NO.10 MARCH
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MyTwyford CELEBRATING THE BOROUGH OF WOKINGHAM
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Spotlight on Twyford – a thriving community BY JACKY HAYLER
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peaking to locals, the village of Twyford has everything – a thriving commercial centre with all the amenities for everyday living, a sense of community and it still has green fields and countryside on its doorstep. Twyford was first established as an early Anglo-Saxon settlement around an important river crossing. In the lower Loddon Valley, the river splits into two smaller channels, making it easier to cross so the place called ‘Two Fords’ or Twyford was born. Centred around the crossroads as the hub of the village, the shops and services have got everything covered. There’s plenty of choice when it comes to food shopping with Waitrose, Tesco Express and Nisa. But there’s also some independents as well including an award-winning pie company and some cute cafes along with the ubiquitous Costa. If you don’t fancy cooking, you can take a culinary journey around the world with Indian, Thai and Italian restaurants as well as a fish and chip shop. And there’s even a vineyard on your doorstep at Stanlake Park. Your health is taken care of with a couple of chemists, dentists and opticians, as well as physios and chiropractors
and beauty is also dealt with providing hairdressers, barbers and a nail bar. If you are looking to move into the area, the estate agents have got you covered with a variety of housing stock from traditional cottages to more contemporary family homes. And once you completed on that dream home, there are some kitchen and bathrooms showrooms to make them your own. Polehampton CoE and Waltham St Lawrence primary schools are in the local catchment, both of which have been awarded as being outstanding by OFSTED, as well as Colleton Primary and St Nicholas CoE, both of which have a Good rating. Waingels Copse and The Piggott
secondary schools are also both within the catchment and also have a Good rating from OFSTED. Twyford has prospered over the centuries as a result of its excellent communication links. The first settlement resulted from the bridging of the two fords on the Loddon. Later, the village became an important centre for stage coaching between London and the west. The village population grew further with the development of the railways and many railway construction workers lived in Twyford whilst working on the cuttings and Brunel’s bridges. Today excellent transport links continue to benefit the residents of Twyford and the surrounding areas.
Twyford has been twinned with a village in France called Cuincy (pronounced kwansee) since 2018. The idea of being twinned with a town or village in another country is to foster friendship and understanding and to promote cultural, sporting and professional links between our citizens. Twyford Village Fete is the highlight of the social calendar, and this year it will take place on Saturday 17th August 2024, bringing together the Twyford community, allowing residents to interact with local businesses and charities and in previous years, has helped to raise over £2,000 for local charities. Twyford Parish Council owns and offers allotment plots to rent, on an annual basis, in Hurst Road and London Road. There are lots of clubs available to join and meet people including Twyford Bowling Club, football club the Twyford Comets, Twyford and Ruscombe Cricket Club, tennis club, a snooker hall and the 1st Twyford Scouts. Having first entered Britain in Bloom in 2018, the village also has an active horticultural association while Loddon Hall serves the community and residents of Twyford and Ruscombe and the surrounding areas.
New Twyford library on course to open this spring
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ork to create a new library in the heart of Twyford is progressing well, with construction entering its final phases ready for the new library to open later this spring. The new library is housed in the Grade II listed Old Polehampton Boys school, helping breathe life back into this historic local landmark allowing it to be enjoyed by the community for years to come. Once open, it will offer a fantastic facility for the village with access to all the usual library favourites including space for people to read, relax and study. The new library will also benefit from a specially designed children’s area, and flexible spaces perfect for running the popular range of activities and events. What’s happening on site? Over recent months work has continued to install utilities, including new electrics and plumbing. The building has also been fitted out with an efficient underfloor heating system to help reduce the number of radiators required and maximise
wall space for books and other resources. Work on the new extension, which will offer an accessible entrance and extra library space, is progressing well with walls in place and the new roof being installed. Due to the listed nature of the building, work also includes the restoration of the original wooden windows and refurbishment of the roof, where tiles will be removed to allow for repairs and additional insulation to be installed, before being carefully replaced to ensure the building retains its historic feel. In order to complete these external works, the building has been surrounded with specialist scaffolding, which was approved by Network Rail, to allow contractors to work safely with the proximity of the railway line. Libraries at the heart of the community “When I visited the site the other day, I was impressed by how quickly it’s progressed since I saw it last winter.” Said Cllr Stephen Conway, leader of the council. “At that point I was sat in a dig-
ger as the foundation work was finished off and the concrete flooring had recently gone down inside. Now the extension is nearing completion, and the library is really beginning to take shape. It’s going to be a wonderful space, set in a beautiful building with high ceilings, historic features and lots of natural light. “I can’t wait to share the library with people when it opens later this spring. It’s turning a new page for Twyford and I hope it will encourage people to come along and find out more about what we offer. Whether you are a longtime library user or haven’t been for years, there’s so much happening with our library services now. From events
and activities for all ages, to free internet access, and subscriptions to hundreds of e-magazines, you might be surprised by what you find.” Final steps towards opening Construction work on the new library is due to finish around Easter, after which the contractor will hand the building over to the council ready for the library service to finish fitting out the building with the new furniture and install essential services like internet and IT. Once this work has been completed the current library will be closed, to allow time for its contents to be boxed up and moved to the new site ready for the new Twyford Library to open. During any closure residents will be able to access services at other libraries across the borough. Return dates will also be extended to take the closure time into account if necessary. Dates for the closure of the current library and opening of the new library will be confirmed later this spring.
