My Wokingham Newspaper June 2023

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A TOAST TO WOKINGHAM’S HEROES

Calls for Woodley man to receive King’s honour

Inawe of John’s service to the community

John Patey has been honoured for his work with the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal after serving for 50 years.

John, a Wokingham man through and through has dedicated his life to helping and serving others. He served in the Royal Tank Regiment before becoming a retained fireman, firstly in the 1960s when the fire station was at the town hall and then as sub officer when it moved to Denton Road.

AWoodley resident has been hailed a hero after setting up a charity that has received one million items in donations.

When it comes to community spirit, no one deserves that honour more than Ron Goodberry. He was crowned a local hero for his work in setting up a Facebook page called Woodley Volunteer for our Community during Covid and recently local volunteers came together to say a big thank you for his ongoing hard work.

A celebration cake was cut and everyone raised their glasses in a toast to Ronnie at an evening event held at the

Oakwood Centre in Woodley.

And now there are calls that his dedication should be acknowledged even higher up with hopes that he might be nominated for a King’s Birthday or New Year Honour.

The volunteer group he helped set up reached more than one million items with a donation of a bottle of hair shampoo. And the Facebook group now has 1.5million members.

Mr Goodberry told My Wokingham publisher Nick Marr that at times the front room of his home was used as a storage area and looked like a warehouse.

Continues on page 2

David Dunham, who coordinates the town’s poppy appeal, said John is a very well-known face in the town. “Even now in his early eighties, John will be the first person out on the streets collecting. He will always make himself available and is very flexible. He just seems to love getting out there, meeting people and chatting to them.”

David added he is always out and about helping people, not just with the Poppy Appeal. “He must have raised thousands of pounds over the years. He could have hung his beret up years ago for a quiet retirement, but he has kept himself fit and is always giving back to the community. I am literally in awe of his service.”

John always attends the Remembrance Day parades in the town, complete with his beret and medals

and is often chosen to lay a wreath at the war memorial.

At the recent reception, John received his honour from the High Steward of Wokingham, Lucy Zeal.

Mr Ronnie Goodberry celebrates making one million donations

John Patey awarded for his 50 years service to the Poppy Appeal

PHOTOS BY PAUL KING

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“It all started during the panic buying in the early days of Covid when basic items like bread and toilet paper were disappearing from supermarket shelves as quickly as they were put out,” explained Ronnie.

“Some of us in Woodley decided to set up a group which invited people to donate basic supplies which could be distributed around the town. The aim was to help anyone who was in need. The response from local people was incredible with all sorts of items being handed in such as toiletries, food and clothes.” And the rest is history…

And his community spirit has extended beyond the shores of the UK with him reaching out the hand of help to the people of Ukraine. He added: “I have accompanied volunteers and together we have made five trips to the Ukraine with medical aid and food, all given to us by the people of Woodley.”

His home in Sheckleton Way in Woodley has often resembled a warehouse, so full has it been of the generous donations of food or other goods.

Yet it is the local community he believes is being generous, rather than

himself and he says none of this would have been made possible without the kind-hearted people of Woodley.

He brushes off the praise, saying he is not in it for the glory but just wants to help others.

The total number of items received via donations has reached 1,002,584. Now not only is the Woodley man being called a local hero for his ongoing work to help others but also those in the Ukraine are joining in.

Mr. Goodberry said he would not have been able to provide the aid he has without the support from the Woodley community being so kind to help.

And now My Wokingham publisher, Nick Marr, believes his kindness deserves to be honoured at the highest level. “It is people like Ron who dedicate their time to helping others, who deserve to be mentioned in the King’s Birthday or New Year Honours. I hope the people of Woodley and Wokingham will come together in backing this proposal and support our bid to get his work recognised.”

Honours are given to people from all walks of life and all sections of society

who have made a difference to their community. Letters of support should be provided from people with first-hand knowledge of the nominee who can endorse their contribution or supply additional information. At least two letters of support are required to support a nomination. Details of how to nominate can be found at www.gov.uk

Ronnie Goodberry has a willingness to help anyone in need says Keith Baker OBE

Over the last few years the country had to cope with some serious issues from COVID to the current cost of living crisis. When events like these occur there are always a few individuals who demon strate compassion and a willingness to help anyone in need. In Woodley, one of those individuals is Ronnie Goodberry. So, what is his story?

When COVID first hit two Woodley Facebook groups were set up. Ronnie was instrumental in combining them and “Woodley Volunteers for COVID-19” was born. This group, with a membership of around 1,500, was open to anyone with a direct connection to Woodley. The primary role is

to help any resident who needs assistance. During the peak of COVID every one of the 400 plus roads in Woodley had a designated road volunteer who acted as a focal point for residents to ask for assistance. Another key role is collection of food and toiletries.

As you find elsewhere, an active Foodbank in Woodley exists but opening times can be limiting for those who wish to donate items. Ronnie decided to open his house as a collection point to receive donations from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. This has continued in the post COVID era and has recently passed 1,000,000 items donated!

Ronnie is never willing to “rest on

his laurels” so he continues to think of other ways to help. So, he opened his collection point to things like books and toys for children, or disability items like wheelchairs and walkers. At Christmas time he organises special collection of “goodies” for vulnerable residents. Next, was to get people to make cakes for distribution to essential workers like the police or the fire brigade. Another bunch of goodies were delivered to these folks who were working over the Xmas period. By now Ronnie’s creative juices went into overdrive so he continued the concept of goodie bags to essential workers to be distributed to NHS staff, the police and the fire brigade. Nothing is too much for Ronnie - if someone needs help no matter what that help is, he is there either doing it himself or using his contacts.

Local hero Mr Ronnie Goodberry thanking everyone for their kind donations and My Wokingham was there to cover this grand event held at the Oakwood Centre Woodley

Keith Baker OBE

Royal British Legion create plastic-free poppy in re-design

The Royal British Legion has been working to create a new plastic-free poppy. And from October this year, the new poppy will be available, made from an innovative blend of renewable fibres from responsible sources.

They have been developing the plastic-free poppy for the last three years, in collaboration with expert partners, in efforts to reduce its use of single-use plastic and be economical, sustainable, and less impactful to the environment.

Hundreds of options were explored during the design process, scrutinising form, finish and usability. Paper was chosen over expensive and complicated bio-based plastics to create a single-material solution that can be easily recycled.

The new plastic-free poppy is created from bespoke red and green paper, 50 per cent of which has been recovered from the waste used in the production of coffee cups.

And to assess the environmental impact of the new poppy, and ensure its sustainability, they worked with experts at University College London.

Professor Paola Lettieri (FREng) from UCL’s Department of Chemical Engineering, said: “We looked at its carbon footprint and factors like how much water and resources go into making it. By replacing the single-use plastic with a paper-based design, and increasing the amount of recycled paper

used, UCL found that the new poppy design has a 40 per cent smaller carbon footprint and a similar reduction in its overall impact on the environment.”

Maintaining the iconic poppy design and leaf shape, this is the first time in 28 years that a new poppy has been developed.The change reinforces RBL’s drive to be more sustainable and reduce its impact on the environment, while ensuring that the poppy continues to be a national symbol of Remembrance for the service and sacrifices of the Armed Forces community.

Director of the Poppy Appeal, Andy Taylor-Whyte said: “We are very proud to introduce the plastic-free poppy that will not only enable people to support our Armed Forces community but also continues the RBL’s commitment to

sustainability.

“The development of our new poppy has been years in the making as we’ve worked alongside experts to ensure its production is truly less impactful on the environment, and we are thrilled to now share that we have successfully removed the single-use plastic from our poppy. “We hope our new plastic-free poppy will encourage people to support the Poppy Appeal this year and help the RBL to continue our vital work.”

The plastic-free poppy will be available alongside remaining stocks of the current poppy to reduce any waste of poppies already produced and can be fastened with a pin or inserted into a buttonhole. Poppies containing single-use plastic can be returned to Sainsbury’s stores for recycling after

Poppy Appeal volunteers awarded

New Wokingham Town Major

Last year’s Poppy Appeal raised £49,600 thanks to the help from local volunteers. They were thanked for their efforts at an awards ceremony that took place at Wokingham Town Hall.

David Dunham, Poppy Appeal organiser told My Wokingham

“Our award winners had served for many years, with our oldest award winner well into his eighties and our youngest was Benjamin at just 14”

“For this year’s appeal we will need more help and volunteers to collect for us at Waitrose and Tescos and in the Town. We have also been asked to collect at Sainsburys in Winnersh this year.”

This year’s Poppy Appeal starts on Saturday 28th October through to Saturday 11th November, so if you can help please email david.dunham@ virgin.net and let him know if you can help.

Wokingham town has a new mayor, with newly appointed Cllr Sally Gurney. Sally has chaired the arts and culture committee and was last year’s deputy mayor. Her first official engagement took place at the annual Children’s Fun Day at Langborough Recreation Ground, Wokingham.

the Poppy Appeal.

Red poppies have been worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community since our formation in 1921. Over 100 years the Poppy has evolved but remains an enduring symbol of Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future.

Lucy Zeal Deputy Lieutenant of Royal Berkshire with John Patey 50 years of selling poppys

Wokingham Poppy Appeal Outstanding Achievement Nationwide Building Society

Lucy Zeal with Kay Dunham 30 years service

Former Wokingham Town Mayor with a member of Rock Choir

Lucy Zeal Deputy Lieutenant of Royal Berkshire with Bob Elmes with his cup

Do you like my big Hoop Wokingham Town new Mayor Sally Gurney

Clive Jones Interview Pauline InterviewJorgensen

BY NICK MARR AND BY JACKY HAYLER EXCLUSIVE

Nick Marr: ‘ You had an outstanding local election victory, lets talk about that how did that happen

CJ “ Well we held eight seats the we had won four years ago and it was really good to hold on to all of those eight seats and then make three gains as well to make us the largest party on the council That was really really good making twenty six of us now there’s only twenty two Conservatives

Yeah so we are we are running the council again second year running and that is very very good news. Lots of people on the doorstep over the last four months since Christmas had been telling us that they thought we were doing a very good job. More and more people were saying to me, what we need now is for you to be the MP. So that really helped make my decision okay to split the two roles that I had been doing.

We have balanced the council books which were in deficit when we took them over from the Conservatives. We did this by not recruiting people or delaying recruitment, Getting better deals with our suppliers and getting the best deals out of our contracts.

NM: What needs to be done to become an MP

I need to convince people to vote for me when the general election comes to make sure that I am known by all of the residents . They need to know what the Liberal Democrats will stand for. They need to be certain that if they are voting for me that they have a full time MP. Somebody who is not going to be doing two or three other jobs which will take up 2or 3 days of the week. I will be there for the residents of Wokingham all the time. What’s the relationship between the local MP and the Wokingham Borough council how does the relationship work?

CJ: When it works well it’s a very close relationship and I have worked very well with Stephen Conway for last eighteen months, as me as the leader and him as the deputy leader, I can only see that continuing

NM: So what’s going on nationally must reflect locally, you must agree with that. Do you think that that’s giving you where you are today with extra seats and popularity?

CJ: Well we have had three very successful by elections, we have overturned huge Conservative majorities much bigger than the

conservative majority that there is in Wokingham at the moment, its only 7383 which is not a lot really. We have done well with those three by election victories.

There was some local issues and in all three of them that helped us to win, but the big thing when knocking on doors people saying I am not voting for the Conservatives again, because of the way that they have performed since 2019.

They haven’t being straightforward with the electorate.

Boris Johnson was a prime minister who had a very casual relationship with the truth. Lots of other conservatives have followed on that. Liz Truss was an absolute disaster. Forty-nine days in office and then she’s thrown out by here own party

Rishi Sunak people think he is definitely better than Liz Truss trust and marginally better than Boris Johnson. I don’t this he is going to make a significant difference.

NM: And so general election predictions are that Labour will win. Do you think that?

CJ: Well that’s what the opinion polls would tell you nationally. But locally very different. If you look at the figures for that you last set of local elections here in Wokingham. Just look at the new parliamentary seat I know the whole seats wasn’t up for re-election. I know that people vote in local elections sometimes different ways the way they vote nationally. But the raw data was 11150 for us and about 6500 for the Conservatives Only 27000 for the Labour party.

So the Labour party are not going to win in Wokingham. Wokingham is a two horse race. It’s between me and John Redwood.

Having been a councillor in Wokingham for 24 years, the now Conservative leader Cllr Pauline Jorgensen has a wealth of experience across a broad spectrum of roles.

And she said the latest local election results was, she thought, ‘very encouraging’. She said: “We were quite close with a couple of seats, and it could have gone either way. We made very positive progress on Earley Town Council which I find encouraging.

“It was certainly better than the national picture and better than what has been happening in Bracknell, Windsor & Maidenhead and West Berkshire.”

Since she took on the role as leader last year, Cllr Jorgensen said certain things have been very frustrating. “There are some things that all the parties agree on but the other parties try to make out that we are not co-operating and that is absolutely not true. It is disingenuous to complain about non-cooperation as we want to work for the benefit of everyone.”

Having lived in Earley since 1984 after moving from Scotland for work, Cllr Jorgensen can regularly be seen on her electric bike which she believes is a fantastic way of getting around the borough, beating the traffic and reducing emissions.

She worked at Heathrow in IT development for 39 years, having originally taken the post for just six months. But she says while her role as Conservative leader takes up most of her time, many residents believe she has a whole office running things behind the scenes which is certainly not true.

She is very active on social media. “I think it is one of the best ways to communicate with people. I get tagged by a lot of people from all over the borough but then it’s a problem trying to cope with the range of issues. I can never remember if they came to me via social media, email, phone call or text. But it is important to be accessible because that’s what we are elected for. People are often surprised to receive a reply from me on a Sunday evening.”

There are lots of issues on people’s minds at the moment with fortnightly rubbish collections high on the agenda.

“People have a right not to be happy about it. I am pretty confident the council is not going to make the savings it is predicting. We fear that this move to a less frequent service is going to cost the council significantly more to begin with than the current weekly waste collection and may also lead to an increase in fly tipping. Wheelie bins are a problem because a lot of the time people don’t have anywhere to put them so they will be left out on the street.

“There is mis-information about the

success of bi-weekly collections because they only ever highlight the good performers, never the negatives.”

And she added that the council is playing ‘catch up’ with potholes in the borough and road repairs. “Lots of roads are going to wear out. They need to be fixed properly but they don’t even seem to be spending the money that is there, let alone increasing the budget to account for inflation.”

Members of the public are complaining about the grass verges and their lack of maintenance. But Cllr Jorgensen is all for ‘No Mow May’. “It is absolutely the right thing to do. It encourages diversity in wildlife and the banks of wildflowers by the side of the road are beautiful. But we have got to be sensible. If they are in the way of sight-lines then they must be maintained.”

House building is another issue in the borough, but it is one where the different factions have worked together in a multi-party campaign to help resolve –though Cllr Jorgensen says this united front is not as common as it should be.

“The targets were too high to be sustainable and we have worked hard to get them down. It doesn’t matter how many houses are built; people will always move here because of the work. It would be much better to spread the employment and wealth across the whole country because everyone can’t live in the South-East because it would just become undesirable. It just doesn’t make sense to continue this policy.” And while she agreed that the trend of developing brownfield sites in London and converting unused offices to residential use was a good idea, she added that they need to be of good enough quality for homes and in the right place.

Cllr Jorgensen also praised the town centre redevelopment of which she is proud that the Conservatives had an instrumental role in but said the forthcoming rise in parking changes would be counterproductive. “It really isn’t justified and is simply a false economy. You have to be really careful how often you dip your hands into peoples’ pockets.”

At the Borough Council she has been Vice Chairman of Audit, Conservative Group chairman, Executive Member for Residents Services and a member of the Personnel Board, Executive Member for Housing, and Director of Wokingham Holdings Ltd and Executive Member for Highways and Transport. She has also been Mayor of Earley Town Council and has not ruled out standing for Parliament for a second time.

“I have been in politics since I was 25. It is great meeting lots of interesting people and you do learn a lot. You really never know what will cross your path from day to day.”

Phone upgrade or repair?

You can imagine how many customers have asked should I upgrade or not over the years so we thought lets put our thoughts to paper. Let’s start by being honest, the newer the device generally the more expensive repair (although that’s not always the case). Then there is the fact that you need to transfer all of your data (generally most will have an app to make this easier). Repairs are not always more expensive and can often come with a warranty too.

Whether you should opt for a phone upgrade or repair depends on several factors, including the condition of your current phone, your budget, your needs, and the availability of newer models with desirable features. Here are some considerations to help you make a decision:

Condition of your current phone: Assess the overall condition of your phone. If it’s in good working order but has minor issues like a cracked screen, battery problems, or software glitches,

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a repair might be a more cost-effective option.

Cost of repair: Compare the cost of repairing your current phone with the cost of purchasing a new one. Sometimes, repairs can be significantly cheaper than buying a new device, especially if the issue is minor.

Age of your phone: Consider the age of your phone and how long you’ve been using it. If it’s an older model and you’ve been experiencing multiple hardware or performance issues, it might be a sign that it’s time for an upgrade.

Desired features: Think about the features and functionalities you need or want in a phone.

If your current device lacks essential features or doesn’t meet your requirements anymore, upgrading to a newer model might be the better choice.

Budget: Evaluate your budget and determine how much you’re willing to

Pods Ltd that specialises in smartphone and tablet repairs. The company also can help with screen replacement, battery repairs, game console and computer repairs.

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spend. Upgrading to a new phone can be more expensive than repairing the existing one. Consider whether you can afford the upfront cost of a new device or if repairing the current one fits better within your budget.

Long-term viability: Consider the long-term viability of your current phone. If it’s an outdated model that no longer receives software updates or support from the manufacturer, it might be more beneficial to upgrade to a newer phone that offers better longevity and compatibility with future technologies.

Ultimately, the decision between a phone upgrade and repair depends on your individual circumstances and preferences. It can be helpful to consult with a professional technician or visit a phone store to get an expert opinion based on the specific issues you’re facing with your current phone.

Bracknell Town Centre’s escape room, Puzzalogical 5*, announced plans to add a new chapter to its range of immersive escape experiences. The company revealed that by the upcoming summer holidays, a fourth room with a space-themed narrative will be opened to the public.

Located in Easthampstead House near Fenwick’s, Puzzalogical 5* has earned a reputation for their meticulously themed escape rooms, including crowd favourites: Secret of the Vault, Prison Break, and Pharaoh’s Mystery.

“We wanted to offer something that takes our adventurers to a

whole new dimension. What better setting than the limitless expanse of space?” said one of the owners at Puzzalogical 5*. The new room is designed to captivate players with interstellar puzzles and cosmic mysteries, aiming to further cement Puzzalogical’s status as a top-tier destination for escape room enthusiasts and casual players alike. Win a free game for up to six people.

Enter by ‘Liking’ their Facebook page and tagging them in a comment with ‘My Wokingham News competition’.

www.puzzalogical.co.uk/ 07856 342226

Rory is the owner of Wokingham based Pratt’s

Tech Advice by Rory Pratt

Jolly Farmer Dog Show

Arescue dog from Bulgaria walked away with the top accolade at a new fun dog show.

Dr Indiana Jones was hailed Best in Show at the first ever Jolly Fun Charity Dog Show at The Jolly Farmer pub in Hurst.

There were waggy tails galore when the pub staged their inaugural dog show in aid of St Nicholas Church in the village and Alzheimer’s Research UK.

The dog show had numerous fun classes including the Loveliest Lady, Fabulous Fella, the Waggiest Tail, Best Tricks/Obedience, Best Senior (seven years and over), Best Puppy (four months – 18 months), Young Handler (10-16 years – the human), Young Handler (nine years and under – the human), Best Rescue and Best in Show.

But it was Angelique Hathaway’s rescue that stole the show.

“We found him wandering the streets during a skiing trip to Bansko in Bulgaria. His feet were turned the wrong way and we just couldn’t bear to leave him.”

That was in 2019 and the Corgi/ Labrador/Retriever mix was given his name as he got out of the country ‘just in the nick of time’ before Covid closed borders.

Anqelique believes the pup was about 12 to 18 months old when they got him, but vets gave him just a year to live. Now three years later he is thriving.

His owner says it was relatively simple to bring him back to the UK, easier than adopting a rescue in this country.

And following the experience, she has become involved with the charity Hope for Paws. The charity fosters the dogs and gets them fully vaccinated until air-conditioned vans can bring them to the UK.

Angelique said: “I’m so proud of him. It just shows what you can do with a bit of kindness – anything is possible. He was bred for something and when he wasn’t perfect, he was just turned out onto the streets to fend for himself.”

Dr Indiana Jones has settled right into the family, allowing the chick-

ens to jump on his back and gets on well with the family cat and new puppy.

Pub manager at The Jolly Farmer, Rick Haynes said he was a worthy winner and added: “The day was a fantastic success. We had an unprecedented amount of people for any event we’ve held. The weather was amazing, and everyone had so much fun.”

And Angelique added what a lovely show it was: “So many dog

shows are so professional, they are almost a showcase for businesses. This one allowed dogs that aren’t perfect pedigrees a chance to join in. There was such a lovely atmosphere.”

The event was organised to raise money for St Nicholas Church in the village and Alzheimer’s Research UK. At the end of the day, they had raised £1,500 which will be split between the two charities – and they hope The Jolly Fun Dog Show will become an annual event.

A family day out at the local dog show

Meet The Jolly Farmer Charity Dog Show people

Best Dog in Show Rescue dog with owner Angelique Bradford with Dr Indiana Jones

First Place

The Jolly Farmer Charity Dog show meet the dogs and owners

Jolly Farmer Pub charity Dog Show

Wokingham dog show held to raise funds for Dog Trouble Foundation

BY NICK MARR

The Dog Trouble Foundation at Birchin Inhams Farm, Heathlands Rd, Wokingham saw dog owners from all over Wokingham Borough descend on the farm to show off their dogs. Dog owners picked up useful advice from dog training expert Jo Cottrell whilst enjoying the sunshine, local beers and food.

The Dog Trouble Foundation was established by Jo Cottrell to provide education and rescue programmes to both dogs and people in need of support. The main purpose of the Foundation is to help reduce the number of rescue dogs staying long term in rescue organisations due to behaviour/health issues. To support this aim, the foundation offers dog behaviour/health education and training to staff and volunteers working in rescue organisations.

They rely largely on fundraising events and donations to support the various costs associated with their work which includes:

Medical expenses including spaying/ castrating

Essential Oils/Herbs for Natural health support

Natural Raw Feeding

Jo Cottrell told My Wokingham

“The show is a great way to spread the word about the great work we do here rescuing dogs and working with dogs with behavioural problems”

Fundraising is essential to the dog rescue work undertaken by the foun-

Greenfingers…

He’s a brilliant presenter, accomplished gardener, talented novelist, and all-round horticultural inspiration. This month, Alan Titchmarsh discusses an array of wildlife we may not expect to see in our gardens over the summer months.

Think of our gardens in summer and you can probably come up with the same old things that make those outside spac es such pleasurable places to spend time in. There are flowers such as roses, lavender, foxgloves, delphiniums; there’s all that lush green grass that offers visual magnificence with an aroma that is as unique as it is unmistakable. Beyond that, there’s the beauty of climbing plants such as ivy, clematis and honeysuckle. And of course, the odd bat.

Hang on, did I just say that?! Well I did, and it’s true. Bats in the summer in our gardens are common, albeit not the first thing you would immediately think of.

And while you’re there, have a look for grass snakes, stag beetles, slow worms, glow-worms, foxes, and even rare amphibians such as the great crested newt. And what about the humble hedgehog, or the sparky sparrowhawk?

Few of these animals we would confidently associate with summer gardens, but they are there, they are present, and if we seek them out, they can truly enrich our admiration for this wonderful habitat and where life – beyond flowers and plants – is shown to flourish.

So while the summer months typical-

dation. Rehabilitating and rehoming dogs and supporting rescue centres all come at a cost. You can make a donation by visiting.

www.dogtroublefoundation.co.uk

ly enable us to sit back, relax and enjoy the immediate visual beauty of our gardens, the truth is there is so much more going on behind the scenes. You’ll see all this if you delve a bit deeper into your outside space, and can attract the wonderful visitors – all the while supporting local biodiversity – by ensuring you are planting native species, by providing water sources, as well as creating habitats like log piles or compost heaps.

The fact is, while we look on our gardens primarily as places that stimulate our senses so spectacularly, it’s worth remembering they are habitats for all manner of wonderful little creatures and critters, and we are all, at times, guilty of forgetting their existence.

My recommendation this year is to give a bit more back to animal life –even if that means keeping the grass a bit longer than you usually would –because you’ll be surprised at just how much more your garden evolves.

Sescond best dog in show

An owner with his two dogs at the Wokingham Dog show

First in show dog winner with owner of Dog Trouble Foundation founder Jo Cottrell

See how this dog jumps over bails of hay at the dog show Wokingham

Good Boy see how I sit for my mum

Jo Cottrell shows the crowds one of her rescue dogs

Advice Column from Craig Muttitt

Life insurance: the foundation of your financial security

Craig Muttitt is the Practice Principal of Maxim Financial Solutions Ltd and FOMO Mortgages, a mortgage and protection financial services brokerage that currently has over 7000 UK clients. Originally from South Africa, Craig studied Law and Business at the University of the Witwatersrand. Craig has been living in the UK since 2001 with his wife Natasha, daughter Ashleigh and son Wade. Craig has been involved in the mortgage and insurance industry for over 20 years and although the financial services industry has gone through a lot of changes and some challenging times over the years, Craig has loved every minute of it.

Life insurance is an indispensable safety net.

With proper coverage, you can ensure that your loved ones and your property are financially secure, no matter what happens.

However, 60% of the UK population don’t have life insurance, and so are placing their family at an unnecessary risk.

Perhaps even worse, many people are underinsured without realising it. Big life changes, like a new home or a newborn, may mean that your initial

insurance policy is insufficient for your altered circumstances.

Help your loved ones avoid any nasty surprises: take out a life insurance policy, or review your existing coverage, and protect the people you care about.

We understand that this can seem a little overwhelming. After all, there are so many insurance products available, and so many different providers, that it can be tricky to find the one that suits you!

With 80 years of combined experience and more than 7,000 clients, the

The revenue generation

While it’s fair to say there are fewer barriers to entrepreneurialism than ever before, recent research shows the younger generation are those most likely to go out and pursue business projects.

The reasons for this are straightforward - young people possess a more optimistic mindset that is less ruffled by life’s inevitable setbacks, they have adaptability, are more likely to take risks as they have fewer commitments, are technologically savvy, and have better access to resources. These factors combine to create an environment that fosters entrepreneurial spirit among the younger generation.

Yet pursuing greater wealth and improving your financial position isn’t just about setting out on a commercial venture – it can be as much about maximising the attributes and skills you already possess.

With that in mind, here are six key qualities that anyone, of any age, in any walk of life, can reinforce and refine en route to a better financial position:

1. Improve your skills and invest in yourself

Continuous learning is essential for personal and professional growth. By acquiring new skills and enhancing ex-

isting ones, you increase your market value and become more attractive to employers.

So consider pursuing additional qualifications, attending workshops, or enrolling in online courses relevant to your industry.

Also develop soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving and leadership, as these are highly vInvesting in yourself not only boosts your income but also improves your overall job satisfaction and career prospects.

2. Diversify your income streams

Diversifying your income streams can provide financial stability and open doors to new opportunities. Passive income sources, for instance – such as investments, rental properties, or royalties – can supplement your primary earnings.

You can also explore side hustles or freelance work, which can be tailored to your schedule and interests. By diversifying, you create multiple revenue channels, increasing your overall income and financial security.

3. Optimise your career trajectory

Naturally, your career path plays a significant role in determining your income potential. That means actively pursuing promotions, and seeking out

new opportunities for career advancement within your organisation.

Furthermore, in the last two decades there has been a real boom in the ‘job hop strategy’. That determines that there is no longer a ‘job for life’, and it’s been proven that changing employment every few years, especially early in a career, can lead to higher salary offers and quicker advancement.

Thus, be selective and focus on opportunities that align with your longterm goals and offer growth potential.

4. Negotiate your salary

Many individuals underestimate the importance of negotiating their salary, leaving potential income on the table.

When accepting a new job or seek-

FOMO team can help you find a policy that is affordable, appropriate, and effective.

We will support you at every stage of the process, smoothing your path to long-term financial resilience.

Remember, it’s never too soon to get a life insurance policy – the best way to save money is to buy as early as you can!

Don’t delay: book your free, no-obligation call with the friendly and experienced FOMO team to discover how we can help you.

ing a pay increase, research the market value for your position and skills.

Prepare a case highlighting your accomplishments and their impact on your place of work, approaching the negotiation with confidence, professionalism, an acceptance for compromise, as well as a personality that says you are keen to keep pushing forward and learning.

5. Embrace a growth mindset

In a similar way, a growth mindset is the belief that your abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.

This mindset encourages resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to learn from failure, and will help you overcome setbacks, persevere through challenges, and ultimately achieve bigger income goals.

6. Leverage your network

Try to attend networking events, join industry associations, and use social media platforms like LinkedIn to expand your network. After all, building and maintaining connections with colleagues, mentors, and industry leaders can lead to job offers, referrals and valuable advice, increasing your chances of securing higher-paying positions.

From skiing to Stampede, Canada has it all

BY JACKY HAYLER

Most people I have spoken to have been watching the latest series of Race Across the World. Several couples have to make their way across a huge distance as quickly as they can for as little money as they can. It’s not just about the destination, more about the journey itself. Now on its third season, this time they were racing across Canada – and for many it has inspired them to want to see this part of the world.

I have been lucky enough to visit Canada after my best friend emigrated 20 years ago. She is based in Calgary in Alberta but what the programme showed was that Canada is a huge, diverse country of differing landscapes, cultures and even languages.

As mediocre skiers, we first opted to visit in the winter. We landed in minus 20 degrees and marvelled at how the airport just gets on with a huge ‘dump’ of snow while Gatwick and Heathrow grind to a half with just a sprinkling of the white stuff.

There has been an explosion in housebuilding in Calgary over the last 20 years, thanks in part to it being the epicentre of the oil industry. Yet despite this, there is a wealth of green spaces and parks, with cycling, hiking, climbing and skiing being high on the list of priorities for Calgarians.

Calgary offers the perfect base to explore further afield.

Banff and Lake Louise have a rich heritage as some of the world’s most awe-inspiring mountain destinations. With easy access to pristine slopes, endless outdoor adventures, jaw-dropping sights, and a vibrant his tory and culture, there is a lifetime’s worth of things to do.

Located in the heart of Banff National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the world-famous Banff Springs Hotel stands as a landmark in the picturesque alpine town of Banff, Alberta. Can ada’s ‘Castle in the Rockies’ has been providing legendary hospitality for more than 130 years.

Jasper is another must-see town. Not only is the three-hour Banff to Jasper drive worth your time, you might be as lucky as we were and see some of the native bears up close (but not too close!)

Encircled by the snow-capped peaks, Canmore is an authentic mining town that has become a year-round destination because of warm-weather activities like hiking, mountain biking,

The West Somerset Steam Express

Saturday 22nd July, 12th August, 16th September 2023

This series of trains from London Paddington to Minehead features haulage by two steam locomotives in one day. One steam locomotive will haul our train from London Paddington to the West Somerset Railway at Bishops Lydeard. The Heritage Railway will then provide a steam locomotive to haul our train to Minehead and back. This provides a truly fascinating day out travelling through beautiful scenery to the Bristol Channel coast.

Join us from Slough or Reading to visit Minehead.

Price

• Standard Class £115 per person – includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

• First Class £185 per person – includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Premier Dining £285 per person – includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

and white-water rafting. Straddling the banks of the Bow River, it has a characterful downtown filled with boutiques, galleries, and bookshops. There are three breweries, two distilleries, and an eclectic food scene that attracts dining from all around Alberta. To the south of Calgary, Fernie is another winter playground. The skiing is great for all abilities but it offers more than simply wide open slopes – the traditional town has shopping, culture and world class dining. We visited The Brick House for delicious steak and live music and rounded off our trip having the best breakfast bagels ever at Big Bang Bagels.

The next time we visited was in the summer for the world-famous Calgary Stampede. Complete with cowboy boots and stetsons, the party atmosphere sees the whole city come alive for 10 days. Kicking off with a street parade, the year we attended saw it led by actor Kevin Costner. With the world’s largest rodeo, we witnessed bucking bronchos, barrel racing, steer wrestling and bull riding.

The city of Calgary has so much to

offer. The Calgary Tower is 190 metres tall and opened to the public in 1968 as the tallest building in Canada outside of Toronto. The building has since been eclipsed by the rest of Calgary’s skyline, but the rotating restaurant and the glass floor offer visitors the perfect view of the city. There is the striking Saddledome, home to the Calgary Flames, their ice hockey team and the arena hosts many concerts and events.

Instead of donning our ski boots, this time we put on hiking boots and climbed a ‘hill’ in Bow Water Provincial Park before getting into a kayak. We went horse-riding ‘Western style’, tried out in the baseball nets and even went shopping for an RV (recreational vehicle).

Although they didn’t buy one on that trip, our friends are now the proud owners of Hettie, what they call their hotel on wheels - and we are already planning trips across Canada with them.

Another once-in-a-lifetime trip is to board the Rocky Mountaineer train through the Rockies. There are so many places to see. Vancouver and Whistler are next on our list. But as Race Across the World showed – with Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Ottowa and Québec City to name but a few, if you have wheels you can go for miles in Canada.

The Dorset Coast Express

Wednesday 26th July, 2nd August, Thursday 17th August 2023

We are offering a number of attractive summer day trips from London to Weymouth by steam train. These trains provide plenty of opportunity to visit the beautiful Dorset coast and relive the ‘golden age’ of steam. Passengers have the option of spending time at the celebrated seaside resorts of either Bournemouth or Weymouth, where both have fine sandy beaches. Each train will be hauled by a steam locomotive that was built for express passenger train work Join us from Woking or Basingstoke to visit Bournemouth or Weymouth.

Price

• Standard Class £115 per person – includes a reserved seat usually at a table for four.

• First Class £185 per person – includes morning tea or coffee with a bacon/breakfast roll and a muffin and an afternoon service of tea or coffee with a savoury of the day followed by a scone with butter and jam.

• Premier Dining £285 per person – includes a full English breakfast and a four course dinner freshly prepared on board and silver served at your seat.

For a £10 per person discount please quote code: WON

a great day – The Safe Way – your welfare is our priority. Our travel procedures are available to view on our website. Refreshments available to purchase on board. Tables for two can be guaranteed in First/Premier for a £30pp supplement subject to availability. Junior and family fares available. Organised by The Railway Touring Company. The Railway Touring Company’s standard conditions

Bob Green

Bob Green

Promoting ‘buy local’ ethos at Phil’s Good Food

Abelief that not enough is done to promote local produce prompted Phil Edgecumbe to launch a new business during lockdown.

Formerly working in the lighting industry, Phil translated his own life ethos into his business. “It’s all about buying locally, knowing where your food has come from and not having lots of food miles. We strive to sell local, organic and exceptional foods while using sustainable practices that promote positive outcomes. We love products based around passion and craftmanship.”

Phil’s Good Food in Broad Street, Woking ham, stocks an Aladdin’s cave of tasty treats. “It is too easy for people to go to a large supermarket where items are over-packaged and they don’t know where things come from.

“We try and source things as locally as possible and if we have to go further afield, we use small producers. In buying direct from the supplier we know the whole process and we build relationships with the producers. It is almost like going back to the good old days.”

Phil firmly believes people are more conscious these days about what they

feed their families and they want to do their bit for the environment.

“We work with local, family-owned farms and food co-ops to bring quality products direct to the customer. All our local foods and drinks are from local producers within 25 miles of our shop.

“We try and only sell things we really believe are the best quality and are able to offer our customers the chance to sample many items before they buy.”

Barkham Blue cheese is an exam-

A brewing dream

Two years ago, Peter Rhodes realised a dream by opening his own micro-brewery in Wokingham. The unit, in Alexandra Court, is compact and fitted out in a comfortable but industrial style with seating right next to the brewing vessels so customers feel as though they are part of the process. The location falls within the site of the old Headington & Son brewery, which was sold in 1921, exactly 100 years before this brewery opened. Headington’s memorabilia can be seen above the bar paying homage to its predecessor. My Wokingham spoke to Peter about his hopes and dreams.

1. How did you first get into home brewing?

I’ve always wanted to try out things a little different to the norm. Growing up with a chef Dad, I have always had a keen eye in the hospitality sector and brewing some beer felt like a great idea. Can’t be that bad because I’m still going!

2. What did you like about it that inspired a business?

I took a redundancy at the start of lockdown and had a lot of time on my hands to think about where I’m going next in life. A few nudges from friends and family who believed in my abilities to run a brewpub got me over the line.

The idea of brewing beer for a living instead of being stuck in an office is a no brainer for me.

3. Where did the name Outhouse Brewery come from?

In lockdown I was staying at my girlfriend’s house and her house has a converted outhouse in the garden (utility room) that I quickly took over for brewing. When brewing I would say I was ‘going to the outhouse’ and the name was born.

4. How did you select your premises? What appealed to you about the area? It took a while to find a premises. We nearly opened in a small lock-up in Bracknell, but I stumbled across our current unit and pictured people walking past and looking into the windows, seeing the shiny silver fermenters. I think it has worked so far! Wokingham is a nice place and it’s reflective of our customers; they’re a pretty nice bunch of people.

5. Why did you choose Wokingham? Are you local to the area?

I chose Wokingham because I live here and have done for six years now but also because I know the market better than other areas. Who in Wokingham doesn’t know the drinking trade of Wokingham??

ple of an item that has come from just down the road. They have a deli counter with other cheeses and cured meats, sell crackers and dips, pastries and pasta as well as wine and a vast array of soft drinks. There are even a few eco gifts including wine bottles given a new lease of life and turned into vessels for gorgeous smelling candles, soaps and beeswax wraps.

Now into his third year of trading, Phil says it’s not been easy with the uncertainty in the economy but he loves being part of the Wokingham business community.

Phil’s Good Food is based at 2-4, Broad Street, Wokingham, RG40 1AB. For more information, call 0118 978 5155 or visit www.philsgoodfood.co.uk

6. Do you consider it a real family business?

My girlfriend Ellen and her family are always helping and contributing towards our operation, so I would say we’re a family business indeed. My Dad is good at taste testing the product (can’t wait for him to read that comment!)

7. What are your plans for the future? More premises etc?

I don’t want to give too much away, but we are actively looking for a second location. We will still brew all of our beers on site and keep with our USP of a being a brewpub.

8. Where does inspiration for the names of your beers come from and how do you select the other beers?

Beer names is probably the toughest part of my job. I come up with names based on experiences in life. For example, ‘Journey Juice’ is the name my girlfriend and I give to our

drinks when we’re travelling on a day out somewhere (the train, not driving, of course). Sometimes our staff name them. We’ve even had customers name beers. Our guest beers are selected based on what styles we want to ensure we have on our taps. We like to try and cover as many styles as possible in our 10 taps.

9. Do you hope to expand your special evenings and guest events?

Yes and I would recommend following us on social media or subscribing on our website to keep up to date with what’s going on. There’s lots of things to come! Our weekly quiz night is now in full force, each Wednesday at 7pm. Booking is recommended.

The Outhouse Brewery Ltd. Is at Unit 4 Southgate House, Alexandra Court, Wokingham, RG40 2SL. Email info@theouthousebrewery.com or visit www.theouthousebrewery.com

Phil’s Good Food

Local Beer Bonds Brewery

Beer time

Barkham Blue Cheese Wokingham

Gymnasts doing cartwheels over national award

Agymnastics club in Shinfield has won a national award, just two years after its launch and recently the squad got together to celebrate the achievement and thank their coaches.

Flexx Gymnastics was founded by Katherine Gale from Earley and Holly Lowe from Shinfield. With almost 40 years of combined coaching experience in gymnastics between them, from pre-school to international level, both Katherine and Holly have a wealth of knowledge to support their members.

The British Gymnastics Awards champion the people and clubs throughout the sport that go above and beyond to create fun, safe and accessible gymnastics for all – and Katherine and Holly discovered they had won the Community Club Award (for under 250 members).

On hearing that they had won, Katherine admitted she shed a few tears then said: “Just to be nominated was a real honour but we were bowled over to win.”

The club was actually celebrating its second birthday on the day the

announcement was made. Katherine added: “Because we started small, we never thought it was possible that we would win. We are in shock and are absolutely over the moon to say we have won this national award! We can’t tell you what it means to us!! Gymnas-

Local strong women raise the bar for charity by lifting 230,000 tons

tics has been our lives since we were pre-schoolers and this is the only job we’ve known! Our passion for gymnastics is huge and to be able to teach it to the next generation and pass on our knowledge and love for the sport as a living is a dream!”

Flexx Gymnastics was nominated for the award by the head of Aldergrove School who gave them their first premises when they launched.

Their general gymnastics classes, at School Green Community Centre, are fun-filled and suitable for both girls and boys of all abilities. Gymnasts will have a chance to explore a wide range of new activities and equipment. The club provides high-quality coaching so all children will have the opportunity to learn new skills, gain confidence and, more importantly, have fun whilst being active.

The gymnastics holiday classes will give your children the opportunity to try a range of fun equipment, games and activities. They are a great way for girls and boys to be active and learn new skills.

Katherine added: “It means the work that we have put in and what we have tried to create for the community has worked. We wanted to put gymnastics out there for everyone so we are very proud.”

For more information, visit www. flexxgymnastics.co.uk or email info@ flexxgymnastics.co.uk

Personal Trainers open Elevate3sixty Wokingham

Wokingham gym, Énergie Fitness celebrated International Womens Day by taking part in a challenge with a difference.

The class, Learn to Lift, is one of Énergie’s most popular classes and boasts a supportive community of women of all ages and fitness levels who want to get stronger. One member said “We started because we wanted to start lifting weights and the classes offer us the guidance we need to feel confident and go it alone. The support from the PTs and other gym members is unreal”.

For International Women’s Day, the gym offered a 30 member class inviting them to deadlift, bench press, leg press and hip thrust their way to 10,000 tons each, all under the supervision of trained coaches.

“Wow, that was awesome, loved it! And loved the friendly vibe.” Said one participant after achieving her target.

“In my time as a coach, I see a lot of women who fear the weights area and don’t lift as they lack confidence. Resistance training has so many benefits for women ranging from stronger bones, a faster metabolism and reduced injury risk throughout life. At Énergie we view it as an essential part of our members’ training routine,” Coach Aldine commented regarding the popularity of the classes.

“We would love to welcome even more women to give it a go!”

The event raised over £300 through donations for charity Refuge which offers support to victims of domestic violence. For more information on becoming part of the community, contact 0118 214 2054.

Elevate3sixty, a small group Personal Trainer gym In Wokingham, opened their doors to the community for their summer games day.

A brilliant opportunity to bring the community together and celebrate their members progress with their fitness journeys through paired competitive events they’d been working towards. A day full of motivation, personal bests and plenty of laughs! Rounded off with a BBQ for members, coaches and everyone who came.

Elevate3sixty helps a wide variety of people to make a change to their fitness, weight and rekindle a good relationship with exercise. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in getting involved in, reach out or head

down to speak to a coach!

E3S is situated off Molly Millers Lane in Wokingham . Feel free to give us a call on 07940458964 for any information .Check us out on Facebook and Instagram to meet the coaches and see regular updates.

Flexx Gym

Coach Michaela enjoying the efforts from the members

Mike and Mark setting the pace

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About Jacquie Case

What is happening to love?

In England and Wales according to the Office for National Statistics 241,080 marriages happened in 2019, which was the lowest number since 1895.

In the same report the ages of people getting married is increasing. The average age for a man is 38yrs, and for women 36yrs.

Matchmaker / Dating & Relationship Coach

With a combination of training, knowledge, science and skill I help people find and maintain healthy relationships. Why do love on your own when you can have some help.

My Certificates

Professional Matchmaker

Relationship Psychology

Relationship Counselling

Master NLP Practitioner

Integral Eye Movement Practitioner

Mental Health First Aider

Rapid Solution Therapist

Inner Child Healing

CBT Practitioner

The number of single people in the UK has also been increasing, with 7.7 million single-person households in 2019, an increase of 16% compared to 20 years earlier.

It is estimated that around 34% of the adult population is single. This percentage includes people looking for a relationship and those who are not.

There was a survey done by Mintel and 41% of UK singles who have tried dating apps reported feeling disheartened by the experience. There is a significant number of singles that are looking for alternative ways in meeting a potential partner.

So where do people meet their future partners?

When you were younger you had a very large pool of people that allowed

you to meet and mix with new people. Then as you go into work, depending on where you work, your pool of people might have got smaller. Then slowly your friends start to pair off and you are left wondering how to meet potential future partners. If you do not want to use dating

apps, there are alternative ways to meet potential partners. You could consider working with a local matchmaker who organises social events. This is a friendly, no pressure way in meeting other singles.

Jacquie Case – Dating & Relationship Coach/ Matchmaker at Introducingu2love.co.uk

Outdoor cinema events

Pack a bag and ready the troops.... summer adventures are coming!! Go Cinemas returns this sum mer with outdoor cinema experiences in one of Berkshire’s most stunning country parks, Dinton Pastures. This year is big ger and better with a massive six-piece line-up.

This year will be very special as it’s both an outdoor cinema with summer party, featuring a live 3hr DJ set, fancy dress, competitions and prizes.

Hurst-based Nom Boxx have created a top selection of locally-sourced premi um street food with offerings themed to each film. To perfectly complement the food offering we have one of Berkshire's favourite gin & fizz mobile bar who will be delivering fantastic cocktail demonstrations as well as a vast selection of drinks, including some rather special themed cocktails. To finish off the trio of local vendors we are joined by a Wokingham legend, Unholy Doughnuts sup-

Tickets please visit Gocinemas.co.uk/ events

Dispelling the myths as every tattoo tells a story

Anew tattoo studio in Wokingham is hoping to make the whole process more approachable for people of all walks of life.

The name, Ragnarok, is recognised in Scandinavian Viking mythology and represents the studio’s co-owners, Nik and James, who are often referred to by customers as Vikings.

Nik comes from a family well known for their tattoo expertise but the whole

team at Ragnarok wants to dispel some of the myths surrounding tattoo studios.

Team member Jenny, who specialises in piercings, said most people associate such places with big, rugged men, and while Ragnarok has its fair quota of those, there are also many female artists who bring a whole new dimension to the skill.

“There is a lot of stereotyping around

tattoo studios, but we want to be more approachable. A lot of people are opting to get a tattoo later in life, maybe to mark a special milestone. We want to develop a relationship with our clients and build up a real trust.”

Specialising in tattoo design, copy & paste, laser/alteration and piercings, Ragnarok prides itself on its creativity, its customer satisfaction - reflected in the number of five-star

reviews they have received - and its exceptional cleanliness and approach to hygiene.

Jenny added: “Every tattoo tells a story and we want to build great customer relations and provide a real personal touch.”

Ragnarok Inc, is based at Sure Store, Unit 5 Molly Millars Lane, Wokingham, RG41 2QJ. For more information, call 07477 578004.

Jo

Verity

Anna Jenny

Woodley United FC

Woodley United FC (Berks & Bucks FA club of the year 2022), held its end of season presentation and family fun day on Sunday 21st May 2023 at its home of UofR Bulmershe Pavilion, Woodley.

The event was attended by players, family and friends of players from the clubs forty plus teams ranging from mini-kickers to adult men’s and ladies’ teams. In addition to the team presentations, a bbq was provided for attendees who also took the opportunity to visit and partake in activities stall holders provided and a raffle that saw over fifty prizes donated, many form local businesses which the club is thankful for.

In attendance was the club’s principal sponsor KJ Smith Solicitors who helped to celebrate the ladies team winning the Southern Regional Women’s Football League Division One North title, the u11 girls winning Berkshire County Girls Football League’s u11 knockout trophy, u12 Spitfires winning Division One of Berkshire Youth Development League and u18 Mohawks winning u18 Division Two of East Berks Football Alliance. The u14 Spitfires were runners up in East Berks Football Alliance Division Eight with u9 Whirlwinds, u12 Spitfires and u12 Typhoons finalists in Berkshire Youth Development League finals.

Cooking the burgers up

Woodley United boys football team

Woodley United under 16’s Champs

Woodley Ladies first team win the league

The ladies won Southern Region Women’s Division One North title earning promotion to the league’s Premier Division a season after being relegated from the same division. In winning the league by four points from runner up Milton United, the team won ten successive games during which only one goal was conceded. May Hamblin was equal top scorer in the division with thirteen goals. Manager’s Player of the Season is Michelle Quinn with Gemma Simms being the Supporters’ Player of the Season.

The ladies’ team return to pre-season training on 27th June 2023. Further details can be obtained from team manager Marc Surtees m.surtees@sky.com.

Woodley United FC Girl action

Woodley United Boys football teams

Woodley United Ladies football teams

Woodley United Mini footballers

The British motor industry has a rich and illustrious history, with some of the most iconic cars ever produced. From luxury sports speedsters to rugged off-roaders, the UK has produced vehicles that have captured the hearts of petrolheads around the world.

1. Land Rover Defender

The Land Rover Defender is an iconic British off-roader that has been in production since 1948. Originally designed for agricultural use, the Defender has become a symbol of British engineering and adventure. Renowned for its ruggedness and reliability, it has been used by the military, farmers, and explorers all over the world.

2. Mini

The Mini is a British motoring icon that first appeared in 1959. Originally designed by Sir Alec Issigonis, the Mini was a revolutionary car that was small, agile and cheap to run. It quickly became a cultural icon, featuring in films such as The Italian Job and becoming synonymous with the Swinging Sixties. The Mini went on to become one of the best-selling cars in British history.

3. Lotus Elise

The Lotus Elise is a lightweight sports car that was first introduced in 1996. The car was designed to be a pure driver’s car, with an emphasis on agility,

handling, and performance.

The original Elise was powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that could produce up to 190 horsepower, and could accelerate from 0-60mph in just 4.9 seconds.

4. Jaguar E-Type

The Jaguar E-Type is often cited as one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Introduced in 1961, this sports car was an instant hit thanks to its sleek styling, impressive performance, and affordable price tag.

The E-Type was powered by a 3.8-li-

tre six-cylinder engine that could propel it to a top speed of 150mph, making it one of the fastest cars of its time.

5. Bentley Continental GT

The Bentley Continental GT is a luxury grand tourer that was first introduced in 2003. The car is known for its exquisite craftsmanship, refined performance and luxurious interior.

Powered by a 6.0-litre W12 engine, the Continental combines style and substance in immaculate fashion.

6. MG MGB

The MG MGB is a classic British sports

Brilliant British cars Custom Bike Show Wokingham helps give food to the homeless

More than 450 bikers gathered at Wokingham’s Pinewood Bar & Café on Sunday 21th May for this year’s Custom Bike Show. The annual event which is organised by the Motorcycle Owners Group featured a best-inclass competition.

My Wokingham publisher Nick Marr spoke to one of the organisers, Colin Hawkins, who said: “This is all about bikers coming together and making a difference for what we call PROJECT SERENA. It’s a project for the homeless in Reading where we go out once a month, we feed the home less, we have clothes, tents and sleeping bags - we really do our best for them. Today is just brilliant, it’s amazing that we have 450 bikes here. We have support from local businesses, local bike groups and clubs - we are so pleased that everybody has turned up for the show.”

When asked about how the charity started Colin explained: “The project was started about five years ago when we walked around Reading town centre one evening. We saw people sleeping rough in shop doorways, around the back of lo-

cal churches. We all thought we must do something about it. At the end of the day, we go to our homes and we are ok and these people are not.

“There is a nurse who I am friends with who works at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading. Her name is Serena Swanson and she used to go around and see the homeless and provide them with flasks of soup and feed these people. With her in mind we thought that as a group we should do something and help. What started as flasks ended up with tables of hot food, snacks from packets of crisps to chocolates and bottles of water. During the winter months we also give out clothes, sleeping bags and tents.”

PROJECT SERENA is funded by the Thames Valley Vultures, a motorcycle-owners group.

The Custom Bike Show is a free-toattend event with money raised by the group selling raffle tickets and the various items offered for sale. Every penny raised goes directly to PROJECT SERENA. Colin added: “Listening to their stories we realise that it could be any of us, indeed many of us are just a few wage packets away from potentially losing our homes.”

PROJECT SERENA

On the first Sunday of every month at 5pm, the project van is parked at the old Market Place, opposite Reading Minster Church. They supply food, drink and clothes as well as sleeping bags and tents, to those who are living on Reading’s streets.

car that was produced between 1962 and 1980. The car was designed to be affordable and practical, and quickly became one of the best-selling sports cars of all time.

The MGB was powered by a 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that produced 95 horsepower, and could accelerate from 0-60mph in 11 seconds.

7. Rolls-Royce Phantom

Rolls-Royce is one of the most prestigious car brands in the world, and the Phantom is its flagship model.

Introduced in 1925, the Phantom has been the choice of royalty, heads of state, and the rich and famous ever since. The car is famous for its luxurious interior, smooth ride, and attention to detail. The latest Phantom model, released in 2017, features a 6.75-litre V12 engine and can accelerate from 0-60mph in just 5.3 seconds.

8. Aston Martin DB5

The Aston Martin DB5 is one of the most iconic British sports cars of all time, and is best known for its appearance in the James Bond films. The car was produced between 1963 and 1965, and featured a 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine that could propel it to a top speed of 145mph. The DB5 was also one of the most expensive cars of its time, and was a symbol of luxury and sophistication.

The project does not give out cash or anything that helps in the use of drugs or alcohol but aims to give direct help, food, clothes and sleeping bags.

Every month the project feed about 50 people who have fallen on hard times, in many cases through no fault of their own.

The project is non-judgmental, non-religious and helps as many people as they can, motivated purely by trying to help others in need.

If you’d like to help, drop them a line at PS@tvvultures.co.uk

All donations of tomato soup, dry pet food and good quality clothes are gratefully received. Any monetary donations will only be used in the support of the project. No-one is paid, they are all volunteers.

Colin Hawkins

Ultra marathon

Running a 100km marathon is not for the feint-hearted – but try doing it with an injury sustained just three weeks before the big day. That is exactly what Neil Davis is doing, along with his friend and running partner Joe Alderslade.

The pair are running in memory of a former colleague, Win Patterson, previously deputy head at St Crispin’s School, who was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease.

Both also former teachers at St Crispin’s, they have been training twice a week, running between seven and 10 miles until Neil tripped in a pothole and nearly broke his ankle. Yet despite the injury, he is still determined to take part in the event on June 16th and 17th.

The pair have completed three together before including the Race to

the Stones and Race to the Tower and this time it is the Race to the King. Designed to challenge the most experienced Ultra participant, whilst providing the perfect entry point for those taking on their first ultra-marathon, the 100km takes you on a journey to the Chichester coast before looping back to Goodwood Racecourse and out towards Arundel Castle and the heights of the South Downs.

Neil said: “Win was more than just a boss to us. We have taken part in ultra-marathons before, sometimes to

raise money for MND research and sometimes to try and raise the profile. Our target this time was £900 and just yesterday we hit the £1,600 mark.”

Win retired as deputy head in the summer of 2018 and was diagnosed just six months later. He passed away in February 2020 just before Covid hit.

Neil said: “We have been in contact with his wife and daughter on a regular basis and they have been very supportive of our fundraising efforts. It is frustrating because we were hoping

to beat our previous time but even if I have to walk some of it, I am determined to complete it.”

And he added the recent exposure given to the disease by rugby player Rob Burrow MBE was amazing. “We are in absolute awe of what he has been able to achieve. It makes our efforts look very poor in comparison. But hopefully we will do Win proud.”

If you would like to donate to the cause, visit https://www.justgiving. com/fundraising/neil-joe

It’s party time for Dingley’s Promise as charity prepares to mark 40 years

AWokingham Charity is gearing up for a huge celebration to mark its work supporting children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) over the past 40 years.

Families from across the country will be gathering at Camp Mohawk in Berkshire for a day of festivities on Sunday, June 11, to mark the milestone birthday of Dingley’s Promise. Those looking to join the Dingley family are also welcome.

The charity was launched in Reading, Berkshire, and has since opened centres across the country to support more families. It also runs a national training program to aid early years practitioners in supporting SEND children and working more inclusively.

Catherine McLeod, CEO of Dingley’s Promise, said: “We are delighted to be able to celebrate our 40th year of giving the best start to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by holding this big event for our families past and present.

“We look forward to welcoming our families and seeing all of the children using the facilities, enjoying refreshments and playing together on the day.”

Dingley’s Promise offers nursery provision and developmental support to children with Special Educational

Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in the early years, with the aim of ensuring every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Charlotte James, who together with her daughter Emilia, is supported by Dingley’s Promise and is attending Camp Mohawk, said: “Dingley’s Promise has been an amazing support for us.

“Even before Emilia started the nursery, they supported us at the family support sessions where they were always happy to listen and answer any questions I had.

Camp Mohawk is a multi-functional day centre for children with special needs set in five acres of ancient woodland in Berkshire. It provides a safe haven for children to enjoy

a range of indoor and outdoor activities year-round in a secure and caring environment.

Catherine added: “We welcome any families we have worked with over the last 40 years to join us, so please contact sara.dean@dingley.org.uk for more information about the event and how you can join the fun.”

Dingley’s Promise is growing the reach of their specialist provision nationally, to ensure that more children with SEND are given the best start and more families are supported.

They are also ambitious in their target to train practitioners in mainstream settings across the country via their Comic Relief funded training, with the aim of reaching 30,000 practitioners in their 5-year program.

To find out more about Dingley’s Promise visit dingley.org.uk.

Neil Davis and Joe Alderslade

Fun in the sun as crowds flock to children’s fun day

WORDS BY JACKY HAYLER

PHOTOS BY JACKY HAYLER

The sun was smiling on Wokingham last Saturday (May 27th) when they held their children’s fun day at Langborough Recreation Ground.

The annual event, that has been running for more than 10 years, was officially opened by the new town council mayor Sally Gurney.

The event is completely funded by Wokingham Town Council. Town clerk, Katy Hughes, said people had been coming up to her and thanking the town council and their volunteers all day. “We have been very fortunate with the weather and people have been coming from miles around. The day is intended to be a low-pressure day where people are encouraged to come and enjoy themselves, bring a picnic, and not feel under pressure to spend lots of money.”

There were lots of funfair rides to experience. Finlay Galloway, aged five, who attends Westcott School, was enjoying the bungee frame. His mum Amy said: “We have never been before, and I can’t believe it - it’s absolutely amazing. I can’t imagine many towns offer something like this. Long may it continue.”

Animals were quite a feature of the day with Millets Wildside showcasing their falconry, there was ferret racing and Millets Ark Farm had donkeys, piglets and goats at their petting farm. Representative Helen Watts said: We are having a great day. I can’t believe how well it has been organised – it was

absolutely seamless.”

Wokingham’s My Journey was there with their bicycle smoothie maker and Mike Tait from Circus Scene was entertaining the crowds with his juggling and plate-spinning prowess.

Mindset Unlimited, founded by Alex Legouis, was also there with their letterbox, encouraging children to write letters to themselves which get sent back to them in six months.

My Wokingham spoke to Matt Keel about the stand. “We are here to introduce youngsters to the world of mindfulness, showing that it is accessible to everyone. We have been doing child-focused taster sessions with fun yoga as an introduction to the mats.

“We work closely with Wokingham Town Council and Wokingham in Bloom building a community and showing that mind, body and being outside and in nature are all closely linked.”

He added that he thought the event was lovely and much bigger than he expected.

There was also face-painting, sparkle tattoos, and pottery painting run by The

Cowshed.

AND PAUL KING

On the bungee: Finlay Galloway, aged five

A walk on the wildside: Handler Ross Thomson with Reggie

At the postbox: Max Mogford, aged six, and sister Freya, four

Making banana, berry and apple smoothie: Four-year-old Shaniyah Hyman

Face-painting: Mya Chinduta, aged six from Wokingham

Plate-spinning: Darcie Webb, aged six, with Mike Tait from Circus Scene

Children love the giant bubbles

Members of Wokingham in Bloom

Big crowds at the Wokingham Childrens fun day at Langborough Recreation Ground Wokingham

Meet 1 st Winnersh Scout Group

Boys’ Brigade parade in Woodley

BY NICK MARR

1st Woodley Boys’ Brigade is a uniformed group for boys aged 5 to 17 years who meet at Christ Church on Crockhamwell Rd on Wednesday nights. They are part of Mid Southern England Battalion that has seven companies from around the local area.

Lt. Craig Lunnon, 1st Woodley

“Every year we have an annual church parade which one of the companies hosts, this year was 1st Woodley’s turn. There were over 50 boys and officers from the seven companies represented on Sunday 21st May 2023. 3rd Reading Company had the honour of providing the colour party carrying the Battalion and King’s Colours. 2nd Alton Company provided the band. We marched from Beechwood School around local roads to Christ Church at 2.30pm where we had a church service and then marched back”

When and where do they meet?

Woodley Boys’ Brigade is made up of sections according to the following age groups:

Anchor Boys (Years 1-3) - 6pm-7pm

Junior Section (Years 4-6) - 6:30pm-

8pm

Company Section (Years 7-9)7:15pm-9:15pm

Senior Section (Years 10-13) - 7:15pm9:30pm What they do?

Activities vary according to age. Anchors enjoy plenty of games, stories, colouring and craft activities. For more detail see Anchors.

Juniors have sports, games and crafts, but some more adventurous sessions too, such as cooking and crate-stacking, and in the summer, outdoor games and boat trips! They gain various badges along the way to be worn with their uniform. For more detail see Juniors.

Company and Senior Sections also enjoy sports, games and badge-related activities - such as more adventurous cooking and crafts. There are opportuni-

ties for “off-site” trips such as swimming, 10-pin bowling and golf. In the summer, there are expeditions, canoeing, boat trips and camps.

Morris & clog dancing both on the menu at the Jolly Farmer Pub

Pub regulars at the Jolly Farmer Pub, Davis Street, Hurst were treated to an evening of Morris dancing from The Hurst Morris People and the Tilehurst Tattoo dancers.

Crowds gathered to watch their local dancers in action.

1st Woodley Boy’s Brigade handing over the colours to the vicar at Christ Church Methodist church

1st Woodley Boy’s Brigade on a Parade

PHOTOS BY PAUL KING

Tilehurst Tattoo Clog dancers at the Jolly Farmer Pub

Hurst Morris People and the Tilehurst Tatto

Hurst Morris People in action at the Jolly Farmer Pub Hurst Jolly Farmer Pub Hurst

Feeling hot, hot, hot as Woodley Carnival brings community together

BY JACKY HAYLER

PHOTOS BY PAUL KING

Afly-past by a Spitfire kicked off Woodley Carnival at the weekend.

The annual carnival brought community groups and businesses together in Woodford Park for the biggest outdoor event in Woodley town’s calendar.

The beautiful weather continued to make this one of the hottest carnival days on record. Braving the heat was former Prime Minister and MP for Maidenhead and Sonning resident Teresa May, who took to the stage.

There was a classic car show, featuring some iconic motors from days gone by and JAC Outreach brought a range of animals, including ponies, a giant tortoise, and some goats.

The dog show was touch and go because of the heat but went ahead with plenty of water supplied and as much shade as possible. Categories included cutest puppy, best rescue, longest lay down and stay, loveliest lady and fabulous fella. Winners of each category went forward for the judges’ champion.

Always at the heart of the carnival are performances by local groups and this year did not disappoint. Music was well catered for as the Barberettes kicked off the afternoon with California Dreaming, closely followed by a performance from the Primary School Choir. And there was lots of dance from BPD Dance Company, the Advance School of Dance, Allied School of Dance and Nive Indian Dance. Kick Twist were your cheerleaders for the day and the Starmaker Theatre Company also took to the stage.

For younger visitors there was a variety of free activities thanks to their headline sponsors.

Kids could go for a bounce around the Inflatable World thanks to Woodleys Estate Agents, watch some jaw dropping BMX Stunts by Team M.A.D thanks to Trademark Windows, take a trip on the Smiley Train courtesy of Lock Solutions or go exploring in the mobile cave thanks to K J Smith Solicitors.

Community groups love Woodley Carnival and there were plenty to choose from for a chat. The guides and scouts were there along with charities including Oxfam, JAC, ARC Counselling, the Salvation Army, Lunch Bunch, the Lions’ human fruit machine and Thames Valley Hospice. And the overwhelming response from those manning the stalls was how well the day had been organised.

My Wokingham spoke to one of the committee team Maggie Carroll as she manned the information gazebo. “The carnival is nearly a year in the making as planning starts at the beginning of September. We had a fabulous team of groundsmen setting everything up

from Thursday – people don’t realise how much goes into organising the carnival. The logistics team are amazing but we are all passionate about the event.”

And the party didn’t end when the sun went down.

The popular evening concert was one big party full of community spirit and fun.

With the stalls and attractions from the afternoon packed away there was plenty of space to spread out and enjoy a picnic in the park.

Topping the bill once again was the fabulous Vintage Sound Collective with their blend of authentic, classy, soul, funk, reggae, pop and disco tracks.

They were ably supported by The Side Project with high energy rock classics, Brit Pop/Indie band Brick Top and Soultrax, who opened the evening at 6pm with their soulful sounds.

With a firework finale lighting the sky to bring the 2023 carnival to a close, it rounded off a fun-filled day for another year – see you for Woodley Carnival 2024!

Woodley RAF Cardets

MP Matt Rudda, businessman John Hicks who started Woodley Carnival and former PM Teresa May

Dancing the night away

Flower Display Great fun

Hugh crowds at Woodley Carnival

BMX stunt rider in mid air thrills the crowds RAF Hurricane fly pass at Woodley Carnival

Bumper car ride: this little driver goes for a spin Girls wanna have fun

Football team-mates step it out to raise money for RSPCA

Five team-mates from Earley walked from their football club to Reading Women’s FC to raise money for charity.

Beatrice Brown, Iris O’Brien, Faye Gorringe, Annabelle Taylor and Ariana Porter are all members of Laurel Park FC in Lower Earley and did their epic challenge to raise money for the RSPCA.

Annabelle had the initial idea to do the walk after being inspired by Ariana who did a sponsored bike ride earlier in the year. She then asked her teammates if they would like to help her. Beatrice, Faye and Ariana go to Radstock Primary, Iris goes to Hawkedon Primary and Annabelle goes to Hillside Primary.

Annabelle’s mum, Karina said: “The whole team has developed a strong bond over their mutual love of football and are now the closest of friends.

Eight-year-old Faye is already thinking of their next charity fundraiser!

“The girls all love animals. They knew straight away they wanted to support a charity that helps animals and found the late Queen was a supporter of the RSPCA when researching charities.”

And Iris added: “We chose this charity as I love my doggy and we want all animals to be as loved as him!”

Annabelle, aged eight, has two Rabbits (Lavender and Rosie) and a dog called Ozzy, Iris, aged seven, has a dog called Toby and Ariana, seven, has a dog call Buddy. The girls especially love it when the dogs come down to watch them at football training!

The walk ended up being 4.6 miles

long and it took the girls just one hour 40 minutes!

Karina said: “We are all so incredibly proud of all the girls and their enthusiasm. Their spirits were high the whole way. They skipped, they did the conga, they did cartwheels and ran their way to the finish line. When they saw the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the distance shortly after the halfway mark they cheered together, and their spirits boosted. We are so proud of their selfless attitudes and their hard work and supporting one another. A real team spirit!”

Laurel Park are proud of them two. “It shows the importance of clubs like this in the community. It is not just about

the kids having fun and being active, it is about building a community and that is what Laurel Park is, a community.”

The chairman, Ian Jobson, came down to the club to cheer them off on their start and gave them some sweets to eat along the way to keep their energy high and the club also sponsored the girls as well as promoted their efforts on social media to help their efforts.

The girls have now raised £1,050 doubling their target.

Karina concluded: “When they hit the £1,000 mark on Saturday, they were absolutely ecstatic! They kept asking us to check how much now and they were over the moon to have raised so much.”

Hello reader, let me introduce myself Attention, Wokingham Borough aspiring

I’m James, I’m 14 and live near Wokingham. I was given an opportunity to write for My Wokingham teenagers.

I feel I’m not alone in wondering how to finance my next purchase independent of the family purse. So that begs the question, what is the best side-hustle for teens?

Some of my ideas:

1. The classic Lemonade stand. Once you’ve nailed the recipe, it’s up to marketing. You have to sell that lemonade and while being under 18 may help you on a sympathy level, you have to get your customers. A small investment to pay for the ingredients pays off later.

2. Odd jobs. While the work may be hard and the reward may not be massive, everyone is capable of doing something worth at least £10. So once you’ve found your odd job niche, the cash will start rolling in as your expertise increases, so it’s important not to give up.

3. (My personal favorite) Busking! In my opinion, this is the easiest way to make money as a young person. You only need some courage and time to succeed. Sympathy is also a huge factor as well as what you play. Once in the Bull Ring, Birmingham, I made just shy of £200 in 30 mins, so give it a try.

There’s a long summer ahead of us, so put your talents to use!

James

teenage writers!

Are you passionate about expressing your thoughts, sharing your unique perspectives, and making a difference in the world around you? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to showcase your talent and creativity. We invite you to unleash your inner wordsmith and contribute an article to our esteemed newspaper.

By writing an article for our newspaper, you have the chance to reach a wide audience eager to hear fresh perspectives and unique stories. Your words can capture the attention of readers of all ages, provoke thoughtful discussions, and challenge the status quo.

Don’t worry if you feel unsure or in-

experienced. We value the voices of young writers like yourself and believe in your potential. Our team of experienced editors will be there to support you every step of the way, providing guidance, feedback, and polishing your work to ensure it truly shines.

So, take a leap of faith, embrace your creativity, and join our community newspaper where we celebrate the Wokingham Borough.

Write to FAQ of Nick Marr info@ mywokingham.co.uk Your voice matters, and together, we can shape a better world through the power of words. Submit your article today and let your ideas take flight!

What’s on

June 14th to 17th: Woodley Light Operatic Society – Anything Goes, Kenton Theatre, Henley. Doors open 7.45pm. Tickets £17, concessions £16, three ticket offer for £45. Children under 16 £10. www.wlos.co.uk

June 16th: Unpacking Art II: Rocking the Rossettis: Wokingham Library, 2pm-3pm

In parallel with Tate Britain’s major Rossetti exhibition: the lives, loves and legacy across the arts of these 19th century romantic radicals. An illustrated talk by artist Chris Holley and the second in the Unpacking art series. Free talk but places must be booked.

www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/

June 17th: Reusable Period Product Drop-In Session- Lower Earley Library, 10am-12noon

Community Menstrual Project All Yours will be holding a drop-in session for anyone who wants to find out more about reusable period products or has questions about how to use them successfully. There will be lots of examples of reusable period products to look at and free examples of period pants and wet bags for those who would like to give them a go at home. Drop-in and have a chat, no booking necessary.

June 20th to 24th: Woodley Theatre, Oakwood Centre, Headley Road, Woodley. Educating Rita. Performance &.45pm. Visit www.woodleytheatre.org. Call the box office on 07488 337838 or email boxoffice.woodleytheatre@ gmail.com

June 20th to 24th: Royal Ascot Call 0344 346 3000 or email: enquiries@ascot.com www.ascot.com

June 21st: Early Independents in the Bracknell, Crowthorne and Wokingham Area: Wokingham Library 10.30am-11.30m

A free illustrated talk by Paul Lacey, rescheduled from March, which covers all the local independent bus and coach operators in the Bracknell, Crowthorne and Wokingham areas from the 1920s to the 1960s.

A matching book will be available to purchase at special offer price on the day.

www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/

June 22nd: When There Were Birds - A Talk with Roy and Lesley Adkins at Wokingham Library, 2pm-3pm

Roy and Lesley Adkins are historians and authors, whose books include Eavesdropping on Jane Austen’s England, Jack Tar and Gibraltar. In their talk, they will explore fascinating and often forgotten stories about birds in history, from gunpow-

der to lighthouses, railways, witches, shipwrecks and even migration to the moon.

Free talk but places must be booked. www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/

June 22nd: Harley Davidson garage, Wokingham Road, Earley

Bike Night – celebrating 120 years of Harley Davidson with three-piece, 50s-style band

June 24th: Chai Nasto/Coffee and Cake at Woodley Library - 10am-2pm

Charity coffee morning in aid of Dementia UK held by Gujarat Samaj Reading (GSR). Drop-In Event.

June 24th: All Saints Church, London Rd, Wokingham

Join Trinity Concert Band for a rousing celebration of some of the greatest film and TV music ever written. www.trinityband.co.uk

June 24th: Loddon Hall, Twyford Twyford Singers summer concert. 7.30pm to 10pm. Visit www.twyford-singers.org.uk

June 24th and 25th: Hurst Show and Country Fayre – 10am to 5pm Sat, 10am to 4pm Sun. Martineau Green, St Nicholas Primary School and Hurst Village Halls and Scout Hut. www.hurstshow.uk

June 25th: Wargrave 10k, 10am. Affiliated: £20, Non-Affiliated: £22, entry on the day (affiliated & non-affiliated): £25. Kids Fun Run: 9.15am, £5, entry on the day: £6 Wargrave Recreation Ground, Wargrave, RG10 8DX. For more information visit www. wargraveandtwyfordrunners.co.uk

June 25th: The Mill at Sonning –The Definitive Rat Pack, dinner 6pm, performance 8.15pm.

Call 0118 969 8000 or visit www. themillatsonning.com

June 27th to July 2nd: Henley Royal Regatta. Experience the atmosphere of the most prestigious event in the British rowing calendar.

Call 01491 572153, email email@ hrr.co.uk or visit www.hrr.co.uk

June 30th: R Young Gallery,1 Southgate House, Wokingham,

RG40 2SL. Poppies in the Breeze

Learn how to paint a beautiful landscape scene of bright poppies gently moving in the breeze with artist Jean Kidwell using watercolours.

Tel: 0118 9798558 or email: info@ ryoung-art.com

July 1st: Party in the Park, Hurst. Annual live music event organised by Hurst Football Club. Prepare to party with live bands and Superstar DJ. Supporting Hurst Football Club Youth. 6pm – midnight. Age 18+ only. Tickets £18 (purchased in advance online - no admission without a ticket) Stow Bridge, Hinton Road, Hurst, RG10 0BP.

July 5th: Meet Tina MacNaughton- Author visit at Wokingham Library, 12noon - 1pm

Come and meet local author Tina MacNaughton, who will be talking about and signing copies of her book, bittersweet romance Delphy Rose at Wokingham Library. Just drop-in!

To book for any events at the libraries or for more information please visit https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/ libraries/ and go to their Events pages

July 5th to 9th: Henley Festival, Leander Club, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2LP.

5th Rag’n’Bone Man

6th Westlife

7th Nile Rodgers & CHIC

8th Ministry of Sound Classical

9th Sunday Sessions: Kanneh-Mason Trio, Ronnie Scott’s and Vanessa Haynes presents ‘Aretha Franklin –Queen of Soul’, Boney M, Jack Dee Call 01491 843404 or visit www. henley-festival.co.uk

July 6th to 9th: Shinfield Players, Whitley Wood Lane – Senior youth group show: Grease.

Performances 7.30pm and 2pm on Sunday. Call 0118 975 8880.

July 15th: Wokingham Lions auction of promises

St Pauls Parish rooms, Wokingham, 7pm www.wokinghamlions.org.

July 18th: Twyford Donkey Derby and summer fair, King George V Field, Loddon Hall Road, Twyford, RG10 9JA. Gates open 12.30pm with first race at 1.30pm. As it co-insides with Father’s Day you can name a donkey after your day!

July 20th to 29th: Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, Wokingham. Shakespeare in Love. Tickets £15. Call 0118 989 0395 or visit www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk

July 22nd to 23rd: Dinton Pastures, Marvellous Festival. 2023 sees the 20th anniversary, the family-friendly tribute festival providing a huge variety of entertainment for all ages. www.marvellousfestivals.com

Home Library Services

Are you unable to reach your local library due to ill health, disability or because you are caring for someone? WBC Libraries Home Library Services can deliver to you. This service is completely free of charge to customers. Email volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk

Summer Reading Challenge –young volunteers needed

Are you 16 to 24 years of age? Would you be interested in volunteering with WBC Libraries for the Summer Reading Challenge. Volunteers are offered a minimum of four hours volunteering across the Summer, with sessions run at Woodley, Wokingham, and Lower Earley libraries July – September 2023. The closing date for applications is June 23rd.

Enquiries can be made at volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk

Ignite writing volunteers needed

The Ignite Writing Group at Wokingham Library are looking for support. This club has two sessions on a Saturday at 9.45am-11.30am and 11.45-1.15pm.

The Ignite Writing Group is run by a dedicated group of volunteers lead by Alex Baker, aiming to encourage young people to develop their creative writing skills and engage with literature.

Enquiries can be made at volunteer@wokingham.gov.uk

Pub music festival was ‘Wheelie’ great weekend

Apub in Hurst became the area’s top music venue last weekend when they staged a two-day festival.

Wheelie Fest took place at the Wheelwright Arms in Davis Way, Hurst with a great line-up of musicians and singers.

The festival was put together by Woodley singer/songwriter Nicole Allan who brought all kinds of local music to the pub during the bank holiday weekend.

Nicole is no stranger on the local music scene and recently released her

single Should Have Known Better.

An annual event, this was the fifth Wheelie Fest having missed a couple of years because of Covid but it was also the first time they have run it over two days – and it was so popular it is set to become a two-day event every year.

Run by pub managers Daryl and Katie Cooper, they released 600 tickets just to give them an idea of how many people to cater for – but with drops-ins as well it looks like more people than ever enjoyed the event.

Daryl said: “Nicole did a fantastic

job and booked some great acts from around the area including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and London. We were really lucky with the weather and the beer garden was jam-packed. We were very busy, and I would like to thank the whole team here for really pulling together and making it a huge success.”

Daryl, who himself is a big fan of live music, added: “An event like this really brings the community together. We had a lot of locals in although we did have people from as far afield as High Wycombe too.”

A young boy gets the best view in the beer garden at the Wheelwright Arms

Enjoying a beer and the music at the Wheelwright

Ladies enjoying a drink in the warm sunshine

All smiles great Music Festival at the Wheelwright Arms Pub Hurst

The one eyed man plays at the Wheelwright Arms music Festival

Nice smile from a staff member

More artists turn up for the Wheelwright Arms music Festival

Two young ones dancing

The Wheelwright Arms Pub Hurst Food anyone

The Wheelwright Arms Pub Hurst enjoing the live music

Beer o Clock bank Hoilday Sunday

Snakes, slime and princesses draw the crowds at Holme Grange

Half term proved fun at Holme Grange Craft Village when they staged a series of activities during the school holidays.

Holme Grange Craft Village in Heathlands Road is a hidden gem in the heart of the countryside in Wokingham, offering a unique shopping experience. With independent traders and artisan crafters working in a collection of converted barns, visitors can browse in a relaxed environment.

During the week there was drop-in slime-making sessions when children joined The Creation Station Bracknell under the new wooden gazebo in the courtyard.

The Ice Sisters proved a big hit when Tutus &Tiaras Princess Parties visited the village on Tuesday. Little princesses donned their own beautiful outfits to meet their heroines in person.

Sand art was set up by Kids Be Happy and owner Amanda McDiarmed said it was a good activity for all age groups. Mum Helen Whiteside said the girls loved the activity. “This is great in the school holidays. It’s good to keep the girls active and they just love arts and crafts.”

And back by popular de mand was a regular visitor to the village, Reptile Man with Berkshire Reptile Encounters. Children got hands-on with snakes, reptiles and tortoises.

Every Bounce Counts helped the kids get rid of some excess half-term energy with their inflatable slide and there was some face-painting to be had as well.

And to calm the kids down after a busy week there was Bradleys Bunch Books, followed by some magic painting.

l The Creation Station provides award-winning art and craft classes, parties and events that inspire the imagination. For more information, call 07445 639993, email kayleighwebb@ thecreationstation.co.uk or visit www. thecreationstation.co.uk

l Tutus & Tiaras Princess Parties run character parties and events. For more information, call 07944 268790, email tutusandtiarasevents@gmail.com or visit www.tutusandtiar-

asprincessparties.co.uk

l Berkshire reptile rescue has been running since 1996 and has taken in, rehabilitated, and rehomed hundreds of unwanted reptiles. Lack of funds spawned an expansion to include reptile events for schools, fetes, birthdays and other groups in 2008. This is aimed at educating children and others about reptiles and other exotic animals. Call 07930247329, email reptilemanberks@gmail.com or visit www. berkshirereptileencounters.co.uk

Sand art photos:

Triplets Evelyn, Eleanor and Emily O”Malley, aged five, from Finchampstead. Lola Price, aged nine, from North Ascot. Twins Ruby and Emma Whiteside, aged eight, from Montague Park, Wokingham

Reptiles:

Daisy Creasey, aged five, from Bracknell, with a lizard. Braxton Dickinson, 11, from Crowthorne was very confident holding this ‘baby’ having been used to holding bigger snakes already

Italian chef with a passion for bread opens micro bakery

An Italian chef and his wife have opened a micro bakery at Holme Grange Craft Village in Wokingham.

Jo and Luca Nervi opened the doors to their bakery earlier this month and have been receiving rave reviews ever since.

Luca has a wealth of experience, having worked for world-renowned chefs, royalty and ran his own restaurants in Tuscany and Cheshire. But it was during lockdown that they decided to take stock of their lives.

“I had done my fair share of corporate life and wanted to do something I am passionate about. I wanted to make the most of my time during lockdown,” said Luca.

“Sourdough is my passion so I used my time to perfect my technique, documenting and making dough with different scientific formulas.”

Orders started to roll in and they ex-

panded to offer afternoon teas as well, which received rave reviews.

Luca, who comes from Lake Garda and moved to London when she was 17, said: “The science of breadmaking means mass production causes cramps and blating. I use only quality flour and ingredients to make quality bread that doesn’t have all these

side-effects.

Living in Bracknell, a friend and tenant at the craft village let them know a unit was about to become available and they jumped at the chance.

They now not only offer a range of sourdoughs but also do focaccia, ciabatta, Sicilian lemon and blueberry cake, English muffins and brownies

and are planning on growing the range still further.

With special orders, afternoon teas and platters as well as catering for parties and functions, the couple are pretty busy – but they admitted they have a better work/life balance.

For more information or to place an order, call 07948 626289.

Wokingham Community Champion

Louise Jedras cares passionately about Wokingham, helping to donate food and thousands of pounds’ worth of grants to the community.

For the past five years Louise has been the Community Champion at Tesco’s Finchampstead Road Superstore, where she is one of the links between the store and residents.

She helps to deliver a range of Tesco programmes to benefit local people, including donating surplus food to local groups through the Community Food Connection scheme and supporting local projects through the Tesco Community Grants scheme.

The grant scheme enables people to nominate good causes in and around Wokingham that they would like to see benefit from grants of up to £1,500.

In recent years thousands of pounds have been handed out to Wokingham’s

registered charities and not-for-profit organisations.

Louise said: “I love helping the Wokingham community and supporting the amazing groups that make this such a fantastic place to live.

“This is a role I’m really passionate about. I’m always looking to assist local projects and groups by supporting them in applying for Tesco’s Community Grants scheme, helping them to run events or by donating Tesco products such as refreshments for events or prizes for raffles.

“I’d urge anyone wanting to know more about the sort of groups, events and projects we support to look at our Community Board near the checkouts in our store.

“Any good causes with something going on that they think I’d be able to help with, please do get in touch. I’ll always

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try to support you as much as I can.”

Louise can be contacted at tescowokinghamcommunity@gmail.com. For further information about the Tesco Community Grants scheme, visit https://tescocommunitygrants.org.uk/

The Outside Edge

This month’s cricket review from our local teams

BY CHRIS COOK

May 1st to May 7th, Wokingham’s midweek 1st team had a 75-run win away at Sandhurst, with Anthony Clapham top scoring with 52.

Emmbrook also ran out winners in a midweek fixture with Royal Ascot, a knock of 45 from Matt Loxton gave Emmbrook a 7-wicket win.

All of Saturday’s matches were washed out.

May 8th to May 14th

Emmbrook’s 1st team did play on the Saturday away at Shinfield and claimed a 7-wicket victory, Andy Robertson 4-36 and Matt Loxton 65 the match winners.

Hurst and Finchampstead, went headto-head on the Saturday, with Finchampstead running out winners by 15 runs.

Binfield’s 2nd team played Eversley, Sean Ennis with 65 couldn’t stop Eversley winning by 7 wickets.

Wokingham’s 2nd team played away at Henley and won the tightest of matches by one run, thanks to Chis Peploe taking 5-20.

May 15th to May 21st,

Finchampstead and Binfield took to the field to face each other midweek, Predgen 41 and Frost 46 top scored for Finch and Boot 38 for Binfield. Finchampstead winning by 35 runs.

Both Wokingham’s First and Second teams had midweek fixtures.

The first team away at Crowthorne saw Conrad Martucci hitting an unbeaten 99 in a 97-run win.

The seconds winning away as well at Farley Hill, Shiv Muniyappa 51 and Jonathon Ferreira 45 with the runs in a 41run victory, backed up by Mahesh Bhandary 3-19 and Akshay Dhanda 3-10.

Earley’s midweek match was against the Verizon Vipers.

Aravind Gunruajan 34 and Venu Gudimetla 33 the run getters for Earley, Venu Pasikanti returning figures of 3-25 but the Viper still run out winners by 3 wickets.

Emmbrook had a midweek derby against Bracknell, Andy Lazenbury 38 and 2-32 was the match winner for a 5-wicket victory for Emmbrook.

Hurst’s Saturday fixture saw them take on Reading, Max Carroll top scored with 56, but Reading won by 7 wickets.

Emmbrooks CC. The first team played Crowthorne at home. Andy Lazenbury 57 and an unbeaten 53 from David Healey proved too much for Crowthorne, Emmbrook winning by 39 runs.

The seconds were away at Denham. Ravi Balakrishan 62 and Adrian Trueman 34 not out helped Emmbrook to a 5-wicket win, Rahul Soni 4-37 being the pick of the bowlers.

Wokingham CC. The first team playing away at Slough came away with a 3-wicket win, a 67 from Jayden Barson on debut and Callum Creighton with 4-52 the leading players.

The second team were soundly beaten by Falkland at home by 153 runs, Salman Khalid the best Wokingham bowler with 4-53.

Finchampstead CC. The first team were beaten at High Wycombe by Three wickets, Toby Albert top scored for Finch with 60.

The seconds were well beaten by Sulhamstead & Ufton at home by 85 runs, Mark Laithwaite with 3-26 the best bowler for Finch.

Woodley travelled to Mortimer on Saturday and gained a 24-run victory, Pradeep Kadloor 54 and Tajdar Jawaid 45 the leading scorers.

Earley’s first team were away at Reading, Aravind Gururajan with 36 could not stop Reading winning by 8 wickets.

The second team played Farley Hill at home, and with Livingston Raj 46 runs, Earley won by 24 runs.

Binfield CC The first team were at home to Cove. Daniel Humphrey top scoring with 77 but Binfield went down by 96 runs.

The second team were at Royal Ascot, Stephen Jeffery with 77 giving Binfield a 2-wicket win.

May 22nd to May 28th

Wokingham’s midweek second team came off second best to local rivals Bracknell, being bowled out for 93, Shiv Muniyappa (32) top scorer chasing Bracknell’s 135 all out, losing by 42 runs.

The first team played on Thursday away at Finchampstead and came away with a 22-run win, Anthony Clapham (79) and Jacob Clark (62) opening stand of 117 getting the bulk of the 185 runs, then restricting Finch to 163-6 of their 20 overs.

Emmbrook and Bearwood midweek first team went down at Sandhurst by 4 wickets, Adrian Trueman (49) the leading scoring in Emmbrooks 119-7 off 20 overs was never enough as Sandhurst reached their total with 12 balls to spare,Andy Cobb (2-8) with the best bowling figures.

Earley’s midweek fixture saw them travel to Checkendon, Aravind Guruajan (37) and Venu Gudimetla helped Earley reach 141-9 off their 20 overs. Ahtesham Abbasi (3-14) leading the bowling attack

to keep Checkendon relay to 112-8, Earley winning by 29 runs.

Wokingham CC The firsts at home to Harefield won by two wickets, Shaan Khan (56) gave Wokingham a total of 199-8 chasing Harefield’s 195 all out, with Max Uttley (3-23) and Shaan Khan (3-37) leading the bowling.

The seconds won a low scoring match at Uxbridge, Bowling out Uxbridge for 101, Finn Catherwood-Smith (4-40) and Jacob Clark (4-22). Wokingham in reply knocking off the runs in just over 24 overs, Jacob Clark (34) top scoring for a 5-wicket win.

Emmbrook and Bearwood first team had a convincing win at Braywood, Matt Loxton (43) and Sean Woodward (41) got Emmbrook to 182 all out off 42 overs.

Tom Stevenson (3-13) and Charlie Sawyer (3-21) wiped out the Braywood top order for just 25, before Andy Lazenbury finished the game off with (3-6) giving Emmbrook a 98-run win.

The second team entertained Hurley at home. Emmbrook were in early trouble and had youngsters Harry Sweetnam (13) and under 13 Batsman Connor Simpson (27) to thank for their total of 99 all out. Hurley made short work of the reply, taking just over 17 overs to reach the target and win by 6 wickets.

Hurst lost at home to Harpsden by 7 wickets. Hurst bowled out for 117 runs, Lewis Smith (26), Harpsden taking just 25 overs to past the winning total to win by Seven wickets.

Binfield’s first team played Slough away, S.Negus ( 82) top scoring in Binfield 260-7.A.Arnold (4-29 ) helped to bowl out Slough for 129 for a 131-run win.

The seconds played Wargrave at home. Batting first, Wargrave reached 216-7 off their 45 overs. In reply Binfield reach the winning total with just two balls to spare S.Ennis (51) top scoring to win by two wickets.

Finchampstead CC The first team were well beaten at Banbury, Chasing Banbury massive 285-6, Samm Daniel (349), Finch were bowled out for just 116, Thomas Predgen (39), losing by 169 runs.

The seconds lost away at Reading.

Finch batting first posted 195 -7 off their 50 overs, D Patel (51*). Reading replied with 199-9, M Laithwaite (4-42) off 36.4 overs to win by one wicket.

Earleys first team played Checkendon at home on Saturday. Checkendon batted first and reached 208 all out off 39.3 overs, Bhargav Sutapalli (5-53) the leading wicket taker. Earley could only reply with 148 all out, Venu Gudimetla (49) to lose by 60 runs

The seconds were away at Twyford & Ruscombe. Winning the toss Twyford batted first and hit a huge 311-4 off 40 overs, Earley were then bowled out for just 79 runs, to lose by 232 runs

May 29th to May 31st

Wokingham’s 2nds midweek team kicked off the week fixtures, with a trip to Eversley in the Knockout Cup Quarter Final.

Eversley won the toss and elected to bat first, some tight bowling from Mahesh Bhandary (2-23) and Ranjeet Sidhu (2-11) kept the score down to 151 off 20 overs. Wokingham quickly lost their first wicket on 5, but Chinmay Kulkarni (16) and Arnav Kulkarni kept the run rate up with a stand of 40, once Chinmay Kulkarni fell, Jonathon Ferrira came in a scored a quick fire 69* putting on 109 runs with Arnav Kulkarni to reach the winning score with 34 balls remaining for an 8-wicket win.

On Wednesday it was Wokingham’s 1st midweek team to play their quarter final tie in the Knockout Cup against Binfield.

Binfield won the toss and elected to bat first and were very soon in early trouble with Finn Catherwood (3-17) taking two wickets with his first three balls in the second over, leaving Binfield at 10-2. More tight bowling and a run out kept Binfield to a score of 136 -7 off their 20 overs.

A 52 run opening stand between Anthony Clapham (42) and Jacob Clark (20), set Wokingham’s reply off at a cracking pace, before Michael Cowdells 43 off just 27 balls saw Wokingham over the line 29 balls left for a 5-wicket win.

Emmbrook also had a Quarter Final against Reading.

Batting first, Reading reached 158-7 off their 20 overs, Emmbrook in reply fell short of victory by 18 runs with just 140-7 off their 20 overs.

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Each player was awarded a trophy for their efforts this season, with extra awards such as the Player’s Player, A1 Spirit Award and Manager’s Player also being given out for each team to recognise specific players and their contributions to their teams.

Not only was there awards up for grabs, but there was also a delicious barbeque and plenty of games for the kids to indulge in, such as an inflatable shooting challenge, run by Core Football Academy, as well as bouncy castles and much more!

Anyone for bowls?

This event is always a highly regarded date on the club calendar and there were smiles all around as the players and parents all enjoyed a day out in the sunshine at Lowther Road.

okingham Bowling Club threw its doors open on Sunday, May 14th, for an open day, where local people tried their hand at lawn bowls in the warm sunshine.

Founded in 1930, Wokingham Lawn Bowling Club has been situated on the same site on Reading Road, Wokingham, since its inception. The club boasts two bowling greens and a delightful clubhouse with a bar. During the summer season, the club engages in numerous tournaments with other Bowling clubs.

One of the bowling greens is equipped with floodlights for nighttime games, catering to a wide range of competitions. Each year, the club organizes various club competitions for both men and women, culminating in the finals played over a weekend in early September. In addition, WBC participates in the ladies’ Thames Valley league and the men’s Kennet leagues. For those seeking a higher

level of play, members can also enter county competitions as singles, pairs, triples, and fours.

To become a member of the club, please reach out to the club secretary at 0118 931 1636 or contact the clubhouse at 0118 978 0242. Alternatively, you can email us at bowles@wokinghambowlingclub.co.uk.

Players awards

Sumas: we are the champions

Meet the Sumas football stars of tommorrow

PHOTOS BY PAUL KING

WMembers of Wokingham Bowling Club Wokingham

Three young Sumas girls from the under 8’s team holding the big sliver cup they won

Sumas celebrate youth presentations!

BY HARRY MCBAIN PHOTOS BY PAUL KING

Wokingham and Emmbrook have held their youth section presentations days at Lowther Road in the sunshine.

Wokingham & Emmbrook FC have held their Youth Section Presentation Days over the past few weekends, having to split across two different Sundays to accommodate all their age groups, which contain over 60 different teams from Under 7s to Under 18s.

Whilst he couldn’t be there in person, Club Chairman Steve Williams sent across a video mes-

sage to all the players and coaches, congratulating them on another amazing season and helping the teams to celebrate a brilliant year for the club.

Phil Watkins, Club Treasurer, led the presentations, which were sponsored by local company A1 Group, and he was joined on stage by several First Team representatives including players Ellis Wint and Sam Green, as well as Manager Matt Cronan and his Assistant Aaron West, who all helped to hand out the trophies to the young players.

continued to page 31

The Young Sumas

Proud young Sumas holding their trophies