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THEWOKINGHAMPAPER Thursday, October 13, 2016

Special Chief Inspector Ian Heaford pictured in 1986

The new 1st Woosehill Group Scout leader Steve Capel with new Scouts Ollie Humphreys, Matthew Kelly and Carter Lawrence. Below: the new Beavers, Cubs and Scouts raise a salute Pictures: Phil Creighton

Officer’s 30 years on the beat A POLICE officer who spent time serving Woodley and Earley has been awarded a long service medal. Special Chief Inspector Ian Heaford received a medal for 30 years of service from Thames Valley Police (TVP) Chief Constable Francis Habgood on September 29. Ian joined Thames Valley Police in February 1986 following a conversation with his local beat officer who had visited him to talk about a neighbourhood watch scheme at the time. It was through this conversation that Ian was told about the Special Constabulary which grabbed his attention. Ian began his service as a special constable in Reading but also served in Pangbourne, Woodley and then Loddon Valley. During this time, he was promoted to Special Inspector where he became

the Special Constabulary lead for the area, receiving an Area Commander’s commendation in 2001 for his contribution to local policing. In 2002 he was promoted to Special Chief Inspector, taking up the role of Special Constabulary lead for what was then known as the Berkshire West Basic Command Unit (BCU). In 2008, he moved across to a non-operational role as the Special Chief Inspector for training, where his experience in both the Special Constabulary and management experience from his day job, working for a large multinational corporation, was put to good use. More recently, Ian acted as the Master of Ceremonies during an attestation ceremony for TVP’s newest special constables.

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Monday, October 24, and the company expects that the work should be completed the following day. During the works, a diversion will be in place along Langley Common Road, Eversley Road, Sindlesham Road and Mole Road and access for residents will be maintained.

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Scout since he was eight, and says he will be “64 in a few years time”. He said that one of the reasons why he loves the Scouts is that “we try and produce the next generation of awesome adults”. He added that across Wokingham there is a waiting list because they need more adult helpers. “We always need help,” he said.

Row over Southfield School By GEMMA DAVIDSON gdavidson@wokinghampaper.co.uk A WOKINGHAM councillor has hit back at claims that the extent of a troubled school’s problems were kept from a scrutiny committee. In an email to the executive member for children’s services, Cllr Charlotte Haitham Taylor, the then leader of of the Wokingham Lib Dems, Cllr Prue Bray, and then deputy leader Cllr Lindsay Ferris expressed their ‘extreme concern’ over the current situation at Southfield School, which was placed into Special Measures by Ofsted earlier this year. The email, which was sent ahead of last month’s executive meeting, criticises Cllr Haitham Taylor’s failure to

inform the council that the Gipsy Lane school would not be reopening at the beginning of the new term, and called on her to make a statement on the school at the meeting. The party has now called for a full investigation into the problems at the school. The email said: “What is of particular concern is that the Local Authority has been seen to be deficient and ineffective. This confirms the view of our Group that the education side of Children’s Services Department at WBC is not performing as it used to. For Ofsted to state that pupils and staff are not safe at the school is damning.” But Cllr Haitham Taylor hit back at the Lib Dems, saying the committee had been kept up-to-date with the school’s progress, and that pupils’

safety was a priority. She said: “These claims are completely false, which you can see in the minutes of the Children’s Services Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 28 June – the first of these meetings following the publication of Ofsted’s report. “The subsequent monitoring letter from Ofsted’s interim visit arrived too late for the second overview and scrutiny meeting as per the council’s constitution, so will be presented in full at the next one on November 15. “We’ve done everything within our powers to ensure the safety of pupils, as well as raise standards working with an academy provider to preserve the long term future of the school and give its pupils every educational opportunity possible.”

Faloncry centre expands

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THE LATEST recruits to the 1st Woosehill Scouts were welcomed with a special investure ceremony late last month. The youngsters made their promises to the Scouting movement and received their woggle, watched by proud parents, before joining in a singalong around a camp ﬁre. Also invested was new group Scout leader Steve Capel. The Norreys man has been a

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Road closure order for Barkham BT OPENREACH is planing to carry out works on Bearwood Road in Barkham later this month. The phone company will be undertaking repairs on the road between its junctions with B3349 Barkham Road and The Lilacs. Work is scheduled to start on

New Scouts welcomed with a camp ﬁre singalong

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A FALCONRY centre in Hare Hatch is celebrating its birthday by setting up a conservation project. Feathers and Fur Falconry Centre, which is based at Ladds Garden Village in Bath Road, will be celebrating its seventh birthday this month with various events including the launch of a long-term owl nesting conservation project. The centre will purchase and install Barn Owl and Little Owl nesting boxes in the countryside surrounding Twyford,

which they will then monitor closely and share their findings, images and videos with local schools and visitors to the centre. A flash sale on the centre’s Facebook page will mark the centre’s actual birthday tomorrow (Friday), and there will be further celebrations on October 30 with an owl-based Hallowe’en event, including craft activities, quizzes and photo opportunities with the birds.  For more information about any of the events visit www. feathersandfur.co.uk.

Winners! Left: Jo Wredden and Howard Witten from The Crooked Billet and, right, Richard (left) and Chris Athroll (right) of Emmbrook’s Dog and Duck with Brakspear’s John Beazley (centre)

Landlords have a winning welcome TWO borough pubs have been named some of the best in the country after scooping the Brakspear Hospitality Awards. Howard Witten and Jo Wredden at The Crooked Billet in Honey Hill won Best All-Round Award, while the Dog & Duck in Emmbrook, run by Richard Athroll and Veronica De Diaz Athroll, took the Best Kept Cellar title. Jo said, “We were both surprised

and delighted to receive this award. We thank our wonderful staff, as we could never have achieved this without them.” The Dog & Duck’s beer cellar was assessed by an independent inspector from Cask Marque, who judged it as ‘outstanding’. Presenting the awards, Brakspear chief executive Tom Davies said: “We congratulate The Crooked Billet and The Dog & Duck on their achievement.”