Wokingham Today, March 3, 2022

HALF MARATHON RETURNS Fantastic picture special inside

STANDING WITH UKRAINE

Thursday, March 3, 2022

No. 353 90p

NOT ONE, BUT TWO NEW CO-OPS P29

LANDLADY’S LAST P12 ORDERS AT THE BAR

FLYING THE FLAG TO SUPPORT UKRAINE

EXCLUSIVE

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today WOKINGHAM Borough Council has raised a flag in solidarity with Ukraine.

The flag is at the Shute End offices and was raised by Cllr Keith Baker, mayor of Wokingham, on Wednesday, March 2.

Cllr Baker said: “We want to show full support to the people of

Ukraine who are under vicious attack from Russia.”

Cllr John Halsall, leader of Wokingham Borough Council, condemned the invasion.

He said: “We condemn the violation of an innocent and independent country, the targeting of civilians and the murder and maiming that has been carried out by Vladimir Putin’s office.

“We call for an end to the war and the restoration of peace in Ukraine.”

Cllr Halsall also said the council is

ready to help in any way it can and is preparing to take in refugees.

During the ceremony, attended by members of the public, ,Cllr Clive Jones, leader of the Wokingham Liberal Democrat Group, echoed Cllr Halsall’s words.

It’s just one of a number of ways in which Wokingham residents have been responding to the invasion of the European country.

Residents have been donating goods and money to charities working in

Poland, where refugees are heading, and in Ukraine.

Vanloads of items, including sanitary goods and socks, have gone from Twyford to the refugee camps in Poland, while other goods have been collected by the Reading Ukrainian Centre.

A vigil was also held at the Centre on Saturday, with another planned in Reading town centre for 6pm on Friday. This will take place by the Queen Victoria statue in Blagrave Street. n For more, see page 2

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FAMILY NOTICES

Leader’s horror over unfolding situation in Ukraine

WWW.ABWALKER.CO.UK

PAYNE Hamilton Passed away peacefully at home on 24th February 2022, aged 83 years. Much loved husband of Ruth, father of Gail, Pauline, Mark and Gwyneth, Great Grandpa and Grandfather to all his grandchildren.

He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends.

Funeral service to be held at All Saint's Church, Wokingham on Thursday 10th March at 2pm.

Flowers welcome or donations in memory of Hamilton for Parkinson's UK can be made via www.abwalker.co.uk All enquiries to Tel: 0118 978 4040 In heavenly love abiding.

WWW.ABWALKER.CO.UK

WOOD Shirley Ann Passed away peacefully on 22nd February 2022, aged 81 years. Much loved mum and nan. She will be sadly missed by all her family and friends.

Funeral service to be held at Easthampstead Park Crematorium on Friday 11th March at 4pm. Family flowers only please.

Donations in memory of Shirley for Macmillan Cancer Support can be made via www.abwalker.co.uk All enquiries to Tel: 0118 978 4040.

SUPPORT: Catsy’s artwork showing solidarity with Ukraine (C) Catsy

A TWYFORD woman is leading the village’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

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Write to: Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS Publisher • David Riley Editor • Phil Creighton Deputy editor • Jess Warren Reporters • Daniel Blackham, Natalie Burton, Jake Clothier Sports reporter • Andy Preston Graphic designer • Charlotte Simpson The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation. If you have a complaint about a Wokingham Paper Ltd publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance email: editor@wokingham.today. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk.

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

EVENTS in the Ukraine have filled Wokingham Borough Council leader with horror.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Cllr John Halsall warned that the invasion by Russian forces attacks freedom, and pledged Wokingham borough’s support for the country.

And street artist Catsy has released his own show of support, which is pictured left.

On Saturday, there was a vigil for peace held at Reading’s Ukrainian Centre in Sidmouth Street, and the centre has been collecting items to send to Ukrainians affected by the invasion. They have been inundated, and are now requested financial support which can be shared with charities working in Ukraine.

Cllr Halsall said: “I write as I watch events unfolding in the Ukraine with horror.

“It trivialises much of what rightly preoccupies me and yet it doesn’t.

“It is the freedoms which we enjoy and take for granted to which the people of Ukraine aspire.

“I am sure that I speak for everyone in Wokingham Borough that we will do all we can to support Ukrainians in their struggle.

“The world has changed materially through what has happened.

“We can no longer take for granted the post war settlement. Independence and freedom are what allows us to lead the lives we wish.

“We should support all those who peacefully have the same aspiration.

“We must also remember those who are being murdered and maimed by the actions of a dictator.”

Twyford woman leads village’s support for Ukraine crisis

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today

In print

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Debbie Martin decided to coordinate efforts after talking to one of her Ukrainian work colleagues.

Ms Martin says that since posting about her appeal on Facebook she has been “inundated” with responses.

“My friend and colleague Sergiy Fedortsov has family and friends in capital Kviv and on the country’s borders,” she said.

“And some of the images I have seen have broken me.

“I just couldn’t sit back and do nothing.”

She is in daily contact with Mr Fedortsov, who is “very stoic and

getting on with it.”

Her empathy comes from her experience as a single parent of two children and through having family members who have also been involved in war.

“I know what it’s like to struggle to get the things you need,” she added.

The response to her appeal has been positive.

“People are being very kind,” she said.

“And it seems that women are organising many collections, I know Janine Duggan in Wargrave is receiving items too.”

Ms Martin said that the most important items to help women and children at the moment are nappies and sanitary wear.

She added that: “Men’s socks are also needed — if every man in Twyford donated just on pair of

COLLECTION: Some of the donated items which have been sent to Poland socks, it would be amazing” The list of items urgently needed for Ms Martin’s collection is: n Power banks for charging mobile phones

n Large and medium sized backpacks n Camping mats and sleeping bags n Warm blankets and hot water bottles n Thermal and base layer clothing n Men’s socks n Protein and energy bars n Painkillers and cold relief, for example ibuprofen and Lemsips n First aid kits and wound dressings n Insulated flasks n Baby food n nappies n Female sanitary products.

Her first shipment of items collected since launching her appeal on Monday, February 28, left for Poland yesterday.

For information on how to donate to her collection, contact Debbie Martin, a member of Twyford Berkshire Facebook group, via Facebook Messenger.

NEWS | 3

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Thursday, November 4, 2021 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Platinum party cheers for Stanlake Park Wine Estate EXCLUSIVE

READY TO PARTY: Councillor Paul Palmer and Stanlake Park Wine Estate general manager Natalia Pezzone with bunting made

by Louise Kendal of Hurst for the Queen’s jubilee celebrations Picture: Sue Corcoran

By SUE CORCORAN news@wokingham.today ORGANISERS of a platinum jubilee celebration are saying cheers to a vineyard for giving the event a big boost.

Stanlake Park Wine Estate on the Hurst and Twyford border is sponsoring Hurst’s celebration to mark the Queen’s 70 years on the throne.

Hurst Parish Council’s Cllr Paul Palmer said: “The wine estate has joined us as main sponsors. We’re delighted, this is a massive help.”

The four-day event in June, run by the parish council, includes a beacon lighting, a family festival with a Hurst’s Got Talent contest, a sports day and a street party.

General manager at Stanlake, Natalia Pezzone, said: “We rely almost exclusively on our local customers, coming to our wine bar, on tours of the vineyard and winery and doing tastings.

“In the summer our lovely garden is packed with people from Hurst.

We’re doing well. The sponsorship

More than £1 million committed from Binfield

is a way of giving back something.”

Stanlake wines will be on sale at the celebration’s Saturday music event. The following day it is hoped to have jubilee vineyard tours. The vineyard, 43-years-old, is among the oldest of England’s 750 vineyards.

Hurst Parish Council is asking crafters to help make hundreds of

metres of bunting to decorate the jubilee events. Any length from 10 metres will be gratefully received.

“We’re looking for eco-friendly bunting makers. No special skills are required so everyone can get involved, young and old,” said Cllr Palmer. “You can sew or staple the bunting.”

They’re also looking for handheld flags and other festive items.

Residents are encouraged to have Union Flags or plain red white and blue bunting round their front gardens, walls and fences. n Details on bunting making and how to tell the organisers about it, visit: www.hurst-jubilee/bunting.

Puppy parents needed in Wokingham A CHARITY is appealing for puppy parents in Wokingham.

Canine Partners assists people with physical disabilities by providing specially trained dogs to help with daily living.

In the UK more than one million people use a wheelchair and Canine Partners believes that a significant number would benefit from an assistance dog.

The charity is appealing to people in Wokingham to house puppies from eightweeks-old.

Claire Hallett, puppy training co-ordinator at the charity, said: “Our aim as a charity this year is to increase the number of puppies being trained after some disruption due to covid.

“We rely on extraordinary people to take on a puppy for the first 12- to 14-months of its life, the puppy will then have five months speciality training at one of our training centres before being matched with their future partner.”

Prospective puppy parents will be expected to toilet train the dog, instil

TRAINING: Canine Partners is appealing for puppy parents in Wokingham Picture: Canine Partners basic obedience such as sit and stay and teach three core skills which are tug, touch and retrieve.

The three core skills create a foundation for the dog to successfully

meet the needs of people with even the most complex disabilities.

Ms Hallett explained: “Tug will start with a toy and develops to opening

doors and touch teaches the dog to push buttons where their partner is unable to.

“Retrieving encourages the dog to collect items such as wallets and return them to hand rather than the usual fetch where a dog will place it on the floor nearby – this also helps with daily tasks such as loading and unloading the washing machine.”

Fully trained assistance dogs eventually help with flushing the toilet, helping to strip the bed, put their own food bowls in the sink and some even help other four-legged friends by letting the

cat in and out.

Training coordinators like Ms Hallett are on hand to support puppy parents, as training involves home visits, one-to-ones, town visits and puppy classes in order to socialise the puppy and get them used to all situations they may need to be in.

The charity also assists with vet bills, insurance and provides a starter kit as well as offering holiday cover when required.

Since the organisation was founded in 1990, more than 900 dogs have been partnered. n For more, visit: caninepartners.org.uk

MORE than £1 million will be spent on community facilities in Binfield.

The money will come from Taylor Wimpey, after planning agreement was made for its 54-home Coppid View development in the area.

The money will be paid to Bracknell Forest Council to help improve facilities for residents.

More than £470,000 will go towards primary education in the area, more than £278,000 towards sustainable green spaces, £148,500 for improvements to community facilities and £148,500 for open space dedicated to sports and physical activity.

The remaining contributions fund biodiversity and wildlife projects.

Gemma Bibby, sales and marketing director at Taylor Wimpey West London said: “Our new development in Binfield is really coming along nicely, and it’s a credit to our fantastic site team that we are progressing so well.

“With any new development it’s important that we not only provide quality new homes and on-site infrastructure, but also do our bit to improve existing facilities such as schools and green space.”

Ms Bibby said that she hopes the community will enjoy the new and improved facilities. n For more information, visit: www.taylorwimpey. co.uk/new-homes/bracknell/coppid-view

Challenge issued to Wokingham’s cyclists A CHALLENGE to encourage more cycling in Wokingham has been launched.

Love to Ride Wokingham is taking registrations for its Ride Anywhere Week competition.

Riders need to pick a pledge and complete it in the week of Monday, March 21 to Sunday, March 27.

The pledges are to ride for health and fitness, to ride for transportation, to ride for adventure or to ride with kids.

Participants will receive tips to help them achieve their goal and be entered into a prize draw whenever a ride is logged.

Winners could receive a bike shop voucher worth £500 or a limited edition Love to Ride T-shirts. n For more information, visit: lovetoride.net/ wokingham

- ‘’Dram Lovers’’ - Whisky Club 13th March at 5pm A 'club' is just a name.We bring open-minded, thirsty for knowledge and adventure Whisk(e)y lovers and guide them on their journey through our selection of interesting Whiskies.

At Chalk Restaurant the idea is to learn and discover new whisky at each of our tastings. Each whisky has a story behind it , to the flavours, and the distillery and all these stories add up to the finished product, the product you are about to taste at each of our events. So whether you’re a whisky fanatic or just beginning your own whisky journey, join us at Chalk to socialise and learn more.

Welcome Cocktail | Whisk(e)y Tasting | Finish off with a glencairn glass of your favourite dram

Whisky Selection - Speyside | Cardhu 12 Years Old | Discovery Glenrothes 11 Years Old | Balvenie 14 Years Old Caribbean Cask | Craigellachie 13 Years Old Once you’ve developed an appetite, we invite you to stay for dinner with a very special twenty percent off food. £29.95 per person

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

4 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Charity leader trains 539 mental health first aiders EXCLUSIVE

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today THE CHIEF executive of a borough charity is proud of his work training mental health first aiders.

Jake Morrison, head of Citizens Advice Wokingham has trained 539 people in the last 14 months.

Included in this figure were 301 people across the Citizens Advice service in England, 71 from Wokingham borough charities and 50 Wokingham Borough Council staff.

Mr Morrison said that he is really pleased that more people are equipped with the knowledge, skills and confidence to support people with their mental health and wellbeing.

He said that the training also helps to tackle any stigma and discrimination around poor mental health, and promotes recovery.

“This has a ripple affect on the people they then help,” Mr Morrison said.

Of the hundreds of people that he has personally taught, 78.7% had put some of their new skills into practice within three months of completing the qualification.

CHIEF EXEC: Jake Morrison Picture: Citizens Advice Wokingham One student said they were better able to recognise their staff’s mental health.

“I have been able to give them the space to talk about client needs more often,” they said. “Because I do this for them, they can see it with their clients.”

Another student said that they have been supporting their colleagues to feel listened to and supported when overwhelmed.

Mr Morrison said that it means so much to him to hear feedback like this.

After the course, the majority of students also felt more confident in supporting others, and had greater knowledge about mental health illnesses as well.

Mr Morrison was also highly-

rated as an instructor.

One person who completed the training said: “Jake was amazing. His approach to the course was very encouraging and his openness about his own health was inspiring and nothing felt robotic. A personal touch which helped the course.”

Another said that they loved Mr Morrison’s inclusivity.

They said: “He is a very engaging coach and very honest about his own mental health which made him a very authentic trainer.”

The mental health first aid training includes covering a variety of conditions, looking at how to respond, the prevalence of mental illness, empathy and creating action plans to support others.

The training is run online, and can be delivered over one day or two.

Mr Morrison said that the two-day course is the most effective, as it covers mental health and mental ill health, depression and suicide, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm, psychosis, recovery and putting first aid into action.

The one-day course is for line managers and focuses on workplace mental health specifically. n For more information, visit: www.citizensadvicewokingham. org.uk/mental-health

CONGRATULATIONS: Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor, and Professor Joy Singarayer, joint head of the Department of Meteorology receive the medal Picture: courtesy of University of Reading

University presented with Queen’s Anniversary Prize for climate change THE UNIVERSITY of Reading has been presented with a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its climate change work.

The Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal presented Professor Robert Van de Noort, vice-chancellor, and Professor Joy Singarayer, joint head of the Department of Meteorology, with

the accolade at a ceremony at St James’s Palace in London.

They were given the medal and citation for the award on Thursday, February 17.

The Queen’s Anniversary Prize is the highest national honour for a UK institution in higher and further education.

Professor Robert Van de

University of Reading launches free climate course for teachers

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PRIMARY school teachers who want to help their pupils understand climate change can now join a University of Reading course.

Experts in education and meteorology have been involved in the design of the course, Teaching Climate and Sustainability in Primary Schools: An Outdoor Learning Approach.

The free and interactive sessions feature a range

of outdoor activities to teach young children about sustainability, weather and biodiversity, and differs from other courses that focus on classroom-based learning.

Learners who sign up to the course will see outdoor learning activities in action at Floreat Montague Park Primary School in Wokingham.

These include planting vegetables to learn about food production, investigating

Noort, vice-chancellor of the University of Reading, said that it was a great honour for the whole University to win the award.

“Their Royal Highnesses showed great interest in our work,” he said.

“I am proud of our community as we work collectively towards this vital common goal.”

food waste and recycling, and discussing the seasons.

The two-week course aims to help teachers build action plans for their own teaching or make an impact on wider climate education at their school.

Teaching Climate and Sustainability in Primary Schools: An Outdoor Learning Approach will be available on FutureLearn from Monday, February 28.

n For more information, visit: www.futurelearn.com/ courses/teaching-climate-andsustainability-in-primary-schools

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Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Hopes for harmony as villagers unite against plan for new homes

By SUE CORCORAN news@wokingham.today

A VILLAGE where a heated council meeting was said to be “like something out of an unusually toxic Vicar of Dibley episode” is hoping for more harmony.

Plans to build homes on green fields in Hurst have sparked heated debate between different groups and people.

Last night a meeting was aimed at getting village groups working together. The spur was a new planning application to build about 200 homes between Lodge Road and Tape Lane. The size was earlier cut from 300 to 250 homes.

Mactaggart & Mickel Homes’s plan would mean about 33% more homes than the existing 575 in the central village ward of Hurst. They’ve named the new estate Lodge Green.

Wokingham Borough Council has asked for views on the plan by March 18. The council will then decide if to give permission.

Last night’s meeting was called by Hurst Parish Council chair Wayne Smith. He invited Hurst Village Society, Protect Hurst Action Group, the neighbourhood plan working group and the parish councillors along.

CAMPAIGN: Residents of Hurst are uniting against an application to build homes there Picture: Sue Corcoran The meeting was held after Wokingham Today went to press.

On Monday Councillor Smith said: “The purpose of the meeting is to get the views of the various groups and decide how we take this forward to engage the rest of the village in the [borough council’s] consultation.”

A public meeting or a drop in session for villagers has been suggested.

Villagers hope the meeting will bring Hurst groups together so they can work well together.

Hurst Village Society (HVS) says it will send round advice on which residents can base their comments in the consultation.

Earlier, chairman Mrs

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Newbold said HVS believed most Hurst residents did not want the development.

Protect Hurst Action Group (PHAG) will recommend its members object to the “inappropriate” application.

It says: “Join PHAG if you want guidance on how to object to this application effectively either by email

protecthurstactiongroup@ outlook.comor Facebook.”

Hurst Parish Council has yet to decide its view on the plan.

The planning application papers say Lodge Green would “create a high quality neighbourhood within a considered landscape setting, promoting health and well being and will shape a context responsive neighbourhood designed sensitively in Hurst.”

Wokingham Today has reported that Hurst Parish Council’s November minutes noted that the public forum part “became increasingly lively and acrimonious” and had to be closed down.

There was a disagreement between two villagers about how HVS dealt with development plans and allegations that PHAG was “shrouded in secrecy”. HVS and PHAG adopted different tactics over an exhibition about the Lodge Road plan.

Discussion at the January parish council meeting’s public forum, which included sites put forward for future development, was described afterwards as “like something out of an unusually toxic Vicar of Dibley episode.” n The Lodge Road planning application, number 220458, can be seen at planning.wokingham. gov.uk

Woodley to host Jubilee event in town centre RESIDENTS in Woodley can look forward to a town centre event to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

On Sunday, June 5, there will be a street party held in the shopping precinct.

Held by Woodley Town Centre’s team and the town council, the event will include a “full bill of entertainment”.

There will also be free ice cream for children, courtesy of new ice cream parlour, Mayas Treats.

Age Concern extends day care sessions A TWYFORD day centre is extending its operating hours.

Twyford and District Age Concern will soon be offering day care from Monday to Friday each week.

This starts on Monday, March 7, from 10am to 3pm.

It currently excludes Mondays.

As part of the day care service, visitors are served a home-cooked midday meal. There are also activities, quizzes, talks and entertainment.

For more information about the Polehampton Close centre’s services, call 0118 934 4040.

6 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Three-quarters of pupils allocated first choice school

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@wokingham.today

THREE-QUARTERS of pupils have received their first choice secondary school place despite an increase in the number of applications.

Now taking registrations

According to data from Wokingham Borough Council, more than nine in 10 pupils will be moving on up to one of their four preferred choices this September. Both figures are an increase on last year.

In all, 93.76% will go to their top four placed school, compared to 93.51% last year, and 76.26% are going to their top choice, compared to 71.12%.

The total school year intake is 2,468, compared to 2,320.

The council said it had been expecting an increase in applications and worked with secondary schools in the borough to expand the number of places to accommodate the higher number of pupils.

The council successfully negotiated with Piggott, Emmbrook and St Crispin’s schools to increase the total number of places available in the borough by 176.

Despite this, there is still a shortfall in places within Wokingham borough, with some applicants attending schools in other boroughs. The council said that it hopes to offer additional places over the coming weeks.

The council says it is encouraging families to accept their offers as they will continue to be on the waiting list for their preferred schools.

And at an extraordinary executive meeting planned for Monday, councillors will be asked to vote on plans to expand the number of places at Piggott, St Crispin’s, and Emmbroook schools.

Cllr Graham Howe, executive member for children’s services, said: “We are delighted to be offering so many of our young people a place at a school of their choosing, despite seeing an increase of about 6.5% in allocations.

“Wokingham borough has such good schools, which means we are a magnet for families. We’re facing a bumper year – more young people in our borough will be starting secondary school this

September than in 2021.

“Nine out of the 10 secondary schools in the borough are academies, which means we don’t control their admission policies. They set their own, are funded directly by the Department of Education, and operate under their own academy trusts.

He continued: “We’ve been working hard with schools across the borough to address the short- and long-term capacity challenges to increase the number of places available to accommodate all of them.

“While we negotiate, we urge parents to accept the offer they have received. This will not penalise your place on a waiting list for a preferred school.

“We know it isn’t ideal, which is why we work so hard on this.

We want to offer every young person a school of their choice, but this year is a challenge. We expect to have additional places to announce soon.” n Further information is available at www.wokingham.gov.uk by searching for ‘secondary school admissions’. Parents can email: schooladmissions@wokingham. gov.uk

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FROM LEFT: Cllr Bridget Ditcham, Gerry Wise, Chris Wise and Cllr Roy Mantel, chair of Twyford Parish Council Picture: Natalie Burton

Gerry picks up Twyford’s citizen of the year TWYFORD Parish Council announced its citizen of the year at its meeting last week, writes Natalie Burton.

Gerry Wise, who coordinates the village’s adopt a street litter picking scheme, was surprised with the award after presenting his annual report to councillors on Tuesday, February 22.

The accolade is given by the parish council to residents who have made an outstanding contribution to life in the village.

Cllr Bridget Ditcham, chair of

the parish council’s planning and amenities committee, said that she was grateful for Mr Wise.

“He goes out of his way to make Twyford a better place,” she said.

Mr Wise took over running the group of litter picking volunteers in 2016, along with his wife Christine. The scheme encourages people to adopt their own street or group of nearby streets to keep tidy.

Mr Wise ensures that they are supplied with equipment,

and organises the village’s annual spring clean. He is also a keen allotmenteer and member of the Twyford in Bloom team.

Previous winners include Tom Toy, who oversees Twyford Scouts and Sam Bramwell, who set up the village’s covid support group for isolating and shielding residents.

There are some areas of Twyford currently in need of adopting under the litter scheme. n For more information, email: twyaas@btinternet.com

Police crackdown on drivers using mobiles DRIVERS using mobile phones while behind the wheel have been targeted in a special operation by Thames Valley Police.

Last month, they stopped more than 30 drivers in a three-day operation.

Officers used a bus to observe motorists. Anyone seen using a mobile phone while driving was then pulled over.

On Wednesday, February 16, and Thursday, February 17 the officers covered the A34 in Hampshire and Berkshire, the A303, M27, M3 and A31.

Wednesday saw 10 motorists stopped for using

a mobile phone, three for insecure loads and two for not being in proper control.

On Thursday, 14 drivers were stopped for using a mobile phone, six for insecure loads and three for not being in proper control of a vehicle.

The operation also saw motorists in Oxford targeted.

Sergeant Dave Hazlett, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit was pleased with the way it had gone.

“This operation has shown that while the majority of motorists are being safe, a small minority are still choosing to use their mobile phones when driving,” he said.

MOBILE: Officers keeping an eye on the roads in case drivers were using their phone Picture: Thames Valley Police “Research has shown that you are four times more likely to be involved in a collision and be less likely to notice and react to hazards in time by the distraction that mobile devices cause.

“Thank you to our partners Stagecoach and National Highways for their support in helping us to carry out this operation.”

See Dinton Pastures in a different light next month

Police investigate bank card thefts in Wokingham

DINTON Activity Centre is offering an opportunity to see the park in a different light next month.

It is hosting a full moon paddle on Black Swan Lake between 8pm and 10pm on Friday, March 18.

Participants can choose between a stand-up paddleboard or a sit-on-top kayak for a moonlit tour of the lake.

Buoyancy aids and glow sticks will be provided.

Torches are advisable, and paddlers should wear warm layers and waterproofs.

It will be followed by a hot drink and a cake in the centre.

Tickets cost £25, and it is suitable for ages eight and up.

POLICE are investigating several thefts of bank cards in Wokingham.

They have been stolen at ATM and car parking machines in the area.

A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police for Bracknell and Wokingham, urged residents to be vigilant when paying by card.

“Ensure you are alone at these machines and if approached avoid any action that would leave your PIN or card vulnerable,” they said.

“Machines should clearly be marked if out of order. If you are uncomfortable in a situation at a machine stop any transaction and call for help or 999.”

They said that an ATM looks unusual and is attached to a bank, the user should let a teller inside know. Calls to 999 should be for emergencies, such as someone being harassed.

n For more information, visit: dinton-pastures.co.uk

Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Lib Dems vote for Clive as MP candidate

By JESS WARREN jwarren@wokingham.today

WITH the General Election now two years away, the Liberal Democrats have announced their candidate for the Wokingham parliamentary constituency, and he says he is “determined” to win the seat away from Sir John Redwood.

Cllr Clive Jones, current leader of the Wokingham Liberal Democrat Group on Wokingham Borough Council, has been selected.

At the last general election, former Bracknell Conservative MP Dr Phillip Lee stood for the Liberal Democrats having crossed the floor over Europe.

He took 38% of the vote, reducing the share of Conservative MP Sir John Redwood to less than 50%.

Now, the party has said that the Wokingham parliamentary seat, which includes parts of West Berkshire, is part of its ‘Blue Wall’ targets, arguing that the seat is a two-horse race between the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. It follows on from the party’s success in the Chesham and Amersham byelection.

However, the Wokingham seat has always been held by the Conservatives and Sir John has been the MP since 1987.

In a statement, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey MP, said that Cllr Jones would make a “fantastic” MP for Wokingham.

Cllr Jones has lived in the area for 40 years and was elected to the borough council in 2016.

Sir Ed, leader of the national party, said: “In Clive the Liberal Democrats have selected the polar opposite to an out-of-touch Conservative MP. “Clive is well-known for working tirelessly for local people. He listens to people and takes up their concerns.

“Meanwhile, the Conservative party ignores local people, unfairly hikes taxes on hard-pressed families and stands by a law-breaking Prime Minister.

“Clive will make a fantastic local MP for Wokingham and I can’t wait to join him on the campaign trail in what will be a close two horse race at the next election.”

And Cllr Jones said: ““People in Wokingham are fed up with being taken for granted by the Conservative party.

“I am determined to finally oust a Conservative party that never listens to people in Wokingham.”

Wokingham Conservatives were invited to comment on the Lib Dem’s claims, but had not done so as we went to press.

7

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Equipment boost for speedwatch EXCLUSIVE

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today VOLUNTEERS in Shinfield are ramping up their Community Speedwatch programme.

Thanks to a new piece of equipment worth around £3,500, the group can now increase the number of sessions in the area.

Cllr Philip Emment, parish councillor for Three Mile Cross, said: “Speeding is an issue in Shinfield and we often receive many complaints from residents on the problem.

“The new equipment will enable us to do more sessions and educate more people about the safety risks that come with speeding.”

Currently the group uses a handheld device which shows the speed of motorists up to 150ft away, however the data has to be recorded manually, usually by a person with a clipboard.

The new equipment will automatically record speed, time, date and location and only requires the memory card to be refreshed once every hour.

Cllr Emment believes this will allow a session to be operated by two people rather than the three required at the moment.

Data recorded by Speedwatch is shared with Thames Valley Police and can be used for various intelligence applications including informing preplanned speed enforcement.

If caught speeding by Speedwatch, motorists will receive a letter in the post and multiple incidents could result in contact from the police.

In Shinfield there is one permanent

RARING TO GO: Speedwatch in Shinfield is to receive a boost thanks to £3,500 worth of new equipment speed camera, on Hyde End Road, and four Speed Indication Displays (SID) which can be moved across 12 locations.

An SID, known as a smiley SID, shows the speed of approaching motorists and is usually accompanied by an LED smile if under the speed limit or an unhappy if over the limit.

Cllr Emment said: “The smiley SID is a great tool because they can be moved across locations, but more importantly they record the speeds of passing traffic so you can see if there is a trend.

“One of these recorded a ridiculous speed of 102mph on the Basingstoke Road.”

Cllr Emment is keen to stress the motivation behind Speedwatch isn’t to catch people out but is about improving awareness and safety.

“Not every motorist is speeding, we have some two-hour sessions with nobody speeding at all and then others where someone speeds every four minutes,” he said.

“Community Speedwatch is not about penalising people but about increasing awareness, improving safety and providing education.” n To learn more about the Community Speedwatch programme, or to volunteer, visit: communityspeedwatch.org

8 | NEWS

Council launches Covid-19 community legacy project WOKINGHAM Borough Council has launched a project to capture life in the borough during the pandemic.

The Covid-19 community legacy project aims to provide a platform for residents to share their experiences of living through the uncertainty since March 2020.

A movable community display will be created, aimed at celebrating good things which happened during the pandemic.

Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health, wellbeing, and adult services, said that people had experienced some “tough moments” over the past two years.

“But collectively we have got through it and the community has come together like never before,” he said. “We’ve seen the commitment from the people who make up the borough.

“For this reason, we want to shine the light on residents.”

People are encouraged to get involved by contributing sentiments, images, and creative content to the display. The borough council would like to hear about how people stuck together while being apart, any new hobbies and skills learnt, how people got through, and any other anecdotes they wish to share.

“Share your contributions with your fellow residents, friends and colleagues and let’s get a conversation started about how we got through it,” Cllr Magretts said.

Contributions can be emailed to CEM@ wokingham.gov.uk, using the subject line covid community legacy project. They can also be dropped off at Wokingham, Woodley or Lower Earley libraries or Acorn Community Centre.

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Arborfield residents urge council to ‘hold developers to account’ PLEA: Residents of Arborfield Green are calling on the council to dig its heels over the development of the garden village

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today

ARBORFIELD Green residents have urged Wokingham Borough Council to “hold developers to account” following the clearance of trees and shrubs on land close to the planned site of the village centre.

People living in the vicinity of the Arborfield Green community centre received planning notification for 46 dwellings on a plot known as Parcel P earlier last month.

The site, which has always been intended for housing, was cleared of all non-protected trees before permission to build was submitted.

“The planning application’s arboricultural statement is that no trees will be felled — but they already have been,” said David Williams.

“Residents believe that the borough council are not making the original plans for this to be a showcase garden village happen.

“It is an issue which the borough council needs to dig its heels in over,” he said.

Mr Williams said that there is an overall lack of imagination and urgency in bringing green space

on the development into use, other than Hazebrouck Meadows. He also said that no more houses should be given permission until there are commitments to complete village facilities.

“For example the historic stables which were refurbished close by to Parcel P are still empty,” he said.

“The area would make a great café, or allotment site, or children’s play park, but there is nothing there.”

Jon Atkinson agreed, and said that residents “feel let down” by the way in which developers seem to be able to build houses piecemeal but not village amenities.

“There are around 6,000 people

living here now and there is nothing here,” he said.

“This could be an election issue in May.” Cllr Wayne Smith, executive member for planning and enforcement, said that developers are required to plant a number of new trees as part of development proposals.

“The only felling was of nonprotected trees on areas designated for residential use under planning permission,” he said.

He added that the borough council has provided green space on the development but accepts that there is more work to be done.

“We understand the importance of outdoor space,” he said.

“The area near the historic stables has outline planning permission as a village green.

“The landscape strategy for that area provides for allotments, meadowland and tree planting.

“The timeline remains in the developers’ hands but we will be discussing this with them in a few weeks, along with proposals for a district centre.

“The stables themselves are a scheduled monument and Crest Nicholson have advised that they will engage with us, Historic England and residents to help shape the next steps.”

A Crest Nicholson spokesperson said that as a garden village, the development prioritises character, lifestyle, sustainability and sense of legacy.

“We have already delivered a number of amenities,” they said “Consultation is continuing for some permanent facilities and we are continuing to develop the site in terms of housing and its wider infrastructure.

“The temporary community centre already present on site will in time be replaced by a permanent facility within the district centre.”

NEWS | 9

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Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

Mum and son thank life-saving ambulance crews with challenge EXCLUSIVE

Planning for tomorrow……today

By NATALIE BURTON news@wokingham.today

You may have heard about lasting powers of attorney (LPAs). You may think it is a good idea to make one…..some day. They are a document for tomorrow, surely?

What is an LPA?

A MOTHER has taken on a fundraising challenge to thank those who helped save the life of her eightweek-old baby.

Laura Turner was heading to a baby music group with her son Charlie Green in September 2018 when he suddenly stopped breathing. He had blood running from his nose.

Ms Turner had been on a baby first aid course during her pregnancy and after dialling 999 was able to begin rescue breaths on Charlie.

“He had gone grey and floppy, honestly, I thought he was gone,” she said.

“I remember Charlie started breathing slowly on his own while I was waiting, so I held him in the baby recovery position so the blood didn’t go into his airway.

“A South Central Ambulance Service call handler talked me through things and told me that Charlie could hear me and to reassure him.”

An SCAS crew and Thames Valley Air Ambulance arrived within six minutes and took over.

Charlie was stabilised before being taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital.

He was put on a ventilator and transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

An LPA is a legal document that enables you to appoint trusted people (known as attorneys) to manage your affairs and make decisions on your behalf if you lose mental capacity.

When is an LPA needed?

FAMILY: Charlie and Laura on their outrun an ambulance challenge

Charlie stayed at the John Radcliffe for a week.

He made a full recovery with no developmental concerns, despite the need for resuscitation and ventilation.

Ms Turner will be joined on the fundraising challenge

by Charlie, now age three.

“He is a bright, happy, sociable boy who loves riding his bike, swimming and anything to do with cars — his dad Adam and I are so proud of him every single day,” she said “We are so grateful for the excellent care he received from SCAS, TVAA and both hospitals.

“We wanted to give something back to say thank you.”

Ms Turner and Charlie decided to take part in this year’s outrun an ambulance

Heathrow staff welcome extra Green Line journeys STAFF at Heathrow Airport have welcomed a package of extra buses to help colleagues travelling to and from the site.

The new services have been set up by Green Line operator Reading Buses in partnership with Heathrow. They start from Sunday, March 13.

“This is good news for Heathrow’s colleagues and passengers,” said Matthew Wooll, route development lead for Heathrow Airport.

“Getting to and from the airport very early in the morning and late at night is essential for many people and bus and coach services are one of the most sustainable ways to do so.”

Green Line 703 connects Bracknell with Heathrow T5 via Windsor, Slough and Colnbrook running hourly every day.

Two new morning journeys, from Slough to Heathrow, have been introduced at 3.26am and

4.26am. An additional late journey from Heathrow T5 to Windsor runs at 11.30pm.

Mr Wooll added: “The Green Line 703 is an important part of the public transport network, providing links to education, employment, shopping and leisure facilities.

“The service helps to make Heathrow and the local communities a great place to live and work.”

Reading Buses CEO Robert Williams said that he is delighted to work with Heathrow to enhance the Green Line 703 service.

“Adding these extra journeys strengthens our network in the Thames Valley and provides extra choice to those looking to travel to and from the airport,” he said.

Heathrow staff can still also get 50% off a simply Slough and Windsor 28-day ticket under a deal that was introduced by Reading Buses during the pandemic. This is available on the Green Line app.

virtual challenge, which asks supporters to cover more miles than an emergency ambulance does in a single shift.

Reading ambulances cover 90 miles in a typical shift, while those based in Bracknell cover 155 miles.

The time frame to complete the distance and the way it is covered can be decided by participants. The aim is that methods are selfpropelled.

Examples include walking, running, swimming, cycling and scooting.

“Charlie and I chose

the mileage of a Reading ambulance,” Ms Turner explained.

“He will ride his bike and I will run, and we are aiming to complete it in as little time as we can.”

Vanessa Casey, chief executive of South Central Ambulance Charity, said that it is “lovely” to see Charlie doing well. She thanked the family for their support and said: “This is such an amazing story and we hope it inspires more people to sign up.” n For more information, visit: www.outrunanambulance. co.uk and click on Berkshire

Creative writing group returns to library A TEEN creative writing group has resumed face-to-face meetings at Wokingham Library.

Igniting Writing, which formed back in 2014, gets together every Saturday, except for the second Saturday of the month and during school holidays.

An early session for children in school years 6 to 8 runs from 9.45am to 11.15am, while a later meeting for those in years 9 to 13 follows from 11.45am to 1.15pm.

The second Saturday of the month is reserved for the ‘Write with an Author’ project, which runs from 10.30am to noon and includes writing tips and activities.

Volunteer and Igniting Writing leader Alex Baker said: “Doing the sessions in person again is great.

Online sessions were still fun, but nothing can replace the buzz of talking to young writers one-to-one.

“Writing is generally seen as a solitary activity and Igniting Writing tries to break that perception, making writing something that’s fun and collaborative and giving members

the chance to make friends.”

Ruth, a pupil at St Crispin’s School, said that the sessions have grown her confidence.

“After speaking to a friend I made at the group, I’ve started publishing some of my writing online,” she said.

St Crispin’s pupil James added: “I like that the group brings together lots of creative people like me. The sessions encourage motivation and spawn a lot of creative ideas that everyone can develop.”

Volunteers hope to arrange visits from more guest speakers in the future, including authors, illustrators and poets. They are also leading creative writing taster sessions in schools and youth clubs.

Cllr Bill Soane, executive member for neighbourhoods and communities, said: “Opening your mind to the world of storytelling is a great way for children and young people to develop.”

Ignite Writing sessions are free, but need to be booked in advance. n To register, email: libraries@ wokingham.gov.uk

An LPA will be needed whenever you are prevented through mental incapacity from making your own decisions. Your attorney can then work for you to make decisions in your best interests.

It is impossible to know when LPAs are going to be needed. They are often associated with old age - something to make at retirement, or towards the end of your life. But this is by no means the full picture.

Mental incapacity can strike at any age, and for a variety of reasons. It can be the result of a gradual deterioration because of dementia, for instance. However, it can also be the result of a sudden life event, such as a stroke, or an accident something unexpected and life changing.

Or it can result from a physical incapacity, such as cancer or motor neurone disease.

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is the value of being prepared.

What is the process for making an LPA? The process of making an LPA has two stages. The first stage involves decisions about the document itself, and the gathering of the signatures of everyone involved.

The second stage involves the registration of the document with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG).

The OPG confirmed in May 2021 that their registration process was taking 20 weeks.

This has increased since then.

As the LPA cannot be used until registration, forward planning is essential.

How does my life change if I have an LPA?

If you make an LPA, does your day-to-day life change at all?

The short answer is ‘no’. All of the time you have mental capacity, your life is unchanged.

Your attorneys will not have access to your affairs (unless you choose to grant this), and your attorneys will not have authority to take any action without your instructions. You will remain in control.

If you have an accident or otherwise lose mental capacity, your attorneys will be able to take action to protect you immediately.

This forward planning allows for continuity in your affairs, for your trusted attorneys to protect you should the need arise.

In today’s uncertain world, this provides considerable reassurance.

If you are considering making an LPA and would like to know more, please contact Catherine at Legacy Law.

Call on: 0118 40 50 131 www.legacy-law.co.uk Email at:catherine@legacy-law.co.uk

10 | NEWS

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Charity calls on council to turn houses into homes

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today

A WOKINGHAM charity is calling on the council to turn social houses into homes.

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Many families across the borough are moving into “empty” houses provided by the local authority which have no white goods or soft furnishings.

First Days charity provided more than 400 beds to families in need last year and its founder, Emma Cantrell, is appealing to Wokingham Borough Council to offer more assistance.

She said: “We need local authorities/social landlords to take responsibility for making houses into homes - it’s not good enough to abandon people in empty houses.

“Many families move from temporary housing, such as a bed and breakfast, into these places and have no possessions to their name.”

The charity aims to reduce the long term impact of poverty on children by equipping them with the essential items they need for their early years.

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in an increase in

HELP: First Days’ Emma Cantrell wants to see action on housing the demand for their services with the charity receiving more than 5,000 requests for support in 2021.

Ms Cantrell said: “As a charity we do our best to support people but it shouldn’t be our job.

“Often the people in these situations have nothing and on some occasions are fleeing domestic abuse.

“These people deserve to be treated with more dignity and respect.”

A spokesperson for Wokingham Borough Council said: “As a social landlord, we

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always work with residents to support them in their new homes.

“If a new tenant requires assistance with items we will ensure that they are supported to seek assistance available to them via grants and voluntary sector organisations.”

The spokesperson also confirmed that ongoing support is available to those who need it and, as part of their commitment to equality and diversity, all residents are treated with respect and provided with interpretation services where needed.

Within their draft antipoverty strategy, the council has proposed to develop a “Make a House a Home” scheme.

The scheme will help support residents moving into local authority housing, social housing and temporary accommodation to have their homes equipped to live in.

Ms Cantrell is pleased to see this included but would like to see action over words.

She said: “The strategy looks good but we need promises that it is going to be implemented and not forgotten about.”

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11

12 | NEWS

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today LIVE: Wokinghambased Blondie tribute band, Atominc Rapture Picture: John Camidge

Another view Neil Coupe

Manners maketh the man (and woman)

I

HAVE recently had the opportunity of dealing with a well-known media personality.

I am sure that we have all heard how certain celebrities are so completely different when the cameras are off.

A cursory search on google can throw up any number of negative stories about people in the public eye, such as the TV presenter who never gave her builders anything to drink.

‘I don’t pay you lot to drink my tea’ she had allegedly said. I had been hoping that this individual would not be like that.

The early signs were good. I liked the fact that he was very approachable and straightforward to deal with, and that he came across exactly the same way as he does when he is on the television or radio.

However, my main observation was what he was like behind the scenes. During our preparation, he was so keen to recognise how vital everyone in the room was to the smooth running of the event.

He involved everyone on the conversation, listened and reacted to what they had to say, put them at ease, made them laugh and made them feel important and recognised.

During the interview he was so keen to emphasise that when he works with people, everyone gets their fair share, and everyone is respected and appreciated. His pet hate was anyone being looked down upon.

As I had actually witnessed his interactions with other people, his words had so much resonance.

It was one of those occasions where it was nice to reflect that decent, honest people who lead their lives using common sense and common courtesy can have great success in life.

A few months ago, I had a night out in London and in the middle of the evening took an Uber from one area to another.

Being distracted by the high quality of the conversation and perhaps being slightly less sober than I had been earlier on, I managed to leave my phone in the car. For all the advantages of using an Uber, being able to easily contact a driver is not one of them. An unanswered call went through to a voicemail in Canada, and I feared that the phone was lost for good.

The following day I was contacted by Uber, was able to speak to the driver, and arranged to collect the phone in West London. When I met him, I had no recollection at all of who he was. To my shame, I realised that I had shown no interest whatever in him when he collected us and had momentarily become one of those people who was taking others for granted.

Almost inevitably he turned out to be the perfect gentleman, who had put himself out to meet me and return the phone, and just wanted to do the right thing.

I was brought up to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ and would always make a point of saying ‘thank you’ to the driver when getting off a bus.

Comparing my casual obliviousness to the Uber driver with the way the media personality treated the other people in the room, who he would probably never meet again, made me embarrassed and gave cause to reflect on the old adage that ‘good manners cost nothing’.

I certainly shall endeavour to be more considerate and appreciative of the people I encounter in the future.

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Popular landla after 12 years

By NATALIE BURTON nburton@wokingham.today

ONE of Wokingham’s longest serving pub landladies has called time after 12 years at the helm.

John’s Blondie moment is for his sister A FINCHAMPSTEAD man is taking to the stage next month in memory of his sister.

John Camidge will be joined by his Blondie tribute band, Atomic Rapture, at a special fundraising event in Bracknell live music venue, The Acoustic Couch.

He will be on the keyboards, with partner Barbara Brice on lead vocals.

Also on the line up are Zeppelin Kids, a Led Zeppelin tribute, and ska, new wave and punk covers band The Fanzines.

The event is raising money for the Diana Camidge Foundation. It is the charity John set up after his sister Diana died in 2016 from a rare genetic form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).

Diana began to experience the symptoms of Gerstmann-StrausslerScheinker (GSS), the medical name for the genetic disorder, in January 2016. She died at home on September 4 the same year.

“My grandmother, mother and two of my uncles have also died from the illness,” John says.

“The gene is always passed on, it doesn’t skip a generation.

“There is currently no cure for CJD or the genetic disorder.”

John has been tested and does

not carry GSS. He set up the charity to remember his family members and help support national charity Cure CJD fund research into finding a cure.

A former marketing manager, he now volunteers for Cure CJD. “It’s been quite hard for me to bring so much personal information in to the public domain through the foundation,” he explains.

“But I knew that I needed to do something to raise awareness and help find a cure.”

The band night is the first such event John has organised. Cure CJD is expecting the results of the first trials of a drug soon, and are currently fundraising for the second phase.

“It’s quite an exciting time,” John adds.

The Diana Camidge Foundation tribute band night takes place on Saturday, March 12.

Doors open at 6pm, first act on stage at 7pm.

Tickets are £20, with all proceeds going to the charity.

n For more information on the foundation, log on to: dianacamidgefoundation.org n For tickets, visit: wegottickets.com/ event/529571

Here’s a genuine Panksy TO CELEBRATE coming out of hibernation, and the first anniversary of a new landmark, a keen cyclist has been creating some art of his own.

On Monday, March 1 last year, Reading awoke to discover it had had a visit from street artist Banksy.

He had painted a mural in support of the campaign to save Reading Gaol, and see the historic site turned into an arts centre.

The picture shows a prisoner climbing over the walls of the gaol, using sheets of paper from a typewriter as his rope.

It became an instant tourist attraction, with Reading Buses even running special services so people could admire the work.

Now, Earley Panda has created his own tribute, a Panksy if you wish.

On Tuesday, he pedalled around to recreate the artwork through his GPS tracker, starting from Reading gaol.

Explaining his work, he said: “Tuesday was the first day of Earley Panda coming out of two months of hibernation.

Hattie Gutzman finished her last shift in charge of the Hope and Anchor on Station Road on Sunday, February 27.

“The pandemic has put a lot of strain on the hospitality industry and me personally, and I decided that now is a good opportunity for a change,” Hattie explains.

“I’ve been running the pub for a long time and I’d like to get some time back for myself as I’m never really off-duty.

“Running a pub is not a job, it’s a lifestyle.”

She has seen many changes in Wokingham’s pubs over the last 12 years, but says that the supportive community of the town’s publicans has been a constant.

“We always help each other out,” she says.

Hattie also says she has made some good friends and memories throughout her time in charge of the bar.

Her “amazing” leaving party at the pub on Saturday, February 19, was attended by regulars and old staff.

Highlights of her tenure include Help for Heroes fundraising events.

“I’ve also fulfilled a my dream to run my own pub,” she adds.

When the tenancy of the Hope and Anchor became vacant in 2009, Hattie decided to take the chance. She approached pub owners Brakespear with her ideas.

“I’ve always worked in pubs and I’m a people person,” she says “The pub has a lovely atmosphere, and I knew it was the one for me.”

During Hattie’s tenure, the pub has become well-known as a live music venue in Wokingham.

LAST ORDERS: Hattie Gutzman has stepped d Country band Peach & The Prairie Dogs returned to play at her leaving party, and rock covers band Bottle Kids played at her last night as landlady.

Twyford artist looks forward to spring exhibitions

“More than ever, we need something to smile about and take our minds off from the worrying news for a bit.

“How about the sight of your friendly neighbourhood panda riding a bike on the roads of Earley and surrounding areas?”

The cuddly and friendly bear is now back on the streets, aiming to spread some joy while also training for his charity ride from London to Paris ride in July. n For more on Panda’s cycle ride to raise money for sick children for the charity Action, log on to: www.

EarleyPanda.com

A TWYFORD artist is looking forward to a busy spring.

Richard Conway-Jones is planning two exhibitions of his work May. The first is his open studio, known as “the most beautiful house in the world,” as part of the Henley Arts Trail. It takes place over the early May bank holiday weekend, Saturday, April 30, to Monday, May 2.

The second will be held in the Old Fire Station Gallery, on Market Place in Henley, between Thursday, May 19, and Tuesday, May 24. He will be sharing the space with Adrian Wildman, a modern antiques dealer.

“It will be a retrospective of my career so far,” Richard explains.

“With Adrian there too, there will be something for everyone.

“And because they are tricky to organise, I don’t often hold them.”

Richard has been a professional artist since 1987, when he decided that a career in film

making was not for him.

“I studied film making at college, but film making is a rich man’s game and I wanted to do something I could actually finish,” he explains.

“Both my grandmother and aunt were artists, and my mother encouraged me to paint.

“I was also lucky to have exhibitions in commercial galleries, including a one-man show, early in my career.”

His work is informed by his film background. He works using oils and creates bold, colourful figurative or landscape paintings on canvas or calico.

Talking to people about his work is something which Richard enjoys as part of the creative process, in both an exhibition and open studio setting.

“The context of where my paintings are displayed make a difference to the conversations

NEWS | 29

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Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

ady calls time s behind bars

Caring, sharing Co-op opens not once, but twice

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AND WE’RE OPEN: The new Co-op at Matthewsgreen was uneviled last week, with another on the way. Pictures: Midcounties Co-operative A NEW shop has opened in Wokingham, and another is on the way.

The Midcounties Co-operative opened its Matthews Green store yesterday at Paley Court.

It has created 20 new jobs for the area.

And today (Thursday, March 3), the Montague Park store on Beechy Place, which will be opening, creating another 20 jobs.

Both shops have an in-store bakery and a chilled food-to-go range, as well as essential grocery items, from fruit and vegetables and fresh meat to a range of wines, spirits and chilled beers.

They also have National Lottery and PayPoint terminals as well as a

Hermes ParcelShop.

Darren Adams, head of convenience stores at The Midcounties Co-operative, said: “We’re so excited to be opening the doors of our brand-new convenience stores in Wokingham and can’t wait to meet the community.

“We’re really looking forward to welcoming members and customers and I’m sure they’ll be impressed with the wide range of products and services we have on offer.”

The stores’ opening hours will be 7am to 10pm every day throughout the week.

The two stores represent an investment of more than £1.1 million.

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down as landlady of The Hope & Anchor pub in Wokingham Picture: Steve Smyth She will stay on as tenant at will until Brakespear have finalised her replacement and intends to stay in the area for the time being.

“I’m applying for all sorts of jobs

and it will be a big change,” Hattie says.

“But I am looking forward to having paid holidays and spending more time with my two dogs.”

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I have and the way my work looks,” he says. “You never know who is going to turn up, some people are very focussed and know exactly what they are interested in.

“But the responses of children are just magical.”

n For more information about Richard’s work, which includes music, visit: conway-jones.co.uk

March can come in like a lamb, white and soft with new-fallen snow..

But then goes out like a lion, tossing its daffodil mane in a snarling wind, spitting with rain.

By Rosi MB

Send your poetry submissions to news@wokingham.today

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY THE VOICE OF THE BOROUGH

Standing united with Ukraine

LIKE much of the world, we have seen the events in the Ukraine with horror.

As Putin’s troops have been massed on the border for several weeks, the invasion was not a surprise.

Nor is our reaction to it.

The government, like the EU, has taken action to hurt Russia with sanctions. For this, they deserve praise. And the public are busy providing help, assistance, and an outpouring of solidarity.

On social media, many have added a Ukrainian flag or colours, just as our masthead this week has changed and the flag flies at Shute End, as a simple sign of support.

Practical support has also been offered: financial gifts to charities such as the Red Cross, and donations of clothing, tents and survival gear are given generously.

Wokingham borough is a welcoming place. Regardless of where people come from, there is a respect, a love and a recognition that our differences bring us together, not divide us.

Time and again, we show our support for so many vital causes, because it’s the right thing to do.

Our heart breaks for our European neighbour, attacked by a grizzly Russian bear that seems to think the old rules still apply. We live in hope that jaw jaw will bring this invasion to a swift end.

Until then, Wokingham will stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine. Why wouldn’t we?

CHURCH NOTES

Climate change

W

E have just had the privilege of buying a new car. But where do we start?

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric?

The message of COP26 was that we are heading for disaster if we do not do something radical now to reduce our impact on emissions to the atmosphere and save our planet, so the choice is not easy.

In Weathering Climate Change – A Fresh Approach, astrophysicist Dr Hugh Ross suggests that the climate stability of the last 9,500 years, that has allowed mankind to exist and prosper, has been miraculous but will come to an end.

As a Christian, I believe that this miracle is of God. “In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land” (Psalm 95).

And as for the end, St Peter, who walked with Jesus Christ, tells us: “The day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:10).

While we need to do everything we can to stop damaging the environment, we need to focus on getting our lives in order to face the God of creation and “live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:35).

Ian Stewart is a member of Christ Church Wokingham, which meets every Sunday at St Crispin’s School at 10.30am, writing on behalf of Churches Together in Wokingham

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Your letters

Send your thoughts to letters@wokingham.today

Tackling the benefits system If the changes to the benefits system confuse me, I can’t think what they must do to those with mental health issues.

Tax Payers’ money must have been used to change the names of the Benefits – all to no purpose, because there was nothing wrong with the names that they had.

If you asked the man on the Clapham omnibus the following questions, he would, probably, give you the following answers: ‘What is Universal Credit?’ ‘It must be credit that one can obtain from a wide variety of sources.’ ‘What is Employment Support Allowance?’ ‘It must be a payment available to top up the income of the low-waged.’

‘What is Job-Seekers Allowance?’

‘It must be an allowance – available to people – to enable them to get some smart clothes, and to help pay their fares – when they attend interviews for jobs.’

‘What is Personal Independence Payment?’ ‘It must be money, given to young people, to enable them to live independently of their families.’

All these answers are incorrect.

The old names for the Benefits – Housing Benefit, Incapacity Benefit, Unemployment Benefit, and Disability Living Allowance, told one exactly what they were.

Last week, I succeeded in getting Personal Independence Payment, for a lady who has suffered from cancer, and other, physical, as well as, mental, health problems. With relief, she said, ‘Now I will sometimes be able to take a taxi, instead of waiting for the bus.’

This was one of the very points that Sir John Redwood kindly submitted to the Ministers, for me, when I was commenting, to Parliament, on the changeover, from Disability Living Allowance, to Personal Independence Payment.

I disagreed with the abolition of the Low Rate – explaining that a person, with a moderate, mental or physical, disability, who would not qualify for High or Middle Rate Benefit, might,

just about, be able to struggle to the supermarket, for food shopping, but would need to take a taxi, back.

The Low Rate of Benefit, would enable them to pay for the taxi.

At least, I managed to get Standard Rate, [the old Middle Rate], for this lady. But often, people with only, mental, disabilities, who, in the past, qualified just for the Low Rate of Disability Living Allowance, may, under the new system, get nothing!

For this reason, when I apply for them, I always submit full medical evidence.

I explain that this always carries the most weight. We may be saying exactly the same thing, but he, nevertheless, is a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and I am not.

Pam Jenkinson, The Wokingham Crisis House

The voice of the people?

Hertsmere and Welwyn are Conservative-run Councils just like Wokingham.

The difference is that they have listened after 20,000 residents responded to consultation on local plans. Not only did they listen, they also acted and have rejected their own local plans.

In Wokingham nearly 50,000 residents gave an extremely clear mandate but they have been ignored by the Wokingham leadership.

Mid Sussex, another Conservative council, have paused their local plan until Government once again clarifies its planning position.

Yes, Government are yet again reconsidering.

The CPRE states “It’s official, the government is U-turning on planning system changes”.

It would appear that voices of local people are going to be central to the planning system and will be listened to.

Except it would seem in Wokingham where it is only the voices of a few in the Executive that drive the local plan.

A few that are determined not to have any development in their backyards.

Volunteer corner

Helena Badger

A

T ABC to Read we believe life is better when everyone can read and express themselves confidently.

Our trained reading mentors provide children with the skills and confidence they need to do just that.

With the pandemic over the past two years, we know there is even more need for volunteers as some children will have fallen behind.

Once volunteers are trained, they are then matched up with a local school.

Commitment is ideally twice a week for one-and-a-half hours in the

afternoons but once a week will be considered.

The role is extremely rewarding, learning new skills and strengthens our community.

At the current time, we will be conducting online interviews and training. n The Education Business Partnership delivers a range of programmes and initiatives designed to improve the work-related skills of young people so that they are better equipped to enter the world of work.

We are looking for volunteers to

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

We love to hear from you! Send us your views on issues relating to the borough (in 250 words or less) to Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS or email: letters@wokingham.today We reserve the right to edit letters Views expressed in this section are not necessarily those of the paper The biggest surprise is that when Government rejected plans (November 2021) for the 305 metre high Tulip Tower in London that Wokingham did not volunteer Shinfield and Arborfield as an alternative.

It seems that every other proposal results in Wokingham Conservatives suggesting these communities.

Cllr Jim Frewin, independent councillor for Shinfield South on Wokingham Borough Council

Waiting game A couple of years ago when Farley Farms (190 Hectare site) was being considered for gravel extraction I asked Wokingham Borough Council to put a Blanket Tree Preservation Order (TPOs) on the site to protect the trees, hedges and wildlife. I am still waiting for a reply more than two years later.

Wokingham Borough Council has the powers to impose Blanker TPO’s which protects landscape from initial uncontrolled destruction while plans evolve and it can then lift some or all of the protection at a later date if it is appropriate to do so.

I asked the Council to put a protective Blanket TPO on Hall Farm which is a much bigger (470 Hectare) site so all trees and hedges were protected while the plan process evolves. This would highlight the Councils Environmental credentials and support its Climate Emergency thinking.

How wrong I was. The council reply was the Council has the ability to make TPO protecting trees of value where this is expedient. The tree team have already placed TPOs on a number of specific trees within or on the edge of several of the proposed allocations in the emerging local plan.

This is in preference to wide ranging area classification. In simple terms the answer was NO NO NO. The truth is a Blanket TPO, which is the only way to protect as much as the environment as possible is not part of Wokingham Borough Councils thinking. help with Mock Interviews with Year 10 students.

Volunteers would need to be at the school for the duration of the school day on Thursday, March 24, (roughly 8.15/30am-3.30pm) and will conduct one-to-one practice interviews with individual students (EBP will provide the interview script and copies of student CVs on the day).

You will interview approximately 15 or 16 students on the school day.

No experience necessarily, a volunteer confirmation with all the details will be sent to those who sign up along with a interview guide which breaks down the interview and gives suggested questions.

At its basic it is a confidence building exercise for students to gain experience of talking about themselves in a positive way with an adult they don’t know. n Do you enjoy swimming and relaxing in the water?

Do you have some free time on a Monday or Wednesday morning

To refuse to use blanket TPO’s when its simple function is to protect the environment as the planning processes evolve shows how little Wokingham Borough Council cares about our environment and it’s ecology whatever they spin on social media etc.

When I see the disgrace of council approved 2 metre +fencing, netting and Gates on the rural part of the Mole Road approved by our planners what comfort can residents have that the so called garden village will be anything more than the destruction of the whole area. Goodbye trees, hedges and wildlife habitat forever.

May’s Local Elections are the opportunity residents will have to right this wrong by getting rid of this Conservative ruling group who are hell bent on the total destruction of our countryside particularly if one lives in the South of the Borough.

Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham Borough Council.

Join the Big Toddle Last year’s annual Barnardo’s Big Toddle saw thousands of underfives take part in short sponsored ‘toddles’ to raise money for vulnerable children supported by the UK’s largest children’s charity. An amazing £198,000 was raised across the UK. This year marks the 25th year of the Barnardo’s Big Toddle. And we are once again calling for children, their families and nurseries to join in the fun this summer as Big Toddle Week returns with a safari theme from 20th to 26th June.

Register now to receive a Toddle Together fundraising pack containing all the necessary information and lots of safari-themed ideas – such as free medals, stickers and sponsorship forms. Please go to https://www. barnardos.org.uk/bigtoddle for more information.

On behalf of the children and families we work with I would like to say a huge thank you. Keep toddling!

Janice Gilroy, Barnardo’s Fundraising Manager to go for a swim with the people we support?

Dimensions is a charity that supports people with learning disabilities to have a voice and live an active, fulfilling life.

They are looking for a volunteer to enjoy swimming activities with and then have a chat afterwards.

We are looking for volunteers who are: confident in the water and enjoy swimming, friendly, chatty and a good listener and reliable/dependable and willing to commit to volunteer regularly (ideally on a Monday or Wednesday morning).

A DBS check and two-character references will be required for this role. n These are just a few roles on our books. Visit our website www. volunteerwokinghamborough.org. uk to find out more and have a look at all the roles we have to offer. If you would like to get in touch with us, call 0118 977 0749, or email: volunteer@ wok-vol.org.uk

Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

VIEWPOINTS | 31

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International Women’s Day: It’s time to #Break The Bias From the chief executive Susan Parsonage

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is #BreakTheBias and is all about smashing stereotypes. Did you know that only a third of council Chief Executives are women?

Wokingham Borough Council is led by Chief Executive, Susan Parsonage. Below we hear more about her career so far and advice for others.

M

Y career in local government began 24 years ago. I had previously worked for BT, but by the age of 26 I decided that I wanted a change and to start focusing on different issues.

I went to university and completed a law degree, followed by a master’s degree in law and philosophy. I had done voluntary work with a women’s refuge while writing my degree’s dissertation on domestic abuse and I was drawn to my first role in local government as it centred on running a campaign around ending violence

against women and children.

I have always been a great fan of voluntary work and have an invested interest in social issues.

While working at Ealing Council I volunteered for a small social housing association in Hackney that supported young people new to London who needed low-cost housing.

This helped give me good experience and insights for one of my later roles as Director for Safer Communities and Housing. I have also been drawn to positions in the community where the work can make a real difference to people’s lives, such as community safety.

Over the years, I took on different roles, which helped me learn more about other areas of the council, including environmental health, street cleaning, recycling and environmental crime.

I knew I wanted to challenge myself and take on a Chief Executive role, so I moved to Lancaster City Council which also provided an opportunity to work on regeneration and change the council’s relationship with external partners such as businesses and the University.

After some time at Lancaster and given my passion and experience for people and safeguarding, I knew I wanted to also have a greater influence over and help shape change in Children’s and Adult’s Services in a unitary authority.

So when the opportunity for a Chief Executive role came up at Wokingham Borough Council in 2019, I was keen to go for it.

Looking at my career, I would say some of the recent proudest moments have been during our response to the pandemic – particularly as I’m really passionate about partnership working.

Working with our local voluntary and community sectors, supporting vulnerable people, standing up to Central Government on important issues, getting money out to

businesses as quickly as possible, and so much more.

We have consistently sought to put our residents at the heart of every decision and been able to make made some great achievements in difficult times.

As with any job, there have been challenges along the way.

Time is always an issue, particularly in a leadership position as you are constantly being pulled in different directions and always want to ensure you’re focusing on the right areas.

Something that’s also important, particularly so in the past few years is the need for personal resilience, so I’m conscious for the need to continuously work on this.

My advice to anyone considering a career in local government is to go for it. There are so many different paths to go down and knowing that you are making a real difference to people’s lives carries you through.

If you are in a position to be able to follow your passion or do work that chimes with your beliefs, everything else will flow and in local authorities, it’s really important to make the most of the opportunities available to you when they arise.

worse for many people with a 10% increase in National Insurance coming in April.

Against this background we are in a confrontation that is going to be as damaging as it can be without shots being fired at British troops. Labour’s leader, Keir Starmer, has rightly warned that the British people will have to make sacrifices in respect of the war. The burden of our national effort must not fall on the shoulders of those least able to bear it.

If we want the country to pull together the emphasis must be on ‘together’. There can be no sense of unfairness. No sense that some are more equal than others. No sense that obligations apply to most of the people but not to a favoured few.

Britain emerged from the last major European war with a remarkable sense of shared purpose.

The war years had seen not one but two changes of Prime Minister.

After a disastrous start to the war, Chamberlain was booted out by MPs and replaced by Churchill.

Before the war ended, the electorate overwhelmingly rejected

Churchill in favour of Attlee. A time of national emergency has never been an excuse to stick with a Prime Minister who is clearly not up to the job.

Starmer has also rightly stated that part of our confrontation with Putin must involve de-toxifying our country of all cash looted by Putin’s cronies and which has found its way into our property market and into our politics distorting both.

Cash looted from the Russian people should not be used to buy passports, a luxury lifestyle, political access and good PR in the United Kingdom and, indeed, in our borough.

When we, and all parties, next go canvassing, we can be sure that for the time being we have a level playing field.

Wealth, stolen or otherwise, will not be able to buy an advantage in this small part of our politics.

And in that, I think we can all take some comfort.

Susan Parsonage is the chief executive of Wokingham Borough Council

From the stumps Andy Croy

The importance of being able to knock on doors

A

PART from the outbreak of war in Europe, last weekend was much like any other weekend.

I joined Labour activists and councillors knocking on the doors of people I do not know to listen and talk politics.

In other parts of the Borough our Conservative and Lib Dem counterparts did much the same thing.

All of us will have done so in a culture where the people we spoke to felt totally at ease expressing a variety of opinions about our political leaders, our political parties and the state of the country.

Door knocking like this – canvassing – is an important part of how we do politics in this country.

The laws relating to canvassing are strict in the UK. It is, for example, illegal to pay people to canvass.

While political parties can find almost unlimited ways to throw cash at elections via paid for leaflet deliveries and advertising, law makers long ago recognised that the act of talking to people face to face was extraordinarily powerful.

This part of our political process is protected from someone who could

afford to pay for canvassers but who otherwise lacks the support of people willing to talk for them.

For both the canvasser and the canvassed, there is a mutual understanding that both people have equal rights to freedom of thought and expression.

We both also have a vote that we can cast, in secret, for the candidate of our choice. It is all a part of what we call “democracy” or “freedom”.

In the UK, we have our own version of democracy and freedom. It is not perfect and it differs from the many other, also imperfect, systems in most of the rest of Europe. One thing is sure, any of these systems is far better than the brutal, thieving, authoritarian dictatorships that hold power in Russia and Belarus and which now wage war on Ukraine.

Putin’s war on Ukraine, its aftermath, Covid, the Climate Emergency and Brexit will impact us for decades to come.

We have an ongoing housing crisis, an NHS that was on its knees long before Covid, obscene levels of poverty and a social care system that is close to collapse. We have a cost of living crisis which is about to get

Andy Croy is Wokingham Labour’s candidate for Bulmershe and Whitegates ward for the forthcoming borough council elections

From the vicechancellor Robert Van de Noort

Changing campus to cut carbon

L

AST month, I was honoured to represent the University, along with several world-class climate change scientists, at a ceremony at St James’s Palace and receive the 2022 Queen’s Anniversary Prize from HRH The Price of Wales and the Princess Royal.

We were awarded the Prize for our work on climate change and how we can prepare for changes in the climate and the weather, especially extreme weather events.

No sooner was I back at the Whiteknights campus, we were faced with Storm Eunice and, in keeping with the findings of our research, decided to close our campuses for a day to ensure the safety of students and colleagues working here.

Climate change, and its many environmental impacts, require action from us.

Our world-class research in this field is well known, but we are doing much more.

For example, come to the Whiteknights campus and you are surrounded by carbon cutting initiatives, including more than 3,500 solar panels on buildings, locally sourced and plant-first food and drink in our canteens, and ground source heat pumps keeping students warm in lecture theatres.

Educating future generations on climate change, and what we can do to reduce its impact and be resilient to the changes, is also central to our work.

Last autumn, we hosted a Climate Education Summit, which brought together young people, campaigners and science and education specialists to discuss how to better teach climate change in schools, colleges and youth groups.

The clear message that came out of the Summit was that teaching on climate change should be in every classroom and feature in every subject.

Every one of us will be affected by a changing climate, and so every one of us – whether we study art or economics – needs knowledge and skills to tackle these issues together.

This work is ongoing in the form of an action plan being delivered with Summit partners and the Government’s Department for Education.

We have a lot to offer as a university to support objectives such as providing resources and climate information for teachers and providing scientists to support school initiatives.

It is critical that the next generation understands the importance of sustainable living as they will grow up in a world shaped by environmentally focused decisions being made today.

I’m proud that the University of Reading is at the forefront of giving young people greater access to the facts.

Our latest climate education initiative is an online course aimed at primary school teachers, sharing ideas to effectively teach young pupils about climate change and with a focus on outdoor learning.

The world in 30 years will inevitably look different to today, especially where the environment is concerned.

This makes it vitally important that we as a university do all we can to help the world adapt to and combat the challenges ahead.

Professor Robert Van de Noort is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading

32 | BUSINESS

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A business park that is changing

Amount of time it takes to sell a home has dropped

By PHIL CREIGHTON news@rdg.today

NEW research shows that the amount of time it takes to sell a home has reduced in Reading by more than two months, and a month in Wokingham.

The property hotspots show demand continues to be strong.

In Reading, between February and July last year, it took an average of 282 days to sell, while from August to January this year, that dropped to 212, a reduction of 70 days.

And in Wokingham, it took an average of 289 days. This dropped to 260, a reduction of 30 days.

Getagent.co.uk found that the average time to sell a home over the last six months is currently 248 days, down from an average of 306 days during the previous six months - a drop of 58 days.

Regionally, the North East is home to the longest average time to sell at 284 days, followed by London (277) and the East of England (259).

The West Midlands (213 days),

KEY TO SUCCESS: The property market in Reading and Wokingham remains bouyant Picture: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay Wales (225) and Yorkshire and the Humber (228) are home to the quickest transaction timelines.

At local level, Dartford and the Castle Point area of Essex are currently home to the quickest time to sell a home at just 142 days on average; South Lakeland is the most lethargic pocket of the property market with the average home taking 582 days to sell in current

market.

GetAgent tracked the average time to sell a home across England and Wales based on the point at which a property is listed for sale and the point at which this sale completes.

The company’s founder and CEO, Colby Short, said the pandemic presented a perfect storm to delay sales including an initial lockdown, before the stamp duty holiday led to a rise in demand.

“When you factor in the archaic legal process that hampers transactions at the best of times, the outcome was only ever going to be a considerable build up in sales waiting to complete and huge delays to the time it takes to sell,” he said.

“It certainly looks as though we’ve turned a corner and, while it would be inaccurate to say homes are selling particularly fast in the current market, the time it’s taking to sell has certainly dropped and by quite some margin in some areas.”

Reading is the UK’s best area to work in an READING is the UK’s best place to work in an office, based on transport costs, Internet accessibility, wages and fuel costs.

The town came ahead of Cardiff and Coventry, while Stoke-On-Trent, Portsmouth and Bournemouth among the worst places.

The study, by marketing agency School of Marketing, analysed data including transport costs, fuel costs, average salaries, and Internet access to see

which areas came out on top.

And it was The Ding that topped the list, performing best all-round on transport costs and wages.

It scored third for the highest salaries, behind London and Oxford, with an average wage of £2,617 a month.

The town has seen big companies move in with new offices, with the likes of Huawei, Three UK and Microsoft all operating in the area.

The survey looked at the average maximum broadband speed, which in Reading was 494Mbps. This will increase as more of the area gets connected to fibre broadband offering much faster speeds.

Other criteria included the cost of a litre of unleaded petrol, a monthly bus pass, and a single fare, as well as the average monthly salary.

A spokesperson from the School of Marketing, which offers digital marketing apprenticeships in more than

20 countries, serving more than 4,000 learners worldwide, said: “With many companies and workers alike moving away from London for office work due to increasing living and transport costs, it’s interesting to see what areas offer alternatives to the capital.

“The constantly rising cost of living may also see an influence on where whitecollar workers move to, and this list may help job seekers and employers alike.”

Law firm raises more than £1.5 million for A LAW firm with offices in Reading town centre has raised more than £1.5 million for a cancer charity.

Blandy & Blandy, based in Blagrave Street, has been supporting Cancer Research UK’s will writing scheme for two decades and, in 2019, the firm was presented with a special Gold Award by the charity.

Donations to the charity in lieu of paying for wills prepared by the company, and legacies left by clients have contributed to this total.

Gifts in wills fund more than a third of the charity’s research, which funds 4,000 scientists, doctors, and nurses nationwide.

Blandy & Blandy is the only firm of solicitors in either Reading or Henley to be supporting CRUK in this way.

SUPPORT: A will writing service has helped Blandy & Blandy raise £1.5 million for Cancer Research UK Caroline Casagranda, a partner in the firm’s Wills, Probate, Tax & Trusts team, said she was proud of this significant shared achievement.

And Clare Moore, director of product and portfolio

strategy, fundraising and marketing, at Cancer Research UK, said: “We all reach a stage at some point in our lives where we start to look ahead and consider what will happen to our financial affairs in the

future, when we may no longer be around.”

The charity offers the service to adults either making their first will or updating an existing one.

“The service has grown in popularity over the past few years and while it is provided free of any obligation, most people choose to kindly leave a gift to the charity,” Ms Moore said.

“It’s quite astonishing to think that by simply combining enthusiasm with the highest professional standards Blandy & Blandy has helped secure more than £1.5 million worth of legacy gifts, which will go a long way towards helping our scientists, doctors and nurses to beat cancer sooner.” n For more details, log on to: www.cruk.org/freewillservice, or: www.blandy.co.uk

Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

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WOKINGHAM HALF 2022

Pictures: Steve Smyth

STARTERS ORDERS: Mayor Cllr Keith Baker gets the race underway

AND WE’RE OFF: Runners set off from Cantley Park for the 2022 Wokingham Half, which this year went through the town centre Pictures: Steve Smyth

Back in the running

By DANIEL BLACKHAM dblackham@rdg.today RUNNERS from across the country took part in the Wokingham Half Marathon on Sunday.

More than 2,500 people completed the race which featured a new route for 2022, passing through the town centre for the first time since its inception in 1984.

Chris Sumner, organiser of the event, said: “We were really pleased with how the event went this year.

“The new course resulted in an increased number of spectators and it was great to provide something so positive for the people in Wokingham.”

Despite Storm Eunice causing disruption in the week before the race, the route was clear for everyone participating.

Mr Sumner said: “We were lucky with the weather this year as we were originally planning on holding it last weekend but it clashed with another event.

“We pass our thanks to Wokingham Borough Council who had teams out and about to clear any debris on the course.”

Starting and finishing at Cantley House, the route took runners south on Milton Road and into the town centre passing many familiar shops, bars and restaurants on their way.

Following an initial 600 metre climb, participants ran downhill until mile two where the route picked up its regular course on Bell Foundry Lane.

Joshua Close, representing Aldershot, Farnham and District Athletic Club, won the race with a time of 01:06:06, Tom Merson was second with 01:07:05, and Nicholas Torry was third with 01:07:23 Naomi Mitchell, of Reading Athletic Club, was the fastest female with a time of 01:11:53, only 44 seconds slower than the current women’s record held by Liz Yelling.

Second in the women’s race was Becky Briggs with 01:13:51, and third was Kirsteen Welch with 01:14:42.

34 | NEWS

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PUBLIC NOTICES

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (CHURCH LANE, ARBORFIELD) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: Church Lane, Arborfield between its junctions with A327 Reading Road and B3030 Sindlesham Road.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via B3030 Sindlesham Road and A327 Reading Road or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 21st March and 23rd March 2022.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Beechwood Tree Care Ltd contractors to undertake tree maintenance work in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (A327 SHINFIELD, WOKINGHAM BOROUGH) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021 NOTICE IS HEREBY given that on the 24th February 2022 Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority made an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: 1. A327 Arborfield Road, Shinfield between its junctions with A327 Shinfield Eastern Relief Road and A327 Reading Road.

2. A327 Reading Road, Shinfield between its junctions with A327 Arborfield Road and Greensward Lane.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by these restrictions shall be via A327 Reading Road, B3030 Sindlesham Road, B3030 Mole Road, B3030 King Street Lane, Hatch Farm Way, B3270 Lower Earley Way (North), B3270 Lower Earley Way, B3270 Lower Earley Way (West), A327 Black Boy Roundabout and A327 Shinfield Eastern Relief Road or by this route in reverse.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks contractors to undertake dropping, reconfiguring and reinstallation of the overhead lines in safety.

Dated: 3rd March 2022

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

ROAD TRAFFIC REGULATION ACT 1984 WOKINGHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL (WHITEKNIGHTS ROAD, EARLEY) (TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF DRIVING) ORDER 2021 NOTICE IS HEREBY given that Wokingham Borough Council as Traffic Authority proposes to make an Order under Section 14 (1) (a) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 the effect of which is prohibit any vehicle from proceeding along: Whiteknights Road, Earley between its junctions with B3350 Wilderness Road and Wokingham Borough Boundary.

The alternative route for all vehicles affected by this restriction shall be via Whiteknights Road, Upper Redlands Road, Elmhurst Road, A327 Shinfield Road and Pepper Lane or by this route in reverse.

Works requiring this restriction will take place between 21st March and 24th March 2022 between 09:30 and 16:00.

The reason for these prohibitions is to allow T Mobile contractors to undertake installation, rigging, integration and testing of telecommunications pole and cabinet in safety.

Access for residents and businesses within the boundaries of these restrictions will be maintained at all times.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 21st March 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

The restriction imposed by the Order shall only apply during those periods when traffic signs complying with the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 are lawfully displayed.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 13th March 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

The following application(s) have been submitted and are advertised for the reasons below: Application

Address

Reasons for Advert

Description

220350

5 Farley Court, Church Road, Farley Hill

Works to a listed building

Householder application for the proposed demolition of a section of basement wall and insertion of a new structural lintel, plus tanking of an area of basement and insertion of ventilation system.

220351

5 Farley Court, Church Road, Farley Hill

Works to a listed building

Application for Listed Building consent for the proposed demolition of a section of basement wall and insertion of a new structural lintel, plus tanking of an area of basement and insertion of ventilation system.

220396

The Lodge, Station Road, Wargrave

Conservation Area

Householder application for the proposed erection of boathouse.

220421

Parcel V2n, Biggs Lane, Arborfield Garrison

Major Application

Application for the approval of reserved matters pursuant to outline planning consent O/2014/2280 for the erection of 73 no. dwellings within parcel V2N with associated internal access roads, parking, landscaping, open space, footpaths and drainage. (Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale to be determined).

220458

Land East Of Lodge Road, Hurst

Major Application

Outline application for the proposed development of approximately 200 homes, open space, pedestrian and cycle links, recreational facilities (Use Class E) and other associated infrastructure and primary vehicular access via the existing Lodge Road gated access with required improvements (all matters reserved except for access).

The application is available to view online at wokingham.gov.uk � Planning � Search planning applications and typing in the application number above. Comments on the application can be made online from this web page.

Any comments must arrive on or before the 24th March 2022. Any comments made are not confidential and can be seen by anyone as they form part of the public record. The comments, unless offensive, discriminatory and/or racist, will appear on the Council’s website within 24 hours and include the submitted name and address. Due to the high volume of comments received we do not provide individual responses.

Date: 3rd March 2022

For the latest news visit

Dated: 3rd March 2022 Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

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Dated: 3rd March 2022 Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 AND/OR Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Regulations 1990

Works requiring these restrictions will take place on 13th March 2022.

The restrictions contained in the Order shall come into operation on the 21st March 2022 and shall continue in force for a period not exceeding 18 months or until the works have been completed, whichever is the earlier.

Trevor Saunders Assistant Director – Delivery and Infrastructure Wokingham Borough Council Civic Offices Shute End Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1WL

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LEISURETODAY LEISURE TODAY

03.03.22

Your guide to what’s on across Reading and Wokingham

W

ITH everything that’s been going on over the last couple of years, goodness, we need someone to bring us sunshine.

And there’s so much joy that these two can give - yes, it’s Morecambe and Wise, well the nearest you can get to seeing the classic duo that brought fun, sunshine and love to homes ever since they teamed up to make us laugh.

Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens are playing Eric and Ern in the Olivier Award-nominated show of the same name, coming to The Hexagon next month.

Crammed full of renditions of those famous comedy sketches, and coupled with contemporary references in

Bringing sunshine their unique style, the show evokes memories of times when whole families would huddle around the telly on Sunday evenings to share in the much-loved antics of Britain’s national treasures.

Ian and Jonty have been performing and writing as Eric and Ern for more than five years.

The research into their subjects is there for all to see in their staggeringly accurate portrayal of the most successful and much loved British comedy duo of all time.

The performers themselves have a wonderful relationship with the families and estates of Morecambe & Wise – with all scripts given the families’ seal of approval before being performed.

“I have been fascinated with Eric Morecambe for as long as I can remember,” says Jonty.

“I took on his persona at school and it never really left me. He was the funniest and loveliest of men. We both feel it’s a privilege to play Eric and Ernie and some people have said it’s like we’re channelling them – some nights it does feel like that.”

Ian says: “We do treasure the relationship we have with each other – as did Eric and Ernie –and I think it’s obvious that we love performing the comedy of Morecambe and Wise.”

The pair met at drama school more than 30 years ago and continued their friendship playing golf together at The Stage Golf Society in Richmond.

When Jonty was asked to play Eric at a charity show he knew that with his short fat hairy legs Ian would be the perfect Ernie Wise. Having brought the house down, the two then wrote some ‘bespoke’ material for their friends at the golf club.

It was these performances which set them off on an incredible journey, with rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, an acclaimed West End season at the Vaudeville Theatre, and an Olivier Award nomination for ‘the play wot we wrote’ - ‘Eric and Little Ern’.

Jonty said: “More importantly, the audiences love watching it - which is always handy. But it’s more than just watching a comedy show - there’s a real emotional connection, because we all remember watching it together. The

audience reaction has been amazing.”

The show also has the seal of approval for Eric’s son, Gary Morcambe.

He says: “I went to see them at Edinburgh because I’d had many tip-offs about them, both from people inside and outside of the industry, and when I saw the show that’s when I thought ‘They really are good’. That first time seeing them gave me a bit of a shiver down the spine, actually, because I went in there slightly on the attack and I came out bewildered almost - because they were that good.” n The show will be performed at The Hexagon in Reading on Friday, April 1.

Tickets cost £24.50. For more details, or to book, call the box office on 0118 960 6060 or log on to whatsonreading.com

14 | LEISURE

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Soul sisters AN ACCLAIMED singer and musical theatre comes to Henley this weekend.

Patti Boulaye OBE brings her rescheduled show Aretha and Me to the Kenton Theatre on Saturday, March 5.

In her one-woman show, Patti compares her life to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, whose celebrated career included 20 number one R&B hits during a recording career which spanned five decades.

Patti will perform her favourite Aretha Franklin songs, including Respect, Say a Little Prayer, Chain of Fools and Think.

The performance begins at 7.30pm.

Tickets priced from £22 concessions, to £30.

All tickets include a £1 theatre restoration levy. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01491 525050 or log on to: kentontheatre.co.uk

The prologue

THE LIFE of one of Britain’s most loved comedians of the 20th century will be explored at South Hill Park this weekend.

Howerd’s End, written by Mark Farrely, explores Frankie Howerd’s secret relationship with his long-term partner Dennis Heymer. Mark plays Dennis, with Frankie being played by Simon Cartwright.

The play follows their clandestine relationship, which lasted from the 1950s until Frankie’s death in 1992. It also offers the audience to encounter Frankie in stand-up mode and explores love, grief and the art of letting go.

There will be two evening performances. They take place at 7.30pm on Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5. Tickets cost £16. n For more details, or to book, visit: southhillpark.org.uk or call: 01344 484123.

Wilde for words

SUSIE Dent will expose The Secret Life of Words in Bracknell next week.

Limited tickets remain for the lexicographer’s journey into the origins of some of the words we use at South Hill Park on Friday, March 11.

Susie will retell the adventures that lie hidden within such words as lasagne, which involve a chamber pot, and the terrorising monster that is a bugbear.

She’ll explain oddities like the silent h in ghost and the mysterious disappearance of kempt, gormful, and ruly from use.

The show features integrated captioning and a performer on stage who uses British Sign Language as part of their character.

Suitable for 16 years and up, tickets start at £12. The performance is at 8pm. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0118 960 6060 or log on to: whatsonreading.com

Hollywood comedy thriller

RAUCOUS toe-tapping folk and gypsyflavoured music takes over Norden Farm next week.

The Budapest Cafe Orchestra will play a mix of traditional songs from across eastern Europe and Russia.

Expect to hear ballads and laments, and raucous songs combined with jazz and The queen of dictionary corner on Channel 4’s Countdown will also run her own word surgery, inviting audience questions about word origins and the future of language.

The show starts at 7.45pm and tickets are priced at £22. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 01344 484123, or visit: southhillpark.org.uk

On your bike, Shakespeare

ONE of Shakespeare’s most famous plays gets a green makeover at Norden Farm next week.

The HandleBards will perform their version of Macbeth on Wednesday, March 9.

The all-female troupe of three actors pedal environmentally sustainable Shakespeare to venues across the UK. Forget the tears and tragedy, the company promises an unhinged bicycle powered, laugh-out-loud version of the bard’s work.

Expect music, mayhem and costume changes in the HandleBards usual irreverent and charming style.

Starting at 7.30pm, tickets cost £16 and £14 concessions. n For more details, or to book, log on to:

AT THE THEATRE

Bracknell – South Hill Park

www.southhillpark.org.uk 01344 484123 Conservatoire International Concert Series: Anna Denisova.

Fri. Howerd’s End. Fri-Sat. The Comedy Sellar. Fri. Tina Live: A Tribute To Tina Turner.

Sat. The Four Seasons. Tues.

Kerry Godliman: Bosh. Wed. I, Elizabeth. Thurs 10. Bracknell Jazz: Mark Bassey. Fri 11.

Susie Dent: The Secret Lives of Words. Fri 11. The Comedy Cellar. Fri 11. Purple Zeppelin.

Sat 12. Wilde Sundays: The Gillies, Paul Alexander Low, Kev Minney. Sun 13.

FILM: Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo. Tues. Royal Opera House: Rigoletto. Thurs 10, Sun 13.

Camberley – Theatre

www.camberleytheatre.biz 01276 707600 Dom Joly’s Holiday Snaps. Thurs.

Impromptu Shakespeare. Fri.

NVSDD: Showcase. Sat. Bring Your Own Baby Comedy. Tues.

The Savoy Singers. Wed-Sat. Baby Broadway. Sat.

Guildford – Yvonne Arnaud www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk 01483 440000 Six. Until Sat 12.

High Wycombe – Wycombe Swan

www.wycombeswan.co.uk 01494 512000 Henning Wehn. Thurs. Tony Hadley. Fri. Battle of the bands VII. Sat. One Foot In The Gravy. Sat. Rave On Starring The Bluejays. Sun. Audience With Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham.

Mon 7. Friends The Musical Parady. Tues. Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez: Firedance. Wed. Cinderella.

Thurs 10. Hellfire Comedy Club. Thurs 10. Romeo and Juliet. Fri 11. Swan Lake. Sat 12.

Ray Mears. Sun 13.

swing. They will also play re-imaginings of well-known film and television scores.

Budapest Cafe Orchestra was established in 2009 by British composer and violinist, Christian Garrick. He is joined by Eddie Hession on the accordion, Kelly Cantlon, double norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788997.

Lunchtime entertainment

NEXT Monday lunchtime’s organ recital in the Concert Hall or Reading Town Hall will feature students from the Royal Academy of Music.

Joshua Ryan, Joshua Simoes and Charles Maxtone-Smith will perform a programme of four pieces.

Piece Heroique, by Cesar Franck, Samuel Wesley’s Duet for Organ, Charles-Marie Widor’s Final from Symphonie Romane and Grand Choeur in D Major ‘alla Handel’ by Alexander Guilmant will be played on the Father Willis Organ by the students.

The recital begins at 1pm and will last for approximately 45 minutes. Tickets cost £5 in advance and £6 on the door. n For more details, or to book, log on to: whatsonreading.com or call the box office on: 0118 960 6060.

Moulin Windsor

A TRIBUTE to movie-musical Moulin Rouge comes to the stage of the Theatre Royal in Windsor on Sunday.

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Winter joins the cast

Henley – Kenton

www.kentontheatre.co.uk 01491 525050 The Comedy Network. Fri 4

Maidenhead – Norden Farm

www.nordenfarm.org 01628 788997 National Theatre Live: The Book of Dust. Thurs. Ajay Srivastav: Karama at the Crossroads.

Thurs. Elia Cecino piano.

Thurs. The Strange Case of Jekyll and Hyde. Fri. Clive Anderson, Me, Macbeth and I - SOLD OUT. Fri. Norden Farm Market. Sat. Basil Brush’s Family Fun Show. Sat. Gilmore and Roberts. Sat. Basil Brush Unleashed. Sat. The Handlebirds: Macbeth.

Wed. Royal Opera House Live: Rigoletto. Thurs 10, Fri 11. Matt Chorley: Who Is In Charge Here. Fri 11. Budapest Cafe Orchestra. Fri 11.

Nightmare Alley (15). Sat 12.

Parallel Mothers (15). Sat 12.

The Vinyl Frontier: The Best Years of our Lives. Sat 12. Rebel Dread (tbc). Sat 12.

Newbury – The Corn Exchange

www.cornexchangenew.com 0845 5218 218 Joel Dommett: Unapologetic, if that’s OK. Thurs. Spontaneous Potter Kids. Sat. Spontaneous Potter. Sat. London Rhymes.

Sun. NT Encore: The Book of Dust: La Belle Savage. Wed. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Thurs 10-Sat 12.

Royal Opera Encore: Rigoletto.

Sun 13.

Newbury – The Watermill

www.watermill.org.uk 01635 46044 Spike. Until Sat. The Wicker Husband. Fri 11-Sat 26.

Reading – South Street

www.whatsonreading.com

bass, and Adrian Zolotuhin, who plays guitar, saz, balalaika, domra.

The band performs in the Courtyard Theatre on Friday, March 11, beginning at 8pm. Tickets are £16. n For more details, or to book, visit: norden.farm or call the box office on: 01628 788997. of Come What May for a journey into the sexy, disreputable and glamourous underworld of Paris.

The all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza features songs from Moulin Rouge and other hit musicals.

Expect to hear classics including Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend and Lady Marmalade.

The show begins at 7.30pm and tickets are priced from £18.50. n For more details, or to book, visit: theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk or call the box office: 01753 853888

Accessible theatre

THEATRE company TalkShow will explore the morality of a televised charity special next Friday, March 11.

Telethon tells the story of Jennifer, a television host who dreams of uniting the nation behind a noble cause, Comic Relief style.

Special guests, prizes and oddball feats of endurance are planned, but she soon discovers that it’s hard enough to unite the studio, let alone the whole country.

In a darkly humorous exploration of right and wrong and our divisive tendencies, join the TalkShow studio audience as the telethon veers wildly off the rails.

0118 960 6060 Leveret. Fri 4. Aurie Styla: green Tour. Sat. Poets Cafe. Fri 11.

TalkShow presents Telethon.

Fri 11. Faustus. Sat 12.

Reading – The Hexagon

www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Anton and Erin: Showtime. Fri 4.

Dara O Briain: So, Where Were We?. Sat. Some Guys Have All The Luck. Wed. Chris Ramsey.

Thurs 10. Bowie Live. Sat 12.

Henley Symphony Orchestra.

Sun 13.

Reading – Concert Hall www.whatsonreading.com 0118 960 6060 Lunchtime organ recital. Mon.

Reading – Progress Theatre

www.progresstheatre.co.uk 0118 384 2195 John Horler: A Tribute to Bill Evans. Fri. NEXT SHOW: Yous

THE LATEST instalment in a popular series of comedy thrillers comes to the Corn Exchange, Newbury, later on this month.

Award winning theatre company New Old Friends present Crimes, Camera, Action.

The show takes the audience to golden-era Hollywood and introduces a new lead detective, the world-weary private eye Stan Shakespeare. Join Stan as he attempts to crack the case of a screen starlet who is stabbed as a result of a prop mix-up on set.

A cast of four comic actors take on multiple roles, sometimes within the same scene in this fast-paced play.

The evening performances on Tuesday, March 22, and Wednesday, March 23, begin at 7.45pm. A matinee performance takes place on Wednesday, March 23, at 2.30pm.

Tickets are £19.50, and the show is suitable for an audience aged 12 years and up. n For more details, or to book, call the box office on: 0845 5218218 or log on to: cornexchangenew.com

Lucky bloke

THE MUSIC of Rod Stewart comes to the Hexagon next week.

Some Guys Have All the Luck: The Rod Stewart Story celebrates the career of the iconic singer, following his story from street busker to international superstar.

Paul Metcalfe plays Rod in a performance described as “the closest to Rod himself” by members of Stewart’s family.

Expect to hear all the hits from Rod’s career, including Maggie May, Baby Jane and Do Ya Think I’m Sexy, though to ballads such as Sailing and You’re in my Heart.

The show begins at 7.30pm on Wednesday, March 9.

Tickets start from £24.50. n For more details, or to book, visit: whatsonreading.com or call the box office on: 0118 960 6060.

Two. Mar 28-Apr 2.

Reading – Reading Rep Theatre

www.readingrep.com 0118 370 2620 National Theatre Connections.

Mar 16-18.

Shinfield – Shinfield Players

www.shinfieldplayers.org.uk 0118 975 8880 Last Tango In Whitby. Postponed.

Sonning – The Mill

Bringing on Back The Good Times. Until Sat. Come What May. Sun. Madama Butterfly. Tues. UK Pink Floyd Experience. Wed. Lost In Music. Thurs 10. Frankie The Concert. Fri 11. Alice In Wonderland. Sat 12. Some Guys Have All The Luck: the Rod Stewart Story. Sun 13.

Wokingham – Wokingham Theatre www.wokinghamtheatre.org.uk 0118 978 5363 Comedy Night. Fri.

www.millatsonning.com 0118 969 8000 The House on Cold Hill. Until Mar 26. Tour, talk and afternoon tea. Thurs. Juke Box and Bobbysox. Sun. Gimme Gimme Abba. Sun 13.

Wokingham – The Whitty Theatre

Windsor – Theatre Royal

Woodley – Theatre

www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk 01753 853888 Dreamboats and Petticoats:

www.thewhittytheatre.org 0118 974 3247 Ubu. Thurs. The Wizard of Oz. Tues 15-Fri 18. www.woodleytheatre.org 07488337838 NEXT SHOW: Jazz concert with the Martin Hart Trio. Sat May 28.

Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

LEISURE | 15

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Stranglers wow Reading with sold-out show

Affairs of the heart

London Classic Theatre is presenting Bernard Slades’s Same Time Next Year, starring Sarah Kempton as Doris Picture: © SBurnett

L

AST week, The Hexagon was packed for a sold-out performance by The Stranglers.

The group were performing tracks from their new album, completed across lockdowns.

Their keyboardist of 45 years, Dave Greenfield, passed away in 2020 as they were making the songs, and the set was a tribute to him.

Nearly five full decades after their formation, the band – Jean-Jacques Burnel, Baz Warne and Jim Macaulay – showcased Dark Matter, their 18th studio album that saw them achieve one of the highest chart placings ever, proving that even after all this time, they’re still as relevant and essential as ever.

Our photographer Dijana Capan was at the Reading theatre to capture the moment ... and the crowds having a brilliant time.

It’s one of a number of big-name gigs coming to The Hexagon this spring.

There are tributes to David Bowie (Saturday, March 12) and Tina Turner (Wednesday, March 16).

Special tribute shows The Bootleg Beatles (Friday, March 25) and That’ll Be The Day (Tuesday, March 29) recreate some of the greatest music of all time, while Diversity bring us up-to-date, with two shows on March 18 and 19.

Next month, 60s legends including Mike Pender from The Searchers will be bringing The Sensational 60s Experience to Reading, on Friday, April 8.

And at the end of April, Queen musical We Will Rock You will rock up for a week of performances. n For more details, log on to whatsonreading.com or call the box office on 0118 960 6060.

All pictures © Dijana Capan / DVision

Same Time, Next Year February 25-26 South Hill Park 01344 484123 www.southhillpark.org.uk

R

USSIA’S got the bomb, we could all be dead tomorow” is a funny way of thinking that having an affair is acceptable.

JJ Burnel and Baz Warne enjoy riffing together as The Stranglers brought their tour to The Hexagon in Reading last week Pictures: Dijana Capan/DVision

JJ takes to the mic

Spotlight on The Stranglers

It was an ironic line in the production of Same Time, Next Year at The Wilde Theatre in South Hill Park.

There are so many similarities between the world today and when this play was written in the 1970s.

One of the world’s most widely staged plays, it was originally produced on Broadway in 1975.

It follows Doris and George who meet in 1951, a chance encounter in a Californian hotel that leads to a passionate one-night stand.

Both are married to other people, but, soon aware that this might be the start of something, they promise to meet 12 months later.

So begins a romantic love affair that lasts 25 years.

The soundtrack of American hits of the various decades made your foot tap and audiences can (at last) sing along at times.

The play charts their lives through the ups and downs of parenthood, career highs and lows as well as the shifting fashions and morals of the passing decades.

Bek Palmers’ costume design was en pointe and you couldn’t wait to see what the character Doris wore next, and her next hairstyle.

The play’s author, Bernard Slade paints a bittersweet, nostalgic and funny portrait of two likeable protagonists who find themselves

in the most unusual of long-term relationships.

London Classic Theatre produced the new UK tour of the play.

Michael Cabot directs Kieran Buckeridge (George) and Sarah Kempton (Doris). They both performed their roles with complete conviction, with some difficult scenes to portray.

Kieran was particularity stand out in act two for me.

The play made me laugh.

I imagine there was some heated debate between partners and friends in the audience, about what they feel is acceptable and unacceptable within a relationship and whether you can be truly in love with more than one person at a time?

It’s the sort of question you would get in the game Cards Against Humanity.

This was such an interesting, unique play following these two loveable characters through this experience together over 25 years.

Seeing how they each develop as people, through a really interesting time in history, seeing how they come together and drift apart at times, watching them learn about each other and themselves in these little fiveyearly pockets. It’s such an interesting premise for a story.

And, of course, it was a lot of fun.

It’s genuinely brilliantly written with a great comedic pace and rhythm that’ll keep you laughing while watching George and Doris fall in love.

You’ll leave the theatre feeling like you shared the past 25 years with a couple of your best friends.

The play is touring until April.

For more on the national tour, log on to: http://londonclassictheatre.co.uk

Splattyoo, Reading’s honest reviewer

Mates Rates Comedy Club is bringing Live Stand-Up Comedy to Reading W h e t h e r i t i s TV n a m e s o r n u rt u ri n g n ew ta l e n t a t t h e g ra s s ro o t s , i f yo u l ove s ta n d -u p co m e d y, M a te s Ra te s Co m e d y h a s a s h ow fo r yo u !

Fo r m o re i n fo r m a ti o n c h e c k o u t t h e l i n ks be l ow a n d s ca n t h e Q R co d e to bo o k yo u r ti c ke t s .

Baz enjoys a moment in the show

The Hexagon was packed out with music fans for the event

Fo l l ow u s o n: f: / M a te s Ra te sC o m e d y c: @ M a te s ra te s co m e d y www. m a te s ra te s co m e d y. co . u k

16 | LEISURE

Musical mavericks will make it up as they go along THEY’RE dubbed the musical mavericks, and they’ll be entertaining Reading audiences later this month.

The Rising Sun arts centre is to welcome Oxford Improvisers, a collective of musicians dedicated to playing and promoting improvised music.

The group has been performing for more than 20 years, and many of its members play in nationally and internationally based ensembles, and are well represented on commercially available recordings and online platforms.

They come from various musical backgrounds, although the characteristics of, for instance, jazz, classical or folk music may not be obvious in the music they play.

The programme will include groupings of musicians playing free improvisation pieces, sometimes called non-idiomatic improvisation, something that develops in the moment of its playing, without preconceived musical elements... “although we sometimes use time-structures and other constraints as a working framework”.

The gig takes place on Saturday, March 19, from 7pm. Tickets cost £8 or £5 for concessions. n For more information, log on to www.risingsunartscentre.org

To advertise, email advertising@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Progress focus on teenager’s dreams

COMING SOON: Yous Two in rehearsal for Progress Theatre Picture: Aidan Moran

SINGER: Jack Savoretti is on the Henley Festival line-up

Katherine Jenkins and Jack Savoretti join Henley Festival line-up

A

LOOK at life as a teenager is the focus of Progress Theatre’s latest show, which will be performed at the end of the month.

Yous Two, written by Georgia Christou, tells the story of a 15-year-old who lives with her Dad in a little flat.

But Billie dreams of change: can she get her Dad a job, get to grips with schoolwork, and find a house with not one, but five, bathrooms?

And, as she soon finds out, going with your impulses can lead to difficult choices. When it’s always been just the two of you, how easy is it to get out, or to let anyone else in?

This play looks at what happens when those you should depend on need you more than you need them.

Yous Two is Georgia Christou’s debut play and was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award, receiving rave reviews from the national press.

Suitable for ages 15 upwards,

this play contains strong language and brief male nudity.

It is performed at the theatre in The Mount, off Christchurch Road, from Monday, March 28, through Saturday, April 2.

Socially distanced seating will be available on the Tuesday and Thursday shows, while Wednesday is come-as-you-are night.

Curtain up is at 7.45pm nightly, and tickets cost £12, or £10 for concessions. n For more details, log on to progresstheatre.co.uk

THE amazing voice of mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins will be heard across the River Thames this summer after the singer signed up to Henley Festival.

She will appear on the floating stage on Sunday, July 10, accompanied by an orchestra for a sunset performance of her classical repertoire.

Also announced is the finale: singer-songwriter Jack Savoretti.

Hot off the heels of his second number one album Europiana – featuring the single Who’s Hurting Who – Savoretti will be bringing Riviera glamour and

Italian elegance to the Floating Stage, before a jaw-dropping firework spectacular marks the end of this year’s revelry.

The five-day event will celebrate 40 years of world-class music, comedy, art, dancing, food and more.

The black-tie event runs from Wednesday, July 6, through to Sunday, July 10.

Also on the bill are The Script, Boney M, Craig David, Sir Tom Jones and Pete Tong Ibiza Classics with the Heritage Orchestra and Jules Buckley. n For more details, log on to: www.henley-festival.co.uk

Celebrate return of Readipop THE countdown is on for the return of Readipop Festival this summer … and to celebrate, a launch party is being held later this month.

The main event takes place at Christchurch Meadows from July 8-10, and the bill includes the Sugarhill Gang, Morcheeba, Badly Drawn Boy and others.

And a team from The Purple Turtle will be behind the bars and hosting their own tent.

Three acts will be at the Gun Street venue on Saturday, March 19, for the launch party:

Brother Zulu, OSP, and Hatty Taylor.

Brother Zulu’s Ice Cold single was a track of the week for BBC Radio 1, and they perform a mix of modern soul. Their debut EP will be out very soon.

The second act are Readingbased hip-hop brotherhood OSP. Originally standing for Only Speak Positive, the four-piece earned their mantra through a string of bold and vibrant cuts that looked to deliver a powerful message of tolerance and respect.

And Hatty Taylor returns to the music scene with their own blend of alternative pop, a departure from her previous project, as one half of longstanding local Electro-Blues duo, Vienna Ditto.

The evening starts at 7.30pm, and the event will unveil more of the line-up for the July event.

Entry is free, donations to Readipop music charity on the night will be welcomed. n For more info on our work, see www.readipop.co.uk

Folk Club to hold patron’s evening NETTLEBED Folk Club has a special evening of entertainment planned on Monday thanks to its annual patrons evening.

Phil Beer will be hosting the event featuring some unique line-ups that will be remembered for years to come.

Joining Phil will be singer/guitarists, Odette Michell and Dom Prag as well as other Show of Hands regular singer and musician Miranda Sykes.

As well as being patron of the club, Phil is currently on a solo tour, featuring a mixture of traditional, contemporary, and original songs about travelling.

He says the show will tell the story of being on the road, both now and in older times.

The club has taken the decision to run at up to 80% capacity to give everyone a little more space.

The show takes place on Monday, March 7, from 7.50pm, at its base in the Village Club on the High Street in Nettlebed. n For more details, or to book, call: 01628 636620 between 10am and 8pm, or log on to: www. nettlebedfolkclub.co.uk

LEISURE | 25

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Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

LIVEMUSIC

To advertise in this section, call Claire on 0118 327 2662

RaW Sounds Today

GRANDAD, WE LOVE YOU: The new band are releasing their debut EP this weekend - here’s your chance to hear a track from it Picture: Andrew Merritt Photography

Chris Hillman

bit.ly/ rawsoundstoday

G

RANDAD you’re lovely, that’s what we all think of you … That’s what the cool kids were singing to Clive Dunn back in the 1980s.

Now we’ve got something … well, a bit more modern.

Granddad is an alt-rock band who are releasing their debut EP this weekend.

One of the tracks from it, Walk Around Me, heads up our playlist this week.

The RaW Sounds playlist is a terrific way to explore a wide range of brilliant artists, discover some new music and keep dancing – make sure you bookmark the Spotify page.

To hear this week’s set, simply head to https://bit.ly/rawsoundstoday and pump up the volume.

Grandad – About Him Here’s a new band with a single taken from their debut EP, Walk Around Me which is released on Friday, March 4. The alt-rock four-piece have a grungy shoegaze style overlayed with melodies as shown on the single with a subtle hook that catches in your brain.

Since forming in 2020 they have played at venues such as Bracknell’s Acoustic Couch and Reading’s Facebar.

The single was mixed and mastered by Brian DiMeglio with drums recorded at Reading’s Pyramid Studios – https://www.facebook.com/wearegrandad

Split the Dealer will be headlining at Reading’s Sub 89 with his full band on May 13 – https://www. facebook.com/splitthedealer

Lonely Robot – Under Stars Lonely Robot was created by John Mitchell who works from his Reading based recording studio, Outhouse as songwriter, musician and producer.

He played a special show at Everyman in Kings Cross last month – https://johnmitchellhq.com

Mordecai Smyth – Fear of Flying Here’s some wonderful psychedelic pop sounds released on Wokingham’s Mega Dodo Records. Mordecai has a new album due in May and has just released this single, Fear of Flying from it – https://www.facebook.com/ stickytapeandrust

The Wave Machine – Don’t Pretend

Reliant – Pain of It All They have been in our playlist previously, making the Top 10 of our best of 2020 list and now they are back with a new single.

It’s another uplifting powerful indie-rock anthem and it was recorded at Generation Studio in Maidenhead.

They appeared at one of the successful Beyond the Download live shows at Peach Place in Wokingham last summer and recently played at London’s Amersham Arms live venue.

We’ll look forward to more live shows during the year – https://www.facebook.com/WeAreReliant

Steve Anderson – Coda Steve, from The Room, has just released his

solo album, Journeyman’s Progress – Part, which is a wonderful album of instrumentals showcasing Steve’s skills as a guitarist and musician – https:// journeymansprogress.co.uk/

Gong – My Sawtooth Wake (Live) Gong are a legendary musical collective whose diverse musical world includes elements of psychedelia, jazz, space rock and more.

Their tour has a visit to Reading’s Sub 89 on Thursday, March 3 - https://www.gongband.com/

Split the Dealer – Hard To Take He was in our Top 10 of the year list in both 2020 and 2021 and here’s his new single.

Angus Trott aka The Wave Machine appeared in our best of 2021 list with Ocean’s Brew and now here’s his new single. It’s another uplifting positive song that makes you smile – https://www.facebook.com/thewavemachine

The Paradox Twin – Perfect Circles This band from Reading appeared in best of year lists around the world and this is from their acclaimed ‘Silence from Signals’ album.

They will be travelling to Fusion 3.5 Festival in Stourport on March 4 – https://www. theparadoxtwin.com/

Harriet – I’m Not in Love Harriet has a truly wonderful voice and she showed when she visited Wokingham Music Club at Whitty Theatre on February 18th.

Here’s her beautiful version of 10cc’s classic – https://www.harrietsmusic.com/

GIG GUIDE

Thursday, March 3

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Bracknell Blues Club. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk READING – Bar 77, Kings Road RG1 3BJ. Singer Soup Kitchen: Music mixed to perfection.

READING – The Corn Stores, Forbury Road RG1 1SB. Gini. Details: 0118 324 6768.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. An Evening With GONG. Details: 0118 959 5395.

Friday, March 4

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Divide The Truth with The Whiskey Knights. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. Wow 80s Tribute. Details: 01344 303333.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Larkham and Hall. Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Jamma presents Third Lung. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Jazz at Progress presents a tribute to Bill Evans by

John Horler. Details: www. jazzinreading.com READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Ultimate Coldplay. Mungo’s Hifi Soundsystem. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – South Street arts centre. Leveret. Details: 0118 960 6060.

Saturday, March 5

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Simply Weller. Details: www.theacousticcouch. co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. 70s Tribute: The the ultimate night at the disco. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – The Silver Birch, Liscombe RG12 7DE. Full Flavour. Details: 01344 457318.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Tina Live: Tina Turner tribute. Details: 01344 484123.

CROWTHORNE – The Crowthorne Inn, High Street RG45 7AD. Live music. Details: 01344 530615.

HURST – The Wheelwright Arms, Davis Way RG10 0TR. A musical evening with Nicole Allan. Details: 0118 934 4100.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Mythicals. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE.

The Echo: March of the Mods. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – Grosvenor Casino Reading, Rose Kiln Lane RG2 0SN. Johnny Too Bad. Details: 0118 402 7800.

READING – Cafe Iguana, St Mary’s Butts RG1 2LN. Integrity Sound and The Legendary President Sound present Can You Remember Back In The Day: Reggae, Soul and Lovers’ Rock. Details: 07748 257310.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Remones It’s Alive Tour.

Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. SoundJam. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Jazz night with Lea Lyle and Trio.. Details: 0118 931 0232.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. The Shufflepack. Details: 0118 376 9159.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Wardour Street. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Dirty Shirts. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – The Weather Station, Eldon Terrace RG1 4DX. Treehouse, Maxwell and more.. Details: 0118 958 6048.

WINKFIELD ROW –

Carnation Hall RG42 7PA. The Supertonics Big Band. Details: www. thesupertonics.co.uk YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, Reading Road GU46 7LR. Silver Searchers. Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, March 6

EARLEY – The Roebuck, Auckland Road RG6 1NY. Afternoon Karaoke. 2pm..

Details: 0118 966 7153.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Theme night – Weather or Not. Details: www. readifolk.org.uk READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. Harbinger and Dreameater. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Queens Head, Christchurch Road RG2 7AZ. Northern Soul Social Sunday. 2pm-5pm. Details: 0118 931 0232.

SONNING – The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye RG4 6TY. Juke Box and Bobbysox. Details: 0118 969 8000.

Monday, March 7

NETTLEBED – Village Club, High Street RG9 5DD. Nettlebed Folk Club presents: Phil Beer’s patron evening. Details:

www.nettlebedfolkclub. co.uk

Tuesday, March 8

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. New music Tuesday. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Ricky Warwick and The Fighting Hearts with Virgin Marys.

Details: 0118 959 5395.

Wednesday, March 9

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Open Mic Night. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. Monthly Shanty Session.

Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk. Some Guys Have All The Luck, a tribute to Rod Stewart. Details: 0118 960 6060.

Thursday, March 10 BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead. Mark Basset with the Simon Cook Trio. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Beardyman. Details: 0118 959 5395.

Friday, March 11

BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. CLOSED due to private

event. Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Bracknell Jazz: Mark Bassey. Details: 01344 484123.

READING – The Blagrave, Blagrave Street RG1 1PW. The Tim Kay Band. Details: 0118 958 6775.

READING – The Butler, Chatham Street RG1 7DS. Open mic night. Details: 0118 959 5500.

READING – The Face Bar, Ambrose Place RG1 7JE. It Was Never A Phase – Feeling This. Details: 0118 956 8188.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Electrick Live Orchestra.. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – The Turks, London Road RG1 5BJ. The Highwasters. Details: 0118 957 6930.

READING – The Weather Station, Eldon Terrace RG1 4DX. Storm In A Teacup presents: making Friends, Missing The Scene, Tape It Shut, As Loud as A Mouse.

Details: 0118 958 6048.

WINNERSH – The Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Wokingham Music Club: Gimme Gimme Gimme Abba. £20. Details: www. wokinghammusicclub. co.uk WOKINGHAM – Broad Street Tavern, Broad Street RG40 1AU. The Gas Trick Band.

Details: 0118 977 3706.

HOLDING A GIG, QUIZ OR GAMES NIGHT? SEND DETAILS TO EVENTS@WOKINGHAM.TODAY

YATELEY – The Royal Oak, Reading Road, GU46 7UG. Anna Nightingale. Details: 01252 872459.

Saturday, March 12

BRACKNELL – The Acoustic Couch, The Ring RG12 1JG. Charity Fundraiser Tribute Band Evening. Details: www. theacousticcouch.co.uk BRACKNELL – The Keller, Coppid Beech Hotel, John Nike Way RG12 8TF. !daft!

Details: 01344 303333.

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Purple Zeppelin.

Details: 01344 484123.

READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. The Rainbow Barn Dance.

Details: 0118 958 0473.

READING – Sub89, Friar Street RG1 1EP. Mirror Pictures. Details: 0118 959 5395.

READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk. Bowie Live.

Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Las Nova. Details: 0118 959 7196.

READING – Salisbury Conservative Club, Kings Road RG1 4HX. Broken Bones UK. Details: 0118 926 5804.

READING – South Street.

Faustus. Details: 0118 960 6060.

READING – The Retreat, St John’s Street RG1 4EH. The Fusion 6. Details: 0118 376 9159.

TILEHURST – The Royal British Legion Club, Downing Road RG31 5BB. The Right Times. Details: 0118 942 9606.

WHISTLEY GREEN – The Elephant and Castle, Lodge Road RG10 0EH. Jamie Trick. Details: 0118 934 0886.

WINNERSH – The Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Soultime.

WOKINGHAM – The White Horse, Easthampstead Road RG40 3AF. Pink Fish.

Details: 0118 979 7402.

WOODLEY – The Chequers, Crockhamwell Road RG5 3JH. Brick Top. Details: 0118 969 3477.

YATELEY – The Dog and Partridge, Reading Road GU46 7LR. John Newman.

Details: 01252 870648.

Sunday, March 13

BRACKNELL – South Hill Park, Ringmead RG12 7PA. Wilde Sundays: The Gillies, Paul Alexander Low, Kev Minney. Details: 01344 484123.

EARLEY – The Roebuck, Auckland Road RG6 1NY. Afternoon Karaoke. 2pm.

Details: 0118 966 7153.

READING – Community Hall, Watlington House, Watlington Street RG1 4RJ. Readifolk presents: Anthony John Clarke.

Details: readifolk.org.uk READING – The Purple Turtle, Gun Street RG1 2JR. Reggae Sundays. Details: 0118 959 7196.

26 | LEISURE

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WHAT’SON Thursday, March 3

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Over 50s group: board game seesion. 2pm-4pm.

Details: 0118 966 9080.

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org READING – Pre-booking essential for venue. My Town Centre Walkabout – Forbury Gardens, Abbey, 5B’s+2 Myths & so much more, a guided walk led

by Terry. £, £2, family £12.

From 9.50am. Details: www.facebook.com/ terrysreadingwalkabouts READING – St Luke’s Church, Erleigh Road RG1 5LH. Craft group. 10.30amnoon. Details: 0118 966 6389.

SPENCERS WOOD – Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosaic lunch club with Friendship table.

Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Wokingham Baptist Church, Milton Road RG40 1DE. Wokingham Literary Society meeting: Growing Up: An evening of themed prose and poetry with Elizabeth Treadgold. 7.30pm. £2 non-members. Details: wokinghamliterarysociety. org.uk WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club meeting. Audio Visual Evening. 7.30pm. Details: www.webcc.org.uk.

Friday, March 4

READING – Abbey Baptist Church, Abbey Square RG1 3BE. World Day of Prayer service. 10.30am.

Details: 0118 957 2197.

READING – Park URC, Palmer

Park Avenue. World Day of Prayer service. 2pm.

READING – Progress Theatre, The Mount RG1 5HL. Jazz at Progress presents a tribute to Bill Evans by John Horler. 7.30pm. £18, £16 concessions, plus booking fee. Details: www. jazzinreading.com EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – The Whitty Theatre, Luckley House School, Luckley Road RG40 3EU. An Evening With Bishop Steven, the Bishop of Oxford. 7pm.

Details: 0118 979 2122.

Saturday, March 5

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Who Let The Dads Out? Monthly group for dads and male carers with primary school children.

Activities for children and the chance to enjoy a bacon roll. 9.30am-11.30am.

Details: trinityearley.org.uk READING – Great Hall, University of Reading, London Road RG1 5AQ. Reading Phoenix Choir presents New Horizons: Choral music from past to present. 7,.30pm. £15, under 16s free. Details: www.readingphoenixchoir. com READING – Readipop, Trafford Road RG1 8JP. Readiop family jam: a family music session for all ages. No experience necessary. £3 per family.

Instruments available, bring your own if you wish.

10am-11.30am. Details: 0118 938 7156.

READING – Cattle market, Great Knollys Street RG1 7HU. Farmers market.

8.15am-noon. Details:

WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Holding a community event? Send your listings to events@wokinghampaper.co.uk www.facebook.com/ ReadingFarmersMarket READING – Rivermead Leisure Centre, Richfield Avenue RG1 8EQ. Reading Brick Show. 10am-5pm. £10. Details: www. readingbrickshow.com READING – St Luke’s Church, Erlegh Road RG1 5LH. Community coffee morning. 11am-noon.

Details: 0118 966 6389.

READING – Up The Junction, London Road RG1 3NY. Aurora and The Hub present launch party for The Hub radio station.

With live musix from Ezra and Eagle Bliss. Ticket only. 10pm. Details: www. aurorafamily.co.uk SHINFIELD – St Mary’s Church, Church Lane.

UkuladiesPlusOne. Noon. Free entry, retiring collection. Light lunch follows. Details: www. loddonreach.org.uk WOKINGHAM – Caudwell Hall Theatre, Holme Grange School, Heathlands Road RG40 3AL. The Corpus Christi annual charity pantomime: The Pied Piper.

3pm, 7pm. £5. Details: piedpiperpanto.eventbrite. co.uk WOKINGHAM – Masonic Centre, Reading Road RG41 1EG. Blues Brothers charity evening in aid of Platform YP. 7.30pm. £10.

Details: 07949 858480.

WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org

Sunday, March 6

READING – Double Barrelled Brewery, Stadium Way RG30 6BX. Double Barelled Brewery tour and tasting session. £13.50, over 18s only. Details: doublebarrelled.co.uk READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Dreading Poetry Slam.

7.30pm. Free entry. Details: www.risingsunartscentre. org READING – Rivermead Leisure Centre, Richfield Avenue RG1 8EQ. Reading Brick Show. 10am-5pm. £10. Details: www. readingbrickshow.com WOKINGHAM – Caudwell Hall Theatre, Holme Grange School, Heathlands Road RG40 3AL. The Corpus Christi annual charity pantomime: The Pied Piper. 3pm. £5.

Details: piedpiperpanto. eventbrite.co.uk

Monday, March 7

ARBORFIELD – Royal British Legion, Eversley Road RG2 9PR. Friendship table.

9.30am-11.30am. Details: linkvisiting.org EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Tea and Tinies: refreshments and a place to play for children and their carers. 2.30pm3.30pm. Details: 0118 966 9080.

READING – Concert Hall, Blagrave Street RG1 1QH. Lunchtime organ recital: Students from the Royal Academy of Music, Joshua Ryan, Joshua Simoes, Charles Maxtone-Smith.

1pm. £6 on door. Details: 0118 960 6060.

WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Christ Church Crockhamwell Road, RG5 3LA. Network Fellowship bingo. 2pm. Details: www. christ-church-woodley. org.uk WOODLEY – Woodley Baptist Church, Hurricane Way RG5 4UX. Four Seasons Art and Crafts.

Try something new, relax, enjoy tea and biscuits. £3 per craft, materials supplied. 1.30pm-3.30pm.

Details: 0118 969 9956.

WOODLEY – Woodley Baptist Church, Hurricane

A number of churches have restarted coffee mornings, where tea will also be served Picture: Pixabay

Way RG5 4UX. Four Seasons cafe Friendship Table. 1.30pm-3.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Tuesday, March 8

EARLEY – Earley CResCent Resource Centre, Warbler Drive RG6 4HB. Friendship table. 2pm-3pm. Details: linkvisiting.org.

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Board games cafe.

10am-noon. Details: 0118 966 9080.

FINCHAMPSTEAD – FBC Centre Cafe, Gorse Ride North RG40 4ES. Friendship table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org READING – Double Barrelled Brewery, Stadium Way RG30 6BX. Double Barelled Brewery International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day. 8.30am-7pm, over 18s only.

Details: doublebarrelled. co.uk WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. CLASP Wokingham cafe with Friendship table.

10am-noon. Every third and fourth Tuesday of the month. Details: linkvisiting. org WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Coronation Hall, Headley Road RG5 4JB. WISE Over-50s Forum: A speaker from the Coop Estate Planning: Tax, Care and Toy Boys.

2pm-4pm. £3. Details: Woodleywise@gmail.com

or: 0118 969 6206.

Wednesday, March 9

EARLEY – Brookside Church, Brookside Close RG6 7HG. Open Door cafe with Friendship Table. 2pm4pm. Details: linkvisiting. org READING – RISC) Reading International Solidarity Centre, London Street.

Reading Friends of the Earth presents Green Park: Reading’s New Station / For People & Environment.

With Edward Goose from Great Western Railway, and Cllr Tony Page. Free.

7.30pm. Details: www. readingfoe.org.uk WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac with Friendship table. 11am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Woodley Baptist Church, Hurricane Way RG5 4UX. Coffee morning.

10am-noon. Details: 0118 969 9956.

Thursday, March 10

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Over 50s group: general knowledge quiz. 2pm-4pm.

Details: 0118 966 9080.

EARLEY – Trinity Church, Chalfont Close RG6 5HZ. Re:Fresh with Friendship Table. 2pm-4pm. Details: linkvisiting.org READING – The Centre for Heritage and Family History, 2nd Floor,

What’s What’s on on event event submission submission form form Holding a community event? Running a fun day? Organising a concert? Planning a friendship group? Get it listed in our what’s on guide by sending information to us. Use this form or email events@wokingham.today. Please note this service is for community groups,

Name Name

charities and not-for-profit activities. We cannot guarantee inclusion.

Address

Date of event: Venue of event: What will happen:

Address

Postcode Email Postcode

Time of event: Contact number for readers:

Send Emailyour forms to: What’s On, Wokingham.Today, Crown House, 231 Kings Road, Reading RG1 4LS

Reading Central Library, Abbey Square RG1 3BQ. Reading’s Second Railway – The Early Days, a talk from Berkshire Family History Society. 2pm-3.30pm. £5, £4 members. Details: 0118 950 9553.

READING – St Luke’s Church, Erlegh Road RG1 5LH. Craft group. 10.30amnoon. Details: 0118 966 6389.

SPENCERS WOOD – Spencers Wood Pavilion, Clares Green Road RG7 1DY. Social Seniors Tea and Coffee with Friendship Table. 10am-noon. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Bradbury Centre, Wokingham Methodist Church, Rose Street RG40 1XS. Cafe Mosiac lunch club with Friendship table.

Noon-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Cantley Hotel, Milton Road RG40 1JY. Wokingham Women In Business networking meeting. £28. Noon-2pm.

Details: sarahvandort@ wibn.co.uk WOKINGHAM – The Cornerstone, All Saints Church, Norreys Avenue, Wokingham RG40 1UE. Wokingham and East Berkshire Camera Club meeting. Image selection and sequencing with Mike Holderness and Phil Blanchard. 7.30pm. Details: www.webcc.org.uk.

Friday, March 11

EARLEY – St Nicolas Church, Sutcliffe Avenue RG6 7JN. Re:Fresh cafe with Friendship Table. 10amnoon. Details: linkvisiting. org READING – Rising Sun Arts Centre, Silver Street RG1 2ST. Big Untidy Torchlight Book Club. Details: www. risingsunartscentre.org READING – South Street Arts Centre. Poets Cafe.

8.30pm. Details: 0118 960 6060.

WINNERSH – Royal British Legion Club, Woodward Close RG41 5LP. Wokingham Music Club presents Gimme Gimme Gimme ABBA in concert. £20. Details: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ wokinghammusicclub WOKINGHAM – Salvation Army, Sturge Road RG40 2HD. Cafe Refresh Friendship table.

10am-1.30pm. Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – Norreys Church, Norreys Avenue RG40 1UU. T&C at SHARE Wokingham Friendship table. 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOKINGHAM – St Paul’s Church Parish Rooms, Reading Road RG41 1EH. Coffee and Chat: a warm welcome, a listening ear and refreshments. 2pm4pm. Details: 0118 979 2122 or church.office@ spauls.co.uk.

WOOSEHILL – Acorn Community Centre, Fernlea Drive RG41 3DR. Acorn Cafe with Friendship table. 10.30am-noon.

Details: linkvisiting.org

Saturday, March 12

CAVERSHAM – Caversham Methodist Church Hall, Gosbrook Road RG4 8EB. Artists and Makers Fair.

10am. Free entry. Details: jean@alljazzedup.com or 07808 966928.

READING – All Nations Christian Centre, Berkeley Avenue RG1 6JE. Walk Through The New Testament. 9.30am4pm. £12. Details: www. allnationselim.org/walkthrough READING – The Castle Tap, Castle Street RG1 7RJ. The Rainbow Barn Dance.

7.30pm-10.30pm. Ticketed event. Details: 0118 958 0473.

WOKINGHAM – Caudwell Hall Theatre, Holme Grange School, Heathlands Road RG40 3AL. Reading Male Voice Choir concert, with support from Hannah Lebrecht, in aid of the Rotary Club of Easthampstead and The Link Visiting Scheme. £15.

7.30pm. Details: www. rmvc.net WOKINGHAM WITHOUT – Pinewood Bar and Cafe, Pinewood Leisure Centre, Old Wokingham Road RG40 3AQ. Friendship table available. 9am-4pm.

Details: linkvisiting.org WOOSEHILL – Woosehill Church, Chestnut Avenue RG41 3RS. Sip and Share with friendship table. 11am-noon, every second Saturday. Details: linkvisiting.org WOODLEY – Coronation Hall,. Thames Valley Ancient Egypt Society presents Kings in Thebes?

Harwa, Montuemhat and Padiuamunope and the perfect Egyptian tomb. £4.

2pm. Details: www.tvaes. org.uk

Sunday, March 13

BINFIELD – Salisbury Hall, Newbold College RG42 4AN. Bracknell Choral Society presents A Glorious Celebration.

6pm. £15, under 18s free. Details: www. bracknellchoral.org.uk READING – The Hexagon, Queens Walk. Henley Symphony Orchestra.: Beethoven’s Symphony No 9, Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer. £16-£24.

Accompanied children free.

Groups one in eight free.

7.30pm. Details: 0118 960 6060.

STREATLEY – St Mary’s Church, Church Lane RG8 9HU. Piano Recital by Glynne Stackhouse and Felicity Burrell. 4pm. £6, £5 concessions. Details: stmarysconcerts@hotmail. co.uk WOKINGHAM – Market Place. Wokingham vegan market. 9am-1pm. Details: www.sparkleveganevents. com WOODLEY – Christ Church, Crockhamwell Road, RG5 3LA. Messy Church. 4pm.

Details: www.christchurch-woodley.org.uk

No. 5403

Your weekly puzzle challenge

27

To advertise, call 0118 327 2662

Thursday, March 3, 2022 WOKINGHAM.TODAY

TO ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE, CALL CLAIRE ON: 0118 327 2662

Quiz Challenge

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1. Margaret Thatcher resigned as UK prime minister in which year?

2. Carson City is the capital of which US state?

3. What is the purpose of the organ known as the gizzard in a bird?

4. In 2021, comedian John Bishop took a lead role as Dan Lewis in which popular sci-fi TV series?

5. What was the first feature film to be entirely animated using computer graphics?

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NONAGRAM

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ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 1

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Each number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid, then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters should go in the missing squares.

As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of letters as you identify them.

MAGIC SQUARE

NELL HOMED HEN TEAM

E

I

E

C A T How many words of four letters or more can you make from this Nonagram? Each word must use the central letter, and each letter may be used only once. At least one word using all nine letters can be found.

Guidelines: 26 Good; 31 Very Good; 36 Excellent.

Any word found in the Concise Oxford Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible with the following exceptions: proper nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and possessives; third person singular verbs; hyphenated words; contractions and abbreviations; vulgar slang words; variant spellings of the same word (where another variant is also eligible).

Using all 16 letters of the phrase above, form four words each of four letters which will fit in the grid to form a magic square in which the words can be read both horizontally and vertically.

Spell out a 15-letter word or phrase by moving from one chamber to another within the pyramid. You may only enter each of the chambers once and may only proceed T through openings in the walls. The H first letter may appear in any chamber.

G I

CR

IU

BS

RE

EI

UF

TL

EM

NL

BR

RO

5 4 8 1 7 4 8 3 2 1 6 7 3 6 2 9 8 9 4 2 5 7 9 4 3 2 7 3 9 7 4 2

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DS

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9 9

8 1 6 7 2

A L

E N

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5 4 3

Here are two miniature fivesquare crosswords using the same grid – but the letters have been mixed up.

You have to work out which letters belong to which crossword.

KY

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© Sirius Media Services Ltd

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This puzzle page is supplied by Sirius Media Services Ltd. To try our new puzzle, Zygolex, go to www.zygolex.com

DOWN 2. Dog loses his head to some purpose through excessive exploitation (7) 3. What you rattle to make bears wild? (5) 4. The girl is a beldam to some extent (6) 5. At university had partner kept up to speed (7) 6. Worker number five in marine force (5) 7. Tuner possibly in position when sneezing (12) 8. Results of the party game (12) 14. Indicate fellow impresario (7) 16. Superintend Old English rhyme being included (7) 17. Type of cake found in the bathroom (6) 19. Caper I can’t sort out (5) 21. Rob will annoy fellow inside (5)

QUICK CROSSWORD

20 18

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1 8 9 4 2 3 5 6 7

9 1 6 3 8 4 7 5 2

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6 2 5 9 7 8 1 3 4

8 9 3 1 4 2 6 7 5

4 7 1 6 3 5 9 2 8

WORD PYRAMID: Travelling light.

EQUALISER: Clockwise from top left – divide; multiply; subtract; add. Total: 9.

SOLUTIONS

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9

Perform the first calculation in each line first and ignore the mathematical law which says you should always perform division and multiplication before addition and subtraction.

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Place the four signs (add, subtract, multiply, divide) one in each circle so that the total of each across and down line is the same.

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ACROSS 1. Parts of the electorate (12) 9. This man gets in the drink when on the table (9) 10. Contend that I’ve changed (3) 11. Exert pressure in a close embrace (7) 12. Audacious attempt by another notary who has lost the article (3-2) 13. Feeling swell when at sea? (6) 15. Skilful Dora removed the article (6) 18. Long time after which to muse (5) 20. Drink before ten perhaps – that’s a bad sign (7) 22. Small bed in a small house (3) 23. Reveal nothing of policy statement (9) 24. Reserves who will probably only start at twelve (6,6)

EQUALISER 12 5 6 2 3 3 3 8 2 1 5 6

Hard

6 8

4 3 2 8

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RG

WI

Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9, and so must each 3 x 3 box.

2 9

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FIVE ALIVE

SUDOKU Easy

1

WORD PYRAMID

T R P

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CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

6. What W is a part of a town that borders a sea or river, and the title of a Simple Minds song?

7. Steve Davis was the first snooker player to make a maximum break on TV. What did he score?

8. Which artist was famous for his studies of lakes with water lilies?

9. Which spa town was the seat of French government from 1940 to 1944?

10. In 2021, the Cumbre Vieja volcano erupted on which of the Canary Islands?

3 5 7 8 6 1 2 4 9

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PZ1P5403

CROSS CODE 18

5403

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19. Discernment (5) ACROSS 22. Close by (4) 1. Resinous (anag.) (8) 24. Combustible material (4) 5. Fling (4) 26. Disputable (9) 7. Gloomy (9) 27. A few (4) 9. Pip (4) 28. Vision (8) 10. Small particles of stone (4) DOWN 11. Lowest male 1. Edible seeds (4) voice (5) 2. Study (4) 14. Fight (3-2) 3. Diving 15. Man (inf.) (5) apparatus (5) 16. Astound (5) 4. Vocal compositions (5) 17. Christian symbol (5) 18. Boils slowly (5) 5. Piquancy (4)

6. Smashes into pieces (8) 7. Coastline (anag.) (9) 8. Inaccurate (9) 11. Brag (5) 12. Breaks (5) 13. Overweight (5) 14. Nausea (8) 20. Existing (5) 21. Clan (5) 23. Prevalent (4) 24. Japanese volcano (4) 25. Final (4)

QUICK CROSSWORD: Across – 1 Neurosis; 5 Toss; 7 Saturnine; 9 Seed; 10 Grit; 11 Basso; 14 Set-to; 15 Bloke; 16 Amaze; 17 Cross; 18 Stews; 19 Taste; 22 Near; 24 Fuel; 26 Litigious; 27 Some; 28 Eyesight.

Down – 1 Nuts; 2 Read; 3 Scuba; 4 Songs; 5 Tang; 6 Shatters; 7 Sectional; 8 Erroneous; 11 Boast; 12 Snaps; 13 Obese; 14 Sickness; 20 Alive; 21 Tribe; 23 Rife; 24 Fuji; 25 Last

FIVE ALIVE: QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 1990; 2 Nevada; 3 To grind food, using grit and small stones; 4 Doctor Who; 5 Toy Story; 6 Waterfront; 7 147; 8 Claude Monet; 9 Vichy; 10 La Palma.

(1) Across – Cubic; Utile; Brisk.

Down – Crumb; Blini; Clerk.

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: CROSS CODE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Across – 1 Constituents; 9 Overboard; 10 Vie; 11 Squeeze; 12 (2) Across – Rises; Flung; Rowdy.

B Z K P Y T I N E L Q W C Try-on; 13 Queasy; 15 Adroit; 18 Erato; 20 Portent; 22 Cot; 23 Down – Refer; Squaw; Saggy.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Manifesto; 24 Second eleven.

H M R U O V X A D G F S J Down – 2 Overuse; 3 Sabre; 4 Isabel; 5 Updated; 6 Navvy; 7 NONAGRAM: apiece; attic; attire; cattier; cite; Sternutation; 8 Consequences; 14 Showman; 16 Oversee; 17 citrate; CREPITATE; epic; erica; irate; MAGIC SQUARE: EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU Sponge; 19 Antic; 21 Rifle. them; hole; élan; iterate; pair; paretic; partite; peatier; mend. peri; petit; petite; pettier; pica; picrate; piece; piecer; pier; pierce; pietà; pirate; pitta; pratie; price; ratite; receipt; recipe; recite; retie; rice; ripe; rite; tacit; tapir; terai; tier; tierce; tipcat; tire; titre; trait; trice; trip; tripe; trite.

28 | LIFE

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WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, March 3, 2022

Veggie Pizza with Topper and Sprouts In the kitchen

W

pizza?

The Italian treat is a mealtime staple for many, and here is a way of making your own, with fresh ingredients and some tasty toppers from Good4U. It’s a healthy way of making a vegetarian meal with a difference.

March

sliced n ¼ yellow pepper, thinly sliced n ¼ courgette, thinly sliced To serve: n Good4U Super Seeds Salad Topper n Good4U Sprouted Salad Topper

Good4U

HO doesn’t like a slice of

In the garden

Cooking time: 30 minutes Serves: 1-2

Ingredients n 1 large sourdough pizza base n 75ml tomato sauce/ passata n 100g grated mozzarella n ½ ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced n 50g mushrooms, sliced n ¼ red pepper, thinly

It starts with a seed

M

ARCH brings some sunny days to tempt gardeners back into the garden and many of us are really aching for Spring now.

This is the month for sowing seeds and getting the garden ready for the summer months ahead.

Method 1. Preheat your oven to 220c/200c fan/ gas mark 7 and put a large baking sheet in to heat.

2. Spread your pizza base with the passata and sprinkle over 2/3 of the grated cheese.

3. Evenly scatter over the pizza toppings and sliced mozzarella and season with salt and pepper.

4. Sprinkle over the rest of the grated cheese and lift onto the hot baking sheet.

5. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and crisp.

6. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes

then sprinkle with Good4U Super Seeds and Sprouted Super Sprouts and serve immediately.

Recipes supplied by Good4U, a familyrun health food company based in

Sligo, on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. It makes created wholesome snacks that are affordable and sustainable. For more details, log on to: good4u.co

PlasticFreeHome David Lamont

How to save on energy costs (and help our planet at the same time)

A

CCORDING to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), 40% of the UK’s energy consumption and one fifth of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions stem from powering and heating homes and other buildings.

Significant changes, including urgent legislation and well targeted financial support from the Government, are therefore arguably key if the UK is to achieve its climate change goals by 2050.

For example, around 90% of UK homes rely on gas boilers to provide heating, with a widely suitable and cost-effective alternative not currently obvious. Options ranging from electric boilers to heat source pumps can cost anything from £2,000 – £20,000 and aren’t suitable for installation in many homes, particularly those that are poorly insulated, and the UK lags behind most of Europe on this front.

Successive governments have introduced grant scheme after grant scheme but in truth they’ve barely scratched the surface. Most recently, the now defunct Green Homes Deal helped to insulate fewer than 6,000 homes against a target of 600,000.

Combine this lack of progress with the need to tackle the climate emergency, soaring energy prices and a cost-of-living crisis and looking hard at ways we can reduce our energy use and bills has to be a worthwhile exercise? Here are some suggestions to get you started…

Escaping heat If your home hasn’t been well insulated or your windows and doors are decades old, you could be wasting

the flow temperature down, according to the Heating and Hot Water Council.

Always consult your manual to ensure you use the correct minimum setting.

Don’t get in a spin TURN IT DOWN: Thermostats can be lowered Picture: Pixabay lots of energy (and money!) generating heat that is quickly being lost.

If you can’t afford to directly address these bigger issues, ensure that your radiators are operating efficiently and consider adding a heat reflective material behind them, insulate water cylinders and pipes, cap and safely seal any open chimneys, invest in thick curtains, use draft excluders, cover cold floors with rugs, close internal doors to keep the heat where your need it, place seating in the warmer areas in rooms and capture heat by leaving your oven open after use.

Dial down A study by a leading comparison website found that 10% of the UK routinely set their thermostat to at least 25°C, whilst in the UK the average is 20°C. Reducing that by just 1°C to 19°C could save the average household at least £80 a year.

We need to use our heating a little more sparingly – remember to dress warmly at home during colder months, keep a throw or blanket handy and maybe even a hot water bottle.

research suggests that up to 16% of our home energy is used to power devices in standby mode.

A-grade Speaking of appliances and devices, when the time comes to replace any in your home, always aim to buy those that are at least A-rated and therefore the most energy efficient available.

Up to 90% of the energy consumed when using a washing machine comes from heating the water. According to the Energy Saving Trust, washing at 30°C rather than 40°C reduces your energy consumption by around 60% per cycle. A cool wash setting can save you around 25% more energy than using ‘eco mode’. Aim for a full load or remember to use the ‘light load’ setting.

Lightbulb moment

On the line

Get certified

Around 60% of UK households own a tumble dryer but, worryingly, a single cycle can produce nearly 2KG of CO2 and use 4kWh of energy. Incredibly, if every tumble dryer owning home in the UK instead hung and dried just one extra load of washing in a year, over one million tonnes of CO2 would be saved. Try to live without a tumble dryer – dry clothes outside whenever you can and inside on a clothes line if not.

Depending on how seriously you want to take things, if you haven’t moved for more than five years, consider having your home assessed and getting an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) done. It will show you how energy efficient your home is and may provide helpful suggestions as to improvements you could make.

And, consider a smart meter if you don’t already have one so you can track your energy usage and identify further changes you can make. n Created in 2018 by blogger and voluntary hack David Lamont, Plastic Free Home is an online community with more than 32,000 followers that aims to seek and share ideas on how we can all live more sustainably.

Visit www.theplasticfreehome. com or www.facebook.com/ plasticfreehomeuk

Stay cool Fridges and freezers account for up to one tenth of our home energy usage. Generally, the fuller they are, more efficiently they will run. Fridges should be set at between 1°C and 5°C – don’t have yours set colder than you need and don’t leave doors open for longer than needed.

Boiling point

Standby for savings

If you have a condensing combi boiler (that provides your heating and heats your water), you could save up to 8% on your gas bill just by turning

From TVs to games consoles, laptops to kitchen appliances, don’t leave them on overnight and when not in use. The Energy Saving Trust’s

Similarly, don’t leave any lights on around the house. Also, switch to LED bulbs which can last for decades with any luck and use up to 90% less energy than other alternatives.

Before you rush to get sowing, just take some to time to plan what you want to grow, how many plants you are going to need and when you want them to flower or bear fruit. This is particularly good advice for anyone with a veg plot.

A sowing plan is your key to successful growing and means that you won’t be throwing out unwanted seedlings.

A word of warning about sowing direct into the ground at this time of year … there may be a few sunny days to enjoy outside but the soil can still be chilly, making germination and survival hard.

Sowing indoors is a better option, it provides a warm environment for germination and it’s easier to protect from pests. Paper and cardboard pots can be packed snugly in a tray which avoids over handling and makes them easy to water.

Small seeds should be scattered sparingly on the surface of compost-filled seed trays and then covered with a sprinkling of sieved compost. If the seeds are big enough to handle, then you can sow them individually into 10cm pots – the quantity should be according to the instructions specified on the seed packet, but usually for small seeds between 5-10 seeds per pot. For plants that grow long roots, such as peas or beans, you can put them into a compost filled cardboard toilet roll tube and, once ready, they can then be planted outside tube and all.

Most seeds will germinate and grow in a warm setting such as a greenhouse, cold frame or on a sunny windowsill. You should keep them damp by using a mist spray to start with before moving onto a watering can with a fine rose nozzle.

Once the seedlings have grown their second pair of leaves and before they get too squashed in seed trays or pots, pot them on into small pots.

Simply ease out a clump of seedlings with an old cutlery fork or dibber and – handling only the leaves to avoid damaging delicate stems and roots – gently tease them apart.

Drop individual seedlings into a 5cm compostfilled newspaper pot ensuring the lower leaves are above the compost level. Once you see roots appearing from the bottom of the pot, it’s time to pot on to a bigger pot before planting outside once the weather and soil warms up.

If you are growing your own veg now is a good time to sow first early potatoes. These can be planted from mid-March however planting times will vary across the country according to temperature and risk of frost.

You should plant your chitted potatoes with the shoots facing upwards in soil with plenty of well rotted organic matter, and approximately 12cm deep and 30cm apart. Once stems are about 23cm tall, they will need earthing up – by drawing soil around them to create a 15cm high ridge, to protect against frost and keep growing potatoes covered.

Spring seems tantalising close in March particularly as work in the garden starts to get going again.

As the RHS says … Spring usually arrives by mid-March and the frequent sunny days provide the opportunity for an increasing range of gardening tasks.

It’s time to get busy preparing seed beds, sowing seed, cutting back winter shrubs and generally tidying up around the garden.

Top three jobs this month – prune bush and climbing roses, plant early potatoes and plant summer flowering bulbs.

SPORT TODAY

WOKINGHAM EDITION

NOTONE CHRONICLES THE ACTION BETTER THAN US OF THE CUP OU

03.03.22

READING BEATEN IN BLACKPOOL

BOARS’ FOUR FOR EPIC WIN

WOKINGHAM’S CLEAN SHEET WIN

ABBEY ENJOY GLORIOUS MUD

CHAMPIONS: S4K CLINCH LEAGUE TITLE

S4K Berks County Ladies were confirmed as Thames Valley Women’s Division 3 South champions at the weekend with one game left to spare.

SUMAS MARCH ON

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK dispatched of bottom club CB Hounslow with a clean sheet victory on Saturday.

With just four points separating the Sumas in 16th and Hounslow in 18th prior to kick-off, it proved to be a must win fixture for Wokingham

in order to not get dragged further into a relegation battle.

It was a toughly fought battle at Lowther Road with Jack Mullan’s strike in the 14th minute turning out to be the decisive goal in a one-goal contest.

Sumas goalkeeper Sean Woodward and the rest of Eliot Whitehouse’s team side stayed resilient at the back to keep a clean

sheet to help their side move away from the drop zone with a pivotal three points.

The win puts them seven points ahead of Hounslow and five points above 17th placed Holyport with a game in hand to play.

Wokingham can start to look further up the table in a closely contested bottom half of the table which currently sees them one

point behind Virginia Water and three points below Tadley Calleva.

The Sumas are back on home soil this weekend when they play host to St Panteleimon on Saturday.

Their weekend opponents are currently 11th in the Combined Counties Premier North on 31 points.

n Full football round-up and pictures on page 20

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The Fawkes confirmed their status as title winners after they picked up a point at the weekend against Goring United in a 1-1 stalemate.

After a goalless first-half in a tight contest, Megan Cox put S4K ahead.

Goring hit back with a late leveller in the 88th minute which was enough to earn the visitors a point.

Cox has been in incredible goalscoring form throughout the season and has played a big part in S4K’s title run by netting 30 goals in 16 games giving her an oustanding record of almost two goals per match.

Despite the late goal from Goring, the point proved to be enough for the hosts to capture the league title over their second placed opponents, who are now unable to catch S4K despite having four games left to play.

The Fawkes have led the way in the division for almost all of the season having enjoyed a magnificent campaign that has seen them win 14 times, draw twice and be beaten on just two occasions from their 17 league matches.

S4K conclude their league campaign on Sunday, March 13, when they face an away trip to Thatcham & Newbury Town Ladies where they will be looking for their 15th league win of the season.

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Rams took victory in a thriller against Darlington Pictures: Paul Clark

RAMS TRIUMPH IN 10-TRY SHOOTOUT RUGBY UNION

By RICHARD ASHTON sport@wokingham.today

RAMS came from behind to snatch a helter-skelter 36-32 victory at home to Darlington Mowden Park in a thrilling 10try shoot-out.

It was the away side who came hurtling out of the blocks as they raced into a 12-0 lead on the back of early tries from Ben Frankland and wing Brandon Asher-Wood, the latter set-up by a clever chip from fly-half Garry Law which was subsequently spread wide for the speedster to touch down on the right.

Yet Rams got to work and struck back when a sublime cross-field kick from Drew

Humberstone was collected

by Henry Bird, and a couple of phases later, the ball found Connor Hayhow to dot down on the right.

The hosts cut the gap to two points shortly afterwards as their dominant scrum got to work, two consecutive penalties on the DMP fivemetre line preceding a pushover score finished off by captain Robbie Stapley.

Things got even worse for the away side shortly after as prop Ralph Appleby was sin-binned for another infringement at the scrum, but the northerners coped superbly and actually extended their advantage with a brace of Law penalties.

Trailing 18-10 at the interval, it was Rams who this time came flying forward from the restart, and Park suffered a second yellow card when Euan McKirdy was ruled to have deliberately knocked on.

On this occasion the hosts made the most of their numerical advantage, a carboncopy of the second try seeing Stapley claim the honours on his 175th start for the club.

Rowan Grundy this time landed the conversion, and his side then hit the front for the first time with the score of the afternoon.

Some slick hands off the top of a line-out saw the ball down the line, and full-back Michael

Dykes then showed a blistering turn of foot to scorch in from some 45 metres out.

Grundy slotted the extras for 24-18, and things got even better for Rams as Hayhow’s interception saw him sprint clear before unselfishly settingup Jak Rossiter to go over to the right of the posts.

With the conversion on target the hosts had a 13-point lead, but as their discipline started to waver, DMP hit back with Law adding the extras to a close-range try from centre Callum Mackenzie.

Rams’ nerves were somewhat allayed with their sixth try of the afternoon, and the third from the base of a scrum, replacement James

McRae this time adding the finishing touches for his maiden effort for the club.

Mowden Park refused to give up, though, and with Hayhow now in the bin for a knock-on, gave the home side a further scare when McKirdy sniped over with a minute to play, the excellent Law again on target.

Yet Tom Vooght managed to force a knock-on following the restart, and with the scrum holding firm, Drew Humberstone booted the ball off to seal a seventh win in eight games.

And the variety of play showcased by Rams pleased Reynolds, who said: “We’re not just all scrum and maul.

What supporters got was two sides who wanted to play some rugby and you got your money’s worth if you came along.

“They did a good job of not allowing us to maul – so we had to go to other areas and we played some really good stuff, although so did DMP. “After a slow start we established some dominance with field position and put the squeeze on the opposition, bringing ourselves back into the game.

“At half-time and 18-10 down, we had a really tough job on our hands because these guys can score another three or four tries in rapid order, so you have to be really careful.”

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ATHLETICS

READING COMPETE AS SEASON CONCLUDES IN STORMY CONDITIONS

By STAFF WRITER sport@wokingham.today POPHAM Airfield was the venue for the final Hampshire League CrossCountry fixture of the season.

With the worst of storm Eunice having already ravaged the UK over the course of Friday afternoon, the green light was given for the fixture to go ahead on Saturday morning.

The Reading AC Senior Men’s team was somewhat light on numbers come the starter’s gun at 2:30pm on Saturday afternoon.

Nevertheless, six men donned the red, white and

blue vest, ready to navigate a course that was made up of one small lap, followed by three large laps, for a total of approximately 10.5km.

Ryan O’Brien would ultimately be the first Reading man home: bolstered by a quick start, he managed to master the Hampshire mud in order to make it around in a very respectable 30th place (and a clocking of 40:32), his best finish of the year.

Slightly further back was Arturo Martinez de Murguia, who produced a solid outing to finish in 62nd place in a time of 43:17.

Not too far behind Arturo was David Lewis, who much like O’Brien, pulled off his highest finish of the season with an improved position of 68th and a clocking of 43:55.

Fourth scorer was Charlie Madelaine, who also had a much improved run compared with the Prospect Park fixture, in order to cross the line in a time of 47:01, enough to earn him 114th position.

Exactly three minutes behind Madelaine was Andy McDonald, who ran a solid race to come through in 138th position, and with 50:01 on the stopwatch.

Following on from Andy

was Gerry O’Driscoll, who was rewarded with an 188th place finish, in a time of 56:26.

Reading men amassed a total of 412 points between the first five scorers, which was enough for 9th place on the day, unfortunately their weakest outing of the year.

Nonetheless, the team finished in a very respectable joint fourth place with Basingstoke & Mid Hants in the end

of season table, behind AFD (first place), and Southampton AC (second place).

Dan Thorne finished eighth place in the Senior Men’s overall individual rankings for the season, and to Richard Price, who ended the season in second place in the Veteran Men rankings.

Parliament Hill Fields will play host to the club’s final outing of the season, the English National XC Championships.

FOOTBALL

London Samurai Rovers 2-3 Woodley United: Kestrels climb up WOODLEY UNITED climbed three places off the bottom of the table after they scored three in their win at London Samurai Rovers.

The hosts kicked off but were soon on the back foot with Woodley winger Archie Swell enjoying freedom on the right hand side and the visitors forcing a couple of corners, one of which was cleared of the hosts goal line.

The early pressure was awarded in the sixth minute when Pedro Monteiro’s pass found Swell who passed the full back and put a low cross into the penalty area where Ayo Roberts was allowed time to control the ball before putting it past Hubert Sczech.

Going forward United looked dangerous but out of possession their defence was called upon

Woodley United v Langley Pictures: Peter Toft and successfully protected debutant keeper Andrew Walker.

Roberts forced a corner from a Tahir Carmichael freekick while Seun Akintola showed good skill before his short went

across Rovers six yard area for safety while a multi-player move saw Akintola shot over the bar, shortly followed by Roberts heading Swell’s cross into the arms of Sczech and Swell putting wide

following a multi-player move that started with Walker.

Woodley’s second goal came in the thirty first minute direct from Carmichael’s free kick on Woodley’s left and the third quickly followed two minutes later when Stuart Birkett got on the end of a Carmichael corner and saw his header find its way into the net.

Rovers opened their account in the thirty eighth minute when an unmarked Junya Kitanishi scored from close range and reacted quickest after Birkett headed clearance from a free kick clear hit the back of a Samurai player.

Buoyed by the late first half goal the hosts started the second half the better, enjoying plenty of possession in Woodley’s

ATHLETICS

READING AC FACE ULTIMATE CROSS COUNTRY TEST

Reading Athletics Club THE 2022 national cross country held at the iconic Parliament hill in London did not disappoint as the ultimate test for cross country running.

half without threatening the goal.

The 52nd minute saw Akintola’s header from a corner go narrowly wide of Sczech’s right hand post but until the final 10 minutes neither team looked like scoring as the match became a midfield affair that needed little goalkeeper action.

Two minutes later United won a freekick in the Rovers’ half from which possession was lost and on the counter attack Walker saved well for a corner kick from which Sadaharu Yoshida rose unchallenged to score a header.

This set the game up for a nervous finish but Woodley did not panic and were able to see the game to full time and a sixth away win of the season.

Starting with a field of 1010 runners stampeding up the huge uphill start and navigating many large hills.

Jess Gibbon had an incredible run, making history for Reading AC to finish strongly and bring home the team and win the national cross country title.

This is the first time in RAC history that a female has won the National Cross country over the recognised toughest course in the country.

Second home for the team was Kirsty Walker finishing like a bullet on the home straight to come an amazing 6th in the race.

Next Katie Rodda Stormed home in 147 with another great run and finished 3rd in the team.

Hayleigh Wood has been in fine form this season and smashed her race finishing 255 and finishing the team.

Followed by Eva Thomas who ran her first senior cross country race and had an amazing race to finish 317.

Lucy Daniels looked strong up the hills and finished 338 with Lydia Blythe working hard through the mud to finish 345, Lynne Henderson-Nike ran extremely well to finish 486 and Kathryn Tolson battling to stay upright to finish 610, both racing with smiles on their faces throughout showing very determined runs.

Overall the team finished a superb 13th out of 104 completed scoring teams.

Wilkinson, it was her turn for a 60 metre sprint to the line, securing the bonuspoint try under the sticks.

Although Buckingham replied with two tries of their own, Abbey continued to press and it was the in-form Alice Denton who grabbed two tries, the first with a powerful run over the line and the second from a well-timed pass.

Converting the second, Abbey finished the game 36-15.

Reading Athletics Club

RUGBY UNION

ABBEY RESPOND WITH BONUS POINT WIN TO SINK SWANS ABBEY Women responded well to last week’s heavy defeat to OA Saints by securing a bonus-point victory over Buckingham Swans, which saw five different players touch down over the line.

An opening score from hooker Claire Stevens, off a well-worked set piece lineout move, calmed the home side in a chaotic opening period.

A series of penalties for the home side allowed

centre Mia McCreesh to kick for touch and move her side into Buckingham’s 22.

Eventually, the chaos swung in Abbey’s favour and flanker Abi Wall cut a sweet line up the centre of the pitch to grab her maiden try of the season, and her team’s second.

Alice Denton-Rice was successful with the conversion and it was 12-0.

With a dominant scrum, captain Annabel Hawkins chose this option at several

penalties, and it wasn’t long before she reaped the rewards herself with a strong carry from the base of the scrum, crossing in the corner.

It was Buckingham who would have the final say of the half, however, with an excellent individual run from their outside centre Shaniah Herelle, who scooped up a mis-timed pass from the Abbey back line, and ran in 60 metres to score.

Despite the best efforts of fly-half Annette Bevan, Herelle outran her to cross in the corner.

Full-back Alex Wilkinson fielded clearance kicks well, and was strong when returning them. Abbey were patient and although eventually lost possession, McCreesh showed an excellent read of the game with an interception between the Buckingham centres.

Flanked by Bevan and

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Eversley & California v Cove Pictures: Richard Milam

SUMAS MOVE UP WITH CLEAN SHEET WIN, BOARS SCORE FOUR FOOTBALL ROUND-UP

Combined Counties Premier North

WOKINGHAM & EMMBROOK collected three vital points with a home win over CB Hounslow United.

The only goal of the contest came in the 14th minute when Will Shaw headed down Jordace Holder-Spooner’s set-piece delivery which fell to Jack Mullan who took a touch before crashing a volley into the net.

The Sumas were unable to extend their lead but they defended resolutely to hold on to their advantage and pick up a win and a clean sheet against the bottom club.

READING CITY were narrowly beaten at home to league leaders Hanworth Villa.

The Cityzens went two goals down but put up a strong fight that saw them find the net deep into stoppage time as they went down to a 2-1 defeat.

Reading City manager Simon Johnson said: “Brilliant indication of how far we’ve come this season. A tight loss against a side who will walk the league. Looking forward to the last seven games.”

Isthmian South Central

BINFIELD had to settle for a point when they hosted Sutton Common Rovers.

The Moles went ahead in the first-half through Jonathan Denton’s 28th minute strike.

The visitors replied on the verge of the break as the points were shared.

Binfield are in eighth on 35 points from 26 games.

Combined Counties Division One

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA got back to winning ways with an emphatic win over bottom side Cove.

Lewis Wall netted a brace inside the opening 12 minutes of the match to put the Boars in control.

Harinder Singh Hunjan and

Reece Buckett added to the score to consolidate a 4-0 win on the road for Eversley.

The Boars are in fourth after 28 games.

Eversley manager Matty Angell said: “Great win today, we really did get the ball down and play on a difficult surface and got exactly what we deserved.

“Credit to the whole squad they work extremely hard and really put on an excellent performance for our visiting support.”

Thames Valley Premier League

FINCHAMPSTEAD kept up the pressure at the top with victory over Richings Park.

Alex Woodhead claimed a brace, while Nick Payne and Aqeel Butt wrapped up a 4-0 win to take them five points behind leaders Burghfield with three games in hand.

BURGHFIELD stayed at the top after they picked up a 1-0 win away at Maidenhead Town.

Ollie Brown netted the only goal of the game to keep them in pole position.

READING CITY U23’s fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to Wraysbury. WARGRAVE and READING YMCA shared a point after they were locked at 1-1.

Cup

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA made progress with a 3-0 away win over Woking.

TILEHURST PANTHERS got the better of WARGRAVE with a 4-0 triumph.

Lydia Vettese scored all four goals to see the Panthers safely through.

Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA RESERVES came away with a point from Newbury Development after they recovered a two-goal deficit.

SPORT | 21

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How they rated

LUKE SOUTHWOOD

Made two really good stops in the first-half but was arguably at fault for the first two goals. Didn’t look comfortable coming to claim the ball.

ANDY YIADOM

Strong in defence and did brilliantly to set up the opening goal when he burst forward and put the ball on a plate for Joao to finish.

MICHAEL MORRISON

Had a good opportunity to score in the second half with a header.

Will be disappointed with the team’s inability to defend from set pieces.

TOM MCINTYRE

Struggled at times in a stern test up against the physical Gary Madine.

Part of a defensive collapse at the end.

ANDY RINOMHOTA

Filled in well at right-back but Reading missed his presence in the centre where he’s made a positive difference in recent weeks.

DANNY DRINKWATER

Sloppy with his passing at times that put his teammates under pressure but did do some good things going forward.

TOM DELE-BASHIRU

Struggled to keep Reading ticking in central midfield where the Royals looked like they missed Rinomhota in the middle of the park.

JOHN SWIFT

A few glimpses of brilliance when he linked with Joao in attack.

Squandered a big chance when he was slipped in by Joao.

JUNIOR HOILETT

A quiet afternoon from Hoilett who didn’t provide much threat down the wing in a lacklustre display.

TOM INCE

Worked hard to help out Andy Rinomhota but had a disappointing day in attack where he was unable to make much happen.

LUCAS JOAO

On the scoresheet once again with his sixth goal in eight matches.

Played a nice pass to set up Swift early in the second-half.

SUBS Yakou Meite n/a, Ovie Ejaria n/a

5 6 5 5 7 4 4 6 4 4 7

Reading full-back Andy Yiadom

The Royals lost for the first time under interim manager Paul Ince Archive pictures: Steve Smyth

SKY BET CHAMPIONSHIP

LATE COLLAPSE SEES ROYALS TOPPLED AWAY AT BLACKPOOL BLACKPOOL 4 READING 1

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today READING’S run of three unbeaten Championship games came to an end as they were dealt their first defeat under interim manager Paul Ince at Blackpool.

The Royals went ahead when Lucas Joao continued his excellent scoring form but goals from Marvin Ekpiteta, Gary Madine and Shane Lavery saw Blackpool come fighting back to take the points.

The result leaves Reading still one place outside the relegation zone with the gap being cut to six points by Barnsley, in 22nd place, after their win over Middlesbrough.

The Tykes also have a game in hand.

Paul Ince was forced into making changes in what was his first away trip as the Royals boss having made a winning start with a home victory over Birmingham City on Tuesday.

Goalkeeper Luke Southwood returned in goal in the absence of Karl Hein, while Tom Holmes also missed out with injury with meant a reshuffle at the back with Andy Rinomhota dropping in at rightback, and Andy Yiadom switched to left-back.

Ovie Ejaria also made a longanticipated return to the matchday squad and was also joined by Alen Halilovic after his spell on the treatment table.

The home side made a decent start in front of their fans when they won some early corners in the match but they weren’t able to capitalise after the first setpiece was well overhit and the second was headed out by Danny Drinkwater.

The first big opening of the match came for Blackpool in the eighth minute only to be prevented by a super stop from Southwood.

Tom McIntyre appealed for a foul when he was barged over by Gary Madine, but the referee waved play on and a chance presented itself for Gerry Yates whose shot was saved by a low reaction save from the Royals keeper.

Reading got onto the attack and looked to get ahead when Drinkwater fed the ball to Lucas Joao, however, Blackpool recovered in defence to thwart the Portuguese forward.

The ball dropped invitingly for Josh Bowler to strike in the box and he smacked an effort high over the top.

Against the run of play, the Royals seized their opportunity to open the scoring with 17 minutes on the clock.

Yiadom worked tenaciously to get down the left byline and placed the ball across goal to set up Joao for a tap in from eight yards out as the striker scored his sixth goal in eight matches.

Southwood came up with another terrific save to keep his team in front when he got across to keep out Madine’s close range header.

It didn’t take long for the Tangerines to respond and they were back on level terms 10 minutes after Joao’s opener.

Reading tried to beat the forwards with an offside trap, but Blackpool skipper Marvin Ekpiteta managed to hold his run and nod the ball past Southwood to equalise.

Blackpool gained confidence after their leveller and piled some pressure on Reading to try and edge themselves in front before the break.

Despite the home team’s efforts, Reading held firm to see themselves get to half-time on terms having scored with their only shot on target.

Reading had an early chance after the restart when Blackpool

Match stats Blackpool: Grimshaw, Lawrence-Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Thorniley, Sterling, Bowler, Dougall, Stewart, Hamilton, Yates, Madine Subs: Connolly, James, Dale, Moore, Lavery, Casey, Beasley Reading: Southwood, Yiadom, Morrison (c), McIntyre, Rinomhota, Drinkwater, Dele-Bashiru, Swift, Ince, Hoilett, Joao Subs: Halilovic, Meite, Ejaria, Boyce-Clarke, Barker, Clarke, Abrefa Goals: Lucas Joao 17’, Ekpiteta 27’, Madine 61’, Lavery 86’, Bowler 90’

gifted the ball to Joao, he slipped the ball to John Swift who took one too many touches out wide and saw his opportunity disappear.

Swift’s eyes lit up when Reading were awarded a free-kick just outside of the area when Tom Ince was bundled over. Reading’s top scorer struck at goal and was denied by Daniel Grimshaw who got fingertips to put the ball over the crossbar.

Reading were hurt once again after being unable to defend a corner.

Blackpool crowded several players inside the six-yard to cause chaos in the box and that allowed Madine to prod in a header from a few yards out.

Ince’s team fought to try and salvage something from the match which saw him bring Yakou Meite and Ovie Ejaria off the bench for the remaining 15 minutes in place of Tom Dele-Bashiru and Junior Hoilett.

Neil Critchley’s team had a chance to seal the points when the ball dropped for Hamilton but he fizzed his shot past the post.

The Tangerines did wrap up the game with their next break on goal when substitute Shane Lavery burst behind the Royals back line and applied the finishing touch to put the game to bed.

Just minutes later, Blackpool put more gloss on their victory when Bowler volleyed past Southwood with an exquisite finish. n Reading are back in action at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday when they host Millwall.

22 | SPORT

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ROYALS DEALT HAMMER FA WOMEN’S CUP

How they rated Reading goalkeeper Rhiannon Stewart

READING 0 WEST HAM UNITED 1

RHIANNON STEWART

Was kept busy throughout and made some excellent saves, including an acrobatic stop to keep out Hasegowa in the second-half.

LILY WOODHAM

Delivered some good set pieces which helped Reading to pose a threat throughout the game but they couldn’t find a decisive goal.

GEMMA EVANS

Defended well throughout and came close to scoring when she met Faye Bryson’s corner but couldn’t convert at the back post.

DEANNA COOPER

Strong in defence in a gruelling cup tie and was unlucky not to help Reading to a clean sheet when the visitors netted in extra-time.

FAYE BRYSON

Got forward plenty of times from full-back to help out in attack and delivered some inviting crosses but teammates couldn’t give the finish.

TASH HARDING

Provided strong leadership in midfield. Transitioned the ball well through midfield to start plenty of attacks.

SANNE TROELSGAARD

Looked comfortable in the centre of the park and helped the Royals to control much of the game.

AMALIE EIKELAND

Came agonisingly close to giving Reading the lead in the first-half when she got on the end of Harries’ delivery and headed onto the post.

EMMA HARRIES

Threw in some excellent crosses to provide for the forwards in the middle. Substituted for Rachel Rowe in the 75th minute.

DEANNE ROSE

Had a brilliant chance to break the deadlock in the first half but she hammered her half volley over the target.

NATASHA DOWIE

Had some chances to score in the second-half and tested Arnold when she spun away from her marker only to be denied by the keeper.

Subs Rachel Rowe 6, Justine Vanhaevermaet 6, Tia Primmer n/a

8 6 7 7 7 6 6 6 7 6 6

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today READING FC Women were left to rue missed chances as they were knocked out of the FA Cup after extra-time by West Ham United.

The teams were locked at 0-0 after 90 minutes in a contest that saw the Royals have the better of the game.

But it was West Ham who progressed thanks to Dagny Brynjarsdottir’s 105th-minute winner.

Kelly Chambers team were looking to build on the momentum of their recent impressive league form by advancing in the cup.

After five consecutive wins in the Women’s Super League, their excellent form was brought to an end prior to the latest international break after they were thumped 4-1 at Brighton.

Deanna Cooper returned to the starting line-up, while back-up goalkeeper Rhiannon Stewart was selected to start between the sticks for the Royals.

Emma Harries and Natasha Dowie looked to link up early to create a chance when they traded passes only for West Ham’s defence to recover and shut them down.

Reading were awarded a freekick in a dangerous position when Amalie Eikeland was impeded 25 yards from goal.

Faye Bryson tried her luck and struck an effort on target that didn’t have enough conviction to trouble West Ham goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold.

The Hammers replied with

Natasha Dowie tries to break through

West Ham break the deadlock in extra-time

Deanne Rose charges past her marker

Match stats Reading: Stewart, Bryson, Evans, Cooper, Harding (c), Woodham, Troelsgaard, Harries, Eikeland, Rose, Dowie Subs: Poulter, Peplow, Rowe, Roberts, Vanhaevermaet, Baigent, Primmer, Thomann, Joslyn West Ham: Arnold, Fisk, Parker, Flahery (c), Svitkova, Stringer, Yallop, Snerle, Longhurst, Hasegawa, Evans Subs: Leat, Wyne, Walker, Filis, Leon, Joel, Cissoko, Brynjarsdottir, Houssein Goals: Brynjarsdottir 105+1’

Emma Harries fires in a cross a couple of chances of their own and were first thwarted by an important block from Cooper and then denied by a smart save from Stewart.

The Royals came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute when Eikeland’s header bounced off the post.

The hosts counter-attacked with menace to win a corner and from the resulting set-piece, Eikeland met Harries’ delivery but was denied by the upright.

Reading Women’s journey in the F Another promising move from Reading saw Harries feed the ball into the path of Bryson who picked out Deanne Rose and she fired a volley inches over the top.

Arnold came to the Hammer’s rescue when she clawed away Cooper’s header to keep it goalless.

West Ham hit back with a chance of their own when Lisa Evans nodded over the bar.

The home crowd called for Arnold to be sent off when she came out of her area and handled

MEN’S REACTION

INCE URGES TEAM TO ‘KEEP BELIEVING’ READING FC interim manager Paul Ince told his players to ‘keep believing’ after they suffered a heavy defeat at Blackpool.

The Royals took the lead through Lucas Joao but were pegged back by Blackpool who took a convincing with four different goalscorers.

The defeat cuts the gap to the relegation zone, where the Royals sit six points outside the dropzone.

“We got the early goal and you think, great,” said Ince.

“We gave a very poor first goal away, it’s been throughout the seasons conceding silly goals and making stupid errors “We came out not marking and it was 1-1. I said to the lads at halftime that we’re still in the game.

“If we got the second goal, I think we go on to win the game.

“Up until the last 10 minutes, we

opened ourselves up but there were positives to come out of it.

“But it’s about getting results on the board.”

Despite the scoreline, Ince reiterated that there were positives to take from the performance.

He continued: “I said to the lads, ‘keep believing’.

“It was a bad result but not a bad performance.

“At 2-1, we needed to stay in the game.

“I’m not too deflated. We know where we are.

“There are a lot of things we need to address and get better at.

I’m not despondent there is still a long way to go.”

Ince provided an injury update on several players including

goalkeeper Karl Hein who is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

“We’ve lost our goalkeeper (Hein) for the rest of the season.

“He fell in his house and took a ligament off the bone on his thumb.

It’s 4-6 weeks without surgery but a lot more with surgery.

“Scott Dann has started training, he’s about a week away.

“Josh Laurent is back on the grass but is probably not back at Millwall.

“We hope Tom Holmes is back for Millwall.

“We’ve relied on the same players playing.

“It’s tough and the demands were trying to put on them, it’s a lot of work.”

SPORT | 23

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R BLOW IN FA CUP EXIT

From the middle

Justine Vanhaevermaet

Dick Sawdon-Smith

Making laws more understandable

I Dowie awaits delivery Lily Woodham

Reading go close from a corner Natasha Harding skips past her opponent

FA Cup came to an end with defeat after extra-time Pictures: Neil Graham

Woodham and Bryson

the ball, but the referee gave her a caution.

The half came to a close with Reading having the final chance of the half from the resulting free-kick. Lily Woodham’s delivery caused chaos in the box and almost dropped for Harries but Arnold recovered to collect the loose ball.

Reading continued to pile the pressure on their visitors in the second-half.

Woodham’s long throw was brought under control by Harries who laid the ball off for Dowie who couldn’t manage to get her shot on target from an acute angle.

Faye Bryson gets down the wing

The Royals looked the more likely to get in front and continued to press for an opener when captain Natasha Harding’s looping header was caught by Arnold with an hour gone.

With just over 15 minutes left on the clock, Reading were again denied by Arnold who made a super stop to keep out Dowie she spun and shot after getting on the end of Harries’ cross.

The first home change came moments later when Rachel Rowe replaced Harries.

A second change five minutes later saw Justine Vanhaevermaet replace Rose.

With the score level at 0-0 at the end of the 90 minutes, the teams headed into 30 minutes of extratime.

Vanhaevermaet looked to unlock the defence on two occasions with through balls but Fisk recovered to make a vital challenge on Rowe.

Tia Primmer then entered the tie to take the place of Eikeland with 20 minutes to play.

Right at the end of the first-half of extra-time, West Ham stole the lead when Brynjarsdottir latched onto a rebound and knocked the ball past Stewart.

PREVIEW

ROYALS RELEGATION BATTLE CONTINUES WITH MILLWALL TEST READING FC’s fight for Championship survival continues when they host Millwall at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Saturday.

The Royals are one place and six points above the drop zone, while the visitors come into the contest in 11th position.

The Lions still have an outside shot at making the top-six with 13 league games left to play.

Millwall have been in a rich vein of form with four wins from their last five to take them just five points outside of the play-offs in a tightly contested

top half of the table.

Since being beaten by Fulham at the start of the month, Millwall have bounced back with victories over Cardiff City, QPR, Derby County and Sheffield United.

Gary Rowett’s team made it four consecutive wins by beating fellow top-six hopefuls Sheffield United at the weekend.

Former Reading academy graduate Jake Cooper netted the only goal of the game in the 61st minute to win the points for Millwall.

Millwall have found goals fairly hard to come by with just 36 in

33 games, six less than Reading despite the huge gap in the table between the teams.

Meanwhile, the South London side have been solid at the other end of the pitch and have conceded just 34 times compared to 67 from the Royals which gives them the worst defensive record in the league.

Forward Tom Bradshaw is currently their leading scorer with seven from 11 appearances, while midfielder Jed Wallace has six goals and eight assists from 24 games.

Reading were beaten earlier in the campaign on their trip

to the Den in November.

Former Royals loanee Benik Afobe ensured the points stayed in the capital with his 71st minute goal.

Millwall also collected three points on their last visit to Berkshire which came in February 2021.

Reading went in front through Alfa Semedo but the away team hit back with late strikes from Matt Smith in the 76th minute and Mason Bennett in the 85th minute to complete a comeback.

Reading are winless in their last four matches against Millwall.

T’S funny how trying to make the Laws of the Game more understandable, sometimes seems to create more arguments.

A prime example is handball.

The Law has always put handball into two categories, accidental or deliberate.

Referees were told to take into consideration, the movement of the hand towards the ball (and not the ball towards the hand), the distance between the opponent and the ball (unexpected ball) and that the position of the hand does not necessarily mean there has been an infringement, Many people thought this was not clear enough and made handball too subjective, so the Law on handball was basically re-written.

This turned out to be highly controversial and in a ‘step back’, most changes were rescinded the next season.

The introduction of VAR seemed to many people to result in more handballs being given when the ball had hit a player’s shoulder.

Whether this was fact, I don’t know, but the International Football Association Board added another clarification in 2020 that read: ’For the purposes of determining handball, the upper boundary of the arm, is in line with the bottom of the armpit’.

They illustrated this with the drawing seen below.

Unfortunately, because the arm has two colours, many thought the upper part of the arm represents a shirt sleeve, I heard referees say, clubs will buy shirts with longer sleeves and in discussing West Ham’s recent late equaliser against Leicester, one pundit on Sky Sports said, ‘ if it was me I would wear shirts with longer sleeves’.

This of course is nonsense. When explaining this Law, I put one arm down by my side and with the other hand put my thumb under the armpit, and then grasp my arm with my fingers straight out.

What’s above my first finger is shoulder and what’s below is arm. Try it out. The IFAB have confirmed that my interpretation is correct.

I have suggested that it would be better if in the drawing, the arm was not in colour but simply white with the demarcation line drawn in black.

David Elleray, Director of the Technical Committee of IFAB, has told me that they are already planning such a change.

24 | SPORT

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HOCKEY ROUND-UP

SOUTH BERKS 4S FIRE FIVE PAST TADLEY

By ANDY PRESTON apreston@wokingham.today

Saturday, February 26 FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship Blackpool 4-1 Reading

Isthmian South Central Binfield 1-1 Sutton Common Rovers

South Central Thames 2

SOUTH BERKSHIRE 4s put three points on the board with a ruthless victory over Tadley.

They hit five past their opponents without reply to take the win.

The victory keeps South Berks at the top of the table with 13 wins from 14 matches to give them an eight point lead.

Combined Counties Premier North Reading City 1-2 Hanworth Villa Sumas 1-0 CB Hounslow United

South Central Men’s Premier 2

Combined Counties Division One Cove 0-4 Eversley & California London Samurai Rovers 2-3 Woodley United

South Berks have a shot at goal

Thames Valley Premier League Finchampstead 4-0 Richings Park Maidenhead Town 0-1 Burghfield Reading City U23’s 1-2 Wraysbury Wargrave 1-1 Reading YMCA

SOUTH BERKSHIRE took the bragging rights and points against READING 2A. The 4-1 win takes South Berks up to sixth in the table, while Reading are one place off the bottom.

South Central Men’s Division 1

South Berkshire 4s v Tadley Pictures: Steve Smyth

SONNING went down to a heavy home loss to Wallingford.

The 7-2 defeat leaves Sonning in fifth on 30 points.

South Berks are in sixth on 22 points from 17 matches.

SONNING 2s were defeated on the road in a 2-0 loss to Yateley.

South Central Men’s Division 2 SOUTH BERKSHIRE 2s were held to a goalless draw at Maidenhead 2s.

South Central Women’s Premier 1 SONNING hit four past

The teams challenge for the ball

Winchester without reply to take the points.

The 4-0 victory puts them in 10th on 13 points.

South Central Women’s Division 1 SOUTH BERKSHIRE were defeated at home by Oxford

BASKETBALL

By STAFF WRITER sport@wokingham.today

Reading Rockets 87 Thames Valley Cavaliers 71 READING ROCKETS executed one of their best displays of the season with a win over Thames Valley Cavaliers.

Sam Toluwase lines up a shot Meshack Lufile controlled the boards.

Rockets played at a very fast pace finishing each offensive very well and being secure from the free throw line as they surprised Cavaliers brushing them aside in this quarter to lead at the interval 49-32.

Rockets continued their domination of the court taking the third period by 20-16 extending their lead to 69-48 as Lufile was dominant inside and on the boards having a double

Another duel for possession University 2s.

The 2-1 loss leaves South Berks in sixth on 24 points.

South Central Women’s Division 3 SOUTH BERKSHIRE 2s added three points to their tally with a 3-0 win over Newbury & Thatcham 2s.

SNOOKER

SCINTILLATING ROCKETS SHOOT PAST CAVALIERS

Freckelton and Bonner got TVC off to a flying start and a first quarter lead of 24-18 with clinical finishing but Rockets truly exploded in the second period with a 31-8 winning margin disturbing the usual control that TVC have over their opponents with such an experienced and talented side.

Jaz Bains hit a brace of trebles with Tyler Cartaino finding his feet after a few weeks lay off due to a hamstring injury as guards Lewis Champion and Ben Dixon made major contributions whilst Reis Pinnock and

RESULTS

WALLACE CHALKS UP LEAD IN CUESTARS SENIORS TOUR double before the final quarter started with 17 points and ten rebounds.

Champion was clinical with his shooting form inside and outside the arc as Bains hit three from five triples and enabling Coach Pearson to indulge his academy talent.

Thinking of the following day’s return game in Uxbridge, coach Pearson gave his top contributors as much rest as he could knowing that victory was assured with such a superb team performance.

Ultimately, the ever dominant Meshack Lufile hit 21 points, took down 14 rebounds, had a block and two assists in an excellent display from the power forward.

Jaz Bains continued his excellent outside the arc shooting with 18 points whilst Sam Toluwase showed his importance to this squad as the experienced forward hit 15 points and Lewis Champion hit 12 points.

MARTIN Wallace has taken the lead on the Cuestars Seniors (40+) Tour after winning his second event of the 2021/22 campaign.

The 54-year-old from Wokingham beat first-time finalist Jason Pusser to clinch the fourth leg at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.

Both players agreed to a one-frame shootout for the £100 first prize due to the lateness of the hour.

Wallace, who won the first leg in Fareham last November, recorded the day’s highest break of 69.

He now has a healthy 20-point lead in the rankings over the absent John Hunter.

Pusser (Bournemouth) knocked out leg-three runner-up Nick Birney (High Wycombe) 2-1 in the last-four.

In the second semi, Wallace chalked up a 2-0 victory over Neil Herd (Frome), who last reached this stage more than three years ago.

KNOCKOUT RESULTS LAST-16 (10 pts): Wallace 2-0 Miles, Goodall 2-0 Groves, Herd 2-1 Ashton, Hatfield 2-1 Darken, Pusser 2-1 Wheatland, Holmes 2-0 Greenham, Birney 2-1 Carroll, Johnson 2-1 Davies.

QUARTER-FINALS (12 pts, £10): Wallace 2-0 Goodall, Herd 2-1 Hatfield, Pusser 2-1 Holmes, Birney 2-0 Johnson.

SEMI-FINALS (15 pts, £30): Wallace 2-0 Herd, Pusser 2-1 Birney.

FINAL (25/18 pts, £100/£60): Wallace 1-0 Pusser.

RUGBY UNION National League One Rams 36-32 Darlington Mowden Park HOCKEY Women’s National Division 1 South Cambridge City 0-4 Reading South Central Men’s Division 1 Sonning 2-7 Wallingford South Central Women’s Premier 1 Sonning 4-0 Winchester South Central Men’s Premier 2 South Berkshire 4-1 Reading 2s South Central Women’s Division 1 South Berkshire 1-2 Oxford University 2s

Sunday, February 27 FOOTBALL FA Women’s Cup fifth round Reading 0-1 West Ham (aet) Cup Tilehurst Panthers 4-0 Wargrave Woking 0-3 Eversley & California Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S Newbury Development 2-2 Eversley & California Reserves S4K Berks County 1-1 Goring United Wargrave Development 1-5 Taplow United HOCKEY Men’s National Division 1 South Reading v Havant

FIXTURES

Saturday, March 5 FOOTBALL Sky Bet Championship Reading v Millwall

Isthmian South Central Hanwell Town v Binfield Combined Counties Premier North Sumas v St Panteleimon Combined Counties Division One Berks County v Wallingford Town Woodley United v FC Deportivo Galicia Cup Finchampstead v Henley Town Holyport Reserves v Reading City U23’s Thames Valley Premier League Reading YMCA v Windlesham & Chobham Richings Park v Woodley United Royals Thames Valley Division One Rotherfield v FC Imaan Lions Slough Heating Laurencians v Eldon Celtic RUGBY UNION National League One Sale v Rams South West 1 East Bracknell v Grove HOCKEY Men’s National Division 1 South Old Cranleighans v Reading Women’s National Division 1 South Reading v Sevenoaks South Central Men’s Division 1 Aylesbury v Sonning South Central Women’s Premier 1 Amersham & Chalfont v Sonning South Central Men’s Premier 2 Amersham & Chalfont v South Berkshire South Central Women’s Division 1 Aylesbury v South Berkshire

Sunday, March 6 FOOTBALL Women’s Super League Reading v Tottenham

Southern Region Women’s Premier Division Abingdon United v Woodley Southern Region Women’s Division 1 South Abbey Rangers v Chichester Thames Valley Women’s Division One Tilehurst Panthers v Badshot Lea Carterton v Wargrave Thames Valley Women’s Division 3S Caversham AFC v Yateley Goringh v Eversley & California Reserves Wargrave v Wallingford Town