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    The Shredquarters Twyford holds two successful fundraisers

    Coppa Club CEO Mark Loughborough (l) and Sonning CE Primary headteacher Phil Sherwood (r) at The Greathouse. PIcture: Coppa Club

    Coppa Club’s Great House makes generous donation to primary school

    There's pumpkin fun for families at borough parks this October half term. Picture: Deborah Jackson via Pixabay

    Borough’s country parks sport spooky surprises for families

    Enjoy family show, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at South Hill Park. Picture: EBOS

    The Chocolate Factory opens for Charlie in Bracknell: Roald Dahl’s classic story to be performed in November

    Young people can enjoy a range of outdoor activities at Dinton Wild Days Activity Club this half term holiday. Picture: WBCouncil

    Dinton Pastures offers Wild Days for children this half-term holiday

    Building for the Future honoured people going above and beyond at an awards ceremony. Pictures BftF

    Building for the Future honours local heroes

    The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has announced its 2025?26 Residency at The Hexagon. Picture: courtesy of RPO and The Hexagon

    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to bring a year of inclusive concerts to Reading

    Around 300 people took part in this year's Sue Ryder Starlight Hike, to remember loved ones and raise funds for the charity. PIcture: Sue Ryder

    Hundreds step out under the stars for Sue Ryder

    A concert at the Whitty Theatre from Art Themen and Friends will raise money for Wokingham in Need. Picture: WIN

    Have yourself a jazzy little Christmas with Art Themen

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    Ruben Selles

    Former Reading FC boss Ruben Selles returns to management with new job

    Bobby Trundley Picture: Peter Markwick

    Wokingham racing star Bobby Trundley poised for championship title

    Table tennis Picture: Wikimedia Commons

    Table tennis round-up: New season kicks off for 102nd year

    Royston Drenthe Picture: Wikimedia Commons, Juan Fernandez

    Former Reading FC and Real Madrid player rushed to hospital after suffering stroke

    Joel Pereira Picture: Luke Adams

    Reading FC: Noel Hunt confirms injury for Joel Pereira

    Noel Hunt Picture: Luke Adams

    Pressure remains on Hunt as Reading FC stay in League One relegation zone after defeat

    The vision for Cantley to become ".. a hub for the community," Pic: Andrew Batt.

    No planned parking charges for Cantley Park

    Ella scores her first. Pic: Andrew Batt.

    Ella hits hat-trick for Sumas

    Yasmin Miller

    Reading RFC President Yasmin Miller honoured as a pioneer of Women’s Rugby

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    The Shredquarters Twyford holds two successful fundraisers

    Coppa Club CEO Mark Loughborough (l) and Sonning CE Primary headteacher Phil Sherwood (r) at The Greathouse. PIcture: Coppa Club

    Coppa Club’s Great House makes generous donation to primary school

    There's pumpkin fun for families at borough parks this October half term. Picture: Deborah Jackson via Pixabay

    Borough’s country parks sport spooky surprises for families

    Enjoy family show, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at South Hill Park. Picture: EBOS

    The Chocolate Factory opens for Charlie in Bracknell: Roald Dahl’s classic story to be performed in November

    Building for the Future honoured people going above and beyond at an awards ceremony. Pictures BftF

    Building for the Future honours local heroes

    The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has announced its 2025?26 Residency at The Hexagon. Picture: courtesy of RPO and The Hexagon

    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to bring a year of inclusive concerts to Reading

    Around 300 people took part in this year's Sue Ryder Starlight Hike, to remember loved ones and raise funds for the charity. PIcture: Sue Ryder

    Hundreds step out under the stars for Sue Ryder

    A concert at the Whitty Theatre from Art Themen and Friends will raise money for Wokingham in Need. Picture: WIN

    Have yourself a jazzy little Christmas with Art Themen

    All Saints Church will hold a short service of remembrance to give thanks for the life of a departed loved one. PIcture: Walz via Pixabay

    All Saints Church will light candles for departed loved ones

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    Eddie Gray

    The award for The Ship Inn.

    Award for Wokingham pub

    Health and social care teams across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West (BOB) are joining forces to prepare for the winter period. Picture: Nicolas Leclercq via Unsplash

    NHS gears up for winter pressures

    Scouts battled for a place on the international Jamboree to take place in Poland in 2027. PIctures: Scouting organisation

    Scouts battle for international Jamboree selection

    Residents can borrow a thermal imaging camera from the library to check for heat loss in their homes. Picture: from WBC information video via Youtube

    Naturally Speaking: Is your home losing heat?

    Meetings at Wokingham Quaker Meeting House are on Sundays at 10.30am. PIcture: Michael Ford, Wikimedia Commons

    Church Notes: Does Faith Matter?

    Clive Jnes MP performed the opening of Ranga Lounge.

    Town welcomes new restaurant

    The NHS in Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire has administered more than six million Covid-19 jabs since the start of the vaccine programme in 2020, figures show. Picture: Angelo Esslinger via Pixabay

    Six million Covid-19 jabs administered in Berks, Bucks, Oxon since 2020

    Sandra's dogs. Pic: Guide Dogs.

    Can you help Guide Dogs?

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    Enjoy family show, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at South Hill Park. Picture: EBOS

    The Chocolate Factory opens for Charlie in Bracknell: Roald Dahl’s classic story to be performed in November

    Young people can enjoy a range of outdoor activities at Dinton Wild Days Activity Club this half term holiday. Picture: WBCouncil

    Dinton Pastures offers Wild Days for children this half-term holiday

    The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) has announced its 2025?26 Residency at The Hexagon. Picture: courtesy of RPO and The Hexagon

    Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to bring a year of inclusive concerts to Reading

    An exhibition at the FBC Centre in Finchampstead will highlight the seriousness of domestic abuse. Picture: NoName 13 via Pixabay

    A free exhibition in Finchampstead will highlight domestic abuse

    Tense courtroom drama The Winslow Boy at Wokingham Theatre is based on a true story. PIctures: Simon Vail Photography

    Witness a tense courtroom drama in Wokingham

    This week Kerry Godliman returns to Reading's Hexagon with the second leg of her latest stand-up show, Bandwidth.

    ‘Now I’m worried I am a robot’: Kerry Godliman talks ‘Bandwidth’ ahead of Reading show this week

    Woodley Concert Band?s Autumn concert promises a night of sparking superheroes and jazzy villains. Picture: Andrew Martin via Pixabay

    Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Or is it Woodley Concert Band?

    PAMELA RAITH

    REVIEW: Darkness descends at The Mill at Sonning, thanks to ‘The Shadow in the Mirror’

    London's New Players' Theatre Company, with Tom carradine on pianoforte, will entertain at Wokingham's Whitty Theatre on Saturday, October 4. Picture: New Players Theatre Company

    My lords, ladies and gentlemen, for your delight and delectation, an old time music hall show

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Home Lifestyle Health Coronavirus

LOCKDOWN 3: ‘It’s incompetence from the government’ says opposition

by Phil Creighton
January 9, 2021
in Coronavirus, Featured
Boris Johnson

Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives an update on the coronavirus pandemic from Downing Street Picture: Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street

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THE new coronavirus lockdown is “all really frustrating because you could see it happening”.

On Monday evening, Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation to announce the changes.

It takes Wokingham borough from Tier 4 restrictions to this new lockdown, which is broadly the same but with one key instruction: to stay at home unless necessary to leave for limited, but specific reasons.

He said that the new strain of coronavirus was thought to 70% more transmittable than the previous strain.

“The government is once again instructing you to stay at home,” he said.

You may only leave home for a number of reasons, including if you cannot work from home, for exercise, and for medical reasons.

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“Since the pandemic began last year the whole United Kingdom has been engaged in a national fight,” he began, saying that progress had been frustrated by the new variant strain of covid, which was putting pressure on hospitals.

For schools, exams will be cancelled and Mr Johnson promised alternative arrangements would be made.

Mr Johnson said that the country’s vaccination programme would continue.

He ended his address in the same way that he ended his announcement of the first lockdown: stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives.

Cllr Clive Jones, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems in Wokingham borough said that before Christmas he tried to “push the borough council to do something about schools” before Christmas.

“Now they are closed for six weeks – this could all have been done before Christmas,” he said. “It’s more incompetence from an incompetent government.

“They were too slow to lockdown (in March last year), too slow to get PPE, too slow to start testing and too slow to the second lockdown.”

He also criticised the government’s handling of the NHS.

“They’ve spent £20 billion on the nightingale hospitals, but they’ve known since April that they’ve not had the staff to work in them. What have they done?” he asked.

“They haven’t done enough to be in a position to protect the NHS.”

Cllr Jones felt that while no one wanted to see schools close, it was the right thing to do, but added that people would be “very angry and very upset” about this third lockdown.

And Wokingham Labour leader Cllr Andy Croy said that Monday’s new lockdown announcement by Boris Johnson was “so typical of the mismangement of whole pandemic”.

He said: “The Conservatives have adopted a fingers-crossed approach to the pandemic and yet again we find ourselves presented with a surprised-looking Prime Minister.

“The current situation has been over a month in the making – and it’s not just the new variant. Test, track and trace still does not work.”

Cllr Croy called on the government to offer more support to businesses and people affected financially by the lockdowns.

“His announcement also excluded crucial information about support to businesses, many of which have been inadequately supported to date,” he said, adding that the ban on rent evictions, the mortgage holiday scheme and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme “must also be extended”, while there should be an increase in Statutory Sick pay.

Reading East MP was in favour of the new restrictions.

Matt Rodda said: “The new lockdown is difficult but necessary due to the rising number of cases and the easier spread of the disease caused by the new variant.

“The Government now needs to offer real help to families and businesses and Ministers should make sure that the vaccination programme is rolled out as quickly as possible.

“Our community is facing a difficult few weeks but we are pulling together to get through this challenging Winter.”

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Tags: andy croy coronavirusclive jones coronaviruscoronaviruscoronvairus newslockdown restrictions wokinghammatt rodda coronaviruswokingham coronavirus pandemic
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