Wokingham Today, August 11, 2022

get your pad valued for free 0118 989 9770 | davidcliff.com

passionate about property

COVERING WOKINGHAM, FINCHAMPSTEAD, EARLEY, WINNERSH, SHINFIELD, WOODLEY, TWYFORD & SURROUNDING AREAS

WOKINGHAM.TODAY THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

UPDATED DAILY AT WWW.WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Dental crisis: No new NHS patients in Wokingham AN INVESTIGATION has found that no dentists in Wokingham are accepting new NHS patients.

The data, revealed by the BBC, shows all 12 dentistry practices in Wokingham will not take on any adult patients for treatment under the health service.

While NHS dental treatment is not free, it is subsidised with some patients able to claim the full expense.

The British Dental Association (BDA) called the BBC’s investigation “the most comprehensive and granular assessment of patient access in the history of the service”.

Cllr Clive Jones, leader of Wokingham Borough Council and the Liberal Democrats prospective parliamentary candidate for Wokingham, is calling for urgent action.

“People in our area should know if they are in pain or face a health emergency that the NHS is there for them,” he said. “These scandalous figures prove NHS dentistry in Wokingham is at breaking point.”

Cllr Jones believes this is down to a lack of dentists and he would like to see reforms prioritised to tackle the issue.

He said: “We haven’t got enough dentists and it is the same problem with doctors as well. The fault for this lies solely with the Conservative government. They have done next to nothing to tackle this crisis.”

The dentists’ union has also criticised the current NHS contract for the lack of accessible care.

Eddie Crouch. BDA chairman, said: “There doesn’t appear to be a commitment, really, from the Treasury to actually invest in [dentistry].

“Patients are having teeth removed because it’s a cheaper option than actually saving the teeth. The whole system is set up for health inequalities, and that significantly needs to change.”

The Department for Health has said it made £50 million available to “bust covid backlogs”.

NHS England said it had recently made changes to the dentistry contract aimed at supporting practices.

This includes giving highperforming practices the opportunity to increase activity and take on more patients.

NHS England said discussions on further changes were “still ongoing”.

Thursday, August 11, 2022

PARCHED

No. 367 90p

CHARITY OPENS NEW PET SHOP P9

COMMUNITY ENJOYS SUMMER FUN DAY P3

PLAQUE HONOUR FOR COUNCILLOR P7

As new heatwave begins, uni confirms 2022 is breaking records: dry, hot, and ongoing EXCLUSIVE

By EMMA MERCHANT news@wokingham.today THIS summer is breaking records, and not for the right reasons. As the heatwave continues, new data shows July was the driest ever.

And while there might be a few drops on rain forecast for Monday and Tuesday, the outlook remains dry as a bone.

The Met Office has issues an extreme heat warning, which covers

is in force from today through until the end of Sunday.

Temperatures are likely to rise to mid-30ºC, but not be as high as last month’s recording-breaking heat.

The hottest days are expected to be tomorrow and Saturday.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Dan Rudman said: “Coupled with the high daytime SIGN OF TIMES: Water levels at the River temperatures there will be some warm nights, with temperatures expected Loddon have dropped to historic lows not to drop below the low 20s for some much of the southern half of England areas in the south.” as well as parts of eastern Wales. This n Continued on page 6

ROYALS BACK IN ACTION SPORT ISSN 2634-8330 32

9 772634 833019

2 | NEWS

WE COVER WOKINGHAM BOROUGH

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

Citizens Advice experiencing unprecedented demand EXCLUSIVE

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today WOKINGHAM’S Citizens Advice says it is continuing to experience unprecedented demand for its services amid the cost of living crisis.

In print

Order a copy from your newsagent every Thursday – some even deliver

Online

Our website is updated seven days a week – bookmark it in your browser: wokingham.today FACEBOOK & TWITTER: WOKINGHAM.TODAY

HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US Due to the coronavirus, our offices are closed to the public. The best way to contact us is by email Email news@wokingham.today Newsroom: 0118 327 2662 Advertising: 0118 327 2662 Write to: Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS

Publisher • David Riley Editor • Phil Creighton Reporters • Daniel Blackham, Jake Clothier, Emma Merchant, Ji-Min Lee Sports reporter • Andy Preston Graphic designer • Charlotte Simpson The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation. If you have a complaint about a Wokingham Paper Ltd publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance email: editor@wokingham.today. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk.

Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Data, released by the charity, shows a 59% increase in need for its services from July last year and it is expected to continue rising.

Industry experts, Cornwall Insight, is expecting the energy price cap to rise to £3,582 a year in October.

A further increase in January is predicted to exceed £4,200.

The higher estimate means the average household would be paying £355 a month, more than double the current cost of £164.

Jake Morrison, chief executive at the charity, fears the rise will compound an already significant problem across the borough.

He said: “We have people in our borough that just cannot make ends meet.

“This situation is only going to get worse as fuel bills rise again in October.

“We recognise that there have been people in Wokingham borough living in poverty before this energy crisis, this only makes that situation much worse.”

Earlier this year the government provided support for all households in England with a rebate through their council tax.

Mr Morrison said the government did “the right thing” by providing

Don’t give thieves a window of opportunity during hot summer days

support but is calling for more action as people” continue to struggle to heat their homes and provide essentials including food and clothing”.

“This crisis is far from over,” said Mr Morrison.

“The government must be ready to act again and it should be looking at what it can do to help people with the cost of living now.

“For example, huge backlogs in Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments are hitting disabled people hard.

“And private companies also need to play their part.

“We’re still seeing age-old tricks like increasing prices for loyal customers, sneaking price hikes into the small-print of contracts, and putting barriers in the way of cancelling subscriptions.

“These are leaving many people trapped with unnecessarily high bills for essentials that they simply can’t afford.”

The government has also introduced more targeted support through a Household Support Fund, which Citizens Advice Wokingham and Wokingham United Charities are distributing on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council.

Since its launch in June, the charity has received 929 applications for the fund.

More than 55% of people applying for this emergency grant support have said they need it due to increased bills and cost of living, with 31% referencing low income.

This is one of many ways Citizens Advice are continuing to support residents across the borough.

Mr Morrison is still concerned the tools at the charity’s disposal will not be enough.

“There are only so many tools at our disposal,” said Mr Morrison.

“Whenever we support people with any form of hardship support such as foodbank vouchers or emergency grants, we’re looking at income maximisation – that’s ensuring people are getting all of the benefits that they’re entitled to, and our team tell me regularly that clients often are getting the right benefits.

“Looking at debt support, we’ve had a 24% increase in the first seven months of 2022 compared to the same time in 2021.

“This tells us that we’re supporting more people in debt, more people who are claiming everything they can be – but are unable to manage.”

Although demand for services is on the up, Mr Morrison insists the charity will always help people.

“We’ve supported people across Wokingham borough for more than 45 years now with free advice, information and support,” he said.

“Our staff and volunteers are working flat out to help people, but there’s still a lot of people out there who find it difficult to get through to us. And we need to make sure they have somewhere to turn.

“We’re trying hard to find ways we can increase our capacity to help us meet increasing demand and make sure people have access to the support they need.

“We launched our volunteer adviser recruitment campaign just a few weeks ago, so that we can continue to support people with their money, debt, employment and housing problems throughout this challenging period.”

AS THE long hot summer continues, police have issued a warning not to give thieves a window of opportunity.

With many people opening doors and windows in a bid to cool houses down, would-be burglars have opportunities to target homes by walking in or reaching in and helping themselves to phones, electronics, jewellery and cash.

Thames Valley Police said people should only leave windows open

for ventilation when they are in the room and lock them when they leave the house, and at night.

Window opening restrictors can help ventilate homes, but people should ensure they cannot be picked and unlocked from the outside.

Windows next to a porch or flat garage roof should not be left unattended, as thieves can climb up and into the home.

Gardeners should secure any

rear or side access doors. Police warn that opportunists will simply try the door and, if unlocked, will enter and quickly search around for handbags or other items to steal.

Police also advise that people should consider installing CCTV or a video doorbell, with many models able to send an alert to your mobile phone when someone steps onto your property.

READY TO HELP: Jake Morrison from Wokingham Citizens Advice Picture: Jess Warren/Wokingham Today

n For more information, including on how to volunteer for the charity, visit: citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk

n For further information, visit: www. thamesvalley.police.uk

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Family Notices Your wording

Classification (please tick) n Births n Birthdays n Engagements n Weddings n Anniversaries n Other n Death n In memory

YOUR CONTACT DETAILS Name Address

Advert sizes n 5cm by 1 column – 40 words £30 inc VAT n 3cm by 2 column – 50 words £36 inc VAT Postcode n 4cm by 2 column – 60 words £48 inc VAT n 5cm by 2 column – 80 words £60 inc VAT n 6cm by 2 column – 100 words £72 INC VAT Email n Photo – add £5 inc VAT (email only) DEADLINE IS TUESDAY AT 5PM FOR THAT WEEK’S PAPER

Phone number

Send your forms to: Family notices, Wokingham Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS. Please enclose payment by cheque, made out to The Wokingham Paper Ltd. Payments may also be made by card over the phone.

NEWS |

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

The best pictures of local events are only in your Wokingham.Today

3

Ship to get into the Rhythm Hill A WOKINGHAM pub will be filled with the sound of music later this month.

The Ship Inn in Peach Street is to host Rhythm Hill on Saturday, August 20.

The band play a mixture of rock, soul, new wave, disco and funk tunes from the 1970s to the 1990s.

They say they enjoy getting audiences dancing and singing along.

The event’s famous barbecue kept all who attended well-fed Lily Moss with some of the traditional clothes on sale

ALL SMILES: The fun day included plenty of activities for the children to enjoy, particularly the inflatables. Pictures: Steve Smyth

Unity on show at Kenyan fun day

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today

RESIDENTS were treated to a fun-filled community event celebrating the town’s diversity on Saturday.

The latest Kenyans in Reading Family Fun Day delighted all who attended, featuring activities, competitions, collective spirit and a barbecue.

It was held at Bearwood Recreation Ground in Winnersh.

Organiser Ken Gathere was full of praise for the event’s success, saying: “When we started seven years ago, I never thought [the fun day] would get this big.

“It was meant to be a small barbecue gathering after my mother passed, but we picked up this August date annually and it’s just grown.”

“Our event especially gives less privileged kids who can’t go on holidays the opportunity to go back to school and say they went for a fun day, enjoyed it and met loads of new people.”

The highlights of the event were the sports competitions, which saw visitors old and

young compete for prizes in running and other athletic disciplines.

Food stalls provided a taste of Kenya and countries further afield in a true celebration of all of Reading’s many cultures. ]Information stalls featured Mojatu Foundation, Utulivu Women’s Group and Royal Berkshire Hospital’s patient experience engagement team, who conducted on-site health checks.

Mr Gathere said: “We were really excited to bring the community together and to interact with other communities.

“Through our event, we showed visitors what Reading is all about and how open and welcoming we are to visitors.”

The organiser expressed his gratitude to those who made the event possible, particularly Wokingham

Borough Council and Winnersh Community Centre.

He also thanked Thames Valley Police for attending, the surrounding neighbourhood for accommodating the event and gave a specific shout-out to Chris, the facility’s caretaker, who has helped out at the event since its inception.

“I can only say we felt humbled and the occasion will forever be ingrained in the Kenyan community’s hearts,” Mr Gathere said.

“We thank Reading and the country for sharing these opportunities.

“May God bless the Queen and the UK, we are so humbled.”

(From left) Eva Karanja, Angela Gathu and Terry Njoki provided information on the Utulivu stall Sharon Herring from Royal Berkshire Hospital checks Susan Kariuki’s blood pressure on the NHS Meet Peet stand

n For more details, call the pub on: 0118 978 0389.

Black boy works postponed by heat PLANNED resurfacing works in Shinfield have been postponed.

Wokingham Borough Council made the decision due to expected high road temperatures over the coming week.

The overnight repairs were set to start yesterday at The Blackboy roundabout, and continue to Wednesday, August 17.

The council were hoping to carry out works between Lower Way West and Whitley Wood Lane between 8pm and 6pm each day.

A new date has yet to be announced.

For the record IN the Thursday, July 28, edition of Wokingham.Today, in an article titled “‘It’s like Brands Hatch’: call for action on speeding”, a housing complex on Wiltshire Road was referred to as “a large care home”. This is incorrect. The building, Fleurde-lis, is a retirement housing complex. We apologise for any confusion caused.

Sunday 14th August from 2pm

‘’G and Teatime’’

- Gin Tasting and Afternoon Tea Combine two quintessentially British classics; Gin and Afternoon Tea! This bespoke series of tasting is aimed at the real Gin enthusiast and afternoon tea lovers. Our guest speaker will guide you through two very different Altitude - French Alpine Gins from the mountains in a fun and didactic way.

At the end, pick up your favourite G&T and enjoy traditional afternoon tea, this is the perfect experience for gin enthusiasts.

Gin Selection Alpine Dry Alpine Strawberry Pink Welcome Cocktail Gin Tasting Afternoon Tea Gin and Tonic Guest Speaker

Priced at £32.95 per person

Hannah, Liz and Dotty fundraising for Kevin Kararwa Leukaemia Trust

To book please call us direct on 0118 979 8805 or email us at enquiries@chalkrestaurants.com www.chalkrestaurants.com Chalk Restaurant, 31 Broad Street, Wokingham, RG40 1AU

4 | NEWS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

On the dog and bone: group bus tickets go mobile THERE IS another revolution on the buses, as new technology helps keep the borough moving.

Reading Buses has a special off-peak group ticket, allowing up to four people to travel across the simplyReading area for £6, or the simplyNetwork area for £10. And during the school holidays, it is available all day.

Tickets purchased through the app will need to be used before September 5, as they won’t be able to be used on buses past this date.

The firm’s chief executive, Robert Williams, said: “The ticket is particularly appropriate at a time of staycation involving day trips to local attractions and is therefore a great way for families and friends to have days out together.

“It can still also be purchased with either cash or contactless card from our drivers on-bus.”

BROUGHT TO BOOK: Dexter’s Little Library will stay in WCDA’s community cafe throughout the summer holidays. Pictures: Samantha Rosier

Dexter creates a library to help youngsters read Shinfield bench removed A BENCH was removed from a Wokingham park last week in an attempt to reduce anti-social behaviour.

Previously located in Shinfield Road Recreation Ground, it had reportedly been a gathering site for groups and individuals conducting disorderly behaviour.

Thames Valley Police (TVP) and Reading Borough Council conducted the removal on Wednesday, August 3.

A spokesperson for the council said: “The bench was removed as it was providing a gathering point for groups of individuals causing problems around anti-social behaviour, and alcohol and drug use.

“Resident engagement revealed that the bench’s use for these activities was presenting a barrier for them being able to use that area of the park safely and confidently.

“Whilst removing the bench will not eradicate these issues, it will help to mitigate the concentration of them in that particular hotspot and improve it for local residents.

“The council and TVP are working together on a number of wider measures to tackle anti-social behaviour across Reading.”

TVP is encouraging residents to report antisocial behaviour in the park and the Linden Road area by calling 101, quoting 4322023592.

A WOODLEY schoolboy has set up a mini-library to help children who don’t have access to books over the summer holidays.

Dexter Rosier, 10, installed Dexter’s Little Library at Whitley Community Development Association’s cafe on Tuesday, August 2.

Through his social media account, he said: “Back in January, I had an idea that I wanted to share my love of reading and books.

“I love books and reading. One of my favourite trips out is a visit to Waterstones to pick out new books to read. But not every child has this chance.

“I did some research and did you know at least 400,000 children in the UK don’t own a book and one in eight schools have no library.

“Can you imagine not owning a book or having access to a library?”

These statistics motivated the youngster to put together a collection made up of his and eventually his friends’ old books.

They are housed in the community cafe on Northumberland Avenue on a shelf painted and designed by the 10-year-old himself.

Dexter is hopeful other young people will derive the same pleasure as he did from the books, while also promoting good mental health.

In a handwritten message left with the collection, he wrote: “I think books are magical and bring you anywhere from space to the sea.

“I really want to share the magic of books and make it available to all children.”

Dexter has made a name for himself by completing various fundraising and awareness projects for organisations such as Sport in Mind and the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

The £241,466 cost for the contract extension with Reading Buses will come from S106 payments, formerly known as developer contributions.

Cllr Paul Fishwick, executive member for active travel, highways and transport, said: “I’d like to thank officers of Wokingham Borough Council and Reading Buses for all the hard work that has gone into working through options to retain a local bus service south of the M4 and producing this report.

“I’d also like to thank Swallowfield and Shinfield parish councils.

“We recognise the importance of local bus services to our residents and the role a good network plays in offering greener and healthier travel alternatives.

“This is an important part of reducing congestion, getting our residents more active and helping towards our climate emergency.”

The services will be amended to incorporate the Tiger 7 and the Leopard 8 and 9, into a pattern with the Leopard 3, as an extension to the existing Mereoak service.

Cllr Fishwick added: “The

Mereoak Park and Ride service –the 600 – will be extended with two buses approximately running 30 minutes apart, the Three Mile cross and Spencers Wood.

“One service will then continue to Swallowfield and Riseley, Wellington Country Park and return to Reading via the Mereoak Park and Ride on the A33.

“The second extended 600 service will run from Three Mile Cross and Spencers Wood to Thames Valley Science Park via Shinfield Green and return to Reading via Mereoak Park and Ride.

“The Leopard 3 will continue in its current service pattern with slight adjustments to its timetable and this will actually enable students attending the after school clubs at Bohunt to catch the bus towards Wokingham.”

Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, leader of the Wokingham Conservative group and former executive member for highways and transport, said: “I am absolutely supportive of the decision.

“We knew the government funding was coming to an end and

had been working to bridge the gap for buses.

“In February I had already allocated the S106 payments as part of an executive report so the process which has been followed is the same as I had started.”

Once this funding ends in March, the contract will be put out for retender.

Cllr Imogen Shepherd-DuBey, executive member for finance, believes this is the only option the council could implement.

She said: “We are aware we are in a post covid era and things haven’t got back to full service levels.

“We can not continue doing this but, for a short term fix, this is what we need to do otherwise there will be no service to lots of people.”

Cllr Fishwick has given residents an ultimatum to use it or lose it for the bus service moving forward.

He said: “If we want to continue to have a good bus network we need more people to use the buses.

“I urge residents to take the bus wherever possible across the whole of wokingham as they are safe, convenient and far more beneficial to our environment than driving.

Four borough bus services given seven-month lifeline

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today WOKINGHAM Borough Council has saved four bus services, but their long-term future remains unclear.

At an urgent decision making executive meeting on Monday, August 8, the council agreed to subsidise the Tiger 7 and Leopard 3, 8 and 9 services until March 31, 2023.

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

5

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Council rejects housing plan which would link Wokingham to Bracknell EXCLUSIVE

UPHELD: The council has decided to continue battling Beaulieu Homes over development near St. Anne’s Drive in Wokingham Picture: Steve Smyth

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@wokingham.today WOKINGHAM Borough Council has upheld its decision to reject a planning application to build homes on land close to London Road.

The decision was made at an extraordinary planning committee meeting on Tuesday, last week.

Earlier this year, the planning committee rejected an application from Beaulieu Homes to erect 54 homes, including 19 affordable, off “He has provided us with St Anne’s Drive, near Hilton St provide “adequate financial the council’s decision and it contributions” to mitigate the was referred to the planning new information which was Anne’s Manor. not available at the time of the inspector.

The reason for the original impact of the development.

Mary Severin, from the January decision.”

The committee also said decision was the development The information Ms Severin would reduce the settlement there was no legal agreement council’s legal team, said: “Since gap between Wokingham and to secure the provision of the time this application was referred to was not made affordable housing and its refused on January 13, 2022, available to the public due to a Bracknell.

Additional grounds for the transfer to a registered provider. in the course of dealing with legal exemption which allowed There was further concern the appeal, we have received the planning committee to refusal included the applicant’s debate the matter in private. failure to secure the necessary over the development’s impact confidential legal advice1 from blueprint_advert_190x137mm_TKT17746_advert-2-v03-PR.pdf 29/07/2022 09:50 As a result of this, the the barrister instructed to infrastructure, on- and off-site on, and loss of, protected trees. application was brought back Beaulieu Homes appealed represent us. services and amenities, or to

to the committee for them to vote on if they should proceed with the reasons for refusal given originally, given the new information Cllr John Kaiser, Conservative councillor for Barkham, said: “I would like to say I am surprised and disappointed that the planning decision made at the previous meeting, where a democratic vote was taken, is back here tonight.”

Cllr Kaiser’s view was shared by Cllr Chris Bowring, Conservative councillor for Wokingham Without.

Cllr Wayne Smith, Conservative councillor for Hurst, and Cllr Rebecca Margetts, Conservative councillor for Finchampstead South, were concerned about the public being excluded from the meeting and the information being withheld.

Cllr Margetts said: “We had a vast amount of residents object to this.

“Over 300 objections and they will not be able to hear genuine reasons and information as to why this is changing.

“So I want to make it clear that I do feel very uncomfortable about this situation that residents are being excluded.”

Cllr Stephen Conway, Liberal Democrat councillor for Twyford, acknowledged the concerns, stating that everyone

would feel “uncomfortable” with the process and that an open report would “always be preferable”.

The committee then considered the confidential – the press was excluded from this part of the meeting – and decided they would uphold their original decision to reject the application.

The committee added: “Since this application was refused, the council can no longer demonstrate a five-year housing land supply.

“In preparation for the appeal the council’s planning committee were asked to closely consider the reasons given to refuse the planning permission in January.

“The committee have now authorised officers not to present evidence to the appeal for reasons for refusal one and two providing appropriate negotiations can be reached with the appellant in relation to the appeal.”

This means the council will no longer contest the application based on the reduction of a settlement gap between Wokingham and Bracknell or the impact on protected trees.

The council will focus on the absence of a legal agreement for affordable housing and the applicants failure to secure the necessary infrastructure.

M

Y

Y

Y

Showroom Opening Hours Friday 9-3 Monday to 10:30-2:30 on Saturdays

Telephone: 0118 989 3438

Bedrooms, Home Offices, Media Units & Bespoke Furniture

www.blueprintfittedfurniture.co.uk

Email: enquiries@blueprintfittedfurniture.co.uk re fitted furnitu

Address: Unit 12, Metro Centre, Toutley Road, Wokingham, RG41 1QW.

Follow us at facebook.com/Blueprintfittedfurniture

6 | NEWS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

Thames Water announces imminent hosepipe ban THAMES WATER has announced on Tuesday, August 8, that it will be instating a hosepipe ban “within weeks” as much of England faces heatwaves.

Around 15 million people under the water authority could be subject to the ban as the second heatwave of the summer sets in.

Thames Water is the water authority covering Berkshire, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, Kent, London, and Surrey.

In a statement, it stated that it was planning to announce the temporary ban “in the coming weeks” though it hasn’t given a firm date.

During the ban, people will not be allowed to use hosepipes to water gardens or plants, fill swimming or paddling pools, clean cars, or to clean windows.

Hosepipes may be used for business purposes, or to fill pools used for medical or religious uses.

Those caught breaking the rules could face fines of up to £1,000.

Thames Water said the decision was in response to the “long-term forecast of dry weather,” and referenced the heatwave due to affect much of the south later this week, the second issued this year.

Borough’s hottest and driest July since records began n From Front page

The ban would be the third implemented in England this year, after Southern Water’s bans in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and South East Water’s ban, due to come into effect on Friday, August 12.

The authority said: “Our aim is always to ensure that we will have enough water to supply our customers, regardless of the weather.”

“The timing is not confirmed due to a number of operational and legal procedural requirements but we will be updating our customers, partners, regulators and stakeholders at the earliest time to ensure a coordinated approach.

“In the meantime we continue to urge our customers to only use what they need for their essential use.”

South East Water, which supplies freshwater to some Wokingham borough homes, has already announced a hosepipe ban for Kent and Sussex from Friday.

Beatles singalong for female voices HERE’S a news story about Yesterday, except it’s in the future.

A singing afternoon for female voices is to be held next month in Charvil.

The village hall will be the venue for Love Is All You Need, a tribute to The Beatles.

The afternoon workshop will see participants learn a medley of songs from the Fab Four, arranged for a two-part choir.

Among the set list is

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Yesterday, Here Comes the Sun, Imagine, When I’m Sixty Four and Ticket To Tide.

The event is organised by Suzanne Newman, and costs £10, which includes the music and light refreshments. It takes place from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, September 3.

For more details, or to book, call: 0118 934 0589, or email: suzanneynewman@btinternet. com

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “It’s important to ensure that people who are more vulnerable – elderly people who live alone and people with underlying health conditions – are prepared for coping during the hot weather.

“The most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and take steps to prevent their homes from overheating.”

The hot summer is even warmer than the last one, back in 1976.

The country is heading to drought conditions as a result, and many of the borough’s rivers are well down on their normal water levels, while grass in parks has turned yellow.

Muddy ground is now a dustbowl and water companies are warning of hosepipe bans and asking people to conserve supplies as reserves dwindle.

With the University of Reading releasing weather data for last month, the figures confirm what we all know: this has been the borough’s driest July in more than a century, with just 3.1mm of rainfall.

The previous record was 4mm, in July 1921.

It has also been the third driest first half of the year in the hundred or so years since records began, with just 216mm of rainfall from January to July in the area.

Temperatures have soared too.

Wokingham and Reading saw a peak of 37.6°C on July 19, the hottest day on record since 1908, and considerably higher

CLIMATE CHANGE: The lack of rain is causing rivers, including the Loddon, to dry up. Picture: Phil Creighton than the daily average for the month.

The daily average in 1976, was 25.6°C. Night-time temperatures saw record highs too, with a minimum temperature of 20.1°C on July 19.

Dr Stephen Burt, Meteorology Research Fellow at the University of Reading, said: “We all noticed the record temperatures and dry weather in July.

“This data lays bare just how abnormally dry the weather has been this year, partially driven by a changing climate.

“Local streams are beginning to dry up for the first time in decades.

“Water restrictions surely can’t be far away.”

The Environment Agency has warned that England could face a drought in August if the current dry weather persists.

Some areas of the country already have hosepipe bans in place, with restrictions in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, and in Kent and Sussex from Friday.

Professor Richard Allan, Professor of Climate Science at the University of Reading, said: “There are fluctuations in weather patterns.

“These determine when and where heat waves and unusually dry spells take place.

“But the higher temperatures and thirstier atmosphere due to human-caused climate change will have intensified the rate at which soils dry out.

“And this will speed up the development of drought.”

Cllr Paul Fishwick of Wokingham Borough Council is a keen meterologist, keeping logs of rainfall and other weather conditions.

“The area is very dry, and we all need to look after the water that we have,” he said.

“The last thing we want is a hosepipe ban.”

“Nobody wants to see a return of standpipes for the collection of household water, as we had in 1976.”

Cllr Fishwick urges people to look after themselves too, to cover up when they go out in the sun, and to close curtains

and windows to keep their homes cool.

“This is all down to climate change,” he continues.

“The number of hot summers is increasing, and becoming more frequent.

“Currently we are seeing a global temperature rise of 1.5°C above pre-industrial figures.

“If we are to prevent further rises, and just to maintain the current temperature, carbon dioxide emission must be controlled.”

He added: “We need to walk more, cycle more, and use public transport more – not the car.

“Transport is one of the biggest contributors.

“Department for Transport data shows that 60% of car journeys are for only up to five miles.

“Many of these journeys could be walked, or cycled, or combined with public transport.”

Wokingham Borough Council’s MyJourney Wokingham offers residents the opportunity to engage with sustainable travel options.

And the borough is in the process of consultation for the development of a network of Active Travel routes, the first of which will run from Woodley town centre to Reading’s Palmer Park.

It will provide a local cycling and walking infrastructure and the hope is that it will lead to a behavioural change that will help to reduce carbon emissions.

“We need to think walk, bike, and public transport for the majority of our journeys,” Cllr Fishwick said.

“The car needs to be the last option.”

This week the forecast is for more hot, dry weather.

Residents would be welladvised to take care in the heat, to use water wisely, and to consider sustainable transport options whenever possible. n For information on sustainable travel options log on to: www. myjourneywokingham.com

Tagger targets playground A WOKINGHAM playground was vandalised last week.

The park on Attwood Drive in Penrose Park, Arborfield was left defaced, with almost every piece of equipment graffitied with the word ‘zeno’.

Residents took to social media to highlight the extent of the damage.

Arborfield councillor Gary Cowan condemned the antisocial behaviour, saying: “It’s very sad as this playground is right in the middle of a pleasant children play area in the middle of Penrose Park.

“I would guess the Zeno is a tagline and the vandal should be easily identified by this.

“Alternatively it may have a more sinister connection to the Z logo being used by the Russians in the Ukraine. Either way it’s dreadful that some children’s play areas can be defaced this way.”

WALL SCRAWL: The park on Attwood Drive, Penrose Park was graffitied last week. Picture: Lynne Spearing Cllr Cowan explained Wokingham Borough Council’s antisocial behaviour unit had been informed.

He hopes an investigation will be carried out to identify the culprits and that the borough council will conduct a clean-up.

7

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Co-op joins bag scheme to beat food waste

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today SHOPPERS and charities can benefit from discounted food and surplus products.

The Southern Co-op is currently rolling out the scheme across all of its stores, including Wokingham’s Market Place Co-operative.

Too Good To Go Magic Bags sells discounted products that are near to their use-by dates.

The scheme will later begin to target food best before date items too, with these either being reduced to 20p, or donated to local good causes.

The app, from www.togoodtogo. co.uk, lets users buy bags of unsold food from shops and restaurants so it doesn’t go to waste – but they don’t know what they will get before they pick it up.

Gemma Lacey, Southern Coop’s Director for Sustainability and Communications, said: “We hope we can prevent food from going off to be recycled, and get more into the hands of customers and good causes.

“It will benefit our customers as snapping up a Magic Bag could help those who are finding budgets tight as well as dozens of charities who can make use of goods past their

best before date – which is a date that relates to quality, not the safety of the product.”

All store waste is currently diverted from landfill. Unsold food is sent off for anaerobic digestion, to produce biogas and bio-fertiliser.

The Magic Bags will cost at £3.29 – with an original value of £10 or more.

Simon Eastwood, Southern Coop’s Chief Operating Officer for Retail, said: “As we are mainly convenience stores, it hasn’t been beneficial for charities to collect food from our stores in the past.

“The amount and type of food at the end of the day is often unreliable.

“On some days it could be bread products but on other days it could be a range of fruit, veg or pasta.

“However, thanks to our partner Neighbourly, charities and local community groups can now find out what products our stores can donate before they leave their base, which makes a big difference and will help to make it a success.”

At the end of each day, the store notifies a local connected good cause through Neighbourly about which food and drink items are available to collect.

If the charity is unable to pick up, then it is offered to a second linked local cause.

Police thwart ram raid POLICE crews stopped a ram raid in Crowthorne last week.

Thanks to a report from a member of the public, a team was despatched an address in the village on Thursday, August 4.

The team were able to halt the thieves in their tracks and also recover items that would otherwise be stolen.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity or has information, doorbell or CCTV footage that could help police is asked to call 101, or log on to www. thamesvalley.police.uk.

Tribute to driving force of park A MEMORIAL to a Woodley councillor has been unveiled in the grounds of a garden he was instrumental in creating.

Last week, members of Cllr David Stares’ family joined with councillors and members of the Reading Roadrunners for the plaque unveiling ceremony.

Town mayor Cllr Janet Sartorel led the event, held in the sensory garden in the new play area at Woodford Park.

Cllr Stares was chairman of the Leisure Services Committee when the new play area in Woodford Park was first suggested, and the town council said he was at the

Beginner to expert, child to adult Wokingham Family Golf delivers guaranteed family Fun ADVERTISER'S ANNOUNCEMENT

P

ROVIDING 6 ways to play golf, Wokingham Family Golf will bring fun and smiles for the whole familywhether you want to improve your skills, start from scratch or simply have fun!

From their modern range and attractive pitch and putt course that includes Big Hole Golf, to the growing trend of FootGolf, NEW 18 Hole Dinosaur Adventure Golf and Top

Smooth soul and jazz in vinyl form

Members of Reading Roadrunners attended an unveiling of a memorial plaque to Cllr David Stares

Tracer Range, what better way to spend your weekends, time off and precious family moments.

Their Legends Café & Sports Bar is now open too for essential, tasty refreshments.

A variety of Parties & Events packages are also available on request.

forefront of driving the project forward.

“David was kind and caring and always wanted to do the very best for the local residents of Woodley,” Cllr Sartorel said. “He would have been delighted to see so many happy children playing in the new play area.”

David and his wife Diane were members of Reading Roadrunners helping the club to raise money for charities.

“David was always happy to help,” said Carl Woffington, Reading Roadrunner member.

“I can remember us working together as marshals at the London Olympics 10

AN AFTERNOON of smooth soul and jazz is promised at the Riseley pub.

The B Side will be playing vinyl records from 1pm to 6pm on Sunday at The Bull.

The aim is to perform some of the best lesser-known and B side tracks for audiences’ aural pleasure.

This month will feature Paul and Sue Bennet, who DJ for Soulpower Radio.

If the weather forecast is promising, the event will be held in the pub’s beer garden, and its kitchen will be open.

The pub, in Basingstoke Road, serves beers from Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame.

years ago for the men’s and women’s marathons and road cycling events.

“It was a memorable time and an example of how David was always happy to volunteer.”

Woodley Town Council leader Cllr Keith Baker was also present, and thanked people for attending the ceremony.

“It is especially touching to have a permanent memorial for him in the play area that he was so instrumental in getting off the ground,” he said.

“He has left a wonderful legacy for the residents of Woodley.”

6 WAYS TO PLAY GOLF THIS SUMMER DRIVING RANGE & TOPTRACER

FOOTGOLF

PITCH & PUTT / BIG HOLE GOLF

NEW DINOSAUR ADVENTURE GOLF

� For more information or to book call Wokingham Family Golf on 0118 979 5657 or visit www.wokinghamfamilygolf.co.uk

LEGENDS CAFÉ & SPORTS BAR

COME AND ENJOY THE FUN AT

TEL : 01189795657 E mail: info @wokinghamfamilygolf .co.uk Website: www.w okinghamfa milygolf.co .uk Fincha mpstead Road, Woki ngham, RG40 3H G

8 | NEWS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Residents unite against 350 home Blagrove Meadows plan EXCLUSIVE

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@wokingham.today CAMPAIGNERS are continuing to fight against proposals for a development in Evendons.

PICK-ME-UP: An Amazon parcel locker in a Wokingham borough council car park

Parcel lockers installed in council car parks

A ROLL-OUT of parcel locker services in car parks has been completed, Wokingham Borough Council has announced, writes Grant Williams, Local democracy reporter.

The installation of InPost and Amazon parcel lockers in council-run car parks is aimed at reducing the amount of carbon emissions from ‘last mile’ deliveries.

The executive member for active travel, transport and highways, Cllr Paul Fishwick, said the council wants to “empower” more people to make “environmentally sound” choices.

Studies carried out by Last Mile Experts show that buyers visiting lockers to pick up their packages generates far less carbon dioxide than last mile deliveries – the final journey from a distribution centre to the customer’s doorstep.

The results showed that an InPost parcel locker can

generate 66% less carbon dioxide than delivering a parcel directly in urban areas, and 90% less in rural areas.

Each reduces carbon dioxide by 14 tonnes annually – equivalent to driving 35,000 fewer miles in an average petrol car.

Amazon is the largest private parcel courier in the UK, delivering 15% of last year’s estimated 5.4b packages – the equivalent of around 2 million items every day.

Locations include councilowned car parks in Rose Street in Wokingham and Station Road in Earley, as well as supermarkets in towns and villages across the borough.

There are plans for six more installations this month Cllr Fishwick said the locations of the lockers have been “strategically chosen” within walking and cycle distance so shoppers don’t need to use a car to collect their packages.

On Sunday, the Evendons Area Residents Association (EARA) invited residents to walk the site, near Blagrove Lane, for a second time after Berkeley Homes lodged an application for up to 350 homes.

Paul Tolan, a local resident working on the Save our Blagrove Meadows campaign, said: “The attendance was really good and we estimate between 130 to 150 people came, with only five attending both walks, so it was mostly new people.”

The development, called Blagrove Meadows, would also feature new access onto Barkham Road, community space and on site Suitable Alternative Natural Green space (SANG).

Residents in the area have described the proposals as “destructive”.

They believe it would have a detrimental impact on the environment and some feel local infrastructure wouldn’t be able to handle the influx of people.

Wokingham Borough Council has launched a consultation on the application and is accepting comments via its planning portal until Thursday, August 25.

Mr Tolan believes it is important that people wanting

THUMBS DOWN: Evendons residents came together on Sunday to walk the land of a proposed 350-home development in Blagrove Meadows Pictures: Steve Smyth to write against the plan is to do it in a constructive manner.

“The key is to object in the right way,” he said.

“It is important to have a good reason as to why you are objecting and if you can include any policies the development would breach, then that also helps .”

The EARA has a range of advice and is hosting a number of in-person sessions to assist people who want to comment on the application.

For more information on the sessions, visit: evendons-area. org.uk n To comment on the application, visit: wokingham.gov.uk/planning

A CELEBRATION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL

Nominate now!

PEOPLE OF OUR TOWN WHO MAKE READING

A UNIQUE PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK Find out more at PORawards.co.uk @PORawards #PORawards

2022

INSPECTION: The Save our Blagrove Countryside” Walk on Sunday saw resisdents explore the plans

Next year’s Woodley Carnival date announced ORGANISERS of Woodley’s ever-popular carnival have announced the date for next year’s festivities.

The event, held in June, attracted record crowds of 8,000. Its huge success delighted the committee of volunteers who make the event possible.

They wanted to thank all who contributed, including volunteers; performers; stallholders; sponsors; and visitors.

The event was held in blazing sunshine and included a dog show,

flower show, fun fair and stalls as well as a concert and shows.

Next year’s Woodley Carnival 2023 will take place on Saturday, June 10.

The theme has yet to be announced, but it is intended that the procession will return.

It was paused this year because of operational and financial challenges – the event costs around £45,000 to put on. n To find out more about the festival, log on to: www.woodleycarnival.org. uk

Gee up for horse show IT’S THE horse of the year show.

Well, kind of.

The Wellington International Horse Trials & Country Fair will take place over the August bank holiday weekend, with a number of contests for riders to take part in.

There will also be a range of family attractions, food and shopping stalls.

Organisers say it is the perfect way to round off the summer holidays.

The event attracts high-profile riders competing in national classes from BE100 to Advanced & FEI international ranking classes.

Entry is £19.50, £18 for concessions and free for under 12s.

It takes place from Saturday, August 27, through to Monday, August 29, at Highfield Farm, in Heckfield. n For more details, log on to: wellingtonhorsetrials.co.uk, or call organisers on: 0118 932 6308.

9

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Sunday sale was a great fund raiser

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today A CENTRE for the rehoming of unwanted pets held a sale to raise funds for its work.

Visitors to the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre (DBARC) in Hurst were able to buy from a selection of new and second hand items for their pets.

And there were pet-themed fashion items for the humans too.

The Barkwrights Super Sunday Sale is a development of the charity’s webstore and Barkwrights onsite shop at the centre.

DBARC volunteer, Trustee and Honorary Secretary, Tara Mills explains: “Barkwrights came about as a way to sell pet care items donated to DBARC that were surplus to the requirements of the rescue centre itself.

“It’s a great way to raise some extra funds, especially when people adopt animals and need a “starter kit”.

“It has been in place for a few years at DBARC, set up like a petcare charity shop in one of the rooms at the rescue centre and has been a great asset to the centre and the customers.”

The pandemic and the lockdowns meant that members of the public weren’t allowed to visit.

There were fewer adoptions,

BARK-GAIN HUNT: The DBARC animal charity in Hurst held a sale on Sunday in its new Barkwrights shop, among those helping were trustee Tara Mills. Pictures: Steve Smyth of animals that needed and continue to need extensive and expensive care.

Ms Mills and her sister, Karen Hedges, had originally been raising funds for the charity by selling high quality preloved clothing and other items on eBay. Then the decision was made to move Barkwrights online.

With help from volunteers, Ms Mills is the shop’s “virtual shop manager, listing stock online and handling sales and deliveries.

Tara Mills (Trustee), Danna Penfold (Chair) and Sarah Jones with She often works with only Anxious Dogs equipment and at the same time there was But DBARC’s overheads still her faithful assistant, collie an almost total cessation of all had to be paid for, along with cross and a DBARC rescue dog fundraising activities. an ever increasing number himself, George for company.

Band day at New players Beech Hill wanted at Shinfield Rangers A JUNIOR football team is looking for players ahead of the upcoming season.

Shinfield Rangers Under 11s are calling on boys who are heading into Year 6 in September.

Over the summer holidays, the team meets at Spencers Wood Recreation Ground for training at 6.30pm on Tuesdays and 10am on Saturdays.

Sessions move to Ryeish Green Sports Hub during the season, when the team trains at 6pm on Tuesdays and play East Berks Football Alliance matches on Saturday mornings.

The team offers a friendly environment for youngsters to hone and test their skills.

Shinfield Rangers offers a full range of junior teams for both boys and girls. n For more information, contact: shinfieldrangersfc@gmail.com

BEECH HILL residents will be treated to a village celebration at the end of the month.

The afternoon is set to feature live music from five bands from the area, refreshment and activities.

Visitors will be treated to the dulcet tones of Rosedale, Lost the Plot, The Jeffs, The Turtles and The Encores.

The event is suitable for all the family, with child-friendly games set to feature.

Adults can enjoy a beer, wine, tea or coffee with their hog roast lunch.

Vegan options will also be available.

The afternoon provides the ideal opportunity to meet with friends and family, as well as meet new people.

The event takes place between noon-6pm on Saturday, August 20, at Beech Hill Memorial Hall, Wood Lane, RG7 2BE. n For more information, search: Beech Hill Band Day on www.facebook.com

This time next year we’ll be answering quiz questions THE antics of Del Boy, Rodney Trotter, Granddad and Uncle Albert form the backbone of a new quiz night.

The Crowthorne branch of the Royal British Legion is becoming an outpost of Peckham on Saturday night.

All the questions being asked are based around the John Sullivan-penned sitcom, Only Fools and Horses.

So expect to be asked about the Trotters, their friends and acquaintances, the Nags

Head and other cushty things.

While it won’t be in Margate, and everyone is welcome, organisers hope it will be a Jolly Boys Day Out. Teams of up to six are welcomed, and entry is £2 per person. n For more details, log on to: www.crowthornerbl.co.uk, or call: 01344 772161.

“George is not a lot of use except as a tester, model and sadly, a shoplifter,” Ms Mills laughed.

“But it is the chance to change the lives of dogs just like George that provides the motivation to work so hard to raise vital funds, at a time when the charity is struggling to see any income at all.”

With the easing of covid restrictions, came opportunities to raise money for DBARC in new ways.

Super Sunday Sales are the charity’s latest innovation, and they have proved to be very popular.

“Our sales do attract customers and we offer some great bargains,” she continues.

“The charity is lucky enough to get donations of saleable items from supporters.

“Sadly, some people see donating as a way to get rid of items in very poor condition that cannot be sold or used.

“This can be frustrating as the items can be costly to dispose of.

“But the sales only offer really great items at fair prices, both online and in the Barkwrights store onsite.”

The shop has been refurbished and is open daily at the Centre. n For more information about DBARC log on to: www.dbarc. org.uk

£30k find from police probe A POLICE investigation into a parked car revealed a £30,000 find.

Thames Valley Police were called to a layby in Arborfield on Wednesday, August 3, after receiving reports of a suspicious vehicle.

As a result, they recovered a stolen Ford Transit towing a stolen generator worth £30,000.

Anyone who sees suspicious activity or has information, doorbell or CCTV footage that could help police is asked to call 101, or log on to www.thamesvalley. police.uk.

Juniors can learn to tell the time EXPLORE Learning is holding a free workshop for youngsters aged five to seven to help them get to grips with time.

Particuipants can have 45 minutes of fun, while learning to read clocks, at Woodley Library.

The event takes place on Tuesday, August 30, from 11am to 11.45am.

Entry is free, but places must be pre booked online.

n For details, log on to: www. wokingham.spydus.co.uk and search for Events/ Explore Learning Telling the time workshop

10 | NEWS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Council pay out over self-harm incident

By GRANT WILLIAMS Local democracy report A social worker did not inform a child’s parents about blood discovered during an assessment visit, according to a Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) report.

The social worker claimed that they had informed the child’s mother of having seen a “bloody tissue” in the boy’s room, but the LGO investigation concluded that there were “discrepancies” in the social worker’s account.

In November 2018, Wokingham Borough Council received four safeguarding referrals after the boy was reported missing and causing damage at home, which raised concerns about his safety.

The council developed a safety plan, which involved home visits by the social worker to carry out an assessment of the situation.

During the assessment period, the child was admitted to hospital after causing an injury by self-harming with a “cutting blade”.

It was not discovered until two days after the incident had occurred.

The social worker visited the boy the day after the

injury but there were “no contemporaneous notes of the event” made and the mother is clear she was “not told” about the blood.

On the day the boy was admitted to hospital, the social worker sent an email to the school to say they had seen tissues with “lots of fresh blood” on them and, as he had “caused significant harm”, would make a Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) referral.

The LGO report states that there is “no record” of a CAMHS referral being made and “no evidence” any action was taken about the significant risk they perceived the boy to be in.

The case notes show that the social worker visited the boy at home after he was discharged from hospital and was able to remove his blade from the bedroom.

The following day an email was sent to the boy’s parents from the social worker to say they had seen “bloodied sheets and blood stains on the carpet”.

The mother claims she was

not told about any blood in the bedroom when the social worker visited the day after the incident occurred, so was not aware of an injury.

She subsequently initiated a complaint against the council, claiming it “failed to respond to an identified risk”.

The LGO concluded that it is “likely” the mother would have sought treatment for the injury “had she known about it earlier” and “on the balance of probabilities” the social worker did not tell the boy’s parents about the blood.

Wokingham Borough Council has been forced to pay £1,200 in damages to the child’s mother for the “distress, frustration and uncertainty” caused during the complaint’s procedures and subsequent investigation.

Council leader Cllr Clive Jones, said: “I would like to apologise again to [the mother] and her family on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council.

“Unfortunately, in this instance, our systems both in the work with the family and investigating and responding to the complaint did not meet the standards we set ourselves.

“We are putting in measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again and have made restorative compensation as agreed.”

WE ARE

HIRING

BAR AND WAITING STAFF POSITIONS Full time & part time hours

If interested please enquire within Call us on: 0 1 1 8 9 96 8 5 6 7 www.thequeensoak.com Email us at: brotherton@thequeensoak.com

Church Lane, Finchampstead, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 4LS

ALL TOGETHER NOW: Students from the 1, 2 Step Dance Academy on stage at the Wilde Theatre in South Hill Park during their 15th anniversary show Picture: Gabriele Swift Photography

Dance academy back on stage A WOKINGHAM-based dance school celebrated its 15th anniversary with its first live performance in a theatre since covid restrictions were lifted.

The 1, 2 Step Dance Academy invited its 125 dancers, aged three to 18, to take part in the show. It took place at The Wilde Theatre in South Hill Park, and the youngsters played to full houses.

Called Celebrating 15 Years, the show featured a mix of the styles and techniques that the group had been learning.

It had been organised in such a way that each had their moment to shine on stage within their own age-appropriate choreographed number.

The younger age group crawled their way to The Ugly Bug Ball, the minis shimmied and wiggled in Shake A Tail Feather, and the seniors had a

sophisticated Fosse-inspired performance to Bye Bye Blackbird.

Principal Michelle Bolwell said: “Having had our 2020 show cancelled and rearranged numerous times throughout the lockdowns we had everything crossed that our preparations for 2022 weren’t being done in vain.

“For our eldest students who are leaving this summer to go to university or further studies, it was particularly special and important for them to have one final performance on stage.”

Ms Bolwell said that many had been students since they were four.

“To not finish their 14 years with the school with one last theatre show would have been devastating,” she said.

“The show was a revisit of the most memorable dances of the

past 15 years, so that along with returning to the theatre after 24 months of uncertainty and a farewell to seniors, made for a weekend full of emotions for all families involved.

“I am beyond proud of my dancers and cannot wait to watch it all over again when we receive our film.

“As a dance family we have shared many wonderful moments and made special memories together so I look forward to the next 15 years.”

The dance school is committed to supporting the local community with fundraising for a different chosen charity every year.

This show raised £930, which will be donated to Berkshire Women’s Aid, which provides a range of services and programmes to those experiencing domestic abuse.

Buses for women’s games Help for people researching their – only if demand is there READING BUSES could lay on matchday services for women’s football games – but only if the demand is there.

Last week, the Lionnesses won the Euro championships.

The squad featured former Reading players Fran Kirby and Mary Earps.

And the team kick off their season on Sunday, September 11, with a game against Liverpool.

It takes place at the Select Car Leasing stadium.

Reading Buses currently runs well-used services for men’s games, but attendance for women’s matches is a lot lower, with average crowds being around 1,000.

Ukrainian centre to hold collection

A COLLECTION for Ukraine will be held on Saturday, and only specific donations are wanted.

The Reading Ukrainian Centre will be welcoming people between 9am and 3pm at its Sidmouth Street base.

They are asking people to bring the following items only: full packets of rice, pasta, sugar, tea, coffee, snack bars,

The firm said it would be up for helping people get to matches by bus if customers called for it.

“We would love to support women’s football in any way we can, particularly following the amazing success of the England team at the European Championship,” a spokesperson said.

“While we are unable to speculatively start running football buses for Women’s Royals games, we do have an excellent relationship with Reading FC and the team at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

“Should there be demand for football services for these games, we would certainly consider it.” and tinned food – no glass jars.

They also need women’s sanitary products, nappies, and adult incontinence pads.

Donations of newly new sleeping bags and mats will be accepted, as will baby food.

It is also possible to make financial donations via the group’s website. n For more details, log on to: https://www.rucc.uk/

family tree

HELP for people starting to research their family tree is on offer at a special session next week.

Members of the Berkshire Family History Society will be running an advice clinic for family and social historians.

It takes place at Reading Central Library in Abbey Square, where they run the Centre for Heritage and Family History.

Offering one-to-one sessions, advisors will help people make progress in their searches.

Booking is essential, but places are free.

As part of the registration process, people will be asked to provide additional information which will help advisors carry out some preliminary research.

Places must be reserved

by Thursday, August 11, and there are three 30-minute sessions available between 11am and 2.15pm.

For more details on the Family History Advice Clinic, log on to: https:// berksfhs.org/

11

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Ollie Young Fun Day is back – but in a new location – this Sunday EXCLUSIVE

By EMMA MERCHANT emerchant@wokingham.today ONE of the biggest events of August is back on Sunday, but in a new location.

The Ollie Young Foundation’s annual fun day is being held in the grounds of Reddam House school on Bearwood Road, a chance of venue.

Although the site is new, the event will carry on with its annual dose of fun and games, all to raise funds for the charity, set up after Ollie Young died of a brain tumour.

Sarah Simpson, whose son Ollie is the inspiration for the charity, said: “Our fun day will contain everything that Ollie would have loved.

“There will be kids running around, laughter, food, face painting, games, children’s circus skills, and music playing throughout the day.

“We have a band playing from 1pm to 2pm, and there will be plenty of fun activities such as higher or lower, and a crockery smash, with some great prizes to win.

“It’s going to be a really fun day.

“We want it to be affordable as well as fun, so everything generally costs £1 or £2.”

MORE OF THE SAME: The Ollie Young Foundation is holding its annual fun day on Sunday, and will offer similar fun to our pictures from the 2018 event, just in a different location Pictures: Phil Creighton The Ollie Young Foundation is dedicated to funding research into the cure and prevention of brain tumours in children.

Money raised by the event on Sunday will support research carried out at the Institute of Cancer Research in London.

Sarah and Simon Young set the foundation up 10 years ago when cancer affected their son.

Ollie was five when the family received the shocking news that he had an inoperable brain tumour.

There was then no treatment

and no cure.

When he died on Sunday, 26th February, 2012 – one day before his sixth birthday – his parents vowed that his name would never be forgotten.

They were determined to help find answers and to give hope to other children and their families, and so they set up the Ollie Young Foundation.

Ollie’s legacy has this year reached its 10th anniversary and the charity is run entirely by volunteers, and with minimal costs.

“This is a lovely way for us

WOKINGHAM IN NEED PRESENTS

ART THEMEN & FRIENDS September 9th

WHITTY THEATRE, LUCKLEY ROAD WOKINGHAM RG40 3EU Doors open 6.30pm Performance starts 7.30pm Bar is open before, during interval and at the end.

Tickets available from: ticketsource.co.uk/wokinghaminneed or call 07867 530 727 All proceeds raised from this event will go to Wokingham In Need for distribution to worthy causes.

Tickets: £20 Each Main Sponsor

Assisted by Easthampstead and Wokingham Rotary Club

www.wokinghaminneed.com www.facebook.com/WokinghamInNeed

to raise money, but it’s also an opportunity for us to give back to the community that supports us,” said Sarah.

Charities Young Lives and Helen and Douglas House will also be on site with information, games and activities.

Wokingham Lions Club will be running a tombola, and Share Wokingham will be promoting their work too.

Food and drink will be available, including a licensed bar and barbecue.

Visitors can also bring their own picnics.

The event takes place this Sunday, on the cricket field at Reddam School, Wokingham, (previously known as Bearwood College).

Doors open at 11am and close at 4pm.

Entry to the fun day is free, with tokens for all the activities at the fun day available to purchase on arrival.

There will be plenty of parking available in the grounds of the school. n For information about The Ollie Young Foundation log on to: www.ollieyoungfoundation.org

Views wanted on transport plan WOKINGHAM Borough Council is currently working on its new Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

This looks at the routes people take when travelling, with a view to getting more people out walking and cycling rather than using the car.

The plan will become a strategic document to help the council know the best places to implement improvements to paths and other infrastructure in the borough, over the next 10 years.

Residents are invited to view the proposals and to give their feedback.

Improvements to the following areas can be viewed online: n Easthampstead Road, Finchampstead Road, London Road, Oxford Road, and Barkham Road (all in Wokingham). n Shinfield, Spencers Wood, Lower Earley Way, Wargrave, and the A4 Bath Road. n Observer Way in Arborfield, Woodley, Wokingham to Bracknell Greenway, and Reading Road. n Twyford, Nightingale Road in Woodley, Church Road/ woodlands Avenue in Earley/ Woodley, and Winnersh. n To find out more and to see the proposals for your area, log on to: www.wokinghamboroughlcwip. commonplace.is and click on Infrastructure Improvements

12 | NEWS

Honest motherhood Angela Garwood

The best days of summer

Y

OU know you’re having a great Summer when someone declares they need a “rest day” after one too many days out. We’ve had some gorgeous adventures and some very necessary down time.

Here is the highlight reel of our Summer so far: 1. My cousins coming to stay They bring all the joy. Everything is extra fun with them around.

2. The Aldershot Lido Nothing fancy, does what it says on the tin. Maia had a blast splashing around with us all. Leo - not so much.

In the end he had a long afternoon nap on a towel while the rest of us took turns watching him.

After a short while my cousin Rachel managed to persuade me to venture up to the slides.

“How fast are they exactly?” I asked the lifeguard tentatively.

“They’re pretty fast…” she said, amused.

Indeed, one minute my cousin was there right by me in plain sight, next she’s being launched into a pool of water 50ft below.

“NOPE not for me..” I announced.

I opted for the blue side. Designed, most likely, for mothers and babies.

“Do I have to go to the back of the line?” I queried.

“No just stand with me, the blue side will be ready in a minute.”

So there I stood, like a lemon, waiting in humiliation as one by one a gaggle of eight-yearolds flew down the fast slides.

The blue side was painfully slow and I spent most of it in hysterical laughter waving at my people while trying not to cry of embarrassment.

3. Beale Park Always a winner. Otters, zebras, and a pair of mating tortoises who seemed to go on forever. We stood and watched as passers-by laughed and commented: “Are they STILL at it?!”

“EY UP!” “The sound though.. those noises!!”

4. NT Live Prima Facie An incredible performance by Jodie Comer, I’d highly recommend this if you get the chance.

5. The Raver Tots Festival in Reading When Joel first mentioned this particular festival, aimed at children, I politely declined.

Loud base-heavy music, long queues to expensive food and a bunch of rides? No, no.

Surely we could think of a better way to spend our Sunday.

Apparently I couldn’t because two months later I’m sat sticking sparkly gems to my face in festivalprep mode.

Then we made it inside and all I could think every 10 seconds for those four hours was: “WHERE IS LEO?” Candy floss was bought, more glitter applied, rides ridden.

We raved inside the rave tent in short bursts as neither of the children were particularly keen.

6. The cinema This may seem mundane but the last time I went to the cinema was January 2020, so I was way overdue.

Joel and I hadn’t been since early 2019. Where the Crawdads Sing is not a film one can talk through, even us.

7. Taking Leo for his first haircut and passport photos Both went surprisingly smoothly.

8. A trip to London I met a friend for brunch then spent a while in Foyles.

Then there’s the play I’m going to see next week entitled Oh Mother, all about, you guessed it: Motherhood. Can’t keep away. n Angela blogs at: colourfulkind.com

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

Church provides English lessons for Ukrainians IT’S THE staple of any church – after the service, a nice sit down and a cup of tea, usually with a biscuit.

But a Corwthorne church has been raiding the biscuit barrel across the week, all in order to provide a warm welcome for our Ukrainian friends.

The Baptist church on the village’s High Street has been holding coffee mornings for refugees, their families and their hosts.

The weekly sessions include craft activities for children.

Sue Burrow, who runs the group, said: “We set the group up because we are very aware that there is less going on in Crowthorne than in the larger towns.

“We wanted to provide a social group where people could chat over coffee, share information and support each other.

“It needed to take place locally, somewhere people could walk to.”

“Every Tuesday for the past couple of months we’ve had a core group of around 10 to 15 people coming.”

The Co-op, as part of its Community Support Scheme, and Two Sisters cafe have both provided coffee and cakes.

“Both of these businesses have been very helpful, and we’ve also had assistance from other churches,” Ms Burrow said.

The sessions begin with English language classes followed by a chance to practice chatting over coffee.

Sue and her team offer other assistance too.

“I help out at the Food Bank, so I’ve been able to provide families with vouchers for groceries,” continued Ms Burrow.

Knitters to wrap R

By JI-MIN LEE jlee@rdg.today A WOKINGHAM community group has pledged to learn how to knit as part of a unique challenge to raise awareness of Lewy body dementia.

Crowthorne Baptist Church offers a friendly welcome every Tuesday and a chance to practise English over coffee.

Picture: Derek Robinson via Pixabay “And we try to signpost people to different agencies to access the help they need.

“Getting school places for the children can be tricky, especially for secondary school, and we have been able to help with the application forms.

“Even so, there are a couple of children who still don’t have a place yet.”

The group aims to support all the youngsters as they integrate and make friends.

Twelve of them have already been helped to join scouting and guiding groups.

“We recently had our facilities refurbished,”Ms Burrow added.

“The vision has always been to use the church buildings to serve the community, so we are very pleased to be able to provide in this way.

“It’s lovely to see this group is growing in confidence, and to know that we are fulfilling an important need.”

The Tuesday sessions take place at Crowthorne Baptist Church from 10am to noon. The English Classes run from 10am to 11am.

Ukrainian families and their hosts are all welcome. n For more information email: sue.burrow@btinternet.com

New look for museum VISITORS of a Reading museum will get a glimpse of ancient history through its new window display.

Last week, the University of Reading’s Ure Museum installed striking graphics, which feature artefacts currently on show in the facility.

The institution will celebrate its 100th anniversary this autumn.

Jayne Holly, assistant curator of the Ure Museum, said: “Our new outdoor displays look fabulous.

They do a great job of bringing some of the richness of our museum’s collections inside to people outside.

“We have a great location on the ground floor of the Edith Morley building at the University’s Whiteknights campus.

“While we are quite a compact museum, we have fascinating collections of ancient Greek, Egyptian and Roman artefacts, helping to bring history to life with stories of people and life in the ancient world.

The new decoration comes just in time for the summer holidays, when Ms Holly recommends visitors to drop by.

“We are open Tuesday to Thursday, and lots of people like to combine a visit with a walk around

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Roderick Stevens is joining A Scarf for Lewy, an effort which will see the 244m circumference of the Royal Albert Hall wrapped in adjoined scarves.

The Lewy Body Society’s event takes place on Thursday, September 22.

Mr Stevens, who has never knitted before, said: “I heard about [the challenge] from Jayne Streak who works for The Link Visiting Scheme and Friendship Alliance.

“Dementia is such a terrible disease, it has affected members of my family and the effects are devastating.

“Helping to knit a scarf for the Albert Hall is a fun thing to do and, as I cannot knit, it will also be a real challenge for me.

“My mum is very much a handycrafts person and she has said she will try to teach me. It will be fun for us to have this as a project to do together.”

The charity is calling for volunteers to send in homemade scarves of any colour, material, pattern or length.

Those who are unable to knit can donate a scarf they no longer need, so long as it is in good condition and the correct width.

Once received, all scarves will be sewn together and transported to the Royal Albert Hall for the wrapping event.

Afterwards, they will be taken down, separated and offered to homelessness and refugee groups.

Jayne Streak is the project lead for the Friendship Alliance, which helps tackle loneliness in Wokingham borough, particularly among older residents.

Her work helps individuals identify nearby community groups within the alliance, which are verified as safe and welcoming.

One of those places is Arborfield Social Club, where Ms Streak was able

KNITTERS: Roderick Stevens (right) and his m dementia Picture: Jayne Streak to garner interest for the upcoming challenge.

She said: “It was actually a chance remark to be honest. I mentioned it to them and they said they’d never heard of it.

“We had a chat about Lewy body dementia and about the challenge itself, and they thought it would be a good way to encourage people to do something and harness a sense of community.

“The Brownies had some leftover wool from the Jubilee, so it just worked.”

Despite being the second most common type of dementia in older people, it is less well-known than Alzheimer’s.

The two diseases require distinct support and treatment.

According to the charity, Lewy

How a brick is helping boost swift populations in Wokingham homes REFRESH: The Unviersity of Reading’s Ure Museum installed new external graphics last week, providing passersby a taste of what the building holds.

Picture: University of Reading the green trails across Whiteknights or a visit to one of the University’s cafes or bars for lunch, or just a coffee and an ice cream.

The museum was founded by Annie and Percy Ure in 1922.

Its centenary will be marked by a special exhibition exploring how approaches to archaeology and the curation of ancient artefacts has changed over the past 100 years.

Ms Holly hopes the exterior displays will help “set the tone” for the celebrations and reflections in the new academic year.

n To find out more, visit: www. collections.reading.ac.uk/ure-museum

A NEW brick has been installed in homes being built in a new development in Wokingham, in a bid to boost bird populations.

David Wilson Homes has teamed up with the RSPB to develop the swift brick, which will help the birds create safe nests.

Research reveals that the swift population has declined by 58% since 1995 and 2018, and one of the reasons is though to be changes to roof designs, older properties being renovated, and derelict buildings being demolished.

In all, David Wilson Homes will install 155 swift bricks at Ashridge Grange, on Warren House Road, throughout the lifetime of the site part of its plans to install 7,000 swift bricks by the end of 2025.

Every year the swift helps announce the arrival of summer as

they complete a 3,400 mile migration journey to nest and raise their young in the UK. They are the fastest bird in level flight, reaching up to 69mph, and don’t touch the ground for the first three years of their lives.

Even after their early years, they only land to breed, continuing to eat, mate, and even sleep in the air.

David Thomas, chief executive of Barratt Developments, said: “Swifts are such important birds and we are pleased with the 4,000 swift bricks we have installed so far.

“We have to keep on working hard with the RSPB to give these birds even more homes, which is why we are raising our target by another 3,000 swift nesting bricks, aiming to install some 7,000 in total in our homes across the country by 2025.”

NEWS | 29

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

WPR_2022-08-08_TheWokinghamPaper_33x2 (1)_Just Go

Royal Albert Hall

WorcesterObserver

Reader travel DELIGHTFUL DEVON Weekend

DelightfulDevonWeekend_D.pdf

Departing Fri 7 Oct ‘22 Beloved for its mild climate and miles of golden sands, Exmouth in South Devon provides us with the perfect base for our short break away. From here we explore this picturesque corner of the West Country, including a visit to Exeter, the capital of Devon.

MEASURED UP: Sunil Chopra from Sultan in Wokingham’s Market Place with bodybuilder Martyn Ford

A curry? Suits you, sir

mother will be partaking in A Scarf for Lewy, a challenge to raise awareness of Lew body body dementia is often misdiagnosed and can be very challenging to live with.

A statement on the charity’s website read: “We want more people to know about Lewy body dementia so that those affected get better support, and there is more scientific research into the disease.

“We need as many people to get involved with this unique challenge and you can help by knitting a scarf, and by posting your support on social media with the hashtag #AScarfForLewy.”

Mr Stevens is the organiser of the Arborfield Social Club, helping residents bond over activities and conversation.

He said: “I have been organising the Arborfield Social Club for a few years now, but Covid really set us back.

“We do different things, including art, books and games, but mostly we share food and gossip.

“It is important in this busy world full of technology and distractions to just slow down and take the time to get to know people.

“I have made some great friends and we all look out for each other and try to be helpful.”

Mr Stevens plans to attend the wrapping event at the Royal Albert Hall, expressing a desire to “be a part of the community spirit that made it happen”. n Submissions must be 1ft wide and mailed to 81 Harrington Lane, EX4 8NS

by Monday, August 15. n For more information about the challenge, visit: www.lewybody.org/ a-scarf-for-lewy

A SWIFT BRICK IS INSTALLED

BY DAVID WILSON HOMES, THE COMPANY AIMS TO INSTALL 7,000 OF THEM BY 2025, INCLUDING AT ASHRIDGE GRANGE IN WOKINGHAM The RSPB has partnered with the Swift Local Network and charity, Action for Swifts, to develop Swift Mapper – a web and app-based platform that allows anyone to record swift activity and nesting sites.

Records submitted to Swift Mapper help people to learn more about this iconic species and target conservation efforts. Swift Mapper is available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store or can be accessed online at www.swiftmapper. org.uk.

Kimberley Benson, sales and marketing director for David Wilson Southern Counties, said: “As we continue building homes, it becomes even more important to find creative methods to welcome wildlife into our new developments.

“Our flagship swift brick design is just one way in which we are working to create a home for nature at Ashridge Grange and will ensure swift populations have a home for the long term.” n For more details, log on to: www.dwh.co.uk

A NEW item has been placed on the menu of a Wokingham restaurant but it’s not what you’d expect.

While the kitchen team at the Sultan are used to tailoring dishes to suit individual tastes, it’s not used to actual tailoring. Until now.

Earlier this year, the Market Place restaurant opened a cafe in its ground floor, run by Sunil Chopra. And in addition to being a whizz in the kitchen, it turns out he’s also a master tailor, overseeing operations for companies in Savile Row, Mayfair, and Pall Mall.

During this time he has measured suits for a diverse range of clients, including dignitaries, politicians and diplomats from across the globe.

He is now holding regular tailor’s trunk shows at the venue.

So when people pop in for a bite to eat, they can also get measured up for a tailor-made suit, shirt or T-shirt.

“It’s a chance to come along and meet your tailor and have a fitting while enjoying a drink on us,” Mr Chopra said.

POETRY CORNER The fall of a tree It stood tall once, stately, Proud of its immensity, its age.

Dominating the village green, Over-topping the small cottages Clustered under its wide-spreading Branches.

It was a king of trees, and stood As though it knew its status.

The villagers were proud of it.

‘Bin ‘ere since before the war,’ The oldest gaffer used to say.

‘Firs’ war that was. Me Granpa tells ‘Ow ‘e ‘n’ other lads gathered under it An’ marched off, proud, to beat the Hun. Then crawled back, two by three. An’ people Met, an’ stiffened up their spines To face a new world under that Ol’ tree.

“I’m offering free consultations to help you discover what we offer and the thousands of different fabrics we have available.

“You can even bring along your old suit or other item for us to replicate. Perhaps it’s the perfect fit but has become worn – we can make you a brand new version using the fabric of your choice.”

Mr Chopra recently fitted a suit for bodybuilder Martyn Ford which he described as “a challenge”.

“Martyn was a great guy, but it was a challenge measuring him because of his size,” he said.

“I’m really hoping to bring something different to Wokingham.

There are not many places outside of London where you can get measured for a suit and have access to such a vast range of luxury fabrics and makers around the world.”

The fittings need to be prebooked, with service running from Wednesday to Sunday. Drop-ins can be accommodated during quieter times.

The seasons turned; from light leafgreen Of spring, through summer, autumn gold To winter cold, and gales.

The tree was lashed and beaten, scourged And whipped, until, giving in to age And feebleness – it fell.

Villagers mourned its fall. Then, practical, Gathered its branches to dry for firewood.

The last few feet of trunk left standing, Humbled.

Until the Carpenter, in kindly pity, Carved it into patterns of mice and bees, Birds and butterflies, woodlice and beetles, That once had made their home Within its welcome.

Rosi MB

We love receiving your poetry and print a selection every week. Email yours to news@rdg.today

Your break includes Return coach travel from Reading & Slough 3 nights at the Ashton Court Hotel, Exmouth with dinner & breakfast Entertainment some evenings Excursion to Exeter Optional excursion to Sidmouth (£9pp)

4 Days by Coach

only £144

.99 Single Supplement £45

GOWER PENINSULA

Royal Mint & Brecon Railway SouthWalesGardensRoyalMint&BreconMountainRailway_D

Departing Thu 20 Oct ‘22 The wonderful landscapes of South Wales are home to a wealth of historic treasures and lush, green spaces. We explore the scenery of the Gower Peninsula, go behind the scenes at the Royal Mint Experience, travel on a heritage railway and visit vibrant Cardiff.

Your break includes Return coach travel from Reading 4 nights at the Mercure Swansea Hotel with dinner & breakfast Heritage train journey on the Brecon Mountain Railway Scenic drive through the Brecon Beacons National Park Excursions to the Royal Mint Experience, Cardiff, the Gower Peninsula & the Mumbles

5 Days by Coach

only £349

Single Supplement £120

Operated by Just Go Holidays Ltd. Coach package holidays and short breaks are subject to Just Go! Holidays terms and conditions. Your booking is protected by Bonded Coach Holidays (BCH) and the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT); this is a government approved consumer protection scheme. Tours offered subject to availability and government guidelines. Errors and omissions excepted. Prices per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Calls to 033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.

For more information, or to book, please call

03332 342 527 Quote WPR

or visit justgoholidays.com/WPR 033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.

30 | VIEWPOINTS

WOKINGHAM.TODAY THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

The cost of living crisis is looming

NEWS this week that the energy price cap is now expected to rise to £3,582 in October, and then to £4,200 in January has sent shockwaves through the land.

When Money Saving Expert Martyn Lewis warns that millions of households will not be able to afford it, he is not lying.

Experts predict that if nothing is done before January, the number of ‘fuel poor’ could reach 39 million people from 15 million households.

That is, Gordon Brown wrote in The Observer, 54% of the country.

Four in every five single parents, pensioners and large families will be fuel poverty.

There is no sweetener to this.

The void of government until September is not helping the situation.

We are in for a dark winter if the cap remains where it is, people are afraid to stick their heating on to stay alive and, if the worst case scenario plays out, we have days when the lights have to go out.

Those of us who can, should do what we can now to support the charities and groups that help those at the poverty forefront.

In coming weeks, we’ll share what information we can to help you do that.

And if you will be one of those affected, help is out there. You will not walk alone.

CHURCH NOTES

Self-belief

T

HERE are so many people trying to influence how we think.

Many years ago, newspapers were the only media, then came radio and later TV. For many years, adverts, articles or programmes on these three media were being used to influence the way we think and what we buy.

In the last 20 years, the internet has exploded and now there are people trying to influence us, using many different apps and tools to do so.

At times I find it difficult to resist this barrage.

There are thousands of people out there trying to make us think in the way they want us to. We have to resist this and make sure we are making sensible decisions for ourselves. How do we resist all these influencers?

We have to believe in ourselves and that we make sensible decisions.

Self-belief is vital to enable us to control and enjoy our lives. I use a list of positive thoughts to help me to believe strongly in myself.

The list is specific to me and includes a list of positive thoughts that help me particularly. I look at the list several times per day and slowly, I start to really believe the positive thoughts I have listed.

The first thought on my list is that I am IN CONTROL. I capitalise it because this is so important. For me, and I suspect everybody else, there are some parts of my life that I do control and other parts where I have little or no control.

I have control of what I do, some influence over what friends and relations do and no influence over anybody else.

The important thing here is to identify what I have control over. When I am down it is sometimes easy to think I am not in control, but there will always be many things that we do have control over and we must focus on them.

Geoff Peck from Woosehill Church, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

Your letters Send your thoughts to letters@wokingham.today

Why spend on a vanity project?

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

We love to hear from you! Send us your views on issues relating to the borough (in 250 words or less) to Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS or email: letters@wokingham.today We reserve the right to edit letters Views expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the paper

Picture of the week

Less than three months into the “Coalition” Council, what a surprise! They are finding shortfalls in the budget, but are going to spend £300,000 on a Liberal vanity project.... yes, the Twyford library.

Twyford does not need a new library.

In fact, who does these days?

It would surely be more sensible to spend this “available money” to cover the identical rise in the waste contract and save our excellent WBC weekly service, protecting us all from the poor fortnightly service provided by our Maidenhead neighbours.

Colin Bell, Ruscombe

This is the age of the slowcoach trains

Wokingham to Waterloo takes 68 minutes not 117 mins.

It has to stop at most stations to pick up people, not just you. Cllr Paul Fishwick, you are being unreasonable, sir.

The rail staff I understand now because the secretary of state hid this information about sacking 1,000 staff shutting ticket offices and not being fair to elderly and disabled people. It is not right at all.

Mr Johnson messed it up in London with the underground when he closed all the ticket offices and the London Mayor does nothing to improve the staff to help the elderly and children it goes to his deaf ears.

I suggest you help the rail staff, sit down and help them with their security of employment then we will all have a decent running railway - and

Your editor actually managed to escape from the chains that bind him to his desk, and enjoyed a walk around Dinton Pastures.

The lakes provide many peaceful walks, while its meadows are also also make sure the toilets are working too.

Victor Rones, Bracknell

No one has a monopoly on good ideas

I read, with interest, Jack Carrington’s letter Change of Scene, and Andrew Gray’s article, ‘Labour taking action on the cost of living

Westminster diary Sir John Redwood

Boosting supply to curb inflation

A

S the electricity regulator reviews the resilience of the UK grid and generating system it needs to consider how it can encourage more investment in additional capacity.

The government and big business tell us we are living through an electrical revolution when more people and businesses will switch from gas heating and petrol and diesel transport to electric versions.

Meanwhile the grid operator has had to go back on the idea of

closing all the coal power stations in order to keep the lights on when the wind doesn’t blow, showing we can be close to the margins even on a summer day.

The case seems overwhelming to put in more capacity.

It is true there is considerable further investment underway in wind farms.

To solve our problems these need to be linked to battery or hydrogen based storage of output when there is a surplus to handle the shortages when the wind does not blow.

It is going to take time to build enough nuclear to give us reliable baseload capacity. Indeed this decade sees the closure of most of our nuclear, making the problems of adequate supply more difficult.

We will need sufficient conventional power stations to plug the gaps pending the technological

tranquil places.

And with the summer weather it means there are plenty of good moments to capture the wonders of nature.

This picture was taken on Friday

evening, not long before the sun set.

Not a creature was stirring, leading to this wonderful scene.

We welcome your photos for this slot – email them to letters@ wokingham.today

crisis’, in Wokingham Today, August 4.

But no political party has the monopoly for doing good!

Conservatism, Liberalism, and Socialism, are all political philosophies.

They are not about WHETHER to do good. All their adherents want that.

Rather, they are about HOW to do good. Did not the Conservative Evangelical Christian, Lord Shaftesbury, do good, with his, reforming, Factory Acts?

Did not then, Liberal politician, Sir Winston Churchill, together with, Liberal, Lloyd George, do good – by introducing the Old Age Pension?

Labour politician, Aneurin Bevan, certainly did good in establishing the National Health Service. I doubt that he dreamed, while struggling against enormous opposition from the conservative medical establishment, that the day would come when the NHS would be awarded the George Medal, by the Queen.

and commercial breakthroughs needed in renewable power delivery.

The grid managers need to keep all the capacity we still have and make sure it is available. We also need some more reliable capacity before we can store the wind energy.

then used its retained powers to fix short term rates in a way which limited overall credit and money creation.

Instead they went for a credit and money boom which powered the property and secondary banking bubble. In 1973, with clear overheating, they abruptly changed policy just in time for the blow of the oil price OPEC surge to widen the inflation and add to the downturn their money policy lurch generated.

There are some similarities with today. Today the Bank has lurched from far too much money creation and low rates to money destruction and higher rates, just as in the 1970s the Bank and Treasury lurched from far too much private lending and low rates to too little. T hen as now the asset inflation broadened out into a general inflation pushed hard by an external energy price shock.

These external shocks pushed up the inflation rate but also took demand growth out of the domestic economy leading to recession in the 1970s.

Today we will have a recession if we persevere with higher taxes and a severe monetary tightening at the same time as the real income hit from energy.

Too many people draw lessons from the 1970s without studying its history

It is strange to read and hear unquestioning assertions that the high inflation of the mid 1970s was the result of Chancellor Barber’s tax cuts.

If you study the history you would conclude that the Barber period did indeed see an inflationary price bubble especially for property and financial assets, brought on by a change of money policy.

The Bank and Treasury in 1971 gave up on a complex system of quantitative controls on bank lending, substituting Competition and credit control as a policy.

The deregulation would have been a good idea if the Bank had

Conservative Margaret Thatcher acknowledged that there is a ‘compassionate exception’, and, when visiting a factory, she was anxious to confirm that its workers got a ‘decent, take-home, wage’.

This is Conservative philosophy – lower taxes, and so more actual income. Margaret Thatcher also pointed out that ‘Wealth has to be created, as well as shared’.

This is why we have to pay National Insurance Contributions for health care, and for retirement pensions.

For the system to last, income has to be created in a sustained way.

Andrew Grey states: ‘The work of foodbanks and local charities is brilliant, but it shouldn’t be the responsibility of charities to pick up the pieces of a negligent government.’

But, if charities do a better job than statutory services, we are wise to rely upon, and encourage them, rather than seeking more from the State.

Just this week, a lady contacted me to explain that her mentally son, who was living alone, and in unacceptable conditions, was threatening suicide, and that she couldn’t get any help. I explained how to get him care and treatment, under the Mental Health Act. As nearest relative, she had to contact his doctor – having already, that day, visited his doctor to get medication. Then the lady told me her age. SHE WAS 90.

Where is community care? Where are Social Services? Where is the social worker?

Probably where they always are – in a meeting.

I do not agree with the proposed change to WBC’s Local Welfare Provision Scheme – that people should be given cash, rather than goods and services.

Cash has an unfortunate way of trickling down the drain, and such illustrates, perfectly, my point that is not WHETHER we do good, but HOW we do it.

WBC’s Personal Budget Scheme does not hand money over to disabled [including mentally disabled], people.

Instead, it establishes their needs, and then pays for them.

This is also the way that we, at the crisis house, operate.

Pam Jenkinson, The Wokingham Crisis House

A right to oppose

Pam Jenkinson (Letters, Aug 4) wrote about a schizophrenia sufferer having an abortion and says: ‘If abortion is interpreted as the prevention of life, then so is contraception’.

Take a quick glance at NHS website’s Dating Scan.

Does the unborn at three months have a trunk, a head and limbs?

Prince Philip (1921-2021), a royal celebrity, had a glittering Royal Navy career. But did his mother suffer from psychosis?

UK Anglican bishops have failed to robustly defend the unborn. GAFCON bishops appear obsessed with gay sex.

Liberal or-’Woke’-bishops appear to

believe in little, anything, everything or nothing.

Apostle’s Creed believers, holding to biblical orthodoxy, should oppose ‘on-demand’ abortion.

J T Hardy, by email

Helpline and site for victims of hate The outbreak of Covid-19 saw a dramatic increase and intensification in racist incidents directed towards East and Southeast Asian communities in the UK. Until now, there hasn’t been a dedicated, culturally competent service to support them following such incidents and to accurately record the scale of the problem.

But now that will change, with the launch of On Your Side, a helpline and website offering specialist advisors and new reporting options to anyone from East or Southeast Asian communities who has experienced racism or any form of hate because of an aspect of their identity or perceived identity.

Set up by a coalition of 15 national and community-based groups with expertise in hate crime prevention and supporting East and Southeast Asian communities, it offers a nationwide 24/7 telephone helpline and website providing advice and support from trained staff.

We know there are many barriers stopping people from reporting, but we are offering a safe, trauma-

informed service which they can access to talk and seek support. We can listen, advise and help.

Furthermore, it will help build a more accurate understanding of the levels of racism and other forms of hate faced by East and Southeast Asian communities in the UK, giving policy makers, civil society and community groups insights to shape better prevention and justice approaches.

Everyone deserves to feel safe, respected and supported.

The service can be accessed at www.onyoursideuk.org or by calling free on 0808 801 0393.

Andrea Martinez, Director, Kanlungan Filipino Consortium, Andy Fearn, Co-Executive Director, Protection Approaches, Anna Yim, Chief Executive, Chinese Community Centre Birmingham, Hau-Yu Tam, Head of Campaigns, End Violence and Racism Against ESEA Communities, Jabez Lam, Centre Manager, Hackney Chinese Community Services, Kimi Jolly, Executive Director, East and Southeast Asian Scotland, Mariko Hayashi, Executive Director, Southeast and East Asian Centre, Nathan Law Kwun Chung, Chair, Hong Kong Umbrella Community, Quynh Nguyen, Chief Executive, Vietnamese Family Partnership, Rosa Hui, Chief Executive Officer, Chinese Community Wellbeing

From the chamber

Laura Blumenthal

Spending residents’ money for the right reasons

T

HERE has been news of Councils spending nearly £200,000 on rainbow pedestrian crossings.

I’m glad that Wokingham Borough Council is not included in this and has an established culture of spending precious funds on tangible outcomes for residents.

Earlier this year, when I was leading the Equalities brief at Wokingham Borough Council, we set up the Residents Equality Forum (REF) which brought together diverse communities from across the Borough. The aim of the Forum is for groups representing different communities (e.g.

Bangladeshi heritage, neurodivergent, LGBT) to raise issues and solutions with the Council to create positive change.

Funding of up to £500 is also available to local groups to help deliver projects that promote equality.

The focus is on real life outcomes, putting power directly into the hands of communities, and the tone is positive, warm and collaborative.

A recent example of the Council listening to the REF and enacting change came from Cllr Shahid Younis who was representing views of the local Pakistani community.

He said that women had told him

VIEWPOINTS | 31

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

that they’d like female-only swimming sessions, as has been offered locally in the past.

This was championed by the REF through the Council and there will soon be these swimming sessions at The Forest School. The REF is always looking for new community groups to join it.

The Council’s Tackling Poverty strategy was launched in June, and it’s good news that the cross party working groups on poverty and equality are still continuing.

Charities, council officers and councillors of all political parties are working together to make sure residents get the support they need.

In the Autumn, when the census information is published, the Council will be pairing this up with household income data.

This will help identify homes with an income which could make them vulnerable to tipping into poverty.

Relevant communications can then be tailored and sent to them to ensure they know about support on offer.

The Government has also given the Council more than £500,000 through its Household Support Fund which is to help residents who may be struggling to pay for essentials such as food and utility bills.

From the leader Clive Jones

Levelling up should mean the north

W

E continue to work to reduce the housing numbers imposed on the borough by this Conservative government.

Everyone recognises the need to have enough new housing to meet local needs.

Our children and their children should have the opportunity to live in the communities in which they were brought up.

As we live in an area with high house prices, despite the last 30 years or more of intensive development, those in our community who are struggling on low incomes are priced out of the housing market.

We must make sure they have a decent home by increasing the proportion of social rental and affordable housing in the total housing stock in the borough.

But most residents share our view that the borough cannot accommodate the rate of new build dictated by the Conservatives targets without highly damaging consequences – the destruction of much of our beautiful countryside, the clogging up our already congested roads and the altering the character of our area forever.

Wokingham is a semi-rural area and we want it to remain that way.

We have therefore been lobbying the government to put the case for revising its target downwards.

We seemed to be getting somewhere when Michael Gove was the Secretary of State for levelling Up, only for him to be sacked by Boris Johnson and replaced by a new secretary of state.

We are lobbying him as vigorously as we did his predecessor.

United

Please mention this to neighbours, friends and family so they can get the support they need.

We all know tough times are on the horizon, even with the Government’s £37 billion total cost of living support, including £1,200 each for households on the lowest income.

This is why it’s important to review and improve what Wokingham Borough Council offers. At the last full Council meeting this was reflected in the unanimous support for Councillor Rachel Burgess’ motion on reviewing the Council’s Local Welfare Provision Scheme.

It’s also important to highlight how resourceful Wokingham Borough Council’s officers are with tight budgets. A good example of this is in response to councillor discussions around safer streets and building a culture that reduces harassment.

This led to an excellent officer arranging for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust

to put on one of its established free online workshops for local residents.

This was well attended and equipped them to know how to safely step in to help someone if they witness harassment. It didn’t cost local taxpayers a penny.

Logos, flags and gestures have their place but in a time where money is tight and local communities need support, focusing on delivering real world positive outcomes is what we need. It’s good news for residents that Wokingham Borough Council has a strong track-record in this.

If you’re curious, Reading Council’s 2019 rainbow pedestrian crossing cost more than £2,500.

Cllr Laura Blumenthal is the Conservative ward member for South Lake at Wokingham Borough Council and shadow executive member for levelling up, equalities and social housing

We have met with and agreed a common approach with the borough’s MPs and most recently we have written to neighbouring southern councils to work together to present a united case.

Partnership - the central theme of the new Lib Dem administration at Wokingham - is the way forward here as it is in so many other areas of the council’s activities.

We will spare no effort to get our message heard by the government.

Our case is a strong one. It rests partly on arguments that apply particularly to Wokingham.

The borough has over-delivered on new housing in the past, and we are seeking to have that over-delivery recognized by a deduction from the new target.

But our most fundamental argument against the government’s housing allocation applies to many other council’s in our region.

We all want to see changes in how the government sets its target.

If the levelling-up agenda is anything more than rhetoric, it ought to involve encouraging more house building in the North, where jobs and investment are much needed, and not encouraging more and more people to move from the North to the crowded and South-East.

Cllr Clive Jones is the leader of Wokingham Borough Council and Lib Dem ward member for Hawkedon

32 | BUSINESS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

association with BUSINESSTODAY InWinnersh Triangle

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Got a business story?

Email news@wokingham.today

A business park that is changing

Team’s expertise in supporting elderly clients THREE colleagues in a law firm’s Reading office have gained a nationally accredited award that recognises their expertise in supporting older and vulnerable people.

Partners Caroline Casagranda and Elizabeth Short, and solicitor Kirsti Harvey, from Blandy & Blandy’s Wills, Probate, Tax & Trust team have received the Older Client Care in Practice (OCCP) Award. It distinguishes lawyers who provide specialist legal care and support to older and vulnerable clients, their families and carers.

It also grants full accredited membership to SFE (Solicitors for the Elderly), an independent, national organisation of professionals, such as solicitors, barristers, and chartered legal executives, committed to providing the highest quality legal advice on specialist areas, such as wills, powers of attorney and elder abuse.

The achievement brings the number of fully accredited lawyers in the team to seven. They will work alongside Louise Nelson, Lisa Perry, Andrew Smith and Kelly Chandler.

Lakshmi Turner, chief executive of SFE, said: “We recommend people always use specialist legal advice when planning for later life, and SFE is the gold standard for solicitors and chartered legal executives advising on older client law.

“The OCCP Award ensures lawyers provide the best advice to older people and their families, guiding them through the different legal processes sensitively.”

n For more details, log on to: www.blandy.co.uk

South East office investment tops £1bn in Q2 2022

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today REAL ESTATE continues to be buoyant according to new market data.

New research shows that office market activity across the south east surged during the second quarter of this year to £1.06bn, with an emphasis on leasing and investment.

The figures have been compiled

by Knight Frank and represent a 215% increase in turnover from the £336 million recorded in the first quarter of the year.

And the firm says its total quarterly figure is 48% above the 10-year average.

Investor demand for life sciences-focussed office assets saw numerous big-ticket deals during the quarter, including Longfellow Real Estate Partners and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments) buying Capital Park in Cambridge for £185m and Life Science REIT buying Oxford

ACTIVE: Real estate was a bouyant sector in quarter 2 of 2022 Picture: Michael Gaida from Pixabay Technology Park for £183m.

Rebounding occupier demand saw leasing levels reach more than 1m sq ft during Q2, the highest quarterly total since 2018, representing a 216% increase from the 316,269 sq ft leased in the first quarter of the year.

The increase was underpinned

by the conclusion of four transactions over 50,000 sq ft, including Unilever’s lease and funding agreement for its new 282,000 sq ft headquarters in Kingston.

Vacancy remained just above the long-term trend, with Grade B space accounting for 30% of total availability at quarter end, the highest percentage since 2014.

Knight Frank said this further demonstrates a continued flight to best-in-class offices, as occupier demand increasingly focuses on Grade A workspaces that meet the desired environmental criteria.

There is more new space in store. At quarter end, 1.8m sq ft of speculative space was under construction, with Kensington Olympia and White City accounting for 48% of this total.

This means that the broader South East market will see a staggered delivery of just 900,000sq ft over the next 36 months, less than the amount of space leased just this quarter.

Roddy Abram, Head of South East and Greater London Offices at Knight Frank, said the figures were due to “pent-up occupier demand”, and occupier confidence in the office market.

“Looking ahead, the severely limited development pipeline suggests that headline rent projection will continue to rise in the prime South East markets and incentive packages will start to tighten to pre-pandemic levels,” he continued.

“It is, however, those buildings that fulfil the ESG criteria increasingly demanded by occupiers that will achieve the best results.”

And his colleague, Simon Rickards, Head of South East Capital Markets said the life-science sector continues to attract global capital at record yields.

“The market for core-plus stock has proved extremely sensitive to the cost of debt and, as a result, we believe it is beginning to look very attractively priced,” he said.”

WPR_2022-08-08_TheWokinghamPaper_16x4 (1)_Just Go

WorcesterObserver

Reader travel

FOLKESTONE

NEWQUAY, EDEN PROJECT & Poldark’s Cornwall

NewquayEdenProject&PoldarksCornwall_F.pdf

& France Weekend Folkestone&FranceWeekend_F.pdf

Departing Mon 10 Oct ‘22

Departing Fri 21 Oct ‘22

Your break includes

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Wokingham 4 nights at the Pentire Hotel, Newquay with dinner & breakfast Entertainment some evenings Excursions to the Eden Project, Padstow & Charlestown

Return coach travel and ferry crossings from Reading 3 nights at the Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone with dinner & breakfast Entertainment every evening Excursion to Boulogne-sur-Mer & Canterbury

Optional excursion to Penzance & St Ives (£12pp)

349

5 Days by Coach only £ Single Supplement £60

174.99

4 Days by Coach only £ Single Supplement £45

Operated by Just Go Holidays Ltd. Coach package holidays and short breaks are subject to Just Go! Holidays terms and conditions.

Your booking is protected by Bonded Coach Holidays (BCH) and the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT); this is a government approved consumer protection scheme. Tours offered subject to availability and government guidelines.

Errors and omissions excepted. Prices per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Calls to 033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.

For more information, or to book, please call

03332 342 527 Quote WPR

or visit us online at

justgoholidays.com/WPR

033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.

justgohols JGTravelGroup

NEW FACE: Lee Mildenhall is joining Winnersh Triangle’s Gather & Gather café, after working at Tom Kerridge’s famous Hand and Flowers in Marlow – the only UK pub with two Michelin stars

Winnersh Triangle welcomes new head chef A NEW head chef has joined a business park’s café team after working at Tom Kerridge’s famous Hand and Flowers in Marlow – the only UK pub with two Michelin stars.

Lee Mildenhall is joining Winnersh Triangle’s Gather & Gather café, and has also previously worked at the Halfway Inn, as well as for Vodafone’s UK headquarters, both in Newbury.

There are three Gather & Gather Cafés across Winnersh Triangle including The

Exchange co-working space, providing a vibrant atmosphere for breakfast, lunch or a quick coffee.

The menu includes salads, sandwiches, soups and a selection of healthy hot dishes and chef’s specials.

These are prepared daily on site from fresh ingredients.

Gather & Gather says it understands the positive impact great food can have on employee health, wellbeing and productivity so they have partnered with a number of the

Winnersh tenants to subsidise their employee’s lunches.

Eilidh McAllister, Senior Asset Manager at Winnersh Triangle said: “We are delighted to welcome Lee to the park. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge and we know he has some great ideas.

“He’s been working with the team behind the scenes to ensure that the new menu is perfect for our occupiers, including the bi-weekly barbecues, and we can’t wait to find out what everyone thinks.”

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

NEWS| 33

Entries open If Carlsberg did parties in the pub for Hurst they’d probably do them at The horti show INSPIRED by television’s Bake Off, Sewing Bee and Gardeners’ World growers, cooks and other creative folk are preparing for a contest close to home.

Entries for the fruit, vegetable, cookery, flowers, art, craft and needlework classes at Hurst’s 109th Horticultural Show are being invited now.

The event has many exciting extras.

These include family favourites – Hurst’s famous alpacas, the woolly llama-like creatures.

The EMC Jazz band with their talented lead singer Lorraine Cox will get feet tapping.

Visitors can listen along with a glass of chilled prosecco or locally brewed beer, sitting in Hurst Village Hall’s shady orchard area. There will also be cream teas, ice cream, burgers and hot dogs.

Local crafts will be on sale.

Show secretary Frank Whittaker said: “This show is so much more than a traditional horticultural show. While beautiful flowers and impressive fruit and vegetable displays remain at its heart, this show always surprises and entertains all ages.

“The popular scarecrow contest returns – the other year the winning scarecrow was so lifelike it became the subject of a police incident and made the newspapers. Thankfully, no harm came of it all.

“Don`t hide your talents. Enter some of our classes and display your produce and creations at the show. It’s a lot of fun looking at the entries and seeing how you’ve done. Or you can spend time relaxing and being entertained on a traditional English village summer`s afternoon.

“Everyone is welcome to enter the show, you don’t need to live in Hurst.” n Details of the show on August 20 from 12.30pm are at their website www.hursthorticulturalsociety. org

Children’s sand art session YOUNGSTERS aged three to 10 can get their hands sandy while making a piece of unique artwork to take home.

Kids Bee Happy with Maddi will be at Lower Earley Library to help budding sand artists.

The session runs from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday, August 16.

It costs £4 on the day, payable to the course leader on arrival.

This is a dro-in session, no registration necessary.

n For more information log on to: www.wokingham. spydus.co.uk And search for Events/ Sand Art

Jolly Farmer .. hang on, they are!

By SUE CORCORAN news@wokingham.today

JOLLY farmers and other people in any line of work are invited to a big charity night at a refurbished country pub.

Pitchforks though should be left at home for the fundraiser which includes The Liverpool Echoes band, a DJ, an auction, a Thai buffet and dancing by Hurst Morris People.

Carlsberg chose The Jolly Farmer at Hurst, for the event on Thursday, August 25, for Macmillan Cancer Research Trust because of the pub’s big new makeover.

The auction includes holidays to Spain and Tenerife, a Liverpool football shirt signed by the team and a Jolly Farmer dinner.

Hurst Morris People squire (leader) Karen Ricketts said: “We’ve danced at the Jolly Farmer many times. We’re delighted to support such a great charity on this occasion.”

On Sunday, just two weeks after reopening, the pub was packed for lunch.

Pub manager Edward Lawrence, 23, of Reading, who went to Chiltern Edge School at Sonning Common, has seven years’ experience organising catering, weddings and parties.

“We’re pleased to have had great comments about the refurbishment. People have said it was just what the pub needed. They told us they liked the warm welcome, friendly staff, good food and good service,” he said.

“We’re pleased to help charities, we want to be a community pub. We support the air ambulance but want to do more for them.

“On the walls we have old photos of the pub, built in 1860, and farming. We’d like to have farm equipment, tools and old wheels on display.”

Edward also has engineering experience – at MAN Truck and Bus, Whitley.

The improvements are ongoing. The back garden is already transformed with covered dining areas including a pergola, a large wooden gazebo and booths. It’s bright and colourful with

many flowers. There will be an outdoor bar.

Inside the pub there’s a fresh new look in whites and blues and more plants. There will be a cocktail bar and a barrister style coffee machine.

The beers include Timothy Taylor and Tribute plus a Rebellion monthly guest special. Food is Thai and English.

Tickets for the fundraiser cost £20, include a Thai food buffet and can be booked by phoning

0118 934 1881 or by calling in to the pub. The event is 5pm to late evening with the music finishing at 11.30pm.

n The charity night will be a chance to talk to Hurst Morris People about their taster sessions for everyone to have a go at morris dancing and music at Hurst Village Hall on September 22 and 29 at 8pm.

Let the side know if you’d like to go. Details are at Facebook @hurstmorris and www.hump.org.uk

Give your kitchen the WOW factor with new worktops

We can replace your existing kitchen worktops with new quartz or corian, rejuvenating your kitchen and giving it a fresh new look.

0118 976 2826 www.roktops.co.uk sales@roktops.co.uk

located within the Wokingham Borough

34 | NEWS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

News from your clubs, groups and societies.

Email your news to: news@wokingham.today

INTHECOMMUNITY

STEP UP: The Wokingham Walk is taking place in October and entries are now open

Entries open for Lions’ October Wokingham Walk ENTRIES are now open for this year’s autumnal Wokingham Walk.

Organised by the Wokingham Lions Club, the event has been so popular that it has expanded from its May date to include an October one as well.

This year’s event will be held from Elms Field on Sunday, October 16.

Walkers can choose three routes: five-, 10-, and 15-miles, with activities for children.

Wokingham Lion, Andy Slay,

organiser of The Wokingham Walk, said: “We are delighted to bring the walk back to Wokingham in October.

“This is a great opportunity to discover the beautiful countryside around Wokingham.

“We don’t ask walkers to obtain sponsorship, but if groups or individuals want to support their favourite charity of course they can do so.

“All monies raised from entry fees to The Wokingham Walk will

be distributed to local charities and good causes by Wokingham Lions Club.”

To take part, it costs £15, or £5 fr youngers ages 12-17. Under 11s take part for free. n Full details of The Wokingham Walk, including how to participate, can be found at www. wokinghamwalk.co.uk n For details about Wokingham Lions Club visit: www. wokinghamlions.org.uk, or call: 0345 8337384.

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

VIEW: The Angel of the North, by Antony Gormley, one of the pieces under consideration by the Arts Society Wokingham

The man who took art out of the gallery

A

NTONY Gormley’s art is both public and accessible.

The Angel of the North towers 20 metres above the M1, but motorists can park right by it, go and touch the steel sculpture and pick the wildflowers growing on the grassy hillside.

Gormley built it as a commemoration to the miners that worked beneath the site of the old pithead where it now stands.

Rosalind Whyte’s talk to members and guests of The Arts Society Wokingham was both entertaining and informative.

She explained the complex physical process that Gormley undertook to create one of his early installations, Bed, which is on display in the Tate.

He moulded his own body in plaster of paris. He used this mould to create the life-size human shape of the indentations in two piles of slices of Mother’s Pride bread.

Finally, he ate the volume of his own body that he had sculpted out of the two piles.

For his series of Field sculptures in the 1990s, Gormley used community groups from all around the world to help create the installations.

The first, American Field, consists of 35,000 clay figures.

These were made by an extended family of Mexican brick makers who followed Gormley’s instruction that each piece was to be hand-sized and easy to hold, eyes were to be deep and closed and the head was to be in proportion with the body.

Field of the British Isles followed in 1993.

This time, 40,000 similar clay figures were created in a school hall in St Helens by 100 local people over five days. By involving local people, Gormley hoped to instil a sense of ownership into his projects.

Public involvement we also behind his One & Other project in 2009. In all, 2,400 members of the public applied to occupy the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square for an hour each for 100 days;

transforming it into a living sculpture.

Finally, Rosalind introduced us to Gormley’s more recent abstract installations.

The Room was added on to the front of the Beaumont Hotel, London in 2014.

On the inside, it is a bespoke hotel suite but externally it is a huge cubist sculpture of the human form.

Similarly Doubt, installed in an empty niche on the west front of Wells Cathedral in 2021, is an iron cast block human figure.

Gormley said of its positioning, “I am very aware of the paradox of placing an object called DOUBT on the facade of a building devoted to belief, but it seems to me that doubting, interrogating, questioning, are all part of belief.”

Rosalind gave her audience a great insight into the reasons why this contemporary sculptor’s work is so appealing and meaningful to people.

As one member said: “It was a wonderful insight into Antony Gormley’s’ work, his techniques and philosophy, extremely well illustrated and delivered.”

Next season, the Society has another wide variety of arts-related talks planned for its members.

Come and learn about putting on a play from an actor’s perspective, hear Marc Alum’s fascinating tales of his life as an auctioneer, appreciate Sorolla’s paintings, full of life and colour, study the detail of Picasso’s Guernica, and enjoy the beauty of ancient Palmyra: the Bride of the Desert and much more.

The first lecture on Monday, September 19, at 7.45pm, not only unravels the meaning of the 15th century Ghent Altarpiece but explores its later history, including its finding by the Monument Men in 1945.

If you love the arts, why not come and join in at Newbold Church or online?

Guests are always welcome.

Take a look at the Society’s website, www.The ArtsSocietyWokingham.org.uk

SUE BRYANT

CLASP to launch swimming sessions for people with disabilities A CHARITY that provides selfadvocacy for people with learning disabilities has launched a new swimming session.

CLASP will be splashing about in the new Carnival Pool every Monday and Friday.

The hour-long sessions run between 2pm and 3pm, and have been set up specifically for people

with disabilities and additional needs.

The charity’s CEO, Debs Morrison, said that the sessions had been set up with the support of the Places4Leisure’s contracts manager, Tony Penge.

The company runs Carnival Pool on behalf of Wokingham Borough Council.

Ms Morrison said: “We are thrilled to say we have a great price of £1.60 per session and carers go free, with two hours complimentary parking.

“We want to spread the word to all disabled in the borough to ensure these precious slots are well used.”

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

35

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Manhattan Lofts 140 High Street, Crowthorne, RG45 7AY

NO A W PA SH LART OW UNME CHNT ED

!

HELP TO BUY AVAILABLE* - CALL 01344 753110 NOW TO VIEW

ONE BEDROOM SHOW APARTMENT NOW LAUNCHED CALL 01344 753110 NOW TO BOOK YOUR EXCLUSIVE VIEWING APPOINTMENT Utilise the Help to Buy* scheme and reserve one of these beautiful one bedroom apartments at Manhattan Lofts.

SAT NAV RG45 7AY

Prices from £210,000

This scheme is available to first time buyers and new applications must be submitted by 31st October 2022.

Stylish one bedroom show apartment now launched, reimagine your life in the charming village of Crowthorne.

Every apartment has been caringly designed to suit modern lifestyles with a fully fitted kitchen, Juliette balcony, spacious double bedroom and stylish bathroom. Arranged over four floors this stunning development includes a communal roof top terrace, cycle store and allocated parking for both residents and visitors. *Subject to T&C's. Help To Buy for first time buyers, applications must be submitted by 6pm on the 31st October 2022.

01344 753110

36

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

With The Starling’s fl exible and spacious layout, there are many ways you can utilise the rooms for you, your family and guests.

The Starling is nestled in the latest collection of homes at Woodhurst Park, a thriving community set within a 65 acre country park, in Warfi eld, Berkshire.

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Classifieds PUBLIC NOTICES

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (PARK LANE, FINCHAMPSTEAD AND WILDERNESS ROAD, EARLEY, WOKINGHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY given that on the 4th August 2022 Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority made an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: 1. B3350 Wilderness Road, Earley between its junctions with A329 Wokingham Road and B3350 Elm Road.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via B3350 Elm Road, A327 Shinfield Road, A327 Blackboy Roundabout, B3270 Lower Earley Way West, B3270 Lower Earley Way, B3270 Lower Earley Way North and A329 Reading Road, A329 Wokingham Road or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 15th August and 17th August 2022 between 22:00 and 05:00.

The reason for this prohibition is to allow BT contractors to undertake blockage clearance on the underground network in safety.

2. Park Lane, Finchampstead between its junctions with A327 Reading Road and Nine Mile Ride.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Nine Mile Ride, B3016 Finchampstead Road, B3016 Jubilee Road, B3348 The Village, B3348 Fleet Hill, A327 Reading Road, Langley Common Road, and Biggs Lane or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place on 15th August 2022.

The reason for this prohibition is to allow BT contractors to install new ducting and associated 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 15th August 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Dated: 11th August 2022 Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL MARGARET OLIVE PIDGEON Deceased Pursuant to the Trustee Act 1925 anyone having a claim against or an interest in the Estate of the deceased, late of 15 Kennet Court, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 3DB, who died on 07/01/2022, must send written particulars to the address below by 12/10/2022, after which date the Estate will be distributed having regard only to claims and interests notified.

Ola Szymaniec c/o Clifton Ingram LLP, 22-24 Broad Street, Wokingham, RG40 1BA. Ref: OS/PID17/2

FOR SALE SPORTS EQUIPMENT MACGREGOR GOLF BAG. Plus 3 Woods, 6 Irons , 2 Putters and golf balls. Good condition, £50 ono.

Details: H. Marshall, 0118 959 7964.

37

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Get your business seen!

Email: advertising@wokingham.today

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

222113

Church Farm, Wokingham Road, Hurst, RG10 0RX

Affects setting of listed building.

Householder application for the proposed installation of a boundary gate.

222114

Church Farm, Wokingham Road, Hurst, RG10 0RX

Affects setting of listed building.

Application for Listed Building consent for the proposed installation of a boundary gate.

222264

12 Langborough Road, Wokingham, RG40 2BT

Conservation Area.

Householder application for the proposed single storey rear extension to include 4NO rooflights and single storey front extension to create porch along with changes to fenestration.

222319

Reddam House, Bearwood Road, Sindlesham, RG41 5BG

Works to a listed building.

Application for listed building consent for the proposed erection of a sports hall and new pool building following demolition of existing ancillary buildings. Creation of new landscaped permeable parking area on the site of an existing car park.

The application is available to view online at wokingham.gov.uk � Planning � Search planning applications and typing in the application number above. Comments on the application can be made online from this web page.

Any comments must arrive on or before the 1st September 2022. 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: 11th August 2022

WOKINGHAM TODAY

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that on the 4th August 2022 Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority made an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: The Bader Way, Woodley between its junctions with Loddon Bridge and The Bader Way Interchange and Mohawk Way. The alternative route for all southbound vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Miles Way, Spitfire Way, Headley Road East, Reading Road, A4 London Road, B3350 Pitts Lane, B3350 Church Lane, A329 Wokingham Road, A329 Reading Road and Loddon Bridge and The Bader Way Interchange.

The alternative route for all northbound vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Loddon Bridge and The Bader Way Interchange, A329 Reading Road, A329 Wokingham Road, B3350 Church Lane, B3350 Pitts Lane, A4 London Road, A4 Shepherds Hill, A4 London Road, Reading Road, Headley Road East, Spitfire Way and Miles Way. Works requiring this restriction will take place between 21st August and 22nd August 2022 between 21:00 and 04:00.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Wokingham Borough Council contractors to undertake bridge structural maintenance work in safety.

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (B3348 THE RIDGES, FINCHAMPSTEAD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2022

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (BLOOMFIELDHATCH LANE, GRAZELEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2022

NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to revoke the WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (B3348 THE RIDGES, FINCHAMPSTEAD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF VEHICLES) ORDER 2021 and to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) and 15 (2) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (“the Act”) the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

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 to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along:

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 21st August 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Bloomfieldhatch Lane, Grazeley between its junctions with Lambwood Lane and Foundry Bridge.

Dated: 11th August 2022

B3348 The Ridges, Finchampstead between its junctions with B3348 Jubilee Road and B3348 Wellingtonia Avenue.

The alternative route for all traffic affected by the restriction shall be by proceeding via B3348 Jubilee Road, B3016 Finchampstead Road, B3430 Nine Mile Ride, A321 Lower Wokingham Road and B3348 Wellingtonia Avenue or by this route in reverse.

The restrictions are necessary to enable Wokingham Borough Council contractors to undertake repairs due to road subsidence 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 18th August 2022.

In consideration of section 15(2) the time-limit of eighteen (18) months specified in subsection 15(1) of the Act shall not apply to the Order for the Council are satisfied that the execution of the works in question will take longer. The restrictions in the Order shall continue in force until the works have been completed and on completion of the works the Order shall be revoked.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Cross Lane, Bloomfieldhatch Lane and Lambwood Hill or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place on 1st September 2022.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Gigaclear contractors to undertake infrastructure access works to enable a live service in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

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.

Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

NOTICE OF APPLICATION FOR A PREMISES LICENCE UNDER SECTION 17 OF THE LICENSING ACT 2003.

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.

Applicant: Farley Hill Primary School Association

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 1st September 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

The proposed application is time limited to one event per annum on a Saturday between 27th October and 13th November for the following activities:

Dated: 11th August 2022 Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

Dated: 11th August 2022

For the latest news visit

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (THE BADER WAY, WOODLEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2022

Advertise regularly and save ££££s

Friendly Service Email us

Special rates today for a for 4, 12, 26 price and 52 weeks

Premises: Land at Swallowfield Park, Farley Hill Estate, Swallowfield, RG7 1TG

To allow for the supply of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, live music, recorded music, performances of dance and any entertainment of a similar nature all between the hours of 1730 and 2000, full details of which can be inspected on the application.

The licensing register can be inspected at the address noted below during normal business hours or online at www.wokingham.gov.uk. Any representations by an interested party or responsible authority regarding the above mentioned application can be made to: Licensing, Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN. This must be received in writing by: 1 September 2022, clearly stating the grounds upon which representation is made relevant to the Licensing Act. It is an offence knowingly or recklessly to make a false statement in connection with an application. The maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for the offence is unlimited.

Dated: 11th August 2022

38

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

Classifieds PUBLIC NOTICES ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (A321 WARGRAVE ROAD, REMENHAM) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2022

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

DOING COPYRIGHT, RIGHT UK publishers invest

Please recycle me !

£1 BILLION a year creating content like this newspaper

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via A4130 White Hill, A4130 Henley Road. Henley Road, A404, A4 Bath Road, A4 New Bath Road and A321 High Street or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place on 4th September 2022.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow BT contractors to undertake Openreach pole testing work in safety.

Magazines

Websites

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 to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: A321 Wargrave Road, Remenham between its junctions with A321 High Street and A4130 White Hill.

Newspapers

This content is protected under copyright law

It’s good news for everyone

If your organisation...

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.

...sends articles via email... ...uses press cuttings...

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 4th September 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

...shares articles online...

...you need a licence from NLA media access

royalties publishers Licence fees are paid back to publishers as royalties to help support journalism

Dated: 11th August 2022 Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

RECRUITMENT

MEDIA SALES PEOPLE > I wish I could choose what days I work. (You can!) > I wish I could choose my hours. (You can!) > I wish I could choose if/when to go to the office. (You can!)

DOES YOUR BUSINESS NEED A LICENCE? Visit www.nlamediaaccess.com to find out more

Supporting journalism

Sell your items for free

Sell your goods with a free adverts for items under £250 Having a clear out? Why not turn your treasure into cash with our free adverts? Sell your items without any fee with the aid of this coupon. Items* valued at up to £250 can be sold in these columns for free!Simply send us the details – maximum of 30 words – and post or email it and we’ll do the rest

Write your advert in the box below, one word per box. Maximum 30 words.

> I wish I could choose the home/office/patch split. (You can!) > I wish I could have a job where I’m in control. (You can!) > I wish I could have a job where I’m paid properly for my results. (You can!)

WE ARE GROWING THE TEAM IN READING THE ROLES HAVE A SALARY, COMMISSION, BONUSES & PENSION).

Maybe you have caring responsibilities and need to fit the job around them or maybe you have simply had enough of the 5-day week.

If you have some media sales experience and want CHOICE & FLEXIBILITY in your working life, call, WhatsApp or email me for a discreet discussion.

For an informal discussion, call David Riley on 07860 462 882 or email at driley@wokingham.today

Category for advert: Your Name: Phone Number:

The Wokingham Paper Ltd Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS | 0118 327 2662 www.wokingham.today | www.rdg.today

Send your form to Free ads, Reading Today, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

REMOVALS

39

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

TREE SURGEONS

ROOFING NEW ROOFS • ROOF REPAIRS • FLAT ROOFS REPOINTING FACIAS SOFFITS AND GUTTERING EX PAINTING

• NO JOB TO SMALL •

Free estimates and advice • all work guaranteed Tel: 0118 321 6558 Mob: 07459 815 365

Email: goldstarroofingandbuilding@gmail.com www.goldstarroofingandbuilding.co.uk

KITCHEN DESIGN & INSTALLATION

RECYCLING

PAINTING & DECORATING

GOODS WANTED

MOTORING

HEALTH, FITNESS AND WELLBEING

PHOTOGRAPHER

For the latest news visit

Summer

‘TALK TO AN EXPERT’

SALE CONSERVATORIES & ORANGERIES

SHOWROOM OPEN FOR PRIVATE APPOINTMENTS

plus...£1,000

RECEIVE CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS YOUR NEW LIVING SPACE OR £500 FOR WINDOWS & DOORS

EXTENSIONS & SOLID ROOFS

WINDOWS & DOORS

TradeMark have been proudly providing local homeowners with quality home improvements for over 25 years.

SHOWROOM OPEN FOR PRIVATE APPOINTMENTS – ALLOWING YOU TO ‘TALK TO AN EXPERT’.

TEL: 0800 30 50 30

WWW.TRADEMARKWINDOWS.CO.UK Published by The Wokingham Paper Ltd, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS. Printed at Reach Watford © The Wokingham Paper Ltd, 2022

LEISURETODAY

11.08.22

Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

Chantel’s music evokes emotions A

T 14, Chantel McGregor was told by major record labels that she had a ‘great voice but girls don’t play guitar like that!’

She ignored them, and went on to graduate from Leeds College of Music with a string of distinctions and a first class degree in Popular Music.

She is currently on touring the country, and will be visiting Newbury this September.

Her music covers a range of styles, so it is hard to categorise her work.

A talented guitarist, she punches a powerful blues rock as comfortably as she does an acoustic folk lament.

On guitar and vocals, she is joined by bass and drums.

“I’ve been really looking forward to this tour,” she says. “It’s good fun and great to play with other people.

“All the songs in the set are originals.

“There’s everything in there:

progressive guitar blues, rock, acoustic folk. And there’s a lot of improvisation too.

“When we break out of a song to play long progressive guitar riffs it can feel like you’re flying by the seat of your pants!”

How did covid and lockdown affect her?

“It was awful. I felt stifled, and it was difficult at first to connect with fans.

“But then I thought, ‘I can’t just stagnate for two years.’

Separated from other musicians, and from her fan base, Chantel decided to find a way to continue playing.

“Every Saturday I’d go to my shed, my studio in the garden.

“I’d play my music, and run a live session there each weekend.

How was it, playing alone?

“To be honest, playing to yourself in a shed, well it’s nice, but there’s just not that same interaction.

“It’s hard to keep up the banter too.

“So it helped when my dad decided to come down to the shed and join in.

“He was great at all the chat, and reading out fans’ comments.

“In fact I think he’s got a new calling!”

Chantel has been performing in concerts since she was 12.

Presumably, this was at school?

“Oh no, I kept it all secret from school,” she says.

“It was quite an academic place, and you either did that or sports.

“You didn’t waste your time with music. We didn’t even have GCSE Music.

“And when I said I wanted to be a musician at careers evenings, they told me that was ridiculous and I should be an English teacher or something.”

“I said, ‘But people do have careers in music, and they get there somehow.’”

So how did Chantel make her career?

“I’m quite driven. I’ve played the guitar since I was three,” she explains.

“I started playing with my Dad, and we’d jam together. It was a hobby at first, but I started to take it more seriously in my teens.

“I was playing with adults, very good musicians, doing gigs and playing four nights a week.

“I learnt my craft doing that. Then when I went to college I put a band together.

“That’s when I started building up a fan base, and things took off.”

Who is she influenced by?

“I listen to everything.

“Country - I don’t play it, but the song writing is very creative.

“Guitar music, Steve Vai, Fleetwood Mac, Jeff Buckley.

“But not rap - that’s just not my thing.”

What song would she like audiences to take away with them from her tour?

“That would be, Walk On Land.

“It has a slow build, and some funny time signatures.

“It’s a good song, filled with technical stuff.”

And how does it feel to be back?

“Being on stage, the music, how it feels when you play, it’s such an adrenaline rush.

“It’s about interacting with the crowd. If my music evokes emotions in people, then that means something.”

Chantel McGregor performs at the Arlington Arts Centre, Newbury. The event takes place on Friday, September 9 at 8pm. Doors open at 7pm, and tickets cost £17. n For more information and to purchase tickets log on to: www. chantelmcgregor.com

EMMA MERCHANT

14 | LEISURE

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

A fine romance, with a bit of Bollywood

First up are The Last Inklings, a duo who will perform with cello, mandolin, guitar, piano, strings, synth and percussion, with layered vocal harmonies.

Their vibrant back stories and songs rich with imagery and narrative, take a look at what it means to be human.

Lukas Drinkwater is next with original songs and some reworkings of traditional folk songs.

He has performed internationally, as a solo artist, jazz double basist and folk guitarist.

The event takes place at the theatre garden in Guildford at 7pm.

Tickets cost £20. n For tickets and information visit: yvonne-arnaud.co.uk or call the box office: 0148 344 0000

FOR A night of Indian style romance, audiences should head to Norden Farm Arts Centre.

Singing duo Bunty and Bubbly, will entertain later this month, with classic Bollywood romantic songs, as well as some newer hits.

They love the golden oldies by Lata, Rafi and Kishore, and grew up watching Hindi movies.

The pair promise to add a touch of Bollywood film drama to their programme of songs.

The event takes place on Friday, August 19 at 8pm.

Tickets cost £15. n For tickets and information log on to: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788977.

Lloyd Webber can go Whistle

Fab Four will be focus of Upbeat showcase AUDIENCES with a passion for the Fab Four will love the Upbeat Beatles.

This four-piece band will perform an evening of the Mersey band’s greatest hits.

The show takes a long and winding tour from early days when the Beatles played at Liverpool’s Cavern night club.

Expect to hear songs from the Beatlemania, America, Sergeant Pepper and Abbey Road eras, with narrative and full multi-media presentation.

The Upbeat Beatles are reputed to be among the best of the tribute bands.

To hear them, Beatles fans, and non Beatles fans, should head to Norden Farm Arts Centre.

The event takes place on Saturday, August 20 at 8pm.

Tickets cost £20. n For tickets and information log on to: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788977. n For information about the Upbeat Beatles log on to www.upbeatbeatles. co.uk

Get on the phone and dial M .. for murder

FOR A night of suspense, blackmail, lies and deceit, head to Windsor.

Martin Shaw stars in one of the most famous suspense thrillers of our time, Dial M for Murder.

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 smash hit movie, originally starred Ray Milland and Grace Kelly, and follows the unravelling of a plot to kill.

Retired sportsman Tony and wealthy socialite Margot seem to have a happy marriage.

AUDIENCES are invited to bring a chair or a picnic blanket to Reading’s Abbey Ruins on Sunday.

Ophelia and Mercutio will be an atmospheric event performed on the main lawn against a backdrop of the architectural remains.

60 Hour Shakespeare, is a theatre company that takes only the scenes in which their chosen characters feature.

It uses them to tell a complete story, preparing from start to finish in just 60 hours.

Their intention is to limit their creative time to that which was available to Shakespeare and his troupe of actors.

But Tony has discovered an affair that Margot has been having with an American crime writer, and plans to have his wife killed.

For the perfect crime, head to Windsor’s Theatre Royal.

The play runs from Tuesday, August 16 through to Saturday August 27, except Sunday.

Evening performances start at 7.30pm, with matinées on Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm.

Tickets cost from £23.50 n For tickets and information log on to: www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk or call the box office on: 0175 385 3888

Go behind the scenes and discover the past

FOR those that wonder who haunts the stage, and which famous visitors have graced the circle seats.

The Theatre Royal, Windsor is 200 years old, and filled with ghosts from the past.

This summer it is taking people behind

AT THE THEATRE

Bracknell – South Hill Park

www.southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123 Live Music on the Terrace. Sun 14. Wilde Sundays: Cloudcat, Will Samson, Michael Tuffery.

Sun 21.

FILMS: Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. Thurs 11. Elvis. Fri 12Sun 14. Robust. Mon 15-Tues 16. Lancaster. Wed 17. The Railway Children Return. Fri 19-Sun 21.

Camberley – Theatre

www.camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600 Theatre In the Park: Catch That Beast. Thurs 11. Treasure Island. Sat 13. The Last Inklings and Lukas Drinkwater. Sat 20.

Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud

www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000 I Love Musical Theatre. Mon 8-Thurs 11. The Play That Goes Wrong. Mon 8-Sat 13.

High Wycombe – Wycombe Swan

www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000 Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever. Sat 13Sun 15. NEXT SHOW: Whitney Queen of the night. Fri 2.

Henley – Kenton

www.kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050 Tupelo To Vegas: A Tribute to Elvis.

Sat 13. Dreams Come True.

Sat 20.

the curtains.

Audiences can follow the building’s history, and get up close to the auditorium.

They will take a tour of the backstage areas, and when possible, see the view from the current production on stage.

The event takes in many different levels of the theatre, and involves the use of stairs.

There are three opportunities this month: Saturday, August 20, Thursday, August 25 and Saturday, August 27.

All tours start at noon and last for around an hour.

Tickets cost £12,50 per person. n For tickets and information log on to: www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk or call the box office on: 0175 385 3888

Last chance to go Barefoot in the Park

THE MILL At Sonning sees the last week of its run of Barefoot In The Park, which ends on Saturday, August 20.

Paul and Corrie are gloriously in love,

Maidenhead – Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997 Dave Gorman’s Powerpoint to the People. Thurs 11, Fri 12. Pigs and Bears Don’t Come In Pairs. Fri 12. Roger Beaujolais Quartet tribute to the vibraphone. Fri 12. The Studio Session. Sat 13. Bunty and Bubbly. Fri 19. Family Concertini with the Estrallas.

Sat 20. The Upbeat Beatles.

Sat 20.

Newbury – The Corn Exchange

In this double bill, Mercutio is set in the Kings’ Road, London in 1977 with punks rivalling Teddy Boys, while Ophelia is set in 1949, New York City.

All proceeds from ticket sales will go to New Beginnings, Reading a charity supporting the homeless in the town.

The performance will be filmed, with the audience featuring in the recording.

The event takes place on Sunday, August 14 at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £10, concessions cost £6. n For tickets and information log on to: whatsonreading.com and search for 60 Hour Shakespeare.

www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218 NEXT SHOW: Black Is The Colour Of My Voice, a show inspired

by Nina Simone. Wed Sept 7.

Newbury – The Watermill

www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044 Whistle Down The Wind. Fri 22-Sep 10

Reading – South Street

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 NEXT SHOW: A Show In A Week with First Impressions Theatre.

Mon 22-Fri 26.

Reading – The Hexagon

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 NEXT SHOW: The Magic of

and starting out marriage in a cramped top floor flat in Manhatten.

But Paul is an uptight lawyer who irons his ties, while his new wife is a joyful bohemian with the desire to jump right in to everything that life offers.

Can they make it work? And will Corrie’s mother and the wacky upstairs neighbour help or hinder?

Audiences can find out in this warm and funny production, sprinkled with songs from Simon and Garfunkel.

Tickets cost £67.50 and include a two course meal at the theatre restaurant before the show. n For tickets and information log on to: www.millatsonnng.com or call the box office on: 0118 969 8000

Folk on the terrace

THE audience is promised a delightful evening in the riverside terrace garden at the Yvonne Theatre on Saturday, August 20.

A double bill of multi-instrumentalist folk musicians will provide an evening of live music.

Motown. Sat 3.

Reading – Concert Hall www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 NEXT SHOW: Brindley Sherratt.

Sep 10.

Reading – Progress Theatre

www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195 NEXT SHOW: Jeeves and Wooster.

Sept 2-10.

Reading – Reading Rep Theatre

www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620 NEXT SHOW: Jekyll and Hyde.

Oct 10-29.

WITH music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Whistle Down the Wind tells the story of a young person growing up in the Deep South of America.

It’s the 1950s, the civil rights movement is growing and the golden age of television has begun.

On a farm in rural Louisiana three children are hoping for a miracle.

Then teenager, Swallow, discovers a man hiding in the family barn, and thinks he is Jesus.

The musical takes place in the Watermill Theatre, Newbury.

Performances are Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30pm, with Wednesday and Saturday matinées at 2.30pm Tickets cost from £15 depending on seating. n For tickets and information visit: www. watermill.org.uk or call the box office: 01635 46044

Rock and blues that’ll have you Cracking Up

A Reading pub is hosting a local band for a night of rock and blues.

Audiences can enjoy a pint while taking a line up of songs old and new.

With a core of drums, bass and two electric guitars, four piece group, Cracking up, also promises to sneak in a bit of harmonica, slide guitar, acoustic guitar and mandolin.

“People all over the world have problems,” the band says.

“And as long as people have problems, the blues can never die.”

Cracking Up will be appearing at the pub on Friday, August 19 at 8.15pm.

To hear them, rock up to The Castle Tap, Castle Street, Reading.

No tickets required.

Shinfield – Shinfield Players

www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 NEXT SHOW: Our House. Fri Sept 30-Sat Oct 1, Thurs Oct 6-Sat Oct 8.

Sonning – The Mill

www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 Barefoot in the Park. Until Aug 20.

Windsor – Theatre Royal

www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888 Dial M for Murder. Tues 16-Sat 27.

Wokingham – Theatre www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363

NEXT SHOW: A Bunch of Amateurs. Thurs Sept 8-Sat Sept 17.

Wokingham – The Whitty Theatre

www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247 EBOS presents The 25 Annual Putnam County Spelling bee.

Until Sat 13.

Woodley – Theatre

www.woodleytheatre.org 07488337838 NEXT SHOW: Teechers. Sept 27-Oct 1.

LEISURE | 15

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Opera singer Brindley Sherratt to launch new album with help from Phoenix Choir

The Sensational 60s to return

Bridley Sherratt will be singing songs from his new album Refuge at Reading Town Hall on September 10

A

month.

N OPERA singer who created his latest album in Reading will be showcasing tracks from it in a special concert taking place next

Brindley Sherratt will be joined by members of Reading Phoenix Choir and the Berkshire Youth Choir, fresh from their appearances at Edinburgh International Festival, and conducted by Christopher Hann.

It includes pieces from Refuge, as well as opera classics.

The album is a collection of songs inspired

by Brindley’s faith and in tribute to his parents, reflecting on his childhood singing in church choirs and with the Salvation Army.

Released on Citadel Promotions, the album was recorded in January, and features music that he says helped him through the pandemic. It includes works such as Deep River, He Hideth my Soul and The Lamb by William Blake, which features a new verse

written by the prolific Salvation Army lyricist, Peter M Cooke.

“This album takes me back to my childhood as a young lad growing up in a small town on the outskirts of Manchester,” he says.

“It’s a thank you to my mum and dad, who brought me up in a Salvation Army family where my Sundays started early, were very noisy, wonderfully musical, thoroughly exhausting, and above all else, fun. In April 2020 my and everyone else’s lives changed significantly.

“Covid caused opera houses and concert halls across the globe to close their doors. Our world was thoroughly shaken.”

He says that although he no longer attends the Sally Army, he still has a faith – “even if a wobbly one at times”.

“Some of the Psalms were particularly helpful during those scary nights when my wife and I both became very ill with the virus,” he explains.

“Two old songs from the Sally Army song book

Make a kite and see it fly A MAIDENHEAD-based arts centre is preparing to fly high with its end-of-summer celebration.

Taking place on Sunday, September 4,between noon and 4pm, the Norden Farm Kite Festival is a free event.

Families taking part can enjoy making kites and flying them, as well as being able to take in entertainment and buy food and drink from local vendors.

Throughout the summer term, Norden Farm has been holding Kite Making Workshops with schools in its patch, as well as community groups including Thames Valley Adventure Playground and Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice.

Workshops for the general public are being held at Norden Farm on Thursday, August 25,

my Dad used to sing from also became a comforting ear-worm: He Hideth my Soul in the Cleft of the Rock, and It is well with my soul.

“In this album we’ve included some of those old Salvation Army songs but given them a little 21st century shine, alongside other more recent songs that are sung in churches the world over which we’re presenting as new arrangements from Stephen Bulla.

“Some are tender and others we’ve given the full-throated operatic treatment. Some you may know, many you may not.

“Some are quaint, some sublime but whatever you think, I hope that maybe even one line might be your comforting earworm when it’s all a bit shaky.”

The show takes place at Reading Town Hall in Blagrave Street on Saturday, September 10.

Tickets cost £16 or £12. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on 0118 960 6060, or log on to whatsonreading.com

IT WAS a seminal moment in music history: the innovations and inventiveness meant that the tunes created in the 60s endure today. And what better way to celebrate them by hearing them from their creators?

The Sensational 60s Experience is returning to The Hexagon next year, featuring some of the biggest names in the business.

The 2023 show will be an all-new experience and organisers say it will have a feelgood factor that will transport audiences back to the magical decade.

The line-up includes Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich.

Back in 1966, they were in the charts for 50 weeks out of 52, and their catalogue includes hits such as Bend It, Zabadak and The Legend Of Xanadu.

The Trems features former members of The Tremeloes, will perform hits such as Even The Bad Times Are Good, Do You Love Me, Call Me Number One and Silence Is Golden.

And Mike d’Abo, former frontman of Manfred Mann, helped the group perform hits such as Just Like A Woman, Semi-Detached Suburban Mr James and Mighty Quinn, before going on to his own solo career, which included penning songs such as Build Me Up Buttercup for The Foundations and Handbags & Gladrags, a massive hit for Chris Farlowe.

Birmingham-based band The Fortunes found fame in 1964 with their anthem to pirate radio, Caroline, as well as penning hits such as Storm In A Teacup, You’ve Got Your Troubles, and Freedom Come Freedom Go. Hippy Hippy Shake, You’re No Good, Good Golly Miss Molly and Don’t Make Me Over are famous songs, and The Swinging Blue Jeans, led by Alan Lovell, were behind them. Also in the line-up are Peter Oakman, Jeff Bannister and Graham Hollingworth.

Completing the very comprehensive bill for the Sensational 60s Show is Vanity Fare.

Formed in 1966, the rockers had hits with I Live For The Sun, Early In The Morning and the worldwide classic, Hitchin A Ride” which scored the band a number one on the Billboard 100 in the United States.

A spokesperson for the show said: “Step back in time to when pop music was at its very best.”

Curtain up is at 7.30pm on Wednesday, March 22.

Tickets for the show have just gone on sale, costing £26.50 and £29.50, with groups of 10 or more getting £3 off.

GET TECH SAVVY WITH PRATTS PODS WE ARE OFFERING “TECH SAVVY TUESDAYS”

at 2pm and 3.30pm. Suitable for all the family, tickets are £6 per person.

All workshops are led by Chris Jarrett from Community Kite Project. They work with people all over the world – from London to Lebanon. It was founded by Jo Peel, Christopher Jarratt and Tom

Tobia in 2011.

Everyone who creates a kite is encouraged to bring it along to the Kite Festival – as well as any kites that families might already have at home. n For more details, log on to: https://norden.farm/events/kitefestival-50

FOR PEOPLE NEEDING HELP UNDERSTANDING THEIR TECH DEVICES. PROBLEMS WITH YOUR IP AD, PHONE OR LAPTOP? EMAILS NOT SENDING OR SENDING? OR SIMPLY NEED SOME TECH GUIDANCE? CLASSES 2PM EVERY TUESDAY AT WOKINGHAM LIBRARY

0118 304 7777

INFO@PRATTSPODS.CO.UK

16 | LEISURE

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

Silver band celebrates MEMBERS of the Pangbourne and District Silver Band are preparing to celebrate their 60th anniversary with a special concert.

The group will be teaming up with the Mid Michigan Brass Band for the evening of music, which takes place at the Falklands Memorial Chapel in Pangbourne College.

The concert starts at 7pm on Saturday, and tickets cost £10.

They can be purchased by searching www.ticketsource. co.uk for Pangbourne Silver Band.

Jimmy Lee and The Blue Coconut Orchestra FOLK stalwart Jimmy Lee is set to play ReadiFolk on Sunday, August 14.

Jimmy Lee was a part of the then-growing folk scene in the 1960s, and has now put together a new group of musicians.

The Blue Coconut Orchestra combines classical and traditional instruments to suit a variety of genres.

Jimmy Lee and The Blue Coconut Orchestra will be playing the ReadiFolk community hall, Watlington Street, on Sunday, August 14.

The show begins at 8pm, with tickets priced at £8 per person, available on the door,

Mother nature is coming to Bracknell

A

CELEBRATION of Bracknell’s forests was so successful that it is returning this summer, in a new, expanded format.

Last year, giant tree sculptures were placed around The Lexicon shopping centre, celebrating the heritage of the neighbouring borough.

And from Wednesday, August 24, the trees will be back along with two new giants and some special events.

The scheme runs until just before the schools start their new year - Thursday, September 4.

The new Forest Guardian area will host a Get Green and Active volunteer scheme, designed to encourage people within the borough to get outdoors and closer to nature.

Children will be encouraged to make their own conservation and wellbeing pledges under the watchful eye of new giant, Bracknell Forest Guardian, Elderma.

In Princess Square, adventurous giant Will Wildwood, will make his debut appearance. Standing at more than five metres high, this new giant boasts an integral slide, with a message for visitors to get active outdoors.

Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker, executive member for economic

BACK: The Bracknell Forest Giants are returning to The Lexicon Picture: Phil Creighton development and regeneration at Bracknell Forest Council, says: “The forest and green spaces within the borough are a fundamental part of what makes Bracknell Forest such a special place to live and work.

“Our Forest Festival has been created as a fun event but will also remind people just how easy it is to utilise these spaces and stimulate different ways that the local community can get involved.”

Also new for this year is The Night Forest theatre show. Using holographic technology, younger visitors can meet five nocturnal characters in an interactive show.

Pre-booking is recommended,

with fees going to The Lexicon Charity Fund.

Other Forest Festival activities include a Seedling Sprite Trail, a host of entertainers and a special The Lexicon Fifth Birthday Proms on Saturday, September 3.

Rob Morris, general manager at The Lexicon says: “There will be so much to do and see during the ten days of Forest Festival.

“A combination of our three returning giants, two fabulous new giants and all the surrounding activities will make this our largest event since we opened five years ago.” n For more details, log on to: www.bracknellforestfestival.com

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Beans means Face bar BE AWARE of the outlaw … he’s coming to town.

Beans on Toast, who describes himself as an outlaw folk musician, is preparing to visit Reading next spring as part of a “mahoosive ramble” across the country.

One man and his guitar, with songs to sing and stories to tell, he will be performing at 30 independent venues throughout February and March.

That includes The Face Bar in Ambrose Place on Friday, March 24.

Since 2005, Beans on Toast says he has written simple songs about complicated subjects.

Tackling the big issues of the day but doing so with his feet firmly on the ground, he’s become a people’s champion of the modern folk scene and amassed a huge catalogue of songs in the process.

He says he is an unrepentant optimist whose songs celebrate all that is wonderful about the human spirit.

As a result, he aims to make his live shows uplifting.

His first album, Survival of the Friendliest, came out at the end of last year, and was a hit.

RNR Magazine praised the lyrics that “shimmer with Beans’ trademark of truth and humour..

Captivating”, whereas Louder Than War hailed it as “the perfect antidote to re-energise us all”.

Beans on Toast is preparing to visit The Face Bar for an evening of music He is hard at work on the follow-up, which will be out in December.

Of the tour, Beans says: “Folk music is an age-old art form, and it’s more relevant than ever in these wild and crazy modern times.

“You can expect an inspiring and entertaining gig, a relaxed and fun affair that leaves you feeling like you’ve met up with an old friend, and you’re all the better for it.” n Tickets have just gone on sale.

For more details, log on to: www. beansontoastmusic.com

Audiences can waltz into cinema

WPR_2022-08-08_ReadingToday_16x4 (1)_Just Go

Reader travel

DELIGHTFUL DEVON

FOLKESTONE

Weekend

DelightfulDevonWeekend_F.pdf

& France Weekend Folkestone&FranceWeekend_F.pdf

Departing Fri 7 Oct ‘22 Your break includes

Your break includes

Return coach travel from Reading 3 nights at the Ashton Court Hotel, Exmouth with dinner & breakfast Entertainment some evenings Excursion to Exeter

Return coach travel and ferry crossings from Reading 3 nights at the Grand Burstin Hotel, Folkestone with dinner & breakfast Entertainment every evening Excursion to Boulogne-sur-Mer & Canterbury

4 Days by Coach only £ Single Supplement £45

144.99

174.99

4 Days by Coach only £ Single Supplement £45

Operated by Just Go Holidays Ltd. Coach package holidays and short breaks are subject to Just Go! Holidays terms and conditions.

Your booking is protected by Bonded Coach Holidays (BCH) and the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT); this is a government approved consumer protection scheme. Tours offered subject to availability and government guidelines.

Errors and omissions excepted. Prices per person, based on two people sharing a double/twin room. Calls to 033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.

For more information, or to book, please call

03332 342 527 Quote WPR

or visit us online at

justgoholidays.com/WPR

033 numbers are free within inclusive minutes packages otherwise standard rates apply.

by André Rieu and Michael Wiseman.

Rieu will be joined by The Johann Strauss Orchestra and yet to be announced special guests.

His previous concerts have attracted thousands of concert goers.

The three hour concert will be performed live in Holland’s iconic Vrijthof Square, in the centre of Maastrict’s beautiful old town, on

two consecutive nights.

The event is being shown to UK audiences on the big screen.

It can be seen at Wokingham’s Everyman cinema on Saturday, August 27 at 7pm.

Tickets cost £23, with concessions costing £18. n For more information and to buy tickets log on to: www. everymancinema.com, or call 01233 555642.

Carnival of the World brings the sea giant to Broad Street

Departing Fri 21 Oct ‘22

Optional excursion to Sidmouth (£9pp)

MUSIC lovers will be able to enjoy Strauss, and many other musical greats at the Everyman.

From the comfort of the cinema they will see maestro André Rieu performing popular classics, show tunes and waltzes live from the Netherlands.

The violinist’s first concert in two years, Happy Days are Here Again!, will be an orchestral extravaganza, conducted

justgohols JGTravelGroup

THE CARNIVAL of the World will be returning to Broad Street on Saturday, August 13.

The free event will see theatre and performances from around the globe in a family-friendly festival extravaganza.

It will also see EKO the sea giant, a four-metre high puppet, which will promenade along Broad Street as part of an outdoor physical theatre performance called Out of the Deep Blue.

The performance will tell the story of EKO meeting Violet, after rising from the deep and encountering her on the shore, through dance, theatre, and movement accompanied by a musical landscape.

The Live stage will also see music from the Reading All Steel Percussion Orchestra, followed by a host of guest artists throughout the day.

As well as the sea giant, the carnival parade will feature costumes, dancers, and percussionists to bring the global spirit of carnival to Reading The Carnival of the World was brought to the town by CultureNix Arts, Autin Dance, Reading Central BID, and Reading’s Economy & Destination Agency.

The parade will begin at noon on Saturday, August 13, on Broad Street, with the event closing at 6pm.

The event is free to attend.

For more information, visit ww.culturemixarts.co.uk

LEISURE | 25

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

LIVEMUSIC

To advertise in this section, call Claire on 0118 327 2662

RawSounds Today

The Dutch rock band who recently celebrated their 50th Anniversary will be headlining the Main Trademark Stage at Wokingham Festival on August Bank Holiday Monday.

You can read an interview with the band in the paper very soon and listen to this classic which, as well as being a hit in the 1970s, had renewed interest when it was used in a 2010 World Cup commercial – https://focustheband.co.uk/

Chris Hillman bit.ly/raw sounds today

E

Kepler Ten – A New Kind of Sideways

VERYONE loves a good conjuring trick, not least ones that contain the magic words Hocus Pocus. And we’ve got something rather magical this week…

Focus had a big hit with the song Hocus Pocus, and it will no doubt be heard at the Wokingham Festival later this month.

It’s just one of 10 fantastic tracks on the RaW Sounds Today playlist. We’re on a mission to champion and showcase great music from acts that have a connection to Reading and Wokingham (that’s the RaW in our Sounds Today name).

It’s an eclectic mix of stuff that will help you discover something new. All you have to do is find it on Spotify.

To hear this week’s selection, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday and enjoy the music.

There is also a Facebook page and group chat that bands and music fans can tap into. You can search for RaW Sounds Today and it will come up.

Curved Air – Back Street Luv Here’s a song that reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart.

It’s from Curved Air the band, led by the iconic Sonia Kristina, who combine classic rock, prog, folk

This is the title track from Kepler Ten’s latest critically acclaimed album on our White Star records label.

They have only played songs from the album at one excellent show in their home town of Southampton so we are excited that we get the chance to see the band at Wokingham Festival – https://www.keplerten.com/

CURVED AIR AT WOKINGHAM MUSIC CLUB. PICTURE: Andrew Merritt Photography and classical elements to produce a unique sound which you can hear live when the band make a return visit to Wokingham Music Club on Sept 9.

They last played at the club back in 2017 and what a great night that was.

If you were there you’ll know how good they were and, if not, don’t miss the opportunity to see this legendary band – https://www.curvedair.com/

Focus – Hocus Pocus Talking of legendary bands, here’s another one.

They also had UK hits such as this one and are visiting us.

TRIM – Still Waters (Live) TRIM is a Reading-based band led by singersongwriter Chris Trim who perform original pop rock songs with a blues and folk feel.

The band will be making a welcome return to Wokingham Festival – https://www.facebook.com/ christrimmusic

Split the Dealer – Hard to Take (Live Lounge Acoustic Session)

It’s Reading-based Split the Dealer with an acoustic version of his 2022 single performed by Split and guitarist Rory Evans at Northbrook Met Studios in Brighton – https://www.splitthedealer. com/

GIG GUIDE Thursday, August 11

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Risking Nostalgia. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk READING – The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Request night. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – The Corn Stores, Forbury Road RG1 1SB. Gini. Details: 0118 324 6768.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. The Amazons. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Found Native. Details: 0118 959 7196.

Friday, August 12

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Sound Intentions. Details: 01344 303333.

READING – The Blagrave, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. The Tim Kay Band. Details: 0118 958 6775.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open Mic Night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Marc Valentine, Sonic Gypsy, Continental Lovers.

Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – O’Neill’s, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Live music Fridays. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – The Oracle RG1 2AG. Live music at the beach: The Futuristic Gramophones. Details: 0118 965 9000.

READING – The Weather Station, Eldon Terrace RG1

4DX. Friday Blues. Details: 0118 958 6048.

YATELEY – The Cricketers, Cricket Hill Lane GU46 6BA. Gary Roman as Elvis.

Details: 01252 872105.

YATTENDON – West Berkshire Brewery Tap Room, The Old Dairy, Frisham Farm RG18 0XT. Friday night sessions.

Details: 01635 767090.

Saturday, August 13

BINFIELD – The Binfield Club, Terrace Road RG42 4HP. Leech. Details: 01344 420690.

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. NBS. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. Solace. Details: 01344 422622.

EMMBROOK – The Dog and Duck, Matthewsgreen Road RG41 1JT. Steve Brookes. Details: 0118 978 0544.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Church of Madness v DJ: Traumahound and DJ Source. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. One Eye Man Official live show. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Corvid and support.

Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Spandau Ballet Vs Duran Duran tribute.

Details: 0118 402 7800.

READING – O’Neill’s, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Al Fresco

Music. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – Reading Railway Social Club, Station Hill.

The Pink Diamond Revue and Non-Drama.

READING – Revolution, Station Road. Revolution Saturdays: music, cocktails and more.

READING – Revolución de Cuba, Friar Street RG1 1EX. Club night with live music and DJ. Details: 0118 207 7016.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. DJ Pauly.

Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Turn. Details: 0118 957 6930.

WHISTLEY GREEN – The Elephant and Castle, Lodge Road RG10 0EH. The Beatle and Buddy Show. Details: 0118 934 0886.

WOKINGHAM – The Duke’s Head, Denmark Street RG40 3BQ. Abi Powell.

Details: 0118 978 0316.

Sunday, August 14

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Live music on the terrace. 2pm. Details: 01344 484123.

EARLEY – The Roebuck, Auckland Road RG6 1NY. Afternoon karaoke. 2pm.

Details: 0118 966 7153.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Jimmy Lee and the Blue Coconut Orchestra.

Details: www.readifolk. org.uk READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2

7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

RISELEY – The Bull at Riseley, Basingstoke Road RG7 1QL. The B Side. Details: 0118 343 0565.

Tuesday, August 16 BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. New Music Tuesday. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk

Wednesday, August 17

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Moonlit Ocean. Details: 0118 959 5500.

WHISTLEY GREEN – The Elephant and Castle, Lodge Road RG10 0EH. Open mic night. Details: 0118 934 0886.

Thursday, August 18

READING – Bar 77, Kings Road RG1 3BJ. Jam Night.

Details: 7748@greeneking. co.uk READING – The Botanist, Kings Road RG1 2HB. Request night. Details: 0118 959 5746.

READING – Wild Lime, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Open mic: spoken word, music and vibes. From 6.30pm.

Friday, August 19

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Windsor Comes To Bracknell: Replicants, Euphoria. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Clique Duo. Details: 01344 303333.

CAVERSHAM – The Fox and Hounds, Gosbrook Road.

Hopfest the return: beer, music and food. www. thefoxcaversham.com GORING – Don Giovannii at The Leatherne Bottel, Bridleway RG8 0HS. Liza Marshall. Details: 01491 598622.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Cracking Up. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Foresters Arms, Brunswick Street RG1 6NY. DJ Jacky D. Details: 0118 304 3648.

READING – Hope and Bear, London Road RG1 5DE. Je’Zell. Details: 0118 935 4095 READING – The Oracle RG1 2AG. Live music at the beach: Fuse. Details: 0118 965 9000.

READING – O’Neill’s, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Live music Fridays. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Jason Stretch. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – The Weather Station, Eldon Terrace RG1 4DX. Ghost Cat. Details: 0118 958 6048.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. The Gas Trick Band.

Details: 0118 977 3706.

YATTENDON – West Berkshire Brewery Tap Room, The Old Dairy, Frisham Farm RG18 0XT. Friday night sessions.

Details: 01635 767090.

HOLDING A GIG, QUIZ OR GAMES NIGHT? SEND DETAILS TO EVENTS@WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Saturday, August 20

BEECH HILL – Memorial Hall, Wood Lane RG7 2BE. Beech Hill Band Day: Rosedale, Lost The Plot, The Jeffs, The Turtles, The Encores. From Noon-6pm.

Details: bhmh.org.uk BINFIELD – The Binfield Club, Terrace Road RG42 4HP. Don’t Look Now. Details: 01344 420690.

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Double Shots. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Silver Birch, Liscombe RG12 7DE. Full Flavour Band.

Details: 01344 457318.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. White Light. Details: 01344 422622.

CAVERSHAM – The Fox and Hounds, Gosbrook Road.

Hopfest the return: beer, music and food. www. thefoxcaversham.com CROWTHORNE – The Crowthorne Inn, High Street RG45 7AD. Utter Madness Duo. Details: 01344 530615.

EARLEY – The Seven Red Roses, Maiden Place RG6 3HA. Gary Roman as Elvis.

Details: 0118 935 4103.

PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. Coda: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Details: 0118 969 98978.

READING – The Facebar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Caz and the Traitors.

Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – O’Neill’s, Friar Street RG1 1DB. Al Fresco Music. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – Revolution,

Papa Truck – Million Miles Here’s a five-piece band from High Wycombe who perform their own original bluegrass songs.

This one is from their 2020 album By Your Side.

They will be live at Wokingham Festival – https:// www.facebook.com/papatruck

A Better Life – Take A Deep Breath Local producer and musician, Phil Daniels, who heads up this electronica collective says that this title track of their excellent 2021 album will be the last single release from that album with new material to come – https://abetterlifemusic.com/

The Telephones – Pale Saints Derby-based psychedelic pop rockers with a song from new album, Prosaic Turbulence, that has just been released on Billywitch Records, the offshoot of Wokingham-based, Mega Dodo Records – https:// www.facebook.com/TheTelephonesUK

Kindred Spirit Band – Kindred Spirit We go back in time with this song from Kindred Spirit’s 2015 album, Phoenix Rising, as they will be at Wokingham Festival following other successful festival shows this summer – https://www.facebook. com/KindredSpiritBand

Nora Mac – Dropping Out of Love Nora Mac is a talented singer-songwriter from Marlow who will be at Wokingham Festival.

Her band there will include Dean Nelson from Generation Studios and Robin Johnson from Kyros guesting with her – https:// noramacmusic.com/

Station Road. Revolution Saturdays: music, cocktails and more.

READING – Revolución de Cuba, Friar Street RG1 1EX. Club night with live music and DJ. Details: 0118 207 7016.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Bourbon and Blues: live music, funky cocktails and more. 1pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Goldtrax.

Details: 0118 926 5804.

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. Shaken Not Stirred.

Details: 0118 942 9606.

WOKINGHAM – The Ship Inn, Peach Street RG40 1XH. Rhythm Hill. Details: 0118 978 0389.

WOKINGHAM – The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Caribbean

Festival. From 3pm.

Details: 0118 979 7402.

Sunday, August 21

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Live music on the terrace. 2pm.

Wilde Sundays: Cloudcat, Will Samson, Michael Tuffery. 2pm. Details: 01344 484123.

CAVERSHAM – The Fox and Hounds, Gosbrook Road.

Hopfest the return:. www. thefoxcaversham.com EARLEY – The Roebuck, Auckland Road RG6 1NY. Afternoon karaoke. 2pm.

Details: 0118 966 7153.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Singers Night. Details: www.readifolk.org.uk READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

CARIBBEAN FESTIVAL

featuring a live Steel band and lots of enticing Caribbean food to taste

SATURDAY, 20 AUGUST 2022 AT 15:00 Tickets £8 wegottickets.com THE WHITE HORSE

Easthampstead Road Wokingham, RG40 3AF

0118 979 7402

26 | LEISURE

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WHAT’SON Films at Reading Biscuit Factory

READING – The Biscuit Factory, Queens Walk RG1 7QE. They include Where The Crawdads Sing (15). Thurs 11. Minions: The Rise of Gru (U). Thurs 11. Bullet Train (15). Thurs 11. The Railway Children Return (PG). Thurs 11. Top Gun: Maverick (12a). Thurs 11. Elvis (12a). Thurs 11.

NT Live: Prima Facie (15).

Thurs 11. Nope (15). Fri 12-Thurs 18. Reading Film Theatre presents Jules Et Jim (12a). Wed. Details: readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk

Thursday, August 11

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org READING – Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Rhymetime for under fives. 10.15-10.45am, or 11.15am-11.45am.

Booking essential, free.

Details: 0118 937 5103.

READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. The History of Reading’s Print Industry Talk – A talk

by Paul Joyce. Organised by the Berkshire Family History Society. 2pm3.30pm. £5. Details: 0118 950 9553.

SPENCERS WOOD – Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org TILEHURST – Library, School Road RG31 5AS. Rhymetime for under fives.

2.15pm-2.45pm. Booking essential, free. Details: 0118 937 5109.

WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic lunch club with Friendship table.

Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Friday, August 12

BURGHFIELD – Burghfield Common Recreation Ground, Recreation Road

Holding a community event? Send your listings to events@rdg.today

RG7 3EN. The Bulging Sack In The Park: enjoy a drink with family and friends, and raise funds for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Food and drink available.

5pm-9pm. Details: burghfieldsantas.org.uk CAVERSHAM – Caversham Court Gardens, Church Road RG4 7AD. Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice tea and cake fundraiser from the Caversham Court Tea Kiosk. 11am-5pm.

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org THEALE – Library, Church Street RG7 5BZ. Play bridge. Suitable for beginners and experienced players. 10.45am-12.45pm.

No booking required. Free.

Details: 0118 930 3207, or: thealelibrary@westberks. gov.uk WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, August 13

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Paws In the Park dog show and event day. 11am-4.30pm.

Free entry. Details: https:// pawsintheparkbracknell. co.uk/ BURGHFIELD – Burghfield Community and Sports Association, James Lane RG30 3RS. Burghfield Darts Events presents an evening with PDC

professional Cool Hand Luke Humphries. 7pm.

Meet and greet with Luke from 6.30pm. £10. Details: burghfieldcsa.co.uk CAVERSHAM – Caversham Court Gardens, Church Road RG4 7AD. Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice tea and cake fundraiser from the Caversham Court Tea Kiosk. 11am-5pm.

CAVERSHAM – Caversham Methodist Church Hall, Gosbrook Road RG4 8EB. Artists and Makers Fair.

10am. Free entry. Details: jean@alljazzedup.com or 07808 966928.

PANGBOURNE – Allotments, Grahame Avenue RG8 7LF. Pangbourne Allotments open morning. 10am-noon.

Free. Produce for sale.

PANGBOURNE – Falklands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne College RG8 8LA. Pangbourne and District Silver Band 60th anniversary concert, with special guests Mid Michigan Brass Band.

7pm. £10. Details: www. ticketsource.co.uk, search for Pangbourne Silver Band.

READING – Bar 77, Kings Road RG1 3BJ. Reading’s Got Drag: The competition.

8.15pm.

READING – Broad Street.

Carnival of the World: live stage and parade.

Noon-6pm. Details: culturemixarts.co.uk READING – IKEA, Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, Pincent Lane RG31 7SD. Balloon artist and face painter for children. 11am5pm. Free. Details: www. ikea.com READING – Phantom Brewing, Meadow Road RG1 8LB. Brewery tour and tasting. Noon. Booking essential. Details: www. phantombrew.com READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Progress Theatre open day.

From noon. Details: www. progresstheatre.co.uk.

READING – Prospect Park, Liebenrood Road. Car boot sale. Sellers from 6am. Buyers from 7.30am. £10 car, £12 van. Details: 07773 539172.

RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road. Summer fun and bouncy castles

in the park. Details: wellingtoncountrypark. co.uk WOKINGHAM – Bond Brews, South Barns, Gardeners Green Farm, Heathlands Road. Bond Brew Tap Yard party. Noon-6pm. Details: bondbrews.co.uk WOKINGHAM – Elms Field, Elms Road. Kidical Mass family-friendly cycle ride.

2pm. Route will return to Elms Field. Details: Search Facebook for Kidical Mass Wokingham WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market. 9am3pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, August 14

CAVERSHAM – Caversham Court Gardens, Church Road RG4 7AD. Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice tea and cake fundraiser from the Caversham Court Tea Kiosk. 11am-5pm.

CAVERSHAM – Waitrose Car Park, off Gosbrook Road. Caversham Artisan & Farmers Market. 10am3pm.

READING – Abbey Ruins, Abbey Street RG1 3BA. 60 Hour Shakespeare presents ‘Ophelia’ and ‘Mercutio’: The Shakespeare Theatrical Universe. £6. In aid of New Beginnings Reading.

Details: search https:// www.eventbrite.co.uk for 60 Hour Shakespeare.

READING – Eclectic Games, Union Street. Pokemon Sunday Standard Tournament. From 10.30am. £6. Details: www. eclecticgames.co.uk READING – Forbury Gardens, The Forbury RG1 3BB. Forbury Bandstand concert season: Woodley Concert Band. 3pm-4.30pm. Free.

Details. Whatsonreading. com

READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. The Sunday Alternative: a secular community of words and music. Coffee and catch-up.

10.45am-1pm. Details: sundayalternative.org.uk READING – Rivermead Leisure Centre, Richfield Avenue RG1 8EQ. Reading Vinyl Record Collectors Fair. 9am-3pm. £4.

RISELEY – Wellington Country Park, Odiham Road. Summer fun and bouncy castles in the park. Details: wellingtoncountrypark. co.uk SINDLESHAM – Reddam House, Bearwood Road RG41 5BG. Ollie Young Fun Day. 11am4pm. Free entry. Music, Licensed Bar, BBQ, Food, Stalls, Games, Activities, Inflatables and more.

WOKINGHAM – Market Place. Wokingham vegan market. 9am-1pm. Details: www.sparkleveganevents. com WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents car boot sale. 8am-1pm. Cars £10, vans £15. Details: 07861 654674 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk WOODLEY – St James Church, Kingfisher Drive.

Messy Church goes to the movies: Moana. 4pm-6pm.

Bring own snakcs and drinks.

Monday, August 15

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.

9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org READING – Market House, Market Place RG1 2EQ. Rooftop Cinema Club: Licorice Pizza. 8.30pm. £5.

Details: 0118 216 1750.

READING – Milk, Merchants Place RG1 1DT. Jelly’s The Creative book club meeting. 7pm-8.30pm. £2.

Places limited, pre-booking essential. Details: jelly. org.uk WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Woodley

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022 Baptist Church, Hurricane Way RG5 4UX. Four Seasons cafe Friendship Table. 1.30pm-3.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Tuesday, August 16

EARLEY – Earley CResCent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. Friendship table. 2pm-3pm. Details: linkvisiting.org.

FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre Cafe, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. Friendship table. 10amnoon. linkvisiting.org READING – The Oracle RG1 2AG. Children’s activities at the beach. Free. Booking essentiall Details: www. theoracle.com READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. The Finches social club for people with or without autism. 7pm-9pm. Drinks and snacks available to buy. Music, and friendship.

Details: kingwood.org.uk WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Wednesday, August 17

BURGHFIELD – The Old Rectory RG30 3TH. Open garden for NGS. Four-acre gardens featuring tulips, a pool garden, woodland area and terraced lawns with mature trees. £5.

10.30am-12.30pm, 2pm4pm. £5, children free. Prebooking essential. Details: ngs.org.uk EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe with Friendship Table. 2pm4pm. Details: linkvisiting. org EARLEY – Earley Crescent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. MS weekly drop-in. 10.30am-1.30pm Details: 0118 921 0555.

READING – Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Road RG1 5EX. Miller’s Ark farm at The MERL. Meet farm animals in the lovely MERL garden, drop-in. Donations towards costs welcomed.

10.30am-2.30pm. Details: 0118 378 8660.

READING – The Oracle RG1 2AG. Children’s activities at the beach. Free. Booking essential Details: www. theoracle.com WOKINGHAM – Bradbury

What’s What’s on on event event submission submission form form Holding a community event? Running a fun day? Organising a concert? Planning a friendship group? Get it listed in our what’s on guide by sending information to us. Use this form or email events@wokingham.today. Please note this service is for community groups,

Name Name

charities and not-for-profit activities. We cannot guarantee inclusion.

Address

Date of event: Venue of event: What will happen:

Address

Postcode Email Postcode

Time of event: Contact number for readers:

Send Emailyour forms to: What’s On, Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS

Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Artisan market. 9am2pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Thursday, August 18

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Family History Advice Clinic for family and social historians.

11am. Free. Details: 0118 950 9553.

SHINFIELD – Robyn’s Nest School Green, School Green Centre, School Green RG2 9EH. Story time with the elderly: a story read by a Shinfield View Care Home Resident.

11am. Stories suitable for preschool aged children.

SPENCERS WOOD – Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic lunch club with Friendship table.

Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org

Friday, August 19

BURGHFIELD – Burghfield Common Recreation Ground, Recreation Road RG7 3EN. The Bulging Sack In The Park: enjoy a drink with family and friends, and raise funds for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

Food and drink available.

5pm-9pm. Details: burghfieldsantas.org.uk EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10am-noon.

Details: linkvisiting.org READING – South Street Arts Centre. Poets Cafe online.

1pm. 0118 960 6060.

THEALE – Library, Church Street RG7 5BZ. Play bridge. Suitable for beginners and experienced players. 10.45am-12.45pm.

No booking required. Free.

Details: 0118 930 3207, or: thealelibrary@westberks. gov.uk WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturges Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH.

Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, August 20

READING – Cattle Market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Reading Farmers Market. 8.15amnoon. Details: www. thamesvalleyfarmers market.co.uk READING – IKEA, Pincents Kiln Industrial Park, Pincent Lane RG31 7SD. Balloon artist and face painter for children. 11am5pm. Free. Details: www. ikea.com READING – Tutu’s Ethopian Table, Palmer Park, Wokingham Road. Poetry in the Park. 11am.

TWYFORD – Stanlake Meadow Recreation Ground, Waltham Road.

Twycord Village fete.

Noon-4pm.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Ride For Autism: limited to large bikes due to route, not 125 friendly. 10.30am-2pm.

In aid of National Autistic Society. Details: www. supergood-ride-for-autism. com WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents Saturday market. 9am3pm. Details: www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Sunday, August 21

CAVERSHAM – Waitrose Car Park, off Gosbrook Road.

Artisan & Farmers Market.

10am-3pm.

READING – Forbury Gardens, The Forbury RG1 3BB. Forbury Bandstand concert season: Waltham St Lawrence Silver Band.

3pm-4.30pm. Free. Details.

Whatsonreading.com SINDLESHAM – Wokingham Cricket Club, Sadlers End. Charity cricket match: Harry’s XI v Indian Tourist XI. From 4pm. Details: www.justgiving.com/team/ harrycricket WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Minature Railway, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Pinewood Minature Railway. Details: www. pinewoodrailway.co.uk WOODLEY – Crockhamwell Road precinct. Woodley Town Centre presents car boot sale. 8am-1pm. Cars £10, vans £15. Details: 07861 654674 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk

No. 5426

Your weekly puzzle challenge

27

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

TO ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE, CALL CLAIRE ON: 0118 327 2662

Quiz Challenge

20

19 8

17

5

17 9

13

17

1

15

15

21

23

12

22 10

1

15

11

11 17

21

26

26

11

12

1

24

22

1

11

26

26

14

7

11 15

14

5

11

1

10

7

11

12

21

16

16

23

4. Hannah Gordon, Anna Ford and Sue Lawley are all varieties of what?

12

5. Miles Teller plays fighter pilot Bradley ‘Rooster’ Bradshaw in which 2022 action film sequel?

12 25

17

11

1

26

3

4 9

3. Which animals were traditionally hunted by dachshunds in Germany?

7

14

NONAGRAM

11 7

11

R K I

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

L

E

J

Each number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares.

As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

MAGIC SQUARE

I ARRAY DREARY AREA

Using all 16 letters of the phrase above, form four words each of four letters which will fit in the grid to form a magic square in which the words can be read both horizontally and vertically.

P E N

How many words of four letters or more can you make from this Nonagram? Each word must use the central letter, and each letter may be used only once. At least one word using all nine letters can be found.

Guidelines: 30 Good; 35 Very Good; 41 Excellent.

Any word found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible with the following exceptions: proper nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and possessives; third person singular verbs; hyphenated words; contractions and abbreviations; vulgar slang words; variant spellings of the same word (where another variant is also eligible).

Spell out a 15-letter word or phrase by moving from one chamber to another within the pyramid. You may only enter each of the chambers once and may only proceed U through openings in the walls. The E first letter may appear in any chamber.

T H

NP

ET

DK

AI

UE

LN

LI

TI

NT

EH

TM

SUDOKU Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.

1 4 8 6 5 3 2 9 6 8 6 2 3 7 4 9 6 3 5 9 5 4 3 8 6 3 5 2 8 7

7 2 8 1 6 4

1 9

3 1

5

4 5 6 2 5 6 3

4 1 6 5 9 2

10 13 13

12

11

13

14

4

7

8

16

16

18 20

12

14 15

17 19

18

20

L B

ACROSS 2. For each of the campers included (3) 5. Disguised spy with revolutionary spirit (6) 7. Ring us before Edward is forced out (6) 9. For some birds a fish perhaps will suffice (4,3,4) 10. Priest enters the tabernacle rich (6) 11. One who tries out bed canopy (6) 13. Hazel and Megan showed spice (6) 16. Egg bistro cooked not right for member of the band (6) 18. Strictly directed at landlord (2,3,6) 19. In France you and bishop entering tower (6) 20. Make a mistake with insect wandering (6) 21. Cannot be considered back in the pavilion (3)

H

N

A T

C O

U

Here are two miniature fivesquare crosswords using the same grid – but the letters have been mixed up.

You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.

SE

1

2

3

4

9

5

6

7

25

28

10 10

11

11

12

14 17

15 18

13

13

16 19

20

21

20

22

23

24

This puzzle page is supplied by Sirius Media Services Ltd.

© Sirius Media Services Ltd

5 8

Perform the first calculation in each line first and ignore the mathematical law which says you should always perform division and multiplication before addition and subtraction.

To try our new puzzle, Zygolex, go to www.zygolex.com

DOWN 1. Serviceable new fuels that include uranium (6) 2. Go with twitch that’s aiding digestion (6) 3. Rebel leader noted remarkable rat perhaps (6) 4. Ground grain that is maize (6) 6. Article more confusing about measuring instrument (11) 8. One who deals with complaints in the main (5,6) 10. Study carbon monoxide and nitrogen (3) 12. Rubbish found when mountain climbing (3) 14. It is dishonest to regret that another nut has been found first (6) 15. Get hot going round poor quarter (6) 16. Some lettuce inside egg dish (6) 17. Line of beans? (6)

QUICK CROSSWORD

26 28

30 3 7 6 4 8 9 2 1 5

9 1 4 3 2 5 8 6 7

5 2 8 1 6 7 3 4 9

1 5 3 2 9 4 7 8 6

6 9 2 8 7 1 5 3 4

4 8 7 5 3 6 1 9 2

WORD PYRAMID: The untouchables.

EQUALISER: Clockwise from top left – subtract; multiply; add; divide. Total: 4.

SOLUTIONS

7

6

11

Place the four signs (add, subtract, multiply, divide) one in each circle so that the total of each across and down line is the same.

8 3 9 7 4 2 6 5 1

5 2 7

8

5

9

EQUALISER 11 3 9 7 2 3 1 6 2 1 2 1

Hard

2 6 1 9 5 8 4 7 3

Easy

3

21

S

DI

YS

6

E

ET

FC

2

19

UE

IF

3

21

CR

PO

2

9

FIVE ALIVE SA

1

5

WORD PYRAMID

P A D

1

1

6. Who did Rafael Nadal beat in the final of the 2022 French Open tennis tournament?

7. What is the title of Jackie Collins’s most successful novel?

8. The letter U appears three times in the name of which South American country?

9. Which US alternative rock band formed in 1986 shares its name with small mythical creatures?

10. What was the vehicle innovation CVT, originally developed in F1 motorsport?

2. What is the main activity of the Sealed Knot Society?

1

2 17

1. Which Mediterranean island produces the dark sweet dessert wine called Marsala?

19

15

2

9 10

22

1 7

11 18

11

11 9

11

4 17

4

22

11 19

21

1

1 11

21

24 6

11

12

9 24

11

21

11

7

7 4 5 6 1 3 9 2 8

12

21

11

15

4 6 9 5 8 7 2 1 3

1

9

16

1 8 5 3 2 9 6 4 7

5

2

12

14

3 7 2 1 6 4 9 5 8

21

7

6 4 7 8 9 2 1 3 5

1

9

19

8 2 3 7 1 5 4 6 9

11

9 5 1 4 3 6 8 7 2

24

7 3 8 2 4 1 5 9 6

22

2 9 4 6 5 3 7 8 1

12

5 1 6 9 7 8 3 2 4

24

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

PZ1P5426

CROSS CODE

5426

ACROSS 1. Inherent aptitude (8) 5. Body powder (4) 9. Genial (7) 10. Sudden increase (5) 11. Medieval stringed instrument (5) 13. Mouth secretion (6) 15. Masculine (5) 17. Likelihood (4) 19. Fish eggs (3) 20. Strap for hawk (4)

27

29

31

21. Wearied by excess (5) 23. Menace (6) 24. Booth (5) 28. Banishment (5) 29. Artistic movement (3,4) 30. Indication (4) 31. First performance (8) DOWN 1. Irritation (4) 2. Woollen fabric (5) 3. In the same place (6)

4.

6.

7.

8.

12.

13.

14.

16.

18.

21.

22.

25.

26.

27.

Prison room (4) Flight company (7) Fissure (8) Test metals (5) Measure of gold (5) Glossy (5) Stronghold (8) Indicate assent (3) Beloved (7) Henry -----, American author (5) Pronouncement (6) Blockade (5) Just (4) District (4)

FIVE ALIVE: QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 Sicily; 2 Re-enactments of English Civil War battles; 3 Badgers; 4 Rose; 5 Top Gun: Maverick; 6 Casper Ruud; 7 Hollywood Wives; 8 Uruguay; 9 Pixies; 10 Continuously variable transmission.

(1) Across – Spear; Elite; Nests.

Down – Skein; Epics; Reeds.

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: CROSS CODE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Across – 2 Per; 5 Psyche; 7 Ousted; 9 Fill the bill; 10 Cleric; 11 (2) Across – Antic; Unfit; Thyme.

R H V W F K T Q A G E O Z Tester; 13 Nutmeg; 16 Oboist; 18 To the letter; 19 Turret; 20 Down – Adult; Toffy; Cutie.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Errant; 21 Out. S I B U X P M L N Y C J D Down – 1 Useful; 2 Peptic; 3 Rodent; 4 Mealie; 6 Calorimeter; 8 NONAGRAM: akin; dank; danker; dark; darken; Ship’s doctor; 10 Con; 12 Rot; 14 Untrue; 15 Ghetto; 16 Omelet; dike; dink; dirk; drake; drank; drek; MAGIC SQUARE: EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU dray; rare; aria; year. 17 String. drink; inked; inker; irked; kadi; kepi; kern; kidnap; KIDNAPPER; kina; kind; kinda; kinder; kipped; kipper; kirpan; knap; knapped; knapper; knar; knead; naked; naker; nark; narked; nerk; park; parked; parkin; peak; pekan; perk; pika; pike; piked; piker; pink; pinked; pinker; prank; prink; prinked; rake; raked; raki; rank; ranked; rink.

QUICK CROSSWORD: Across – 1 Instinct; 5 Talc; 9 Cordial; 10 Surge; 11 Rebec; 13 Saliva; 15 Manly; 17 Odds; 19 Roe; 20 Jess; 21 Jaded; 23 Threat; 24 Kiosk; 28 Exile; 29 Art deco; 30 Sign; 31 Première.

Down – 1 Itch; 2 Serge; 3 Ibidem; 4 Cell; 6 Airline; 7 Crevasse; 8 Assay; 12 Carat; 13 Sleek; 14 Fortress; 16 Nod; 18 Darling; 21 James; 22 Dictum; 25 Siege; 26 Fair; 27 Zone.

28 | LIFE

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Celebrating breastfeeding Healthy heart tip

R

ESEARCH has shown that women who have breastfed at some time in their lives are less likely to develop heart disease or stroke, compared to women who haven’t breastfed at all.

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year across the world from 1st-7th August, and aims to raise awareness about breastfeeding and its many advantages.

Here we explore some of them:

Any length of time is amazing!

Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended until six months, but any length of time a baby is breastfed is a health benefit for Mum and baby.

There is a lot of evidence to show how beneficial it is to

breastfeed your baby, especially in the early weeks.

Health benefits Breast milk contains everything baby needs for the first six months of their life, in all the right proportions.

Breast milk is easily digestible, absorbed and loaded with antibodies.

Breastfeeding is recommended by the World Health Organisation for up to two years, and beyond, because the benefits are so vast.

Getting the hang of it

Feeding your baby can feel quite overwhelming at first – whether you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding with infant formula or a combination of both.

We know it can take time to get the hang of breastfeeding.

If you have any feeding worries or concerns, the best thing to do is speak to your midwife or health visitor for support.

The benefits of breastfeeding are so numerous, and it’s the best start you can give your baby, if you want to and you’re able. Plus, we can’t discount the big benefits for Mum, for health reasons and convenience. However, no matter what choice you make – you got this.

Other useful resources:

https://www.laleche. org.uk/ https://kellymom.com/

More than a year’s worth of nature walks in new book

n For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www. heartresearch.org.uk/ healthy-tips. n To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch. org.uk/heart-researchuk-recipes-2/

A

n Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK

Plasticfreehome David Lamont

The benefits of not flying

A

S young adults, my wife and I both travelled.

Unfortunately, for me, those fond memories are now tinged with a growing sense of guilt, having watched the climate crisis continue to escalate.

Growing up, things were very different. Our family holidays were largely spent in South Wales, separated by the occasional trip to Scotland or the Isle of Wight. And it was brilliant. As a child, I flew just twice and my wife’s childhood was similar. We have chosen to continue that same tradition with our own boys, five and seven.

According to independent think tank, the Resolution Foundation, in pre-pandemic times the UK’s “tourism trade deficit” – the amount we were spending on overseas holidays versus the amount spent by tourists visiting the UK – equated to an incredible £30.5bn.

The economic benefit of staying and spending here in the UK is impossible to ignore then.

What about the environmental cost and benefit then?

Around 2.4% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from aviation, and the industry is said to be responsible for around 5% of global

warming by the European Federation for Transport and Environment. Yet only half of us in the UK fly annually, and just 3% of the global population flies regularly.

Using a well-known online carbon calculator we worked out that the return car journey for our recent family holiday in South Wales generated 0.159 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Had we instead opted for a popular overseas destination like say Tenerife, we’d have racked up four tonnes between us – our share of the plane’s total emissions.

It’s worth noting that if you are flying business class or first class, your emissions are calculated to be

up to four times higher than if flying economy.

To put that in perspective, we could take our boys on holiday to South Wales annually throughout the entirety of their childhoods and still have carbon dioxide to spare versus a single return trip to the Canary Islands.

That single trip would also increase an average person in the UK’s carbon footprint by around 10%.

By contrast, a car journey covering the same distance would chalk up under two tonnes of carbon dioxide – a reduction of over half. Taking the train would reduce your emissions by just over half again.

And, like cars, it isn’t just carbon

dioxide that planes are churning out.

Other emissions, including Methane, nitrous oxides, water vapour, soot and sulphur aerosols can also serve to trap heat and their impact is worse when released at high altitude.

The above is why we currently have no plans to fly again as a family – as Peter Pan once said: “The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease forever to be able to do it.”

Our next big adventure will be to explore Scotland together and if we do decide to take the boys to Europe, it will be by train.

The simple point is, do we really need to fly or travel long distances in search of the perfect holiday, or do we risk overlooking everything that our own country has to offer, to our own detriment?

Given the climate emergency facing us, is this one significant and relatively easy change that we can all consider making now? n Created in 2018 by blogger and voluntary hack David Lamont, Plastic Free Home is an online community with more than 32,000 followers that aims to seek and share ideas on how we can all live more sustainably.

Visit www.theplasticfreehome. com or www.facebook.com/ plasticfreehomeuk

NEW book featuring more than a year’s worth of nature walks is to be published next week.

Wildlife Walks covers the length and breadth of the country, giving people the opportunity to discover The Wildlife Trust’s numerous nature reserves and get to explore some hidden parts of the country.

In all, there are 475 walks to try out, covering forests, heaths, moors and woodlands, as well as scenic coastal locations.

Orgnised by region, there is everything you could possibly need to know including how to get to the site, what to expect when you get there, facilities available, and the walking time that the route will take.

And to help people get to grips with nature, it is packed with pictures showing species of special interest and other sights to look out for.

The book is by Charlotte Varela, a nature writer and naturalist.

She says she aims to be an ally for wildlife and a proactive voice in the world of conservation.

Through her work, she hopes to inspire others to discover and care for the incredible natural heritage on our doorsteps, promoting novel ways to engage with our local landscapes throughout the year.

Her writing can be found in several publications including Wildlife Watch magazine, BBC Wildlife magazine and Bumble magazine.

The book has already received praise.

Rhiane Fatinikun, founder of Black Girls Hike, said: “I love this A–Z of our five-star UK nature spots, it’s given me so much to explore.

“If you’re a lover of discovery and the outdoors, then keep this close.”

n The book, Wildlife Walks, is published by Bloomsbury on Thursday, August 18. It costs £16.99, and its ISBN is 9781472986863. An ebook is also available, IBSN: 9781472986856

SPORT TODAY

WOKINGHAM

NO ONE CHRONICLES THE ACTION BETTER THAN US

11.08.22

HELEN’S TRIPLE GOLD

CRICKET ROUND-UP

YOUNG ROYALS FALL SHORT

BIG STRIKE AGAINST FORMER CLUB

LATE WINNER FOR BOARS BEN

STRIPES, NOT HOOPS, FOR AWAY KIT

READING FC’s new away kit has been unveiled – and it follows suit of the earlier released home strip, featuring the climate stripes in its design.

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today BEN ANDERSON came back to haunt his former club as he notched a 90th minute winner for Eversley & California in their midweek clash

with Woodley United.

With the game headed for a draw after a competitive affair between the two sides, the former Kestrels player popped up with a goal in the final minute of normal time to snatch a point away from Woodley.

Ciaran Carolan had given Woodley the lead after Jordan Blake’s side made a positive start to the contest.

They were pegged back just before the break when Boars captain Ross McKernan slammed the ball into the top corner with a sublime finish.

Anderson then made sure Matty Angell’s side earned their first three points of the season in their opening home game of the 2022/23 season with his late strike. n Full football round-up and pictures on page 20

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

The away jersey for the 2022/23 Championship season features the climate stripes, created at the University of Reading, down the full length of the torso, in ‘Rose Quartz’ monochrome.

Created by Professor Ed Hawkins, the climate stripes for Berkshire have again been adopted for the outfield players’ jerseys.

Average annual temperatures over the club’s 151-year history are represented using shades of pink, with lighter shades indicating cooler-than-average years and bolder shades indicating hotter years.

The away kit launch follows the Club’s announcement that its home kit will feature the traditional blue and red version of the climate stripes on its sleeves.

The home shirt got fans talking on launch day, and the Club describes its away edition as ‘another conversation starter’.

Both kits by Macron are made from Eco-Fabric – entirely manufactured from recycled plastic bottles.

Fans will get their first glimpse of the new away kit when Reading FC travel to Millwall on Saturday, August 27.

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

18 | SPORT

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

Wargrave’s wicket keeper takes a tumble

Finchampstead (batting) v Wokingham Wargrave bowling in their home fixture against Harefield Pictures: Steve Smyth

Wargrave go close to taking a wicket

CRICKET

WARGRAVE STAY IN TITLE HUNT DESPITE LOSING TO LEADERS

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Home Counties Division 2

WARGRAVE remain in second place after they narrowly missed out in a top of the table clash against Harefield.

The visitors batted first and scored 229 runs from 58 overs, while Joe Priestley took three wickets for Wargrave.

In a closely fought contest, Euan Woods hit 73 runs for the hosts as they closed in on the target, but they lost their final wicket after 49.3 overs on 215.

Home Counties Premier Division WOKINGHAM are close on the tail of league leaders Aston Rowant after they beat High Wycombe.

Wycombe batted first and

were reduced to 120 runs after an exceptional bowling spell from Andy Rishton ended with him taking six wickets and three maiden overs, while Chris Peploe added three wickets and eight maiden overs.

The Oaks took the match with four wickets to spare as Shaan Khan top scored with 53 not out to seal the points.

FINCHAMPSTEAD lost out at home by just 16 runs to Henley.

James Woodford collected three wickets as Henley scored 204 runs.

59 from Jed Crerar helped Finch progress towards the target and despite 36 not out from James Woodford, they fell just 16 runs short.

BCM Championship SHINFIELD missed out on their away trip to Ballinger Waggoners.

Ballinger totalled 238 as

Harefield batting against Warrgrave

Noel Joseph and Anuraag Shukla both ended with three wickets.

Shukla backed that up by top scoring with 39 but Shins were all out on 173 which saw them 65 runs short of the target.

CROWTHORNE & CROWN WOOD put 38 points on the board after their win against Holmer Green.

A half century from Gerhard Kruger helped Crows to amass 162 before they were bowled all out.

Four wickets from Jeff Cluett and three from Sinith Chandran helped Crows to claim a 21-run win.

CMB Premiership EMMBROOK AND BEARWOOD are in third after their six wicket away win at Hurley.

Ollie Williams took three wickets for the Bears before they batted their way to

victory as Andy Lazenbury top scored with 87 not out to see them over the line after 40.1 overs with six wickets left.

BCL Premier Division FARLEY HILL collected 37 points on their travels to Welford Park.

A century from Michael Sheridan and 72 from Matt Jones saw Farley record 252 runs.

Welford ended on 182, 69 runs short of the chase.

SHINFIELD 2s added 38 points on the board with a one-wicket victory over SANDHURST. Sandhurst totalled 255 from 40 overs after opening batsman Adam Birch totalled 82 runs.

Consistent batting throughout the innings saw Shinfield take the points as Santhosh Kundar top scored with 54.

Wargrave v Harefield (batting)

THAMES VALLEY CRICKET

WOKINGHAM 2S DEFEAT BINFIELD TO LEAD DIVISION

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Thames Valley Division 1 EVERSLEY dropped down to seventh after they were defeated by second placed Gerrards Cross.

Ben Salter and Eddie Campion both took four wickets for Eversley, but they fell 105 runs short of reaching the 309 target after they were all out after 44 overs.

Thames Valley Division 2B WOKINGHAM 2s are the new league leaders after their five wicket win over BINFIELD. Binfield scored 191 from 51 overs, while Myles collected four wickets for the Oaks.

Wokingham v Aston Rowant (batting)

69 runs from S Khalid saw Wokingham over the line with five wickets to spare after 28.2 overs.

FINCHAMPSTEAD 2s are in fifth after they picked up a 101 run victory over Sulhamstead & Ufton.

Eldritch scored a century, while six wickets from O’Donoghue saw Finch take a comfortable win.

Thames Valley Division 3A SONNING are top of the table after they drew to Windsor.

Sonning amassed 312 runs from 52 overs after Mohammed hit 91.

But they couldn’t bowl Windsor all out as they finished on 185-9 from 48 overs which saw the match drawn.

WARGRAVE 2s remain in sixth after they lost out by just seven runs to Aldershot.

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

SPORT | 19

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk FA CUP

SUMAS BEATEN LATE AS ASCOT SAIL THROUGH

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

FA Cup extra preliminary round Ardley United v Sumas Pictures: Andrew Batt

Sumas away at Ardley United in the FA Cup

Ascot United v Cribbs Pictures: Andrew Batt

Ardley United v Wokingham & Emmbrook

Ascot United progressed in the FA Cup

ASCOT UNITED ensured their place in the next round of the cup with victory over Cribbs on Friday evening.

Hosting their opponents at the Racecourse, Ascot broke the deadlock with 29 minutes on the clock through Usman Lalustani’s goal.

With just over an hour played, the Yellaman extended their advantage when Brendan Matthew scored.

The visitors went down to 10 players when Dan Hodgson was sent off.

However, Cribbs managed to pull a goal back in the 78th minute from the penalty spot to set up a nervy finish.

But Ascot held out to put their name in the hat for the next round.

Ascot will face an away tie to play Holyport in the FA Cup Preliminary round.

Ascot begin their Combined Counties Premier North campaign this coming weekend when they travel away to face Windsor.

Ascot United: Ashdown, Merrick, Masters, Ajanlekoko, Bailey (c), Tucker, August, Welch, Mealing, Matthew, Lalustani

WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK were beaten right at the death in a frustrating cup exit to Ardley United.

Ardley raced into a quick lead after just seven minutes.

Both sides then traded chances as Ardley’s keeper kept out Webb before Sumas goalkeeper Sean Woodward made an excellent stop.

The Sumas responded well to going behind and levelled the game in the 22nd minute when Webb’s cross was met by the head of Allen Bossman to equalise.

Woodward made another important save before Eliot Whitehouse’s team ensured they went into the break in front when Bossman scored his second of the match with a curling finish.

It was a disastrous ending to the match for the Sumas which saw Ardley level the tie from the penalty spot in the 90th minute.

Ardley equalised when Ellis Riley was penalised for a strong tackle in the box.

Woodward was sent the wrong way and the tie looked as if it was going to a replay.

Will Shaw was sent off for Wokingham before Ardley snatched a winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

FOOTBALL

KESTRELS WIN OPENING MATCH UNDER NEW BOSS BLAKE Combined Counties Division One WOODLEY UNITED made a winning start under new boss Jordan Blake.

The Kestrels went a goal behind but their keeper came up with a heroic double save to reduce the deficit by saving a penalty and then kept out the rebound.

Spartans Youth were reduced to 10 players after their forward received a red card for violent conduct in the 57th minute.

Woodley were level when Jaynesh turned past two players and fired home.

Blake’s team ensured they would go home with all three points when Sid was quickest to react to a loose ball and put his team in front.

Woodley manager Jordan Blake said: “Delighted with three points on the opening game of the season.

“At half-time I asked for a reaction

after being 1-0 down and I totally got that. Second-half we showed quality and determination to get the points.

“We will now recover well and go again in a tough test away on Tuesday.”

BERKS COUNTY opened their account for the season with three points in a convincing win over Molesey.

The Swords will look to continue their momentum this weekend when they host British Airways.

SANDHURST TOWN smashed seven past Hillingdon Borough to get off to the perfect start.

Sandhurst got off the mark when Sani opened the scoring and Millo quickly followed with a second.

They were four in front by half-time as Sani and Millo both added another each.

Millo completed his hat-trick on the second-half as the hosts sealed an impressive 7-2 victory in their season

London Samurai Rovers v Eversley & California Pictures: Richard Milam opener. Sandhurst travel to face Cove this weekend.

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA came away from their trip to London Samurai Rovers with a 6-2 loss.

The Boars went two goals down and pulled one back through Brad Brown’s penalty, but ivers restored their two-goal lead on the stroke of half-time.

Two quickfire goals saw the hosts race into a 5-1 lead before Brown notched his brace just before the hour mark.

Rovers added a sixth late in the

game to seal the points.

Matty Angell has added to new players to his squad to bolster his options as Will Neville and Luis Emanuel have joined to take part in the 2022/23 season.

Eversley host Woodley United on Tuesday in their next fixture.

Meanwhile, the Kestrels host CB Hounslow United at the weekend after their midweek fixture with the Boars.

Friendlies S4K BERKS COUNTY made a

winning start to their pre-season campaign by beating ASCOT UNITED LADIES RESERVES. Ascot went in front at half-time, but the Fawkes pulled it back to take the win with goals from Kiah Owen and Megan Cox. BINFIELD got the better of Thame with a 1-0 win after Harvey Harry’s strike.

Moles co-manager Jamie McClurg said: “Pre-season done.

“I cannot wait to get going with this fantastic group.”

20

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

YOUNG ROYAL

CARABAO CUP

Eversley celebrate Ben Anderson’s winner Pictures: Richard Milam

Danny Rose scored the decisive goal in the 89th minute as Reading lost out to Stevenage P

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

READING 1 STEVENAGE 2 A young Reading FC side exited the Carabao Cup at the first-round after Danny Rose’s late winner for League Two Stevenage.

FOOTBALL

EVERSLEY EDGE WOODLEY WITH LATE STRIKE

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Combined Counties Division One EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA earned a comeback win against WOODLEY UNITED to claim their first three points of the new season with a last gasp winner.

Woodley made a winning start to their campaign at the weekend with a 2-1 win over Spartan Youth, meanwhile the Boars were beaten 6-2 at London Samurai Rovers in their opening match.

In a local clash, the Kestrels made the short trip to Eversley & California on Tuesday evening in the first Combined Counties midweek clash of the campaign.

The first goal of the contest came in the 23rd minute when Woodley’s Ciaran Carolan raced through on goal after a well placed through ball and took his chance by slotting it past the keeper to put the away team in front.

Having made a bright start to the game, Woodley were pegged back when the Boars came fighting back to claim an equaliser just five minutes before the break.

Joe Pantony squared the ball for

Ross McKernan who swivelled past his marker before firing the ball into the top corner.

With the game in the balance after a competitive affair between the two sides, it was Eversley who ensured they would take all three points with a 90th minute winner.

Former Woodley player Ben Anderson came back to haunt his old club as he scored the decisive goal as he was assisted by Blair and applied the finishing touch to deal a cruel blow to the Kestrels.

Eversley manager Matty Angell said: “Pleased with the result but we can play so much better for sure. Thanks for everyone that came along tonight it was good to see so many familiar faces. Plan for Saturday now.”

Woodley manager Jordan Blake said: “Disappointed in tonight’s result, thought we were the better team overall but in key moments we didn’t make the right decision and ultimately we paid the price. We now have an opportunity to put it right on Saturday at home.”

The Kestrels host CB Hounslow United, while Eversley are at home to Hillingdon Borough on Saturday.

After just two matches played each

in the league, Eversley are in 13th on three points, while Woodley are in 11th, also on three points.

Eversley & California: Kerrison, Baker, Mulipola, Frewin, Catt, Pantony, Velinor, Crocket, McKernan, Farrugia, Brown Subs: Moriarty, Anderson, Blair, Emanuel, Carrington

SANDHURST TOWN continued their perfect start to the 2022/23 league campaign by hitting five past London Samurai Rovers.

In a goal filled opening 45 minutes, Sandhurst went into the break with a 3-2 lead with strikes from O’Connor, Steinborn-Busse and Jardim.

A clinical display saw Sandhurst add two more goals in the second half to seal an impressive win with goals from Josh and a second from Jardim The win gives them an early lead at the top of the table with two wins from two.

Sandhurst are away at Cove on Saturday in their third league match of the season.

Sandhurst Town: Fantocchio, Steinborn-Busse, Slade, Penton, Haworth, Wilson, Millo, O’Connor, Jardim, Mead, Sani Subs: Roetcisodender, Vass, Layton

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan notched his first senior goal when he calmly finished to cancel out Saxon Earley’s first-half opener.

However, with the game headed for a penalty shootout, the Boro ensured that there would be no need for spot kicks when Rose snuck in at the back post and scored an 89th minute winner.

On the back of a home victory over Cardiff City in the Championship, Paul Ince opted to make seven changes for the Carabao Cup first-round tie against Stevenage.

There was a first competitive start for Dean Bouzanis in goal, while new signing Mamadou Loum came into the heart of midfield for his debut since signing on a oneyear loan from FC Porto.

17-year-old forward Basil Tuma was handed a start, while 19-yearold Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan started up top in a youthful looking starting eleven.

The League Two outfit also chose to rotate their team, making seven changes from their weekend win over Stockport.

There was a former Royal in the Stevenage squad as Jake Taylor, who made 31 league appearances for Reading between 2009-2016 was on the Boro bench.

Tuma made a bright start when

he raced down the right-wing and won his team a free-kick, but the delivery was overhit from Kian Leavy and comfortably caught.

Reading tried to exploit Stevenage’s back line with Tuma’s pace as Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan threaded a ball into his path only for a defender to get a toe to the ball with a well-timed sliding tackle.

The visitors took the lead in the 10th minute when they worked a slick move out wide and Saxon Earley arrived first to a drilled cross and neatly slotted the ball past Dean Bouzanis with a first timed finish.

Stevenage continued to look on top throughout the half and had another opening when Jake Reeves struck at goal from a tough angle and John Clarke managed to get a vital block in the way to turn it behind for a corner.r.

Reading’s only shot of the half fell for Tyrese Fornah on the edge of the box but he got his technique all wrong as he sliced the ball well wide of the target.

Ince made a change at the break as skipper on the night Tom Holmes, was replaced by Tom McIntyre.

The Royals seemed reluctant to hold onto the ball and play from the back, opting to punt it direct into the channels, but they didn’t find much joy in their approach.

Ince made a double switch in the 55th minute as Jahmari Clarke and Mamadi Camara came on for Tuma and Leavy.

Loum charged upfield with a powerful burst but got the weight of his through ball wrong as it ran on through to the keeper.

After a frustrating opening hour, the Royals finally made their mark

21

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

LS DUMPED OUT THE CUP

FROM THE MIDDLE

Dick Sawdon-Smith

The rise of Women’s football

R Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan celebrates scoring his first senior goal Pictures: Luke Adams

Mamadou Loum on his debut

Pictues: Steve Smyth and Luke Adams when substitute Camara slid a perfect through ball into the path of Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan who rolled the ball past the keeper to notch his first senior goal.

Camara continued to make his impact on the game when he put another excellent pass through this time for Jahmari Clarke, but Terence Vancooten did just enough to thwart the forward.

Ehibhatiomhan had a presentable opportunity when he rose above a defender to meet Nesta Guiness-Walker’s cross, but he couldn’t keep his header down.

A substitute in the 80th minute saw Fornah replaced by Michael Craig.

McIntyre went close in the 85th minute when he stooped low to get to a header that went a couple of inches wide.

With just a minute of the 90 to play, Steve Evans’ side restored their lead when the Royals allowed a cross to be fizzed into the box and left Danny Rose unmarked at the back post for a simple tap in.

Reading are on the road this weekend in the Championship against Rotherham United

Kelvin Abrefa is pulled back

Stevenage snatch a late goal to progress

Loum rises high

REACTION

NEW READING FC SIGNING MAMADOU LOUM IMPRESSES PAUL INCE ON DEBUT READING FC manager Paul Ince was impressed with new signing Mamadou Loum despite the Royals exit in the Carabao Cup. The Royals fell at the first hurdle in this year’s Carabao Cup after an 89th minute goal from Danny Rose sent Stevenage through to the next round.

Twenty five-year-old midfielder Loum, who signed on a one-year loan deal from FC Porto, played his first match in a Royals shirt and completed the entire 90 minutes.

“He was good. You can see what type of player he is,” said Ince.

“He’s not even fit yet. He’s had a couple of games for Porto under 23’s.

“As he gets stronger, you’ll see a better player.

“He’s powerful with the ball and you see all the headers he wins defensively.

“He’s come out unscaved with 90 minutes.”

The Royals boss expects Loum to be involved in Reading’s next Championship match which comes this

Saturday away at Rotherham.

He continued: “He covers the ground, he gallops and covers so much.

“He can pass and sit in there alongside another midfielder the way we play at the moment.

“I’m really pleased he got 90 minutes and pleased we’ve got someone like that available for Saturday.”

EGULAR readers of this column may remember that towards the end of last season’ I posed the question, ‘How often do you watch women’s football?

My guess is that the result would be much higher if I asked that question in future.

Nothing to do with my column of course, but with the UEFA Woman’s European Championships, which attracted a television audience of 17.4 million for the final, plus over 87,000 fans watching at Wembley.

I loved the competition slogan, but it took me a couple of games to work it out. Although not intentional, it was in fact a little criticism of my column title for it said, ‘Women play football not women’s football’.

In other words, women play to the same rules and regulations as the men, there’s no separate game called ‘women’s football’.

It’s not always realised that there is one ‘core’ set of laws, and then there are modifications, which groups such as youth, veterans, disability, and grassroots football may apply.

These are things like the size of the pitch, the ball, the goalposts, the duration of the game.

Also, permission can be given for return substitutes (where substituted players can return to the team), Sin Bins (temporary dismissals), which you won’t see in professional football.

Until 2017 women were also on the list for which modifications could be made, but no longer.

There have been however some calls for the size of the goal to be smaller in football played by women but this can’t be done.

After witnessing the excellent goalkeeping during the women’s Euros, I think some women goalkeepers might feel insulted by the suggestion.

I must congratulate those women referees who officiated at the games and that includes the assistant referees who I thought were superb. I only wished the VAR decisions had been a little quicker.

Like English women footballers, women referees in this country have had to do some catching up.

They weren’t allowed by the FA to become registered referees until the women playing restrictions were lifted.

I remember Reading’s first woman referee, Wendy Prior. She refereed in the Reading and District League.

As a referee mentor I watched one of her early games.

She was in complete control and when we had our end of match chat, the only advice I could give her was that she didn’t need to blow the whistle every time the ball went out of play.

The fact that England’s Elite FIFA referee, Rebecca Welch, was one of the referees at the Women’s Euros shows how far they have come since Wendy’s ground breaking days.

22 | SPORT

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

INCE STUNNER GIFTS ROYALS CHAMPIONSHIP

How they rated

READING 2 CARDIFF CITY 1 Joe Lumley

Made an important save to deny O’Dowda moments after his first to keep Reading in the game. Quick off his line when required.

Tom Holmes

Fought hard to win his duels.

Relished the battle with Max Watters, largely containing the powerful forward.

Tom McIntyre

Settled into the first half after a shaky first 10 minutes. Made some vital defensive contributions while also coming forward when required.

Andy Yiadom

Another solid shift from the captain. Put in a sumptuous cross from the right which should have been converted by Guinness-Walker.

Junior Hoilett

Showed his intent from the getgo, making plenty of faurays down the right and putting in dangerous crosses.

Nesta Guinness-Walker

A much-improved display from his performance at Blackpool.

Provided an outlet on the left without neglecting defensive duties.

Tom Ince

Superb. Scored Reading’s second, an absolute pearler from 25 yards out. A constant thorn in Cardiff’s side all afternoon.

Tyrese Fornah

A positive performance. Showed composure on the ball. Reading will need to see the best of Fornah this season to stay competitive.

Jeff Hendrick

Lost his aerial duel at the back post for O’Dowda’s goal. Marshalled the midfield well and gained more confidence as the game went on.

Ovie Ejaria

Some moments of brilliance in a solid performance. Tempered his usual attacking tendencies for the better of the team.

Shane Long

SUBS

Scored from the spot, firing into the bottom left. Did well with the service he was given. Got caught offside on a number of occasions.

6 6 6 6 7 7 8 6 5 6 7

Kelvin Abrefa 5

K Ehibhatiomhan 5

Took an important booking to stop a dangerous Cardiff counter attack.

Came on with ten minutes ago in place of a tiring Long. Held the ball up well.

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today READING FC collected their first win of the new season thanks to a stunning strike from Tom Ince and a goal from Shane Long on his homecoming.

The Royals had to come from behind after going a goal down just four minutes in when Callum O’Dowda headed in.

Paul Ince’s men fought back when Ince was brought down in the box and Long converted from the penalty spot, while Curtis Nelson was fortunate to have not seen red.

With the game in the balance, Ince scored a goal worthy of winning any game as he smacked a fierce effort in from range to get the Royals off the mark.

In their first home game of the new Championship campaign, the Royals already had plenty of injury woes to contend with.

Shane Long came in to make his first start since returning to the club in the summer, while Yakou Meite missed out on the matchday squad with an injury.

The only senior player on the bench was goalkeeper Dean Bouzanis, while the rest of the substitutes were made up of under 23 players.

Meanwhile, former Royals academy graduate Andy Rinomhota was included in Cardiff’s starting line-up after making a summer switch to the Bluebirds.

Having made a slow start on the opening day last week against Blackpool, Reading once again fell victim to a sloppy start in their first home game of the season.

Ince wins a penalty

Ince and Long celebrate

Ince is hauled down

Match stats Reading: Lumley, Yiadom (c), McIntyre, Holmes, Guinness-Walker, Fornah, Hendrick, Ejaria, Ince, Hoilett, Long Subs: Bouzanis, Abrefa, Clarke, Holzman, Ehibhatiomhan, Leavy, Tuma Cardiff City: Allsop, Romeo, Wintle, Ojo, O’Dowda, Nelson, Collins, Sawyers, Kipre, Rinomhota, Watters Subs: Alnwick, Ralls, Etete, Sang, Denham, Philogene, Harris Goals: O’Dowda 4’, Long 27’ (pen), Ince 63’

Tom Ince finds the net with an unstoppable strike The Bluebirds were ahead with just four minutes on the clock when Callum O’Dowda was left unmarked at the back post from a freekick and nodded a controlled header into the far corner.

O’Dowda had a great opening to deliver Cardiff a second goal less than 10 minutes after going in front when he got into the box on the left and drove a powerful low shot at goal, but Joe Lumley got down excellently to get a strong hand to the ball.

The Royals got off the mark with

The Royals began to look more assured on the ball and started to create chances when Tom Ince spun away from two players on the half way line before his mazy run was halted by a foul.

Reading were then awarded a penalty when Ince raced onto Long’s flick on, rounded Ryan Allsop before he was hauled down

by Curtis Nelson.

Despite being the last man and almost certain to receive a red card as his punishment, much to the

REACTION

‘IT WAS A BLATANT RED CARD’: INCE BAFFLED AT DECISION READING FC manager Paul Ince believed that Cardiff avoided a ‘blatant’ red card in the Royals’ 2-1 victory.

Reading were awarded a penalty when Tom Ince was fouled in the box by Nelson curtis after he had rounded the goalkeeper.

But the Bluebirds defender escaped a red card and was instead given a yellow.

“The referee said that when he went round the goalkeeper he thought he went too wide and wouldn’t shoot,” said Ince.

“I said hang about, if he’s gone round the goalkeeper. then of course he’s going to shoot, he’s not going to juggle it for five minutes.

“It’s madness, he went round the

goalkeeper and Nelson has pulled him back.

“It’s a blatant, blatant red. There’s no if or buts about it. He made a mistake “Referees need to be made accountable and if they make a mistake we can live with that if they hold their hands up.

“You could make as many mistakes as you want but the major ones you need to get right. He had a good game apart from that.”

Despite the missed red card decision, Ince was delighted with the shift his team put in to claim three points.

He continued: “I was delighted. It was an extension of where we were against Blackpool, outstanding.

“I was disappointed with the first

goal, home fans and home start I wanted to start fast and get the crowd up but then we give a stupid free kick away and don’t mark our man.

“This group don’t give in, the response was brilliant, and we got them on the back foot.

“I’m delighted with Shane,” said Ince.

“He’s not even 100% fit yet so to do 80 minutes was amazing.

“He’s clever, he’s cute, you can tell he’s played in the Premier League the way he bumps

defenders and his retention of the ball.

“I was over the moon with him.”

Paul Ince was also praising of Tom Ince’s performance which he capped off with a tremendous goal.

He continued: “If you’re an under 23 player and want to watch on player as example, it’s him (Tom Ince).

“That’s not because he’s my son.

“For players to see what he does it’s amazing, he’s an example to every one of us.

“He deserved his goal. The kid is ultra talented.”

SPORT | 23

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, August 11, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

VICTORY IN HOME OPENER Royals fan celebrate

Becky Jane Picture: Wikimedia, Katie Chan

Guiness-Walker goes close Tom Holmes

A scuffle between the teams Ovie Ejaria breaks

‘It feels like home’ Becky Jane rejoins Royals for second spell FULL-BACK Becky Jane has rejoined Reading FC Women on a one-year deal.

a win in their opening home game Pictures: Steve Smyth

Andy Yiadom fends off his

bemusement of the home support, the referee brandished a yellow card.

Long stepped up to the spot and stroked the ball into the bottom corner to make his home return with a goal.

The equaliser gave the hosts a spring in their step as they commanded much of the remainder of the half.

Their best chance to go ahead came in the 36th minute when Andy Yiadom’s fizzed delivery across the box fell to GuinessWalker who made contact but send the ball high over the bar from a few yards out.

Kelvin Abrefa

Reading had an appeal for a penalty turned down late in the half when Guiness-Walkers’ shot appeared to smack the arm of Shelvey Ojo, but the referee waved play on as the sides went in level at the break.

The first big chance of the second-half came the way of the visitors when Joe Ralls’ inswining free-kick evaded everyone and narrowly missed dropping in the far corner.

Cardiff escaped a scare when there was a goalmouth scramble following Ince’s free kick, but Yiadom couldn’t bundle the ball in.

Just a few moments later though,

Reading had the lead courtesy of a stunning strike from Ince.

The midfielder received the ball centrally and with the ball bouncing he sent a thunderous shot tinto the back of the net as it flew past the helpless Allsop.

Lumley kept composed in goal and did well to pluck a couple of crosses out of the air.

Reading controlled the final stages of the game comfortably and didn’t allow Cardiff to have any chances as they earned three points in their first Championship home game.

The Royals face an away trip to Rotherham United this weekend.

BRISTOL CITY 2-1 READING

WADE NETS ON ROYALS DEBUT IN PRE-SEASON DEFEAT READING FC Women were defeated

by Bristol City in their first preseason outing.

Up against Championship outfit Bristol City, Kelly Chambers’ Women’s Super League team featured some new signings that have been added to the squad this summer.

The first effort at goal saw the hosts hit a long range strike from Harrison which deflected into the arms of Grace Moloney.

Bristol came close again when Syme hit an effort that flew just over the top.

Reading began to create

opportunities but Amalie Eikeland couldn;’t pick out anyone in the middle with her cross.

Eikeland had a chance at goal but Bentley managed to clutch onto the ball.

The Royals went ahead with 35 minutes played when Lauren Wade marked her debut in a Reading shirt with a goal.

Fellow new signing Charlie Wellings countered at pace and threaded at pace through to Wade who beat a defender before she struck a low shot past the keeper.

Reading had an early chance in the second-half when Wade broke

down the left wing and placed a cross for Becky Jane at the back post, but she could only poke her effort wide.

Bristol were level just over 10 minutes into the second-half when Harrison received the ball from Morgan and hit a curling shot past Moloney.

The Royals came forward on a swift counter just after the hour, Wade picked up possession on halfway, found Bryson who carried forward. She slipped a pass towards Jane who tried to take it past Layzell but just ran out of pitch.

The hosts kept coming forward and Tiesar got on the end of a ball into the box and flashed her header across goal.

Reading probed for an equaliser as we headed into added time, Wade picked the ball up and found Eikeland in space at the back post, she struck it true forcing Bentley into a smart stop.

Reading Women: Moloney, Bryson, MeadowsTosun, Cooper, Evans, Woodham, Vanhaevermaet, Rowe, Eikeland, Wade, Wellings Subs: Balgent, Cox, Primmer, Wozniak, Jane, Annets, Rasmusse, Brame

Jane has rejoined the Royals after leaving Charlton Athletic where she becomes the second summer signing for Kelly Chambers’ team after American defender Brooke Hendrix signed last month.

The 30-year-old initially joined Reading in 2011 and made 112 league appearances for the Berkshire club where she scored 16 times.

She joined Liverpool in 2019 where she made 28 appearances in two seasons before a one year spell with Charlton.

“It feels like being home,” said Jane.

“The guys have been really welcoming, a lot of the same staff that were here when I was here.

“It’s a comfortable environment to come back into and one that I’m really enjoying.

“The coaching and the quality is fantastic.

It’s the best that I’ve ever had. I knew that coming back in that was always going to be a big factor of it.

“I know my role is slightly different this time around, but I’m relishing to opportunity to come back in, to be a part of the squad and to help the younger ones come through.

That’s a massive thing for me.”

Royals manager Kelly Chambers said: “For us we wanted to build more of a squad this season, and with the experience Becky offers us, it will be a huge boost.

“When I had the conversation with her, it was clear to me she still has the desire to win and feature in as many games as if it was back in 2012.

“It will also bring a competition for places which helps everyone raise their game and also our performances, as at times I think we struggled physically with tight schedules.

“Knowing the club inside and out as Becky does, she’s been able to throw herself in, so we don’t have that period of adjustment.

“She knows how I and all the coaches like to work, and she’ll no doubt be a huge influence on the younger players coming through.

“So I’m thrilled to welcome her back.”

24 | SPORT

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 11, 2022

Our Woodley showroom is open 7 days a week

WINDOWS

DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

WOKINGHAM TODAY READING TODAY 0800 30 50 30 www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

ATHLETICS

HELEN TAKES THREE GOLDS AT BRITISH TRANSPLANT GAMES

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today WOKINGHAM resident Helen Wilson has once again tasted success at the British Transplant Games with three gold medals and a bronze.

The Westfield Health British Transplant Games, which took place in Leeds, have been running for more than 40 years and aim to raise awareness of the need for organ donation, encourage transplant recipients to lead active lifestyles and show appreciation for donors and their families.

There were more than 25 sporting events at this year’s games which took place over four days with more than 1000 participants all the way from toddlers to people in their 80s.

Helen performed superbly to take a gold medal in discuss, shot and javelin as well as a bronze medal in archery.

“I was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease in 2000 and reached end stage renal failure in December 2005,” said Helen.

“In 2006 both of my kidneys were removed and I went on to dialysis which meant being plugged into a machine at the hospital for five hours, three nights a week.

“This had a huge impact on my life as well as my family and friends.

Helen Wilson at the British Transplant Games “However, my amazing brother rang me one day to say that he wanted to be a donor and by giving me one of his kidneys,

affectionately named Sydney, in February 2007 he gave me my life back.

“All was well for a few years

READING FC WOMEN

ROYALS BOLSTER SQUAD WITH TRIO OF NEW SIGNINGS

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today READING FC Women have added Jacqueline Burns, Lauren Wade and Charlie Wellings to their squad ahead of the new Women’s Super League season.

Goalkeeper Burns joins on the back of a UEFA Euro 2022 campaign with Northern Ireland where she played all three group games against Norway, Austria and England.

Winger Wade signs from Northern Ireland side Glentoran.

Reading manager Kelly Chambers said: “We’ve been watching Lauren for a little bit and obviously I think the Euros she really stood out for Northern Ireland and for what this club is about and what we are as a team.

“I’m excited to bring her in and again to bolster the squad and make sure I’ve got a good depth for my squad this

season to have in a challenging environment.”

Striker Wellings has also joined Chambers’ side to bolster their options in attack.

Wellings has played previously in the WSL for Bristol City where she scored three times in 33 games.

She then joined Celtic in 20201 where she netted 40 times in 33 games to help them to a third place finish and qualify for the Women’s Champions League qualifying rounds.

Chambers continued: “I think Charlie’s shown in the last season that she’s a goal scorer, she scored 40 goals last season for Celtic” “I want to have a challenging environment, I want more depth, but also to have the quality to make sure that we’re competing in this league and Charlie definitely adds that but alongside that, she has experience in this league she’s been here she’s done it.”

“Now in terms of across that front line, hopefully she can come in and do what she’s been doing and again for us we want to work with her want to develop her and try and push her as much as possible.”

“The good thing is I’ve kept the majority of the squad, and I think that was one of our biggest targets during the summer, so it gave us something to build on.

“We obviously had our highs and lows last season, but I want to see an improvement in our consistency, and I think a big part of that was due to fitness and injuries which took over the squad.

“I feel with the introduction of these players we’ve confirmed today, plus Brooke [Hendrix] and Becky [Jane], we already have greater quality in depth, so I can protect the players better and avoid taking any risks.

“The luxury of having depth, is also providing competition for places.”

and then we discovered I also had a polycystic liver and I once again became incredibly sick.

“I was lucky and was put on the transplant list “In December 2013, an amazing donor family who had agreed to their loved one’s wishes enabled me to receive a new liver who I affectionately call Lionel.

“Considering not so long ago I could not walk far and definitely couldn’t have taken part in any sport, I am the fittest I have ever been and am having an incredible time and it is all thanks to my selfless donors, their families and the amazing people who work in the NHS. “Three people die in the UK every day waiting for an organ transplant and there are currently around 6,800 people waiting for that lifesaving call that I was lucky enough to receive.

“Please have the conversation, share your wishes and leave your loved ones certain about your organ donation wishes as you too could be a hero and save people’s lives.”

Helen will be competing at the European Games in Oxford in August and hopes to be selected again for Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland to represent at the World Games in 2023 in Perth, Australia. n For more information, visit www.shareyourwishes.co.uk/ and www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/

GOLF

Bearwood Lakes hosts thrilling Westcoast Pro-Am THERE was nothing to split professional golfers, Chris Gane and Simon Lilly who shared the record breaking first prize at the South Region PGA Westcoast Pro-Am, hosted at Bearwood Lakes Golf Club, Wokingham.

Gane and Lilly both played in the morning session, beating the blistering heat of the day, scoring an impressive -5.

It was a close finish with Matt Cort, Michael Bullen and Richard McEvoy all tied on -4.

The Westcoast Pro-Am, held at Bearwood Lakes always shines, with the highest first prize for a single day UK professional event; this year at £22,000.

The total prize fund of £40,000 makes this event the jewel in the crown of the stacked PGA calendar.

The amateurs however, did not miss out, with some great team prizes sponsored by the likes of Tag Heuer, Mizuno and Westcoast.

The players were treated to either breakfast or lunch before play and a gala lunch or dinner surrounded by large underlit ice sculptures.

The main carving featured a giant Westcoast logo with the two flanking pieces being delicate shell shapes which housed buffet items.

Gane and Lilly gave full praise to the Berkshire venue, Bearwood Lakes. Being one of the most exclusive clubs in England, expectation is always high and the course certainly delivered.

RESULTS

Saturday, August 6 FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship Reading 2-1 Cardiff City

FA Cup extra preliminary round Ardley United 3-2 Sumas Highworth Town 0-2 Reading City Combined Counties Division One Woodley United 2-1 Spartans Youth London Samurai Rovers 6-2 Eversley & California Berks County 4-0 Molesey CRICKET Home Counties Premier Division Finchampstead (188 all out) lost to Henley (204 all out) High Wycombe (120 all out) lost to Wokingham (121-6) Home Counties Division 2 Wargrave (215 all out) lost to Harefield (229-9) BCM Championship Ballinger Waggoners (238-9) beat Shinfield (173 all out) Crowthorne & Crown Wood (162 all out) beat Holmer Green (141 all out) CMB Premiership Hurley (215-9) lost to Emmbrook and Bearwood (216-4) BCL Premier Division Goring on Thames (169-9) beat West Reading 2s (167 all out) Shinfield 2s (257-9) beat Sandhurst (255-6) Waltham St Lawrence (241 all out) lost to Woodcote (246-7) Welford Park (183-8) lost to Farley Hill (252-5) BCL Division 1A Earley (219 all out) beat Reading United (128 all out) Silchester (260 all out) beat Reading Lions (207 all out) Stallions (86 all out) lost to Berkshire Royals (197 all out) Thames Valley Division 1 Gerrards Cross (309-8 dec) beat Eversley (204 all out) Thames Valley Division 2B Fleet (214-7) lost to Hurst (215-2) Wokingham 2s (194-5) beat Binfield (191 all out) Cove (68 all out) lost to Reading (180 all out) Sulhamstead & Ufton (155 all out) lost to Finchampstead 2s (256 all out) Thames Valley Division 3A Aldershot (185 all out) beat Wargrave 2s (178 all out) Kidmore End (127-3) beat White Waltham (123 all out) Sonning (312-8) drew Windsor (185-9) Thames Valley Division 4A Maidenhead & Bray 2s (217-7) drew Finchampstead 3s (262-9)

Henley 3s (141 all out) lost to Wokingham 3s (144-9)

Sunday, August 7 CRICKET Home Counties Women’s League Finchampstead (137 all out) lost to Moreton (151 all out) Binfield (148-9) beat Henley (137-7)

Tuesday, August 9 FOOTBALL Carabao Cup first round Reading 1-2 Stevenage

Combined Counties Division One Eversley & California 2-1 Woodley United

FIXTURES

Saturday, August 13 FOOTBALL Championship Rotherham v Reading

Isthmian South Central Ashford Town v Binfield Combined Counties Premier North Edgware & Kingsbury v Sumas Ascot United v North Greenford United Combined Counties Division One Woodley United v CB Hounslow United Eversley & California v Hillingdon borough Cove v Sandhurst Town Berks County v British Airways CRICKET Home Counties Premier Division Datchet v Finchampstead Wokingham v Buckingham Town Home Counties Division 2 Wargrave v Thame Town BCM Championship Holmer Green v West Reading Ley Hill v Crowthorne & Crown Wood Shinfield v Penn & Tylers CMB Premiership Pinkneys Green v Emmbrook and Bearwood BCL Premier Division Farley Hill v Strafield Turgis Mortimer West End v Shnifield 2s Waltham St Lawrence v Goring on Thames West Reading 2s v Welford Park Woodcote v Sandhurst BCL Division 1A Peppard Stoke Row 2s v Reading Lions Reading United v Berkshire Royals West Reading 3s v Stallions Thames Valley Division 1 Eversley v Burnham Thames Valley Division 2B Slough 2s v Wokingham 2s Binfield v Fleet Reading v Royal Ascot Finchampstead 2s v Hurst