FOLLOWING hot on the heels of Matt Allwright’s win on ITV’s Beat The Chasers, there was another success in a prime-time gameshow, as the Young family hit the jackpot on an edition of Family Fortunes. The group won £30,000 by getting the correct answers in the final round.
The family planned to spend winnings on treats such as a trip to New York, as well as supporting charities including the Olly Young Foundation, CLASP and Thames Hospice. They said their success came from practising using the board game.
And that’s not all. Rugby fans Colin and Connor Stapley, from the Rams, appeared in Pointless, scooping a £1,250 by giving a correct answer in the final. Their winnings would be spent on a hiking and camping trip.
Wokingham Foodbank urged people to hold a reverse Advent Calendar – aimed at helping those hidden behind closed doors facing food poverty.
Plans to build a new SEND school in Winnersh Farm were delayed after the Department of Education withdrew funding, despite Theresa May and Matt Rodda joining forces to put pressure on education secretary Nadhim Zahawi. Cllr John Kaiser, the deputy leader of Wokingham Borough Council said: “The DfE said something about a problem with planning conditions. We know that is nonsense as they are pretty standard things. If the real problem is money, and we suspect it is, we can have a proper conversation about that, because this investment would save money.”
L’Ortolan in Shinfield revealed it has scooped three AA Rosettes, making the restaurant one of the best in the Thames Valley. It was praised by inspectors for its “consummate modern gastronomy”.
Drivers were warned not to park on a roundabout. The Suttons Seeds roundabout in Earley has a concrete section in the middle that had been used by motorists looking for free parking, particularly from East Reading where Reading Borough Council runs a permit scheme. Earlier in the year, the council placed a temporary parking restriction on the site after the paving cracked up under the weight of the vehicles, but this ran out and it started to be used again, including by council contractor Volker Highways. A new restriction was put in place, which is to be made permanent.
The first details of a new garden village for an area of land between Shinfield and Arborfield were revealed. Wokingham Borough Council published its latest Draft Local Plan Update for consultation, outlining where homes could go. Originally, the council hoped to create a new town in Grazeley, but the plan was nixed by the Ministry of Defence due to its proximity to AWE. Now, it wants to create 4,500 homes on Hall Farm, an area that usually floods when there is heavy rain.
There were concerns too over the council’s plans for Pinewood Leisure Complex, home to a number of local groups and organisations. It was cited in the Draft Local Plan as a possible site for redevelopment including some housing, but there were no details beyond a commitment to invest some of the income from homes built back into the area. A petition was launched by concerned residents.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital revealed that demand for its Emergency services had risen 20%, and Steve McManus urged people to seek alternatives as the department was under extreme pressure.
As the COP26 climate emergency conference got underway in Glasgow, a march was held in Reading organised by Shinfield Baptist Church. It saw politicians, members of the public and church groups come together to call for climate justice. Among the marchers was Reading East MP Matt Rodda, who said the large numbers attending was “a sign of people’s commitment to tackling the dangerous climate change.”
The annual Giving Tree appeal was launched in early November by Wokingham borough mayor Cllr Keith Baker, his deputy Cllr Abdul Loyes, and Wokingham town Mayor Cllr Tony Lack. They gathered at Tesco in Wokingham where they met staff, and looked at the tags added to the store’s giving tree, before urging readers to come and choose a tag, buy the present listed on it and return it. All the toys donated would be given to disadvantaged children in time for Christmas Day so they had presents to open.
Tributes were paid to the founding headmaster of The Emmbrook School, Richard Carter, who died. He launched the school in 1965, and remained as headteacher until he stepped down in 1983. He was in his 90s when he passed away peacefully in his sleep. The current head, Nick McSweeney said: “He expressed real pride in this community”.
Remembrance parades returned after a year off due to the covid pandemic, with the procession from Wokingham town hall to All Saints Church the centrepiece for Wokingham’s remembrance. Wreaths were also laid in the town hall memorial after the civic service.
Finchampstead held its first new-look ceremony in Memorial Park, rather than at the war memorial, while Swallowfield villagers knitted 1,000 poppies which were draped around the war memorial in the village. The service was filmed for ITV Meridian News.
A Wokingham-based DJ won an award for her support of the LGBT+ community. Nikki Gladwin-Stride, also known as DJ Nik Nak, won DJ Set of the Year at the Where Pride Lives awards. She takes part in Reading Pride, hosting the family area, and was full of praise for the event, held in September. “For a free festival, it’s pretty epic,” she said. “To see families attending from all walks of life and celebrating diversity is a special feeling.”
A seven-year-old from Twyford raised £900 from greetings cards she had created for charity. Amelie Turnball said she hadn’t expected to raise so much money. Her mum Davina said, “It was this summer we found she the talent she has for watercolours.” Her designs are printed onto recycled card and the first batch sold out quickly. At the time of publication the family had printed a fourth batch, which was selling from Home of Twyford, Antique Rose, and NOOD in Caversham, among other places.
Bracknell MP James Sunderland urged communities to sign up to a new speedwatch campaign, aimed at catching speeding motorists. Mr Sunderland said: “There’s a problem with antisocial driving, traffic noise and excessive speed. It’s really important that we curb it.”
A Christmas shop with a twist was announced for Elms Field. Wokingham Foodbank, First Days and SHARE Wokingham teamed up to launch the Christmas Presence shop to provide gifts and food for struggling families across the festive season. Items on offer included Christmas jumpers and toys. There were also craft sessions for children, and carol singing on the Saturdays running up to Christmas. Support and advice would also be available.
Following on from problems with school places in Arborfield, the ruling executive voted to expand the new Farley Hill primary school to enable more pupils to attend.
Hare Hatch Sheeplands announced plans for a £5 million renovation to its site – subject to planning permission, of course. It held an exhibition to inform customers of its proposals.
There was anger over Wokingham’s Conservatives decision to shut down a debate on whether the council should join the White Ribbon campaign, this calls for men to take a stand against male violence against women, and asks them to call out bad behaviour when they see it. The Lib Dems introduced a motion on the subject at the November council meeting, but Conservative councillors introduced an amendment to the motion that was approved. This said it would consider its position at the council’s January meeting of the Equalities Working Group. This wouldn’t be the last this subject would be touched on this year.
