The Wokingham Paper, February 19 2016

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THE WOKINGHAM PAPER

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

N E W S W I T H A H E A RT F O R T H E B O RO U G H

Friday, February 19, 2016 No. 44

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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

This is Wokingham.

We’re proud to cover it!

WOKINGHAM borough is a large part of Berkshire. More than 156,000 of us live here – and countless more work here too.

It’s a diverse area with pretty villages mingling with market towns and hamlets. In parts industrial, in others picturesque, it is a wonderful place to be.

The Wokingham Paper was set up to ensure that the whole borough had its own newspaper.

Our team has a mission to report on events and activities from the northernmost parts, which include parts of Henley and Cockpole Green, to the south including

Swallowfield and Finchampstead.

In between you’ve got Twyford, Woodley and Wokingham town itself. All have their own personalities and specialities and we aim to reflect that.

Our strapline is “News with a heart for the borough” and that’s exactly what we do. We’re a truly local newspaper – we’re produced locally, printed locally and we live locally.

No one else covers Wokingham the way that we do. So if you want to reach Wokingham, we’re the place to be.

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TECHNOLOGY

Gadget group extends its helping hands

A COMPUTER club that helps people get to grips with their PCs and electronic gadgets is extending its services.

Due to demand, the Tuesday morning sessions, which take place at the Pavilion in Spencers Wood, will now take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, although the club can meet in any location with wifi.

Some tutors are also willing to visit students at home if appropriate.

The club welcomes donations of at least £3 to cover sessions.

For more details or to book call Kerry on 0118 988 2250.

CYCLING

Use your pedal power for Guide Dogs charity

ENTRIES are now open for a cycle ride around Berkshire in aid of Guide Dogs.

The event takes place from the charity’s head office in Burghfield Common and is open to everyone from beginners to cycling clubs and regular riders.

There is a shorter 41.5km fun ride, a 84km classic sportive ride and, for serious cyclists, a 125km epic option.

The routes take in the beautiful Berkshire countryside and several quiet country lanes.

For more details or to enter log on to www.dengieevents.co.uk

GAMES

Puzzle fans invited to compete at sudoku

A NEW games night has been launched at the Earley Radstock Social Club.

Fans of the numbers puzzle suduko are being invited to take part in a contest against the clock every Monday evening at

John Baker from Chapter One, Helen Combes, Rose Combes, and Holly Webb. Picture: Vivienne Johnson

CHILDREN

Author Holly’s boost to reading campaign CHILDREN enjoyed a special storytelling session in Woodley recently, as part of a nationwide campaign to get adults reading to youngsters.

Visitors to the Lend and Play Toy Library welcomed children’s author Holly Webb for the reading, which also included refreshments and a raffle.

Ms Webb said: “To mark National Storytelling Week the toy library asked me to come and read stories to the children. The toy library is such a fab charity and I know they don’t get council funding.

“I am really keen to do anything to the Radstock Lane club.

Participants play against each other, competing in a similar style to duplicate Bridge events.

Sessions start at 8pm.

For more details, call the club on 0118 931 3965.

CELEBRATION

Village plans a party to mark Queen’s 90th

FINCHAMPSTEAD Parish Council has announced plans to celebrate the 90th birthday of the Queen.

There will be a special evening event to mark Her Majesty’s special day on Thursday, April 21, which will culminate with the lighting of a beacon at St James’ Church in the village.

It will be one of many such beacons to

raise the profile of libraries and that includes the toy library, especially as funding is being cut.”

The event, held on Friday, February 5, was to help raise funds for new services at the library, which meets at the Ambleside Centre. Cupcakes donated by the Handmade Cake Co of Maidenhead were sold and a raffle for a sack of toys also helped with the fundraising.

Chapter One bookshop visited, selling Ms Webb’s children’s books which she then signed.

Debbie Reeves, toy library coordinator, said: “The toy library is a be lit across the country to mark the royal birthday.

The council says that more details will follow.

UKULELE

MEETING

A NEW musical group is launching in Sindlesham next week and organisers are promising there’s no strings attached.

The new Woodley Ukulele group is organising the strum and sing event at Wokingham Cricket Club in Sadler’s End from 7.30pm on Tuesday.

Everyone is invited to come along, play, sing and have a laugh at the No Strings Attached sessions. The club is aimed at those who are just starting out, to seasoned players. The sessions offer an opportunity to learn new songs and skills in an informal environment.

No membership is required. Visit www. woodleyukulele.wordpress.com

Mothers’ Union welcomes special guest

THE Loddon Reach Mothers’ Union will welcome a previous European leader of the organisation for its February meeting.

Barbara Woods will address a special Lent lunch meeting of the group on Wednesday.

Booking is required for the meal.

The group meets at St Mary’s Church in Shinfield.

For more details call the Loddon Reach benefice office on 0118 988 5923.

WIN £200 FOR YOUR GROUP THE Wokingham Paper and TradeMark Windows have teamed up to present Community Cash Tokens.

The scheme is simple – cut out the tokens we’ll print each week.

Send them in to us, as many as you like, and once every two months we’ll pull one at random from the editor’s hat. One lucky group will win £200, courtesy of TradeMark Windows.

The more tokens that you and your group send in, the more chance you have of your group being picked at random.

The Community Cash Tokens are open to charities and other non-profit making groups within Wokingham borough and offer a great way of boosting your funds.

We’re able to offer Community Cash Tokens thanks to the generosity of Mark

charity that loans toys on a three-weekly basis.”

Sarah Stuckey, chair of the toy library, said: “In February 2015 we were at risk of closure but members worked very hard and we are now financially sound for the first time ever.

“We’ve had to make changes and it’s been hard work.”

The toy library meet on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Ambleside Centre, Woodley.

For more details, log on to www. lendandplay.org.uk or call on 0118 377 6429.

Ashwell, managing director of TradeMark Windows.

The Wokingham Paper’s publisher Phil Creighton said: “The Community Cash Tokens were a hugely popular ingredient of The Wokingham Times, and thanks to Mark’s support for the community of Wokingham borough, we’re delighted to be able to bring them back.

“Whatever your group, charity or good cause is, Community Cash Tokens offers your supporters a fun way of helping you raise funds and awareness of your cause.

“Make sure you don’t miss an issue.”

Send your tokens to: Community Cash Tokens, The Wokingham Paper, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS. Please note, only original tokens can be accepted.

Strum along to this new musical group

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WOKINGHAM PAPER

Contractor Steve Palterman removing the fly-tipped tyres from Church Lane in Swallowfield. Pictures: Paul King

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Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

ENVIRONMENT

CRIME

Residents count the cost of fly-tipping

Manhunt after ‘appalling’ sex attack on woman

FLY-TIPPERS have struck twice in the borough over the past week, leaving building debris and tyres in country lanes.

More than 30 tyres were left in Church Lane in Swallowfield while large amounts of wood and rubbish were dumped in Town Lane, Woodley, on Monday - the second such incident in a week.

Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) said that fly-tipping costs more than £22,000 a year to clean up.

Councillor Angus Ross, a member of WBC Joint Waste Disposal Board, told The Wokingham Paper: “Over the last five years we’ve averaged 450 fly-tips a year which we estimate costs us just over £22,000 per annum.

“Our most common fly-tip is ‘general household waste’. Our view is that it’s probably the same people who fly-tip in quiet locations, generally rural, across the region”.

Villages such as Swallowfield

A WOMAN was grabbed and sexually assaulted along an Earley street by a man who told her he was “lonely” on Valentine’s Day. Between 11pm and 11.30pm on Sunday the 19-year-old victim was walking along Wokingham Road from Earley train station towards the Three Tuns crossroad when she was grabbed from behind by a man.

He put his hands over her mouth and dragged her onto a nearby driveway where he kissed her neck and told her he was lonely.

The victim managed to escape and run away. She did not suffer any injuries during the incident.

The offender is described as aged around 50, white, approximately 6ft tall with shoulder length hair. He was wearing a jacket and jeans.

PC Laura McCaughey, the investigating officer, said; “This is an appalling incident involving a young woman who, whilst unhurt, has understandably been left shaken.

“We have conducted house to house enquiries in the area however this incident happened on a busy road and we believe that there would have been numerous other vehicles and people in the area at this time.

“If anyone has any information please contact me via the Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.”

On Monday a huge pile of building debris was dumped in Woodey.

are often on the receiving end of such fly-tipping.

Liz Halton, Parish Clerk at Swallowfield, said: “Fly-tipping is a problem for us. Barge Lane, Swallowfield is often a target because it’s out of the way. In rural locations they often don’t get spotted, there are no lights.

“One fly-tipper tied a hippo bag to a gate post, we think he was

trying to pull the bag off the back of a lorry but the bag was too heavy and when they drove off it broke the gate post.”

Cllr Ross added: “Fly-tipping is unnecessary and illegal and costs the council money to clear and whilst not a significant problem it is taken seriously and seen as anti-social behaviour.”

CRIME

CRIME

Laser ‘strikes’ on two aircraft over Woodley area are probed by police

By GEMMA DAVIDSON gdavidson@wokinghampaper.co.uk

A LASER beam was shone at two aircraft flying over Woodley on Monday, potentially endangering hundreds of lives.

At 10.17pm a laser ‘strike’, coming from an area south of Woodley near to the motorway, was reported from National Air traffic control at Swanwick, near Southampton. Two aircraft were involved in the laser strike.

The incident is being investigated by police and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), it was confirmed this week.

The attack came hours after a Virgin Atlantic flight bound for New York was forced to return to Heathrow Airport after a laser beam was pointed at the plane on Sunday night.

Virgin confirmed Flight VS025 to JFK - which was carrying 252 passengers

and 15 crew - had been abandoned as a “precautionary measure” after the plane’s First Officer reported “feeling unwell”, following the incident.

A spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic USA said: “The safety of our crew and customers is our top priority and we apologise for any inconvenience to those on-board.”

The airline said it is working with authorities to identify the source of the incident, which occurred several miles west of Heathrow.

Laser strikes are becoming more and more frequent in the UK, with more than 8,990 incidents reported to the CAA between 2009 and June 2015.

In 2010 a law was introduced to stop laser beams being shone at aircraft and offenders can be charged with endangering the safety of aircraft by “shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as

to dazzle or distract the pilot”. Offenders could be fined or even imprisoned if their actions are believed to have endangered the aircraft.

Jim McAuslan, General Secretary of the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA), said: “This is not an isolated incident.

Aircraft are attacked with lasers at an alarming rate and with lasers with everincreasing strength.

“It is an incredibly dangerous thing to do. Shining a laser at an aircraft puts that aircraft, its crew and all the passengers on board at completely unnecessary risk.

“Modern lasers have the power to blind, and certainly to act as a huge distraction and to dazzle the pilots during critical phases of flight.

“We are sure the police will do everything in their power to find the culprits of this attack and prosecute them.

“We repeat our call to the Government to classify lasers as offensive weapons which would give the police more power to arrest people for possessing them if they had no good reason to have them.

This incident shows why this is becoming more-and-more urgent.

“Pilots across the world know how dangerous laser attacks are and therefore will join with me in commending the actions of the crew of VS25 who put their passengers’ safety first and took the decision to return to Heathrow.”

High-powered laser pointers are not illegal and are available for sale online.

If you believe anyone may be misusing a laser pointer you can call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Man in dark coat sought after Woodley car ‘arson’

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Detective Sergeant Will Crowther, the investigating officer, said: “We believe that this fire was started deliberately, we are looking for anyone who may have information about this incident to come forward.

“We are particularly looking to speak to a man who was walking along Colemansmoor Road towards Colemansmoor Lane, Woodley, at

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around 3.25am, who may have been wearing a three-quarter length dark coat and dark trousers.

“We would like this man to come forward as we believe he might be a witness and might have information that could help our investigation.”

Anyone with any information about the fire is being urged to call the

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POLICE are searching for two men who threatened a resident in their own home in Spencers Wood yesterday (Thursday) morning.

At around 3am the resident of a property in Basingstoke Road was woken by a noise and found two men searching their house. They were threatened and a wallet was stolen. The resident was not injured during the incident.

Police are keen to stress that crimeprevention operations are continuing in the area, and police horse patrols will be taking place in the area on February 28.

Anyone with any information relating to this incident should call the Thames Valley Police enquiry centre on 101.

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POLICE

A MAN wearing a dark coat is being sought by police investigating a car fire in Woodley over the weekend.

At around 3.50am on Saturday Thames Valley Police (TVP) officers and fire crews were called to a property in Colemansmoor Road where a white Mercedes C250 was ablaze.

The fire caused extensive damage to the vehicle, but no-one was injured.

Homeowner threatened after disturbing burglars

TVP enquiry centre on 101 quoting reference 213 13/02.

Alternatively if you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

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4 | NEWS

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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016 G4KWT/M0GXB 23/09/2015

Wokingham Half Marathon Sunday 10am 76

14 Half marathon road closures

A NUMBER of road closures will be in place in Wokingham on Sunday as a result of the half marathon.

The closures will be in place between 9am and 2pm, 13appropriate although restrictions will only operate while signs are displayed. Organisers say they will be removed 75 returned to as soon as possible after the last runners have Cantley Park.

The roads to be closed are: 12 n Bell Foundry Lane n Warren House Road n Maidenhead Road n Forest Road from A321 Twyford Road 11 to Binfield Road B3018 Hamton n The Straight Mile from Maidenhead Road to 74 Road and to Darvills Lane n Darvills Lane 10 n Hungerford Road Between Darvills Lane and the B301 8 n Hinton Road, Hurst n Broadcommon Road from Wokingham Road to 9 Nelsons Lane n Islandstone Lane from Broadcommon Road to Nelsons 73 Lane n Nelsons Lane excluding section to Pound Lane n Broadcommon Lane 8

RUNNING

On your marks for the half marathon!

By JOHN WAKEFIELD news@wokinghampaper.co.uk 20

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ANYONE looking to park at Cantley Park will be disappointed: there is no parking for runners on the site.

7 Instead, organisers recommend using council car parks in Wokingham town centre including Shute End and Rose 72 Street. These are currently free on Sundays. There will also be parking at Emmbrook School.

Organisers said: “Using these car parks6will guarantee easy access to and from Cantley Park. Please do not use the Cantley Hotel entrance to gain access to the start.”

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Tents for kits

5 ALL runners will be able to use changing facilities at Cantley Park and special kit tents will be erected near the 71 start and finish.

Runners will be able to place their belongings in special plastic bags or use their own kit bags. All must 4 have a label attached before being left the the kit tent.

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Water en route

A NUMBER of water stations will be set up across the half 3 their thirst as marathon route, enabling runners to quench they go along.

These stations will be at the three mile, five70mile, sevenand-a-half mile and nine-and-a-half mile spots.

More water and a free hot drinks section 2 will be available for all runners as they reach the finish line in Cantley Park.

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Tuck in to the tuck shop

WOKINGHAM Half Marathon organisers1will be holding a special tuck shop for hungry competitors 79 and spectators at B 69 A Cantley Park.

The stall will serve hot and cold drinks and snacks for anyone attending the event.

It can be found close to the start line.

The Cantley Lodge Hotel will also be serving food.

Weather forecast

THE Met Office is forecasting a mild February day on Sunday, but wind chill will make it feel colder. They are expecting it to be a cloudy morning with strong winds of up to 34mph.

The temperature is predicted to be 11ºC but the winds will make it feel like 7ºC. It is very unlikely to rain, despite the thick cloud overhead – and no sunshine is forecast for the whole day.

Our next governing body meeting in public is Tuesday 1 March 2016 from 1.30-4.30pm at The Oakwood Centre, Woodley, RG4 4JZ

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Above: This year’s Wokingham Half Marathon route. Some 3,000 runners are expected to take part and there will be a number of road closures in place. Motorists are been urged to avoid the area while the race is underway and allow extra times for their journey.

MARCH

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To attend, telephone 0118 982 2709 or visit: www.wokinghamccg.nhs.uk/governing-body-meeting-dates

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ELITE runners from across the country will be among the 3,000 competing in this Sunday’s half marathon.

The race starts and finishes at Cantley Park in Wokingham and the 13.1 mile course takes in much of the borough’s countryside. The starting pistol will be sounded at 10am, with the first runners expected back just over an hour later.

Course record holder Phil Wicks will be defending his title, while facing challenges from Nicholas Torry from Serpentine Running Club, John Beattie Newham from Essex Beagles, and runners from Ireland, Kevin Seaward and Paul Pollock.

Race spokesperson Peter Evans said: “All are expecting to run sub 64 minutes and Paul’s record of 63.14 may be challenged. The leading local runner is No. 271 Daniel Thorne from Reading AC who we expect to be very near the front.”

A number of women will compete in their own category.

Mr Evans explained: “In the ladies event, Sonia Samuels is expecting to run 71 mins and may well challenge Liz Yelling’s record time of 71.09. She should be chased by Caryl Mair Jones from Swansea Harriers.”

The course record - set by Mr Wicks - is 1 hour, three minutes and 14 seconds. If it is smashed on Sunday, organisers will be offering a £500 cash prize.

There are also smaller prizes for the first three runners home in the men and ladies race and the category winners together with trophies. All finishers will receive a medal.

With thousands of runners taking part, there will be a large number of spectators on the borough’s roads.

Mr Evans said that a number of spots have become favourites for people to watch the runners go by.

He said: “Spectators are able to catch up with the race at the junction of Forest Road and Warren House Road, with the leaders getting there at just after 10.05am or both ends of Darvills Lane, with access from Sherlock Row. Here the leading runners should be approaching around 10.15am.

“Another popular place is the cricket club in Hurst, which is about seven-and-a-half miles into the race where the leading runners are expected shortly after 10.30am.”

Race sponsors include Mizuno, David Cliff, Zone Securities, Mazfit, Roger Duckworth, and Mitsubishi Motors, and there is also support from Wokingham Borough Council.

BOOST

Runners will raise thousands of pounds for borough’s charities THOUSANDS of pounds will be raised for good causes at Wokingham’s Half Marathon this Sunday.

Organisers are hoping to beat the amount donated last year from race profits and say that over the years the race has seen more than £200,000 given to charities.

And, they add, that figure is supplemented by the runners themselves, all choosing to run for their own charities and receiving sponsorship money.

Peter Hughes, chairman of the Half Marathon, told The Wokingham Paper: “All of our surplus funds raised by the race are donated to local charities and organisations and last year this amounted to £17,500, and over the years this amounts to well over £200K. “This is only the tip of the iceberg as many runners will be running for their own charities and we have ways of monitoring the total.”

One set of runners hoping to boost the coffers of their favourite charity will be running on Sunday in aid of Just Around The Corner (JAC), a youth project that includes the JAC Pad and charity shop in the town centre and a purpose-built equine assisted learning centre in Forest Road.

Trudi Eisner, Rufus Emmanuel and Sam Waugh will be helping to raise funds for the project’s horse box appeal: the charity wants to raise £7,500 to buy the transport to help its work.

Mireille Haviland, the charity’s resource manager, told The Wokingham Paper: “We need around £15,000 to buy a second hand horse box. It will really take our work to a different level.

“It will enable us to transport horses to where people are, enable the team to take part in competitions and take our small animals to events and local schools. “[Youngsters] will be able to learn how to look after horses and really take up some good training experiences.”

And one of the JAC team returned from maternity leave at the end of January.

“It’s good to have people willing to raise funds for us. It’s such a massive thing to do, particularly for Trudi, and it’s such a blessing for us,” added Mireille.

To support the JAC Team log on to mydonate.bt.com/charities/jac

NEXT WEEK SPECIAL SOUVENIR SUPPLEMENT WITH PICTURES AND RACE TIMES FROM THE DAY

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Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

POLITICS

Tories blame Lib Dems for Woodley’s high Council Tax

EXCLUSIVE

He explained that the reason for the town council’s large precept is both historic and

By PHIL CREIGHTON due to the number of services it provides, news@wokinghampaper.co.uk including Woodford Park, Woodford Park THE PRECEPT charged to residents in Leisure Centre and the Oakwood Centre.

“The high precept goes back to the Woodley is “far too high” and is the fault of the Liberal Democrats, according to the town previous administration,” he said. “Liberal Democrats were in control of the council for council’s leader.

Last week, it was revealed that Woodley’s 40 years. They had finance issues: they said council tax precept - the amount parish we didn’t mind facilities making huge losses, councils charge residents for their services we can change the precept to pay for them.”

Cllr Baker said that the leisure centres - is still the highest in the borough. Band D were losing “big numbers” and residents will be asked to pay roughly 50% of the precept, £105.65.

Parish precepts which has been frozen at the The figure is £28.21 higher These sums are added on to same rate as last year, goes than what residents in your Council Tax towards their costs.

Wargrave, the next dearest Swallowfield £19.20 “The precept was pushed parish, will pay and a staggering Ruscombe £20.62 up and up. When we took £86.45 more than Swallowfield, Finchampstead £21.86 control one of the first things the cheapest parish.

Twyford £22.89 we did was say this was not This means that people St Nicholas Hurst £23.98 right and we’ve set about living in a Band D property in Charvil £28.33 withdrawing those subsidies Woodley will pay £1,628.58 Winnersh £28.36 or lessening them,” he said. a year in Council Tax, while Barkham £29.39 Beth Rowland, the former Swallowfield residents will Sonning £43.00 Liberal Democrats leader hit pay just £1,542.13. The average Wokingham Without back at Cllr Baker’s claims. charge is £1,579.50. £46.80 She said: “Woodley is one Councillor Keith Baker, Wokingham Town £49.74 of the largest town councils the leader of Woodley Town Shinfield £66.30 in England – the town council Council, told The Wokingham Earley £66.54 behaved much like small Paper: “It is far too high and Arborfield & Newland district councils in that they we’re doing everything in our £69.73 provided services for the power to reduce it and raise our Remenham £70.08 community, that is the whole income. You can cut costs, raise Wargrave £77.44 community not just those income or do both. We’re trying Woodley £105.65 that could afford to pay. to do both.”

“Services were supported from the centre to enable both rich and poor to access them.

“The belief of the Liberal Democrats was that Woodley should be a community, not a group of people who happen to live in an area.”

Ms Rowland added that during its 40 years in charge of the town council the Liberal Democrats “rescued” services from closure.

“Bulmershe Swimming Pool would have been closed if the town council had not intervened,” she said. “[It’s the] same old story, Wokingham would not spend money in Woodley then as it does not now.

“We provided cricket and football pitches, and The Inn on the Park. Sadly the Tory administration at Woodley were unable to get their act together in time to look at the lease.”

Ms Rowland also criticised the current adminstration for changing ownership of the Oakland Centre’s cafe, which had previously provided people with additional needs an opportunity to get on the employment ladder.

She said: “The council also provided the Just in the Park café – a CIC – community interest company where young people with special needs could get vital work experience that would enable them to get jobs in the future.

“The café will now be run by Brown Bag rather than the previous profit sharing arrangement that put thousands into the council funds.”

CHARITY

Boots on the ground MORE THAN 250 pairs of boots were distributed to refugees living in the miserable conditions of The Jungle in Calais yesterday.

The brand-new waterproof footwear will be donated to people in desperate need just as French authorities prepare to destroy medical, aid and legal centres, libraries, mosques, schools and kitchens that have been established in the camp.

The boots have been donated by kind-hearted Wokingham people who have responded to an appeal made by Richard Smith and his partner. The couple launched the fund after travelling to Calais at Christmas to help distribute aid at The Jungle, where thousands of refugees are living.

The couple said that their experience moved them so much that they wanted to offer more practical help, launching the appeal to find £10,000 to fund the new boots.

The appeal has been judged a success with the first batch of 250 boots now delivered.

Mr Smith told The Wokingham Paper: “We’ve had an absolutely phenomenal response from people.

We have had well over 150 donations and Norreys Church gave us £1,000 out their funds – phenomenal.” n A public meeting will be held on Saturday, March 5 to talk about their adventure.

Solicitors plan a marathon effort!

HERRINGTON Carmichael are not only sponsoring the Wokingham Half Marathon but are also taking part!

We have four keen ‘athletes’ who are representing the firm in Sunday’s race. Cesare McArdle, Joshua Watkins, Chris Gemson and Laura Gilbert have been braving the cold and dark winter mornings and evenings to train hard to aim for PB’s for the 13.1 mile run.

The training hasn’t all been for a PB and the possibility of a prize at the end, our runners are raising money for The George Bairstow Charitable Trust, a local Charity the firm has been supporting since 2015. The Trust was set up by his mother Maria, a former Solicitor with Herrington Carmichael.

On November 6, 2013, George Bairstow was tragically killed in a car accident. He was just 26.

George was a keen volunteer and supported a number of charitable causes. In his memory his family and friends set up a trust to support the causes that George was passionate about and make sure that people continue to benefit from his legacy.

The trust supports a variety of causes from the provision of emergency first aid to skills to development amongst young people.

Outstanding legal service

Marathon runners Laura Gilbert (left), Cesare McArdle, Joshua Watkins and Chris Gemson.

For more information about the Trust and the good work that they do please see www.gbct.org.uk If you would like to sponsor our runners and donate to the Trust please visit: https://mydonate. bt.com/fundraisers/cesaremcardle1 or if you would like to speak with us please contact Maria Mulroe on 0118 977 4045.

FOR ALL BUSINESS AND FAMILY MATTERS

We listen, you talk, we act

Camberley: 01276 686 222 Wokingham: 0118 977 4045

6 | NEWS

To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

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If , Crowthorne, Berkshire 6HS with a recommendation to approve the and go through these with town and , Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6HS Fleck Associates By PHIL CREIGHTON Tony Welsh of Susan Ltd youWelsh told them of you Susan were Eurosceptic, Tony Fleck then Associates Ltd charges despite considerable opposition parish councils and other interested news@wokinghampaper.co.uk onywelshifa.co.uk to466173 leave the EU07768 in Authorised the320430 referendum. and regulated by the FSA Tel/Fax vote 01344 Mobile Email tony@independent-ifa.co.uk Authorised and regulated by the FSA parties. It’s going to be coming along to from respondents.

Tel/Fax 01344 402 4661738978 Mobile 07768 320430 Email tony@independent-ifa.co.uk Tel 0118 Mobile 07768 320430 “Your supporters backed you RG45 6HS Address 5 The Paddock, Crowthorne, Berkshire Address 5 The Paddock, Crowthorne, Berkshire RG45 6HS Briefing documents state: “These March executive hopefully by which time PLANS to introduce weekends and they want our democracy Email because tony@tonywelshifa.co.uk overnight charges for the borough’s car proposed charges will ensure that the we may have explored some of the other Tony Welsh of Associates Ltd Independent Adviser restored, with powers ofFinancial selfFleck government Tony Welsh of Susan Susan Fleck Associates Ltd were almost approved this week – council’s off street car parks provide a options.” parks Tel/Fax 01344 466173 Mobile 07768 320430 Email tony@independent-ifa.co.uk returned.

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Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the majority of respondents were April this year. consultation responses.

Registration Number AJW00121 The leader of Wokingham’s Liberal An IEMD meeting sees against the charges being introduced.

Cllr Kaiser said: “What we were going Democrats has told The Wokingham one member of the Council’s executive take decisions on the to do was agree the traffic order which Paper that the planned changes are not committee’s behalf. In this case, would allow us to do it [make the changes “trivial” and the consultation process it would have been Cllr John to parking], we hadn’t decided that should not have been “snuck through”.

Councillor Prue Bray, who represents Kaiser, Wokingham Borough we were actually going to do. We had Aerial, satellite and home entertainment Council’s (WBC) executive a request from some town and parish Winnersh, added that the consultation installations and servicing member for planning and councils to do something different to documents allow increased fees but not Small Local Company Small Local Company new ones.

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Pictures: Andrew Merritt

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A MAN was lucky to escape with minor injuries after the car he was driving collided with a tree in Earley yesterday morning.

Police officers and ambulance crews were called to The Drive just off the London Road near the Sutton Seeds Roundabout, at 7.15am following reports that a vehicle had left the road.

The silver Vauxhall Corsa had collided head-on with a tree. Police temporarily closed the road while emergency service attended.

A spokesperson for South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) confirmed the male driver was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading with only minor injuries.

been a consultation on the introduction of charges in the car parks on Sundays and overnight.

“No previous decision had been made that I could find that had established the principle that this would happen. It is, as you can imagine, a tiny bit controversial and there was quite a lot of opposition in the consultation responses.”

She added: “They cancelled the meeting because I challenged it. It would have gone ahead otherwise.

“I think what happened was that someone wanted to get these charges through in time to include them in the budget and hadn’t got it on to the Executive Forward Programme in time, so they rushed through a surprise consultation – nobody was expecting it – and organised an IEMD, forgetting the rules.

“This is not a trivial change. It is a significant one and should have been handled openly and transparently. They should not have tried to sneak it through.”

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8 | NEWS

Parish noticeboard Tuesday February 23 Wokingham Borough Council Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 7pm. Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN Wokingham Town Council Amenities Committee.

7.30pm. Wokingham Town Hall, Wokingham

Wednesday February 24 Finchampstead Planning Meeting. 7.30pm. California Ratepayers Hall, Finchampstead

EDUCATION

Find out more about new Floreat school opening AN OPEN meeting about a new primary school and nursery opening in Wokingham this September will take place later this month.

The event is an opportunity for parents to find out more about plans for the school, which will operate on the new Montague Park and will be run by Floreat.

The meeting takes place on Thursday from 2pm to 3pm in The Cornerstone Community Centre in Norreys Avenue.

The school is also accepting applications.

For more details, log on to www.floreat.org.uk/ montaguepark

GET THE LATEST NEWS FACEBOOK & TWITTER:

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To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk n A MAN from Wokingham has pleaded guilty to possessing amphetamine.

James Cameron, 22, of Budges Road, appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on January 11 where he pleaded guilty to possessing the Class B drug on December 25.

Mr Cameron was given a conditional discharge for 18 months, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15 and costs of £85. The drugs were forfeited and destroyed. n A MAN from South London has pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in Wokingham.

Daniel Hall, 42, of Corrance Road, Brixton, appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on January 11 when he pleaded guilty to the charge, which related to an incident in Station Link Road on December 22.

Mr Hall was fined £400, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £40 and costs of £85. n A MAN from Woodley has been disqualified from driving for nearly two years after being caught over the alcohol limit.

Tajinder Pal Singh, 36, of Woodlands Avenue, pleaded guilty to the charge at Reading Magistrates’ Court on January 11, where he was also fined £150, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £20 and costs of £85.

Mr Singh was disqualified from holding a driving licence for 20 months for the incident which happened on December 28. n A 20-year-old man from Wokingham has pleaded guilty to criminal damage and breaching a community order.

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

From the courts

Jack William Godfrey, of Jupiter Way, appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on January 11 where he pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to a Renault Clio on August 21.

He also admitted breaching a community order made by the same court on April 17 for an offence of battery and actual bodily harm.

Mr Godfrey was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months, pay compensation of £165 and costs of £85. n A WOMAN from Three Mile Cross is due to appear in court charged with burglary.

Teresa Joan Michelle Joyce, 40, of Wallace Grove, appeared at East Berkshire Magistrates’ Court in Slough

pay a victim surcharge of £60 and costs of £85, and he was disqualified from holding a driving licence for 20 months. n A MAN from Hertfordshire has pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer and a man in Wokingham and resisting arrest.

Alex Coldwell, 18, of Bishops Stortford, was given a community order to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay costs of £100 when he appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on January 13.

The charges related to an incident on June 20 last year.

on January 11 charged with trespassing at a property in Slough and stealing electrical equipment on January 8.

Miss Joyce pleaded not guilty to the charge, and will appear at East Berkshire Magistrates’ Court in Maidenhead on March 17.

n A WOMAN from Twyford has been ordered to pay more than £250 for damaging a car and terracotta pots.

Kirsty Victoria Robinson, 28, of London Road, pleaded guilty to criminal damage when she appeared at West Berkshire Magistrate in Newbury on January 14.

The charge relates to an incident on December 20 last year.

Miss Robinson was handed a conditional discharge for 12 months, ordered to pay compensation of £250 and a victim surcharge of £15.

n A MAN from Wokingham has been handed a community order and banned from driving for nearly two years for driving while over the alcohol limit.

Rory McMahon, 23, of Victoria Walk, appeared at East Berkshire Magistrates’ Court in Slough on January 11 where he pleaded guilty to driving a car in Bracknell on December 18 while above the legal limit.

Mr McMahon was ordered to carry out 75 hours of unpaid work, ordered to

n A MAN from Wokingham has had his conviction and sentence withdrawn.

Richard Brown, of Lawrence Close, was charged with travelling on a train on May 14 last year without a ticket.

On December 4 Reading Magistrates’ Court fined him £440, ordered him to pay £3.10 compensation, costs of £160 and a criminal courts charge of £150.

However, the case was reopened at the same court on February 5, and the offence was withdrawn.

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TRANSPORT

Residents’ anger as cheaper Toutley Road distributor route is chosen

The council’s Matt Davey gave a presentation to the packed room, right.

Pictures: Paul King and Phil Creighton

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk REVISED plans for the Northern Distributor Road were condemned by residents at a stormy meeting on Wednesday night.

Matt Davey, Wokingham Borough Council’s (WBC) Head of Highways & Transport, made a presentation about the new road which will connect the Coppid Beech roundabout with Winnersh, via Emmbrook and the new Matthewsgreen development.

The new plan is an amalgamation of routes A and C, rather than route B which 78% of residents had previously expressed a preference for in a 2013 consultation.

Attendees on the night expressed their frustration that the Council’s plans had changed and felt that their views had been neglected .

However, WBC’s Executive Member for Planning and Highway Cllr John Kaiser told The Wokingham Paper yesterday: “The suggestion that Wokingham Borough Council has ignored residents’ views over the major roads it will be delivering is, frankly, nonsense.”

He continued: “In North Wokingham we have been able to accommodate much of what local people wanted – the road will

avoid most of Old Forest Road, which was a key concern for residents, it will avoid Warren House Lane completely. Both of these are changes brought about by the public consultations.

“Sadly, the Council’s detailed investigations have shown that it is not possible to meet the local aspiration of avoiding Toutley Road completely due to the unaffordable engineering work that would be required to deal with the large scale environmental impact of the route.”

Some of the revisions to the plans include improvements to Bell Foundry Lane instead of installing a roundabout, creating a new Millennium Arboretum and moving the Winnersh allotments.

To link Reading Road with the new road, a roundabout will be built, and there will also be a new railway bridge installed close by.

However, it is changes to the Toutley Road section that caused ire from residents at the meeting, which was held at the Emmbrook School.

Four alternative routes have been considered to avoid Toutley Road, but Mr Davey told residents it would cost £5.3million to build the previous planned route but just £2.2m to build on the Toutley Road area.

“It’s just not viable for us to do,” Mr

Above: A map of the proposed route. Left, inset, Paul Gallagher, chairman of the Emmbrook Residents Association, speaking at Wednesday night’s meeting.

Davey said, on the original route. Speaking about the overall vision for the revised road scheme he told the meeting: “The Council has refined the route based on engineering and financial issues. The Executive and I think we have the solution to all major problems.”

Responding, Emmbrook Residents Association chairman Paul Gallagher, expressed his frustration at how long it had taken to organise the meeting.

To applause from the 450-strong crowd he said: “We have been asking for this meeting since last September. I think it’s disgraceful it has taken so long to be quite honest with you.”

Also responding was Steve Sansom from the Joel Park Residents Association.

He said: “Us residents have to deal with the disruption and upheaval as these plans take their lengthy course.

COMMUNITY

Sonning unites to say ‘no’ to doorstep cold callers SONNING has become the first village in Berkshire to be declared as a designated No Cold Calling Zone.

Fed up residents teamed up with Wokingham and West Berkshire Trading Standards at Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) and Thames Valley Police after growing tired with unwanted doorstep trading in the area.

The No Cold Calling Zone scheme aims to reduce unscrupulous cold callers by empowering householders and increasing awareness of doorstep crime. Signs are displayed at the entry and exit points of the zones and stickers are issued to residents to display on their front doors advising door-todoor salesman that the occupants do not want to be called upon.

Cold calling on a householder who has expressed that they do not want to be contacted in this way could be considered a breach of consumer protection laws.

Cllr Alistair Auty, WBC’s deputy executive member for resident services, said: “Bogus salesmen can be a nuisance, especially to the frail and elderly, so I hope that the recent No

Representatives from Wokingham and West Berkshire Trading Standards, Thames Valley Police, Sonning Village residents and deputy executive member for resident services Cllr Alistair Auty.

Cold Calling Zones in the Wokingham Borough will help tackle the problem.”

To be considered for a No Cold Calling Zone there needs to be a clear demand from local residents.

For further advice and information on how to set up a No Cold Calling Zone residents should contact Wokingham and West Berkshire Trading Standards via email at tsadvice@ westberks.gov.uk.

“Our guests from the council and the developers must respect that, for us, this is our home.”

The question time from residents overran by 30 minutes and issues raised included flooding, moving trees, the play areas and traffic from construction lorries.

COMMUNITY

Kidnapped plant hunter speaks at society’s birthday A CLUB founded to help dig for victory in the Second World War is celebrating its 75th anniversary by welcoming a plant hunter who was kidnapped by guerrillas.

Tom Hart Dyke will speak at the birthday meeting of the East Reading Horticultural Society (ERHS) meeting on Tuesday, March 15. He was kidnapped in the Colombian jungle on a plant hunting expedition that went dangerously wrong in the year 2000. He and his travelling companion, Paul Winder, were held by guerrillas for nine months.

The club’s meeting is the latest in a series of special events for the club.

John Peacock, Chair of ERHS, told The Wokingham Paper: “Five years ago we had Pippa Greenwood talking to us” said Mr Peacock.

“For our 60th AGM Alan Titchmarsh came. We have five talks a year mainly on horticultural subjects, but it’s nice to have someone special for our anniversaries.”

The club was launched in 1941, helping allotment holders and gardeners by supplying seeds from Suttons, together with fertilisers and garden sundries and to give advice where possible.

“The aims of the founder members have remained the same,” said Mr Peacock.

“The 900 members of ERHS enjoy a monthly newsletter, a trading shed where members can buy Suttons Seeds at 50% discount and a monthly talk on horticultural subjects. And all for a membership fee of £2 a year.”

The club meets at St Peter’s church hall, Church Road in Earley.

For more details log on to www.erhs.org.uk

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10 | BUSINESS

To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Business

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

Got a business story? Email news@wokingham paper.co.uk. or write to The Wokingham Paper, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS

DINNER

FUNDRAISING

Gain insight into your business strategy

They’ve got the power! £600K raised for charity

THE Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce is holding an Insight Dinner next month.

Clinton Wingrove, CEO and Principal Consultant, CKT Solutions, will be speak on the theme Continuity, Disruption and Evolution.

He will focus on the need for companies to devise strategies that combine proven best practice with agile responses to disruptive technologies, in order to strengthen their business models and evolve their thinking and practices to ensure future sustainable growth.

The dinner takes place at the Oxford Thames Four Pillars hotel in Henley Road, Sandford on Thames on Tuesday.

Places cost from £50. Call 01753 870500 or log on to www.thamesvalleychamber.co.uk

READING

Network and lunch event is ladies only THE INSTITUTE of Directors is holding a business lunch for women later this month.

The event is aimed at dynamic business women who want to network over a two-course lunch at the London Street Brasserie in Reading town centre,.

The venue is on the edge of The Oracle shopping centre and the event is open to non-members of the Institute.

It takes place from 12.30pm to 2pm on Monday, February 29. Places cost from £24+VAT. For more details, call Juliet Rushent on 0118 942 9608.

A CANCER charity is £600,000 better off thanks to National Grid workers in Wokingham.

Staff at the company have helped raise the sum as part of a twoyear partnership between the two organisations.

The money will be used to pay for 3,121 emergency fuel grants to help cancer sufferers struggling to heat their homes.

To celebrate their achievements,

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk A FAMILIAR face to Wokingham’s property scene has taken the plunge and opened his own agency.

Mark Rath, who has worked for local estate agents for 30 years, took a year out so he could plan his new venture. But while it took 12 months to construct his dream, creating his new office in Denmark Street was a lot faster.

Mr Rath told The Wokingham Paper: “We got legal possession of the offices on January 8, and we opened on February 8 - we had a big job on our hands.

“Anyone who remembers the former Wokingham Photographic shop will agree.

We have retained the character of the building whilst giving

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hunt were also held to maximise participation.

National Grid site Macmillan champions Martin Banton and Jo Heine have overseen the impressive endeavours.

Business Consultant Ms Heine said: “It’s been great to see how people at Wokingham have got stuck into the fundraising and had a lot of fun and boosted their fitness in the process.”

‘Straight talking’ estate agent opens

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Contact: Sue Jackson 07867530727

A fundraising highlight was the Wokingham Summer Games held last year which raked in more than £5,800. This extravaganza saw the crowning of the first Wokingham’s Fittest Manager which involved a demanding six minutes of intense rowing and cycling.

There were also an interdepartment football and basketball competitions. Less physical events including a bake sale and a treasure

WOKINGHAM

WOKINGHAM LIONS

What could be easier.

Wokingham employees held a party on Thursday, February 11.

During the event, operational projects specialist Jennifer Owen was named as outstanding individual after she cycled 1,000 miles during her annual leave to raise money.

Meanwhile employees Jamie Booth, Gary Lim, Jonathan Barcroft, Qi Zhong, Ron Taylor and Siqi Bu won a Team Achievement Award for their fundraising efforts.

Mark Rath has started up a new estate agency business in Wokingham.

it a fresh new image, something that our neighbours all love.

“What is really touching is what a lovely community we have down at this end of Denmark Street.”

And it’s been a busy few weeks for the fledgling agency, which specialises in sales and lettings.

“We had three instructions before we opened our doors and in our first week we’ve had more than 20 people pop in to congratulate us on opening

and to complement us on how eye catching our new office looks, mostly former clients of mine.

“Another ex-client contacted me and said his letting property was up for renewal in April – ‘it’s yours’, he told me. Another contacting me even before our website was officially up and running saying that he is about to sell and ‘the house is mine’.”

Mr Rath attributes this initial success to the approach he takes to

estate agency, something he feels that Wokingham customers will find refreshing.

He explained: “I’ve always looked after my customers – I’m determined to give people excellent customer service, something which is often missing in this industry.

“I’ve always been a bit more plain speaking than the competition and people like it. For my clients, I’m effectively their personal estate agent. They have my mobile number and they can call me virtually anytime.”

Mr Rath is joined in the business by his wife, Lesley, who helped set up another local agent’s letting department and until recently ran a very successful holiday letting portfolio.

Melva Jeffries, the third member of staff, specialised in events management and previously worked for a local letting agency. This experience is something the company hopes to utilise when it comes to a new approach to marketing sales or properties to let. n Mark Rath Residential is at 24 Denmark Street. Call 0118 334 7348 or visit www.mrresidential.co.uk

TRAINING

Pop up and go back to school to gain confidence in your start-up business A BUSINESS school is getting ready to pop-up in the Thames Valley, offering a fast-paced two-week boot camp to anyone looking to start out on their own.

The PopUp Business School will be based in the former Mango store in The Oracle shopping centre in Reading from February 29 to March 4 and again from March 7 to 11.

It is open to anyone in Berkshire: The PopUp Business School said it is all about offering opportunities to every member of society, from lone parents to the unemployed, people with disability and exoffenders, NEETs and other disadvantaged members of the community. They add that half of people who take part in the school

go on to run their own businesses.

Organised in partnership with West Berkshire Council, Jobcentre Plus, Hammerson, Reading UK CIC and The Oracle, the event is aimed at helping people find confidence to try their ideas and make money from doing what they love.

The PopUp Business School said it will offer the latest techniques to help people start or grow existing business or find new opportunities. Workshops will include How To Start A Business With No Money and How To Make A Website For Free.

Co-founder Simon Paine said: “We specifically want to meet people who find it harder to start [businesses]. People who

are fed up with the daily grind and want to try something new.

“Business has changed so much that there are more possibilities than ever to get an idea off the ground, even if you haven’t got any money.”

Karen Brown, a Jobcentre Plus manager in Reading, said: “This is a great example of Jobcentre Plus working with local government to support residents fulfil their ambitions and improve their lives.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work to get it off the ground but we’re all now very excited and really looking forward to the start of the programme.” n For more information or to book a place, visit www.popupbusinessschool.co.uk

NEWS | 11

To advertise call 0118 328 2959

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

SHINFIELD

Ambitious parish hall plans on show EXCLUSIVE

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokinghampaper.co.uk PLANS for a new parish hall in Shinfield were displayed to residents last Saturday and there’s another chance to see them this weekend.

The Parish Council has bought the former British Legion Club in School Green and is proposing to demolish the building to create a new two-storey complex which will be linked to the existing parish hall next door.

The two concepts being considered by the council were on show last Saturday; One has a large frontage that would overlook School Green, while the other is more open at the front. Both have car parking and aim to increase facilities for the community, which will grow considerably as part of the borough’s ongoing regeneration plan.

Councillor Peter Hughes, chairman of Shinfield Parish Council, told The Wokingham Paper: “The number of residents will go from 11,000 to 19,000.

With new residents coming we need the facilities.

“These are very early plans – the

Cllr Andrew Grimes explains the plans to residents. Inset: The existing building.

details for the inside need to be worked out, [today] is a case of showing people how we will merge the two centres together and improve the frontage.

“The proposals are a really good starting point, we’ve worked hard to get it to this stage.”

The project is a joint enterprise between the parish council and Wokingham Borough Council and is estimated to cost £2.4million, with the money coming from Section 106 funds paid by developers of the new houses.

“We’re aiming to get planning

permission this year to build it next year, ready for 2018,” Mr Hughes added. “It’s subject to agreement by the Wokingham Borough Council executive.”

Councillor Andrew Grimes has been helping create the project in conjunction with Basingstoke-based architects Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt.

He said: “The proposals came out of workshops and forums we’ve held.

People want this, there’s a need for a multi-functional site. Now people can show support and select their preferred proposal.

“The scheme will respect the environment and we’ve looked at other village centres. Our desire is to get the best environment we can.”

Assuming Wokingham Borough Council’s executive agree to the plans next month, Mr Grimes is confident the new centre will take shape quickly.

“Once the funding cycle is agreed, it will be a relatively easy process.”

The proposals will be on display in the John Heggadon Meeting Room at Shinfield Parish Hall, tomorrow (Saturday) between 10am and 1pm.

Parish councillors will also be available to discuss the project with visitors.

CRIME

Jewellery taken after window locks forced

JEWELLERY was stolen from a property in Riseley last week.

Between 11am and 5.45pm on Wednesday, February 10, someone forced a front window, a kitchen window and a bedroom window of a property in Norton Road. All the window locks had been forced open and broken.

It is understood an unlocked gate at the side of the house could be easily opened and allowed the offender to gain access to the back of the property.

Anyone with any information should contact the Thames Valley Police enquiry centre via 101.

CRIME

Two homes targeted by would-be burglar

A MAN was seen running from a house in Spencers Wood last week following a suspected attempted burglary.

At around 6.20pm on Wednesday, February 10, Thames Valley Police officers were called to the property in Beatty Rise after a rear kitchen window was found smashed.

Officers conducted a search of the area but the suspect was not found. A second property in the same street was also found to have had a window smashed, but neither properties were entered.

If you have any information relating to these incidents you should call 101.

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COMMUNITY

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

ACHIEVEMENT

Netball players jumping for joy over better courts

Women of strength and courage are put forward for Sue Ryder awards

By GEMMA DAVIDSON gdavidson@wokinghampaper.co.uk

NETBALL and football players in Lower Earley are now enjoying improved facilities at Chalfont Courts thanks to developer contributions.

The courts have been resurfaced and repainted, the perimeter fencing has been replaced along with rebound boards, and new netball posts have been installed. All of these improvements have been made possible after Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) received £60,000 from developers.

Laurel Park Netball Club and the council’s Kickz football project use the courts, on a regular basis.

The courts were officially opened on Monday night by the Mayor of Wokingham Parry Batth after a welcome reception for players, coaches and local dignitaries at Sutton Bowls Club.

WBC’s executive member for environment, Cllr Angus Ross said: “I was delighted to have the Mayor and many local councillors, sportspeople and parents here to officially reopen the courts at Chalfont Park.

“We’re pleased to be able to invest in these courts and make improvements which have come at no cost to the taxpayer. They have been funded by S106 money (developer contributions).”

INSPIRATIONAL women across Wokingham Borough are being honoured by a hospice charity.

Nominees in the six categories of the Sue Ryder’s 2016 Southern Women of Achievement Awards were revealed on Monday, with the final winners being announced at a glittering ceremony on Friday, March 11.

The seven women, who hail from every corner of the borough, have been recognised alongside their peers from Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, for their remarkable contribution in their field.

The winners of the six categories – Woman of Achievement in Business, Woman of Achievement in Sport, Woman of Achievement in Services, Young Woman of Achievement, Sue Ryder Woman of Courage and Woman of Achievement in the Community – will then be put forward for the Robyn Jones Southern Woman of Achievement award, in honour of Robyn Jones OBE, a long-time supporter of the Sue Ryder hospices, who died in 2015.

Tracey Hancock, Head of Fundraising at Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent and Nettlebed Hospices, said: “Robyn was a true woman of achievement, who sadly died in 2015.

“We wanted to recognise the contribution she has made to Sue Ryder and are delighted that her husband, Tim, remains involved both with Sue Ryder and this event in particular.

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Valley for over 20 years and currently runs her own company as a business networking facilitator, public speaker and radio presenter at Marlow FM. Mary was an enthusiastic member of staff at Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce for many years before starting her own networking business, then served three years as Chairman of East Berkshire FSB. She partners Sharon Connolly with Ladies Who Latte, ladies-only networking events, and more than 50 groups around the country.

Woman of Achievement in Business Kat Williams (pictured above) - Lower Earley Kat started writing a wedding blog - Rock n Roll Bride - when she was engaged to her now husband which turned into a love of writing.

After several years Kat started to get requests from wedding photographers and other industry professional to run their ads on her site. This then turned into more than a hobby and Kat left her job to concentrate full-time on the blog.

From the blog evolved the ‘blog academy’, a series of creative workshops run by Kat and two other wedding bloggers, teaching others how to manage a blog and earn a living from it.

Kat is now on issue seven of her very own wedding magazine which is sold worldwide and stocked in shops nationwide.

Sue Ryder Woman of Courage Lucy Herd - Wokingham Lucy has pioneered a campaign urging the Government to give grieving parents more paid time off work.

When Lucy’s toddler son Jack drowned in a garden pool in August 2010, she was horrified to learn that her then-husband could only take

Mary Flavelle - Binfield Mary has been doing business with Thames

“We would like to congratulate all the women who have been nominated this year; there are some remarkable stories among them. Every single one of our nominees is deserving of recognition and the awards ceremony promises to be a truly inspiring event.”

The event, which raises money to support Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent and Nettlebed Hospices; Charles Clore Unit,

three days paid leave, one of which had to be for the funeral.

Lucy now visits companies and conferences to deliver training and awareness days to help managers and HR departments understand the need for compassion after the death of a loved one.

She set up the charity Jack’s Rainbow to help families cope with sudden child bereavement.

Woman of Achievement in the Community Dawn Welburn - Arborfield When widower Dawn lost both her parents she became a full-time carer for her brother who has special needs.

She also runs a club called ‘The Next Step’ for people with disabilities, organising two discos a week, and takings groups of people with special needs on holidays.

Jane Barker - Wokingham Jane started and successfully runs Building for the Future, a charity for disabled children and those with additional needs.

Jane’s daughter, Kitty, has athetoid cerebral palsy.

She also runs a local ladies group for business and friendship networking and supports her local community as much as possible.

Newbury and Wokingham Day Hospice, will also feature live performances from The Lacettes and an auction with prizes including afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace, a stay at Christmas Cottage, Bray and two bronze hares sculpted by Sebastian Wylder, as well as a Boarding Pass draw to win £500 worth of holiday vouchers from Meadway Travel, Tilehurst.

Tickets are on sale now at £50 per person or £450 for a table of 10, including a three course meal and complimentary drinks reception.

To buy tickets go to www.sueryder. org/swoa or call the Duchess of Kent or Nettlebed fundraising teams at Duchess of Kent on 0118 939 4889 or Nettlebed on 01491 641384 ext. 246.

A friend in need is a friend indeed

I

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So, those in need seem to have the odds stacked against them in more ways than one. However, those who care for the disabled report on their generosity of spirit, their courage in the face of adversity and the lessons they learn being in their company.

It truly seems to be the kind of work that rewards the carer in unexpected ways. Bridges Home Care provides an award winning service ‘bridging the gap’, so that those who have a disability or a need for support can stay in their own home and remain independent.

One of their regular clients says “The carer role in this country is critical. It’s an important part of the social fabric. Lots of people for one reason or another aren’t well and need help”.

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Carers say it’s ‘the best job in the world’ as you are bringing smiles to the faces of people who have a lot

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Why not contact Bridges to find out how to become a home care worker – a friend to those in need?

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

NEWS | 13

WINDOWS & DOORS

CONSERVATORIES

Children taking part in the Bikeability Balance training in Woodley.

EDUCATION

Pupils get a lesson in riding their bikes safely MORE than 300 children across Wokingham Borough are learning how to ride a bicycle, thanks to a council initiative.

As part of the Department for Transport-led Bikeability Plus scheme, Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) has expanded its already popular in-school training programme for 10and 11-year-olds to cater for younger children.

Throughout January, 150 children aged three to four took part in Bikeability Balance training, and this month and next the council will be running Learn to Ride courses for five- to 10-year-olds who cannot ride or are struggling to learn.

Jill Bissell, WBC’s cycle training coordinator, said: “We are finding that there is a

huge demand for beginner cycle training for younger children and we are very grateful for the Bikeability Plus grant which has enabled us to organise both the Bikeability Balance and Learn to Ride sessions.

“The key to learning is that we start the children off on balance bikes (bikes with no pedals and no stabilisers) so that they learn to balance first and then glide (with their feet up.) Once they have mastered these skills, they can then make an easier transition to riding a bike with pedals.”

Cllr John Kaiser, WBC executive member for highways and planning, said: “Starting to teach a child to ride a bike at a young age is a life skill which some children miss out on.

“We hope that the Bikeability Plus grant will get more children and families enthused about cycling and encourage more of the future generation to use cycling as a means of transport.

“This is just one of the schemes we offer to children of all ages to ensure they are safe and understand the importance of road safety.”

CAMPAIGN

Pet shop defends its puppy policy after online petition

By VIVIENNE JOHNSON vjohnson@wokinghampaper.co.uk A PET shop at the centre of a row about puppy farms has hit back saying the allegations made by an online petition against them are untrue.

Linton pet shop, based at Ladd’s garden centre in Hare Hatch, has been named in the change.org petition, which asks Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) to revoke the company’s licence to sell dogs, accusing the company of “obtaining puppies from puppy farms and abroad”.

Loridana Agius, who has co-owned Linton’s for three years with business partner Jean-Pierre Caruana, told The Wokingham Paper: “The people organising the petition haven’t visited the shop and the accusations are based on hearsay. People signing the petition are from as far away as Glasgow and even the United States and don’t know anything about the shop.”

The campaigners want pet shops such as Linton to cease selling dogs, with organisations such as The Kennel Club warning that puppy farm breeders are motivated by profit over welfare.

Its website warns: “Do not buy a puppy or a dog from a pet shop as it is likely to have originated from a puppy farm. Good breeders would never sell their puppies via a pet shop, despite what you may be told.”

However, Linton’s staff feel that the small business is doing everything it can to ensure its puppies are bought from responsible breeders and the animals are

Sarah Scott-Wiles, manager at Linton pet shop in Hare Hatch. Picture: Vivienne Johnson

well looked after.

Sarah Scott-Wiles, the store’s manager, said: “We have a list of 81 licensed breeders we buy from. We are obliged to buy from licensed breeders. Dogs have to be 18-months-old [before they can breed] and checked by a vet for suitability for breeding and licenced breeders are checked out once a year by [Wokingham Borough] council.

“Two of our suppliers are based in Malta, the dogs we import from there are at least 18-weeks-old and some are six-monthsold because then the dogs are stronger.

We only buy dogs from the UK and Malta because these are rabies free countries.

“We are not doing anything against the law,” added Ms Agius. “We work with, not against, Wokingham Borough Council and indeed our licence requirements each year become greater but we adhere to any additional conditions set and implement any ideas to improve the welfare of all our animals.

“We are passionate about what we do

and simply love working with animals.

“We love accessing and finding the right breed of puppy for a client. I feel that the in-depth knowledge we have reassures all clients before they leave with their puppy, what to expect moving forward and indeed we stress to all clients it’s not about merely selling a pup but the aftercare and support we give indefinitely that gives reassurance to clients.

“I get emails, texts and phone calls daily and ultimately super happy customers coming back to see us with their ‘furbabies’.”

Ms Agius added that this customer care is different to the service you could expect from what she said are illegal traders.

“Many illegal traders and illegal puppy farmers just sell you the pup and should you call them with a problem they will put the phone down on you or change their number,” she said.

“We look after our animals, spending one on one time getting individuals used to noises and experiences so they can have the best start in life. They are not simply seen as ‘stock’ but little lives.”

Responding to the change.org petition, Councillor Pauline Jorgensen, WBC’s executive member for resident services, said: “Linton Pet Store has correctly applied and has been given a licence under the Pet Animals Act 1951, and is complying with its conditions.”

A WBC added: “The store was inspected on December 1, 2015 and the current license is valid until December 31, 2016.”

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Sumas’ stand plan given the thumbs down by town council

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EXCLUSIVE

PLANS that would see the Sumas return to Wokingham for their home games have been slated for being detrimental and inappropriate by Wokingham Town Council.

Wokingham and Emmbrook Football Club, who play at the Emmbrook Sports Pavilion in Lowther Road, have applied for planning permission to install a 100-seater grandstand and pitch lighting as well adding 20 spaces to the car park.

The club says the grandstand would provide much needed seating facilities for spectators and ensure the facilities are suitable for playing in the Hellenic Premier Division.

However, the town council has submitted a formal letter objecting to the plans.

The letter noted: “The floodlighting and additional traffic generated by the proposal represents a scale of activity that is inappropriate to the character of a residential area and detrimental to the amenities of adjoining land users.”

Despite the objections, there have been many comments supporting the application.

Club’s chairman Graham Tabor said: “The Town Council’s Planning & Transport Committee just don’t get it and have not even bothered to find out.

“There will be no additional traffic generated in fact the opposite as all cars can be parked off of Lowther Road.

“There will be no more noise generated as the proposed level of sporting activities have always co-existed with this residential area.

“We are resolved to be capped at the current level of activity as a planning condition and which we can prove since 2004.

“We have listened to the local residents via two Open Meetings and have excluded fencing from the application.”

To view the plans visit www. wokingham.gov.uk and search for planning application 153382.

The closing date for comments on the application has passed.

SAFETY

Lake given new ‘High Risk’ status over flooding risk MAIDEN Erlegh Lake at Maiden Erlegh nature reserve has been reclassified as a ‘High Risk’ Reservoir by officers of Earley Town Council.

The Amenities and Leisure manager said: “As a result of re-classifying the lake as Category A, high risk and with potential to endanger life, the Emergency Flood Plan and Risk Assessments appropriate to the lake have now been updated to reflect new procedures.

“Work has been carried out to ensure the reduced risk to private property by flooding the the wooded area adjacent to the lake in the event of an emergency.”

GET THE LATEST NEWS FIND US ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER: SEARCH FOR WOKINGHAMPAPER

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

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Hungry for more! 1,000 of the town’s foodies sign up for new delivery app

By GEMMA DAVIDSON gdavidson@wokinghampaper.co.uk THE owner of a new food delivery service which launched in Wokingham this week has thanked his customers for making it such a success.

Nick Bolter, who co-owns Supper with Duncan Scott, told of his delight at having more than 1,000 people sign up to the new service since it launched on Tuesday.

The service, which was pioneered by the Wokingham-born entrepreneurs in South London last year, promises customers a chance to enjoy healthy, home-cooked food delivered straight to their door.

Nick admitted that he had been nervous on the morning of the launch, but was pleasantly surprised by how well the service took off.

He said: “I was shaking like a leaf on Monday, but it couldn’t have gone better if we tried. On the first night, we had 33 portions sent out by our chefs,

Supper chefs have been cooking up a storm for the town’s hungry diners.

which we weren’t expecting at all.

We received a lot more first night orders in Wokingham than we did for London.

“We knew the service would be popular in Wokingham, but the feedback we have already received has been incredible, around 99% of customer reviews were five stars. We ask our customers to leave constructive criticism of their experience, like if there was too much rice or not enough sauce, it is all helpful.”

The launch has been so successful that Nick is already receiving requests to expand into new areas.

He said: “The response on social media has been phenomenal, people have been asking us ‘when are you coming to Woodley?’, or ‘ when are you coming to Twyford?’, and the answer is: soon.

“This is all brand new for our chefs and couriers, and we wouldn’t want to compromise the quality of our service by spreading ourselves too thin, too

soon. We pride ourselves on delivering hot, fresh food, but if the couriers are having to travel too far that won’t happen.

“We have had 1,000 people download our app or sign up for more information from our website, so the demand is certainly there. We just want to bide our time, make Wokingham as successful as it can be and then look at growing into new areas.”

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COMMUNITY

Men’s breakfast could be last A TREASURER of the Conservative party was counting the baked beans last Saturday, when he spoke at a men’s breakfast.

Lord Farmer, who is a founding Partner of the Red Kite Hedge Fund and Mine Finance Group, addressed about 100 men who gathered at Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning for the Reading Churches Mens’ Breakfast.

In his talk, entitled It’s A Rich Man’s World? Lord Farmer shared his life story, which included becoming a Christian when he was 35. He also talked about how his faith has influenced his work in the City as well as touching on his role within the Conservative party and his relationship with David Cameron.

The men’s breakfast was the 70th organised by the group and could be the last one. First organised in 1994, the current team of John Ledger and John Broady have announced their intention to step down and no one has come forward to replace them.

“Sadly this will be the last breakfast,” John Ledger said. “I still believe there is a need for these breakfasts. If anyone would be able to put in the work, energy and vision to carry this on, let me know.”

If you can help, contact Mr Ledger by emailing enqiries@rcmg.org.uk

Food for thought at the Reading Churches Mens’ Breakfast. Pictures: Phil Creighton

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THE WOKINGHAM PAPER N E W S W I T H A H E A RT F O R T H E B O RO U G H

Parish council system needs reviewing THE cost of living in Wokingham can vary quite considerably.

Figures released in the borough council’s budget last week reveal that while the council tax rise is 3.94%, parish council precepts mean that what you pay in one ward can be considerably different to what you pay in another.

In fact, the difference for a Band D council tax property is almost £100. That’s a large difference – people who live in Woodley have to pay almost £85 a month more than those who live in Swallowfield.

And for what?

It’s an interesting question. Parish and town councils are an additional layer of democracy formed in Victorian times to help tidy up all the various bodies in place for public health, burials, water supply and drainage.

Times have changed and events have moved on.

Now, their roles vary greatly but usually include maintaining local fixtures such as bus shelters and allotments as well as running the village hall. Of course, there’s more to it than that.

And the parish councillors are volunteers, who give their time freely for the benefit of the parish.

When the borough has to find saving after saving after saving, is it time to think the unthinkable and ask if Wokingham borough can do away with its parishes? After all, neighbouring Reading does rather well without them.

In the hard questions that need to be asked over the next couple of years, we need to explore every option.

After all, it’s not fair that residents of one borough should be penalised simply for choosing to live there.

CHURCH NOTES

Quenching the thirst of loneliness WATER. We can’t live without it, but it’s difficult to live with it when it’s washing around inside your house or causing mayhem on the streets.

We’ve seen recently just how troublesome water can be, right at the time when Christmas festivities were supposed to be drawing people together in peace and goodwill.

It’s not just a deluge of water that can cause problems at that time of year. Relationships can be broken through bereavement, divorce, health problems, old age and so on.

One of the most startling things recently revealed in the BBC documentary, The Age of Loneliness, was the sheer range of individuals affected in our society today.

A young mum, a student and a middle-aged man in a highpressure job were some of the people prepared to talk about how they really felt, even in the midst of life’s good things. They said the unsayable: I long for a soulmate, someone who understands.

Without water we die of thirst. Loneliness is a thirst for relationship, intimacy and a sense of belonging. The God who made us, placed in us a deep need to relate, first and foremost to Him. He broke into our world that first Christmas as a baby, grew up in poverty, then stood before a scurrying, hurrying humanity and called out in a loud voice: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Does anyone believe in me? Then, just as Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from inside them.” (John 7).

What man would be able to satisfy our deepest thirsts? Surely, he would have to be God too. Explore the claims made by Jesus Christ and find out for yourself.

Helen Hotchkiss is a member of Christ Church Wokingham, which meets every Sunday at 10.30am at St Crispin’s School.

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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

Your views

We love to hear from you! Send us your views on issues relatingto the borough (in 250 words or less) to The Wokingham Paper, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS or email: letters@wokinghampaper.co.uk We reserve the right to edit letters

Send your thoughts to letters@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Raising awareness of abuse among elderly people THE abuse and neglect of older people is a growing concern for us at Independent Age, the older people’s charity.

We’re troubled because we get calls from elderly people and their families who are worried about the issue.

In order to help older people and their families who think they might be at risk of abuse, we’ve brought out a new free advice leaflet called ‘Staying in control when you’re older’.

It provides practical information on different types of abuse, how to spot it, who is at risk and where to go for help if you or someone you know is being abused.

There are many different types of abuse, with the most common in the South East being neglect and omission (34%), followed by physical abuse (27%), according to the Health & Social Care Information Centre’s (HSCIC) latest annual report on safeguarding adults, published in October 2015.

According to the report, safeguarding referrals were made relating to 14,350 adults in the South East in 2014/15.

The report also found that the most common place for alleged cases of abuse in the South East was in a person’s own home (40%), with the second most common being in a care home (36%), and over two-fifths of cases (41%) involved a care worker.

The majority of referrals in England (63%) involved older people aged 65 and over.[1] We believe that no-one should suffer abuse, especially when they’re in an environment where they ought to feel safe.

There needs to be a zero tolerance approach to all types of abuse.

(Name and address supplied)

The town’s football club needs somewhere to play ON plans to install a grandstand and floodlights at Emmbrook Sports and Leisure Social Club.

ANYTHING to get the Sumas home! My earliest thing that I can remember doing independent of my parents was going up to see my local club (for me, Hatfield Town) on a Saturday afternoon.

Wokingham and Emmbrok need to play somewhere where t least some of the local kids can walk to the ground to see it.

Tim Jinkerson, via Facebook IS that all you have to worry about a few flood lights look at all the houses being built!

Gary Purser, via Facebook

We should vote out the council if we disagree with its plans OUR Council Tax is about to go up by nearly 4%, meanwhile there are significant issues with the Council over various parking changes. But the area I have most issue with are the Elms Field plans. People seem to have a major problem with this council as shown by: Mel Horton’s demo where “Hundreds gather for Elms Field protest” (as stated in The Wokingham Paper, January 22, Page 6, pictured).

The Wokingham Society: “It’s a resounding no to Elms Field plans from influential town society” (in The Wokingham Paper, January 29, Page 3).

Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association: “Campaigners lock horns with council over Elms Field trees” (in The Wokingham Paper, February 5, Page 22).

In short, the plans seem to have major issues for us, for future generations and for our environment.

Rather than focusing its efforts on dubious revenue generating

schemes, the council should be focusing its efforts on serious and effective cost reduction.

A well known mechanism for a 30-40% cost reduction, at no loss of service is Business Process Re-engineering (BPR).

The Council should be looking

Selling animals in pet shops mixed view from readers On the Linton Pet Shop petition: NICE work people - try and put a local business under on the basis of hearsay and unproven accusations. I bet you wouldn’t like to be found guilty without a fair trial, yet here you all go...

Liz Johns, via Facebook THERE’S no need to sell animals in shops they deserve better than that.

Sarah Gates, via Facebook I DO agree Sarah, but you must agree there is a spectrum between (disgusting) puppy farms and reputable shop owners/small business owners. They are not the same thing.

Liz Johns, via Facebook

Messages of support to Anna after games disappointment ON Wokingham rower Anna Watkins missing the Rio

at options for a significant cost reducing BPR type project.

If we disagree with the Council’s plans, then the Conservative majority must be voted out.

Bruce, Change Architect, via email

Olympics: YOU have achieved so much greatness, well done on making a great and important decision in your life! X x Rema Heffernan, via Faceboook Sorry to hear this Anna but well done on a brave decision x Jen Butchers Brave decision Susan Grindley-Smith, via Facebook

Are potholes to blames for council’s compensation bill?

ON Wokingham Borough Council paying out £74,000 in compensation over past two years: TOOK ages for WBC to repair the potholes around here ... And there are still too many.

Steve Blunden, via Facebook

GOOD ADVICE

Want to buy a used car? Some tips on what to look out for Wokingham CAB look at a recent issue they have come across and give an answer WHEN you buy a used car you need to make sure that it is not badly damaged, stolen or had illegal alterations. You also want a car that doesn’t break down. This article is aimed at saving you distress and money down the line.

It’s worth knowing that you’ll still have legal rights even if you don’t do the proper checks. If there’s something wrong with your used car (eg it’s got a false mileage reading or it keeps breaking down), you may have a legal right to a repair, the cost of a repair, or some or all of your money back.

If you’re buying from a trader you should: n Look for an established firm with a good reputation n Look for a trade association sign (eg the Retail

Motor Industry Federation) or a sign that says they follow the Motor Codes code of practice - this means you can act through a trade association if something goes wrong n Look for a trader whose cars have been inspected by an independent engineer or motoring organisation Auctions are probably the riskiest way of buying a used car. You probably won’t have the legal protection that you have if you buy through a trader (e.g. the right to returns and refunds). Make sure you read the auction house’s terms and conditions of business carefully before making a bid.

It doesn’t take long or cost much. You should consider doing this no matter who you buy from.

1. Check the car’s details with the DVLA - Ask the seller for the car’s: n Registration number (on the number plate) n MOT test number n Mileage

n Make and model Use the DVLA’s free online vehicle information checker to make sure what the seller tells you matches the DVLA’s records.

2. Check the MOT and history - vehicles need regular MOT tests to make sure they’re safe for the road. You should check that MOT tests have been done regularly throughout the car’s history. You can check the MOT history of a car on gov.uk. This is a free service.

3. Get a private history check - It’s a good idea to get a private history check on the car - this will give you valuable information about serious problems the car might have. It will cost up to £20.

The AA has a useful checklist for what to look out for when inspecting a used car and its paperwork. n You can get help, information and advice from your local Citizens Advice or visit www.citizensadvice.org. uk or contact Citizens Advice Wokingham at Second Floor, Waterford House, Erftstadt Court, Wokingham, RG40 2YF. Tel: 03444 111 306. email: public@ wokingham-cab.org.uk

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

Budget briefing

Opposition parties respond to the borough council’s spending plans

B

Y the time you read this, Wokingham’s Tories will have nodded through their latest budget.

There will be much talk of ‘hard choices’ and ‘tough decisions’.

We may even be expected to be grateful that our MP has claimed to have managed to slow the rate at which services are cut.

Councillors and MPs alike will be amazed, dismayed and saddened at the need to make more cuts and/or increase Council Tax. Only a few months ago, the very same councillors made an easy decision when they awarded themselves an undeserved pay rise. Their workload had gone down by 10% but the Tories and Liberal Democrats still thought they deserved a pay increase and duly voted for it.

Our MP seems more concerned with his hobby projects than standing up for local people.

Speaking for England? He should start by working for Wokingham, because that is what he is paid to do.

The fact is the Tories have been living in a dream world – an ideological bubble where endless savings can be found from efficiencies, where refusing to raise Council Tax in election years does not require a catch up raise at a later date. Services have to be paid for.

This year we have a 4% rise in Council Tax. This is mostly because Tories have shifted the cost of the Care Act from central funding to Wokingham council tax payers.

Instead of everyone and every business in the land contributing to the care of the vulnerable in our society, the burden will fall solely on Council Tax payers.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Osborne thinks taxing Google at 3% is “a major success”.

It is clear the current budget is stopgap.

Unprecedented cuts will have to be made to council services over the next few years as central government funding falls further.

We will be paying more money for fewer

L

AST week Keith Baker, Leader of Wokingham Borough Council, laid out in stark detail the financial difficulties facing the council as we set the budget for 2016/17.

Wokingham already gets the lowest level of Government support per head of any unitary council in the country. On top of that when the Government announced the funding for next year, Wokingham had the biggest percentage cut of any unitary authority: 50.6%. Yes, you read that right, in December the Government cut its grant to Wokingham Borough by over 50%.

By the end of this Parliament in 2020, Wokingham will be getting no Government grant at all. Instead of the Government giving the council money, the flow will be reversed and the council will be expected to give money to the Government.

This will be done by further reducing the small amount of business rates that we are allowed to keep. It is possible that by the end of the Parliament, Wokingham will have reached the point at which virtually all council services are paid for locally – through Council Tax or by income from fees and charges.

Two weeks ago, after the Government realised the cuts to local Government announced in December were too deep too soon, Wokingham did receive a late injection of “transition funding” – £2.1 million this year and next year.

This has only bought temporary respite. The council can now remain teetering on the edge of the financial cliff for another two years before we finally fall off it in 2018. I’m afraid residents of the Borough can only look forward to fewer services and higher Council Tax for the next four years.

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NELLIE KNOWS Nellie Williams www.nelliepompoms.co.uk

Half-term and tips

I

CAN imagine there are countless families who are racing round and looking for things they vowed to find at the start of half-term, insert smug face here as I washed the uniform last weekend.

That’s not to say I know where to find it as it could easily be moved, but it’s been washed! I can tell it was halfterm as the chargers were nowhere to be seen and the remote controls were hidden under cushions. Thank goodness for extension leads!

However I did have a conversation with an electrician and got told off for overloading the extension lead. He kindly, over a cup of tea, gave me some advice and tip: 1. Switch off or unplug chargers when not in use because they carry on using electricity. 2. Don’t put electrical goods on soft material when charging or after using a hairdryer or straighteners. 3. Don’t overload plugs or leads.

Wokingham Labour Party spokesperson

Food and drink

services, every year.

The scale of the cuts will be so deep and so wide that every family will notice. More people will suffer. The safety net replaced by inadequate threads.

Local Tories will continue protesting at a lack of central funding.

But the fact is, they have worked hard to elect an MP who supports a government which is committed to cutting local government to the bone. There is a direct line of responsibility from hand-wringing councillors through the MP to George Osborne.

This is not a financial solution to a financial problem. This is an ideological war on society, an assault on the belief that collectively we should

pool our resources to ensure services for those who need services.

What if the Tories succeed?

What if they achieve a society where there is no care provision? Where the vulnerable fend for themselves? Where charitable giving is a substitute for good local government and where corporations pay no tax but working people pay PAYE? A society with fewer libraries, larger potholes and closed children’s centres?

The Tories are supposed to be running the country but they are running it into the ground.

Wokingham’s Tories are not part of the solution; they are part of the problem.

Use your vote wisely in May’s Borough elections.

We’re all fond of Wagamamas and were thinking of nipping to Reading for Chilli Squid and Chicken Katsu Curry but I decided to give a few recipes a go from the cook book that had been sitting on the bookcase for ages.

I have to say it was a resounding success and I was very pleased with the way it turned out, admittedly there was loads of washing up but it was very tasty and relatively easy to do so I will be taking the plunge and cooking up some more recipes over the coming weeks.

Getting organised

PRUE BRAY

Wokingham Liberal Democrat councillor So, then, I, the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Opposition, do agree with Keith Baker, the Leader of the Council, that the situation is pretty dire.

But what I found remarkable about the piece he wrote last week is that at no point did he happen to mention that the Government who is doing this to Wokingham is a Conservative government. The same party as Keith.

He is hardly in a position to pass the buck and blame someone else. He wanted a majority Conservative Government, he campaigned hard last May to get a Conservative majority Government, and he got a Conservative majority Government. And this is what it has done, not just to Wokingham but to councils up and down the country.

There are things that can be done to help the situation. I know that residents tend not to be very sympathetic to the council, and are generally of the view that it wastes a lot of money.

There is less waste than people believe but I do think that there is a room for improvement: for streamlining of services, for working with other councils to save duplication of costs, and for thinking about different ways to deliver services.

As opposition councillors we have made suggestions as to how to do things more efficiently or more effectively, or to generate more income.

Some of our suggestions have been rejected

but others have been taken up. We will continue to make such suggestions and to work with the Conservative administration where we can, in the interests of the residents we were elected to represent.

One area where we sadly cannot find much common ground is over the Wokingham town centre regeneration. Both sides agree that the town cannot remain as it is.

But on our side, we strongly believe any regeneration has to fit Wokingham’s character as a market town, and that building on green space at Elms Field is not the right way forward.

At this budget time, we are also mindful of the cost and the risks of what the council is currently planning. Can we afford the council’s current regeneration plans? In our view it is time for the council to cut its coat according to its cloth.

It is no good saying money is tight, and then spending it on grand schemes that may or may not produce a profit at some undetermined point in the future.

So all in all, the outlook is gloomy for the Borough Council’s finances. We will be working hard as councillors to come up with better and cheaper ways of working and delivering services.

But we don’t necessarily have a monopoly on good ideas. If anyone out there has any suggestions, please, get in touch!

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@WOKYPAPER

I regularly have a decluttering phase and decide to change things around, my family come home and are often surprised. There are many books on the subject of storage and decluttering which I do enjoy reading.

I recently got a kitchen cabinet from a brilliant Nordic company called Ella’s Kitchen Company (www.ellaskitchencompany.com) and now everything is neatly stored away and I know where everything is.

I started the arduous task of emptying cupboards and sorting ingredients – I seem to have four bottles of Tabasco and an empty bottle of Worcestershire Sauce so have added it to the shopping list on my chalkboard wall.

The chalkboard wall has cut down on the amount of paper and lists we have around the house and is a really easy job to do in an afternoon. Of course I can’t take my wall to the shops but I do take a photo and have the list on my phone. Isn’t technology great?

Upcycling With all the decluttering I seem to have found a pile of cushion pads and blankets that need some new fresh life breathing into them so I bundled them up and gave them to my friend Vicki of PrettyBea (www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PrettyBea) who will transform them into gorgeous cushions ready for spring.

I also took the plunge and had my gold engagement ring anodised (transformed from yellow gold into white gold giving it a white gold appearance) thanks to the lovely Jules at Rococo (www.jewellerybyrococo.com).

However one thing I am unable to do is make Roman Blinds so my very clever (and patient) friend Gilli at Shutter Blue has been tasked with that job. She isn’t however going to do my ironing so I must, for the fourth week running, be off to do my ironing!

18 | VIEWPOINTS

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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

Wokingham’s people

OH, MR SMITH!

A wry look at life

DBARC

No two days are the same for the army of volunteers at rescue centre

M

ONDAY marks the start of Student Volunteering Week across the UK, and while many may decide to help their fellow man, others will be considering helping our four-legged and feathery friends.

Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre (DBARC), in Nelsons Lane, is always a popular destination for young volunteers, with many gaining invaluable experience of animal welfare and charity work, as well as general office duties.

Demi Walker, 16, recently spent two weeks helping out at the centre to complement her studies at the Berkshire College of Agriculture. Her lifelong love of animals helped her decide to pursue a career in animal welfare, so hands-on experience at DBARC will look great on her CV. Demi said: “I love animals and have always wanted to work in animal rescue so spending time here has been great. I have been given the chance to interact with the animals, exercise the dogs, clean out the rabbit hutches and feed the cats and it has really built my confidence.

“I am studying animal management at college, I’m not keen on being a vet but would love to put my skills to good use at a rescue.”

Keiran Runnacles, 20, has been volunteering at DBARC for two years alongside working full-time in IT. He has four cats and nine dogs so he was able to combine his two passions by helping the rescue centre with its computer systems.

He said: “I started off at DBARC on work experience and just got stuck in doing a lot of different things for the rescue. They told me that they wanted to move from paper to computers but didn’t know where to start, so I offered them my help.

“I volunteer two or three days a week, I never have a day off! If I ever do have some spare time I usually come down to the centre to see what needs doing. It is really rewarding to see the database systems grow as

Demi Walker and Keiran Runnacles both volunteer at DBARC and have found it a rewarding experience.

Pictures: Gemma Davidson

Animal magic - pets that DBARC has cared for:

there was nothing in place when I first started.”

With a steady stream of animals arriving at the centre each week, volunteers are never short of things to do. Staff member Julie Scott explained that no two days are ever the same.

She said: “The centre is always growing, we are looking forward to a new cattery being built to replace our existing pens, and every animal that passes through the doors has a different story. As well as our rescue

VOLUNTEER CORNER n ASSIST supports young people in Wokingham Borough aged 12 to 18 who are on the autistic spectrum.

They have two groups that meet once a month on a Saturday and once a month on a Sunday. The boys group meets once a month on a Saturday from 11.15am to 2.15pm in Woodley.

A volunteer is required to spend time chatting to the young people, playing games, pool, football etc.

The girls group meets once a month in Wokingham on a Sunday from 11am-3pm and a volunteer is needed to spend time

animals, we also have resident sheep, birds and a couple of dogs who all need looking after.

“As well as the day-to-day running of the centre, we are always thinking about our next fundraising event, and working on new ways to raise our profile. We hold a really popular fun day every year which our volunteers help out with, everyone enjoys it.

“Of course sometimes it is hard to see the animals in a bad way, but our volunteers get a lot of satisfaction

from knowing they are giving them the love and attention that they desperately need.”

Demi agrees: “Seeing the animals go to a nice home and knowing that they are going to have a good life makes it all worthwhile. We all work really hard to look after them, and while it is quite sad to see them go, it’s nice to see them starting their new lives with a new family.”

DBARC is currently looking for Volunteer Administrators to help coordinate their fundraising activities, respond to correspondence and maintain the membership database.

For more information on how you can volunteer for this role, or any other roles at DBARC, email dbarcinfo@gmail.com or call 0118 934 1122. For more information on DBARC visit www.dbarc.org.uk

GEMMA DAVIDSON

with Helena Badger chatting to the girls and playing games etc. n ABC to Read is a registered charity which recruit, train and support community volunteers to give help to primary school children who need a little extra one-on-one help with reading.

Volunteers will visit a local primary school on a weekly basis and works with children individually seeing the same children on each visit, talking and reading and playing games with them.

The volunteers are supported by a field worker who is available to provide ideas

and act as a link between the charity and the school. n The Wokingham Transport Scheme provides transport for the elderly or infirm to hospital, the doctors, dentist and physiotherapy appointments.

Volunteer Drivers/Befrienders are called on an ad hoc basis and they will be required to help the clients get to and from their desired destination and in most cases, help them to attend their appointment.

Expenses are re-imbursed.

Volunteers choose when they want to drive, so it can be a very flexible role.

It really does make a difference to the client’s lives.

These are just three of the roles we are recruiting for, but we have more than 100 different roles on our books. To find out about these or any other roles, call us on 0118 977 0749, email wok-vol@btconnect.com or visit www.volunteercentrewokingham. org.uk

Collaboration hell .

T

HERE’S the old adage of the farm labourer perched on a fence saying “sometimes I like to sit and think and sometimes I just like to sit”.

Recently whilst visiting Melbourne I was struck by the number of mediation centres everywhere. Since the city is lauded as one of the world’s best places to work I wondered why these centres were in demand. Perhaps this is the reason – everyone is taking time out of their busy lives meditating to improve mental health.

This got me thinking because one of the main ways of working these days, especially in the creative sectors of London, is in so-called hubs whose purpose is to facilitate collaboration.

Hubs are often large buildings that house smaller specialised companies where related expertise, such as graphic design, social media and data processing can easily mesh. The idea I think stems from the success of Silicon Valley in California where a handful of successful digital companies attracted others to form a critical mass that spawned loads of digital technology start-ups. You could argue this has always been the business model. For example the car industry in Birmingham supported a lot of smaller specialised engineering companies in the 60s and 70s providing everything from high tensile steering racks and composite materials to car upholstery.

The City of London’s success grew in the 18th and 19th centuries because of the labyrinth of tiny lanes where businesses clustered and financiers met easily and privately to do deals.

But this reflection is drawing me away from the question I wish to ask. It’s possibly one that only a grumpy, out of-touch man like me can raise.

Counterproductive

Collaboration is stimulating but have we taken it to a level that is now counterproductive? The average person generally needs eight hours sleep to declutter the mind and disentangle unhealthy emotions.

Reflection I would argue is a companion to objective, reductive thinking. When placed in large noisy open-plan spaces designed to promote collaboration can “creatives” or “suits” effectively think through complex issues if constantly swamped by interruptions from colleagues and digital devices? As you may know in some of these places people sit on cushions with laptops. You wouldn’t get me down there I’d never get up.

I’m not alone in this concern thankfully.

A recent edition of the Australian Financial Review raised the same concern. The author reported that in the knowledge sector people who opposed noisy open-plan collaborative spaces risked jeopardising their chances of promotion since they would be considered unwilling collaborators.

I recently read about a successful business leader who rises at 5am to attend the gym in central London, hold meetings from 7am and then return home in the evening to run the family.

This is incredibly impressive when you imagine the energy and determination required to engage with all the different types of challenges these environments are likely to generate on a daily basis – and still find space to think. Day in day out! Ouch. That does take a very special person I think.

On the other hand Mervyn King, who masterminded the independence of the Bank of England, said he spent the mornings thinking about things before holding meetings. As for me, well, I’ll try and hold it all together sitting on the park bench.

TOM SMITH @WRYLIFEtomsmith

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20 | SCHOOLS

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Press pack

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

We want to hear from you! Send your stories, pictures and poems to news@wokinghampaper.co.uk or write to The Wokingham Paper, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS.

Half Bloods Are Here by Miles Hendry, Year 9, St Crispin’s School

Continued next week

From the seed of an idea – to a long and fruitful relationship FIRST HEALTHWATCH SCHOOL RECRUITED

From the seed of an idea – to a long and fruitful relationship

Over 2 years ago Healthwatch Wokingham Borough made a commitment to find out what young people in

Over 2 years ago Healthwatch Wokingham made survey the Borough Borough thought of health and socialacare services.​ Healthwatch The Wokingham Boroughresults were awareraised several important issues, 50% reported of the national statistics stating that 1 in 10 children need support or treatment for mental health commitment to find out what young people in theandBorough thought feeling regularly and anxious. 1 in 10 are carers in their family young people with mental health problems can do less well in school stressed and are problems.​ Children more likely to smoke, take drugs or alcohol and take part in risky sexual behaviour. ​Around 75% of of health and social care services. mental in some way and these people feel more anxiety than their peers. Those health problems in adult life start by the age of 18.​ Early help stops young people falling into crisis and avoids expensive and longer‐term treatment in adulthood.

Healthwatch Wokingham Borough were aware of the national that do sports cope better than those who don’t, but 35% didn’t know Wokingham wanted to get a better idea of the picture locally. In October 2013 statistics stating that 1 in 10 childrenHealthwatch need support or treatment for where to go for help outside school and those that have asked for help Healthwatch distributed over 8,000 leaflets into all primary and junior school book‐bags, as a way of mental health problems. Children reaching out to parents and carers. We wanted to let people know how influential their experiences of in schools and in the family – don’t really feel and young people with mental listened to. There was a clear call for more help health problems can do less well in with coping strategies and where to go. school and are more likely to smoke, take You can go to the Healthwatch drugs or alcohol and take part in risky Wokingham website for the ‘ Totes Emosh’ sexual behaviour. Around 75% of mental report and our YouTube channel to see health problems in adult life start by the the summary presented in a video age of 18. Early help stops young people https://youtu.be/o9Zpvx3rZ_0) The report has falling into crisis and avoids expensive been shared with relevant agencies, which has and longer-term treatment in adulthood. led to policy changes at Wokingham Borough Healthwatch Wokingham wanted to Council including the introduction of a new get a better idea of the picture locally. In Young Carers Project.

October 2013 Healthwatch distributed We know that mental health issues in young over 8,000 leaflets into all primary and local care services could be in making a difference now and in the future. lives lead to problems in adulthood and so The book bag leaflets did not really provide much of a return so we tried a new tact – we presented to a junior school book-bags, as a way of reaching out to parents and carers.

Healthwatch Wokingham wanted to help further. secondary school council meeting, however this did not lead anywhere either. Interest from St Crispin’s Secondary School led us to running 4 assemblies on 4 consecutive mornings. We made the assembly as We wanted to let people know how influential their experiences of local St Crispin’s school were supportive of findings and have worked with interactive as possible with music from Pharrell Williams and animation clips. We used this opportunity, questions about mental health positive changes including putting our details in the connecting with so many young people, to survey them, asking various care services could be in making a difference now and in the future.

Healthwatch to make needs and emotional wellbeing. ​This resulted in 980 completed surveys and 20,000 pieces of data!

The book bag leaflets did not really provide much of a return so we school planners, changing the way in which PSHME lessons (Personal, The survey results raised several important issues, 50% reported feeling regularly stressed and anxious. 1 in 10 are school carers in their family in some way and these people feel more anxiety than theirMoral peers. Those tried a new tact – we presented to a secondary council meeting, Social, Health, Education) are now part of morning tutor groups as however this did not lead anywhere either. Interest from St Crispin’s opposed to being done within year groups.

Secondary School led us to running 4 assemblies on 4 consecutive Healthwatch Wokingham survey findings confirmed the anecdotal mornings. We made the assembly as interactive as possible with music strains on the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). from Pharrell Williams and animation clips. We used this opportunity, This has received national and regional news coverage and much needed connecting with so many young people, to survey them, asking various debate on this under-resourced issue locally. questions about mental health needs and emotional wellbeing.

Healthwatch Wokingham Borough are involved with efforts to This resulted in 980 completed surveys and 20,000 pieces of data! improve mental health services for young people. Central Government,

following recommendations from “Future In Mind” taskforce report, allocated a £1.25 billion package of additional investment announced in From the seed of an idea, Healthwatch Wokingham the Budget in March 2015 to be rolled out over profes is now working with sionals to create some answers to the cries for help our survey rev create our own strate gy, the the next 5 years. This creates a real opportunity to join up health, local Healthwatch Board felt it was crucial to tak what we can to help our young people grow with greater health and well authority and education services locally.

Our work is small in realit y, but if this app can help direct young peopl that’s right for them, e we know the qualitative Healthwatch Wokingham Borough are now working in partnership impact will be significant.

Not something we can measu re with numbers, but we don’t with students from St. Crispin’s School to develop an for we’reapp want to. We making – young peopl e are shaping it for young people as we are wo Crispins on it, and we will continue to campa smartphones to enable young people to scale theirpeopl mood and provide ign and act to support e in the borough as much the he as we can. top tips in coping with anxiety, depression and stress, as well as providing signposting to other organisations. Digital technology and in particular smartphones are part of almost every young person’s life now, Healthwatch Wokingham Borough are embracing technology as part of the solution for good mental health going forward. The potential reach and level of positive impact we can make via technology is greatly increased.

From the seed of an idea, Healthwatch Wokingham is now working with young people and relevant professionals to create some answers to the cries for help our survey revealed. Independent and able to create our own strategy, the Healthwatch Board felt it was crucial to take action on the findings and do what we can to help our young people grow with greater health and well-being.

Our work is small in reality, but if this app can help direct young people better, to find the solutions that’s right for them, we know the qualitative impact will be significant.

Not something we can measure with numbers, but we don’t want to. We know it’s a valuable offering we’re making – young people are shaping it for young people as we are working with the students at St Crispins on it, and we will continue to campaign and act to support the health and wellbeing of young people in the borough as much as we can.

Phone: 0118 418 1 418 E-Mail: enquiries@healthwatchwokingham.co.uk Mailbox (only): c/o Wokingham Town Hall, Market Square, Wokingham RG40 1AS Facebook: @healthwatchwokingham Twitter: @HWWokingham

WELLBEING | 21

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

Good health

You’re under doctor’s orders to read this page!

HEALTH MATTERS with Nicola Strudley

New service for frail elderly aims to reduce admissions

W

OKINGHAM Borough has an ageing population. While many people remain well, engaged and active well into later life, report high levels of happiness and continue to make a major contribution locally– as carers or volunteers for example – increasing age also brings an increasing chance of long-term medical conditions, frailty, dementia, disability, dependence or social isolation.

Too often, NHS long-term conditions strategies have tended to focus on single conditions, whereas most people over 75 have a number of conditions and want to be treated as an individual who needs coordinated, person-centred care rather than as a collection of diseases.

Getting services right for people living with frailty has become the ‘must do’ for health and social care communities. An innovative Rapid Response and Treatment service for care home residents is currently being piloted in Berkshire West. It aims to avoid hospital admissions for vulnerable citizens.

Maureen, a resident of Hungerford Care Home, was one of the first people to benefit from the new service. A chest infection had led to breathing difficulties for Maureen and the care home staff were concerned about potential health complications. “I was getting very out of breath,� said Maureen. “The GP came to see me and wanted me to go to hospital, but I don’t like hospitals. I worry that I’d never come out!� The new Rapid Response and Treatment service meant Maureen was instead able to stay at the home for the majority of her treatment and avoid an overnight hospital stay.

The Rapid Response and Treatment service is currently in pilot phase and will inform a wider care homes programme in future. Funded by the Better Care Fund and part of the Frail Elderly Pathway in Berkshire West, the programme is jointly led by two senior NHS and local authority leaders; Fiona Slevin-Brown of the Clinical Commissioning Group and Stuart Rowbotham of Wokingham Borough Council. “The Better Care Fund is all about delivering better care and greater efficiencies through more integrated services for older and disabled people,� said Mr Rowbotham. “By moving away from individual services we can focus on the needs of an individual person and their family.� “The Frail Elderly Pathway will lead to much easier ways for people to navigate the health and social care services they need,� concluded Fiona Slevin-Brown. “It also generates the efficiencies needed to fund future demand on services.� n How to Contact us: Facebook @ healthwatchwokingham, Twitter @HWWokingham, call 0118 418 1418, email enquiries@ healthwatchwokingham.co.uk or walk in via Citizens Advice at 2 Waterford House, Erfstadt Court, Denmark Street, Wokingham RG40 2YF. Nicola Strudley works two days a week as the manager for Healthwatch Wokingham Borough.

Opinions expressed in this blog are her own

BUGS

‘Slumberous fiend’ helps hospital win prize BEDBUGS have helped a hospital team reach national success.

Members of the Royal Berkshire Hospital’s dermatology department have scooped a national prize for creating a colourful potted history of the bug.

Judges at the British Association of Dermatologists annual convention awarded them first prize for their entry, called The Resurgence of Cimex Lectularius: a Slumberous Fiend.

Bedbugs were first recorded by the Ancient Egyptians and have blazed an itchy trail through history ever since something recorded in the poster, which was entered in the historical poster competition.

Dr Sacha Goolamali, one of the authors, said: “We deal with around 20 cases a year but were surprised just how resilient bed bugs are and how long they have been around. “It was a fun project to do and a nice surprise for the department to win such a prestigious award.�

Various methods for tackling bedbugs through the ages include dousing beds in arsenic, fumigating buildings with sulphur and smothering bed pots in mercury chloride.

The  resurgence  of  Cimex lectularius;͞  a  slumberous  fiend R.  M.  Fisher,   D.  Warnapala,   J.  Dua,   S.  I.  Goolamali Royal  Berkshire  Hospital,  Reading  ,  UK

The  common  "bedbug".  A  deceptively  innocuous,  almost  affectionate  colloquialism  for  one  of  the  more  enduring  rogues  of  recorded  history.  A  parasitic  insect  of  the  Cimicid family,  it  has  an  affinity  for  human  blood,  usually  consumed  unnoticed  by  the  host  at  night.

An  ancient  irritant

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(Fig  1)  :  Multiple  bedbug  bites

For  multiple  millennia,  man  has  awoken  to  the  dreaded  sight  of  a  distinctive  eruption  of  cripplingly  pruritic  wheals,  often  arranged  in  a  mockingly  neat  line.1 These  lesions  have  typically  had  a  central  haemorrhagic  component;Íž  a  result  of  their  saliva  being  laced  with  anticoagulant  (Fig  1).  Â

For more information, please contact us on 0118 978 3815, visit our website at www.beechcroftdental.com or call into Beechcroft Dental Practice, 32 Station Road, Wokingham, RG40 2AE and speak with one of our team.

Our membership scheme is ava Our membership scheme is available You do notfor need to be dentally fit to join butaa new patienta examination onlyforBMS ÂŁ21 month Our membership scheme is available only ÂŁ21 month is

trail  can  be  traced  back  to  the  Amarna  specimens  of  Egypt  (Fig  2).  Their  first  recorded  sighting  was  over  3550  years  ago  in  the  city  of  Tell  el-­Amarna,  the  so  called  "Workmen's  village"  which  housed  the  guards  of  Tut'ankhamun (Fig  3).2

(Fig  4)  : Â

(Fig  2)  :  The  Amarna fossil  specimens  of  Egypt  our  earliest  known  example

(Fig  3)  :  Tut'ankhamun

Moving  forward  to  the  Classical  Period  of  Ancient  Greece,  the  reign  has  been  documented  by  several  revered  scholars.  The  famed  comic  playwright  Aristophanes  used  bedbugs  as  a  plot  device  in  "The  Clouds",  whilst  Pliny's  "Natural  History"  maintained  that  they  held  medicinal  properties  against  ailments  including  snake  bites  and  ear  infections (Fig  4).2

Global  expansion

You do not need to be dentally fit to join BMS but a new patient examination is required before signing up. If treatment is needed during the 12 month contract a member discount of 15% is given.

Its  international  migration  over  time  is  not  easily  traced,  but  it  was  certainly  present  in  Italy  by  77  A.D,  China  by  600  A.D,  Germany  by  the  11th  century  and  France  by  the  13th.  The  earliest  known  record  from  the  British  Isles  is  from  1583.3

Initially  a  nuisance  reserved  for  the  affluent  proprietors  of  coal-­ heated  parishes,  its  post-­medieval  expansion  throughout  British  society  was  attributed  to  urbanisation  and  warmer  housing.4 The  commonplace  central  heating  of  the  early  1900s  subsequently  allowed  the  pest  to  flourish.5

required before signing up. If treatment is included? needed during the 12 month contract What is a member (including discount of 15% is given. • 2 Examinations x-rays) • • •

2 Hygienist visits Accident & Emergency Insurance 15%For member discount on treatment please more information, (excludes specialist and implant treatment)

visit our website at www.beec You do notBeechcroft need to be dentallyDental fit to join Practice, 3 BMS but a new patient examination is For more information, please contact us on2AE 0118 3815, RG40 and978 speak with one required before signing up. If treatment

DDT  and  a  modern  resurgence

Our  attempts  at  stifling  its  ambitions  have  often  been  desperate.  Beds have  been  doused  with  arsenic,  sheets  dusted  with  pyrethrum,  posts smothered  with  mercury  chloride  (Fig  5)  and  buildings  fumigated  with  sulphur.  However,  little  progress  was  made  until  the  mid-­20th  century  and  the  advent  of  the  miracle  spray  dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane  (DDT).

With  an  inexorable  lethality  and  a  lingering  presence,  the  inexpensive and  accessible  concoction  swept  households  worldwide  and  in  the  early 1940s  they  were  mostly  eradicated  in  the  developed  world  creating hope  that  the  bedbug  had  finally  met  its  match  (Fig  6).  Alas,  since  1995  there  has  been  a  global  resurgence.  It  is  thought  to  be  due  to  the  combined  effects  of  societal  complacency,  increasing  travel  and resistance  to  newer  insecticides  following  prohibitions  on  DDT  usage.6 The  slumberous  fiend  has  therefore  maintained  its  relevance  to  modern society  and  Dermatology,  as  an  astonishingly  imperishable  force  to  be  reckoned  with.

(Fig  5)  :  Smothering  of  mercury  chloride

(Fig  6)  :  DDT  being  sprayed  under  a  mattress

visit our website at www.beechcroftdental.com call into is needed during the 12 monthor contract member discount of 15% is given.

Beechcroft Dental Practice, 32a Station Road, Wokingham, RG40 2AEatand speak with one of our team.

This poster has helped the dermatology department the Royal Berkshire Hospital References

1 Fallen,  R.S. and  Gooderham,  M.  (2011  ).  Bedbugs:  an  update  on  recognition  and  management. Skin  Therapy  Lett.  16(6);͞5-­7.

2   Panagiotakopulu,  E.  and  Buckland,  P.  (1999).  Cimex lectularius L,  the  common  bed  bug  from  Pharaonic Egypt. Antiquity.  73;͞908-­911.

3 Kemper,  H.  (1936).  Die  Bettwanze und  ihre Bekämpfung. Hyg.  Zool.  4;͞1-­107.

4 Shrewsbury,  J.  (1964). The  plague  of  the  philistines.  London:  Victor  Gollancz.

5 John,  C.  (1942).  The  ecology  of  the  bedbug,  Cimex lectularius L  in  Britain.  J.  Hyg.  41(4);Íž345-­361 6 Romero,  A.,  Potter,  M.,  Potter,  D.A.  and  Haynes,  K.F.  (2007).  Insecticide  resistance  in  the  bed  bug:  a Â

J.  Med.  Entomol.  44(2);͞175-­178

scoop a top accolade.

REPORT

It’s official: Wokingham’s hospital is fit for purpose A study reveals that Wokingham Community Hospital is pretty good all round. JOHN WAKEFIELD explains

W

OKINGHAM’S Hospital has been given a clean bill of health in a national inspection.

The Care Quality Commission carried out an inspection of the Barkham Road facility over Wednesday, December 9, and Thursday, December 10, and rated the services as good, with two elements rated as outstanding.

However, there is room for improvement in the way in which some of the hospital’s systems work.

Praise was given for a service that the hospital has introduced for two ‘near patient’ testing kits that diagnose deep vein thrombosis.

The report noted: “Both kits

health professionals, so up to date care and treatment could be provided 24 hours per day,� the report noted.

However the way in which provided clinicians with the prescription pads are stored and tools to make an early diagnosis used was criticised. and provide early intervention The Commission’s inspectors to prevent the worsening of the said: “The security of blank condition or even death. The prescription forms required use of these kits had prevented as there was membership scheme is available for a month unnecessary hospital admissions Ourimprovement no system in place to monitor and provided better outcomes for the use and movement of patients.�

What is included?

You do not need to be dentally fit to join these.�

It also praised the advanced • 2 Examinations (including x-rays) Overall, commission’s a newthe patient examination is care plans that the hospital has BMS but report gave good ratings for the • 2 Hygienist visits devised for 17,000 patients. These required before signing up. If treatment effectiveness of service, the care contain care and treatment • Accident & Emergency Insurance is needed during the month contract of the service, the12 way in which information about the individual • 15% member discount on treatment a member discount of 15% given. the hospital responds to is people’s patients. (excludes specialist and implant treatment) needs and for offering well-led “With the individual’s consent services. these records could be accessed The report can be read by and updated by Westcall clinicians to www.cqc.org.ukplease contact us on 0118 978 3815, and staff, emergency department Forlogging moreoninformation, and searching for Wokingham staff in Berkshire, district nurses, our website palliative care nurses and other visit Community Hospital.at www.beechcroftdental.com or call into

Need to budget for regular dental visits?

For more information, please contact us on

only3815 ÂŁ21 , 0118 978

visit our website at

www.beechcroftdental.com or call into Beechcroft Dental Practice, 32 Station Road, Wokingham RG40 2AE and speak with one of our team.

Beechcroft Dental Practice, 32 Station Road, Wokingham,

22 | HERITAGE

Friday, August 21, 2015 TheWokinghamPaPer

To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk To advertise call 0118 966 6600

WokinghamRemembers

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

HERITAGE | 17

Inassociation associationwith with In

Exploring Exploring our our heritage heritage with with wokinghamremembers.com wokinghamremembers.com

PART ONE REVIEW

Wokingham’s public breweries The past which hashouses, shapedinns ourand present...

IN 1751 William published a This week MikE Hogarth ChuRChER reviews warning of a crisisRemembers in the country from the the Wokingham articles steep rise in drinking cheap gin.

Despite of the past four months and discusses legislation, 1830 gin drinking was still a some of theby factors which contributed problem and the government decided to the making of Wokingham and its on a creative solution by relaxing the duties on environment. beer inVER order to provide a weaker, cheaper major impact they had on the town and the past months the we have made alternative.

CHRIS FRENCH thealready rise of thea start with the Wokingham Remembers page hascharts road system by mapping out the course of been providing anhouse. early picture Wokingham beer the old Forest Road. of how a small market town and a

O I

fewNvillages the edge of a forest 1830 aon series of events beganis today ranked as were one oftothe country’s leadingthe which change drastically communities. production and consumption of beer in Education, religion, industry, Wokingham.

Some events, liketransport, the Beer social politics andof Act andstructures, the comingnational of the railway, were local government areothers, all important national importance; such as the pieces insale building the greatbrewing Wokingham enforced of Hayward’s empire jigsaw.

Here now is a summary were of more local significance. of our contributions to dateevents, and a few The first of these the ideas on the next round of articles. passing of the Beer Act in 1830, was

an attempt by the government to wean Education, Education, the working classes away from gin Education drinking.

Today’s Wokingham is renowned as It removed the duties on beer and one of the country’s centres of excellence cider so that once again beer became for education; this is partly due to strong cheaper than spirits. In addition it school performance and the motivated allowed any ratepayer who paid £2.2s to parents who live in one of the most the local excise office to sell beer from his highly educated communities in the UK. house without having to obtain a license If we look into the history of from the magistrates.

Wokingham’s schools we can see The total number of beer how education is woven into its DNA. houses and public houses Prior to the Great War, Wokingham known to have opened was surrounded by manor houses and between 1830 and 1900 members of the landed gentry who is 33. It is likely that wanted to be close to the levers of power; perhaps half as many i.e. the royal households of Windsor. again opened and closed In turn these upper echelons after a few years, all possessed a serious sense of duty record of them having and a responsibility to ensure their since been lost. community received at least a basic The end of the century education. Wokingham also had a brought the total of licensed powerful professional class, a strong premises to 41, but in all the 70 church community (including the nonyears since the passing of conformists) and together they shared the Beer Act only two new a strong belief in the importance of houses had been opened with a full teaching. license, the Railway and the Rifle The result was with the skills, the Volunteer, and the latter replaced the motivation and the finance available, Horse and Groom. there developed a culture of education The Wine and Beer house Act 1869 which still holds strong to this day. reintroduced the stricter controls of Wokingham transport the previous century.

The sale of beers, Transport is probably singlefor wines or spirits required athe licence most important factor in Wokingham’s the premises from the local magistrates. development, both itsknow rail and road These are whatinwe now as Public systems.

Houses.

Future articles willlicensing look at the Although the new laws introduction the railways andfrom the prevented anyofnew beer houses

While the building of the M4 being created, those already in had a major influence on the introduction existence were allowed to continue of the high tech businesses which now surround and many did not fully die out until Wokingham, it is the A329M which nearly the end of the 19th century. A vast in 1975 cut Forest Road and itsfor majority ofoff thethe beer houses applied natural connections between Emmbrook the new licenses and became full public and the villages of Hurst and Binfield. The houses. love and hate relationship with our rail The completion of the ‘South Eastern’ and roads continue to this day! railway from London to Reading in 1840, Wokingham’s military via Guildford, resulted in the total demise of the stagecoach service from Bath and heritage Bristol to London by 1843 and of thethe loss of As 2015 is the bi-centenary much trade by the there inns along Battle of Waterloo, have the beenBath a Road. of articles commemorating this number A diminished service, however, world changing event. continued Reading The areabetween has always been and noted for London via Wokingham with just its contribution to the nation’s military one stage coach, S. William’sREME, Windsor capability, with Arborfield’s Parkand Coach callingconnections at the Rose. and The the RFA Remount coming of the alsoColleges had Sandhurst andrailway Wellington all considerable situateda very nearby. effect on licensed trade.

Even theWokingham’s Duke of Wellington took to TheSaye, opening oftoday the is living in Stratfield which London and South Western only 30 minutes away from Wokingham’s town centre. railway to Staines and London in 1856 gave Wokingham’s Wokingham an even direct link to the benefactormore culture The area around Wokingham was capital.

The Railway surrounded by Hotel manywas remarkable built next to individuals and wereby instrumental thethey station Hayward’s in building theBrewery much needed infrastructure and The Two which underpinned the establishment of Poplars in Finchampstead a strong Roadcommunity. initially relied on the We will later be telling the story of the construction workers from the railway Walter family and contributions to for its custom and their was originally called the of Wokingham but in April Thebuilding Engineer. first weeklythe issue, we told the story of the Overall, railways brought more much loved Hill,and thea6th Marquess travellers toArthur the town great of Downshire. impetus to the beer trade, but with these Although of Britain’s more generalone changes there wealthiest were some landowners, Arthur Hill doubled as the changes much nearer home. chief ofof the local Fire Brigade and One the most significant waswas the a major financial to this part of break-up of the contributor Hayward’s Brewery.

More Wokingham’s public services. on that next week.

Laterweek: articles illustrate the n Next thewill story of the breweries and demise of these great manors and their pubs around Wokingham continues with incumbent social system and the rise of Chris French.

Wokingham Railway Station viewed from Wellington Road looking towards St Pauls Church.

The story was told in June, and also historians, Sarah Huxford, also took commemorated the 800th anniversary us on a journey to the old battlefields of the Magna Carta, signed at nearby in search of their graves. This story Before we believe too much in the idea Runnymede in 1215. reflects only a microcosm of the losses that Wokingham’s development was a around the county of Berkshire, but solidly sedate experience, May’s article Shining a light on affirms the importance of the wars in the told the story of the rioting in the town Wokingham’s ‘Dark Ages’ of (left) our local character.

William Hogarth’s the meritsdevelopment of drinking beer and the evils of gin in support of what would become the Gin Act. Below: centre during thefamous time ofdepictions the 1857 of General To bring us up to date the August The Mollar Millar as it is today and how it looked when it was The Railway Hotel. Inset, left, The Two Poplars on the Finchampstead Road.

Election.

Wokingham and articles are focused on the kids who are Such events were a common sight in now entering into their summer holidays. the Royal Forest the town and this short and bloody battle Looking at today’s community, it is What better way to use this month’s between the Whigs and the Tories also difficult to visualise just how rural the editions than to tell the stories of the highlighted the Bush and Rose hotels in area once was and in part explains the Romans, the Celts and the Saxons Market Place as the headquarters of these sometimes fragile relationship between influence on the area before Wokingham two feral groups. the old and new Wokingham; few was even a twinkle in old Wocca’s eye?

The story was also able to reflect areas in the UK have witnessed such David Nash Ford provided a set of upon the national scene and the corrupt extraordinary growth and change in the articles and puzzles which makes nature of general elections before the profile of its population. history fun for the young and no doubt introduction of the private ballot.

Although Wokingham’s history will also catch the interest of the parents Future articles will include further has always been intertwined with who will be looking over their child’s tales of anarchy and revelry in this old the surrounding villages by providing shoulder. market town. a market place for agricultural and Here’s to the next round of articles! commercial produce, it was also a Forest Thanks go out to our contributors: Steve Wokingham at War Town. The term ‘forest’ did not mean a Bacon, Jim Bell, David Nash Ford, Sarah There are watershed moments in cluster of trees, but a system of laws laid Huxford, Roger Long, Trevor Ottlewski history which mark the moment of great down by royalty for the protection of change in a society and the Great War of and Peter Shilham for all their continuing their hunting grounds.

1914-1918 is one such time. contributions.

These onerous rules restricted local Therefore a number of centenaries All this work is provided by our people from using large parts of the land between 2014 and 2018 will local historians free of charge and for sustenance and in part led to the commemorate the great losses of war can be found on the front page of the rise of local highwaymen and general which scarred the people of Wokingham Wokingham Remembers website lawlessness. As a result, the subsequent for the rest of the 20th century. www.wokinghamremembers.com Black Act of 1723 came down heavily on May’s edition followed the story Thanks also to Mark Ashwell at these ‘Wokingham Blacks’ and resulted in of two brothers from Langborough TradeMark for supporting the paper’s either their transportation or execution.

Road in Wokingham town. One of our commitment to this project. its replacement: local government.

Wokingham’s wild side

Windows doors and conservatories that last a lifetime and beyond www.trademarkwindows.co.uk

Unit 20, Headley Park 10 (next to Screwfix), Woodley RG5 4SW 0118 9699322

Leisure

Your guide to what’s happening around Wokingham

THEATRE

FOOD

Tears of laughter and sadness with the magnolias Steel Magnolias

by Robert Harling Progress Theatre, until Saturday, February 20

O

NCE again Progress Theatre has shown us that you don’t have to travel to ‘the big smoke’ to enjoy an evening of quality

drama.

Recent productions have included hard-hitting plays such as The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Gaslight so it was nice to see a comedy.

Steel Magnolias is set in 1980s Louisiana in the local beauty salon where gossip is rife as the small group of friends have their hair done. The set (designed by Aidan Moran, stage manager Emma Walsh) was at once simple and versatile enabling the story to flow easily.

It’s a very funny comedy with witty dialogue and clever one liners but the heart of the play is a tragedy and Robert Harling’s brilliant script will have you crying with grief as well as laughter.

Truvy (Christine Moran) is the owner of the local beauty salon with

the help of new girl in town Annelle (Leanne Osborne). The pair dispense haircuts, manicures and advice in equal measure to friends Clairee (Carole Hewitt), M’Lynn (Liz Paulo), Ouiser (Linda Bostock) and Shelby (Sam Bessant).

The story starts with the group preparing for Shelby’s wedding and with each set change the plot moves on a few months.

Steel Magnolias director Aidan said: “I was introduced to Steel Magnolias through the 1989 film. It was an extraordinary film with an amazing cast that could bring a tear to the eye of the hardest soul.

“I had no idea it was originally a play and not until a number of years later that I realised the reason it had such an impact on me was because it was presented in such a theatrical way. It was completely about the characters and their relationships, a true slice of life.

“The fact that it was based on real events from the author’s own life only made it more engaging and special.”

Steel Magnolias is playing at The Progress Theatre, The Mount,

Grab a slice of Hawaiian action with Papa John’s

A taste of the south at Progress Theatre with Steel Magnolias. Pictures: Aidan Moran

Christchurch Road, Reading, RG1 5HL until Saturday.

Tickets can be booked via

Progress Theatre website at www. progresstheatre.co.uk or by phone on 0333 666 3366.

VIVIENNE JOHNSON

THEATRE

All is not as it seems in Cuckolds farce A RESTORATION farce of male infidelity and female intrigue will be coming to Wokingham Theatre next month.

Directed by Anne Latto, who is no stranger to the genre, The London Cuckolds is billed as the highest of the lowest-brow comedy to be found. The play, which was first produced in 1681, follows the scandalous flings of Ramble, a young rake who preys on the wives of three complacent men, who argue among themselves about what makes the best type of wife.

One has a God-fearing wife whom he believes prays and goes to church; the second believes his wife to have an incredible wit; and the third is sure that a simple girl makes for the best wife. Little do the men know that all three of their wives are not what they seem, and that their seemingly innocent other halves are in danger of being corrupted.

The play, which is as historically accurate as it is hilariously funny, has been a labour of love for the production crew, with wardrobe manager Kate Hughston painstakingly designing and sourcing authentic outfits for the cast, and the set

LEISURE | 23

To advertise call 0118 328 2959

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

Wardrobe producer Kate Hughston with one of the costumes she has designed for a production of The London Cuckolds at Wokingham Theatre.

designers punching above their weight when it comes to making the various scenes work in harmony.

Production manager Neil Hodgson said: “Because of the period the costumes in this are fabulous. Our costume department are making and hiring some very fancy attire which I really hope the audience will enjoy.”

Anne said: “Restoration farce is one of

my favourite genres because it touches on sexism which I am very interested in. This play can be enjoyed on many levels, the audience can come along and laugh at the comedy, or they can dig a little deeper and enjoy the historical context.”

The London Cuckolds is at Wokingham Theatre from March 1 to 12. Tickets are £10 and can be purchased at www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk

PAPA John’s pizza shop has put a new twist on a classic pizza.

Hawaiian pizza with the definitive ingredients of ham and pineapple is being made with fresh pineapple (instead of tinned) and pulled ham hock that has been slow cooked for more than seven hours to ensure that the meat is succulent and tender.

The pizza base is fluffy and light with just the right amount of tomato sauce and melted cheese, and the fresh pineapple and pulled ham takes an old favourite to new levels.

Gareth Davies, Regional Vice President, Western Europe, for Papa John’s UK, said: “The Premium Hawaiian pizza is a simple pizza with the classic ingredients of ham and pineapple.

“We saw the opportunity to take this to the next level by including fresh pineapple, instead of from a tin, and ham hock to revolutionise this classic pizza.

“Fans of the Hawaiian will be amazed of how much better Papa John’s new recipe tastes and we believe that even those who are in the nopineapple-on-pizza camp may change their mind when they taste this pizza.”

Wokingham pizza lovers can try out the Hawaiian pizza, and lots of other flavours, at Papa John’s, 9 Easthampstead Road, Wokingham or from the Shinfield branch at 223 Shinfield Road, Reading, RG2 8HD. Call: 0118 986 8718. n For more information visit www.papajohns.co.uk

24 | LEISURE

To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk

SITCOM

MUSIC

Do tell him Pike, Dad’s Army is on stage

WITH the new film of classic sitcom Dad’s Army now showing in cinemas, here’s a chance to see the show on stage.

Today (Friday) The Camberley Theatre will be holding a special dinner-theatre event, where a three-course meal is combined with a live show.

Guests are invited to enjoy the food while in the company of Captain Mainwaring, Sergeant Wilson, Corporal Jones et al, courtesy of The Laughter Company.

The menu is Dad’s Army themed and includes Private Pike’s Beer Battered Cod with Mushy Peas and Chips and a chance to nibble on Private Sponge’s Spotted Dick.

Tickets cost £40 and include food and show.

For more details, visit www. camberleytheatre.biz or call 01276 707600.

POETRY

A night of verse from Anne-Marie

LOCAL poet A F Harrold is getting ready to compere the February Poet’s Cafe, which takes place tonight (Friday).

The long-running poetry event offers the opportunity for budding performers to showcase their work to an appreciative and encouraging audience while also welcoming some of the country’s established artists.

This month’s guest is Anne-Marie Fyfe.

The event takes place at Reading’s South Street Arts Centre from 8pm. Tickets cost £5 or £4 for people reading their poems.

For more details, visit www.readingarts. com or call 0118 960 6060.

MUSIC

Get a lesson in writing from celebrity PR guru

Baroque concert season launches next week THE 2016 Candlelit Baroque season of concerts at All Saints Church in Wokingham’s town centre starts this Wednesday with the music of Henry Purcell, his friends and his rivals.

Duo Dorado will be presenting a varied and colourful programme from the courts and theatres of Restoration London.

Spoken introductions and anecdotes will bring to life the London musical scene.

Organisers are promising that the evening will be packed with toe-tapping dances, soulful melodies and rumbustious rhythms – all in the beautiful surroundings of All Saints Church, the concert will launch the series in style.

Duo Dorado was formed more than 10 years ago by two prize-winning artists, Hazel Brooks and David Pollock.

They have appeared extensively across the UK and beyond, and have been praised

Duo Dorado will be at All Saints Church in Wiltshire Road on Wednesday.

for their dynamic and exciting performances.

Hazel’s research as a fellow at the University of Southampton has inspired the duo to explore the littleknown 17th century English repertoire, which has led to a

Diane will be visiting Wokingham Library to give budding writers inside tips and tricks on how to put together a campaign to promote their book.

Diane’s talk takes place at the Denmark Street library on Thursday at 6.30pm.

There is a £3 charge for the session, to book a place call 0118 978 1368.

COMEDY

Steel yourself as Mark makes his mark

COMEDIAN Mark Steel is back on tour with a new show that explores his roots.

ASPIRING authors can learn how to Following the birth of his son, Steel successfully promote their writing at a explores his own background — put up special workshop next week. for adoption as a child, he has never met Entertainment PR Diane Hinds has his birth mother, leaving him wondering spent her career working with the likes what kind of man he would be had of Whitney Houston, Lesley Garrett and Aretha Franklin, building her reputation on circumstances been different.

The show is suitable for people aged 14 the promotion of quality and distinguished talent. upwards and is performed at the Kenton

AT THE THEATRE

Basingstoke – The Anvil

www.anvilarts.org.uk 01256 844244 The Classic Rock Show. Fri. Mawkin. Fri. Michael Portillo. Sat. The Simon and Garfunkel Story. Wed. The Johnny Cash Roadshow. Thurs. Leveret. Thurs.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Fri 26. Rick Wakeman. Sat 27.

Basingstoke – The Haymarket www.anvilarts.org.uk 01256 844244 Basingstoke Gang Show. Until Sat. The Best Thing. Tues. Romesh Ranganathan. Wed. Seckou Keita.

Sat 27.

Bracknell – South Hill Park www.southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123 Neighbourhood Watch. Fri. The Comedy Cellar. Fri. Tarpology Workshop in the Grounds. Sat. Wilde Sundays. Sun. Creative Controls Band Night. Sun. Aida. Tues-Sat 27.

Aesop’s Fables. Wed. Gun Hill Riffs and support. Thurs. Thomas Humphreys and Raya Kostova: Conservatoire Concert Series. Fri 26. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 26. West Forest Sinfonia

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

Chamber Concert. Sun 28. Creative Control Band Night. Sun 28.

FILMS: Daddy’s Home. Fri-Sat. Joy. Fri-Sun. The Lesson. Tues. Listen To Me, Marlon.

Wed. As You Like It (Live). Thurs. Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Fri 26-Sun 28.

Camberley – Theatre www.camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600 An Audience With Ann Widdecombe. Fri. Don’t Panic! It’s the Dad’s Army Dinner Show. Fri. Open Mic Night. Wed. Craig Ogden. Thurs. Camberley Comedy Club. Fri 26. Letz Zep. Sat 27.

FILM: Diva. Tues.

Didcot – Cornerstone www.cornerstone-arts.org 01235 515144 Tannahill Weavers. Sat. Teabooks: book group for over 60s. Tues.

White Horse Whisperers. Fri 26.

Hal Cruttenden: Straight Outta Cruttenden. Sat 27.

Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000 Shadowlands. Until Sat 27.

number of ground-breaking recordings, the latest being The Unknown Purcell on the Chandos label.

Emma Kirkby, Jakob Lindberg, Uri Smilansky and a showcase of the highestlevel students from the Royal

Theatre in Henley tomorrow (Saturday).

Tickets cost £15.

For more details, visit www. kentontheatre.co.uk or call 01491 575698.

MUSIC

Back to the beginning for The Mill

THIS Sunday’s music night at The Mill at Sonning is a celebration of the 80s music band Genesis.

A talented group will be performing hits from the Phil Collins era of the band as well as some of their solo projects from Peter Gabriel and Mike and Mechanics.

Songs that will be performed include Sledgehammer, Over My Shoulder and In The Air Tonight.

The lead singer is not only a talented vocalist but he’s also a drummer, making it possible to include Double Drums in the programme.

Academy of Music feature later in the Candlelit Baroque series.

The concert starts at 8pm.

Tickets are £12.50 and under 19s get in for free. They are available on the door, from The Cornerstone or online from www.wokinghamconcerts.co.uk

The evening starts with dinner from 6pm and the show is at 8.15pm. Tickets cost £35.50, including the meal.

For more details, visit www. millatsonning.com or call 0118 969 8000.

OPERA

All’s fair in love and war

PARK Opera is getting ready to present its first show for 2016.

The amateur operatic society will be performing Aida at Bracknell’s South Hill Park from Tuesday to Saturday, February 27.

The opera tells the story of two princesses who both love the same man: love, jealousy and duty collide and lead to tragedy.

Before the first performance on Tuesday, producer Sallie Ward and conductor Francis Griffin will give a talk, offering an insight into

Henley – Kenton Theatre

Newbury – The Corn Exchange

www.kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 575698 Mark Steel: Who Do I Think I Am? Sat. Claire Martin OBE and Ray Gelato: A Swinging Affair. Fri 26. La Boheme.

Sat 27.

www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218 Pam Ayres SOLD OUT. Fri. The Hollywood Special Effects Show. Sat. Igphigenia In Splott. Wed. Live and Lyrical. Thurs. NT Live: As You Like It. Thurs. Jongleurs Comedy Club.

Fri 26. Cafe Concert: Tetra Consort. Fri 26. Wire Flowers. Sat 27. Soul Legends.

Sat 27.

FILM: Dad’s Army. Until Thurs.

High Wycombe – Wycombe Swan www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000 The Dire Straits Experience. Sat. Into The Woods. Fri-Sun. Dillie Keane. Sun 28.

Maidenhead – Norden Farm www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997 Iain Stirling: Touchy Feely. Thurs. Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythmn Boys.

Fri. Viva Neil Diamond. Sat. Tom Thumb. Sun. Steve Parrish. Sun. Ama Bazar. Thurs. Wilde Without The Boy. Fri 26. Simon and Garfunkel Revival Band. Fri 26. What The Butler Saw. Sat 27. Matt Forde: Get The Political Party Started. Sat 27. Norden Farm Festival Chorus Concert. Sun 28.

FILMS: Joy. Fri, Tues. The Hateful Eight.

Wed-Thurs. NT Live: As You Like It. Wed.

Newbury – The Watermill www.watermill.org.uk.

01635 46044 Tell Me On A Sunday. Until Sat. Romeo and Juliet. Thurs-until April 2.

Reading – South Street www.readingarts.com 0118 960 6060 Poets Cafe: Anne-Marie Ffye. Fri. Third Friday Blues: Matt Edwards Band and Booga Red. Fri. Verity Standen: Mmm Hmmm.

Tues. Tont Law: Frillemorphesis.

Thurs. Genesis Visible Touch: A tribute to the Phil Collins Genesis era. Sat 27.

Verdi’s famous show.

Tickets cost £20 on Tuesday and Wednesday and £22 on Friday and Saturday.

For more details, visit www. southhillpark.org.uk or call 01344 484123.

AUDITION

Take part in a world premiere

A WORLD premiere is coming to Woodley, and you can be part of it.

Amateur theatre group the Woodley Theatre is holding open auditions later this month for the first-ever production of Troubled Times.

The play is a potted history of Ireland from the 1800s to the present day, told in short scenes augmented by projected images. And between the scenes there will be traditional and original songs, performed with Irish folkstyle music.

It will be performed at The Oakwood Centre from Wednesday, May 18, to Saturday, May 21, and the producers are looking for people to come forward to take a role in the play.

Auditions for a number of roles will be held at the centre on Wednesday from 7.30pm. Budding actors should be able to speak in an Irish accent and create new characters with quick changes to their voices and mannerisms.

The play has been devised as a rehearsed play-reading, For more details, visit www.woodleytheatre.org or call 07939 210121.

MUSIC

A swinging night out at the Kenton

AN EVENING of swing music is coming to the Kenton Theatre later this month.

The Henley venue will welcome Claire Martin OBE and Ray Gelato for their concert, entitled A Swinging Affair.

The pair have been performing together for more than 30 years and this show will see them explore the Great Amercian Songbook, including Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off, They Can’t Take That Away From Me and Can’t We Be Friends.

It will take place on Friday, February 26. Tickets cost £22. Visit www. kentontheatre.co.uk or call 01491 575698.

Reading – The Hexagon

Sonning – The Mill

www.readingarts.com 0118 960 6060 Tosca. Sat. Round and Round The Garden.

Thurs-Sat 27.

www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 The Perfect Murder. Until March 12.

Genesis Connected. Sun. Back to the 80s with Tight Fit. Sun 28.

Reading – The Concert Hall www.readingarts.com 0118 960 6060 Classical Music Alive: Pavel Haas Quartet and Denis Kozhukhin, piano. Fri.

Reading – Progress Theatre www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195 Steel Magnolias. Until Saturday. Jazz at Progress: Arun Ghosh Quartet. Fri 26.

Reading – St Barts www.stbartstheatre.org 07737 477193 NEXT SHOW: Standby For Tape Back-Up. Fri 5.

Shinfield – Shinfield Players www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 NEXT PLAY: The Dumb Waiter and Something Unspoken: two plays, one evening. March 9-12.

Windsor – Theatre Royal www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888 Flare Path. Until Sat. Ratpack and Judy.

Tues. Chicago Blues. Wed. The Glenn Miller. Thurs. Chas and Dave. Fri 26.

Barry Steele. Sat 27. Taking Care of Elvis. Sun 28.

Woking – New Victoria www.ambassadortickets.com 0844 871 7645 Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Until Sat 27.

Wokingham – Theatre www.wokingham-theatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363 NEXT SHOW: The London Cuckolds.

March 3-12.

Woodley – Theatre www.woodleytheatre.org 07939 210121 Entertaining Angels. Until Sat. Auditions: Troubled Times. Wed.

LEISURE | 25

To advertise call 0118 328 2959

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

THEATRE

Angels make the perfect winter warmer Entertaining Angels Woodley Theatre at The Oakwood Centre Tuesday, February 16 FAMILY life is never perfect as we all know, and sometimes skeletons can be lurking in the most unsuspecting of closets.

Richard Everett’s comedy-drama Entertaining Angels focuses on the trials and tribulations of newly-widowed Grace, her missionary sister Ruth, daughter Jo, and the new vicar in the village Sarah.

Grace’s husband, the late vicar Bardolph, has passed away unexpectedly she is finding it hard to let go of him. She finds herself chatting with him, much to the dismay of her family, and sees him pottering around in the garden shed. But while Grace is struggling to deal with his death and being uprooted from her home of 40 years, secrets and scandals are about to be revealed.

Grace, played by Carol Burbedge, is horrified to find out Bardolph (Frank Augur) fathered a child with Ruth (Sheila McDermott) 30 years ago, which led to her fleeing to Africa to have the baby.

While Jo (Sarah Pearce) is delighted to find out she has a half-brother, Grace cannot forgive Ruth or Bardolph’s infidelity.

When Sarah (Gill Ackroyd) reveals details of her own murky

What’s on Friday, February 19 EARLEY – Our Lady of Peace Social Club, Wokingham Road RG6 7DA (entrance off Aldbourne Avenue).

Reading and Wokingham Spanish Circle meeting: Two talks: Rowing in Africa with Jim Flood and La Patun de Berga: Corpus Christi by Vic Pepper. 7.45pm. £3. Details, 0118 977 2569 or 0118 979 2458.

FINCHAMPSTEAD – Library, FBC Centre RG40 4ES. Rhymetime for under fives.

11am. Details: 0118 908 8176.

WOKINGHAM – 30 Rose Street RG40 1XU. John Redwood MP constituency surgery by appointment.

Details: 020 7219 4205.

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Cribbage and card games club. 10.30am. Local history surgery: drop-in advice with a local expert. 10am-noon.

Wokingham VIP group: book group for visually impaired. 2pm-4pm. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOODLEY – Library, Headley Road RG5 4JA. Get Arty: arts and crafts for ages five upwards. 10.30am11.30am. £1.50. Details: 0118 969 0304.

Saturday, February 20 EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Danny Mountain.

Details: 0118 931 3965.

MAIDEN ERLEGH – Library, off Silverdale Road RG6 7HS. Craft time for parents and children aged 2-5. Love Bugs theme. 10.45am-11.15am.

Storytime. For ages seven and under. 10.15am10.45am. Details: 0118 966 6630.

SHINFIELD – Parish Hall, School Green RG2 9EH. Open house session on Shinfield Parish Community

Centre. 10am-1pm.

WOKINGHAM – Town Hall.

Town councillors’ surgery.

10am-noon. Drop-in.

Details: 0118 978 3185 or www.wokingham-tc.gov.uk.

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Teen writing group for ages 11-18. 10.30am-noon.

Wokingham Writers Group for adults. 10am. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOODLEY – Town Centre.

Market. 9am-4pm. Details: 0118 921 6920 or www. woodleytowncentre.co.uk.

WOODLEY – Library, Headley Road RG5 4JA. Paracord Weaving workshop. For ages 6 upwards. 10.35amnoon. £5 per bracelet.

Details: 0118 969 0304.

Sunday, February 21 WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Classics Book Group: for lovers of Dickens, Austen etc. 6.30pm-7.30pm.

Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Choral Evensong sermon series: Horrible Heresies: Why What We Believe Really Matters.

Guest speaker Father David O’Sullivan from Corpus Christi, Wokingham.

6.15pm. Details: 0118 979 2122.

WOODLEY – Town Centre. Car boot sale. 8am-1pm. £10 per Car or £8 for table top pitch/ Walk on, bring own tables.

Details: 07861 654 674 or www.woodleytowncentre. co.uk.

Monday, February 22 MAIDEN ERLEGH – Library, off Silverdale Road RG6 7HS. Colouring For Adults.

2.15pm-3pm. Details: 0118 966 6630.

SPENCERS WOOD - Library, Basingstoke Road RG7 1AJ.

past, emotions begin to run high and relationships are strained. Can the sisters put the past and Bardolph to rest, and will Sarah be able to face her new congregation?

With the action split between the garden of the vicarage and a stream at the end of the garden, the production crew have come up with an ingenious way of changing the scenes, with the leaves of a willow tree and the reeds and rushes of the stream descending from the rafters seamlessly. The design of the garden is beautiful, with a projection of neighbouring houses in the background adding to the realism of the set.

Despite a few first night nerves apparent from some members of the cast, they all did a great job of drawing the audience into the action and holding our attention throughout. Sarah Pearce deserves a special mention for her portrayal of Jo, a daughter at her wits’ end, caught between her warring mother and aunt while keeping Sarah’s secret concealed.

Entertaining Angels is a light and whimsical show, which dances around some rather dark issues while still managing to raise the laughs. A perfect distraction from the miserable February weather, and definitely entertaining.

Entertaining Angels runs until tomorrow (Saturday).

For more details and to book tickets, visit www. woodleytheatre.org

GEMMA DAVIDSON

Jo (Sarah Pearce) and Ruth (Sheila McDermott) at The Oakwood Centre.

Holding a community event? Send your listings to events@wokinghampaper.co.uk

The best guide for local, community events across Wokingham borough Pages in the Wood: Book group. 6pm-7pm. Details: 0118 988 4771.

WARGRAVE – Library, Woodclyffe Hostel, Church Street RG10 8EP. Storytime: rhymes and stories for ages 3-5. 4pm-4.30pm. Details: 0118 940 4656.

WOODLEY – Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3LA. Network Fellowship: Mayfield Singers. 2pm.

Details: www.christ-churchwoodley.org.uk or 0118 926 8143.

What’s on event submission 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@wokinghampaper.co.uk. Please note this service is for community

Address

groups, charities and not-for-profit activities. We cannot guarantee inclusion.

Date of event: Venue of event:

Postcode

What will happen:

Email

Tuesday, February 23 EARLEY – Palmer Building, University of Reading Whiteknights Campus RG6 2AH. Reading Film Theatre presents: The Danish Girl (15). 7.45pm. £5 members, £8 non-members, £7 concessions. Membership £20. Details: 0118 378 7151 or readingfilmtheatre. co.uk.

LOWER EARLEY – Library, Chalfont Close, Chalfont Way RG6 5HZ. Rhymetime for babies. 10.30am-11am.

Rhymetime for ages 18 month to 3 years. 11.30amnoon. Details: 0118 931 2150.

SINDLESHAM – Wokingham Cricket Club, Sadler’s Lane RG41 5AW. Woodley Ukulele group No Strings Attached session: for beginners and advanced to play together.

7.30pm. Details: www. woodleyukulele.wordpress. com WOKINGHAM – All Saints Church, Wiltshire Road.

Come To The Source: space for silent meditation and prayer. 8pm. Details: 0118 979 2797.

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Storytime: rhymes and stories for ages 3-5.

2pm-2.30pm. Family history drop-in. 2pm-5pm. National Careers Service: Advice

Name

Time of event: Contact number for readers: sessions to help you with career planning, CVs and interviews. 9.40am-3.40pm.

UK Online: Help and support with computers and the internet for beginners.

2pm-4pm. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOODLEY – Library, Headley Road RG5 4JA. Crochet Group with Gaynor White from Barkham Hookers. All abilities welcome. Noon2pm. £4. Details: 0118 969 0304.

WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Lent Course 2016: The Psalms: Prayers For Today’s Church. 8pm9.30pm. Details: 0118 979 2122.

Wednesday, February 24 WARGRAVE – Library, Woodclyffe Hostel, Church Street RG10 8EP. Knit Wits: knit or crochet club.

2pm-4pm. Details: 0118 940 4656.

WINNERSH – Library, The Forest School, Robin Hood Lane RG41 5ND. Rhymetime for under fives. 10.15am-10.45am.

Colouring For Adults.

11.45am-1.15pm. Details: 0118 979 7519.

WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Shared Aloud Reading Group for adults. 10.30am.

Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOODLEY – Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3LA. Wesley Guild: Historic Buildings of Jersey with Avis Furness. 2pm. Details: www. christ-church-woodley.org. uk or 0118 926 8143.

WOODLEY – Library, Headley Road RG5 4JA. National Careers Service. Advice for your CV and career planning. 10am-5pm.

Details: 0118 969 0304.

Thursday, February 25 EARLEY – Palmer Building, University of Reading Whiteknights Campus RG6 2AH. Reading Film Theatre presents: The Lady In The Van (12a).

8pm. £5 members, £8 nonmembers, £7 concessions.

Membership £20. Details: 0118 378 7151 or readingfilmtheatre.co.uk.

LOWER EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Chalfont social

Send your forms to: What’s On, The Wokingham Paper, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS afternoon: Scottish and Southern Energy: Support during a power cut, a talk

by Tania Christie. £1. 2pm.

Details: 0118 931 3124.

LOWER EARLEY – Library, Chalfont Close, Chalfont Way RG6 5HZ. Beaded Delights Workshop with Caroline Marriott. Session 4: Make fabric and paper beads. 2pm-4pm. £5. Board Games Club. 10am-11am.

Details: 0118 931 2150.

WINNERSH – Library, The Forest School, Robin Hood Lane RG41 5ND. Keep Calm and Fly Casual: Club for players of the X Wing Miniatures Game, Star Wars and Armada. Age 16 and over.

5.30pm-7.45pm. Details: 0118 979 7519.

WOKINGHAM -– Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Archaeology Finds Surgery. 10am-noon. How To Promote Your Book, a talk by Diane Hinds.

6.30pm-8pm. £3. National Careers Service. Advice sessions to help you with career planning, CVs and interviews. 9.40am to 3.40pm. Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOODLEY – Library,

Headley Road RG5 4JA. Reminiscence Club: discuss days gone by. 10.30amnoon. The First Editions book group. 6pm-6.45pm Details: 0118 969 0304.

Friday, February 26 WOKINGHAM – Library, Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Local history surgery: dropin advice with a local expert.

10am-noon. Details: 0118 978 1368.

Saturday, February 27 EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Charity night.

8pm. Details: 0118 931 3965.

MAIDEN ERLEGH – Library, off Silverdale Road RG6 7HS. Children’s Writing Group for ages 9-12. 10.15am-11am.

Details: 0118 966 6630.

LOWER EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Church walk - around four miles, with optional pub lunch. Come dressed for weather. 10am. Details: 0118 931 3124.

WOKINGHAM – Library,

Denmark Street RG40 2BB. Teen writing group for ages 11-18. 10.30am-noon.

Details: 0118 978 1368.

WOODLEY – Library, Headley Road RG5 4JA. Creative writing group for adults.

10.30am-noon. Details: 0118 969 0304.

Sunday, February 28 MORTIMER – Recreation ground car park. Loddon Reach parish walk. 2pm.

Come dressed for the weather.

WOODLEY – Town Centre. Car boot sale. 8am-1pm. £10 per Car or £8 for table top pitch/ Walk on, bring own tables.

Details: 07861 654 674 or www.woodleytowncentre. co.uk.

WOODLEY – Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3LA. Monthly games afternoon. 2pm. Details: www.christ-churchwoodley.org.uk or 0118 926 8143.

WOODLEY – Library, Headley Road RG5 4JA. French Conversation Club for those with basic French knowledge. 2pm-3pm.

Details: 0118 969 0304.

26 | LEISURE

To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

would be reluctant to place her in a home with children under the age of 12.

Mitzi loves human company so will need someone around most of the day.

should be homed in pairs, or into a home with an existing guinea pig. n Could you offer a forever home to any of these animals? If the answer is ‘yes’ then please get in touch with the centre on 0118 934 1122 to make sure the animals have not already been reserved. The centre is open everyday between 11am and 1pm, and 2pm and 4pm. For more information, and to view other animals in need of a home visit www. dbarc.org.uk

Animal Corner with Gemma Davidson

CAN you offer these adorable animals a loving forever home? Each week, we team up with the folk at Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre in Nelsons Lane, Hurst, to try to find new homes for the animals currently in their care

DAVEY

Davey was found as a stray with another dog but neither were ever reclaimed. They were both taken into rescue, and although they are good friends, they are equally friendly with other dogs so wouldn’t necessarily need to be homed as a pair.

One-year-old Davey is very calm and sensible for a dog of his age and although he loves a walk, he also really loves a cuddle. He seems friendly with everyone he meets, but as we do not know his history we wouldn’t wish to rehome him with children under 12 years.

He is good with other dogs, but we don’t know how he fares with cats and other small furries.

Davey has a long coat which adds to his appeal

DAVEY

Gig guide Friday, Feb 19 BAGSHOT – The Cedar Tree, High Street GU19 5AG. The Bluescasters. Details: 01276 473160.

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Debonair Sunrise and T Model Slim. Details: 01344 303333.

CAMBERLEY – The Four Horseshoes, Frimley Road GU15 3EQ. Amber Liadan.

Details: 01276 63842.

CAMBERLEY – The Royal Standard, Frimley Road GU15 2PP. Fever. Details: 01276 27641.

EMMBROOK – Sports and Social Club, Lowther Road RG41 1JB. Wokingham Music Club presents Hoopy Frood. Details: wokinghammusicclub.co.uk FARNBOROUGH – The Alexandra, Victoria Road GU14 7PH. Miss Lady Blackwell. Details: 01252 519964.

FARNBOROUGH – Tradesmans Arms, Cove Road GU14 0EX. Bitter Blues.

Details: 01252 376745.

FARNBOROUGH – West Farnborough Social Club, St Christopher’s Road GU14 0AH. NRG. Details: 01252 542513.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Junction Music presents: Live HipHop/Open Mic Night. Dark Matter: Mr Mel. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – South Street. The Matt Edwards Band. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. Somerset Slim. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – The Red Lion, Southampton Street RG1 2QL. The Vocal Lion: Sweet Soul Music Man. Details: 0118 958 2797.

SANDHURST – The White Swan, Swan Lane GU47 9BU. Dukes of Rock. Details: 01252 872444.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Live music. Details: 0118 978 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Molly Millar, Station Road RG40 2AD. 70s, 80s night with DJ Mally. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – The Red Lion, Market Place RG40 1AL. Ultimate Party Nights.

Details: 0118 979 5790.

WOKINGHAM – Spin Nightclub, Alexandra Court RG40 2SL. Frisky Fridays.

Details: 07415 354056.

HOPE & ANCHOR Free entry, fantastic beers & a great night out!

This Saturday @ 9pm

THESoulSOULTONES for Saturday night!

WEY LIVE Off the Record MUSIC Hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s & 90s!

Coming next Saturday, February 27

Station Road, Wokingham RG40 2AD 0118 978 0918 www.hopeanchor.co.uk

but will need regular attention and grooming.

He likes going for long walks, and just enjoys being around people and getting involved with what is going on. He will need company most of the time. Can you give Davey the home he needs?

MITZI Two-year-old Mitzi was found as a stray but never claimed. She is a sweet girl, very lively and full of energy, but also extremely keen to learn. She would be ideally suited to someone who loves to train an intelligent dog, perhaps for a dog sport such as Agility or Flyball.

Mitzi is great with other dogs, and friendly with people of all ages, but due to her energetic nature and unknown history we

MITZI

COCO

COCO This four-year-old neutered female rabbit is looking for a new home with a neutered male to live with. Coco was brought into DBARC as her partner sadly passed away. We are hoping her broken heart will be mended soon by the right family.

LOGAN, JELVIN, JEDI, MARTIE AND CEDRICK These adorable guinea pigs are all male and all six months old. Ideally, they

HOLDING A GIG, QUIZ OR GAMES NIGHT? SEND DETAILS TO EVENTS@WOKINGHAMPAPER.CO.UK Saturday, Feb 20 ASCOT – Jagz, Station Road.

Mojo. Details: 01344 878100.

BLACKWATER – Hawley Bridge Working Men’s Club, Willows Lane GU17 9DL. Touchstone Experience.

Details: 01276 31037.

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Stratospheres. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. The Originals. Details: 01344 422622.

CAMBERLEY – Mr Bumble, GU17 9AP. Regrade. Details: 01276 32691.

EARLEY – Earley Radstock Social Club, Radstock Lane RG6 5UL. Danny Mountain.

Details: 0118 931 3965.

FARNBOROUGH – The Alexandra, Victoria Road GU14 7PH. Bright Shadows.

Details: 01252 519964.

FLEET – The Falkners Arms, Falkners Close GU51 2XF. NRG. Details: 01252 811311.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. SoundJam. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – South Street. Third Friday Blues: Matt Edwards

Band and Booga Red. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – Jazz Cafe, Shooters Way, Madjeski Stadium RG2 0FL. Soul and Funk tribute with the Blunter Bros. Details: 0118 968 1442.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Funk Republic Live Karaoke. Details: 0118 402 7800.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. TBC. Details: 0118 978 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Molly Millar, Station Road RG40 2AD. 70s, 80s night with DJ Mally. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – The Red Lion, Market Place RG40 1AL. Ultimate Party Nights.

Details: 0118 979 5790.

WOKINGHAM – Spin Nightclub, Alexandra Court RG40 2SL. Essential Saturdays. Details: 07415 354056.

YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, The Green GU46 7LR. The Turn. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, Feb 21 BRACKNELL – The Crown Wood, Opladen Way RG12

0PE. Jam session: Martin Deadman acoustic. Details: 01344 867374.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead. Wilde Sundays and Creative Control Band Night. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – RISC, London Street RG1 4PS. Readifolk: North Sea Gas. Details: 0118 958 6692.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning RG4 6TY. Genesis Connected. Details: 0118 969 8000.

Tuesday, Feb 23 READING – South Street.

Verity Standen: Mmm Hmmm. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Reading’s Got Talent 2016 auditions.

Details: 0118 402 7800.

Wednesday, February 24 FLEET – Propaganda Music Canteen, Fleet Road GU51 3BU. SoulStar. Details: 01252 620198.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. BBC Introducing Live: Declan McKenna and Alex Green.

Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Reading’s Got Talent 2016 auditions.

Details: 0118 402 7800.

TWYFORD – The Golden Cross, Waltham Road RG10 9EG. Open Mic night with Damian Delahunty. Details: 07946 342551.

Thursday, Feb 25 ASCOT – Jagz, Station Road.

Platform live jam night with Saturn V. Details: 01344 878100.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead. Gun Hill Riffs and Support. Details: 01344 484123.

CAMBERLEY – Mr Bumble,

GU17 9AP. Jam Night.

Details: 01276 32691.

FLEET – Propaganda Music Canteen, Fleet Road GU51 3BU. The Retro-Beats.

Details: 01252 620198.

HENLEY – Magoos, Hart Street. Stars In Their Minds karaoke. Details: 01491 574595.

PLAYHATCH – The Flowing Spring, Henley Road RG4 9RB. Stereo Snakes UK tour.

Details: 0118 969 9878.

READING – O’Neills, Friar Street RG1 1BD. Open mic night. Details: 0118 960 6580.

READING – The Walkabout, Wiston Terrace, off Friar Street. Karaoke Thursday.

Details: 0118 953 0000.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Reading’s Got Talent 2016 auditions.

Details: 0118 402 7800.

SHINFIELD – Magpie and Parrot, Arborfield Road RG2 9EA. Charity/Bolter Quintet. Details: 0118 988 4130.

SUNNINGDALE – Sunningdale Lounge, London Road SL5 0DG. Gigabit. Details: 01344 876887.

Friday, Feb 26 BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. The Riots. Details: 01344 303333.

CAMBERLEY – The Four Horseshoes, Frimley Road GU15 3EQ. Ami. Details: 01276 63842.

CAMBERLEY – The Royal Standard, Frimley Road GU15 2PP. Subway. Details: 01276 27641.

CAMBERLEY – The Carpenters Arms, Park Street GU15 3PE. Creme Freche. Details: 01276 63676.

FARNBOROUGH – The Alexandra, Victoria Road GU14 7PH. The Weathertop Preachers. Details: 01252 519964.

FARNBOROUGH GREEN – The

Fox, Chapel Lane GU14 9BN. Ash Lee. Details: 01276 34735.

FLEET – The Fox and Hounds, Crookham Road GU51 5NP. Off The Record. Details: 01252 663686.

KNOWL HILL – The Bird in Hand, Bath Road RG10 9UP. Gary Roman as Elvis.

Details: 01628 826622.

READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Jazz at Progress: Arun Ghosh Quartet. Details: 0118 384 2195.

READING – The Walkabout, Wiston Terrace, off Friar Street. Pauly Zarb. Details: 0118 953 0000.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Reading’s Got Talent 2016 auditions.

Details: 0118 402 7800.

WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. Utter Madness.

Details: 0118 978 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Molly Millar, Station Road RG40 2AD. 70s, 80s night with DJ Mally. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – The Red Lion, Market Place RG40 1AL. Ultimate Party Nights.

Details: 0118 979 5790.

WOKINGHAM – Spin Nightclub, Alexandra Court RG40 2SL. Frisky Fridays.

Details: 07415 354056.

YATELEY – The Cricketers, Cricket Hill Lane GU46 6BA. Who Are You?. Details: 01252 872105.

Saturday, Feb 27 BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Hustler Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Royal Oak, London Road RG12 2NN. The Vinyl Covers. Details: 01344 422622.

EARLEY – Earley Home Guard Social Club, Pitts Lane RG6 1BT. Glen Cooper. Details: www.ehgsc.co.uk

FARNBOROUGH – The Alexandra, Victoria Road GU14 7PH. Graeme. Details: 01252 519964.

FLEET – The Harlington, Fleet Road GU51 4BY. Rule The World: The Ultimate Take That Tribute Band. Details: 01252 811009.

SANDHURST – Wellington Arms, Yorktown Road GU47 9BN. Solace. Details: 01252 872408.

TWYFORD – The Golden Cross, Waltham Road RG10 9EG. Said and Done. Details: 07946 342551.

WOKINGHAM – Hope and Anchor, Station Road RG40 2AD. In Too Deep. Details: 0118 978 0918.

WOKINGHAM – The Molly Millar, Station Road RG40 2AD. 70s, 80s night with DJ Mally. Details: 0118 977 4548.

WOKINGHAM – The Red Lion, Market Place RG40 1AL. Ultimate Party Nights.

Details: 0118 979 5790.

WOKINGHAM – Spin Nightclub, Alexandra Court RG40 2SL. Essential Saturday. Details: 07415 354056.

WOODLEY – The Bull and Chequers, Church Road RG5 4QP. The Imposters. Details: 0118 969 9756.

WOODLEY – The Oakwood Centre RG5 4JA. The Honey Pot, Jack Ellister and Marrs Bonfire. Details: 0118 969 0827.

YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, The Green GU46 7LR. Robbie Lee. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, Feb 28 READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Reading’s Got Talent 2016 final. Details: 0118 402 7800.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning RG4 6TY. Back To The 80s with Tight Fit. Details: 0118 969 8000.

LEISURE | 27

To advertise call 0118 328 2959

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

AT THE CINEMA

The acoustic couch

A refreshing take on the superhero genre

Pagan days with the enchanted market

Kim Taylor-Foster

Upcoming music with Jody Mc

A celebration of all things community and all things pagan… JODY Mc loves seeing plans come together

I C

AN comic book movies ever be the same again? With the release of Deadpool, a subversive, irreverent take on the film genre adored by comic book fanboys, surely it means the likes of The Avengers and its spin-off movies can no longer be taken seriously by the cinema-going public?

This superhero spoof changes the landscape, even for those that have dipped a toe into humour and gentle lampooning: its wry humour and extreme fourth-wall breaking self-awareness serve to deconstruct the ‘traditional’ comic book movie and send it up – with the willing participation of an audience it gets onside from the outset.

Leaving us, as a result, unable to watch the output of Marvel Studios et al in the same way we used to.

Problematic? For Marvel Studios and its brethren, quite possibly. The full impact of Deadpool – a Marvel character committed to film by 20th Century Fox under licence – remains to be seen but so far response has been unprecedented. It’s breaking box office records.

From the opening credits – which list no names, instead substituting the usual roll call of Hollywood talent for oneliners about overpaid directors and bloated stars – it satirises not only comic book movies but the film industry in general and invites the audience to snigger.

As the film wends its way through its unremarkable plot, there are jokes about failed would-be superhero franchise The Green Lantern – in which Ryan Reynolds, our antihero in Deadpool, starred – and there are jokes about Hugh Jackman, as well as jokes about The X-Men. Heck, there are jokes directly about Ryan Reynolds himself.

I’d like to think that the representation of women in the film is a joke too – there’s burly, busty bitch Angel Dust (Gina Carano), sullen teen Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) and former prostitute-turned-scantily-clad bar girl Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). But sadly, it’s not and it’s one of the few things that really lets this movie down. It does not fair well in the Bechdel test, that’s for sure but hey ho, we’ve come to expect it.

The plot is mostly inconsequential, since all we’re interested in is the script’s quippy wisecracks and Ryan Reynold’s waggish delivery but it does speed along nicely and provide a decent canvas for the droll wordplay.

And it’s constructed nicely, starting by dropping us right in the middle of proceedings, with a costumed-up Deadpool on his way to wreak revenge on some guy that’s wronged him.

Namely, Francis, aka Ajax (Ed Skrein) – the person responsible for turning him into whatever he now is: a selfhealing, Ted Danson-looking, super-powered superhuman with mutated face and body and an inability to feel pain.

Thing is, he’s bummed. Not only because he’s endured torture at Francis’s hands, but he’s also now ugly and no longer able to be with the woman he loves for fear of her reaction. Rewind to the moment he first meets Vanessa – she a lady of the night, he some kind of gun-for-hire – and a montage sequence depicting their blossoming relationship and the discovery that delivers him into his nemesis’s hands.

A revenge movie, Deadpool differs from other comic book films in being more about killing for selfish reasons than saving the world, and it’s refreshing for it.

For all his super powers, Deadpool – or Wade Wilson – is arguably more human in his flaws and foibles than your standard matinée idol. He’s certainly funnier.

The Dolman Grove in action at the enchanted market. Picture: Baz Cilia

raising money through charity events to realise this for what has become to be known as The Land Fund.

I could not help but be impressed with such hard work as I gently strolled around each stall and workshop.

Each stall as fascinating as the next, offering quirky, unusual and often very unique buying experiences. Different sections of the very large space holding 100 or more organisations from our enriched and talented community.

People travelled from all corners of the UK to be part of this mammoth occasion.

In the café area I was offered sumptuous treats from hot dogs, to muffins and more… All humbly served by the very talent that would later entertain the main event of the day.

Also on offer from noon was unplugged acoustic music.

STR8TS

final preparations come to fruition and orchestrate like a maestro was so uplifting.

The enchanted market after party was nuts. When Baz told me that Dave, aka Damh the Bard, was something special and possibly the biggest pagan artist in the world and the place will be stuffed to the gills... I should have absorbed this information.

It was a great night, largely thanks to a great team around me.

Steve Rhino running security, Calum heading up sound and lights and not forgetting the superb crew behind the bar.

A special mention must go to Star Kebab on Market Street and Hollywood Bowl at the Point Centre also off Market Street.

With their help we got through our change crisis and could ensure everyone got the correct change when they paid at the bar.

The community 1, crisis 0.

SUDOKU

No. 269

Easy

6 8 7

1 5 7

5

Previous solution - Medium

3 6 7 5 6 5 8 8 9 9 7 3 4

3 1 3 2 7

9 3

4 1

7

thecouch’s favourite, Michael, entertained on two stages, the second proving to be the heartbeat of the whole day.

Both stages were assisted by us, Theacousticcouch, but every bit controlled by one of our favourite and most promising soundman and all round brilliant teenager Aaron Cillia.

Now I’m emotionally charged thanks to the energy of the people that makes the day, it can’t get any better surely lol...

For their reward they are dazzled and hypnotised by the two main events of the whole weekend.

The Dolman Grove band and Spriggan Mist were performing.

You must check out the photos circulating around social media, an impressive experience to witness.

Hurrying back to my amazing team at the couch venue to see our

3 1 7 2 6

9

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

5 6 4 8 9 7 8 7 6 7 6 3 2 1 2 3 2 1 4 3 5

2 1 9 3 5 4

1 2 3 5 3 2 4 4 1 2 4 3 6 5 7 6 8 6 8 5 9 7 6 8

No. 269

4

Tough

5

4 3

7

1 7

1 6 9

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to The solutions will be published here in the next issue. see how ‘straights’ are formed.

7 3

8

9

4 5

4 5 3 2 1 6 8 9 7

7 6

8 6

2 9

Previous solution - Medium

2 5

1

2 5 9

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin

© 2016 Syndicated Puzzles

Deadpool (15) «««««

HAD stepped into another world.

Draped in the brightest colours and playing the most extravagant characters, Garth Hill School in Bracknell this past weekend became a beacon for pagans.

The enchanted market is a quickly growing two-day and threenight gathering of all things pagan, and all things community.

From Friday night at Theacousticcouch venue the spirit began to gather, as glasses were toasted, the traders danced and sang. Yours truly finally got the guitar out for a rendition of Redemption Song.

The pre-party was a chance for the organisers Baz and Maxine Cillia to get together with their supporters and stall holders after final preparations had been made.

They could then relax a little before the big day was on us, my first enchanted market.

The market ran like a finely oiled wheel, every minute of the day sophisticatedly put together by pure passion and devotion to raise money for The Dolmen Grove, something very personal for so many attending in support, or those taking up a pitch to add to the stunning ambiance.

The Dolmen Grove is a Pagan organisation of mixed spiritual paths. The spiritual ethos of the Dolmen Grove is based purely upon the Freedom of the Individual, with Moots dotted around the south of England, and members worldwide.

One of the ambitions of The Grove is to own a suitable piece of land to hold events on such as spiritual gatherings, hand fastings and other celebrations.

The Dolmen Grove has been

9 8 2 4 5 7 1 6 3

6 1 7 3 9 8 4 5 2

7 3 6 8 2 4 9 1 5

1 2 5 9 6 3 7 8 4

8 4 9 1 7 5 3 2 6

2 6 1 7 3 9 5 4 8

3 9 4 5 8 2 6 7 1

5 7 8 6 4 1 2 3 9

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely.

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store.

IN A BAND? HOLDING A GIG? HEARD SOME GREAT MUSIC? WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! E-MAIL NEWS@WOKINGHAMPAPER.CO.UK

Your weekly puzzle challenge

28 | LEISURE

To advertise email advertising@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Quiz Challenge

CROSS CODE 9 3

1

16 8

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1. Salto is the second largest centre of population in which country?

2. Barbara Hulanicki founded which iconic clothes store?

3. Who was Marc Almond’s partner in the pop duo Soft Cell?

4. What does the Spanish word ‘zorro’ mean in English?

5. In the General Election of 1987, which comedian polled 328 votes for the Blancmange Throwers Party in the Windsor and Maidenhead constituency?

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1

NONAGRAM

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A

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

YET MOSTLY SEE CLUE

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 S through openings in the walls. The R first letter may appear in any chamber.

S E

N C S

H N

C

I

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: 35 Good; 41 Very Good; 48 Excellent.

FR

EI

IV

OI

EG

EB

HP

OL

JO

DT

RA

SE

TS

8 4 9 1 3 2 4 3 1

5 8 4 6 7 2 1 9 6 5 8 2 6 3 6 7 8 9 9 2

7

2 9 1 6 1

7 2

3

8 8 4 7 5 2

6

I H

M M

B

Y I

T

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.

ES

EQUALISER 7 8 3 1 1 0 3 10 2 2 3 6

Hard

Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.

6

R

TE

SUDOKU Easy

V

IM

LU

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.

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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.

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All puzzles on this page are supplied by Sirius Media Services.

To try more of our puzzles interactively online go to www.puzzledrome.com

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FIVE ALIVE

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).

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.

6. The Heathrow Express links the airport to which London mainline terminus?

7. A poster for which 1972 film asked: ‘Where does the camping trip end ... and the nightmare begin?’?

8. What nuts are invariably found in a pesto sauce?

9. What is the common name for lateral epicondylitis, which can affect the arms?

10. Former politician Michael Portillo examines classified documents from the British National Archives in which 2015 television series?

WORD PYRAMID

A T O

25

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

S

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

© Sirius Media Services Ltd

ACROSS DOWN 1. Flier’s home-made soup? (5-4) 1. Qualified teacher provides a place to sleep (3) 6. Not very far away from 2.

How the bread has gone being spicy (3) up? (5) 8. Local tender (8,5) 3. Too much talk of what to do 9. From that time on it was an on the Internet (7) offence to the 4.

Overlook the plea (6) establishment (5) 5. Simpleton galloped round 10. Will return to the onion (7) some islands (5) 11. I mixed toddy outside – 6. Animal on the edge has a there’s a strange thing (6) congenital deformity (4-3) 13. Three times as much 7. Patient process (9) rubbish left inside (6) 9. See the dawn on stage? (9) 16. Left by peninsula in Africa (7) 12. Discussed cricketer being involved in the action (7) 18. In London utilised a small American cake (5) 14. Most embarrassed? (7) 20. Achieve one’s full potential 15. Argon’s escaping from a with a small informal Malay garment (6) meeting about it (3,2,8) 17. It revolves both ways (5) 22. Youth shortly has to do 19. By no means despite some farm work (3) using specialised skill, it is heard (5) 23. Immediately one side has gone (5,4) 21. Man from Croydon (3)

QUICK CROSSWORD 1

1

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SOLUTIONS

23

30 31

ACROSS 2. Vehicle frame (7) 7. Pudding cereal (4) 8. Sailor’s cry (4) 9. Painter (anag.) (7) 10. Long (4) 12. Issue cards (4) 15. Requested (5) 17. Leather strips (6) 18. Thief who uses force (6) 19. Stockings (6) 21. Aromatic herb (6) 22. Large feline (5)

23. In addition (4) 26. Compass point (4) 28. Dizziness (7) 29. Seaweed (4) 30. In a frenzy (4) 31. Erudite (7) DOWN 1. Wise men (4) 2. Manage (4) 3. From side to side (6) 4. Razor (6) 5. Rub down (4) 6. Roman garment (4)

10.

11.

13.

14.

15.

16.

20.

21.

24.

25.

26.

27.

Colourful plant (7) Pasta strips (7) Hug (7) Biggest (7) Representative (5) Giver (5) Mountain range (6) Favourable, mild (6) Lounge about (4) Egg-shaped (4) Blue dye (4) Item of footwear (4)

1 3 5 8 6 7 9 2 4

6 4 2 5 9 1 8 7 3

7 9 8 4 2 3 5 6 1

2 6 4 9 3 8 1 5 7

5 1 3 6 7 4 2 8 9

8 7 9 1 5 2 3 4 6

4 5 1 7 8 9 6 3 2

9 2 6 3 4 5 7 1 8

6 5 9 7 2 4 3 8 1

3 8 7 2 1 6 4 9 5

EASY SUDOKU 14 1

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CROSS CODE

J

7 3 4 9 1 8 5 6 2

8 1 2 5 3 6 4 9 7

5 6 1 4 9 7 8 2 3

4 9 3 2 8 1 6 7 5

2 7 8 3 6 5 9 1 4

9 8 5 1 4 2 7 3 6

1 4 6 8 7 3 2 5 9

3 2 7 6 5 9 1 4 8

HARD SUDOKU

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A

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22 9

Z

WORD PYRAMID: Shiver my timbers.

EQUALISER: Clockwise from top left – add; multiply; divide; subtract.

Total: 4.

MAGIC SQUARE: cyst; Yule; sloe; teem.

E

23

L

10

B

24

U

11

N

25

M

12

K

26

C

13

Treatment; 9 Spotlight; 12 Debated; 14 Reddest; 15 Sarong; 17 actin; action; aitch; ancon; antic; atonic; cannot; canon; canonist; canst; cant; Rotor; 19 Nohow; 21 Roy. canto; canton; cash; casino; cast; cation; chai; chain; chanson; chant; chaos; chat; chin; china; chino; chit; chiton; ciao; cist; coast; coat; coati; coin; contain; cosh; cost; costa; icon; incant; inch; itch; nacho; nastic; natch; notch; ontic; otic; sanction; scan; scant; scat; scion; scot; scotia; snatch; snitch; soca; sonic; stanch; STANCHION; stannic; stoic; tach; tachi; taco; tich; tocsin; tonic.

QUICK CROSSWORD: Across – 2 Chassis; 7 Sago; 8 Ahoy; 9 Pertain; 10 Pine; 12 Deal; 15 Asked; 17 Thongs; 18 Robber; 19 Nylons; 21 Borage; 22 Tiger; 23 Also; 26 West; 28 Vertigo; 29 Alga; 30 Amok; 31 Learned.

Down – 1 Magi; 2 Cope; 3 Across; 4 Shaver; 5 Sand; 6 Toga; 10 Petunia; 11 Noodles; 13 Embrace; 14 Largest; 15 Agent; 16 Donor; 20 Sierra; 21 Benign; 24 Loll; 25 Oval; 26 Woad; 27 Shoe.

Down – Field; Issue; Names.

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: Across – 1 Bird’s-nest; 6 Hot; 8 District nurse; 9 Since; 10 Shallot; (2) Across – Rivet; Bhaji; Taste.

Down – Robot; Vials; Trite.

11 Oddity; 13 Triple; 16 Liberia; 18 Donut; 20 Get it together; 22 Ted; 23 Right away.

NONAGRAM: Down – 1 Bed; 2 Risen; 3 Surfeit; 4 Excuse; 5 Tonga; 6 Hare-lip; 7

QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 Uruguay; 2 Biba; 3 David Ball; 4 Fox; 5 Pamela Stephenson; 6 Paddington; 7 Deliverance; 8 Pine nuts; 9 Tennis elbow; FIVE ALIVE: 10 Portillo’s State Secrets.

(1) Across – Feign; Epsom; Dress.

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DECORATING

CAREER OPPORTUNITY Accounts Assistant Eden Wokingham Eden Motor Group is looking to recruit an experienced full time Accounts Assistance to work alongside the dealership accountant at our Eden dealership located in Wokingham.

The position will encompass the following: • Sales Ledger • Credit Control • Purchase ledger • Banking • Reconciliations Ideally you will have previous CDK (Kerridge) experience and also the flexibility to be able to work at our Eden Reading dealership on occasion To express an interest please forward your CV by email to Wendy Harrington, Dealership Accountant, at wendy.harrington@edenmotorgroup.com. www.edenmotorgroup.com

quality decorators We are proud to support The Wokingham Paper A local family business established for 30+ years, we guarantee customer satisfaction with our highly professional and personal service.

We provide all aspects of internal and external painting and decorating, domestic and commercial, plus artexing, coving and tiling.

Also general building and allied work.

Free estimates and advice Mobile: 07966 551698 Phone: 0118 973 3537 Email: trevor@quality-decorators.co.uk Website: www.quality-decorators.co.uk

Experience in a similar role is not essential as full training and support will be provided. So if you are looking for a new role or a change in career direction or even for your first role since leaving full time education we would love to hear from you providing you can answer yes to the following questions: • Are you looking for a role that will enable you to use or develop your practical DIY skills and deal with straightforward site maintenance problems?

• Are you able to manage your own workload effectively?

• Do you recognise the importance of ensuring a secure and safe school environment?

• Are you able to remain calm, composed and flexible within a busy and demanding environment?

In return we can offer flexibility on the hours worked and would consider either a full time or part time appointment covering 195 term time days + 20 days during school holidays.

Salary will be dependent on experience and working pattern but will be within Grade 3 SCP 14 to Grade 4 SCP 21 with a pro-rata annual salary up to £14,900.

Application forms can be found on our website www.evendons-primary.co.uk Please email your completed application form and a personal statement (not more than 1 side of A4) outlining why you think you would be suitable for the position of Premises Assistant to us at recruitment@evendons-primary.co.uk.

Please can you also make it clear whether you are wanting full or part time and what hours you would prefer.

Closing date for applications is 9am on Friday 26th February 2016.

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SERVICES For Reading, Kendrick and Slough Grammar Schools.

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PREMISES ASSISTANT We are looking to recruit a Premises Assistant to support the smooth day to day operation of the school including security, safety, cleanliness and general maintenance of the school site.

CLASSIFIEDS | 29

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Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

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WOKINGHAM SPORT

Unrivalled coverage of sport in the Borough

Contact the sports desk: sport@wokinghampaper.co.uk | Log on the for latest sports news www.wokinghampaper.co.uk WOKINGHAM HOCKEY CLUB

No Bucks Fizz just yet, but Wokingham close the gap WOKINGHAM Ladies 3s doubled their win count for the season when scoring a vital victory over South Bucks.

Winning this basement battle 2-1 at Herschel Grammar School in Slough moved the team on to four points, where they now sit just two behind Saturday’s opponents in Division 6 of the Trysports League.

Hosting Oxford Hawks Ladies 3s at Cantley Park, WOKINGHAM LADIES conceded five goals without reply.

Defeat leaves the team three points adrift at the foot of the Premier 1 standings.

A tough run of results shows no signs of letting up for WOKINGHAM LADIES 2S, either.

Since pulling themselves off the foot of the Division 2 table, Wokingham have lost five games on the spin, with the latest reverse coming via a 6-0 defeat to Reading Ladies 3A.

Lily Lamming looks to take the game to the Hawks at Cantley Park Pictures: Paul King

Wokingham Ladies’ Jess Dunn looks to make an interception against Oxford

RUGBY: Lets be Chiefs of our own destiny, says London Irish ace Narraway — Page 34

RECOGNITION

Triathlon ace Fox shortlisted for sport achievement award A TRIATHLETE from Lower Earley has been shortlisted for an achievement award.

Louise Fox is among five athletes from across the county who have been put forward for a 2016 Sue Ryder Southern Women of Achievement accolade.

The 35-year-old (pictured) gave up her day job two years ago in order to concentrate on her passion, and is flourishing as a result.

Completely self-funded, Fox has enjoyed many a success as both an age group triathlete and duathlete.

In her second season as a professional, Louise was selected by British Triathlon for three Elite races, which would culminate in fulfilling a childhood dream when winning a silver medal at the European Championships.

Such success has been built around hard work, a steely determination, dedication and commitment.

Fox is up against Despina Hapeshis (dance), England and Chelsea footballer Fran Kirby, Heather Stanning (rowing) and Lisa Wise (netball) in the category of Woman of Achievement in Sport.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony being held at Trunkwell Mansion House in Reading on Friday, March 11.

Winners from each of the six categories will be eligible for the Robyn Jones Southern Woman of Achievement award. This is a new award, named in honour of Robyn Jones OBE, who was a long-time supporter of Sue Ryder and the Woman of Achievement Awards.

BASKETBALL Wokingham Men GOALS from Craig Atkins and Chris Fifield helped Wokingham Men secure a useful point from a 2-2 draw with promotion-chasing Banbury 2s.

Tim Brown and Adrian Simons netted for the visitors, with the result moving the home side on to 14 points for the season.

They remain 11th in MBBO Regional Division 2.

Peter Tailby hit the backboard when WOKINGHAM 2S entertained Bourton and Sherbourne in Division 3.

But it could not stop the side slipping to a 4-1 loss – and with West Hampstead

7-2 winners over Windsor, the team have slipping into the relegation zone.

WOKINGHAM 3S, meanwhile, resumed their steady descent away from trouble in Division 7 after playing out a 2-2 draw at Eastcote 6s.

They sit eighth on 17 points.

WOKINGHAM VETS were beaten 3-1 by Horsham Hobblers in the Wessex Supervets Fixtures Alliance.

Fixtures – February 20 MBBO REGIONAL DIVISION 2: Aylesbury Men v Wokingham DIVISION 3: Gerrards Cross v Wokingham 2s DIVISION 7: Wokingham 3s v Maidenhead Magicians WESSEX ALLIANCE: Guildford Gondoliers v Wokingham Vets

Rockets ‘capable’ of winning Trophy READING ROCKETS take on Manchester Magic in the final of the National Trophy this Sunday, with Manuel Pena Garces hoping his side can replicate recent good form of late on the big stage.

The two English Basketball League (EBL) Division 1 rivals lock horns at the University of London’s SportsDock Arena, where tip-off is 4pm.

Not only are Rockets out to avenge the loss suffered to Magic in last year’s National Cup final, but put an end to the opposition’s recent dominance on all fronts.

Manchester recently retained the Cup when defeating Worthing Thunder, while they are also defending Trophy champions and sit top of the table.

They ran out 93-82 winners too when the sides met in the league back in December.

While only too aware of the qualities the Magic possess, head coach Pena Garces believes his charges have what it takes to make it six wins in as many Trophy final appearances.

“Our team has been playing much better in recent weeks and we have been pleased with the increased level of performance through really hard work and much better discipline,” said the play caller.

“We are defending much better and I believe in every single one of my players.

“Now it is the time for them to showcase this on the big stage and I believe that if we play to our capability we can win the game – but we know it is going to be difficult.” n ROCKETS were 85-55 winners at Westminster Warriors last Sunday. n BEN Allison has left the club.

SONNING HOCKEY CLUB

Ladies have top spot in their sights after thrashing Oxford University SONNING LADIES moved to within Push-back at the Royal Masonic striking distance of top spot in Trysports School is 11am.

Premier 1 following the 5-0 rout of Oxford The 2S, meanwhile, edged out University 2s.

Bracknell by the odd goal in five to win Victory at Berkshire this midtable battle.

The 3-2 success Counties Sports, the team’s fourth in a row, saw Sonning pull keeps them fourth in the eight points clear standings, where they of the opposition, with the two sitting sit eight points behind leaders Reading 2s, who sixth and seventh were held to a 1-1 draw by respectively.

Oxford 2s.

A 2-2 draw with Reading 3s did little More importantly, however, Sonning have to help SONNING 3S’ two games in hand on Sonning Ladies sit third pursuit of safety in the table toppers, one of Division 1. in Trysports Premier 1 While a margin of which takes place this weekend.

17 points separates The opposition, however, are the sides at the wrong end of the second-placed Amersham and Chalfont. standings, the result did pull the visitors

to within two of Wycombe 3s in 11th.

SONNING 4S, though, were on the wrong end of a 4-0 loss when hosting Phoenix and Ranelagh 2s.

Defeat leaves the side cut adrift at the foot of the Division 4 table.

A 2-0 reverse at Wycombe 4s saw SONNING VETERANS slip to bottom spot in Division 4.

A score draw with Newbury and Thatcham 4s preserved Sonning 5s recent unbeaten run.

The point secured from a 1-1 stalemate leaves the side seventh in Division 6.

Sonning Men CALLUM RICHARDSON secured Sonning Men a point from a 1-1 draw with Oxford Hawks in MBBO Regional Division 2.

But being held by the ninth-placed Hawks saw the opposition fall further away from the promotion places, with

Sonning now four points behind the top two in fifth.

Cameron Saint was on target for Oxford.

Rob Lawrence and two goals from Steve Pritchard saw struggling Oxford 3s battle to a 3-2 victory over SONNING 2S in Division 1.

A Steve Workman strike was unable to prevent SONNING 3S slipping to a 2-1 reverse when hosting Marlow 3s in Division 2.

Defeat leaves the team 11th in the table and in the relegation places.

Matt Price was on target for SONNING 4S during their game at Bracknell 2s.

But the effort proved to be no more than consolation, as the hosts ran out comfortable 6-1 winners.

Led by Tom Scott’s hat-trick and further strikes from Rob Badley (2) and

Sam Fox-Harvey, Bracknell condemned their opponents to a 15th loss in 16 league games this term.

Running out 5-2 winners over Reading Rascals saw SONNING 5S extend their lead atop of the Division 8 West table to five points – although they have played a game more than Oxford 7s in second.

Fixtures – Saturday, February 20

TRYSPORTS PREMIER 1: Amersham and Chalfont Ladies v Sonning Ladies.

DIVISION 1: Sonning 3s v Oxford University 3s DIVISION 4: Windsor 2s v Sonning Veterans MBBO REGIONAL DIVISION 2: Sonning Men v Milton Keynes 2s DIVISION 1: Ashford 2s v Sonning 2s DIVISION 2: Abingdon Men v Sonning 3s DIVISION 4: Sonning 4s v Amersham and Chalfont 2s DIVISION 8 WEST: Oxford Hawks 7s v Sonning 5s DIVISION 9 WEST: Sonning 6s v Bicester Development; Thame 3s v Sonning 7s.

34 | SPORT

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LONDON IRISH

Narraway wants Irish to be Chiefs of their own destiny LONDON IRISH v EXETER CHIEFS AVIVA PREMIERSHIP MADEJSKI STADIUM SUNDAY – 3PM

By TOM CROCKER tcrocker@wokinghampaper.co.uk LUKE NARRAWAY insists London Irish must focus on their own game rather than worrying about the opposition as they prepare for the visit of Exeter Chiefs to the Madejski Stadium on Sunday (3pm).

A heavy defeat to Northampton Saints last weekend coupled with victory for fellow relegation rivals Newcastle Falcons saw Exiles plunge back to the foot of the Aviva Premiership table ahead of a clash with second placed Exeter.

Despite their lofty league position, Chiefs have lost both their last two matches, but Narraway says Irish are not paying too much attention to anyone but themselves.

“To be honest we don’t really look into their form,” he told The Wokingham Paper.

“We know they’re a good squad and they’ve got good players.

“They play a great brand of rugby and we’ve got to be on our mettle if we’re to get a result this weekend.

“We’ve just got to concentrate on ourselves because mainly when we lose, we don’t get the stuff that we want to do right and when we win we do, so we’re very much looking at ourselves for this one.”

While Exiles are bottom of the table, their recent form at Madejski Stadium offers a great deal of optimism.

Tom Coventry’s men appear to have turned a corner since the win on Boxing Day against Northampton Saints and have now strung three home league wins together on the spin, also beating

Luke Narraway Picture: Pinnacle

Newcastle and Worcester, and Narraway is keen to tap into that home advantage again on Sunday.

He said: “We know what position we’re in and we know what we need to do.

“We’re back at home, we’ve won our last three at home, we’re comfortable there at the minute and we’ve just got to make sure that we bring that home form again this week.

“Hopefully if we play the way we want and the way we know we can do, we should be in with a good chance this Sunday.”

As well as Newcastle picking up a shock win over Leicester Tigers, last weekend also saw leaders Saracens thrashed 64-23 at home against Wasps as squads come to terms with losing their players to the ongoing Six Nations tournament.

And former England international Narraway admits this can be a disrupting part of the season.

“It’s obviously a big thing,” he said.

“You’ve got a settled squad for most of the year, especially not having any autumn internationals after the World Cup, so you probably had players that play quite consistently for 10 weeks and then one day they’re not there anymore.

“Obviously it has an effect and puts stress on the size of your squad and the players within that, but at the end of the day you’re representing your club and no matter what players go out there, you’re still playing against good quality opposition.”

Despite the difficulty international call-ups can cause, Exiles’ number eight does not see a need to change things.

He continued: “It is what it is, it’s always been that way.

“The World Cup knocked the season around a little bit this year but that’s the beauty of it because it means it’s a squad game and not just the same 15 players that keep going out every week.

“That’s the beauty of the game in England I think.”

A crippling injury list, unavailability and loss of form has led to numerous changes to the Irish side over recent weeks but Narraway has been a regular, starting each of the last seven league matches, and he admits he is relishing his chance to have a run in the first team.

“I think I’m just the last one left!” he joked.

“I’m enjoying playing for the club.

They’ve been great to me ever since I arrived 18 months ago.

“There’s some really good people within this club and every time I get a chance to put the shirt on, I want to do them and the club and everyone involved proud.

“I’m enjoying my rugby and hopefully I can keep putting in decent enough performances to hold down a shirt.”

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

‘I’m delighted to be joining’ says Bell, who pens a long-term deal LONDON IRISH have landed Tommy Bell from Leicester Tigers, writes LEWIS RUDD. The 23-year-old, who is comfortable playing fly-half or full-back, has penned a long-term deal with the club and will arrive next season.

“I am delighted to be joining London Irish,” said Bell (pictured), who has amassed 123 points in 25 outings in all competitions for the Tigers, “The training facilities and

infrastructure is very impressive and, having met the coaches, there is a clear vision of where they want to take the Club, which is exciting.”

A former England Under-18 and Under-20 international, Bell began his career at Premiership rivals Sale Sharks before making the switch to Wasps.

Two years later he was transferred to Jersey, where some impressive displays in the Championship yielded a move to Leicester.

Having made his debut in the LV=Cup, Bell would go on to be nominated for the competition’s Breakthrough Player Award.

Glenn Delaney, Exiles’ head of rugby operations, said of the kicker: “Tommy is an excellent addition to our squad for next season.

“He has great game management skills and is an outstanding goal kicker, who will bolster our backline options.”

UNDER-18s

Academy stars lift Premiership title RUNNING in five tries saw London Irish Under-18s dismantle Gloucester to be crowned Premiership Rugby champions.

First-team coach Tom Coventry was in the stands at Allianz Park, where he witnessed Matt Kouris, Matt Williams, Harry Norton and Ollie Hassell-Collins all dab down against the Cherry and Whites, with Tom Parton kicking over a penalty try.

While the attacking credentials were clear for all to see, it was the defensive resilience produced by the youngsters which would have pleased the Academy backroom staff the most.

Exiles stormed into the final via an impressive run of six wins from as many matches in the Southern Conference.

Yet it was the opposition who put the first points on the board through Daniel Openshaw, who slotted over a penalty following an infringement in a ruck.

But the response was an emphatic one, with Kouris crashing over from 10 metres

out. Parton improved the score.

The boot of Openshaw put Gloucester back in front – only for Williams to race away and touch down following an exquisite offload from Parton, who nailed the conversion to give Irish a 14-6 advantage.

The same player stretched the lead even further when clearing the posts with a penalty try awarded after Williams was tugged back from the ball with the gain line beckoning.

An impressive performance was wrapped up when Norton and Hassell-Collins dotted down soon after one another.

Mason Tonks went over for Gloucester late on, but the effort was not going to stop the jubilant scenes which followed within the Irish camp minutes later.

The Irish team was: Attfield, Cokanasiga, Williams, Sampson, Hassell-Collins, Parton, Brand, Leat, Kouris, Hay, Butler, Basham, Cooke, Ingall, Curti-Harris, Boyce, Torpey, Winning, Southon, Norton, Grant-Adamson, Evans, Malin-Hiscock.

Unsaintly move from Aulika proves dear as the Exiles are punished Northampton Saints 35 London Irish 7

following a heavy loss to the Saints.

Losing Aulika, who was chucked in the bin having failed to retreat the appropriate 10 meters at a penalty, TOM COVENTRY felt losing Halani Aulika however, proved a crucial point to the sin-bin was a pivotal moment in according to head coach Coventry.

Saturday’s “I thought loss at the Northampton. sin-binning of Losing Halani Aulika the prop to a was the yellow card on turning point the 15-minute of the game,” mark would he said post result in match. the Saints “They racking up 14 scored a unanswered couple of tries points while off the back Aulika was of us having off the field, a depleted leaving Exiles pack. We to nurse capitulated another loss on and weren’t the road this able to gather season. them back.

With “Their Halani Aulika was binned for not retreating at a penalty Newcastle confidence Falcons grew and inflicting a surprise 24-16 defeat on they finished the half strongly. The game Leicester Tigers the night before, Irish dwindled in the second half, but they got made the trip up the M1 sitting bottom of what they needed out of the game. the Aviva Premiership table once again.

“It wasn’t a nice finish to the game, And they now sit a point off Worcester but it was out of reach just after half-time, I thought.

Warriors in 11th and four off the Falcons

“We need self-belief and that comes from winning. You get winning from confidence in your game and having guys who have done lots of that.

“We don’t have that, so we need to find other ways of gaining self-belief.”

The Saints had put 35 points on their guests before a late David Paice try offered some consolation, with Shane Geraghty adding the conversion.

There was nothing to separate the sides during the early exchanges, where both teams tried to play open and expansive rugby.

But this all changed when Aulika was ordered to the bin by referee Tim Wigglesworth.

Now with the man advantage, Northampton proceeded to tear the opposition apart during the next 10 minutes as the game swung very much in their favour.

The deadlock was broken when the Saints forward pack bundled James Craig over the line from a well-executed driving maul.

Four minutes later and the lead was extended, although Irish were guilty of not helping themselves.

Illegally dragging down a driving maul resulted in a penalty try being awarded, which Stephen Meyler put between the posts.

Some respite did arrive for the away side via a penalty, but it was still a long

shot at goal and Geraghty was unable to provide the range, with the ball dropping short of the crossbar.

Things, though, would take a turn for the worse when Alex Waller dived over to the right of the posts for Northampton’s third try of the afternoon.

Meyler was again accurate from the tee and his side went in at the break boasting a healthy 21-0 lead.

An Exiles side with their work cut out did start the second half on a positive note, but opportunities to put some points on the board were foiled by the stubborn Saints’ rearguard.

But they were found wanting again up the other end, where Jamie Elliot reacted quickest to a Lee Dickson chip kick before dabbing down ahead of Geraghty.

The phase was initially referred to the Television Match Official (TMO), who confirmed the player had gained enough downward pressure on the ball and awarded the try.

It was not long after securing the bonus point when the Saints crossed the line for a fifth time.

And it was an exceptionally worked move which inflicted more misery on the guests.

Started by Tom Wood, who broke clear from the base of a ruck and sprinted clear, the ball was passed through the hands of Luther Burrell and Jamie Gibson before captain Lee Dickson skipped past

an attempted tackle to finish off the play.

Although in complete control, a blotch on an otherwise clinical performance was to arrive when Paice gave the Irish something to cheer about, but the joy was short lived on an afternoon when the visitors saw their winless league run on the road continue.

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS: Foden, Elliott, Burrell (Pisi 67), Mallinder, Wilson, Myler (JJ Hanrahan 54), Dickson (c), A.Waller (E.Waller 56), Haywood (Marshall 56), Brookes (Denman 60), Craig, Day (Matfield 60), Gibson, Wood, Dickinson (Harrison 51) Rep not used: Kessell LONDON IRISH: Fenby, Ojo (Brophy Clews 53), Mulchrone, Williams (Waldouck 61), Hearn, Geraghty, Steele (Allinson 40), Court (Smallbone 49), Paice (Ellis 49), Aulika (Halavatau 62), Symons, Lloyd (Nagle 59), Sinclair, Narraway; McCusker (Treviranus 72).

Referee: Richard Wigglesworth Attendance: 15,227 AVIVA PREMIERSHIP P W D L F A BP PTS Saracens 12 10 0 2 311 198 5 45 Exeter 12 8 0 4 295 178 9 41 Leicester 12 8 0 4 224 218 2 34 Wasps 12 7 0 5 290 223 5 33 Harlequins 12 6 1 5 302 281 7 33 Northampton 12 6 0 6 232 187 7 31 Sale Sharks 11 6 1 4 201 193 4 30 Gloucester 12 6 1 5 244 231 3 29 Bath 11 4 0 7 198 200 6 22 Newcastle 12 3 1 8 188 301 2 16 Worcester 12 2 0 10 212 303 6 14 London Irish 12 3 0 9 173 357 0 12

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

SPORT | 35

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NATIONAL LEAGUE 2 SOUTH

Drury’s late show seals Rams third straight win Redingensians 23 Barnes 13 THE ONLY way is up for Redingensians after a late George Drury try secured the club a third win on the spin.

The Rams now sit 10th in the standings after edging out midtable Barnes at Old Bath Road, with the performance winning the plaudits of forwards coach Simon Henderson.

“We produced some good forward play and used territory well,” he said.

“I thought our two second-row men Jamie Guttridge and Tom Bryson were excellent.”

The hosts were trailing 10-8 when the half-time whistle was blown, but fought back brilliantly after the break to keep the winning run intact.

Things had started well for Rams too, who went ahead early doors when points machine Spike Chandler nudged the side 3-0 ahead through a penalty.

Barnes were quick to respond, with Tom O’Toole kicking the side on level terms – only to fall behind again on 17 minutes.

Having the edge in the scrummaging department saw the hosts encamp themselves on the visitors line, where Guttridge would eventually force his way over.

But the Sonning side were once again unable to keep a grip on the advantage, which was snatched away from them just five minutes later when Robert Malaney benefitted from some superb mauling.

O’Toole added the extras and the initiative was now with the London outfit.

The away side continued to crank up the pressure after the break, but their efforts would yield just three more points.

These arrived when Rams were called offside, with O’Toole banging over the

penalty between the posts, the contest was not without its nervy moments as full time neared.

This is because Rams had to tigerishly defend their lead, where Steve Bryant would come to the fore as Barnes’ backs looked to create openings.

But such perseverance would count for nothing when Rob Stapley slipped away from a scrum.

Three quick passes later and Drury was in sight of the line, where he touched down to put the result beyond any doubt.

Chandler improved the score, and in doing so saw his eight points for the afternoon nudge his league record up to 991.

He could, therefore, become the first Rams player to hit the magical 1,000 mark when they make the lengthy trip to Cornwall on Saturday to face basement boys Launceston (2.30pm).

been improving all the time.

“A big partisan crowd will be urging them on, so we will need to be at our best.

“It will be a stern challenge.

“However, we have now beaten three mid-table sides in as many weeks, so we are going in the right direction.”

REDINGENSIANS: Richardson; Corrigan, Bryant, Barnes, McDermottroe; Chandler, Drury; Weller, Henderson, Ball, Bryson, Guttridge, Kharbouch, Vooght, Stapley.

Reps: Knowles, Baker, Morrison, Nightingale, Foxley.

Jamie Guttridge forced his way over the line to grab the opening try for Redingensians Rams last Saturday Pictures: Vivienne Johnson

resulting penalty.

The moment, however, appeared to galvanise the opposition, and they soon began to hit back.

In taking the battle to Barnes, Redingensians were soon awarded a penalty try following a number of

infringements within the scrum close to the visitors’ gain line.

Chandler had the required accuracy and the lead was back in the hands of the hosts once again.

And they were not to look back.

Although Chandler put another

n RAMS coach Mike Tewkesbury makes two changes to the side which will line up against the Cornish All Blacks this weekend.

Ollie Foxley comes in at full-back, replacing Jamar Richardson, with Jack Hill stepping up to fill the vacancy on the bench.

Despite the lowly position of the opposition, who are yet to taste victory after 20 league games this season, Tewkesbury is still expecting a stern test.

He said: “It’s going to be a hard, old game and we can’t take anything for granted.

“Launceston haven’t managed a win yet this season, but I’ve a feeling they will sooner or later.

“They did well at Dorking in their last game, losing 10-7 and their results have

George Drury sealed the win over Barnes National League 2 South P W D L F Cambridge 21 18 1 2 664 Old Albanians 21 16 1 4 646 Bishop’s Stortford 22 15 1 6 607 Taunton Titans 20 16 0 4 625 Redruth 20 14 0 6 463 Old Elthamians 22 12 2 8 493 Barnes 22 9 3 10 509 Clifton 21 9 1 11 556 Worthing 22 9 1 12 476 Redingensians 22 8 0 14 479 Bury St Edmonds 22 8 0 14 457 Dorking 21 8 0 13 402 Canterbury 21 8 0 13 446 Chinnor 22 7 0 15 496 Southend Saxons 21 6 3 12 411 Launceston 20 0 1 19 230

A 368 344 348 384 373 496 542 509 494 550 554 535 600 599 572 692

BP 18 19 19 15 13 8 14 13 10 12 12 11 10 14 7 7

PTS 92 85 81 79 69 60 56 51 48 44 44 43 42 42 37 9

NATIONAL LEAGUE 3

BB&O PREMIER DIVISION

Wild Geese chase is a fruitless one for the Lily Hill men

Crows see game scratched – but still close the gap

London Irish Wild Geese 30 Bracknell 9

surroundings – or the opposition.

This is because an early penalty slotted over by the hosts’ Ollie Turner was KICKING over three soon cancelled penalties was of little out by the away consolation for a side, who were Bracknell side beaten forced to make for the fifth time in a five changes to row. the side beaten Just seven points

by Colchester the would separate the weekend before, two sides at half just six minutes time, but it was after later. the break when But they the league leaders were punished showed their class, when conceding putting another 17 on a simple turn the board to secure a over, which comfortable win. allowed centre This bonus-point Seb Rodwell victory saw the to score the Geese stretch their first try of the lead at the top of the afternoon, but it National League 3 proved to be an London and South unconverted one.

West to three points, Yet Bracknell while Bracknell drop remained a place to 11th. undeterred and It was a first trip a first burst to the Amateur side’s into opposition new home at the territory would Hazelwood Centre Bracknell’s Lewis Dennet was accurate from the tee result in some for the Lily Hill men, 10 phases of but they did not play being put together, with reward coming via another appear too overawed by the impressive

penalty kick which Lewis Dennett put between the posts.

The moment, however, was to come at a cost, as Lachlan Valentine picked up an injury and was forced off the field.

The Wild Geese had been disrupted for some 15 minutes, yet they were able to extend their advantage just before the break when Micky Jones broke out of the second row and dabbed down for a second unconverted try of the afternoon.

But the lead was cut shortly after the restart when Dennet slotted over another penalty.

Just minutes later, though, and the visitors were having to carry the ball over their own line to snaffle up another attack from the Geese.

As a result, those present were to see the following eight minutes taken over by National League 3 London and South East P W D L F A BP L.I Wild Geese 19 16 2 1 605 313 13 Tonbridge Juddian 19 15 1 3 580 257 15 East Grinstead 19 14 1 4 501 251 13 Westcombe Park 19 14 0 5 521 279 12 Hertford 19 13 0 6 531 343 10 Guernsey 19 12 0 7 493 396 10 Shelford 19 12 0 7 425 354 10 Colchester 19 9 0 10 418 429 6 Chichester 19 7 0 12 356 451 8 Wimbledon 19 7 0 12 416 414 7 Bracknell 19 6 0 13 365 537 9 Gravesend 19 3 0 16 295 563 6 Westcliff 19 3 0 16 297 628 6 Eton Manor 19 0 0 19 203 791 4

PTS 81 72 71 68 62 58 58 42 36 35 33 18 18 4

some seven scrums.

But when the ball did break loose, it would sit up nicely for Pete Hodgkinson to produce the telling touch.

The replacement would also improve the score.

Bracknell were now beginning to tire, and being down to the bear bones in the pack did not help matters, either, but Stuart Silvester duly stepped up and slotted in the second row, but the scrum, nevertheless, held firm.

But they were unable to deny Irish the bonus point, which was secured by a familiar face in George Owen.

The former Bracknell player was to dab down after collecting a cross-field kick, with Hodgkinson securing the extra two points.

The latter would then add an extra coat of gloss to victory when grabbing a second try of the game in the latter stages of the contest.

BRACKNELL: Baragwanth, Pickett, Mirza (c), Wright, Kronman, Deveraux, Rudkin, Valentine, Dennet, Conway, Burch, Faamatuainu, Brember, Mackay, Yates.

Reps: Silvester, Goodison, Higgins

n BRACKNELL will be looking to secure a first win in the league since December when they welcome Chichester to Lily Hill Park on Saturday (2.15pm).

Victory for Rory Greenslade-Jones men could see the two sides swap places in the standings, bonus points depending.

UNABLE to field a team saw Crowthorne awarded five points after opponents Alchester conceded the fixture.

The visitors arrived at the New Nest with just nine players, leaving the referee no option other than to award the home side a home walkover victory.

And the Crows have profited from the cancellation. With fourth-placed Abingdon losing 29-15 at Gosford All Blacks, the gap between the two sides has been cut to just three points.

Results depending, Alex Stewart’s men could break into the top four with victory at Chesham on Saturday (2.15pm).

Crowthorne are enjoying a rich vein of form at present, having won eight of their previous 10 matches prior to Saturday’s fixture with Alchester.

Chesham currently sit eighth in the standings.

Berks, Bucks and Oxon Premier Division P W D L F A BP Gosford All Blacks 15 14 0 1 547 154 14 Milton Keynes 15 14 1 0 598 157 10 Tadley 16 13 0 3 590 225 10 Abingdon 16 10 0 6 438 264 10 Crowthorne 16 9 1 6 240 218 7 Chipping Norton 16 5 3 8 255 406 5 Alchester 16 4 0 12 187 353 8 Chesham 16 5 0 11 197 373 7 Slough 16 4 2 10 334 463 5 Risborough 16 6 0 10 168 458 2 Hungerford 16 4 1 11 231 427 8 Wheatley 16 3 0 13 128 415 5

PTS 70 69 57 50 47 31 29 27 25 22 16 7

36 | SPORT

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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

ICE HOCKEY

Spearing hits double as the Pirates are slayed Bracknell Bees 4 Hull Pirates 3

By LEWIS RUDD lrudd@wokinghampaper.co.uk SCOTT SPEARING fired Bracknell Bees to a dramatic victory over Hull Pirates at the Hive on Sunday night.

The forward struck twice, including a late winner, on an evening where the hosts twice overcame deficits to secure a comeback triumph over their fellow strugglers.

James Galazzi and Carl Thompson were also on target for a Bracknell side who moved to within a point of the Pirates at the foot of the table with what was just a third victory in 27 games.

“It is always good to come back from a deficit, but a win is a win and it is great however it comes,” said match winner Spearing.

“It was nice to help the team out with goals as well as the other things that my role requires and it has been a while, but it is a positive weekend.

“We played really well yesterday (against Peterborough Phantoms), and I thought we should really have come out with two points, but things did not go our way as such, but we got the lift tonight, which is nice.”

There was little to separate the two sides during the early exchanges, although a coming together of James Galazzi and Hull’s Dominic Osman saw the pair having to sit out minors for roughing and an elbow charge respectively.

Neither team was able to capitalise on the four v four, but when Bees’ Carl Graham was binned for delaying the game, the visitors seized the initiative.

The power play was just seconds old when Jamie Chilcott latched on to a loose puck from a face-off and fired home from some distance, with Sam Towner recording the assist.

Bracknell, however, refused to let their heads drop and came roaring back into the contest just three minutes later, taking advantage themselves of the opposition losing both Tom Stubley and

Osman for slashing and illegal equipment offences respectively.

It was a tidy equaliser too.

Player-coach Lukas Smital sprayed the puck out to captain Matt Foord on the left wing who, in turn, squared for Spearing to open his account for the evening with a first-time finish into the corner.

The frame of the goal would deny Bracknell nudging themselves in front late in the opening period when presented with another power play.

James Hutchinson, told to sit out two minutes for holding, could only watch on as a trademark Jan Bendik drive clanged back off a post.

A scramble ensued as the puck broke loose, but the Pirates somehow managed to keep the hosts at bay on this occasion – and then almost regain the lead when Pasi Salonen charged up the other end, only to see his attempt at goal turned away by Alex Mettam.

It was one of several important saves the Bees netminder was to produce on the night.

The second go-ahead goal, however, was to arrive just 30 seconds after the interval, and it was netted by another player to have recently rekindled the scoring touch.

Finishing off a move set up by Josh

James Galazzi, who was also on target during the win, has words with Dominic Osman

Bees’ two-goal hero Scott Spearing goes close to adding to his tally against the Pirates Pictures: Bob Swann

Smith and Alex Barker at the far post was Galazzi, who followed up a recent brace of goals against Swindon Wildcats with another clinical finish.

Smital was wide with another chance soon after, but a succession of penalties conceded by Lewis Turner and Hull’s Jordan Fisher (both delay of game), who were joined in the bin moments later by Hutchinson (hooking) left the hosts in a four on three situation.

But instead of trying to make the most of the numerical advantage, Bracknell found themselves pegged back on 28.04 when a sweeping moved finished off

by Sam Towner saw Hull equalise via a short-handed goal.

And just 52 seconds later the Humberside outfit had completed a remarkable turnaround.

A quick-fire counter left Osman with only Mettam to beat. The netminder once again did well to stop the initial effort, but was unable to keep out the rebound, which the forward poked home for a 3-2 lead.

Both teams would fall into penalty trouble as the stanza neared a close, but the one goal would continue to separate the strugglers as the contest headed into the final 20 minutes.

Another surge from Salonen almost yielded a fourth for the Pirates, but in trying to nudge the puck across Mettam, the player could only skim the outside of an upright.

It was another let off for the hosts, but they refused to fold.

Not long after showing great close control to get away from an opponent and lay on a chance for Barker, who could only turn the opportunity wide, Thompson (pictured) had the scores tied up once more.

It was a goal which came out of nowhere. Foord and Galazzi had done well to work the puck out to the right wing, but the angle was tight – but not tight enough – with the forward doing well to drive his shot across Martin Raitums in the Hull goal and into the opposite corner.

The effort would arrive on 53 minutes, but the game’s turning point would arrive soon after.

A cheap slash on Galazzi proved to be one offence too many for Osman, who was promptly thrown out by the referee.

The player was initially hit with a

five-plus game penalty, but this was later upgraded to a match ban, believed to be for some choice words with the officials.

This left Bees finishing the game on the power play, and they needed no second invitation.

A sight of goal prompted Smital to let fly from distance. Raitums did well to get something behind the strike, but could only divert it into the path of Spearing, who buried the rebound and settled the contest with his fourth goal in six games.

Hull responded by pulling the netminder for an extra skater, but it almost proved to be a costly call as Smital stole in and raced towards an empty net.

Under pressure, however, and still some way out, the Czech was off target with his strike – not that it would have any significance on the final outcome, though.

“It only takes one shift to change a whole season,” added Spearing.

“It can just change on a dime, but hopefully it is just more of a positive outlook.”

BOGEY SIDE

Hopes of back-to-back victories go up in Flames The Phantoms remain a menace Guildford Flames 4 Bracknell Bees 0

BEES’ wretched run against local rivals Guildford this season continued at The Spectrum on Wednesday night.

Lukas Smital’s men have lost five of the six fixtures between the two sides after a brace of goals from Marcus Kristoffersson and further strikes from Matt Towe and Jens Eriksson secured Flames the points.

Defeat also means Bracknell missed the chance to pull themselves off the foot of the EPIHL table.

A sell-out crowed watched on as the first period remained at stalemate as the sound of the buzzer neared.

But this was to change when Kristofferson broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, with Tom Duggan providing

the assist. Bees would fall further behind on 18.23 when Towe finished off an atteck engineered by Lee Esders and Jez Lundin.

Frsutratingly for Bracknell, the goal was a short-handed one for the opposition, who had Rupert Quiney sitting in the penalty box for an interference minor.

The visitors would keep Flames netminder Gregg Rockman busy having fired some 33 shots on goal – but it was the goalie who was to win this battle and record a shutout.

Rockmann would watch on too as Kristoffersson nudged Guildford 3-0 ahead seven minutes into the second session.

A capacity 2,000 crowd was eventually treated to a fourth goal, which was to arrive early in the third stanza.

Wrapping up the scoring was Eriksson,

JOIN US AT THE HIVE Games played at John Nike Leisurecomplex, Bracknell

who produced the telling touch following link-up play between Matic Kralj and Ben Campbell.

Defeat leaves Bracknell 17 points off the play-off places with just nine games remaining.

They return to action on Sunday, but things get no easier for the side, as visitors to the Hive are leaders and fellow local rivals Basingstoke Bison (6pm).

English Premier Ice Hockey League P W OW OL L F Basingstoke 46 27 6 2 11 170 Peterborough 44 26 3 6 9 176 Milton Keynes 46 22 5 5 14 164 Guildford 44 20 8 3 13 159 Telford 42 24 2 1 15 169 Swindon 43 18 6 4 15 146 Sheffield 43 17 4 4 18 158 Manchester 43 13 2 7 21 136 Hull 44 5 3 5 31 97 Bracknell 45 9 0 2 34 126

A 109 110 132 132 112 149 184 167 214 192

Pts 68 64 59 59 53 52 46 37 21 20

Bracknell Bees 0 Peterborough Phantoms 4

THE RETURN of Lukas Smital and Lewis Turner from injury was unable to prevent Bracknell from slipping to another defeat against bogey side Peterborough, writes JOHN SLATER. Player-coach Smital was playing his first game since Christmas having recovered from a broken finger, while Turner returned to the roster after missing recent matches because of concussion.

Smital was not too far off from marking his comeback with a goal, either, but an early chance whistled over the crossbar.

Title-chasing Peterborough, though, would break the deadlock on the power play, where Darius Pliskauskas got the better of Alex Mettam in the Bees’ goal

via a wrist shot.

This was just seconds after the opposition had been punished for having too many men on the ice.

The Phantoms doubled their lead midway through the session via Edgars Bebris.

The scoreline would remain at 2-0 until the third stanza, although Turner was unlucky not to net upon his return too when striking the crossbar in the second period.

Milan Baranyk struck goal number three on the second of two power plays handed to the side when Scott Spearing was given two minutes for an interference and a further minor for roughing.

The scoring was wrapped up late on when Pliskauskas tucked the puck into an empty net after Mettam had been pulled for the extra skater.

THIS SUNDAY – FEBRUARY 21

BRACKNELL BEES v Basingstoke Bison Face off 6pm

Box office: 01344 789000

bracknellbees.co.uk

READING FC

Cooper’s California dreaming of sending Baggies packing READING v WEST BROMWICH ALBION FA CUP – ROUND FIVE MADEJSKI STADIUM SATURDAY, 3PM

By LEWIS RUDD lrudd@wokinghampaper.co.uk SHANE LONG’S extra-time winner for Reading at Liverpool back in 2010 represents a vivid memory for Jake Cooper.

The towering centre back had not long signed on with the Academy of his beloved club when Royals stunned their Premier League opponents in a third-round replay, with Long heading home the winner in front of the Kop. But former Forest School pupil Cooper is now out to try make history of his own with Reading, who will be looking to claim another top-flight scalp when Tony Pulis brings his West Brom side to Madejski Stadium on Saturday.

The Baggies will no doubt present another stern examination for the 21-year-old, but Cooper, who has become something of a mainstay in Brian McDermott’s starting XI in recent weeks, is relishing the challenge.

“I always look forward to playing against big players and we will be relishing every moment we can to show that we are as good as they are,” said the defender.

“And we feel like we can beat them.

“It will be a good battle and a tough team to beat, but we feel we can play our own game and we can stop them and

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Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

Jake Cooper Picture: Vivienne Johnson

what they are good at, and we will be looking at that for the rest of the week and working out how we are going to play against them, but we will be ready for the battle.”

Like the cup, Cooper’s rise to prominence at Reading is arguably the stuff of fairy tales.

Learning his trade at Finchampstead club California FC (now Eversley and California), the youngster saw trials with other clubs end in rejection before his local club came calling.

“I was playing for a youth team called California near Finchampstead. We also

had a really good team at Forest School under Mr (James) Eaglesham .

“But when I was younger I was turned away by a lot of professional clubs. I had plenty of trials between the ages of eight and 14 and my family and I would travel quite far to some places and all around London.

“But I was still enjoying football and I kept involved.

“I just had this love for the game and enjoyed every match.

“As I grew into this body I was brought in by Reading and showed everyone what I could do.

“You could say that (I’m living the dream), but I’m loving every minute of playing. It was difficult to try and get into the team, but I feel like I am now showing people I can be a big part of this team and a big part of the football club.”

Reading will be looking to extend an unbeaten run on home soil to seven games, with Cooper even suggesting such form means the hosts may not go into the fixture carrying the tag as underdogs.

He said: “We don’t feel much pressure whoever we play because we feel we are a good side and can beat anyone who comes to Madejski.

“They will have a difficult time and we will do everything we can to beat them.” n READING’S Under-18s FA Youth Cup quarter-final with Chelsea will take place at Stamford Bridge on Friday, February 26, with a 7.05pm kick-off.

Tickets are £5 for adults and £3 concessions in purchased in advance.

The FA Cup needs nostalgia – not a shake-up: McDermott THE FA CUP would become devalued if it was to become a midweek competition with no replays.

That is according to Reading boss Brian McDermott, whose side will be looking to claim the scalp of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday and book their place in the quarter-finals.

Royals were the surprise package last season when the Championship club made it all the way to a Wembley semi-final with eventual winners Arsenal, who won the tie 2-1.

But such story lines could be confined to the history books should a suggested shake-up of the competition go ahead, McDermott has warned.

The Football Association and Premier League clubs are discussing plans to rid replays in both the FA and semi-finals of the League Cup, with the former losing its regular weekend spot for an evening in the week.

It is hoped the plans would reduce fixture congestion and improve the performances of both the England national team and domestic clubs competing in Europe.

The game at Madejski Stadium, to put things into perspective, is only two of the eight fifth round ties with a 3pm, Saturday kick-off, as television rights mean the fixtures have become spread out over a number of days.

And McDermott, who is looking to take Reading into the last eight for the third time as manager, believes such a reform would leave the smaller

clubs out in the cold.

“I don’t see how that can be good for the FA Cup,” he said.

“The FA Cup has been fabulous over the years when you consider some of the runs maybe some of the smaller clubs have been involved in.

“They are talking about getting rid of replays, and if you draw away from home at Manchester United then have the opportunity to bring Manchester United back you your own club, why would you not let your own fans have that opportunity?

“The money that smaller clubs can make can keep a team for a whole year, so that would be something they (the FA) would need to look at and consider.

No decision has yet been made regarding the changes, but McDermott added: “It has got some great memories and maybe that is nostalgia – there is always a place for nostalgia.”

The cup is once again providing Royals with some welcome relief from what has been a tough few months for the club in the league – and the manager is hoping the run can continue.

He said: “We want to have a memorable season and one of the ways to have a memorable season is to go as far as we can in the FA Cup. “If we can get the right result Saturday we are in the last eight.

“Last year we got to the last four and it was fabulous and 40,000 people turned up at Wembley and we would love to have that opportunity again.”

One ‘Al of a penalty save secures Royals a point from fiesty stalemate Reading 0 Burnley 0

BRIAN McDERMOTT felt justice was served when Ali Al Habsi saved Andre Gray’s second half penalty and earned Reading a point from Saturday’s stalemate at Madejski Stadium.

The Royals ‘keeper was adjudged to have upended the same player as he burst through on goal, with the decision to award a spot kick by referee James Adcock being met by angry remonstrations from both the Omani and his team-mates, who believed the Clarets’ striker had taken a fall.

Once order had been restored, however, the shot-stopper pulled off a fine save diving to his left to deny Gray from 12 yards.

“I’ve had a look back at it three or four times and it doesn’t look like he has touched him, but he has made a great save, so we’re delighted with that,” said boss McDermott.

“Ali said he didn’t touch him, but he has made a save from the penalty spot, so as far as we’re concerned that was great news for us.

“They (the players) didn’t think it was a penalty. They felt incensed for a reason, but there is no point in being incensed now, it was the right outcome.

“If it is not a penalty and he makes the save then great, it is the right outcome.

“Sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t and Ali has made a fabulous save, so we’re pleased with that.”

McDermott also refused to be drawn on comments made by opposite number Sean Dyche, who suggested Royals lacked gamesmanship upon the

Paul McShane celebrates with Ali Al Habsi following the ‘keepers penalty save Picture: Vivienne Johnson

awarding of the penalty, where Hal Robson-Kanu was booked for scuffing up the spot prior to Gray taking his shot.

“I’ve no view on that,” he added.

“That’s one of our players so I have no problem with that.”

In Gray, high-flying Burnley posses the league’s top scorer, and the forward should have netted his 19th of the season in just the third minute.

The player, however, inexplicably skewed the ball over the bar when unmarked some three yards out, with Gray producing too much leverage when meeting George Boyd’s pull back.

Reading were once again slow out of the blocks, yet they were next to go close to breaking the deadlock.

Robson-Kanu was a particular threat

down the right side, and it was his cross which was met by Yann Kermorgant, who had managed to get between Michael Keane and Ben Mee before planting a header goalwards.

A combination of visiting ‘keeper Tom Heaton and a post however, meant the Frenchman’s wait for a first goal for his new club continued.

Kermorgant was charged with leading the line in the absence of Matej Vydra, who had been unable to shake off an injury during the goalless draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers the weekend before.

Missing too was the influential Danny Williams, who missed out with a hamstring problem.

In came both Michael Hector and Danny Williams, while Stephen Quinn replaced Garath McCleary in a tactical switch made by McDermott.

Royals captain Paul McShane produced a timely block to end a probing run by Gray into the box, while at the other end Jordan Obita was only just wide with a half volley from distance.

While short of clear-cut chances, the first half did not pass by without incident.

Both Burnley’s Joey Barton and Gray were lucky to escape without caution following a heavy tackle on Kermogant and kicking out at Obita respectively, with the two incidents setting the tone for what was to be a niggly and naughty encounter.

Piazon was over with a header early in the second half, although with his back to goal it was a difficult chance for the playmaker.

But Gray’s luck in front of goal was out when he could only turn an inviting

low centre whipped in by Matt Lowton wide of a post from close range, as calls for a corner were ignored.

But when the striker was next presented with a sight of goal, a penalty was awarded.

Running on to a clever through ball from David Jones which caught the hosts off guard, Gray attempted to skip past Al Habsi, only to end up on the floor, with referee Adcock blowing for a penalty.

Tempers were to flare, but once calmed down, the former Burnley man was to see his spot kick palmed away, sparking jubilant scenes among the home faithful.

Gray was substituted not long after to a crescendo of boos.

A reckless and cynical challenge off the ball on Quinn saw Barton booked when most in the stadium were screaming for the red.

He was soon joined on a yellow card

by Obita, who was cautioned for a late challenge on Boyd.

Another chance for the visitors saw Jones denied by another block, again

by McShane, while Robson-Kanu put an opportunity over the bar at the other end when set up by Quinn.

A second successive draw in the Championship means Reading are now without a win in six league games.

The result leaves the side 15th in the table, and although admitting the lack of goals being scored by his side needs to be addressed, McDermott believes his charges are heading in the right direction.

“We’re inching towards where we need to get to,” he said.

“We have got a couple of clean sheets now at Madejski (Stadium), last week and

this week and we have got the FA Cup to look forward to.

“We need to turn around what has been happening in the last how many – two years or whatever, and get results.

“It’s not the result we wanted, you want to win your home games, but we showed real resilience and that is important and we can build on that.”

READING: Al Habsi, Gunter, Hector, McShane (c), Cooper, Hector, Norwood (Rakels 81), Robson-Kanu, Piazon (McCleary 63), Kermorgant, Quinn Subs not used: Bond, Evans, Ferdinand, John, Barrett BURNLEY: Heaton (c), Arfield, Gray (Hennings 85), Lowton, Barton, Ward, Vokes, Jones, Keane, Boyd, Mee. Subs not used: Robinson, Kightly, Taylor, Ulvestad, Hennings, Tarkowski, Darikwa.

Referee: James Adcock Attendance: 16,773 (1,428 away) Sky Bet Championship P W D L F A Pts Hull 31 18 6 7 47 19 60 Middlesbrough 30 17 7 6 39 16 58 Brighton 31 15 12 4 40 30 57 Burnley 31 15 11 5 48 26 56 Sheff Wed 31 14 11 6 49 33 53 Derby 31 13 12 6 40 27 51 Birmingham 31 13 9 9 38 30 48 Ipswich 31 13 9 9 40 39 48 Cardiff 31 11 13 7 38 33 46 Nottm Forest 31 10 12 9 31 27 42 Preston 31 10 12 9 29 29 42 Wolves 31 10 10 11 40 42 40 Brentford 31 11 7 13 42 48 40 QPR 31 9 12 10 37 38 39 Reading 31 9 10 12 33 33 37 Leeds 31 8 13 10 29 34 37 Huddersfield 31 9 8 14 42 44 35 Blackburn 30 7 13 10 28 27 34 Fulham 31 7 11 13 47 53 32 MK Dons 31 8 7 16 25 42 31 Bristol City 31 7 10 14 27 48 31 Rotherham 31 7 5 19 36 55 26 Charlton 31 5 10 16 26 56 25 Bolton 31 4 12 15 30 52 24

38 | SPORT

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HELLENIC DIVISION 1 EAST

Woodley are left floored

by Flora’s first-half strike Woodley United 0 Rayners Lane 1 A SOLITARY strike in the 22nd minute from Charn Flora saw United narrowly beaten at Scours Lane last Saturday.

The player scored what proved to be the winner when beating United ‘keeper Ben Hitchins with a header after the hosts had failed to clear a corner.

The returning Rupen Limbu struck a post and Fraser Mowat saw a chip fail to reach its desired target as Woodley pushed for an equaliser, but the loss leaves the side one point adrift at the foot of the standings.

Buoyed by the midweek 3-2 victory over Shrivenham in the Bluefin Sports Supplementary Cup – a first win since October – the hosts started the game in a positive manner.

Nine of those who helped end a run of eight straight defeats were also involved from the off, too.

They were joined in the line-up by debutant Matt Lambert and Limbu, who

had completed a recent suspension.

Both would provide Woodley with options down the flank, but it was through Mowat when the deadlock was almost broken.

With Rayners’ ‘keeper Przenek Mierzwa well out of his area, the striker went for goal via a lofted effort, only to see his chip lack the required power to find the net, with the ball dropping short before it was cleared by a recovering defender.

The away side also possessed a particular threat out wide, but with Hitchins marshalling his penalty area well and full backs Conor Creegan and Mark Ingram closing the gaps, such a threat was nullified.

However, when United failed to properly clear a flag kick, Lane seized the initiative.

The set piece was only diverted as far as the end of the Woodley box, where the ball was clipped back towards goal and the unmarked Flora nodded his side in front.

Woodley’s response would result in the woodwork being rattled, with Limbu striking the base of a post with Mierzwa beaten.

The game was one of only a handful to be played locally having passed a pitch inspection.

A fresh batch of rain, however, was to make the pitch heavy and conditions difficult for both sides – not that it was to stop an end to end encounter, though.

Both sides saw chances come and go, but the closest either went to grabbing a second goal of the game was not to arrive until stoppage time.

United substitute Chris Burt, however, was to deny Lane making it 2-0 when putting his face behind a goal-bound effort.

Brad Hoy, meanwhile, was only playing his second game for the club, but he was to epitomise the desire and determination shown by Woodley on the day when hooking another attempt off the line soon after.

One of United’s better opportunities after the break was engineered by a probing and determined run from Creegan, but in opting to pass to Pete Wareing instead of shooting frustratingly saw the ball intercepted.

The latter was also denied by Mierzwa having too set off on a skilful run.

There is no game for Woodley this weekend, but they are back in action on Tuesday night, where they are the guests of Henley Town.

Kick-off is 7.45pm

THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Friday, February 19, 2016

United ‘keeper Ben Hitchins slides in to avert any danger from this Rayners attack

A decision on whether or not the club’s results this season, which could affect both Woodley and Finchampstead, will be expunged has not yet been announced.

It is also understood United’s groundsharing agreement with Reading Town has not been affected. n FINCHAMPSTEAD, meanwhile, saw their game at Old Woodstock Town last Saturday called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Jon Laugharne’s men are away at Wantage Town Reserves on Saturday (3pm).

Hellenic Division 1 East P W D L Penn & Tylers Green 15 11 3 1 Bicester Town 16 11 3 2 Henley Town 16 10 3 3 Headington Amateur’s 20 9 4 7 Finchampstead 17 8 5 4 Holyport 15 7 4 4 Chinnor 14 7 2 5 Rayners Lane 16 6 5 5 Didcot Town Res’ 16 5 2 9 Chalfont Wasps 10 4 2 4 Reading Town 18 3 3 12 Wantage Town Res’ 15 3 2 10 Old Woodstock Town 14 3 0 11 Woodley United 16 2 2 12

F 56 46 49 42 35 32 32 32 36 16 21 21 12 13

A 9 23 23 25 18 27 22 23 43 26 74 40 41 49

Pts 36 36 33 31 29 25 23 23 17 14 12 11 9 8

WOODLEY UNITED: Hitchins, Creegan, Ingram, May (Burt), Bridges, Hoy, Douglas, Lambert (Szram), Wareing, Mowat (Oduysana), Limbu.

Subs not used: Green, Hemming.

Woodley’s Conor Creegan looks to try and win this foot race to the loose ball during Saturday’s clash with Rayners Lane in Hellenic Division 1 East Pictures: Peter Toft

n HELLENIC Division 1 East has been left saddened and a team short after Reading Town resigned from the competition and was closed down by its owners.

Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Union Council, who had been in charge of the club for the past two years, pulled the plug on Friday evening.

It is believed Town, who had been in existence since 1966, have been suffering money problems in recent times.

Tyrone May (left) makes the challenge

COMBINED COUNTIES LEAGUE

THAMES VALLEY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Anwar gives Sonning a boost as double secures the strugglers a vital point Rain beats Boars TWO GOALS from Anwar Whight helped George Dallarda hit the fourth 10 struggling Sonning to a share of the minutes from time. spoils from a 4-4 draw at Goring United in A two-goal salvo from Chris Hayter, Division 2, writes LEWIS RUDD. one of which arrived from the penalty Clive Aken-Che and Charlie Hiscox spot, was of little consolation for were also on Ashridge. target for the WINNERSH villagers.

RANGERS A William climbed back Jaycock hat-trick, up to second in however, and Division 1 after a Thomas Heslop trio of goals from strike ensured substitute Jamie honours finished Broadley helped even. the side to an Sonning impressive 6-2 continue to prop triumph on the up the rest, but road at Frilsham the point did move and Yattendon. them to within He was Tiaan Coetzee of Finchampstead Reserves looks to three of ASHRIDGE make a challenge against Barkham Athletic joined on the PARK. scoresheet by Away at FC Imaan Lions, the Hayden Best, who bagged a brace, and Ryan Kingsbeer. Both Frilsham goals ninth-placed side went down to a 4-2 came from Mark Foster. defeat. Ben Lyden opened the scoring for Connor Banks cannot stop scoring the hosts in the second minute and then goals. scored twice more to complete a hat-trick inside the opening half hour.

The BERKS COUNTY RESERVES

hit-man added another three to his tally during the side’s 9-1 thrashing of Highmoor Knights in Division 4.

Joshua Dillon stepped up off the bench and also celebrated a hat-trick, with Sam Clarke and another replacement, Brandon Blair, contributing to the rout.

Louis Gallimore netted for Highmoor, but it was of scant consolation for the visitors.

The win moved County four points clear at the top of the table, but they have played three games more than both Burghfield and HURST RESERVES. They consolidated third spot after a solitary strike from Ashley Lamb secured the side three vital points from a 1-0 win at HARCHESTER HAWKS, whose promotional aspirations earlier in the season appear to be fading away after a third straight loss.

Jonah Vaughan struck a last-minute winner to put a dent in BERKS COUNTY ROVERS’ hopes of getting out of Division 5 this season.

The substitute added to Alexander McLaughlin’s 23rd minute opener for SHINFIELD RANGERS MEN, who won this

game 2-1 at Laurel Park.

Christopher Searle had equalised for third-placed Rovers on the hour mark, only for substitute Vaughan to settle the contest.

Cup round-up JAMES PAYNE and Thomas Day both hit hat-tricks when Finchampstead Reserves and Barkham Athletic clashed in the Reading Junior Cup. But it was the two goals hit by Matt Bacon and another which Matthew Armstrong scored which saw Barkham progress to the quarter-finals.

Astonishingly, this nine-goal contest had finished 1-1 after 90 minutes, with extra-time witnessing a goal fest.

They will meet Woodley United Development in the last eight.

Reading and District Sunday Football League, results – February 14 DIVISION 1: Charvil Rangers 1 FC Woodley 1 DIVISION 2: Wokingham and Emmbrook 1 Pangbourne and Basildon Barbarians 5 B&B INTERMEDIATE CUP – SEMI-FINAL: Finchampstead Sunday Athletic 1 Kings Head Thatcham 5.

THE SECOND-versus-third clash between Worcester Park and Eversley was postponed just an hour before kick-off.

This is because the playing surface at Green Lane failed an inspection following heavy rain in the area.

The third-placed Boars are back in action on Saturday, February 27, when they host South Park Reserves (3pm).

Combined Counties League Division 1 P W D L F A CB Hounslow Utd 21 15 4 2 48 18 Worcester Park 21 14 4 3 53 20 Abbey Rangers 23 14 3 6 49 28 Eversley & Calif 20 14 1 5 58 31 Bedfont & Feltham 19 13 2 4 51 25 Cobham 24 10 3 11 46 51 Staines Lammas 23 10 1 12 45 46 Frimley Green 21 9 3 9 32 30 Dorking 20 9 1 10 34 31 Ash United 21 7 5 9 40 42 Banstead Athletic 16 7 4 5 35 30 Sandhurst Town 20 7 3 10 37 57 Sheerwater 20 5 1 14 34 50 Epsom Athletic 16 4 2 10 27 46 Dorking Wande Res 19 3 4 12 19 40 Farleigh Rovers 18 4 1 13 21 56 South Park Reserves18 3 2 13 23 51

Pts 49 46 45 43 41 33 31 30 28 26 25 24 16 14 13 13 11

Friday, February 19, 2016 THEWOKINGHAMPAPER

SPORT | 39

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HELLENIC PREMIER DIVISION

The hosts look to keep rampant Kidlington at bay

Disastrous start sees Sumas and Bateman beaten again Wokingham and Emmbrook 1 Kidlington 4

Division this season, joint-boss Bateman was able to take some encouragement from the contest.

“To be 3-0 down after eight minutes

By LEWIS RUDD you are thinking are we going to get a lrudd@wokinghampaper.co.uk real hiding,” he said.

“But we scored the next goal, 3-1, DAN BATEMAN praised the character but I’m disappointed with the way we shown by his patched-up side after conceded the fourth because that killed Wokingham and Emmbrook saw off the the game, but we knew we were going to threat of a good hiding on Tuesday night. be up against it from the start.

A disastrous start from the Sumas saw “We had some key players missing high-flying Kidlington race into a 3-0 lead tonight, and we have struggled with inside the first eight minutes at a frozen unavailability and it is not getting any Invesco Perpetual Triangle. easier for us.

Anaclet Odhiambo got the ball rolling “We are where we are because we on three minutes, with Lewis Gabbidon have had such a difficult season with and Tommy Castle extending the lead availability, and you can’t compete at this seconds later level without your best side.

A host side missing regulars such as “When we have got our best side out Sam Whiting, James Charlton and Dan we have competed, when we haven’t we Collier, however, refused to cave in and have got beaten and that is how it has would pull a goal back midway through been all season.” the half courtesy of a Jake Butler strike.

Bateman went on to explain how Oxfordshire side Kidlington, though, he and fellow manager Matt Eggleston would restore the three-goal advantage had sent their charges out with the when Lewis Coyle finished well, with the aim of keeping things tight, only for strike ending the game as a contest. the instruction to back fire in dramatic Although disappointed to be on the fashion. wrong end of the result once again for The opening goal arrived when the 24th time in the Hellenic Premier Odhiambo slid in to turn home a Kristian Thomas pass at the far post.

The contest was only minutes old and Wokingham were already up against the ropes, and they were hit by two more sucker punches when Castle quickly Wokingham defender Jordan Rowland looks to cut out the followed up cross Pictures: Paul King/Charles Dye Gabbidon

making it 2-0.

Pride and damage limitation was now all the home side had to play for, yet they did receive a lifeline when Butler fired home from the edge of the box, and were then unlucky not to get a second when a cross from the left was narrowly headed wide of the far post.

Any hopes of a comeback, however, were dashed when Coyle popped up and drove a strike across Sean Woodward in the Sumas’ goal from just inside the box and into the corner.

A heavy pitch which began to freeze underfoot in Baltic conditions was no help to either side, but it was Kidlington who dealt with the surface better as Wokingham struggled to play their passing game, which resulting in several players taking the long ball option.

The visitors continued to provide the greater attacking threat after the break as Wokingham stuck 10 players behind the ball, which left striker Luke Scope cutting a lonely figure up front and chasing lost causes more often than not.

Yet it was the hosts’ resolve which was to get the better of this particular battle, although they were indebted to both the crossbar and Woodward, who produced a string of fine saves as Kidlington were unable to add to their tally.

“He is first class that boy. I have known Woody (Woodward) for an awful long time and he never ceases to amaze me,” added Bateman.

“He loves the club, is a great shot-stopper and he has got everything – he is a top quality keeper.

“I’m sure they went away thinking that goalkeeper is brilliant.

“He has done really well for us this year, we have kept him busy, no doubt, but when we have needed him he has never let us down.”

The joint-manager also sought comfort from the effort produced by the

Defeat for Binfield as Tack scores twice Flackwell Heath 2 Binfield 1

LIAM FERDINAND saw his opening goal cancelled out by a Liam Tack double as Flackwell fought back to take the points at Wilks Park.

The player struck either side of the break to secure a win which put the reigning Premier Division champions back on top of the table.

But they were pushed hard by the Moles, who opened the scoring when Ferdinand latched on an Alex Luis long ball before getting the better of former Binfield ‘keeper Dan Weait on the slide.

Ferdinand was once again rekindling his fruitful partnership with Jemel Johnson, but the latter was forced off just before the break with an injury.

On in his place came Toby Nowell in his debut for Roger Herridge’s men.

Nowell has been in prolific form for Woodcote Stoke Row in the Thames Valley Premier League this season, so it will be hoped he can keep up such work in front of goal in a higher competition.

Yet just minutes after his introduction, the home side were back on level terms.

It was a crisp strike from Tack, who turned home a cross from the right with

Liam Ferdinand (left) fired Binfield into a 28th minute lead at Wilks Park Picture: Colin Byers

aplomb, meaning honours were even when the half-time whistle was blown.

The same player was at it again too just 10 minutes after the restart.

Binfield again failed to deal with a cross whipped over from the same flank, where Tack put Flackwell in front with a header.

Nathan Silver in the visitors’ goal did manage to get a hand to the effort, but was unable to keep it out.

Both sides continued to have a good

go at each other, but the away side was unfortunately unable to force Weait into any more meaningful saves.

BINFIELD: Silver, O’Connell, Luis (c), M.Walton, Broome, Knight, Dean, Withers, Ferdinand, Johnson (Nowell 42), Rowland.

Subs not used: Carlisle, A.Walton, Senussi.

n BINFIELD’S game with Longlevens last weekend was called off because the pitch at Hill Farm Lane was waterlogged.

The Moles are away at Tuffley Rovers on Saturday (3pm).

others involved on the night too, saying: “We showed real character. Being 3-0 down after eight minutes many a side could lose the game nine or 10-0, but we showed real character to get back in and defended for our lives.

“I’m disappointed with the scoreline, but it is the way the season has gone for us, but I’m pleased with the effort, commitment and everything.

“The 14 lads that went on the pitch for us worked their hearts out and I cannot ask for anymore than that.

“In football you get beaten by the better side. Anyone who was here tonight will know they were the better

Sean Woodward was described as ‘first class’ by boss Dan Bateman

side, but I asked my side for effort and determination and they gave it to me.

“I had three lads step up from the Reserves, and they were really good for us.

“They won their tackles and did everything we asked of them and we have needed the Reserves this year, and every one of them who has stepped up has done well for us.”

WOKINGHAM AND EMMBROOK: Woodward, Carter, Rowland, Day (c), Duffelen, Flatman, Rushforth, Butler, Scope, Pearson, Broadhurst.

Subs: S.Bateman, Stewart, Wheeler, Eggleston, D.Bateman.

Hellenic Premier Division P W D L F A Pts Flackwell Heath 27 21 2 4 78 35 65 Thatcham Town 27 20 4 3 78 32 64 Ascot United 30 17 7 6 58 31 58 Kidlington 24 18 3 3 73 24 57 Highworth Town 25 17 2 6 70 24 53 Longlevens AFC 27 15 2 10 46 40 47 Thame United 27 14 4 9 39 34 46 Brimscombe & Thrupp 23 13 3 7 42 32 42 Binfield 25 12 4 9 46 39 40 Highmoor-Ibis 28 12 3 13 44 44 39 Royal Wootton Bassett 29 12 3 14 44 67 39 Oxford City Nomads 26 9 5 12 40 49 32 Ardley United 27 10 2 15 48 59 32 Brackley Town Saints 31 9 3 19 55 78 30 Lydney Town 25 7 7 11 37 46 28 Milton United 31 6 7 18 37 66 25 Tuffley Rovers 23 6 6 11 39 45 24 Abingdon United 32 6 3 23 40 92 21 Bracknell Town 24 5 5 14 33 52 20 Wokingham 29 2 3 24 29 87 9

Relaxing ground guidelines gives local football a boost STRICT Football Association rules relating to ground grading requirements in Step Six football look set to be relaxed.

This is likely to be welcoming news to teams such as Finchampstead, who compete at this level in Division 1 East of the Hellenic League.

The ground grading review at Step Six was discussed at a recent meeting of the Leagues Committee, where it was revealed just 47 per cent of clubs across the country currently meet these requirements.

Teams wishing to compete at Step Six have been told they need to have a seated stand and floodlights among the requirements imposed by the association.

Such criteria had to be met by March 31 of this year.

However, in taking the statistics presented to them into consideration, the committee has since agreed to retain the position of all clubs who will fail to meet the requirements by the deadline set.

This can only be good news to Finches, whose Memorial Ground home has neither of the above as the venue is

shared with the village’s cricket club.

The decision, though, must first be rubber stamped by the league, who must confirm they are willing to accept member clubs with such facilities for the ensuing season.

Those without the grading, though, cannot enter FA sanctioned competitions, such as the Cup, Trophy or Vase, and could be subject to relegation should the league meet full membership.

Affected clubs can also not seek promotion to Step Five, or make any lateral movement within the level of competition.

Teams wishing to be elevated to Step Six will not be permitted to do so either unless they fulfil the required obligations.

Any leagues wishing to include clubs who do not meet Step Six requirements for next season must complete and return a form to the FA within 14 days of their respected annual meetings – provided member clubs accept them to play in the competition.

The situation is subject to a further review in March 2018.

WOKINGHAM SPORT

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Vydra and Williams remain fitness doubts for cup clash with West Brom MATEJ VYDRA and Danny Williams remain fitness doubts for Reading’s FA Cup fifth round tie with West Brom on Saturday (3pm), writes LEWIS RUDD. The duo missed the goalless draw with Burnley on Saturday through injury, and when asked about the chances of having both back for the visit of the Baggies, boss Brian McDermott said it was a “tall order”.

Yann Kermorgant, however, is definitely out as he is cup tied having featured in an earlier round of the competition with former club Bournemouth.

Although revealing Vydra has a better chance of returning than his team-mate, the Royals boss is likely to

emulating the run in the FA Cup which be short of options up front, meaning took Reading to a Wembley another recent signing, Deniss Rakels, HOW IT ALL STARTED could be thrown in from the off. semi-final last season, but would also My first job was helping out in a local steak restaurant where I learned how to select and cook what I think is the perfect steak.

“It’s a tall order to get Danny and see McDermott take the club into the I moved to Reading 30 years ago and to my disappointment was not able to find a restaurant that served the food I loved most.

(Vydra) both back playing eight forback. the third time.

My dream was to open a steakhouse in Reading Vyds that would serve the quality of steak I had experiencedlast all those years Finally, I had the opportunity to buy Colleys Supper Rooms, a restaurant had been established years in a beautiful because theythat haven’t trained for in a Reading for over The20manager, however, is expecting Victorian building that I had always admired. I knew I had the chance achieve my dream.

I opened Barts in Feba2011 andtest withfrom the help of myPulis’ men. couple oftoweeks,” said McDermott. stern Tony fantastic team we have been serving exceptional steaks in a great environment ever since. The décor and atmosphere is continually evolving could have one or “They manager who knows thanks to our loyal patrons. The menu has grown since we“If firstwe opened and I am proud to possibly say that the quality of food has have only gota better. two of them involved with the squad, how to get results and I’ve admired Here at Barts, we bring together dishes inspired by cuisines frombe allgood.” over the world but centered around him our renowned steaks that would over the years. and seafood. We specialise in offering you the steaks of the highest quality, provided by local butchers, When asked about the possibility “They have Rondon and Saido aged for a minimum of 28 days, flame grilled for superior taste and succulence. of Rakels being involved, McDermott Berahino who can do a lot with the “Possibly, we will see. We will ball.

Jamshed Miah added: welcomes you to Barts Grill & Restaurant do our work on the training pitch, see “They have James McClean, Chris how it goes and go from there.

Brunt, Stephane Sessegnon, Darren “He is doing really well.”

Fletcher, Craig Gardner, and Sandro.

Victory over Premier League West “They have players with Brian McDermott Brom will not only keep up hopes of exceptional talent.

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR MOTHER’S DAY

RENOWNED FOR OUR STEAKS

FOOTBALL

Sumas resume defence of Senior Cup, but bogey side YMCA stand in their way

We owe them one, says Bateman

By LEWIS RUDD lrudd@wokinghampaper.co.uk

“WE OWE them one” is the opinion of Dan Bateman ahead of Wokingham and Emmbrook’s cup clash with Reading YMCA on Saturday.

The struggling Sumas put league matters to one side when they head to The Cauldron in Padworth Lane to resume the defence of their Reading Senior Cup crown (1.30pm).

But YMCA, who currently sit second in the Thames Valley League Premier Division, have had the better of the results when the two teams have clashed in recent years.

The Young Men followed up a 2-1 Berks and Bucks Intermediate Cup victory at Lowther Road in 2014 by defeating Wokingham and Emmbrook 4-2 in the final of the same competition a year later.

And although describing the latter reverse as a blessing in disguise, joint-boss Bateman believes it is time to inflict some misery on the opposition.

He said: “The Reading Senior Cup is our trophy.

“We have won it five times in six years and won it four years on the spin and I love that cup, and it is nice to know we have a game where it is not the league because the league has been an absolute nightmare for us this season and it is not showing any signs of letting up.

“It will be nice to get out there and Reading YMCA, we owe them one.

“I actually think they did us a favour last year, because we went into the County Cup final all confident, but we lost 4-2 and that gave us a kick.

“After that game we played 10 games and only let in one goal, won 10, won the league and the Reading Senior Cup, so that probably gave us the kick up the backside we needed, but it’s still not nice to see them pick up the trophy last year, so we will be

looking to try and put that right.”

A tough season for the Sumas continued on Tuesday night, where they were soundly beaten 4-1 by high-flying Kidlington, who had AVAILABLE 12:00 - 17:00 racked up a 3-0 lead inside the first Roast Beef 8.95 eight minutes.

Overnight marinated beef, served with sauté mixed vegetables (Baby Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Beans), oven roasted potatoes, honey glazed roasted parsnips, Defeat was a 24th of the Hellenic Yorkshire pudding, topped with Barts homemade gravy. Accompanied by horseradish sauce.

Premier Division campaign and leaves the club rooted to the foot of Roast Lamb 8.95 Overnight marinated lamb, the table, with relegation to Division 1 served with sauté mixed vegetables (Baby Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Green Beans), oven roasted potatoes, honey glazed roasted parsnips, Yorkshire East now almost a certainty. pudding, topped with Barts homemade mint gravy. Accompanied by mint sauce.

But cup competitions have come as something of a relief to TAKE THE DAY OFF FROM COOKING THIS WEEK AND TREAT YOURSELF, FAMILY OR Wokingham and Emmbrook this FRIENDS TO A SUPERB SUNDAY ROAST term, and they will be looking to secure a welcome win in a competition which has been kind to the team over the years.

Bateman and co-manager Matt WWW.BARTSGRILL.COM Eggleston will be hoping to welcome 0118 966 2268 back both James Charlton and Dan Collier back for the tie, as both missed the game with Kidlington due to work and prior commitments.

Sam Whiting, however, remains a doubt after picking up an injury playing in the Sunday league.

“He got a knock on his knee and it swelled up,” added Bateman.

“He went to the hospital on Monday and they said come back on Thursday to see if there was any damage because it was too swollen, so we don’t know the extent of it.

“But you have got to say he is going to be doubtful for Saturday, but touch wood it is nothing too serious because we are struggling for numbers as it is.

“But we will certainly have Jam Dan Bateman is keen to avoid a third straight defeat against Reading YMCA as (Charlton) and Dan Collier back in, Wokingham and Emmbrook boss Picture: Vivienne Johnson so hopefully we will be in a stronger position.” improve the Published by Xn The winners will meet Binfield in Media Ltd, Crown infrastructure the quarter-finals.

House, 231 Kings at Lowther n FOR more local football news, Road, Reading RG1 4LS. Printed at Road. including a possible relaxation of Newbury Weekly To find out the ground grading obligations News, Newspaper House, Faraday Road, surrounding clubs playing at Step Six, why, the full Newbury, Berkshire story can be turn to page 39.

RG14 2DW .© Xn Media Ltd, 2016 found on page n WOKINGHAM Town Council have objected to the club’s plans to 14.

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