreed to only spray in mass at the back portion of the park, near the railway side. “For the front portion of the park, near the houses, they will not spray in mass. In addition, the green edges of the park will not be sprayed to allow hedgehogs and other small mammals space to take cover, forage, etc. “The developer will be sending residents an information leaflet to inform them of this work prior to the start of the work.” A spokesperson for David Wilson Homes Southern said that the protection of wildlife at the Montague Park development is a priority.
They confirmed that works have been agreed in consultation with Wokingham Borough Council and include the spraying of weeds. They said: “The area will then be cultivated and sown with a seed mixture of grass and wild flowers in accordance with the approved scheme to create a habitat that will benefit local wildlife. “The existing tree and shrub planting within the area of open space being prepared will be retained and, together with the existing hedgerows and woodland on the perimeters, will provide refuges for wildlife during the seeding works. “Our ecology consultant has advised that hedgehogs generally take shelter in woodlands or under hedges during the day rather than within areas of open space so are unlikely to be impacted by the landscape operations.” But Mr Bentley has contested this, after taking a picture of a hedgehog out in the main field of the SANG during the daytime. And other residents say they have been left unimpressed with the response. Jane Davenport, who also lives in the housing estate said she was shocked and upset when the council and David Wilson Homes’ said the “probable carcinogen” will not harm animals. She said: “The fact that the contractors are still intending on spraying glyphosate across the entire meadow is entirely unacceptable to us.
“We would prefer if the meadow was left as it is rather than poison whatever wildlife resides there. “There is no way you can guarantee wildlife will not be harmed when indiscriminately spraying, regardless as to whether or not a border close to hedgerows is maintained. Animals cannot simply up and leave to find somewhere else to live instantly.” She added: “Glyphosate while wet is harmful to any creature it comes in to contact with, this is a fact, at the very least it causes gastrointestinal problems, at worst it is linked with cancer, this is at a time when creatures are busy foraging and eating, getting ready for winter hibernation. “All of their ecosystem will be destroyed and food sources eradicated. Glyphosate is not selective in its destruction, it kills every bit of vegetation it comes into contact with.” The British Hedgehogs Preservation Society states that developers should avoid using chemicals to manage SANGs, with a move to organic land management instead. The society advises that "toxicity levels can build up in animals like hedgehogs, and vital food sources are removed from the ecosystem”. Ms Davenport also said she believes the chemical spraying action breaks the law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, due to the hedgehogs being legally protected.
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
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Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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Make your poppy count this remembrance
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HIS YEAR, the Royal British Legion is asking everyone to back the Poppy Appeal in a new way.
Like so many things this year, the Appeal has to adapt to Covid-19 and the charity is asking the public to support them like never before, because every poppy counts. Each year 40,000 volunteers make the Poppy Appeal happen. Many of those collectors now fall into vulnerable categories, so it is simply not safe for them to do face-to-face collections. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on people’s livelihoods and way of life, leaving some in the Armed Forces community in dire need of urgent help and support. The Legion’s work is more vital than ever as they support people from all generations who have new hardships as a result of Covid-19 such as struggling with social isolation, financial difficulties and unemployment, losing loved ones or facing the threat of homelessness. Every poppy makes a difference to the lives of our Armed Forces community, and the Legion has worked with its members, staff volunteers and partners to create a range of ways for people to get a poppy and show your support in 2020. People may have to do something different to support the Appeal this year, including taking part in remote activities such as ordering poppies through the post for neighbours, printing a poppy and displaying it in your window, or undertaking a virtual Poppy Run — but every poppy counts.
What are the ways to fundraise/ support for 2020? Poppies in the post – Request poppies in the post from the Poppy Appeal’s website to share and raise donations from your friends and family following social distancing guidelines. Free Fundraising Packs – Maybe you’re a keen knitter, brilliant baker or fancy getting creative with the family? Order a free fundraising pack from www.rbl.org.uk/poppyappeal and the Legion will keep in touch on your progress. Virtual Poppy Runs – Until November 30 – The Legion’s park run events usually bring thousands to local parks across Remembrance-tide. Due to social distancing measures the Poppy Appeal has launched Virtual Poppy Runs. Set a goal and walk, jog or run, whether it’s a distance on one day, or over days or weeks, get out there and do your bit knowing others are running with you. It’s free to register via the Legion website and participants can also purchase a medal and T-shirt. Printable Poppy - The downloadable poppy to display in your window is available on the right. Poppy Shop – Choose from a range of products and donate to the Legion www.poppyshop.org.uk
Where will paper poppies be available this year? Poppies will be available from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi, and Asda stores and volunteers will run collections in other sites and businesses where possible.
How does the Legion support Serving and ex-personnel and their families? The Legion’s work is split into a number of areas: Physical and Mental Wellbeing – Which includes the Battle Back Centre and recovery through the arts projects assisting wounded, injured and sick serving personnel and veterans Financial and Employment Support – Including immediate needs grants for those most in need, benefits, debt and money advice to support those in financial difficulties and training and education funding to assist people into work Care and Independent Living - Six care homes and support for more than 1,300 families who care for a family member living with dementia Expert Guidance – On individuals rights, pensions and entitlements.
Ways to Donate: VIA WEBSITE: www.rbl.org.uk/poppyappeal and click on ‘Donate’ BY PHONE: Call the friendly fundraising support team on 0845 845 1945 to make a donation by phone. BY TEXT: To donate £3, text POPPY to 70020* *Cost £3 plus standard network charges (typically £2.97 goes to the Royal British Legion). BY POST: Print off a donation form via the website and return to Freepost Plus RTZT-ATBH-
RGBZ, The Royal British Legion, Bumpers Way, Bumpers Farm, Chippenham, SN14 6NG. VIA OFFICIAL COLLECTORS IN YOUR LOCAL AREA In Wokingham town centre, this includes Market Place on Fridays and Saturday, Martins News, Nationwide, the Town Hall information centre and Brown Bag. While the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the Poppy Appeal this year, a community of staff, volunteers, partners and suppliers have been working together to ensure it is able to go ahead
and the nation can take part in Remembrance activity. The safety of the public, staff, members and volunteers is a top priority and they are working with charity regulators and the relevant local and national authorities to ensure that all activity is safe and in alignment with both national and regional regulations. Local collectors will have new ways for people to donate including unique QR Codes and Contactless Machines to ensure the safety of those collecting and those choosing to donate in person.
Colour in this poppy, place it in your window, make a donation & send us a picture: news@wokinghampaper.co.uk
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH
A shock, a call to action, but no blame THE FIGURES are a wake-up call to us all. It means that we all probably know someone who is struggling to make ends meet. And yet it is a problem that’s hard to talk about. New research, highlighted on our front page this week, suggests that one-in-six children in our borough live in poverty. Organisations that help, including the foodbank, report a rising demand as the coronavirus puts pressure on the economy. With the Government furlough scheme ending next week, that is only going to get worse. The silver lining is that the poverty levels in Wokingham borough are lower than in other parts of the Royal County. In part, this is due to the borough council maintaining its services despite the budgetary pressures it has faced over years. It can be argued that austerity measures introduced by the coalition government of 2010 – seeing the axing of Sure Start centres, for example – have made it harder to spot the root causes. More needs to be done at government level to tackle child poverty. It can start by heeding Marcus Rashford’s call for funding for meals outside of school terms. The figures are a shock, and they are a call to action. Playing a blame game helps no-one, least of all – our children.
CHURCH NOTES
Resources of hope
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HE Diocese of Oxford has produced a suite of new resources to encourage living well through the challenging winter ahead. As we look to the lighter days on the other side of the winter darkness, the Diocese is offering parishes a host of materials to use within their own communities. The Rt Revd Steven Croft, Bishop of Oxford, has written to all clergy, every chaplaincy and school, and the people in the Diocese of Oxford, looking forward positively to a new horizon, six months away and to Easter 2021. This may seem a long time away, so the church has devised a mixture of video, audio, print and online materials to suit everyone. This month, the Bishop of Reading, the Rt Revd Olivia Graham, is presenting a new, short video focusing on our relationship with the environment. In the first, Bishop Olivia says, “Environmental concern isn’t simply a fringe interest for the usual suspects, nor is it an optional extra. It is absolutely central to our Christian discipleship.” A new weekly podcast series Comfortable Words began last month. Bishop Steven explored Isaiah 40-55 to reflect on our lives today. Living is Christ, Dying is Gain is a four-session study course for small groups based on reflections on the book of Philippians. The Apostle Paul was writing from ‘lockdown’, in prison, to his friends in Philippi thanking them for their love and support and to encourage them. The study course, available to order now, offers inspiration from Paul’s advice for a church living through a time of crisis because he has learnt from experience what truly encourages, sustains and brings joy. Next month, two Bishops’ Webinars will be available. Both sessions, open to anyone in the Diocese who wants to come, are on the theme of rebuilding different aspects of ministry in a time of COVID-19. They will help people explore how they can live well as Christians during the next six months of the pandemic. Bishop Steven said: “God calls us even in the midst of this crisis to find our voice again as disciples and as a Church. This not for our own sake but for the sake of our nation and the world and the communities we serve.”
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020 We love to hear from you! Send us your views on issues relating to the borough (in 250 words or less) to The Wokingham Paper, 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
We need to keep building back better As a resident of Wokingham who wants to see the town thrive, I have found the statements from our council leaders and members against house-building in Wokingham to be disappointing. I drove though one of the newest housing estates in the area recently, off Diamond Jubilee Way, and was really pleased to see the mixture of housing types and abundance of communal space. I always enjoy walking through one of the older housing developments in our area, Woosehill, where there is also a mixture or housing types to suit residents' needs and with it, a great deal of green space put aside for public use. I think we should be wary of the profiteering urges of capitalists in the housing business, as in all areas of the economy, but I also want a strong local economy which can support our social amenities: shops, restaurants, cafes, churches, sports clubs and local associations; all of which need people to function. And more people to let it function better. At the moment, our country has a housing crisis, with an average home in our county costing more than £420,000 – nearly 20 times the annual salary of a first-home buyer. We need to build houses for the good of those wanting a place to live and also for the good of our wonderful town: Wokingham. Ronald Doon, Wokingham
Axe parking charges I am appalled at Wokingham Borough Council. Long story short, I use a WBC car park each week to drop my children off to a Saturday morning learning workshop. The machines in this particular car park are, at best unreliable and every week, there are always people struggling to use them. The situation is made much worse, by only offering card payments, due to the Covid situation. Two weeks ago, I tried to pay for my parking, the payment was, yet again declined (not the first time) and so, despite at least attempting to pay, as evidenced by a Lions Club member eyewitness, I received the gift of a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). Naturally I challenged it, especially since said Lions Club lady jumped to my defence with the parking officer, on issuing the ticket. Only to be informed, that ‘after careful consideration’ the PCN should be enforced. But I tried to pay? It got me thinking. Why is WBC even charging for parking at this time. With so many businesses under duress from lockdown and with the situation set to get worse before better, why wouldn’t they be investing in efforts to encourage high street spending, to activate the local economy and to add to the betterment of individuals, trying to make end meet. Instead of diverting that cash into the pockets of WBC do-gooders, where no one benefits? I am of course irate at having to pay
Get on your walking boots and enjoy Wokingham’s autumn One of the great things about Wokingham is the number of footpaths in and around the town, many of which stretch right into the town centre. During the past few months, walking in Wokingham and the surrounding areas has been an absolute delight. As we head into Autumn, though the weather may be colder, the seasonal display of colours will be a pleasure that can be enjoyed by many. It has been a joy to follow some of the routes available from the Town Hall, and also to us the Ordnance Survey maps and app. to explore new routes. I would encourage any readers of Wokingham.Today to get their walking boots on and make the most this wonderful autumn season. Fred Sardo, Wokingham the PCN, but seemingly have no choice but to do so. There surely is a wider issue here for consideration and a lot more WBC should be doing, instead of taking lowblow pot shots to pinch pennies. J Leadley, Wokingham
Vital role of carers The Covid-19 pandemic has shown us the vital role that carers play in our community. Wokingham Borough Council currently offer a council tax discount to those carers who qualify. To date anyone who receives carer's allowance has that money counted as income and as such many are not considered eligible for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme. I believe that this is wrong and am calling on Wokingham Borough Council to change their policy so that carer's allowance is not included when calculating an applicant’s income levels. It is time to ensure these unsung heroes are fully eligible for the Council Tax Reduction scheme. Phil Cunnington, Wokingham
Worried or stressed out? Sadly many people are suffering from stress, mental tiredness, drinking more than usual etc., given the political environment we now have to tolerate and live with. For example, how can ignorant government clerks possibly interfere with the human right we have to remember the Fallen, at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday? It makes me angry, but is yet another reminder of the 1984 book and the prediction of a controlled state. I hope by relating my personal experiences and applying psychology, I could help someone to reduce their torment. I recently began to understand why a business friend was reminiscing in-depth of happier times long ago. I concluded that it was probably due to stress. Then when I was doing my ironing on Saturday morning and listening to music as I always do, I thought the music may help others relax as it does me. I was listening to romantic music – some of the greatest music of our times
– soothing and emotional, it helps one close the mind to today’s trials and tribulations. That is analogous to but better than old photos. To realise the power of music, I offer the truest description of music ever written – “Music, that all pervading art, which soothes our griefs, inspires our joys, soft love creates, stone rage destroys and moulds at will each stubborn heart.” May I suggest you try this relaxing technique based on some examples I list below? If you like me are a lover of classical music, try operatic arias, especially Verdi, or composers like Mahler (adagietto from Symphony no. 5) or our very own Elgar (the Enigma Variations – especially Nimrod). There is a wealth of beauty in so many composers’ music Maybe gentler on the ears, turn to popular romantic music such as Limelight, the Warsaw Concerto, Dream of Olwen, Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, the Rhapsody on a theme by Paganini, even including the lovely Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again. Other singers from our own romantic era have to include Shirley Bassey, Nat King Cole, Matt Monro, the ‘Crooner’ and so on. Ask your friends for their favourites – just test my suggestion of using music as it as intended, noting that tears may result when listening to some of it. Even that can be beneficial. A final note in this letter. I am very concerned to see the considerable reduction in church attendances in our country. When I was young, our local Baptist church was my second home. In Southampton in the 60s, my family visited Above Bar Church which had an exceptional and gifted Minister in Leith Samuel. He was very popular with university students. I have the feeling that many Churches are failing to relate to our present world, its evils, cruelty to people and animals, our climate, the evils of our enemies, crime, illness and the virus etc. The people who once upon a time expected the Church and its leaders to provide help and guidance to us, to relate the terrible Coronavirus
to Biblical predictions, for example. Reg Cliﬞon, Wokingham
Be careful what you say and when you say it! Some of your many interesting letters re Wokingham meetings and council and otherwise, brought back a really great memory to me of the 1980's. I worked as a minion in a very large firm, the majority of which was grey suited and white collared business men. Once a month a meeting was held to air everyone's grievances, and the meeting was published for all to see. The notetaker – and tea maker – was one of the few women in the firm, so she valued her job and was, as most women are, full of initiative. All the notes of the meetings were published for all to see and comment on. Getting fed up every month on hearing all those reading the minutes, howl “I didn’t say that” and “I didn’t mean that” etc etc, she came up with a cunning plan. How she got permission I do not know, but for the next meeting a microphone was hidden. When the notes of that meeting appeared there was uproar, and even more “I didn’t say that”, or “You got it all wrong” and many comments of the like. At the next meeting the chairman said nothing but just put on the recorder. As you can imagine the embarrassment and uproar was unbelievable. It was promised the recorder would not be used again and there were no more grumbles or denials ever after that. Of course, today that wouldn’t happen (human rights and so on), but it taught everyone a lesson, because sometimes we are so sure of ourselves and what we did or didn’t say (government take note). The note taker got a well deserved promotion and the meetings became human again. This should teach us all a lesson. Francine Twitcheמּ, Wokingham
Get a flu jab Due to the Covid pandemic this year’s flu vaccination programme has been expanded to include more at risk groups including parent carers and
children and young people with longterm health conditions or a learning disability. This follows new analysis that shows an increased risk of having coronavirus with flu. As a charity working to support parent carers we know many are often too busy to think about their own health. And we know that the Coronavirus pandemic has stopped almost half of families with disabled children from seeking medical care for themselves and their children. That’s why Contact is urging eligible families with disabled children in Berkshire to get the flu vaccine. Who is eligible? � All children aged 2-11 – Primary school age children and children in year seven of secondary school will get their flu vaccination at school, so look out for the consent forms. Younger children and those who are home educated can get their vaccine at a community health clinic or your GP surgery. � All children aged 12-17 who have a long-term health condition or a learning disability – you can choose whether to get your child vaccinated at a community health clinic or your GP surgery. Contact them to arrange. � Young people aged 18 and over with a long-term health condition or a learning disability. � Carers, including parent-carers, are eligible for the free flu vaccine if you receive Carer's Allowance or are the main carer for a disabled person who may be at risk. Getting the flu vaccination is one way to protect the health of parent carers, children and young people with disabilities. Amanda Baמּen, Chief Executive, Contact, the charity for families with disabled children, 209-211 City Road, London, EC1V 1JN
A Winter of Disconnect We are only at the very start of winter yet Shinfield, Spencers Wood and Three Mile Cross residents have already been subjected to multiple ‘service’ issues such as power cuts, sewerage flooding across tens of gardens in multiple locations, repeated loss of water supply and low water pressures, broadband and telephony services outages/intermittent poor performance plus the regular garden flooding (or as described by University of Reading representatives ‘water retention’) and of course highway and SANG flooding. Shinfield residents can only hope that winter is mild and service disruption and disconnections are minimal. We can only hope that the additional houses being built, and continue to be applied for, come with some real services infrastructure stability and capacity. So, to Reading University and the army of ‘experts’ they used to force through development after development, to the Planning Inspectorate, to Wokingham Borough Council Planning Officers and to those Councillors and MP’s who did not stand up to protect our Shinfield community, we told you so. If only you had listened. If only you would listen now. Cllr Jim Frewin, independent councillor for Shinfield South, Wokingham Borough Council
Interesting reading Democracy is dead locally so is Wokingham. Cedric Lander’s letter last week made very interesting reading as he really hit the nail on the head. What chance do us mere mortals and minions have against the likes of Robert Jenrick and Dominic Cummings but not forgetting our local MPs
tonyjohnson That was the week
In praise of excellence
I
N A week when lockdowns went local, Burnham went ballistic and Euro-negotiations went south, your health results went on sale to the lowest bidder, in this case £0, with the NHS committing to provide your personal data to the police – and others.
Confusion grew as Liverpool and next door Lancashire were moved into Tier 3 Lockdown and it was discovered that Pat’s Truck stop on the Lancashire side of the main road had different rules from Anders Drive just 50 yards away on the Liverpool side. Meanwhile Manchester’s desire to protect its less well off residents is fast becoming a partisan battle where rhetoric is driving out reason. And as for Boris Johnson’s and Michael Gove’s ‘oven-ready deal’ to ‘take back control’ and ‘get Brexit done’ it’s looking like it’s been well and truly ‘done’. In. Meanwhile at a personal level it was a week where, despite more depressing news on Covid, Brexit and the UK Government, there was excellence out there if you’d the good fortune to come across it.
Excellence in Healthcare With three separate visits to Royal Berks Hospital cancelled during lockdown, our household understands Covid’s impact on the nation’s general health, so a visit to the doctor’s for a flu jab wasn’t perhaps viewed
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Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
whoever they are these days. There are many excellent Councillors in Wokingham Borough of all political persuasions who work hard for their residents but many are all tarred with the NASTY PARTY CONSERVATIVE brush but until they see their role in life as not just lobby fodder to their so called superiors (Executive) than as Cedric Lander put it Democracy is dead locally. Cedric adds that local councils should be run by residents etc or independents free from political ideology and to that I would agree wholeheartedly. Wokingham has three independent Councillors who all work hard for the benefit of residents and who are not tied to any specific belief. We work together but when we have different opinions or views we just vote accordingly and not on any party political lines. The beneficiaries of this independent thinking is the residents benefit not the political administration. It’s time now for all our residents groups to think seriously about putting forward candidates for next May’s local elections. There will be 19 seats up for election and this is an opportunity for residents to drive their own agendas. Just putting up candidates delivers strong messages that will make the administration listen. The only petition/referendum they will listen to is the ones that kick them out of office otherwise they don’t give a fig. Wokingham Borough Council’s own website has excellent information about standing as a candidate in a local election. It’s a very simple process and easy to do. It’s an opportunity that must not be lost as unless the Conservative mould is broken in Wokingham then as Cedric Lander so eloquently put it
with quite the same engagement as was the case last year. Meeting three members of staff (our appointments, Covid symptoms and names respectively) on our way to the waiting area, the annunciator screen called us into the treatment room where staff gave and recorded the vaccinations before finally another person showed us to a different set of stairs for the way back down to the library car park. We were in and out in under 10 minutes. Organised locally, communicated locally, delivered locally and excellent in every way. Huge respect to Woodley Centre Surgery.
Excellence in Art With lockdown putting everything on hold earlier, the 2020 Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy was well on the way to becoming the first absence in 250-plus years. But that changed in early July when galleries were allowed to open again, and it was renamed as the Winter Exhibition, opening on October 6 and running to January 3. Getting there became much less stressful when we discovered an underground car park less than 100 yards away and while that wasn’t something we’d done before, travelling without being hemmed in on bus and underground was a welcome relief. Exhibits at the show were much easier to view than in previous years, simply because of the reduced number of visitors and with just a couple of exceptions, everyone was very considerate in maintaining social distancing. As for the works themselves, they ranged from the totally awesome to the completely awful while the prices ranged from modest to “how much?” Being able to get out and go somewhere, whether or not we liked the art, wasn’t just a relief it was excellent. Thank you to the RA.
DEMOCRACY IS DEAD – SO IS WOKINGHAM. Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham Borough Council
Mark black cat day Cat lovers have a lot to celebrate this Black Cat Day on October 27, with Cats Protection’s news that black and black-and-white cats are no longer overlooked as they once were. Since we created the awareness day in 2010 to highlight that black cats took longer to rehome than other cats, they now spend 11 days less on average in care than before, prior to moving to their new loving homes. Around 65,000 black or black-andwhite cats have been homed through our adoption centres in the decade since the campaign started, a remarkable 44% of all cats homed through our centres during that time. We would like to thank readers for their support and for helping us make a real difference. Not only do these cats now spend less time in our care, but each year thousands celebrate the day and engage with our #BlackCatDay hashtag on social media. Throughout the campaign, Cats Protection has explored reasons why black cats might be less popular, working to change perceptions and buck the rehoming trend. These included black cats being seen as unlucky or not photogenic in selfies. We would love to invite readers to celebrate and showcase their black cat knowledge by hosting a quiz for friends and family while also raising vital funds for their local branch or centre. More details about the quiz and Black Cat Day can be found at www.cats.org.uk/black-cats James Yeates, CEO Cats Protection
Excellence in Council Meetings Recent research into what councils in our area are doing to bring democratic debate and representation back into the public domain, the comparisons show some interesting differences. West Berkshire District’s September Council meeting had a published agenda and a live video stream. They use Zoom as the technology for the meeting and you could see and hear 25 Councillors / staff throughout the meeting – all with real backgrounds with good quality sound and video. The meeting was structured to put debates first and it was notable that the first debate covered the Council’s response to the Government’s white paper consultation “Planning for the Future”. By contrast, Wokingham’s council meetings do have ‘live’ public questions in the meeting (rather than written answers) and WBC’s agenda has a direct link to the video stream (rather than having to log into the West Berks’ Youtube channel then hunt for the correct video stream). A simple contrast for now, but both Councils demonstrated individual areas of excellence.
The last word After all that’s gone on in 2020 with individuals (e.g. Cummings I - eyesight and II council tax, ‘Honest Bob’ Jenrick, Hancock, Gove and Ferrier) the Government machine has lost credibility and with it, the moral high ground too. If the nation’s to overcome Coronavirus, then it’s Local Authorities more than ever who are setting the example. Excellence begins here. caveat.lector@icloud.com
johnkaiser From the executive
The impact of Covid
D
URING the pandemic one of the first and most pressing issues I faced was to ensure that some of the most vulnerable in our community, the homeless, were looked after and taken off of the streets.
It was a great relief to me that we were able to quickly identify those sleeping rough across our borough and find suitable accommodation for all who wanted it within two weeks of lockdown. The impact of Covid on our business community have been devastating. As we moved through the lock down period it was paramount, given our limited funds, that the government provided us with much needed business grants and rates reliefs to pass on. For the sake of livelihoods, it was essential we did this quickly, and while at times it felt frustratingly slow, in less than a month we tracked down those we needed to. It gave me great satisfaction to start helping the legion of small and medium sized businesses across the borough. By July we had managed to distribute just under £50 million in grants and reliefs to our businesses. I know that for many Covid is an ongoing struggle and I am acutely aware that additional support may be necessary. Throughout our pandemic response, we have been ensuring those in most need receive any support they require. Doing so has come with substantial costs at a time when key incomes to the council have dried up, most notably from leisure and car parking.
Challenging We have also been diverted away from delivering on savings initiatives. I have found this extremely challenging. Ensuring the needs of our community are met while trying to manage the council’s resources has been a great responsibly. Fortunately, we came into this pandemic with a strong financial standing created through decades of our robust and sound business-like approach to managing the council finances. Contrary to some vastly inaccurate and politically motivated statements about the council’s finances, we have always borrowed sensibly and continue to do so. During Covid, these investments have generated income critical to our response. Contrary to speculation we also have assets far in excess of the value of our borrowings. I hate listening to the lies and rumours about the council’s finances. During this time when many among us fear illness, job losses, reduced income and may struggle with mental well-being, scaremongering statements are hugely irresponsible and lack any sense of feeling or respect for those who rely on the many essential services delivered by Wokingham Borough Council. Rest assured I will run our finances to ensure that, when we get back to normal life, whatever that will look like, Wokingham Borough Council will still be in a position to deliver our vital services, having never failed to support the residents of the borough throughout this very difficult and challenging time. Don’t believe anyone who tries to tell you otherwise. As I have said on many occasions a council that is broke is no use to anyone. Please stay safe and follow the health guidelines. Cllr John Kaiser is the member for Barkham, deputy leader and executive member for Finance and Housing on Wokingham Borough Council
20 | NEWS Three of a Kind… The Government love to make up slogans, and they have just three words each, More than just three words it seems, is considered out of reach. We first had “Stay at Home”, which was perfectly clear, We all stayed in our houses to make the virus disappear. The infection rate went down, and optimism soared, But then came “Test and Trace” and everyone got bored. Some didn’t like this system, they felt too much intrusion, But it largely failed to work, Oh dear! Its success became confusion. After that came the “Rule of Six”; too complicated by far, Six people could foregather here, but certainly not o’er there! Pubs and bars were closed at 10; tipsy people filled the street, And caused the virus to spread again, so Gov: turned up the heat. Their latest is a brand new phrase, it’s called a “Three Tier System”, Dividing up the kingdom based on clear rates of infection. Tiers are medium, high and very high; whatever happened to low? Considered infra dig perhaps to label a region so. But all these phrases have failed to stop the virus gathering pace, We desperately need a vaccine if we’re ever to win this race. But “Stay at Home” began to work, so surely bring this back? Full lockdown as a “circuit break” will give this bug the sack. The economy also gives concern, but if too many die what then? Firms still have machines and tools of the trade, but a serious shortage of men. Thus the health of the people MUST surely come first, lest the world goes into decline, Leaving things that we need unavailable in shops, or even to purchase on-line. No point in dreaming up yet more phrases, the one which we have is okay, The “Stay at Home” rule is the best up to now for keeping the virus at bay. We’ve got to take action and our medics are worried, lest the pandemic extends wider still, All beds will be full, ITU over-stretched, and the staff somewhat over the hill! So tis obvious that folk must try even harder to stay in a locked-down state, For if we keep on ignoring, we’ll only succeed in sealing our own wretched fate. So let’s do our bit; behave as a team with everyone pulling together, We might just succeed in beating this bug, if we act instead of just dither. Lorna Minton
We love receiving reader’s poetry. Email submissions to letters@wokinghampaper.co.uk
Chip off the old block FISH ‘n’ chips is one of the nation’s favourite dishes, but what do you like with it? A survey by UKCaravans4hire.com, revealed that the most popular accompaniment is mushy peas (25.6%) followed by curry sauce (18.5%) and gravy (8.3%). Of course, salt and vinegar are the top condiments – while others like a generous helping of bits/scraps (12.6%), a side of mushy peas (25.6%), a dollop of tomato ketchup (15.9%) and a teacake/bread roll (4.3%). The survey found a North/South rift – the South of England (35.1%) is more likely to have gravy with their fish and chips than those up North (11.5%). Gareth Irving, director of UKcaravans4hire.com, said: “Each part of the UK has their own way to enjoy our most treasured national dishes. “It's interesting to see that the British approach to fish and chips is more united than we originally thought. “However, there is still an apparent contrast between the North and South of England.”
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rachelbradley Think local
Have you got a moment?
C
AN we take a moment to talk about meltdowns because last Sunday I had the mother of all meltdowns.
As things go, I’m am pretty positive person so what happened last Sunday morning was A BIG MOMENT for me. You see, I can usually flip things to find the good bits – whether it’s people, situations, children, work. There’s always something good to be found, right? I’m a glass half full kind of woman but last Sunday it was like someone took my glass and smashed it against the wall. Not a single drop of hope was left. Sound dramatic? Well it was. Because without any warning or provocation I was well and truly PUSHED OVER THE EDGE. I didn’t lose my temper. I just felt flat and sad. I spent a good hour lying on the sofa crying, feeling sorry for myself and then decided the best route to take was to just go with it. I ended up staying there for most of the day. It didn’t take me long to realise that I was having my Pandemic Meltdown Moment. Let’s call it my PMM because apparently it’s ‘a thing’. Tell me, have you had yours yet? During my PMM my sense of direction was all over the place. I felt lost, helpless and out of control. My usual steady demeanour buckled. There was no trigger, no annoyance with anyone or anything in particular. It just happened. And now, a week or so later, I’m actually glad it did. Because it’s been a springboard for me to recognise what’s going on. Not with the situation. But with me. You see, I’m good at just functioning through. I’m a typical Virgo, practical and keen to find solutions to problems, putting things in an order and working through them. Never really focusing on myself because I’m too busy just doing what needs to be done. As much as my work life is pretty all over the place (I’m a freelancer so there’s no ‘normal’ to speak off really), my life has, thankfully, been relatively straightforward. Work life, social life, home life. Clear and simple.
But knowing that it’s not straightforward anymore is okay. It’s actually quite liberating. In a strange way, losing control has given me back control. Because now I know that I need to let go of the things I can’t do anything about, which is remarkably freeing, and focus on the things that I can control, in my own little way. When it comes to work, I love my job and take pride and pleasure in delivering good work for my clients. Many of my clients are local people running amazing businesses. I’m inspired and energised by them. My social life is now all of a sudden smaller. A trip into Marlow to meet a friend seems like overseas travel. And I’m good with that. I have more time to give to the people I truly want to see rather than flitting here there and everywhere, which was never really that satisfying. My close bubble of friends have become more treasured than ever. And that is nothing more than amazing. My home life is my anchor. With two teenage boys in the house, I suspect if life had carried on as normal, I would hardly see them. But I do see them. Every day and most evenings. We chat. We argue. We are all far too loud. But I love it. I’m grateful to have them around me. Their energy is infectious, their lust for life contagious and their acceptance of the situation inspiring. I can’t tell you how proud I am that they’re getting on with things without complaint. I know that I’m not alone in my feelings of frustration, of anger, of helplessness. But I think it’s time we all gave ourselves a break. It’s time to enjoy the little things and be more ‘in the moment’. And more than anything, it’s time to be kind to ourselves. So if that means that every Sunday I’ll be lying on my sofa watching box sets, we’ll I’m good with that. Because right now it’s all about finding new routines and as routines go, that’s a pretty good one. Rachel is founder Gossip Girl Gang, a networking group for women in business in and around the borough
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
When it come Walter is armed By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today WORKING from home has its unique challenges — intermittent WiFi connection, a crowded kitchen table and the daily decision over whether to make a cheese or ham sandwich for lunch.
Set on improving the working lunch, Jon Levene, owner of The Walter Arms, launched his work table scheme last week. Visitors to the Sindlesham pub have access to unlimited tea and coffee, steady WiFi, charging points and lunch for three hours at £10. An offer that Jon hopes home workers cannot refuse. Checking out the scheme, Wokingham.Today paid The Walter Arms a visit. Arriving at the pub, the car park has clear signs directing visitors through the one-way system. Opening the front door, santisier and track and trace information is available. Front of house staff greet visitors at the door to check the booking type, before directing those to their seat. The work tables are equally spaced out, with just over a metre gap between them. Located in a specific section of the pub, each desk has access to a charge point underneath the table. Tables edge the room, with most visitors choosing to face inwards — opposite one another. “It’s about getting out, networking and having a coffee,” Jon says. “And it’s already in demand. “We made one social media post about them last week, which was seen by more than 45,000 people. “We’ve set up a booking system online to manage the demand,” he adds. The square pub tables are suitable for a laptop, notebook and plate of food — enough space to keep focused
Sindlesham-based The Walter Arms is offerin
and avoid reams of paperwork piling up. Unlike an office desk, workers would be best advised to use their laptop trackpad over a traditional mouse due to the lacquered table
Top tips to help you dri IN RECENT weeks, you might have had to stick the thermostat up on your car’s heater. Yes, there’s no getting away from it: autumn is here, the days are getting shorter and there’s leaves on the road. The motoring experts at LeaseVan.co.uk have revealed their best advice for coping with autumnal hazards on the roads. From replacing wiper blades to checking and replacing fog lights, drivers have been offered tips for preparing to drive in the low sun, rain, chilly mornings and sudden fog that autumn can bring. The LeaseCar team have also looked at other potential hazards, like driving in the dark and avoiding animals which are more active in autumn. Tim Alcock from LeaseVan.co.uk said: “Since we’ve been able to get out of our homes and back onto the roads, drivers will have gotten used to the warm dry weather, but with autumn just around the corner we wanted to
make sure motorists were prepared for the potential dangers the change in weather can bring. “We’ve compiled some advice for the different hazards, but the most important thing drivers need to remember is to slow down and leave plenty of room between them and the car in front. “It’s also important to make sure your vehicle is in top condition too. Checking the wiper blades, bulbs and anti-freeze regularly is a must.”
Wet weather Quick showers and heavy downpours can be dangerous to drive through. Rainwater mixing with the oil, dirt and grime on the roads can make then slick and slippery. Slow down and make sure you have enough stopping distance should you need to break suddenly.
Dazzle Low sun can cause a problem at this time of year making it difficult to see.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
es to working, d with the tables
ng its tables for office workers – and the hire includes coffee and a lunch Pictures: Jess Warren
surface. But bringing a mouse mat would also resolve that. The three-hour slot gives enough time to set up and settle into the flow of work, before taking a natural break for lunch. Visitors can choose from a pot of tea, or Americano, as well as a jug of water for the table. Sandwiches include prawn marie rose with rocket, chicken and avocado and buffalo mozzarella and beef tomato on white or granary bloomer. Anyone particularly hungry can add fries, chunky chips or onion rings for an additional £2. Jon says he hopes the scheme will drive up daytime trade. “During August, visitors increased by 30% due to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme,” he explains. “It’s decreased again, so we hope doing things like this
will boost the number of people coming to the pub.” Last month, the venue closed for a deep clean after a member of staff tested positive for coronavirus. “It’s certainly given the company an insight into the process,” Jon says. “We closed for four days and reopened with staff from some of the other pubs in The Old Spot Pub Company. “It was dealt with in the right way, and now the whole company is prepared.” Later this month, Jon is launching a new winter menu with their new head chef, Mark Price. Mark is the former head chef at River Cottage, owned by celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and has a decadent menu planned. � For more information, visit: thewalterarms.co.uk
ive safely this autumn Make sure you carry a pair of sunglasses in the car, use the sun visors and keep the windscreen clean. A grimy windscreen can make the glare worse. If you are being dazzled, slow down.
Wet leaves A patch of wet leaves can be just as dangerous as a big puddle. Reduce your speed before driving onto them, and remember, they may be hiding a pothole or other road hazard.
Driving in the dark Being ready for night-time driving is essential. Check the bulbs in your headlights and taillights and when you’re on the road, slow down and keep an eye out for pedestrians.
Chilly mornings The onset of autumn and winter means a dip in temperatures. Make sure your antifreeze has been checked and you have everything you need to scrape the windscreen.
Icy roads More of a problem during winter months, but some autumnal mornings can be icy. Try not to break suddenly or take corners too quickly. Be gentle with your acceleration and manoeuvres.
Fog Fog can be a sudden hazard and it’s best to avoid driving if it’s too heavy. If you are caught out by quick falling fog, keep your speed low, use dipped lights and fog lights rather than full beamed lights and allow plenty of room for the car in front.
Animals Deer are most active during the autumn months, October in particular, and are known to dart out into the road. If you see a deer, slow down and continue as usual.
Wiper blades After a summer of sunshine, it’s time to check your wiper blades. If they squeak as they wipe, it’s time to replace them.
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Made in Scotland, danced in Ireland, drunk in town
IT ALL started with a dance off in rural Ireland, and ended with a local pub pouring Scottish pints. Pilot Beer, a brewery based in Edinburgh, has launched its beers in six pubs in the South East — and one of them is The Lord Raglan in Wokingham’s town centre. Patrick Jones, founder of Pilot Beer, explains: “We were invited over to a brewery in Ireland, The White Hag, and attended a big beer festival they hold every year”. And at the end of the festival, everyone travelled over to the twon of Sligo for a few more drinks. “We went to a local pub and hit the dance floor pretty much as soon as we got there. “And we really bonded with the people from Big Smoke Brew Co. and there was a bit of a competition to see who could be the last man standing on the dance floor,” Patrick says. “We sell our beers across the north of England, but it’s not permanent in the way our line in Wokingham is.”
Big Smoke is a brewery based in Surrey, and it owns a number of pubs in the South East of England, opening The Lord Raglan days before lockdown started in March. And after the dance off, the company offered to give Pilot Beer a permanent home in its pubs. “The dance off isn’t the entire reason we formed a partnership with Pilot Beer,” says a spokesperson for Big Smoke Brewery Co. “Another reason is that their beer is very good. “We are fellow brewers; they are independent crafters just like us so we share a lot of the sam| e values and passion for quality. “And in Scotland at the moment, where they have their own lockdown rules, it’s really important for us to try and support Pilot Beer who can’t necessarily trade with any pubs up there,” the spokesperson adds. Next time you’re down the pub, keep an eye out for a Scottish brew because you might just find one.
Eleanor makes a hash brown of her day out By CHARLOTTE KING cking@wokinghampaper.co.uk THE old advertising slogan was simple but effective and, for one Sonning resident, it has never been more true: a visit to McDonald’s makes your day. Last week, Eleanor Smith chalked up a first after she and two of her fellow residents were taken on a socially distanced drive around – her first visit out since February. After months in lockdown conditions, the Sunrise of Sonning residents were overjoyed to get out and about. But there was one aspect that particularly touched Eleanor. She said: “I want to send a heartfelt thank you for the outing us three residents had in the car, it was so unexpected but at the same time, so welcome. “I have not been out into the big wide world since February. “I am lucky at Sunrise of Sonning as I can move around and we have such a delightful garden which I visit most days so I can experience the fresh air and the trees and flowers. “We now also have a place out there where I can sit and have a rest and take shelter if it starts to rain. “However, to be driven along the roads and to see the outlying villages and so many people being sensible and enjoying themselves
along the side of the Thames through walking, cycling, running and boating was a lift to the spirits. “To have this all capped by my first drive-thru visit to McDonalds and to taste their hash browns was entirely unexpected, thanks for the photo to mark this historic moment.” She added: “I can’t help wondering how I would have survived all these months if I had still been living on my own, which I had done for 12 years. It is such a joy to be greeted by smiling faces each day and to know I can be helped over any hurdle.”
NEWS | 21
22 | NEWS
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
CORONAVIRUS LATEST
Awards Maestros please! New arts grants revealed By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today A TRUST that has been helping youngsters make music has been awarded more than £750,000 in the second round of Arts Council coronavirus grants.
Berkshire Maestros, which has been providing music lessons and orchestral opportunities for children since 1982, was one of a number of diverse groups who have been helped by the Culture Recovery Fund. In all, £76 million was announced on Saturday, including £2.2 million for 10 organisations across Berkshire. Other recipients include Woodley based SFL Group, which is to receive £242,827, and Wokingham-based Yes Events Ltd, which has been earmarked for £194,527. Reading-based visual arts group Jelly will receive £63,170, while The Jazz Cafe at the Madejski Stadium, which works with young people to support them with creating their own original music, will receive £55,000. There are also grants to Windsor-based Birdsong Productions (£54,000) and Newbury-based Zippos Circus, which will receive £628,986. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and Arts Council England said that in total 588 cultural and creative organisations have been helped with this tranche of grants and more will be on their way. It aims to help organisations create work and performances, and plan for reopening. Culture secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This is more vital funding to protect cultural gems across the country, save jobs and prepare the arts to bounce back. “These awards build on our commitment to be here for culture in every part of the country.” And Hedley Swain, area director South East for Arts Council England, said: “We’re very pleased to be able to support a further 63 organisations across the South East of England, which will share £8.2 million, through Round 2 of the Culture Recovery Fund: Grants.
Obey the call of Hypnocat
The international street concert managed by YES events
“The investment will help them to navigate the immediate challenges that are ahead, as well as supporting their plans for 2021.” The team at Jelly said that the funding would stabilise its future and mean it can reopen in March next year. Kate Powell said: “It’s very difficult to articulate how we feel about this announcement. We are proud, relieved, excited, fit to burst and hugely humbled all at the same time but most of all we are so very thankful. “There has never been more of a need for creative thinking and we will endeavour to elevate and support all artists, young, old, professional and part time. Everyone is an artist and we are, and always will be, a creative community enriched by the people we meet.” Staff at Wokingham-based YES Events are delighted with their grant. The company has staged the International Street Concert and specialise in lighting, sound, staging and video. Through their work, YES facilitate the opportunity for a range of genres including but not limited to; artist-led animation, interactive and immersive arts, festivals including light festivals, participatory events and installations, community events such as dance festivals, international and local music celebrations, Fringe Festivals including poetry readings, live literature, storytelling, spoken word, experimental music, theatre tours and family theatre.
Their work includes the commemorative illuminations of Grenfell Tower. Working with the residents and bereaved families to design a set of illuminations for the ‘Green For Grenfell’ project. In July, YES worked with residents and Reading Borough Council to install a commemorative illumination within the Forbury Gardens, following alleged attacks in which three people died. This illumination was supplied free of charge by YES in order to show solidarity with the local community and provide an open opportunity for all to reflect and remember those who were lost. Tom Chennells, Yes Events’ managing director, said: “Our company has been based in Wokingham for seven years and the majority of our staff are local to the town and surrounding areas. “This funding enables us to continue delivering on fantastic projects for our clients, both locally and nationally, whilst securing the futures of our vital staff whose unique skills and knowledge of our industry are irreplaceable. “Like many others, the whole events sector is still very much in a difficult place as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, with many businesses like ours only being able to open in very small percentages; with this in mind, we’re under no illusions as to how incredibly lucky we are to have been granted this essential funding to enable us to continue our work.”
Half-term events for families WOKINGHAM Borough Council is organising some half-term fun next week. Social distancing rules apply. Saturday, October 24Saturday, October 31. � California Country Park, Nine Mile Ride,
Finchampstead, RG40 4HU - Spooky Riddles – sponsored by Tesco; also at Heath Lake, Nine Mile Ride, Wokingham Without RG45 6TU. � Cycle parts crossword – Deer Leap, Mays Farm Meadow, Church Lane,
Shinfield. COMING SOON: Saturday, November 7 SHINFIELD – Parish Council car park, School Green RG2 9EH. Dr Bike – FREE Bike checks - Places must be booked. 1pm-4pm. Saturday, November 14
Spencers Wood – Library Car Park, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AJ. Dr Bike – FREE Bike checks - Places must be booked. 1pm4pm.
� For more details, visit myjourneywokingham. com/events/
CATS have always been one of the biggest things on the internet, and now the company that looks after the borough’s waste has turned to our feline friends to boost recycling. The new Recycle Your Electricals campaign for re3 features HypnoCat, to encourage residents to recycle their old electricals The pink fluffy moggy wants to avoid around 500,000 tonnes of electrical items, broken and working, from being sent to landfill. It’s been revealed that re3 householders alone are holding on to more than 3 million electrical items, including 100,000 cables that could run all the way along the River Thames nearly four times over. During the coming weeks, HypnoCat will issue a series of rallying calls to local people including: “Humans of England. You will not bin your electricals.” He will also play on his cat's superior powers over humans: “Speaking of bags, go buy me a big bag of catnip” in between the repeated mantra of Recycle Your Electricals. Scott Butler, Material Focus executive director which is behind the campaign, said: “Small electricals are one of the fastest-growing waste streams, and we are throwing away valuable materials that are lost forever. “In reality, these small old, unwanted electricals contain 75% of materials that can be recycled or reused such as precious materials like gold, aluminium and steel. “Through HypnoCat and our campaign, we will be providing step-by-step information on how to reuse and recycle old electricals.” He added: “We are delighted to be working with re3 and are calling Bracknell, Reading and Wokingham residents to put their unwanted electricals in a bag and recycle either at the nearest recycling centre or local electronic retailer. “In addition, Reading residents can place their broken or unusable small electricals in a carrier bag next to their red recycling bin on a collection day.” And the project is welcomed by re3, which is a joint partnership between Wokingham, Reading and Bracknell Forest borough councils. In a joint statement, Cllr Parry Batth, Wokingham Borough Council’s executive member for environment and leisure, Cllr Dorothy Hayes, Bracknell Forest Council’s executive member for environment and chairman of the Joint Waste Disposal Board, and Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward, Reading Borough Council’s lead councillor for neighbourhoods and communities, said: “We are very pleased that Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Boroughs are one of the first areas in the UK to be part of the Recycle Your Electricals campaign. “We have joined this campaign to further promote the importance of recycling electricals and to remind residents that everything with a plug, battery or cable should not be thrown away in rubbish bins but instead should be recycled. “Any items in working condition such as kettles or toasters should be taken to the re3 Recycling Centres and left at the Reuse Area. By doing so, residents help to divert waste away from landfill and at the same time, support charities and local organisations.”
NEWS | 23
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Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
Strictly star joins council call for foster parents in borough
Ian Waite is supporting the call for foster carers Picture: Stewart Turkington
LOCAL Strictly Come Dancing star Ian Waite has joined the council in a mission to raise awareness of the need to find fostering homes across the borough.
Mr Waite met with foster carer Sue Rayment, one of over 50 foster carers at Wokingham Borough Council, to chat about the need to find a Perfect 10 more local fostering homes. He said: “I am delighted to do my bit to help raise awareness of the need for more local foster
carers for local children and would encourage people to talk to the team about fostering in Wokingham borough.” Cllr UllaKarin Clark, executive member for children’s services, added: “I would echo Ian’s encouragement of residents to get in touch to find out more about our fostering service. “You could be our newest foster family providing a vital, happy home to a young person
close to home and ensuring they get the support they need as they grow up.” Fostering makes a difference for a young person in need but can benefit the families too. Fostering through the council offers a remuneration package, council tax exemption, training including a specialist therapeutic programme, and one-to-one and out-of-hours support. Fees increase with experience, with some fosters able to use the salary to fund a change of career. An experienced foster carer at Level 2, who cares for two children all year, could earn more than £25,000 per annum, excluding allowances for the children. The council holds monthly online information events about the fostering process. The next will be held on Wednesday, November 18 from 6pm to 7.30pm. � For more information, and to book a place, email: fostering@wokingham.gov.uk, call: 0118 974 6204
Shinfield Parish councillors smile before cutting the ribbon to the new centre Picture: Miriam Sheridan Photography
Councillors cut the ribbon for new community pavilion in Spencers Wood ON SATURDAY, Shinfield Parish Council marked the opening of its new community pavilion with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Although crowds were held back from attending the event due to social distancing requirements, Cllr Ian Clarke, chair of Recreation and Amenities Committee, and the Spencers Wood Pavilion Committee thanked the committee for its work He said: In August last year, I chaired a committee to replace the pavilion at Spencers Wood
Recreation Ground, the committee consisted of parish councillors and two co-opted residents. “After deciding, position, size and our aspiration externally and internally, we set about finding a company that could build us a modern facility for our community to enjoy for years to come. “We met monthly until lockdown in March, from then on many e-mails, phone calls, Zoom meetings and distance meetings on the field, sorting
out numerous tasks one has to do externally and internally, all the hard work by the committee came to fruition in late July when planning permission was granted. Fourteen months later, on Friday, October 9, the builders, Modulek, handed the completed building to Shinfield Parish Council. “I would like to thank the committee and the Parish Clerk for the enormous amount of time they put into this project to produce a great facility for our community.”
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Pinehurst Care Centre: working hard to be a family in lockdown
F THERE’S one question on everyone’s lips at the moment, it’s how do we stay Covid-safe. For the team at Pinehurst Care Home in Crowthorne it’s been at the forefront of their minds ever since the pandemic took a strong grip across the country in March. The care sector has been particularly hard hit as they have had to keep their doors shut to visitors for much of the year. It’s meant that the centre has had to adapt to ensure everyone’s safety is a priority. That includes weekly testing for every team member and ensuring that no agency staff are employed. Of course, there’s more to it than that. Pinehurst comprises three homes in one: a 21-bed dementia community, a 10-bed residential community and a 16bed transitional community. The team work hard to create a family unit among the residents and staff. Manager Lynne Cotterell explains: “Covid has brought us closer together. We’re a family bubble. “We’re doing our very best to look after residents – we might not be a five-star hotel, but we give five-star care.” That includes strict hygiene measures – something that had already been in place before the pandemic struck. “One thing about Forest Healthcare is that they’ve never ever scrimped or saved on PPE: Whatever we needed, we had delivered. We had plenty of stock on coveralls, gloves and masks,” Lynne says. “The procurement part of the company have worked really hard, so we’ve never had a problem. “And we’ve not had a problem as far as infection controls have been concerned [thanks to the hygiene routines in place].” So in that sense, Pinehurst were ready for Covid. But they weren’t ready to have to turn visitors away. “That was the biggest shock,” Lynne says. “We’ve
always had a very open front door, with families visiting most days. The strangest thing, all of a sudden, was that we didn’t have people coming in the door. We didn’t have people standing there saying, ‘Can I pop in an see my Mum?’ or ‘Can I take her out for Sunday lunch?’ – that was strange.” A system is currently in place – subject to the latest restrictions – that enables people to visit in the garden. “We have eight appointments for eight residents. Families can come on every other Saturday for a halfhour slot. Obviously, it’s not touchy feely, it’s all behind perfect shielding. It’s been quite good. “There’s also video tools. We’ve got a laptop that’s
quite big so residents can see the people they’re speaking to on video calls. We even speak to Australia at least three times each month.” This has all helped Lynne and her team form a really strong bond with residents, becoming their own family. “Residents know that they won’t see their own families so we’ve made sure that we’ve always got plenty of sweets, we get fresh flowers for them, we do a resident of the day scheme, so that each resident throughout the month will feel special – the home is Covid-safe, the residents are safe, the team are safe. “We’re going above and beyond the call of duty to
ensure that our residents are protected. We all pull together – we’re passionate about keeping everyone safe.” Covid will not be a problem forever: the end might come when a vaccine is available, or when the virus has run its course. Lynne is already planning for that moment. “We’re going to have the biggest party we can,” she promises. “We were going to have a VE-Day street party, we had everything organised: decorations, everything. “So we’re going to have a Covid VE-Day opening day party. It will be the biggest street party Crowthorne has ever seen. We’ll invite the world and we’ll put a big sign over the front door to say Covid gone – hello new life.” She can’t wait. � Pinehurst will be taking part in next week’s Musical Trail across the village. � Nothing we can write here can convey the understanding, warmth and care that Pinehurst Care Centre staff have for their residents. Our reputation is one we are very proud of. It is best if you meet with us at your earliest opportunity to register your interest. � Please visit Pinehurst Care Centre at any time, however as we are a busy home it’s best to telephone and arrange a visit with our manager, or administrator, who will show you around. � Call 01344 774 233 or email us at pinehurst@foresthc.com or visit www.foresthc.com
Pinehurst Care Centre at the heart of Crowthorne village has a real focus on being a family
01344 774233 | Pinehurst Care Centre, Dukes Ride, Crowthorne RG45 6ND | www.foresthc.com
24 | SCHOOLS
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FROMTHECLASSROOMS
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
We welcome contributions from pupils for this page– email stories, pictures and prose to news@wokinghampaper.co.uk
From Paris to Wokingham via Nicaragua
Waingels College students have been discovering different books
Inspirational reading By WAINGELS COLLEGE
DURING the last six months, books and stories have given us worlds to explore and people to meet. Books have enabled people in lockdown to ride on railway journeys through Russia, tiptoe through a war-torn Afghanistan, and roam the halls of Hogwarts while still being in reach of the kettle. It was therefore with pleasure that we celebrated our students’ passion for reading through the Wokingham Libraries’ Authors Into Schools Programme, part of the Wokingham Children’s Book Festival. It was a slightly different affair this year, but through the magic of Microsoft Teams we were able to welcome Sue Cheung and Julia Gray right into our classrooms. Sue Cheung, author of Chinglish, talked about her biographical young adult novel about her teenage years. She talked emotionally about feeling torn between family
loyalty and being true to herself, and how it felt to be from a Chinese family growing up in England. It was an inspiring story of not giving up and of following our dreams. Just a couple of days later, Julia Gray spoke to us about her novel, I, Ada, a semi-fictional story of Ada Lovelace, a pioneer of computer science and role model for women. We learned about Ada Lovelace’s unusual upbringing and her unlikely story of how she made such an impact on computing and mathematics. The students were given the opportunity to ask questions, and it was clear from these that this was a half hour well spent. They asked about the authors’ inspirations, motivations and challenges, showing an eagerness to take full advantage of the situation. We hope to work with Wokingham Libraries again, and can’t wait to see our own students’ work in print one day.
College’s new tutors A NEW network of young tutors will help up to 600 students retake their GCSEs next month. Activate Learning, which runs Bracknell & Wokingham College and Reading College, has teamed up with peer tutoring organisation Yipiyap, to link students with a tutor who is of a similar age to offer support and teaching via remote lessons. More than 20 tutors from across the UK, each providing two days a week, will take part and have recently completed A-levels and have deferred university to do this. Anne Morris, founder of Yipiyap, says: “Peer teaching has generated proven results as the tutors are so close in age and relatable – they can help bring a bit of fun to the process, which is needed as most of the maths and English GCSE students don’t enjoy the subject in question – but it’s vital they achieve these qualifications to open up the opportunities they want.” While school-assessed grades in the wake of Covid led to many pupils getting excellent results, many did not receive Grade 4 in maths and English, which, as of 2016, requires a resit.
Anne Haig-Smith, director of the Applied Learning Foundation at Activate Learning, said: “We are delighted to be working with Yipiyap on this innovative new project that will provide our students with additional support as they attempt to improve on their GCSE maths and English grades from the summer. “As a digital-first organisation, we were drawn to the project as Yipiyap was able to work with our existing online learning platform, ALO, to deliver the tuition to our students, which meant it was a streamlined service that we are able to track and record through our management systems and ensure our learners are always within a safe online environment.” And she also praised the youngsters who are tutoring. “The other beauty of this project is that it’s young people working with our students and helping them to better understand the material they are studying,” she said. Funding for the paid tutors is provided from Activate Learning and the government’s National Tutoring Programme.
LAST WEEK, pupils from five schools came together – virtually – to look at potential action to create a more sustainable world. Hosted by Holme Grange School, the Beyond COP21 Symposium brought together 100 pupils from the Heathlands Road learning centre along with Zoom sessions for Evendons, Waverley, St Crispin’s and St Teresa’s schools. The symposium was launched in the wake of the Paris summit which saw nations sign an accord on global warming. It aims to educate and mobilise school communities and links the Climate Crisis to the crucial role of, and action on, the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals through a platform which supports
whole-school engagement, community outreach and corporate responsibility. One of the delegates said that it had been an inspiring session: “Despite the challenges faced by the pandemic, the school demonstrated great resolve, passion and determination in
making this event a great success and showing its commitment towards sustainability.” Holme Grange said it wanted to thank guests who helped make the event successful, through running exhibitions, workshops and presenting sessions.
These included Matt Larsen-Daw, Education Manager WWF-UK; Tara Golshan, director of education at Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots; Ricardo Carioni, deputy ambassador of Nicaragua to the UK, Ireland and Iceland; ChicP, Dr Jeff Allan; and Melanie Harwood at eduCCate Global and Onestep. Mr Carioni, the deputy ambassador for the Embassy of Nicaragua to UK, Ireland and Iceland, said: “What a brilliant symposium. I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to be part of it and engage with such wonderful young students. It really gives me hope seeing their interest and knowledge in sustainability and climate action. “And I loved every minute of it. Thank you."
Green fingers at Blue Coat sees a growing concern By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today PUPILS at Reading Blue Coat School have turned their hands to gardening to provide fruit and vegetables to the local community.
The community garden was built with reclaimed treated wood, before being filled with mulch and soil. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 at the Sonning-based school have not only prepared the vegetable patches, but have also planted rows of cauliflower, broccoli, onions and cabbage, which should be hardy enough to grow throughout the winter, before more seeds are sown in February next year. Inspiration came from teacher of ICT Gemma Mitchell, who recognised the opportunity for the school to do its bit to help end child hunger and food poverty. The school says this is something she feels passionately about and is one element of its Aldworth Partnership. The garden was designed by Barbie Truman, who has her own allotment. She said: “The garden design is simple but enables us to extend the beds should this be successful. “During the summer, Duke of Edinburgh students will take over responsibility, as part of their volunteering option, for keeping the beds watered and weeded during holidays and weekends. “We also hope to create flower beds which we can
Year 9 pupils at Reading Blue Coat: Sam Phillips, Alec Steel, Nathan Coneybeare, Ethan Travica, Krishav Singh, Daniel Tsoi and James Isbell volunteering at Freely Fruity
Barbie Truman and Year 7 student Harry Dean
give to the school to use in the flower arrangements.” Mrs Mitchell has set up links with Freely Fruity, who appeared on the BBC’s The One Show. Its aim is to produce as many fruit and vegetables possible to donate to local families. Blue Coat’s
Year 9 and 10 students help Freely Fruity with plant care and maintenance during their weekly Activities sessions. She said: “Our vegetables and produce will go to the Grub Club, a part of the Share Wokingham organisation. “This operates within
Wokingham and is looking to establish a centre in Woodley. “The Share Wokingham team will be using our vegetables to cook and deliver healthy meals to low income families during the holiday periods. “The vegetables will also be used to create food parcels that will be distributed to families with the aim of teaching young people how to cook using local and fresh produce.” The Community Garden is currently in need of poly tunnels to protect the plants from our resident rabbits and deer, small trowels and forks and compost to help keep the plants healthy over the winter. Anyone able to help, can contact the team via Blue Coat School.
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
helenabadger volunteer corner
� Thames Hospice is a local charity providing
expert care for people living with life-limiting illnesses in East Berkshire and South Buckinghamshire. A vital part of its work is also supporting families and carers. It costs £8 million every year to keep the hospice running. Thames Hospice relies on the local community for more than 50% of the funds needed. It is looking for volunteers to work in one of its shops. The Wokingham store in Peach Street is one such shop: newly refitted store, helping and serving customers, sorting through donations and keeping the shop colourful. Anyone interested is invited to visit the store for a taster session. � Thrive is a leading charity in the UK that uses
gardening to bring about positive changes in the lives of people who are living with disabilities or ill-health, or are isolated, disadvantaged or vulnerable. It needs someone to support the minibus driver, acting as an escort when collecting and taking home Thrive’s clients from various locations in the area. This is not a driving role. Some of the tasks the volunteer may be involved in are: supervise clients boarding and disembarking the bus (no lifting required) and general supervision of clients while travelling. It is looking for someone with: a helpful, sensitive and perceptive disposition, a flexible approach with an ability to work under own initiative and a part of a team and an awareness or experience of, working with people with disabilities. Volunteers are needed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings between 8am and 10am and afternoons 2.45pm to 4.45pm. One volunteer or several volunteers taking a shift each can do this. Training and support will be given and travel expenses can be claimed. Please note; there is no public transport from Beech Hill where Thrive is based. � Home-Start supports ordinary parents going
through extraordinary times. Parents can feel exhausted and overwhelmed by the stresses of family life, particularly if we have little support from family and friends when we need it most. Home-Start has been described as ‘armbands in deep water’ because it offers a lifeline to parents who feel overwhelmed and in desperate need of support, reassurance and friendship by providing them with home-visiting volunteers. Are you a parent or do you have parenting experience? Do you have two-three hours a week to visit and support a young family within Wokingham Borough? This will be provided by the volunteer giving remote support, via phone, Zoom, Whatsapp etc and face-to-face support as the volunteer will be required to visit the family in the home when they can. � Contact us: tel. 0118 977 0749, email volunteer@wok-vol.org.uk or visit our website: www.volunteerwokinghamborough.org.uk
SOCIETY | 25
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community groups, clubs and societies INTHECOMMUNITY NewsSendfromyouryourreports to news@wokinghampaper.co.uk Wargrave Local History Society
Launchpad
Our October meeting was held using Zoom and saw, members enjoy Joy Pibworth’s presentation on The Heroes of Woodley Airfield, looking in particular at the aviation background to many of the present road names in the area. Joy outlined the early history of aviation in and around Reading. After the First World War, interest in private flying grew and local enthusiasts formed the Berks Bucks and Oxon Flying Club. On the area between Woodley and Hurst known as Hadleigh Heath there was a 100 acre field, and in 1928 it was bought to become Reading Aerodrome. A Reading garage, Phillips and Powis, set up a flying club and school and held open days in 1929. Phillips and Powis built a factory to make two-seater planes designed by F G Miles at Woodley. They were capable of 90mph and returned a consumption of 23 miles per gallon. Activity on the airfield (a grassed field) saw displays by barnstormers, and the chance to take cheap trips in a plane – Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus offered such, and Sam Cody, the American showman, was another who landed there. Women were seen as an important market for planes at that time, as well as being a support to male aviators. Maxine Miles, known as ‘Blossom’, was taught by Frederick George Miles, usually referred to as F G Miles. She soon qualified as a solo pilot and the pair fell in love. She divorced her first husband and remarried FG. Despite being blind in one eye, ‘Blossom’ was an excellent draughtswoman, and designer of planes. The couple joined Phillips and Powis, and the planes they designed were either named after birds, or had names with an initial ‘M’ (for Miles – Phillips and Powis later being taken over by Miles Aircraft Ltd). One of the present-day roads across the area is Miles Way. Another of the main roads across the airfield is Bader Way, named after Douglas Bader. He joined the RAF in 1928, but was reprimanded for some of his flying stunts. In December 1931, while performing one of these, he crashed at Woodley airfield, and had to have his legs amputated at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. Bader recorded the occasion in his diary “Crashed slow-rolling near ground. Bad show”. Mollison Close, Joy said, might be named after either Mr or Mrs Mollison. In 1932 Jim Mollison set a record of four days 117 hours for the flight from England to South Africa. Soon after he met an aviatrix – and they became known as the ‘flying sweethearts’. She was Amy Johnson, and both were very competitive – each breaking the other’s flying records. The marriage lasted six years, with Amy retaking her maiden name. Joy told of the aviation personalities recalled by several other Woodley roads including Farman Close (Henri Farman, pioneer aviator and plane maker) and Harris Close (Arthur ‘Bomber Harris), while Concorde Way recalls the passing at 10.52am each morning of the supersonic airliner overhead, turning at the Woodley beacon, from 1976-2003. Miles had been involved in initial research into sonic airflight. Miles Aircraft continued to build aircraft at Woodley until 1948, when it faced bankruptcy. In part this was due to a ban on the use of fuel for private flying, to FG Miles’ paternalistic attitude, and to their continuing to build wooden planes. FG and ‘Blossom’ moved back to Shoreham, and in 1980 the site was sold to Bryant Homes the road names ensuring that the sites aviation heritage is not forgotten The Society’s planned programme is at www.wargravehistory.org .uk where the latest information can be found, or email info@ wargravehistory.org.uk to confirm meeting details. Peter Delaney
NEARLY 200 people took part in this year’s Launchpad Big Sleep Out event, marking World Homeless Day. It raised £50,000 – double the target – by asking people to spend the night of Saturday, October 10, in their back gardens. On the night, participants enjoyed a programme of information and entertainment streamed on Facebook Live from 6pm – which included videos from Launchpad clients at risk of losing their home; a den build with Matt Allwright; a quiz with BBC radio broadcaster Michelle ‘Babs’ Jordan; a cook-a-long with Vegivores restaurant; and a bedtime story read by Chris Tarrant. Participants then bedded down before tuning back in at 7am for a morning message from Launchpad. They were asked to raise a minimum of £250. The event’s top fundraisers are Steve Scrace and David Lewis, who smashed their target and raised £2,498.85 and £1,750.33 respectively. Money raised will support Launchpad’s work providing information and support for those at risk of losing their home.
Thrive WEEKLY tips and advice to help people enjoy gardening have resulted in improved physical and mental health during Covid-19, a new survey reveals. The gardening-for-health charity Thrive runs therapeutic horticulture programmes at its Beech Hill centre that attract people from across Berkshire. At the beginning of lockdown t started a free gardening club so subscribers could maximise the wellbeing benefits of spending time in their own gardens. Each week 1,500 club members are sent an e-newsletter with tips, hacks and practical guides to make gardening easier, as well as insights into how activities can directly aid physical and mental health. Six months on and a reader survey revealed that 94% felt it
Above: A member of 1st Charvil Scouts takes part; Top right: Campbell and Arora bed down; Right: Steve Scrace and David Lewis This includes victims of domestic abuse, army veterans, and people leaving care or prison with nowhere to go; those who struggle with numeracy and literacy and can’t access the benefit system to pay rent; and people battling issues such as addiction, debt management and poor mental health. Kirsti Wilson, head of marketing and fundraising at Launchpad, said: “We didn’t want Covid-19 to put a stop to the Big Sleep Out but it was a risk hosting the event entirely online after we had such success at the Reading Abbey Ruins in 2019. “Once again our supporters got
behind Launchpad. We are bowled over by just how many people took part and by the incredible fundraising total, which exceeded our expectations. “It is truly humbling that our community continue to support vulnerable people at a time that is so difficult for everyone.” Launchpad’s next fundraising event would have been Carols by Candlelight, usually held at Reading Minster – but due to the pandemic, the service has been cancelled. It will host events next year. � For more, or to donate, visit: www.launchpadreading.org.uk
helped improve mental health, 89% felt it improved physical health and 76% felt Gardening Club had helped with providing a sense of community. One subscriber said: “Gardening has become my ‘Happy Hobby’ and I'm okay with that. Thank you Thrive for holding my hand on days when I have a bit of a wobble.” The survey results show the power of horticulture to improve lives, says Thrive CEO Kathryn Rossiter. “We’ve always known that gardening has tremendous potential to help healing and recovery, but it’s heartening to see that so many people have discovered how it can help them keep healthy during this time of heightened stress and anxiety,” she added. The Thrive team says it can draw
on more than 40 years of knowledge and experience of helping people to use gardening to improve their lives. For more details, log on to: www.thrive.org.uk/gardeningclub
Churches Together Wokingham CHURCHES Together in Wokingham has been presented with a Community Partners Award by Hallmark Homes, the parent company of Molly Millars Lanebased care home Alexandra Grange. The citation noted: “Your support, donations and kindness have been invaluable to the residents, team and home this year and we would like to acknowledge this”. The Revd Nick Hudson said: “Our support of care homes has very much been a joint effort”.
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Hannah Edwards and Benedict Salter will be at The Watermill for the next month with Lone Flyer
Norden Farm launches the Ark A MAIDENHEAD-based arts centre is heading to the ark in a bid to keep its online sessions afloat. In all, £50,000 is needed for the Norden Farm Ark Appeal, which it says will be used to deliver multi-arts entertainment and creative activities – in both live and digital formats – for audiences of all ages. The centre, like many others, was closed for five months as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But it has been running sessions online including arts and crafts activities, a celebration of vinyl records and choirs. Earlier this month, it received a grant from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund award will sustain Norden Farm by covering operational costs and some of the substantial losses incurred as a result of the pandemic. This new appeal, it says, will enable it to address increased demand for online programming especially for families in self-isolation or those who might be shielding. Jane Corry, the centre’s chief executive and artistic director, said: “The pandemic has hit us all so hard. “For Norden Farm it’s meant we had to be closed for months and now can only operate on really reduced numbers. “If you want to get involved in the Norden Ark Appeal and help keep Norden Farm afloat, buy an empty seat when you buy a ticket to see a show or a film – ‘buy two by two’.” � For more details, log on to norden.farm/pages/ norden-s-ark-appeal
Singalong for musical memories MAKING musical memories just became a bit easier, writes Charlotte King. This is because dementia choir Musical Memories is moving online with help from Norden Farm Centre for the Arts. The choir, which is led by professional singer Rona Topaz, brings people together to sing jazz, pop, and movie songs from the 1940s through to the 1980s. Rona, who has been leading similar choirs for the past five years, developed a passion for raising awareness about dementia after caring for her mother for nine years as she battled with the illness. She also conducts choir groups at two care homes and until lockdown, had not run the Musical Memories choir at Norden Farm before. Choir sessions will now be streamed via Zoom on Fridays between 11.30am and 12.30pm. � For more information, including how to get involved, visit: norden.farm/events/musicalmemories-online
History in the remaking
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WEST END star will, this evening, take her maiden flight in The Watermill’s latest production. Hannah Edwards is starring in the title role of Lone Flyer – The Last Flight of Amy Johnson. The show is a two-hander and tells the story of one of the pioneers of aviation history. Amy Johnson was the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia, cementing her place in history. But the Second World War changed everything and the play explores her greatest challenge. Lone Flyer is a revival for The Watermill – it premiered at the theatre nearly 20 years ago and is written by The Watermill’s honorary associate artist Ade Morris, directed by creative associate Lucy Betts and designed by Isobel Nicolson.
Hannah is looking forward to being back on the stage – she was most recently seen in the West End as Myrtle Wilson in the Immersive Great Gatsby. She will be joined by Benedict Salter for the socially distanced show. He is no stranger to The Watermill, having appeared in, among other plays, The Importance of Being Earnest and A Little Night Music. Director Lucy said: “I'm delighted to be back at The Watermill directing Lone Flyer. “We explore the life of a young woman overcoming the constraints placed upon her to achieve extraordinary things. “Amy Johnson's story of hope and adventure is a joy to tell at this unusual and unpredictable time.” Audiences will have their part to play with ensuring the production is covid-secure. Seating can be set up
for groups of up to five (same household or bubble only) and will be placed around the auditorium with appropriate space between each group. Face coverings will be required, and hand sanitiser and a one-way system will be in place. To enhance audience safety, ~ a fogging machine will be used to regularly sanitise all public areas at The Watermill, and to avoid recirculating air in the auditorium, the theatre will be heated before audience members arrive and then fresh air will be continuously fed through the theatre during performances. Lone Flyer – The Last Flight of Amy Johnson is performed from tonight (Thursday, October 22) through to Saturday, November 21. Tickets cost £23 or £25. � For more details, or to book, log on to watermill.org.uk or call 01635 46044
THEATRE ROYAL WINDSOR PRESENTS STAR-STUDDED “WINDSOR ON AIR” FOR AUTUMN/WINTER 2020 SEASON
The On Air Theatre Company – plus Special Guest Stars Theatre Featuring Royal’s radio times THE Good life will be on stage as a host of famous names celebrate the return of theatre in Windsor. The Windsor On Air season sees a host of socially distanced performances in the style of vintage radio plays – the kind you’d hear in the days of the Light Programme and the Home Service, long before Radio 4 was a twinkle in Lord Reith’s eye. psychological thriller. KENDAL Give Us A AND to Saturday, November 7. Each of the plays has • TOM CONTI, FELICITY WILL YOUNG TO APPEAR IN Clue regular Liza Goddard has The season ends with Herb an astonishing cast, making them WINDSOR ON teamed up AIR with Soldier Soldier’s Gardner’s witty comedy-drama memorable performances in their Nealon for this show. A Thousand Clowns, which will star own right, but even more so•in these MOREBen STAR NAMES TO BE ANNOUNCED Next week, The Lady In The Van Pop Idol winner Will Young and The coronavirus days. • PRESENTED INTuesday THE STYLE PLAYSand his realruns from throughOF VINTAGE Bill’sRADIO Andrew Lancel, The Theatre Royal Windsor has to Saturday, October 31. life son, Isaac Lancel-Watkinson. been closed for seven months, and Following recent successes at Theatre Royal Windsor of produc�ons Murder Alan Bennett’s famous work was This runs from Tuesday, these new tentative steps to restore On Air, Brief Encounter On Air and Mystery On Air, we are thrilled to be adapted into a film starring Dame November 10 through to Saturday, live performances are being made Maggie Smith and is based on a true November 14. with every effort to be Covidreuniting with some of the “Windsor On Air” regulars, along with some very story. Then, legendary actors The Theatre Royal’s pantomime, secure. special guestFelicity stars!Kendal and Tom Conti team a socially distanced Cinderella, will The On Air Theatre Company up with Charlie Stemp – double be performed from Thursday, is staging the shows, which will Presented the style of our previous, cri�cally acclaimed, nominated Best Actor November 19 throughvintage to Sunday,radio plays, bring a little romance, comedy and inOlivier in a Musical for his roleswill in Half January 10. mystery to audiences, all directed The On Air Theatre Company bring a li�le romance, comedy, mystery and Sixpence and Mary Poppins – star All shows will be subject to the by veteran actor Roy Marsden. all the thrillsaback to the Windsor Stage in four specially selected �tles, with in classic comedy Lloyd George latest coronavirus restrictions. The season began on Tuesday the Season directed by Roy Marsden. Knew My Father written by William � For more details, or with Love From A Stranger. Douglas Home. This runs from to book tickets, log on to It runs until Saturday and is The On Air Season immediately Love Le�ers, starring Martin Shaw Tuesday,will November 3 through follow TheatreRoyalWindsor.co.uk Agatha Christie’s gripping
and Jenny Seagrove, which will reopen Theatre Royal Windsor a�er more than seven months of closure.
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wokinghamlovesmusic Chris Hillman
bit.ly/wokingham lovesmusic
E
VER listened to psych chamber folk? It’s just one of the different genres in our brilliant Top 10 for you to enjoy – and each one is free to listen to. Once again, Chris Hillman from White Star Records has curated the Wokingham Love Music soundtrack which features songs from bands and artists with some connection to Wokingham’s music scene. There’s a range of musical styles to enjoy meaning that there’s something for everyone. It’s the perfect soundtrack to start your weekend. You can listen for FREE via Spotify. There’s a special page set-up at bit.ly/wokinghamlovesmusic Kepler Ten – Falling Down This prog-rock trio have just released their new single, and it’s a melodic, uplifting and powerful rock anthem. It’s taken from their forthcoming second album, A New Kind of Sideways which will be released on Wokingham-based White Star Records in November. The band performed an impressive set at last year’s Wokingham Festival and the video for the new single was premiered in an online feature in the well respected Prog Magazine – keplerten.com Picture: Andrew Merritt Astor Wolfe – Emerald Green It’s not often you get to hear something from Stockholm, described as ‘psych chamber folk’ but here’s your chance. It’s from singer-songwriter Astor Wolfe, and it features on a compilation album called From A Distant Shore released on Wokingham record label, Mega Dodo. It’s a fascinating and unusual album so if you fancy exploring something a bit different featuring more Swedish psych folk artists it’s worth checking out – www.facebook.com/astorwolfemusic The Veras – Paper Cup Telephones A wonderful pop singalong from this local band, that you may have seen in their other guise as Small Faces tribute, The Small Fakers – theveras.co.uk Marc Woosnam – Unspoken Marc is a local acoustic singer/songwriter who plays gigs in music venues and festivals across the South East of England – marcwoosnam.com Helta Skelta – Meanie Powerful guitar riffs, a driving rhythm section and a great vocal performance in the debut single from this Wokingham and Blackwater based rock band – www.facebook.com/heltaskeltamusic The Orange Drop – Make It Her, Forever Here’s some psychedelia from Philadelphia in the United States, brought to you by Wokingham based record label, Mega Dodo Records – www.facebook.com/OrangeDrop Crooked Shapes – Let It Go A track from this Wokingham based rock three-piece, who enjoyed a socially distanced gig at The 1865 venue in Southampton last week – www.facebook.com/crookedshapes A Bossa Elétrica – Sob A Luz Do New Wokingham Jazz record label Wallen Bink, with a track by the Swedish band that draws on bossa, jazz, funky samba and afro Brazilian rhythms – wallenbink.com/ Bradley Watmore – Plain to See Local musician and songwriter, Bradley is back with his second single, a great piece of bouncy feel good indie pop – www.facebook.com/bradleywatmore Aaron Cilia – Meadows A sound engineer, lighting engineer and record producer and now this young local talent has released an album of his own music on which he played every instrument – www.facebook.com/ AaronCiliaArtist
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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, October 22, 2020
Make an autumn impact in your garden
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Get a lush lawn
UTUMN is the perfect time of year to plant, as the soil is still warm from the summer sun, which encourages root growth, and moist from autumn rain. Choose plants that will add instant colour and drama to your garden now, grow your own winter vegetables, plant a fruit tree, or add spring flowering bulbs for beautiful blooms next year. So, get planting and you’ll soon see stunning autumn and spring colours in your garden.
Instant impact plants “As the days shorten go for to bold, vibrant colours, moving away from pale pastel colours that are so popular in summer” says Sarah Squire, chair of Squire’s Garden Centres. Brighten your garden by adding asters and chrysanthemums, and put life back into your beds and containers, with dainty violas, cyclamen and pansies. Or, for minimal effort and maximum impact, you could buy a ready planted container, packed with plants to give you perfect autumn colour.
Grow your own It’s so satisfying to grow your own fruit and vegetables and it’s very easy too. Now is the time to plant broad beans, cabbages, onions, garlic, peas, salad mixes and spinach.
Autumn is also the best season to plant fruit trees such as apples, pears and plums – just give them time and they’ll reward you for years and years with glorious blossom in the spring followed by tasty fruit.
Beautiful Bulbs Plan for spring and plant flowering bulbs now, and you’ll have beautiful
blooms next year. “Bulb sales are booming this year. I would encourage people to buy now for the widest choice and freshest stock. “Bulbs are very easy to plant, and there are so many beautiful varieties and colours available. “Some of the most popular bulbs to try include tulips, daffodils, crocuses, alliums and snowdrops” says Sarah.
Now is the perfect time to get your lawn into shape. Remove Moss - Scarify your lawn with a rake to remove moss and weeds. Or if this sounds like too much hard work, then try a great product called ‘Mo Bacter’, an easy to use moss remover that ‘eats’ moss without turning it black, so you don’t have to rake it out. It is safe for children and pets, and can also feed your lawn for up to 100 days. Aerate Your Lawn - Perforating the soil with small holes helps drainage, and allows water, air and nutrients to penetrate the grass roots, giving you a stronger and more vigorous lawn. Small areas can be spiked with a garden fork, or use a handheld hollow tine aerator. Feed & Seed - Use a granular feed such as ‘Miracle-Gro Evergreen Autumn’ which releases a steady amount of nutrients over a period of weeks. Then fix any bare patches by overseeding.
Feed and overseed your lawn “If you’re not sure what to plant simply call into Squire’s and ask our friendly, knowledgably team for some free, expert advice” Sarah said � For more details, log on to www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk
Aldi’s family meals have plenty of six appeal
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ITH the ‘Rule of Six’ in place, supermarket Aldi has released recipes for dinnertime favourites to feed a six-person bubble. Whether it’s a crowd-pleaser or a twist on a classic, there’s something for all.
ALDI’S SWEET POTATO DAUPHINOISE
ALDI’S BEEF CASSEROLE
ALDI’S SEA BASS WITH CAULIFLOWER PUREE AND PARSLEY BUTTER
ALDI’S SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
� 500g Lean Minced Beef � 1 tbsp Rapeseed Oil � 1 Carrot (cubed) � 1 Onion (diced) � 2 Celery Stalks (diced) � 2 Garlic Cloves (crushed) � 1 Beef Stock Cube � 2x 400g Cans Chopped Tomatoes � 1 tbsp Tomato Purée � 1 tsp Dried Oregano � 5g Fresh Basil � 500g Spaghetti � Parmesan to serve In a large frying pan heat the oil and add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until the onion has started to soften then add the minced beef and cook until browned. Add the tinned tomatoes along with the purée, stock cube, oregano and basil. Bring to the boil then leave to simmer for 30 minutes until thickened. Ten minutes before the sauce is ready cook the spaghetti in boiling water (about 9 minutes cooking time). Mix the spaghetti, with the sauce and serve with fresh parmesan.
� 1kg Sweet Potatoes � 1 Onion � 3 Garlic Cloves, crushed � 2 sprigs of Fresh Thyme � 25g Greenvale Butter, plus extra for greasing � 250ml Double Cream � 150ml Milk � 50g Grated Parmesan � 1 tsp Salt � 1 tsp Pepper PREHEAT the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas mark 6. Dice the onion and then melt the butter in a pan. Fry the onions with the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper for 10 minutes until they have softened. When the onions have softened add the milk and cream to the pan and warm to a simmer, this will infuse the garlic and herbs in the cream. In the meantime either use a mandolin or carefully slice the potatoes thinly (about as thin as a 10p coin) and evenly layer half of the sweet potatoes into an oven proof dish. Then pour half of the onions in the milk and cream over the top removing any large garlic. Then put the final slices of the sweet potato into the dish and pour over the remaining milk and cream. Grate the parmesan over the top and bake for 40-45 minutes until the potatoes are soft all the way through.
� 1x onion - peeled and chopped � 6x Unsmoked Streaky Bacon Rashers - chopped � 1x 400g pack Lean Diced Beef � 1 tbsp Olive Oil � 1x 400g tin Chunky Chopped Tomatoes � 1x Beef Stock Cube � 1x 500ml bottle Specially Selected Golden Ale or 500ml water with a Beef Stock Cube � ½ tsp Dried Thyme � 2 tsp Meat Gravy Granules Either pre-heat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F/Gas Mark 5 or cook on the hob. In a large saucepan sauté the onion, bacon and the beef in a tablespoon of oil until browned. Add the tinned tomatoes and mash up the tomatoes with a fork, then crumble in the stock cube and pour in the ale or water. Season with the thyme, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on a gentle heat on the hob for about 90 minutes until the meat is tender, or transfer to a covered casserole dish and cook in the oven for 90 minutes. Once cooked add gravy granules to thicken the sauce. Serve with 1x 1kg pack Frozen Four Seasons Vegetable Medley, cooked as per pack instructions.
� 3 x 180g packs Sea Bass fillets � 1 x Cauliflower � 70ml Double Cream � 70g Mascarpone � 8g Parsley � 125g Salted Butter – at room temperature � Juice of ½ Lemon � Rapeseed Oil � Sea Salt and White Pepper Finely chop the parsley and combine with the butter and lemon juice. Roll the parsley butter into a sausage shape and chill. Once chilled, cut into 6 portions. Cut the cauliflower into quarters. Then, add the cauilflower to boiling, salted water and boil for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the cauliflower well and put into a food processor along with the mascarpone and the cream. Blitz until a puree and season with some white pepper. In a frying pan fry the seabass fillets for 5 minutes each – turning once during. Once each fillet is cooked put them in the oven to keep warm while cooking the rest. Serve a fillet on a bed of cauliflower puree topped with the parsley butter.
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PUBLIC NOTICES ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (MILESTONE AVENUE, CHARVIL) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2020 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: Milestone Avenue, Charvil between its junctions with B478 Charvil Lane and Thames Drive. Works requiring this restriction will take place between 9th November and 23rd November 2020.
WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING APPLICATION The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 AND/OR Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990 The following application(s) have been submitted and are advertised for the reasons below: Application
Address
Reasons for Advert Description
202620
Little Court, Charvil Lane, Sonning
Conservation Area
202622
Winnersh Community Centre, Winnersh Parish Council Office, New Road, Sindlesham
Conservation Area
202625
6-7 Linel Court Conservation Area Wargrave Road Twyford
The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Wokingham Borough Council contractors to undertake byway maintenance work, excavation of existing surface, vegetation clearance, drainage works and resurfacing 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 9th November 2020 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier. Dated this 22th October 2020 Mark Cupit Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL
HIGHWAYS ACT 1980 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL THE WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (WINNERSH RELIEF ROAD PHASE 2) (CLASSIFIED ROAD) (SIDE ROADS) ORDER 2020 The Wokingham Borough Council (the “Council”) hereby gives notice that it has made, and intends to submit to the Secretary of State for Transport for confirmation, an Order made under sections 14 and 125 of the Highways Act 1980 authorising the Council to:(a) improve highways (including raising, lowering or otherwise altering) (b) stop up highways (c) construct new highways (d) stop up private means of access to premises (e) provide new means of access to said premises All on or in the vicinity of the route to the classified road known as the Winnersh Relief Road which the Council is proposing to construct being a combination of new and improved carriageway having a lane width of 7.3 metres commencing at the junction of King Street Lane and Longdon Road and running in an easterly direction parallel to the M4 and then intersecting with the A329 Reading Road and continuing along the Reading Road to a new junction between Green Lane and Sadlers Lane in the Parish of Winnersh in the Borough of Wokingham in the County of Berkshire. A Copy of the Order and the accompanying plans may be inspected free of charge at all reasonable hours at the Council offices, Shute End. Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 1BN or arrangements can be made to send them by post during any period when the office is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions by contacting john.rider@wokingham.gov.uk or they can be viewed on the Council’s website at: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/news-and-consultation or at the offices of Winnersh Parish Council Winnersh Community Centre New Road Sindlesham Wokingham RG41 5DU but due to Covid 19 restrictions by prior appointment only (please contact Mr Phil Stoneman Parish Clerk on 01189 780244 or by email at the following address: clerk@winnersh.gov.uk). ANY person may object to the confirmation of the Order, stating their reasons for doing so, by writing to the Secretary of State for Transport, The National Transport Casework Team, Tyneside House, Skinnerburn Road, Newcastle Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7AR or by email to: nationalcasework@dft.gov.uk quoting the Order title given at the heading of this Notice. Objections must be received by 18th December 2020. In submitting an objection it must be noted that your personal data and correspondence will be passed to the Council to enable your objection to be considered. If you do not wish your personal data to be forwarded, please state your reasons when submitting your objection and the Secretary of State will copy your representations, with your name and address removed to the Council, and if there is to be a Public Local Inquiry they will be seen by the Inspector who may give them less weight as a result. Dated this: 21st October 2020 Chris Traill Strategic Director Place & Growth Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham RG40 1BN
Householder application for proposed installation of pre-fabricated timber outbuilding to the rear garden of existing dwelling. Full application for the proposed erection of a single storey side extension to form storage area and replacement of existing external cladding. Full application for the change to fenestration to replace all double-glazed white sliding sash PVCU windows and white timber single glazed mock sash top hung windows with white double glazed PVCU sliding sash windows. Please note that the frame thickness of the windows will increase following the Halo system specification.
The application is available to view online at wokingham.gov.uk � Planning � Search planning applications and typing in the application number above. All libraries in the Borough have internet access in order to view this page. Comments on the application can be made online from this web page. Any comments must arrive on or before 12th November 2020. 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: 22nd October 2020
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (SANDFORD LANE, WOODLEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2020 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: Sandford Lane, Woodley between its junctions with Mohawk Way and Colemansmoor Road. The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Mohawk Way, The Bader Way, A3290 Loddon Bridge and The Bader Way Interchange, A329 Reading Road, B3030 Robin Hood Lane and B3030 Davis Street or by this route in reverse. Works requiring this restriction will take place on 10th November 2020 between 09:30 and 15:30. The reason for these prohibitions is to allow BT contractors to undertake carry out periodic pole test examination 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 10th November 2020 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier. Dated this 22th October 2020 Mark Cupit Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL
SERVICES
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (SOUTH LAKE CRESCENT, WOODLEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2020 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: 1. South Lake Crescent, Woodley between its junctions with The Close and Crockhamwell Road. 2. South Lake Crescent, Woodley between its junctions with Pearson Way and Crockhamwell Road. The alternative route for all vehicles affected by these restrictions shall be via South Lake Crescent or by this route in reverse. Works requiring this restriction will take place between 9th November and 17th November 2020. The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Thames Water contractors to undertake new water connections and new meter existing supply 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 9th November 2020 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier. Dated this 22th October 2020 Mark Cupit Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL
Thursday, October 22, 2020 WOKINGHAM.TODAY
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PUBLIC NOTICES ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 A. PROHIBITION OF VEHICLES – CUTBUSH LANE. B. SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION – CUTBUSH LANE AND CUTBUSH LANE EAST 60MPH TO 30 MPH – SECTION B 60MPH TO 30 MPH. WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (CUTBUSH LANE EAST & CUTBUSH LANE WEST, SHINFIELD) (PROHIBITION OF DRIVING & 30MPH SPEED LIMIT) ORDER 2020 1. NOTICE IS HEREBY given that on 21 October 2020, Wokingham Borough Council as traffic Authority made the above-named Order under Section 84 and Part III of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended and all other enabling powers.
RAMS NEW SIGNING PROMISES ‘HARD TACKLING AND CARRYING’ By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokinghampaper.co.uk
2. The effect of the Order will be to: (a) introduce a prohibition of all motor vehicles on Cutbush Lane East Shinfield, (ridden cycles permitted) from a point 385.0 metres east of its junction with Shinfield Eastern Relief Road, north-eastward for a distance of 20.0 metres;
NEW signing Fergus Taylor has promised to bring a ‘lot of hard carrying and hard tackling’ to Old Bath Road after joining Rams.
(b) reduce the existing 60 mph to 30mph speed limit on: (i) Cutbush Lane East, from its junction with Shinfield Eastern Relief Road to a point opposite the northernmost point of the British Museum Archaelogical Research Collection building; and (ii) Cutbush Lane West from its junctions with Shinfield Eastern Relief Road to Oaklands Road. 3. Copies of the Order which comes into operation on 2 November 2020, Statement of Reasons and Plan may be inspected at the offices of the Traffic Management Team, at the address given below between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays. These documents are also available to view at ‘www.wokingham.gov.uk/tro’. 4. Any person who wishes to question the validity of the Order or any of its provisions on the grounds that it is not within the powers of the Act or that a requirement of any regulation there under has not been complied with may, within 6 weeks from the date of making of the Order, make an application for that purpose to the High Court. Dated this 22th October 2020 Christine Traill Director Place & Growth Wokingham Borough Council Shute End Wokingham, RG40 1WL.
ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 SPEED LIMITS REDUCTION – SHEERLANDS ROAD – SECTION A 60MPH TO 40 MPH AND SECTION B 60MPH TO 30 MPH. WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (SHEERLANDS ROAD, ARBORFIELD) (30MPH & 40MPH SPEED LIMIT) ORDER 2020 1. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT on 21 October 2020, Wokingham Borough Council as traffic Authority made the above-named Order under Section 84 and Part III of Schedule 9 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended and all other enabling powers. 2. The effect of the Order will be to change the extents of the existing speed limit of 60mph on Sheerlands Road, Arborfield, to: (a) 30mph, from a point 270.0 metres north-east of its junction with Reading Road [A327] to a point opposite the public footpath that links Hogwood Lane and Sheerlands Road; and (b) 40mph, from its junction with Reading Road [A327] to a point 270.0 metres north-east of that junction 3. Copies of the Order which comes into operation on 2 November 2020, Statement of Reasons and Plan may be inspected at the offices of the Traffic Management Team, at the address given below between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays. These documents are also available to view at ‘www.wokingham.gov.uk/tro’. 4. Any person who wishes to question the validity of the Order or any of its provisions on the grounds that it is not within the powers of the Act or that a requirement of any regulation there under has not been complied with may, within 6 weeks from the date of making of the Order, make an application for that purpose to the High Court. Dated this 22th October 2020 Christine Traill Director Place & Growth Wokingham Borough Council Shute End Wokingham, RG40 1WL.
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New Rams signing Fergus Taylor Picture: Tim Pitfield
The former Oxford University captain has made the move having taken a job teaching at Radley College, and says his first impressions of the club have been hugely positive. He said: “It’s been really good fun and there’s a really nice culture. “It’s quite difficult with the Covid situation and things have to be a little more disconnected than you’d like, but despite that everyone’s been very welcoming and it seems a great group of boys. It’s nice to be back training and playing some rugby.” He continued: “I actually had a really good chat with (Director of Rugby) Seb (Reynolds) a couple of years ago when I was doing my first year out in Italy and he sold me his vision. “Rams were still
in National Two (South), but looked likely to move up and he sold me the vision of how it’s all about the player group and the culture.” And commenting on what he hopes to bring to Old Bath Road, Taylor revealed: “I like to keep things quite simple. When we play touch I like to throw it around and try and show some silky skills, but normally I’m about a high work-rate, a lot of hard carrying and hard tackling.” Taylor’s impressive CV includes three appearances in the Varsity match, while he has spent the past two years playing for CUS Genova in Italy. And he believes these experiences have helped develop him as a player, stating: “Italy was really good. I had two really excellent coaches who taught me a lot individually, and what was really interesting from a man-management players perspective was that Italian players are very different to English guys. They’re much
less detail-oriented and a little more hotheaded. There was a lot of responsibility being made captain of the club at Oxford and it was a great experience playing in the Varsity match, managing pressure and expectations.” Taylor made his first appearance at Old Bath Road during a Ready4Rugby event on Saturday, which included four Rams’ sides as well as one from Reading University. Despite winning all of their round-robin group games, Taylor’s ‘Rams Two’ outfit, which also included the likes of Jack Moates, Max Hayman, Craig Nightingale and Omar Ellaboudy, were eventually defeated 5-3 on tries by ‘Rams One’ in the final. The eventual champions surrendered a 3-1 halftime lead with four minutes remaining, but brought the likes of Conor Corrigan, Jak Rossiter and Ben Henderson back onto the park to seal victory in an entertaining affair.
BERKSHIRE RACERS SECURE PODIUM TWO Berkshire racing drivers, who are members of all-disabled, Team BRIT, have secured podium positions at Silverstone.
Bobby Trundley from Wokingham and Nerys Pearce from Ascot raced in the Britcar Championship. Twenty-one-year-old Bobby Trundley, who lives with severe autism, is the most successful racing driver with the condition in the UK, and on Saturday, October 10, he competed in his third race of 2020, driving the team’s Aston Martin V8 Vantage GT4, alongside his team mate Aaron Morgan from Basingstoke, a paraplegic following a motocross accident. Aaron uses the team’s world-leading hand control technology. After a tricky qualifying session, the pair started race one in eighth position. Bobby shone in his usual way,
delivering fast laps again and again, and Aaron began to close the gap in times, steadily catching Bobby’s laps. Bobby started in Race two, delivering a fantastic stint which was finished with a text book pitstop by the crew – the second fastest of the entire grid, to send Aaron out for his final stint of the weekend. The P4 car was closing on him towards the end of the race, but he rose to the challenge of keeping them at bay, before the race was cut a few minutes short and the team’s P3 was cemented by the chequered flag. Bobby said, “Silverstone was just an incredible experience once again – and to take home a P3 was fantastic. “The crew did a brilliant job of running the car for us to make it as competitive
as possible, and with their support, Aaron and I were able to push hard to finish with a superb result. “I’d like to thank everyone in the team for making this possible – I’m living my dream by racing a GT4 and I honestly hope we can continue to break barriers, show just how competitive we can be and inspire others to reach for their dreams.” Nerys said “I was nervous and excited about hitting the track in a real race situation for the first time ever. “I’ve had incredible support from Abbie who has been passing on her years of racing knowledge and helping me get as quick and competitive as I can. I’ve got to know the car and the hand controls really well over recent months through training and test sessions and it all came together really well.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie, having skied and taught adventure sports for years, so finding motorsport, with the technology I need to be competitive despite my disability has just been amazing. I can’t wait to get out there again.” Bobby and Nerys will both race again on Sunday, November 1 at Snetterton.
Bobby Trundley Picture: Darren Cook Scruffy Bear Pictures
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JOAO STRIKES TO PUT PAUNOVIć’S MEN SQUEEZE PAST WYCOMBE
Reading 1 Wycombe Wanderers 0 � Continued from back page
The Chairboys got forward once again but wasted an opportunity to test the Royals keeper when Matt Bloomfield’s shot rolled harmlessly wide from 20 yards. Reading’s brightest moments came from the left wing with the link up of Omar Richards and Ovie Ejaira and the Royals wanted a penalty when the latter went down under the challenge of Grimmer, but the optimistic appeals were waved away. Wycombe continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides despite their wayward start to the season as Tom Holmes was alert to head away from danger after a couple of dangerous deliveries. Lucas Joao picked up the first yellow card of the game when he lunged to get the ball but instead caught Bloomfield. Despite their lack of creativity throughout the firsthalf, Reading did create the best chance of the game moments before the break which was squandered by Yakou Meite. Ejaria found the run of the Ivorian with a superb inswinging delivery but Meite somehow managed to divert the ball wide of the target from just a few yards out when he should have given the Royals what would have been a slightly undeserved lead. But his missed chance meant that Ainsworth’s side went in the happier with their
Alfa Semedo battles in the air
performance with their organised structure and constant pressing frustrating Paunović’s men. Meite drove down the right wing and blasted a cross into the Wycombe box which was palmed out by Ryan Allsop as the Royals pushed forward early in the second half. Paunović made a double switch in the 57th minute as new signings Tomas Esteves and Alfa Semedo replaced Meite and Holmes to try and inject some much needed intensity into the game. Lucas Joao continued his excellent start to the season as the Royals found a breakthrough in the 64th minute. The Portuguese forward brought down the ball effortlessly from Liam Moore’s long ball before he spun and
Lucas Joao bagged his third Championship goal of the season to put the Royals top of the league with an unbeaten record Pictures: Steve Smyth
powered a shot low past Allsop. Ainsworth turned to the bench to look for an equaliser as Adebayo Akinfenwa replaced Samuel. Wanderers dug in to try and find a leveller as they swung the ball into the box on several occasions in the final 10 minutes, with their best chance falling to Fred Oneydinma who failed to hit
the target just inside the box. Oneydinma then had another great opportunity as the game entered added time and forced an impressive stop from Rafael who flew to his right to keep the ball out. But Reading’s much improved defence under Paunović who have conceded just one league goal, held strong to claim another
clean sheet. Reading take a three point lead at the summit of the Championship after Bristol City’s unbeaten start was ended by Middlesbrough.
Gibson, Semedo, Aluko, Puscas WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Allsop, Grimmer, Jacobson, Stewart, Bloomfield, Kashket, Knight, Horgan, Thompson, Adeniran, Samuel.
READING: Rafael, Richards, Morrison, Moore (c), Holmes, Rinomhota, Laurent, Ejaria, Olise, Joao, Meite.
SUBS: Stockdale, Wheeler, Akinfenwa, Charles, Freeman, Onyedinma, Mehmwti
SUBS: Southwood, Esteves, McIntyre,
GOALS: Lucas Joao 64′
ROYALS HELD BY WARNOCK’S BORO READING’S four game winning streak came to an end as they were held to a goalless draw at Middlesbrough as they remain unbeaten in the Championship on Saturday. The Royals dominated proceedings for much of the match and went closest with Ovie Ejaria’s second half effort but had to settle for a point against Neil Warnock’s side. Middlesbrough had the
first attempt at goal as Jonny Howson’s long range effort took a a big deflection off Michael Olise and looped up in the air which left goalkeeper Rafael taking no chances as he tipped the ball over for a corner. There was a scare for Reading from the resulting corner as Rafael had to tip the ball behind from Michael Morrison’s header as the defender almost glanced the ball into his own net.
But the Royals grew into the game and began to take charge of the contest with the creative influence of Olise. Olise found the head of Lucas Joao with an in-swinging corner but his header was too weak to trouble Marcus Bettinelli. The Royals opened up the Boro defence after 62 minutes after nice link up play from Olise and Andy Rinomhota before Ovie
Ejaria’s superb first touch allowed him to take a strike at goal but his powerful effort fizzed just wide of the top corner. Moore showed his determined defensive effort as he put his body in front of the ball to block Sam Morsy’s shot in the box. The Royals were unable to break down the Boro defence as they were held to their first draw of the Championship season. Josh Laurent ventures forward in midfield
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ROYALS ON TOP
FROM THE TILEHURST END With Olly Allen
T
Tomas Esteves and Andy Rinomhota hunt to win back posession
Andy Rinomhota commits a foul
Liam Moore challenges Wycombe’s Alex Samuel
HERE is no other ground in the top four divisions of English football closer to the Madejski Stadium than Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park. It is the same vice versa. In theory, this geographical closeness should perhaps form the basis of a bitter rivalry between the two sides, but when Reading played the Chairboys on Tuesday night, there was no sense of a local derby. There was no talk of bragging rights and there was no gloating from Royals fans after the 1-0 victory. It brings to the fore the age-old question of who are Reading’s real rivals? We seem to be one of the few clubs in the country without a genuine local derby. In Wycombe’s case, their journey over the last few years has been very easy to get on board with, and the majority of neutrals will want them to survive relegation this season against the odds. This is their first ever campaign in the second tier, following two promotions in three years despite having a shoestring budget. Six years ago, they nearly dropped out of the Football League altogether, so it is a genuine fairytale story. It always helps when the guy in charge is a bit of a hero too, and rock-god Gareth Ainsworth is as likeable as they come. It’s also worth pointing out that Wycombe only joined the Football League in 1993, spending their entire history up to that point playing in non-league and forming rivalries with local sides such as Slough Town and Aylesbury United. It means that the two teams have rarely faced off, with the Royals tending to be higher up the pyramid. Before Tuesday’s game, there hadn’t been a league meeting since 2002, and last season’s Carabao Cup fixture was treated with excitement for a local tie rather than with any contempt for the opposition. The same predicament has blighted Reading’s relationship with the two teams who have traditionally been considered as the club’s main rivals – Oxford United and Swindon Town. The Royals have not played either side in a league fixture for at least 18 years, meaning that any animosity that did exist has certainly tempered. It also means that I am part of a generation of supporters who have never seen Reading play Oxford or Swindon in a competitive setting. I personally can’t get on board with a rivalry that is based off tales from 30 years ago – I have no real reason to dislike either club apart from the fact that I just ‘should’ as part of my fandom. It also seems as though supporters of those two clubs have more interest in each other than they do in Reading. Perhaps if we ever found ourselves in the same division again – as was nearly the case this season as Oxford reached last year’s League One play-off final – then a rivalry might reignite, but right now we’re very much a neutral force in a league that contains the East Midlands derby, South Wales derby and a host of Yorkshire derbies among others. Instead, we’re left to pick battles with teams on a season-by-season basis, depending on which opposition supporters are the most hostile or which player celebrates in the most antagonistic fashion. Oh, and there’s always Leeds.
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FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE
RESILIANT ROYALS FIGHT READING DENT CITY’S TITLE HOPES
Reading Women 1 Manchester City Women 1 By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk � Continued from back page
Tash Harding burst forward from the right and caused danger with her cross which fell to Lauren Bruton who forced an impressive save from City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck to win a corner. But the Royals struck from the resulting corner as Eikeland latched onto Brooke Chaplen’s delivery and glanced a header past Roebuck at the near post to give Kelly Chambers’ side an ideal start. Reading were organised and disciplined at the back to shut out one of the most potent team’s in the country for much of the game as Royals keeper Grace Moloney made several important stops.
Lucy Bronze broke forward on the right before Mewis’ cross found Ellen White in the middle who looked poised to hit an equaliser but was denied by a super stop from Moloney at close range. Georgia Stanway thought she would be able to apply the finishing touch on the rebound but Royals skipper Harding took up an excellent position on the line which allowed her to block Stanway’s goal bound effort. Moloney again denied Stanway as the City forward dug out an effort just inside the box but the Reading keeper was equal to it and was able to get her fingertips to the ball to tip it over the bar. City continued to press for an equaliser into the second half with their constant pressure being knocked back by the resilient Royals back line. But despite Reading’s determined efforts, their defence was eventually
breached in the 56th minute when Mewis worked her way into the box and curled an effort beyond the reach of Moloney into the corner. City looked the more likely to grab a winner, with the best chance falling to Chloe Kelly who scuffed her shot wide of the target just eight yards out much to Reading’s relief. Stanway tried to beat Moloney from a tight angle but the impressive Moloney again held firm to keep the England international at bay. But the Royals dug deep to keep City out as they picked up a valuable point to dent City’s hopes of making a push for the title. “After the disappointment of last week, we really put our game plan into practice today,” said Reading manager Kelly Chambers. “We scored early on but our defence was outstanding. “I think our performances have been outstanding since
the disappointing result against Arsenal. “We know how strong Man City are individually and collectively. “We knew we’d be on the back foot at times in the game, but that’s football and the result is the most important thing. “We showed our true colours today, especially defensively. That’s a fantastic result for us, and a great way to bounce back.” READING WOMEN: Moloney, Harding, Cooper, Bartrip, Mitchell, James, Chaplen, Fishlock, Bruton, Eikeland, Carter. SUBS: Leine, Jeon, Nayler, Rowe, Woodham, Skeels, Childerhouse, Quirk, Harries MAN CITY WOMEN: Roebuck, Bronze, Houghton, Greenwood, Stokes, Mewis, Walsh, Lavelle, Kelly, White, Stanway. SUBS: Bardsley, Bonner, Coombs, Scott, Beckie, Morgan, Park, Benameur. GOALS: Eikeland 3’, Mewis 56’
Reading celebrate together after Amalie Eikeland opens the scoring after just three m
Tash Harding makes an important clearance
Danielle Carter looks to pick out a pass
Sam Mewis equalises for Manchester City
Rachel Rowe battles against Alex Greenwood
Lauren Bruton is challenged by a City defender
Thursday, October 22, 2020 THESPORTSPAPER
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TO EARN POINT
FROM THE MIDDLE With Dick Sawdon-Smith
YOU WILL NOTICE A CHANGE IN VAR
minutes Pictures: Neil Graham
Eikeland celebrates her goal after heading Reading in front
IT IS fair to say, I think, that for Premier League fans, the most complaints last season came from decisions made by VARs. Video Assistant Referees. It was not only fans who were disappointed by the Premier League’s use of VAR. At the annual meeting of the game’s law makers, the International FA Board, a great deal of time was spent in discussing, and to some extent criticising, its introduction into the English game. One of the biggest criticism was that the Premier League tried to use it differently to any other country. One way was the decision by Premier League referees, not to consult the pitch side monitors and leave it to the VAR to tell the on-pitch referee, what decisions to make. Perhaps this came about because of some complaints about the time decisions took, in the countries where it had been trialled. So who are the VARs? They are made up of Select Group one referees who take Premier League matches and some Select Group two who take mostly Championship games. So one day they would be in
the middle, refereeing a game, and the next could be the VAR, surrounded by television screens looking for something the on-pitch referee might not have seen. It is expected that any such incident will be reported to the on-field referee , who then decides whether or not to review it at the monitor. It was never intended that the VAR should be used in such a way as to supersede the referee’s authority for the Laws of the Game, which say the referee’s decisions connected with play, remains final. In America for instance, when the VAR feels a mistake has been made, he ‘recommends a review’ to the on-field referee. Gianni Infantine, the President of FIFA, was reported as being incensed at the Premier League’s action. Now that FIFA have taken over from IFAB for the application of VAR, saying it wants it to be the same in every country it is used, I can safely say, viewers will see a lot more reviews by referees in future.
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HELLENIC LEAGUE DIVISION ONE EAST
SUMAS STILL ON TOP AFTER DRAW Wallingford 0 Sumas 0
By ARTHUR STRAND sport@wokinghampaper.co.uk
WOKINGHAM & Emmbrook are still at the summit of the Hellenic Division One East despite being held to a goalless draw at Wallingford Town.
Sumas are unbeaten at the top of the table Pictures: Andrew Batt FootballinBerkshire
An early attempt to breach the host’s defence by the Sumas was quickly thwarted but they gained a free kick which was taken by Nick Bateman. With Liam Eagle, captain of the Sumas, close enough to make an effort, the ball hit the post but soon afterwards, Dan Collier was flat on the turf and had to be substituted as a result. Wallingford’s Darrell Wearn received the first yellow card of the game and Sumas next attempt after a free kick sailed over the crossbar from a header by Liam Eagle. Sean Woodward cleared up after a brief visit by the ball into his area. After a free kick to each side, Sumas were
working together in the opposition half but when two players clashed they had a free kick. There were some clumsy tackles throughout the game but fortunately there were no serious injuries. Sumas moved up again but Wallingford made a breakaway, losing possession at the other end but after that the hosts regained the ball and advanced with another breakaway which ended when Woodward collected the ball. Mark O’Connell was fouled and Nick Bateman took the free kick As the first half was drawing to a close, Laurie Aitchinson, Wallingford’s goalkeeper, collected the ball but Sumas gained a free kick for handball. They produced a session of accurate short distance passing of the ball as Callum Eagle’s effort was directed at Aitchinson, the hosts’ goalkeeper. The second half began with Wallingford taking the ball deep into Sumas’ defence and once cleared there was
activity at both ends. Woodward was in action with a reasonably safe ball to clutch. Between that and the next strike by Wallingford, was a visit to the opposition area with a free kick to Sumas and a header was blocked. Switching play back to Sumas half the home team a scorching shot when direct on goal but rebounded off the keeper back into the field of play. At the other end, Nick Bateman had a crack but the ball went wide. Wallingford then moved back towards the Sumas end but to no avail as the raid fizzled out although they returned and sent in a ball which Woodward claimed. Two free kicks later to Wallingford, Woodward was forced punch the ball clear and Luke Scope was able to take the ball once it was in the opposite half but was deemed offside. Back to Sumas end and Woodward had to take a high aerial ball incoming. Sumas took the ball and Scope
chased the ball to the end of the field not quite catching up with it. Carter got the ball and followed up with Aitchinson receiving the ball. The Sumas moved again into Wallingford’s half but their approach work was blocked once more and the counter attack was sorted out and cleared by Liam Eagle. Sumas reply to that counter attack culminated in a corner kick which Aitchinson managed to claim. Wallingford then passed the ball up-field but Sumas raced back to defend although the home team tried a shot the ball screwed wildly wide. At the end of the game, a zero score put the Sumas back on top with Holyport level on points but a game ahead. WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK: Woodward. (GK), O’Connell, Day, C. Eagle, L. Eagle (C), Cummusky, Collier, Badshah, Scope, Clark, N. Bateman. SUBSTITUTES: Guest, Byrne Carter, Winship.
COMBINED COUNTIES DIVISION ONE
BOARS FALL SHORT DESPITE LATE FIGHTBACK Eversley & California 2 Tooting Bec 3 EVERSLEY & California fell to their fourth league defeat of the season despite a late fightback against Tooting Bec.
The Boars endured a difficult start to the match as they fell behind just two minutes into the contest as their protests for offside were waved away as Tooting opened the scoring. They had a chance to level the score just before half-time as Ellis came close, but his missed chance left Eversley trailing by a goal at half-time. Tooting started the second half as they had started the first by adding to the score as they doubled their advantage. And Eversley were punished
further in the 62nd minute when Tooting added a third goal as they looked to seal the three points. But the Boars didn’t make it easy for their opposition as they fought their way back into the game. Ambler battled in the middle of the park before Joe Pantony squared the ball in the middle to find Ross Mckeranan who placed the ball into the net to give the Boars a lifeline. Matty Angell’s side continued to fight and were rewarded with another goal in the 80th minute as they searched for an unlikely comeback. Brad Brown won possession for Eversley before Pantony chipped the ball over the keeper to set up a nervy
finish to the match for the visitors. But the Boars were unable to find an equaliser despite their best efforts as they fell to a narrow defeat. “Unfortunately we didn’t turn up today for the full 90, just the 20 minutes,” said Eversley & California manager Matty Angell. “The squad needs to find consistency as that will bring more points going forward and bring a better mentality.” EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA: Vaughan, Knight, Marsh, Mckernan, Wint, Small, Ambler, Holmes, Brown, Pantony, Dickie. SUBS: Blackie, Gill, Smith, Stepehenson, Appleton
George Marsh heads the ball on from a corner for Eversley & California Pictures: Richard Milam
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HOCKEY ROUND-UP
RESULTS
FIXTURES
SONNING LADIES MAINTAIN PERFECT START
Saturday, October 17
FOOTBALL
MBBO Regional 1 SONNING 1s and SOUTH BERKSHIRE 1s both fell to defeat this weekend in MBBO Regional 1. Nick Leach got on the scoresheet for Sonning but they would come away without a point as they were beaten 2-1 in their second loss of the season. They are in seventh after three games. Meanwhile, South Berks suffered a heavy 7-2 home defeat to OMT 1s despite goals from Tom King and Ravi Patel. They are ninth after one win and three losses from their opening four matches.
Middlesbrough 0-0 Reading
South Clubs Women’s Division 3A
Binfield 3-1 Fairford Town
SONNING LADIES 1s maintained their perfect start to the season as they narrowly beat Slough Women’s 2s to win their fourth consecutive match. Flora Grove-Smith, Katie Banks and Katie Crevel provided the goals as Sonning came away with a 3-2 triumph to put them joint top of the table.
SONNING 2s remain at the bottom of the league without a point after they were beaten 4-1 at home by Harrow 1s. Elliott Wise
Hellenic Division One East
Thames Valley Division One WARGRAVE were victors in
TWYFORD & RUSCOMBE moved up to third with their second victory of the season as they hit six past Windlesham & Chobham Reserves. Sean Kelly enjoyed a remarkable
Thames Valley Division One Hurst v Westwood Wanderers
One
Reserves
Sonning Ladies 1s (above) and Sonning Men’s1s (below) Pictures: Steve Smyth
Maidenhead Town 0-3
Reserves Hurst Reserves v Windlesham &
Marlow United 1-1 Woodley
Chobham Reserves
Reading City U23 0-4 Berks
Thames Valley Division Four
County
Berks County Rovers v Phoenix Old Boys Development
Thames Valley Division One Holyport Reserves 6-7 Wargrave
apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk
BINFIELD continued their reign at the top of the Hellenic Premier Division as they extended their unbeaten run to seven games with victory over Fairford Town.
Sean Moore continued his potent goal scoring form
Farnham Royal MAvericks v Finchampstead Development
FC Imaan Lions 7-3 Hurst
goal scoring afternoon as he smashed five goals, while Adam Gozzard added to the scoresheet to seal a brilliant 6-2 victory. HURST RESERVES took their first win of the campaign with a 4-2 triumph over Datchet. Noah Hodge netted a brace, while Tim Grenham and Ashley Lamb also scored to seal victory.
Thames Valley Division Three WOODLEY UNITED A suffered their first defeat of the season after two late goals from Maidenhead Town A. Goals from Woodley’s Matthew McFrederick and Telmo Abreu saw the sides locked at 2-2 before two late goals from the visitors meant that they took the points.
Southern Region Women’s Premier Division WOODLEY UNITED LADIES are at the top of the league after they hit Wycombe Wanderers for six.
Rosie Page-Smith hit a hat-trick, while goals from Rebecca Gooc, Freya Jenkins and Molly Lambourne ensured that the Kestrels made it two wins from two in the league.
Thames Valley Women’s Division One
HOCKEY
HOCKEY
MBBO Regional 1
MBBO Regional 1 Sonning 1s v Amersham &
South Berkshire 1s 2-7 OMT 1s
Chalfont 1s Oxford University 2s v South
MBBO Regional 2
Berkshire 1s
Sonning 2s 1-4 Harrow 1s MBBO Division 1
of their own in the 26th minute to make it 2-1. But Binfield managed to restore their two-goal lead before the breakthrough Liam Gavin who netted in the 35th minute as he was left unmarked after he made a run at the back post and nodded the ball past the keeper from close range. The Moles’ fifth league victory of the campaign
MBBO Regional 2 Oxford 2s v Sonning 2s
OMT 2s 2-5 South Berkshire 2s South Clubs Women’s Division 3A
MBBO Division 1 South Berkshire 2s v Maidenhead 2s
Sonning Ladies 1s 3-2 Slough Women 2s Three Counties Premier 1 Banbury Ladies 1s 5-2 South
MBBO Division 3 Oxford 4s v South Berkshire 3s Sonning 3s v Buckingham 1s
Berkshire Ladies 1s
South Clubs Women’s Division
Three Counties Premier 2
3A Southgate Ladies 2s v Sonning
Sonning Ladies 2s 2-0 Reading
Ladies 1s
WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK LADIES suffered a heavy defeat as they lost 7-2 away at Milton United Ladies. Tina Leahy and Sarah Leonard got on the scoresheet for the Sumas but they were beaten handsomely in what was their fourth defeat of the campaign.
Ladies 4s
Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S
Thames Valley Women’s Division One
Marlow Ladies 4s Sonning Ladies 3s v Amersham
Milton United Ladies 7-2
and Chalfont Ladies 3s
Sunday, October 18
Trysports Premier 1
FA Women’s Super League
South Berkshire Ladies 1s v
Reading Women 1-1 Manchester City Women
Wallingford Ladies 1s Trysports Premier 2
Southern Region Women’s Premier
Henley Ladies 2s v Sonning Ladies 2s
Newbury 2-6 Woodley United Ladies
Trysports Division 1 South Berkshire Ladies 2s v
S4K LADIES climbed up to second place in the league after the earned three points and a clean sheet against WARGRAVE WOMEN DEVELOPMENT. Kiah Owen, Claudia Periquito and Samantha Sadler scored to ensure that S4K earned the points.
MOLES EXTEND UNBEATEN RUN
By ANDY PRESTON
Datchet v Berks County
United Royals
HELLENIC PREMIER DIVISION
when he gave the Moles the lead after 14 minutes. The Moles hit Fairford on the break from their own corner as they burst forward in numbers as Moore rolled the ball into the empty net after a counter attack. Josh Howell then doubled Binfield’s lead just 10 minutes later, before Fairford hit back with a goal
Thames Valley Division Two
Finchampstead
Wokingham & Emmbrook Ladies
Tuesday, October 20
keeps them top of the league having won five of their seven fixtures. Binfield co-manager Carl Withers said: “It was a day we had to be at our best and that’s exactly what we were, and another day we might have scored more. But we come away pleased with the three points.” Binfield co-manager Jamie McClurg said: “A top
Trysports Division 2 Maidenhead Ladies 4s v South Berkshire Ladies 3s
FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship Reading 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers Cherry Red Records Challenge
Binfield 3 Fairford Town 1
Wanderers
Combined Counties Division
Thames Valley Premier League
WARGRAVE WIN 13-GOAL CONTEST
Thames Valley Division Two
Berks County v Westwood
Eversley & California 2-3 Tooting
THAMES VALLEY FOOTBALL ROUND-UP
FINCHAMPSTEAD continued their impressive start to the season with a 3-0 away win at Maidenhead Town. James Payne opened the scoring before second half goals from Callum Vallance and Dylan Chaffin ensured that Finch would go top of the table after their unbeaten start. BERKS COUNTY made it two wins from two with a convincing away victory at Reading City U23’s. The Swords moved up to second in the table, with a game in hand over table toppers Finchampstead after their perfect start to the season. WOODLEY UNITED ROYALS got on the board with their first point of the season as they drew away at Marlow United after a late freekick from Adam King ensured they would return with a draw.
Woodley United Royals v Wraysbury Village
Wallingford Town 0-0 Sumas
SOUTH BERKSHIRE LADIES 1s dropped to eighth after their second defeat of the season. They fell to a 5-2 away loss at Banbury Ladies.
a stunning game against Holyport Reserves which saw a remarkable 13 goals scored. With the scores locked at 6-6 after an incredibly entertaining battle between two sides, Wargrave were given the chance to take the points with a penalty in the final minute. Despite the penalty being saved, Wargrave had the ball in the back of the net in bizarre circumstances as a Holport defender cleared the ball which took a cruel deflection off his own player and headed into the net as Wargrave won the chaotic contest. Meanwhile, HURST were on the end of a heavy defeat against FC IMAAN LIONS who recorded a 7-3 victory.
Thames Valley Premier League Finchampstead v Burghfield
Hellenic Premier
Eastcote 1s 2-1 Sonning 1s
Thames Valley Premier League
Sky Bet Championship Reading v Rotherham
Sky Bet Championship
scored for Sonning but it was to be in vain as they suffered a fourth consecutive defeat.
Trysports Premier 1
MBBO Regional 2
FOOTBALL
Saturday, October 24
Cup second-round Eversley & California 1-1 Hanworth Villa (Eversley win on pens)
Sunday, October 25 FOOTBALL Southern Region Women’s Premier Woodley United Ladies Wycombe Wanderers Thames Valley Women’s Division One Caversham AFC Ladies v Wargrave Women
game between two good sides and nice to come out on top. Superb support again and a great three points. These group of players are a dream.”
Tilehurst Panthers Women Development v Eversley &
BINFIELD: Grace, ThomsonWheeler, Legg, Broome, Gavin, Hancock, Howell, McClurg, Moore, Short, Harris. SUBS: Povey, Willment, Chamberlain, Cornell, Valentin
Tuesday, October 27
California Ladies Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S Slough Town Rebels v S4K Ladies
FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship
Wokingham & Emmbrook Picture: Andrew Batt FootballinBerkshire
Blackburn Rovers v Reading
READING DIG IN TO HOLD CITY
LOCAL DERBY WINNERS
Wycombe manager – and Kestrels star – Gareth Ainsworth at the Mad Stad on Tuesday Picture: Steve Smyth
WIN PUTS ROYALS ON TOP (Sorry, Gareth)
WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK’S Stubborn defence keeps them top of the table after their goalles draw at Wallingford Town.
The Sumas have remarkably conceded just two goals in their opening seven league matches to see them unbeaten at the summit to make an excellent start in their push for promotion � Full story P37
SONNING ENJOY FOUR IN A ROW
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winning promotion via the play-offs last season. Despite the team’s contrasting positions in the league table, it was Wycombe who had the first shot at goal when Jack Grimmer’s cross found its way to Alex Samuel who could only manage a tame shot which was held comfortably by Rafael as he scuffed his contact on the volley.
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“We learned a lot from this game. It was hard for us the way they played and especially the first half,” he said. “They did a very good job and
see the Royals open a gap at the top of the table. Wycombe manager Gareth Ainsworth, who has been in charge of the Chairboys for eight years, is a prominent figure in football in the borough, having made appearances for Hellenic Division One East side Woodley United. However, Ainsworth and Wycombe are still searching for their first point in the division since
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READING manager Veljko Paunović said his side ‘learned a lot’ after they dug out an ‘ugly’ win against Wycombe Wanderers.
were organised and motivated. “The first half was theirs, they imposed themselves. We reacted in the second half and adjusted our intensity and mentality. It was a fantastic reaction from the team.” “Sometimes you have to win ugly, and today was that day.” Wycombe had the better of the first half but were punished in the 64th minute as Joao bagged his third league goal of the season and
9
Their immaculate start to the season continued with a win against Slough to put them on maximum points in joint first.
By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokinghampaper.co.uk
9
SONNING LADIES are also enjoying success after four consecutive wins to start their league campaign.
Published by The Wokingham Paper Ltd, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS. Printed at Reach Watford © The Wokingham Paper Ltd, 2020
SUMAS’ ARE IN CONTROL
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A CELEBRATION OF THE NEW STARTERS
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WP20102-ALLSTS Welcome to our annual supplement dedicated to the new starters in Wokingham borough schools. Over the past few weeks, we have visited some of the foundation classes to take their pictures.
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