THREE fires were reported in April. Two were serious, and it was miraculous that no one was hurt in either of them.
Our April 1 issue showed the effects of a fire at St Paul’s Church in Reading Road, Wokingham. Several items in the church were set on fire, including Victorian artefacts. However, the church kept calm and carried on with its preparations for Holy Week.
A week later, we reported that vandals torched the Latimer Road playground, melting a slide as the blaze got out of control.
However, it was a fire in Arborfield on April 15 that will still in the memory for many.
Nineteen flats at The Cavalry went up in smoke around 2.15pm. Firecrews battled to contain the blaze while residents watched in horror. It took seven hours to get the fire under control.
Charities immediately leapt into action to help affected residents. With the help of Church on the Green, affected people were able to collect clothing, bedding and food. The Cowshed set up an Amazon Gift List and a GoFundMe appeal was launched.
April Fools is a big tradition at Wokingham.Today and we managed to fool some people twice over.
Our story that a petition calling for the Woke to be taken out of Wokingham, set up by the People’s Front of Wokingham, was absolutely true. The group wanted the borough to be renamed Brexingham-on-Sea in light of Sir John Redwood’s constant tweets about the UK fishing industry. Sir John said: “Wokingham residents like UK fish and the name of their borough. They also know enough about geography to know we don’t have our own seaside, however much we would like easy access to the beach.”
However, our real April fool did fox some readers, who were up in arms about the proposal to rename Tiger Close in Woodley to Tiger Far Away because some children were afraid to walk down the street as they thought it was a warning sign meaning there was a tiger close by.
Our crack team of reporters are already working on another convincing tale to spin for this April.
Ahead of the reopening of pub beer gardens, The White Horse unveiled its covid-friendly makeover: the garden had been transformed with the installation of several specially decorated huts for people to use in their groups of six.
And Andy Rogers, publican at The Redan and Bar Fifty Six, said the reopening was easier as there were no curfews, and no requirement for food to be served for people to get a drink in pubs. Outdoor, seated table service was, he said, much easier.
Plans to launch a new café were revealed. The Kimel Foundation aims to help people with autism get support for moving into the world of work. Nic Landersaid: “I firmly believe there is a job out there for everybody”. After lots of planning, the café is due to open in the next few weeks.
Beauty salons and hairdressers were also allowed to reopen, and salons reported brisk trade as clients could look forward to some ‘me-time’ once again.
However, not everything was reopening. Residents were calling for the reopening of Joel Park’s playground. Like many playrgounds, gates had been locked during the pandemic, and swings removed. One reader called for them to be restored as the Easter holidays came around.
As the first steps out of lockdown were made, some events started to take place. There were scarecrow trails in Spencers Wood and Hurst, showing the creativity of residents.
Opening for the first time was Hamlet, which was in Peach Place. The bistro promised a “simple, ingredient-led menu”, with a focus on seasonal ingredients to showcase local produce.
Also opening was Energie Fitness, a new gym where Argos used to be in Wokingham town centre. Peacock House Interiors, a homeware shop, was opened by Wokingham Borough mayor, Cllr Malcolm Richards. The shop is one of a number of independent businesses to open Elms Walk, a new shopping street close to Elms Field.
And Wokingham borough libraries were also reopening, with some reduced hours. Many library services had gone online during the pandemic, and some events remain virtual at this time.
The vaccination programme continued, with over 45s able to book jabs from mid-April.
Heelas – aka John Lewis and Partners – in Reading’s Broad Street was saved from the axe. The department store chain was closing some stores as a result of changes to the retail environment, with Newbury’s branch going. Instead, the store was due to reopen on April 12.
The Red Arrows made an appearance in Wokingham, and was a special treat for pupils at St Cripsin’s, Wescott Infants, and Westende Juniors to give pupils a boost following lockdowns. Headteacher Ginny Rhodes said: “The weather and timing simply couldn’t have been more perfect and a great reminder of how wonderful it is to have all pupils back in school.”
We revealed that a church treasurer stole more than £20,000 which in office at Wokingham Methodist Church. Nicholas Scott Bormann-Hill admitted two counts of abusing his position when he appeared at Reading Magistrates Court. He had taken collection plate money over a four-year period.
The launch of the new green recycling bags were met with fears that they would blow away, not helped by stormy weather during the initial weeks of the new scheme. Wokingham Borough Council said that the bags would get blown about during extreme windy weather conditions and called on residents to label their bags with their house number.
Tributes were paid to Woodley town mayor Cllr David Mills, who died. South Lake North ward councillor Jenny Cheng said he considered being mayor of Woodley an honour. “We shall miss him”, she added.
A week later, our masthead turned black to mark the passing of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The same issue lead on the news that Reading Toy Run founder Ben Spiller had died after a short illness.
One of the ongoing stories of the year was the street artist we dubbed Catsy. The mystery painter has been spray painting, using non-permanent paints, pictures of cats with googly eyes across Wokingham and has brought much joy to the borough across the year. Rosie Skinner from Emmview Veterinary Centre said it was “like having our own little Banksy”.
Members of Barkham Hookers cheered up the borough by crocheting Easter-themed toppers for post boxes, raising funds for Dingley’s Promise in the process.
Across the year, we had been reporting on a fundraising campaign for Dawson Gosling, who needed £60,000 to fund a vital operation to help alleviate a rare form of cerebral palsy, which affects movement in his legs, including his ability to walk. Fundraising efforts included having a special curry named after him by the Sultan Balti House and top boxers Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua signing a special print which was raffled by his family.
Late night racing on the streets of the borough was an issue for much of the year. The anti-social drives was both a nuisance and a breach of lockdown restrictions. Arborfield residents wanted action and Thames Valley Police said that the car cruises were a danger to the public.
“We would ask that people do not gather for any other event,” they warned after a weekend of misery for the borough.
