Woodley Town Council is pleased to announce that plans to refurbish the Alan Cornish Theatre have been formally approved by the Strategy & Resources Committee at its recent meeting. The decision marks an important step forward in enhancing the theatre’s facilities and securing its long-term future as a vibrant community venue.

The Committee considered a detailed report by theatre consultants Blue Horizon Ventures (BHV), who were commissioned to assess the refurbishment potential and develop a forward-looking programme strategy. Julian Russell, co-author of the report which was funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, provided an overview of the findings via a virtual presentation.

Council officers endorsed the recommendations of BHV, including the development of a comprehensive business plan and a refreshed programming strategy to increase the theatre’s usage, which currently stands at approximately 25%.

Phase 2

The Council has agreed to re-engage BHV to lead the next phase of the project. Their responsibilities will include preparing the business plan for the theatre and the wider Oakwood Centre, as well as defining the technical upgrade specifications and supporting the tendering process.

During discussions, Members sought reassurance regarding the financial viability of similar-sized venues. The BHV report confirmed the potential for sustainable operation, with successful local examples such as South Street Arts Centre in Reading. It was also noted that without investment, the theatre risks falling into disuse, underscoring the importance of the refurbishment.

Vibrant hub

“For over 20 years the Alan Cornish Theatre has been a valued part of the community, and this investment represents an exciting opportunity to enhance its role for current and future generations. By improving the facilities and expanding its programme, we’re ensuring the theatre becomes a vibrant and accessible cultural space for all,” said Matthew Filmore, Deputy Town Clerk. 

A final business plan and detailed proposals for the technical upgrades is projected to be presented to the Committee for consideration at its September meeting. At the same time, officers will investigate additional external grant opportunities to support the project’s delivery.

Woodley Town Council looks forward to redeveloping the Alan Cornish Theatre as a hub for creativity, community, and cultural engagement.

Woodley Town Council is proud to announce the official opening of two exciting community projects – the Coronation Orchard Garden and the Woodley History Wall – both of which celebrate heritage, community, and sustainability.

At an official opening ceremony on Monday 15 April, hosted by Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Juliet Anderson, the two new developments were unveiled. 

Coronation Orchard Garden

The newly planted Coronation Orchard Garden is a thoughtfully designed green space created to commemorate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. Situated within an existing area of Woodford Park, the garden has been transformed into a peaceful, welcoming retreat for the community to enjoy year-round.

The orchard is fully accessible and features edible herb gardens and fruit trees, which will be available for the public to pick from as they grow and mature. This project reflects both a celebration of the King Charles III, the community, and a commitment to environmental regeneration and wellbeing.

History Wall

In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Woodley Town Council, a brand-new History Wall has been installed in the Oakwood Centre, offering a fascinating journey through Woodley’s rich and evolving history. From its early days as a “clearing in the woods” – the origin of the town’s name – to the vibrant, thriving community we know today, the History Wall presents key milestones in both Woodley and the Town Council’s development.

The Council extends sincere thanks to the u3a Woodley team for their dedicated research in gathering historical facts and to local artist Francesca Lane, whose hand-drawn illustrations bring the story of Woodley to life, making the History Wall not only educational but also a striking piece of public art.

Ceremony

The unveiling of both the Coronation Orchard Garden and the History Wall was well-attended by a host of local dignitaries and community representatives. Guests included Woodley & Earley MP Yuan Yang, past and present Woodley Town Councillors, and Woodley Town Crier Tony Roper. Also in attendance were representatives from community groups who regularly work in partnership with the Council, including Woodley Carnival, Friends of Woodford Park, Woodley Bowling Club, and WASP (Woodley Adopt A Street Project). 

The u3a Woodley team were also in attendance alongside artist Francesca Lane. 

The u3a team were delighted to see their research brought to life, while Francesca was overjoyed to finally see her illustrations creating the story of Woodley. 

During the unveiling, Woodley Town Mayor, Councillor Juliet Anderson, addressed attendees and expressed her enthusiasm for the lasting impact both projects will have on the local community, stating:

“I’m very much looking forward to seeing the people of Woodley enjoy the Coronation Orchard Garden as a place of enjoyment and sustainability, and to see residents and visitors alike explore the History Wall and discover the story of our wonderful town. My sincere thanks go to the Town Council team, the u3a Woodley group, and Francesca Lane for their dedication, creativity, and collaboration in bringing these projects to life.”

Residents are encouraged to visit both the Coronation Orchard Garden and the History Wall, and to learn more about Woodley’s history by visiting the Council’s History Page.

We have partnered with The Feed Ducks Initiative to install a Solar Powered Duck Feed Dispenser at Woodford Park Lake

A duck feed dispenser is now available at Woodford Park Lake. It is located at the beginning of the boardwalk.

The feeder takes contactless payments (no cash) and costs £1 per use. No cash is ever taken or stored. Feed dispenses into the tray that the user can then scoop out. This reduces littering or wasting containers and bags that are often not recyclable. It is operational from 7am to 10pm each day.

Healthy feed

It dispenses small quantities of healthy seed (60 grams per use) that is suitable for the diet of ducks and other wildfowl, reducing the amount of foreign feed such as bread, which can make them unwell as it does not contain the right nutrition or calories they need to grow and keep warm. Unlike bread and other food brought from home which often sinks to the bottom of the lake, the healthy seed floats. This also gives the waterfowl enough time to eat it.

Promoting healthy ecosystems

The set amount of dispensed feed controls the amount that is fed to the ducks and wildfowl. Excess rotting food can lead to silt build-up in the ecosystem, pollutes waterways, and increases algae growth, which can attract vermin and create prime conditions for disease outbreaks that can threaten biodiversity and wildfowl.

A sustainable feeder

The sustainable solar powered feeder is in line with our climate commitment, as each one is made from recycled plastics, equivalent to 20,000 plastic bottles. The feeder also reduces plastic litter waste because the feed is dispensed to hand. 

Investing in the park

It has been provided for free and is fully maintained by The Feed Ducks Initiative. Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated back to us to invest in our parks and green spaces.

If there are any issues with the feeder, please let us know.

Woodley Town Council set up a Youth Grant Scheme during 2023/24 to fund specific grant requests for organisations supporting children and young people in Woodley. During the past 18 months, ten organisations have been supported with a grant. Now that the funds have been allocated, the scheme is closed.

Grants awarded

• Chattertots – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• Loddon District Scout Council – Towards the cost of building new headquarters at Paddicks Pitch, Waingels Road, Woodley.

• Me2 Club – To pay towards running the Me2 Club Teen W&RD project in 2024.

• Berkshire Renegades – To pay towards pitch hire for matches and training; providing rookie days, controlled scrimmages, advertising and publicity; purchasing equipment; paying for transport to / from games.

• ARC Youth Counselling – To pay towards the cost of providing ARC’s youth counselling service in schools.              

• Promise Inclusion Limited – To support the service, providing support for children and adults with learning disabilities and / or autism.

• First Days’ Children’s Charity – To pay towards the charity’s provision of specialist support services to vulnerable families of children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, and early life trauma.

• Home-Start Wokingham District -To pay towards the charity’s provision of specialist support services to vulnerable families of children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, and early life trauma.

• Parenting Special Children – To pay towards the charity’s provision of specialist support services to vulnerable families of children and young people with special educational needs, disabilities, and early life trauma.

• ABC to Read – To pay towards recruiting three new volunteers to assist nine children in Woodley to read.

Our commitment

“We are committed to supporting the youth of Woodley, with a particular focus on reaching those who are disadvantaged or traditionally harder to engage. The Youth Grant Scheme was set up to specifically for Woodley’s young people and this demonstrates Woodley Town Council’s continued leadership in youth support. I’m very proud to see these important organisations receive funding to enable them to continue to provide essential services,” said Cllr Keith Baker, Woodley Town Council Leader. 

Our Grants

More information about our grants, including full guidelines and application forms, can be found on our Grants Page.

We are delighted to continue to provide funding to local organisations that deliver essential community support services in Woodley, through our grant award scheme. 

Leisure Services

Five grants were approved at the recent Leisure Services Committee Meeting:

• Chattertots – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• Loddon District Scout Council – Towards the cost of building new headquarters at Paddicks Pitch, Waingels Road, Woodley.

• ARC Youth Counselling – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• First Days’ Children’s Charity – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

• Home-Start Wokingham District – Towards the cost of providing weekly early interventions for children with Downs Syndrome, with main sessions running from Woodley Baptist Church.

“We’re proud to continue investing in Woodley’s community through our grant award scheme,” said Cllr Darren Smith, Chairman of the Leisure Services Committee. “These grants enable local organisations to provide essential support services to our residents when they need it most. By supporting these services, we are helping to support those most in need in Woodley.”

Strategy & Resources

Meanwhile, at the recent S&R Committee, a grant was approved to Me2 Club for the organisation to recruit and screen five new volunteers within Woodley who can be matched with five Woodley children waiting for support from the charity. If you, or someone you know, would like to volunteer for Me2, please visit their website to find out more. 

Our Grants

More information about our grants, including full guidelines and application forms, can be found on our Grants Page.

As part of our commitment to Climate Action, we are pleased to announce that the bins in Woodford Park and Malone Park are being replaced with new bins with a recycling section.

Please help us to keep our parks and green spaces litter free by using the bins.

What you can recycle

You can put the same items into the recycled section as you would in your green bags. These include:

• cartons
• plastic bottles
• plastic trays (not black)
• paper & card
• empty aerosols
• foil
• cans & tins.

Glass

Please take your glass items with you and recycle them at your local bottle bank.

Soft plastics

Soft plastics can also be recycled at most supermarkets.

Climate Emergency Information Hub

Further information about recycling your waste can be found on our Climate Emergency Information Hub.

Wokingham Borough’s first Climate Action Week, held in Woodley, was a resounding success with over 200 people participating in free events

We are delighted with the success of Woodley’s first Climate Action Week, which was held in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council. 

Both councils declared climate emergencies in 2019, making a commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The series of free events held during Climate Action Week were created to raise awareness of how residents can contribute positively towards these shared goals.

There were a variety of free events across the week, including a recycling art class for the under 5s, a Walk & Tour of Woodford Park, an entertaining charity fashion show at centre stage, Woodley Repair Café, an EV webinar, a chat about climate change in the borough, a lively Fresk climate card game and a community litter pick, amongst other events. 

We were also delighted to host the local primary school’s climate event at the Oakwood Centre at which Year 3 children from Highwood Primary, Rivermead Primary, and Woodley C of E Primary were tasked with creating posters about the impact of climate change on coral reefs. 

Highlights

We would like to thank everyone involved in helping to create, manage and run a successful week of events; as well as everyone who came along to participate. 

“It was a pleasure to attend many of the free events during Climate Action Week. The highlights of the week, for me, were the charity fashion show and the school’s climate workshop. The charity fashion show was very entertaining and inspiring to buy pre-loved items. It was an honour to judge the school’s climate workshop. The children knew a lot about climate change and were very thoughtful when creating their interpretations of the effect of climate change on coral reefs.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in putting the week together and hosting all the events. It has certainly highlighted the need for us all to play our part in tackling climate change,” said Cllr David Bragg, Woodley Town Council Deputy Mayor. 

While Cllr Juliet Anderson, Woodley Town Council Town Mayor, who braved the weather to help at the communal litter pick said: “It is important that we all play our part in addressing the climate emergency and take accountability for our individual carbon footprints, and Climate Action Week has been an important week to raise awareness. We had an interesting debate about changes we can all make and the bigger responsibilities the government must address, during the Climate, Coffee and Cake talk. Despite Storm Bert, we collected an alarming amount of rubbish during the community litter pick. Not littering is just one small thing we can all do to play our part. Thank you to everyone involved and I hope those who attended found the events informative and food for thought.”

Find out more

More information about the week, including photos and information about both council’s Climate Emergency Hubs, can be found on our Climate Action Week page.

Hundreds of little witches, wizards and superheroes joined in the Halloween fun at Woodley town centre’s spooktacular event

Thank you to everyone who attended the town centre’s Halloween event on 31 October, here is a selection of the spooky fun…

Thanks also to the fantastic amenities team for creating the haunted graveyard, and our town centre manager, who is now thoroughly worn out from all the hard work…

Crumbs at the Oakwood Centre is now open!

After many years, Brown Bag decided to leave the Oakwood Centre. Having worked with them for so long, it was sad to see them go, however, we are delighted to welcome, in their place, local cafe specialists Crumbs. 

Grand opening

The cafe opened on Saturday 7 September, with a promotional half price hot drink offer, which kept the crowds coming in. 

Woodley Town Mayor, Cllr Juliet Anderson, popped down to meet the new team and sample the delicious array of sumptuous cakes, freshly made-to-order food, ranges of hot and cold drinks, including cocktails and mocktails, as well as milkshakes and delectable items that cater for all food allergies.  

Opening times

Crumbs at the Oakwood Centre will be open daily:

Catering at the Oakwood Centre

As our new partner, Crumbs will continue to provide a bespoke and exclusive set of menus for Oakwood Centre clients and hirers, as well as providing catering for all events.

For more details, please contact [email protected].

We have now published a report showing the responses to our WPLC Development survey.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. 

We received a total of 1,339 responses, of which:

• 77.67% were from Woodley residents
• 66.32% were from people aged 30-59 years old
• 67 were from people identifying as having a disability
• 181 were from non-centre users.

You can view the full report HERE.

Please keep an eye on our website and social media for any further updates.