Where are the flowers?
In last week’s issue, Sue Farrington asked where the flowers had gone. Here is a response to her:
Dear Sue,
I feel your pain about the flowers being cut down.
Last year I emailed Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) to ask the very same thing, and to ask that verges like those at Cantley weren’t cut. (Reported in this paper).
This year I’ve had to do the same as I’ve seen reckless mowing taking place again, but it seems unless it’s specified which roads the others still get cut.
It’s a shame that our council (and government) only pay lip service to our climate emergency.
On one hand gardeners are being asked to leave patches of lawn unmowed for wildlife, whereas they happily go round cutting verges unnecessarily.
Makes no sense.
They’re better off using the manpower to collect the litter that’s around the borough. Especially as mowed cans leave dangerously sharp edges for dogs, foxes, hedgehogs and children to cut themselves on.
So I urge everyone to use the WBC email address (customerservice@wokingham.gov.uk) or through their website to tell them to stop mowing and start litter picking.
Thank you
Juliet, via email
When is it busy?
Alan Rouse asserts that the “No right turn” signs are unnecessary, suggesting that they should only apply “in busy periods” and that your earlier correspondent has misunderstood their purpose.
So a driver approaches a minor junction and has to read the cited rules on “busy periods”, as we are obliged to do with bus lanes on major routes? “Am I here after 0900? Is it a schoolday? Is it half-term?”
As an example of a potentially burdensome imposition of a “No right turn” requirement, he cites Holt Lane, as having “No convenient means of turning back”.
How about a right turn into Station Approach, a loop round the taxi rank and back up to the Reading Road, adding less than a mile to one’s journey?
If you’re driving into e.g. Reading , that’s an increase of less than 6% in the round trip distance – and a reduction in the time spent, polluting away, at the end of Holt Lane waiting to turn right, and waiting for gaps in the traffic – both ways.
Emmbrook Road “No right turn”? Adds less than half a mile to one’s journey. Oxford Road “No right turn”? Ditto.
And finally – “no right turns” should be enforced, if only to prevent Thames Valley’s finest from flouting them at the end of Peach Street, as I observed a few years ago.
Keep it simple. It works.
Name and address supplied
Proud of my Grandson
It was back in 2017 I received the dreaded and shock news, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
My Grandson, Jonathan Weston, son of Christopher Weston, ex Forest school pupil decided to create something positive out of this unwelcome event.
He made the decision to create the David Weston World Cup, a five-a-side football competition with each team entering representing a country of their choice, Jonathan choosing England given that he was organising the event.
This first game in 2017 created great interest and raised a few hundred pounds for Cancer Research U.K.
The tournament has continued each year with much needed money raised for the charity.
This year the wings were spread with the game being held on Friday 11th June at Colliers Wood FC, no longer the five-side format but a full-blown England V The Rest of the World (make believe, of course) England lost 5-2.
It was a great game played in high spirits with the main goal, to raise as much money for Cancer Research.
Jonathan put down a target to raise of £1,600. At the time of writing he has raised £3,480. no less than 217% of his target, a direct result of generous donations from many friends, family and colleagues.
The Cancer Research UK giving page remains open up to early July should anyone wish to donate to this vitally important organisation, there of very few of us who have not encountered either personally, or friend and family the unwanted visit of the big ” C “, it is only by continuous support of research that one day we will beat cancer.
David Weston, Winnersh
Flying the flag
I write on June 10.
The Union Jack is flying above Wokingham Town Hall.
A sign on the noticeboard says it is to mark Prince William’s birthday. Really?
Today actually marks 100 years since the birth of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, who died in April.
In April the notices marking his death were also inaccurate.
They referred to Her Majesty the Queen as Her Royal Highness.
The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married for 73 years.
Several years ago they didn’t seem to know the difference between Her Majesty’s Accession to the Throne and her Coronation.
What will the notice say if and when the flag is hoisted for her Majesty’s Official Birthday later in June?
Prince William’s birthday is on 21st June. Heaven only knows what the notice will say then.
Does anybody in the Town Hall know the difference regarding any of the above?
Perhaps you should contact Wokingham Town Hall about this and see what they have to say.
Did they put a flag up for St George’s Day?
Name and address supplied
NIMBYism
Last week’s Wokingham Today had a very interesting letter from Fiona Talbot asking why very few houses are built in the Northern Parishes which is a question I have been asking for some time now.
Fiona goes on to allege that at the Hurst Parish Council AGM the Borough Councillor for Hurst was practically bragging how he had dumped 3,500 houses in another Ward while discussing preventing building in Hurst.
If true It would suggest that Wokingham’s Conservatives are not as fair and balanced as they should be to the Borough as a whole.
Fiona added that she cannot understand how the man responsible for planning in Wokingham Borough can protect his ward so well he can dump huge amounts of housing in other wards and get away with it?
What a good question which shows an unacceptable level of contempt for Wokingham’s residents in the South of the Borough, in particular Shinfield, Arborfield and Winnersh by their complete lack of concern the impact of more houses have on our communities.
At a recent Workshop for Hall Farm Arborfield to consider 4,500+ houses stretching from the Loddon Bridge to Winnersh, the same Member for Hurst was present so perhaps NIMBY should have been his message at that Workshop.
At least from his perspective Hall Farm is not Hurst or a Northern Parish so bring it on. Nobody wants more houses in their communities but if one was forced to take them then a Conservative bias that heaps them into already overdeveloped and unsustainable parts of the Borough, who have taken more of their fair share to date at the expense of more suitable areas such as Hurst is disgraceful.
I have no doubt the Executive Member for Planning will have lots of excuses but one question he may want to answer is how many houses have been given planning permission in Hurst in the last 10 years and how many have been given planning permission in Arborfield and Shinfield in the same period?
Answer on the back of a fag packet will suffice.
Whatever housing number the Conservatives in Westminster decide is right for Wokingham Wokingham’s fellow Conservatives may tut tut in public but will then deliver them anywhere but not in the North of the Borough. No part of Wokingham other than places like Hurst and the North will be safe from the loss of more green fields.
If they have any now they won’t soon.
Anyone who votes Conservative in the South of the Borough is saying bring on more houses on our green fields only along with all the ensuing misery and chaos that will bring. How unfair but Wokingham’s Conservatives don’t care.
It’s really time for independent minded residents to stand up in the next local elections and say enough is enough.
Cllr Gary Cowan, Independent Borough Councillor for Arborfield at Wokingham Borough
Thank you to our volunteers
As St John Ambulance approaches delivery of an extraordinary one million volunteer hours given in support of the Covid-19 response and the vaccination programme, our charity’s volunteers continue to demonstrate their value to local communities throughout the country.
I would like to pass on my sincere personal thanks through Wokingham.Today to all of our volunteers and staff, particularly as we approach St John’s Day on 24 June, a focal point for the St John family year, when this year we celebrate the work of our charity over the past year of the pandemic, and plan our support to communities who need our help in the future.
I am delighted that many buildings and local landmarks around the country will be lit up in green on that evening to celebrate the tireless work of St John volunteers and staff. Everyone at St John is immensely grateful to the owners and custodians of those buildings for helping us to make the day a special one.
Meanwhile, we remind everyone of St John Ambulance’s work through our nationwide Ask Me campaign (www.sja.org.uk/AskMe) which launches on 14 June.
I am sure that our powerful combination of billboard posters and advertisements will keep our volunteers in the forefront of everyone’s minds and encourage your readers to get involved with St John, or to find out more about our charity’s work in their local area.
Surgeon Rear Admiral Lionel Jarvis CBE KStJ DL, Prior of England and the Islands of The Order of St John & Chair of St John Ambulance
A helping hand for dads
Having a child can be the most wonderful thing in the world but we also know that the daily responsibilities and challenges it brings can be daunting. This is especially true for those parents who don’t have a big support network around them.
This is why, with Father’s Day fast approaching, Barnardo’s, the leading children’s charity, wants to remind dads that we have an innovative online family centre to support them on their parenting journey.
Barnardo’s Family Space, which is partly funded by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, is a digital service for parents looking for information and advice. There is a special section for dads whether they are new to parenting or experienced but facing a new challenge. The advice covers not just the importance of cuddles, talking to your children, playing together and helping with homework – but also on how to look after your own mental health and wellbeing too.
In our busy lives it is good to know that Barnardo’s Family Space will always be on hand, available day or night, to help make the toughest, but greatest, job in the world easier.
Visit https://families.barnardos.org.uk/ to access Barnardo’s Family Space.
Emma Bowman, Barnardo’s, South East Regional Director
