Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm and it is important you are ready to take part and have your say in who represents you.
Your poll card tells you when and where to vote and you must go to your allocated polling station. You do not need to take your polling card with you to vote, but you must take suitable photo ID.
This is the first time you will have to show photo ID to be able to vote as part of new legislation introduced by the Government last year. If you fail to turn up with suitable ID, you will not be issued with a ballot paper.
Acceptable ID
There are many forms of ID that are accepted, including:
Passport
Full or provisional driving licence
Blue badge
Certain concessionary travel cards, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card
Identity card with Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) mark
Biometric Immigration document
Defence identity card
Certain national identity cards
Expired ID will also be accepted, as long as you still look like the photograph on the document. Bringing your poll card by itself will not entitle you to vote.
A full list of accepted forms of ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website, along with more information about the new requirement.
As part of the changes, those who do not have a suitable form of ID have had the opportunity to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate to show on polling day. However, the deadline to apply for one of these has now expired.
Polling card and where to vote
If you lose your poll card, you can still vote, but you need to give your name and address to the staff on duty.
Plan what time you will cast your vote at the polling station, leaving plenty of time before the 10pm deadline. If you are in a queue at 10pm, you will still be able to vote.
If you arrive at the polling station after 10pm, then the poll will be closed and you will have missed your chance to take part.
At the polling station
Once you have shown your photo ID, the staff at the polling station will give you a ballot paper listing the candidates you can vote for and they are on hand to provide advice on the voting process.
Take your ballot paper into a polling booth so that nobody can see how you vote. Read the ballot paper carefully, as it will tell you how to cast your vote. Do not write anything else on the paper, or your vote may not be counted.
Mark your ballot paper according to the instructions – a pencil will be provided for you to do this. Finally, fold your completed ballot paper in half and pop it in the ballot box.
We will announce the elected councillors for Woodley Town Council on Tuesday 9th May, following the Coronation Bank Holiday Monday (on which we will be closed).
Join us for a FREE afternoon of music and entertainment to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III! 🥳
Everyone is welcome!
📅 Sunday 7th May, 2-5pm 🌳 Woodford Park Memorial Ground, Woodley
🍦 FREE Ice Cream 🎤 Live band 🤹♀️ Entertainment – circus skills, giant bubbles, stilt walkers 🥳 Face painters ✨ Magician 🎈 Balloon modelling ☕ Coffee bar 🍹 Cocktail bar
Bring a picnic, your friends and family for FREE afternoon of fun! 🤩
The Government’s new Emergency Alerts service, which allows you to be contacted on your mobile phone if you’re in danger, is now live and will be tested nationally at 3pm next Sunday (23 April).
If you don’t want to receive these alerts and want to disable them, find out how to do so or read more about the scheme at https://gov.uk/alerts
Official advice is to leave them on if possible but you can disable them if, for example, you fear for your safety at home and are keeping a mobile phone in secret.
Wokingham Borough Council is updating its Local Transport Plan, an official document guiding how it makes all kinds of improvements to footways, cycle lanes, roads and other transport networks as the Council faces the challenges of the decades to come.
This will offer more ways of getting around and more chances to leave the car at home, especially for shorter journeys, helping to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, tackle the climate emergency and help you to live healthily.
Have your say
The Survey can be accessed HERE and the Council is encouraging as many residents as possible – young or old – to have their say in order to shape the future of transport across the Wokingham Borough area.
The Woodley Festival of Music and Arts returns this weekend
Over the past fifty-two years, the Woodley Festival annual event has provided a platform for young people to develop their talents in a supportive and encouraging environment. It also provides an opportunity for performers to gain valuable experience and receive feedback from professional adjudicators.
Entry to the Festival normally opens in October for Choral, and November for all other classes and closes in mid-January. Following the deadline of entries into the Festival, the Festival Committee is delighted to see many new and returnee entrants for the 2023 edition.
Classes and concert
This year, the Woodley Festival will see a variety of Choral, Instrumental, Pianoforte, Vocal and Speech & Drama classes over three weekends in March, and the Woodley Festival 2023 will end with a Gala Finale Concert in which the talented performers will have the honour of being invited to perform.
The well-supported Choral classes are always very popular with the audience as the ensemble group find their voices. Open classes for amateur adult performers are also well attended. Parents, relatives, and friends of entrants as well as the general public are invited to attend to provide support and to be entertained.
The Choral classes will take place at Emmbrook School in Wokingham. The Instrumental, Pianoforte, Vocal, Speech & Drama classes will take place at the Oakwood Centre in Woodley. The Choral Verse classes and Gala Finale Concert on 26 March 2023 will take place in the new Michael Malnick Centre within the beautiful grounds of Leighton Park School.
One of the main benefits of the Festival is the chance the entrants get to perform to a small, friendly audience. This serves to boost self-esteem and confidence in young children. Madelaine Fisher was one child that benefitted hugely from her participation in the Festival. Maddie, who suffers from dyslexia, struggled with reading, working memory and processing skills and lacked confidence. Her early efforts in Verse and Prose classes provoked some very positive remarks from the adjudicator and Maddie was sufficiently encouraged to return each year for the next 6 years. She won many Gold and Silver medals in the Speech and Drama section. Maddie’s mother Fiona said: “Undoubtedly Woodley Festival has boosted Maddie’s confidence in public, helping to build her character and assisted in overcoming her inherent difficulties.”
Madelaine Fisher
The Festival also provides important performance practice for musicians, many of whom have gone on to success on a bigger stage. Reading oboist Ewan Millar winner of the Woodwind Category Final in the 2020 version of BBC Young Musician competition, took part in the instrumental section at Woodley from a very young age.
Sponsorship
Woodley Festival has been very fortunate to have a sponsor for the past 18 years. Local business woman Ann Manning, Managing Director of ManningUK Insurance Brokers was once described as a “fairy godmother” at an opening of the Festival. In 2005, Ann was asked by a friend to help on the entrance door as the Festival was short of helpers. She came along and during her day sat in on a Speech and Drama class and was in awe of the amazing talent of those that enter both young and not so young! Upon hearing that the Festival was in danger of closure due to lack of funding Ann had no hesitation in stepping in to enable the Festival to not only continue but also to grow. Ann is passionate about the Festival and sees it as a platform for children and young adults to thrive. She describes Woodley Festival as unique. The quality and standard is very high across all sections and she has felt privileged to watch the children grow, for example seeing a frightened and scared Year 1 pupil grow into a mature and confident Adult performing in a Year 13 class.
ManningUK continues to be involved with the Festival and looks forward to welcoming new and returning entrants and audience members to the 2023 Woodley Festival.
Matt Allwright hosts Woodley’s Community Heroes Awards for second year running
We were delighted to hold our annual Community Heroes Awards on Friday 24 February at the Oakwood Centre, compered by the BBC One Show’s Matt Allwright, honouring local heroes as nominated by the residents of Woodley.
The awards have been rebranded from the former Citizens’ Awards to introduce new categories for local residents to nominate their Woodley heroes.
Matt started the evening with tales of his childhood days as a ‘Woodleyite’ before introducing the winners, celebrating the very best of Woodley’s community.
Environmentalist of the Year
The first winner was David Provins, who won Environmentalist of the Year.
Founder of the Friends of Woodford Park, David was nominated for his dedication, devotion and hard work he puts in to maintain certain areas and flower beds in Woodford Park.
Nominated by Morag Frost, she commented: “David sets such a wonderful example of leadership, always enthusiastic, reliable and hard-working. He is fully committed to anything he takes on board. A man of many parts, one in a million, David deserves a big pat on the back in terms of recognition as a community hero.”
Also nominated by Bob King, he commented: “David always goes the extra mile and goes over and above. For example, saving money by buying smaller plugs and growing them at home before planting them in Woodford Park and showing true commitment when he is at the park early in the morning during dry spells to water the various beds.”
David thanked the volunteers who help him and also made a plea for more volunteers to join the team.
L-R: Matt Allwright, David Provins, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel
Voluntary Group of the Year
Next to receive an award were Woodley Volunteers, who won Voluntary Group of the Year. The award was accepted by the Chairman, Alistair Todd and the coordinator, Karen Todd.
Founded over 40 years ago, the volunteers help to get Woodley residents to medical appointments, staying with them and taking them home.
Nominated by Pamela Webber for giving up their free time and using their own vehicles and providing such an essential service. She commented: “I am nominating them as a user of this service. They are always prompt, helpful and friendly. It has helped me attend my medical appointments as I don’t drive and do not have anyone else to ask. The service is priceless and they all deserve a medal.”
Alistair said: “It’s an honour to be recognised and awarded and we accept this on behalf of the volunteers.”
L-R: Matt Allwright, Karen Todd, Alistair Todd, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel
Volunteer of the Year
The next category was Volunteer of the Year and the first of two winners for this award.
Carolyn Wildman won Volunteer of the Year for her commitment and tireless dedication to Share Woodley, a free food sharing project which began at the start of the Covid pandemic at Emmanuel Church, using up surplus food that catering companies found they were left with; many supermarkets now also provide surplus food. It continues to be a life saver for lots of families, especially during the current cost of living crisis, also helping Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers accommodated in local hotels.
Nominated by Juliet Sheratt, she commented: “Carolyn has worked tirelessly to build links with local food outlets who can donate food and to build a strong team of volunteers who help to collect food and host the Share session on a Monday afternoon. Carolyn gives all her time and effort freely and offers support as well as food to the clients at Share. She works closely with Wokingham Community Engagement to keep clients informed of grants and funds they canapply for as well as being a link into council services. She is always professional but friendly and will go the extra mile for people. She truly deserves recognition for her hard work, as with or without an award, she is a community hero.”
Also nominated by Julie Smith, she said: “Carolyn was already helping out with Share Wokingham, so when the chance came to introduce the scheme to Woodley, Carolyn wasted no time in getting interested parties together. It is true to say that without Carolyn’s enthusiasm and hard work; this invaluable community resource would not be the success it is. But Carolyn does much more than organise the team and manage the sessions.
She has worked hard to develop links with local stores and collects food from them several times a week, all in her own time and at her own expense. She makes it her business to get to know the clients who visit Share and their circumstances, often checking up on them and helping out in other ways if they need it and pointing them in the right direction for help. She devotes so much of her time and energy, and also genuine care and concern for the local community and deserves this award as an appreciation of all that she does.
Carolyn is the unsung hero of Share and the people that visit on a Monday afternoon would give this nomination a resounding ‘yeah’.”
Carolyn said: “I’d like to say a big thanks to my husband Pete – I couldn’t do it without him.” She also thanked all of the volunteers and suppliers.
L-R: Matt Allwright, Carolyn Wildman, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel
Young Person of the Year
Another new category to the awards, Dexter Rosier was the next award winner, winning Young Person of the Year.
Dexter was nominated by his mum Samantha for his dedication to help others and raise funds and support for those in need. During the first Covid lockdown, Dexter started running marathons to raise money for Royal Berkshire Hospital. He also camped out for a whole month to raise funds for another local charity, Camp Mohawk. Dexter also uses his own initiative to donate to local food banks inspired by Marcus Rashford and set up Dexter’s library based out of Whitley CDA, to help as many children as possible to have access to books during the summer holidays.
Mum, Samantha, commented: “Dexter cares for everyone; indeed, he is a huge advocate of human rights for equality. Dexter is a young anomaly – he is gentle, mature, emotionally intelligent, empathetic and sympathetic in his approach to his everyday living. In this respect, I hereby nominate this outstanding nine-year-old boy for recognition of his services to others. Dexter Rosier makes the world a better place.”
She added: “We are beyond proud of him – keep being you Dexter.”
Dexter, who already has more ideas for fundraising, said: “I do it to help people.”
L-R: Matt Allwright, Dexter Rosier, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel
Volunteer of the Year
The next award recipient was the second winner of the Volunteer of the Year category.
Lynne Shipton won Volunteer of the Year for creating a charity to support those newly diagnosed with breast cancer, following her own diagnosis. Chemogiftbags provides a bag filled with thoughtful and helpful items to help someone undergoing chemotherapy following a breast cancer diagnosis.
Nominated by Tracy Linden, she commented: “I wanted to nominate Lynne for this award as she has worked tirelessly since the charity Chemogiftbags was born in 2015, to support the local people not only in Woodley but within the Thames Valley area. Lynne relentlessly fundraises to enable more women to benefit and she never gives up. The many reviews she has received from recipients of the Chemogiftbags is testament to the light she brings to others at what can be a daunting time. If she can bring a smile to someone’s face, then she says her mission is achieved. It would be great for Lynne to be recognised for all she does to support others.”
Also nominated by Sandra Leary, a former recipient of a Chemogiftbag and now Ambassador for the charity, she said: “Lynne is the Kingpin of this wonderful Woodley based charity. She works so hard and puts in so many hours. The bags are so well thought out and put together with such care with things you wouldn’t even think about.”
Lynne said: “It’s a team award. Not just about me. We wouldn’t be here without the generous help from the team, volunteers, ambassadors. It’s about giving love for the people going through the treatment so they know we’re there to support them.”
L-R: Matt Allwright, Steve Shipton, Lynne Shipton, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel
Mayor’s Outstanding Contribution Award
The final award of the evening was the Mayor’s Outstanding Contribution Award, which is chosen by the Mayor and awarded to a person or organisation for their contribution to Woodley. This year, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel chose to award Rosemary Edgington from Winnersh District Royal British Legion the Mayor’s Outstanding Contribution Award for her dedication, persistence and continuing support of the Poppy Appeal in Woodley.
In her speech, Janet told the audience that Rosemary has been involved in the poppy appeal across various committees since 1978, and took over from her father as the Poppy Appeal organiser for Woodley in 2017, inspired to support the Poppy Appeal by her grandmother who was part of a test case for war widows’ pensions as it was her way of giving back because the pension made such a difference to her grandmother’s life.
“In 1998, poppy selling migrated to Woodley precinct, where it still remains today. In fact, my husband Lou was out with Rosemary selling poppies last November. Luckily, they now have a few more comforts when selling, including a table and chairs and not just a ‘poppy box around the neck’.”
Rosemary is also responsible for distributing wreaths across Woodley, along with the poppies for schools and shops to sell, taking her over four hours to deliver each time, covering over 10 miles!
She also started working with Woodley Town Council and its Armistice Day event in 2021, following in the footsteps of her father.
“She is a valuable and vital member of the team who put the Armistice event together and they have asked me to convey their very heartfelt thanks for her support and guidance, adding that they look forward to continuing this relationship and benefitting from Rosemary’s knowledge, dedication, kindness and support for many years to come,” said Janet.
“To quote Rosemary: ‘People always find their way to you; it’s deep-rooted in our society to buy a poppy’. Each year I wear my poppy with pride as a symbol of remembrance and hope for a positive future and peaceful world. Long may people continue to buy poppies to help remember the brave who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace and to raise vital funds to support them and their loved ones.”
L-R: Matt Allwright, Rosemary Edgington, Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Janet Sartorel
The awards ceremony was followed by a reception in the Carnival and Maxwell rooms, catered for by Brown Bag.
Congratulations and Thanks
We would like to once again congratulate all of the winners and thank them and their nominees and guests for attending the event.
We would also like to thank Matt Allwright for hosting the awards ceremony and providing great entertainment and camaraderie.
Finally, we’d like to thank Francesca Reed, an A Level student at Waingels College, for taking photos of the award winners.
Matt Allwright & Francesca Reed
Find out more
Videos of the award winners can be viewed on our You Tube channel.
We look forward to honouring and celebrating the very best of our community again next year. Nominations will open later in the year. Details of the Community Heroes Awards can be viewed HERE.
If you would like to hire the theatre or rooms at the Oakwood Centre, you can find out more HERE.
Charities
Details of the various charities from the 2023 awards:
Wokingham Borough Council is seeking to understand how young people in the Wokingham Borough area are involved in arts activities and events, and their views on how to make the borough an arts and culture hub.
The survey is part of a wider consultation with young people about arts in the borough and is funded by Artswork, an organisation striving to empower children and young people through arts and culture.
If you are a young person, or a parent or carer of a young person and can help them fill in the survey, please do so HERE.
Fewer new homes may need to be built in Wokingham Borough if proposed changes to the national planning system go ahead – and residents are urged to have their say while the Government is still consulting.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities wants people’s views on the amendments, which it put forward in December, following Wokingham Borough Council’s sustained campaigning for a fairer deal on housing.
The Council believes this could significantly help it, and others in a similar position, to significantly reduce the number of homes being imposed and encourages everyone to respond before the deadline of Thursday, 2 March.
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