An open letter to the Post Office

In early 2019 a public consultation was held in Wokingham, Berkshire with regards to the moving of the Post Office from its premises on Broad Street into the WHSmith store in the Market Place.

You may remember the level of dissatisfaction from many members of the community about this move.

We were told that the move would not only secure the future of the Post Office, but improve the service the community receives, particularly with the longer opening hours promised, making the service more accessible.

The opening hours of Post Office in the new premises were published as follows:

Monday to Friday: 8.30am-6pm, Saturday 8.30am-5.30pm and 10am-4pm on Sunday.

This increased accessibility sadly was short lived.

There is a sign up in the window stating that after December 30, 2020, the service will be reduced with half day closing on a Saturday and full closure on a Sunday.

While service demand is increased at this time of year, this isn’t a particularly good message when the queue to use the Post Office is stretched back through the town centre with an incredibly long wait, and goes back on a promise that was made to the people of Wokingham.

On behalf of the community of Wokingham, we would like to understand why the decision has been made to reduce the opening hours of this well utilised service, why it has been done without proactively reaching out to the community, and when the promised level of service will resume.

Wokingham Liberal Democrats

Cyclists are no longer welcome at Sainsbury’s

Cyclists are no longer welcome at Sainsbury’s Winnersh.

Yesterday, I noticed that the covered cycle racks for eight bikes have been removed.

When I enquired I was told it was due to social distancing! I was kindly shown three new places for locking my bike.

However, I found that they are so close together a maximum of two bikes will fit.

But best of all, even with an extra long D lock you can not attach a bike.

While the government are trying to encourage cycling Sainsbury’s are doing their best to prevent it.

Bridget Hobbs, Wokingham

Hard to recycle

I read in Wokingham Borough News that Oversized cardboard needs to be broken down and placed in the bags or taken to a recycling centre.

More work for the householder to do, especially difficult for the elderly.

Never mind, I suppose we should be thankful that the bags will be supplied ready for use.

The council could have supplied us with a kit, and expected us to make the bags ourselves. Whatever happened to the good old days, when service was the keyword, and residents were not expected to do half the job themselves?

Brian Morrish, Winnersh

What an ending

You probably guessed that I refer to Brexit, but I feel some Christmas greetings are appropriate before Brexit.

Our Editor gets embarrassed at receiving plaudits, but he has produced an excellent paper this year which is a very time-consuming and tiring job – well done Phil. Have a Happy Christmas with your family.

Surely, we should once again thank Reading Buses for their services; our waste collectors; plus of course the NHS nurses and emergency services who fight on with their thankless tasks under often severe pressures.

Not least the ‘unknown large number of ordinary folk’ including small businesses who have helped others in need; who have provided food and deliveries to the isolated elderly – et al.

Now to Brexit. I just cannot believe or comprehend the continuing farce.

The only way I know how to deal with the often-disgraceful behaviour of Macron and some other EU Leaders, is to end the discussions.

What Boris is doing is simply encouraging the EU to have ‘further talks’, showing his pathetic weakness and desperation.

What is needed is for us to leave them alone to cogitate their potentially awful situation without trade ties with us – what is really vital is to end their political wishes which are nothing to do with trade.

All made up by arrogant Macron and others, that are going to affect their populations rather more than they think.

Similarly, it has to be admitted that no deal is potentially serious for us.

As a nation, we have certainly learned much about the EU hierarchy and their anger and hate over our intention to leave them and the super power they wish to establish.

But that is not ‘the people’ talking – I am sure our many friends, e.g. in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain are more concerned with living. Let’s hope they all ‘revolt’.

Roll on the Elections. I am confident that one day, we will have a Trade Agreement, but it may be a long way off – we are still part of Europe.

Reg Clifton, Wokingham

Vaccinations? Yes please

I have not had much time, recently, to write letters to Wokingham Today, because I have been busy, completing my 30-year history of the Crisis House. I am writing now, to let fellow readers know how we are coping with the pandemic.

I am touching wood, furiously, as I state that our strategy has worked successfully.

During the past nine months, we have suffered neither any Covid 19 infections, nor any suicides.

We are continuing to maintain our small bubble at the crisis house drop-in centre, and supporting, by telephone, the very old, and vulnerable, who still have to isolate.

I think that the risk of infection, at the drop-in centre, is very low, while the mental health risks to the socially isolated, remain very high.

Everyone in our small bubble, without exception, lives alone, and most, barely mix, with anyone – never mind with large numbers of people.

One member was so lonely, and isolated, that he took to dialling 1471 – just in the hope of hearing a human voice! How sad is that? Fortunately, he has now acquired a pet dog.

There is nothing like an animal for keeping one company, and we have always had them at the crisis house.

We are sticking to the safety rules, religiously. Social distancing is easy, because numbers attending the drop-in centre are so much fewer than normal.

Wokingham Borough Council have kindly provided us with extra masks, and the Railway Staff have kindly donated Hand Sanitiser.

I find that wearing a mask, indoors, is OK, but, outside, most irksome. My glasses steam up so much, that I can’t see, and there is no point in avoiding Covid-19 infection, if, being unable to see, one trips over, and breaks one’s neck.

So I am longing to get my vaccinations, and I am encouraging our members, strongly, to get theirs done, as soon as they are called up.

One of our members doesn’t believe in vaccination. He thinks that one’s immune system should fight off all infection, unaided. What nonsense!

Does it all not go back to Louis Pasteur? Is not ‘vache’ the French word for ‘cow’ – from which the term, ‘vaccination’, derives?

Was it not observed that dairy maids, who contracted the mild disease, cowpox, never caught the killer disease, smallpox – because their immune systems had produced antibodies?

If we could fight off all diseases, unaided, we wouldn’t need a medical profession, at all. Unfortunately. we can’t have our usual big Christmas Party. It is a shame, because we like seeing Lady Elizabeth Godsal, and other dignitaries.

But we are still having our Christmas tree, carols, mince pies, and presents. The drop-in centre is closed only on Christmas Day, and we re-open on Monday, December 28.

We wish fellow readers a happy Christmas, and, hopefully, much better times in 2021.

Pam Jenkinson, The Wokingham Crisis House

Help us ensure no one is homeless and alone

For so many of us, this past year has seen us spending more time at home than we ever have before.

During these difficult times we’ve learnt how much we depend on each other for connection, hope and support – and how having somewhere safe to call home can be lifesaving.

While this Christmas will be unlike no other, most can look forward to some contact with loved ones, the exchanging of gifts and a home cooked Christmas dinner.

But one in four people who are homeless will spend Christmas alone. This year there will be over 200,000 families and individuals across England facing the worst forms of homelessness. No one should be forced to live, or spend Christmas, shivering on the streets, sofa surfing with strangers or in a hostel with nowhere to call home and no-one to be with.

That’s why, outside of our year-round services, Crisis supports thousands of people who would otherwise be homeless at one of the most challenging times of the year.

While the pandemic means we’re having to do things differently, our frontline teams across the country will be working harder than ever to make sure people receive nutritious meals and festive treats, Christmas games and wellbeing packs, friendship and support from our volunteer befrienders, as well as somewhere safe to stay.

This is just the beginning. We also introduce people to our year-round training, education and support with housing, employment and wellbeing. This long-term support helps people to rebuild their lives, giving them a future away from homelessness.

But we need your help. To ensure we can be there for everyone who needs us, we’re asking members of the public to support our work this Christmas and year-round.

So, whether you host a virtual karaoke night, become one of our essential volunteers or give a gift of a Crisis Christmas, you’ll be helping to ensure that this Christmas people facing homelessness aren’t alone.

To find out more or to donate to Crisis this Christmas please visit www.crisis.org.uk/support

Jon Sparkes Chief Executive Crisis, Jo Brand Crisis Ambassador, Al Doyle Crisis Ambassador, Jonathan Pryce CBE Crisis Ambassador, Ellie Goulding Crisis Ambassador, Alastair Stewart OBE Crisis Ambassador