The competition to design a poster to advertise the annual Woodley town centre extravaganza received a number of fantastic entries and we would like to say a huge thank you to those children who participated. It was, as always, very difficult to choose the three winners but, after much deliberation, these are the three chosen winners for 2019.

  Lauren Watkins, Age 10, Beechwood Primary

Sian Watkins, Age 10, Beechwood Primary

Yvie Hardy, Age 10, St Nicholas CE Primary

The judges also highly commended the following posters:

Violet Hardy, Age 7, St Nicolas School Hurst

Roxanne Allen, Age 9, St Dominic Savio Catholic Primary School

Owen Winship, Age 9, Rivermead Primary School

The competition winners will have the privilege and honour of turning on the Christmas lights in Woodley town centre on 23rd November 2019.

It is with great sadness that we announce that Cllr David Stares passed away peacefully last week losing his battle against cancer. David had been active in the community for some time and was a councillor at Woodley Town Council for almost five years. He has served as Chairman on the Leisure Services Committee and was the town’s Deputy Mayor in 2018/19. Leisure was David’s passion and he ran over 30 marathons. This developed into a particular interest and involvement in the ongoing improvements to Woodford Park Leisure Centre and associated facilities. He was an active Bowls member and when not involved in sports was a keen allotment holder, being on the Allotment Tenant’s Committee.

Council Leader, Keith Baker said: “David was a good friend and colleague and bore his illness with a degree of calmness during the several years of fighting it. Even at the end his dignity in dealing with the inevitable was second to none. The inner strength he showed, despite the pain, was what he was all about. Woodley has lost a good friend.”

Our thoughts are with his family and friends.

Woodley Town Council would like to thank everyone for attending its Community Fun Day and picnic to celebrate the centenary of Woodley’s Memorial Ground

We have a selection of photos from the day but would love to see yours too to add to our gallery!

Please send them to: [email protected]

Fresh produce ready to be donated to local food banks

Woodley Town Council works with local charity Launchpad to provide fresh produce for locals affected by homelessness

Woodley Town Council, in association with the Reading Road Tenant’s Association, has allocated three community plots at its Reading Road Allotment site for local charity Launchpad to engagecorporate volunteers to grow crops to supply fresh garden produce to disadvantaged and vulnerable families via foodbanks, soup kitchens and community fridges.

Launchpad, a Reading-based homelessness prevention charity, workswith teams of regular corporate volunteers to create and nurture these working allotments to cultivate, make good and grow fresh produce seasonally and once picked, washed and packed, to make it available to the local community in need.

The plots

The designated plots were originally overgrown and a lot of work has gone into cultivating them from both Launchpad volunteers and Reading Road tenant volunteers.

Carolyn Davies, a Committee Member of the Reading Road Tenant’s Association, is delighted that the plots have been so well cultivated and able to produce fresh produce in a relatively short space of time.

“I would just like to say how proud I am of what we have achieved in a relatively short time on the Launchpad plots. It doesn’t seem that long ago when we started on the mammoth task of clearing an overgrown area, and we warned Launchpad not to expect anything this year because the ground was so poor!”

In addition to the Launchpad volunteers, many tenants have volunteered to provide expertise to assist on the volunteering days, filling in the gaps between sessions, watering in the evenings, providing tools, seeds, plants and seedlings and more.

Donations

Many local companies have also donated several items to get the project up and running. These include: Hammerson, which donated money for the poly tunnel, Balfour Beatty which provided a container for storage and University College of Estate Management which donated money that will be used to fit out the container and Shinfield Parish Council which provided a water tank.

Donations have also been received following a plea on Woodley focused group pages on Facebook, including tables and chairs, donations of money to buy seeds and compost and two wheelbarrows and watering cans.

The project has been so successful that it was able to deliver fresh produce to Reading FoodBank Readifood and 2kg of broad beans to Sadaka, another local food charity based in Reading, which provides free meals every Saturday.

During the first delivery to Readifood, threepeople were able to take bags of courgettes, onions, kale, borlotto and French beans, resulting in plot to customer in less than two hours.

The Reading Road Tenants Association is looking for more volunteers to help run the project, including some expertise knowledge to supervise tending and cultivating the crops. Please contact  [email protected] for more information.

Food donations at Readifood

A recent project by the Woodley & District U3A (University of the Third Age) exploring the history of Woodley town centre and its shops is now available to view at the Oakwood Centre

The project, in conjunction with the Wokingham U3A, the Reading U3A and partnered with Woodley Town Council, Woodley Library, the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, Reading Borough Libraries and the Berkshire Record Office, explores the history of Woodley’s shops, dating the first shop to circa 1854.

According to the 1847 Kelly’s Directory of Berkshire, Woodley was described as “a scattered village and consists principally of farm houses”. By 1854, there were three shopkeepers in the village, while the first actual shop on Crockhamwell Road was Bertie and Beatrice Ambrose’s Fish & Chip shop in 1939.

Interestingly, the first shopping centre in Woodley was on Headley Road and the first stage of the Crockhamwell Road shopping precinct was not developed until 1965.

Further interesting facts and photos are displayed along the corridor towards the Woodley Town Council offices in the Oakwood Centre.

Woodford Park in Woodley has been recognised by the Green Flag Award Scheme as one of the very best in the world. The Park joins other green spaces awarded recognition in Berkshire and remains the only one to be awarded Green Flag status in the Wokingham Borough area.

Woodford Park is among a record-breaking 1,970 UK parks and green spaces and 131 in thirteen other countries around the world, that has received a prestigious Green Flag Award – the mark of a quality park or green space.

This international award, now into its third decade, is a sign to the public that the space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.

“We are absolutely delighted to receive a Green Flag Award for the second year running.  We know how much quality green spaces matter to residents and visitors, and this award celebrates the dedication that goes into maintaining Woodford Park to such a high standard by staff and volunteers,” commented Woodley Town Council Leader Keith Baker.

International Green Flag Award scheme manager Paul Todd said: “It’s fantastic that we have more Green Flag Awards in the UK than ever before, joined this year by 131 International winners.

“Each flag honours the thousands of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain the high standards demanded by the Green Flag Award. We congratulate each and every winner on their fantastic achievement.”

Woodley Town Council hosted, alongside Spriggan Productions, an afternoon of entertainment and live music at Centre Stage in Woodley town centre on Saturday

Local residents were treated to an afternoon of live music from three local bands, dancing acts and circus entertainment. Held in the town centre at Centre Stage, the event started with entertainment from five dance acts, ranging from American Tribal Style bellydancing to dancing with fire. Jadoo’s Jingles, Trish Marriot as Aradia, Sandy Maya’s Belly Fairies, the Salome Sisters, Rachel Bennett’s school of bellydance and Julie Bellyfire all entertained Woodley residents throughout the four hour event, with costume changes, props and innovative and unique dance sessions, some of which were purposely non-choreographed.

Some of the lovely dancers

The first band to hit the stage were the Hedge Inspectors. A husband and wife duo who performed their own original songs, many of which with entertaining lyrics about family life. For a taste of one of their songs, CLICK HERE.

The Hedge Inspectors

The crowd was then entertained by further dance performances before the Nefarius Picaroons came on stage with original and cover songs.

Nefarius Picaroons

While sound checks were in progress for the final band – Spriggan Mist – the crowd was once again entertained by the dancers, while the younger crown continued to be entertained by Mark’s Magic Mayhem.

Belly dancing entertainment

Mark’s Magic Mayhem

Woodley Town Council Leader Cllr Keith Baker and Woodley Town Mayor Cllr Kay Gilder both attended the event, alongside other Woodley Town Councillors. Cllr Baker was very impressed with the quality of the bands and that the Council was able to host a free event for the people of Woodley and commented on how many positive comments he was receiving from residents at the event. Cllr Gilder also mentioned the positive response from local residents.

Woodley Town Council Leader Cllr Keith Baker Woodley Town Mayor Cllr Kay Gilder

Spriggan Mist, a local progressive rock folk band then performed their original songs, filling Woodley town centre with a blast of spriggery entertainment!

Spriggan Mist

Woodley Town Council would like to thank all those involved in making it such a fun and successful event and to all those who attended. A date for Woodley’s 2nd Street Concert will be announced soon.

Woodley Town Deputy Mayor, Cllr Dave Mills, visited local charity Me2 Club at Centre Stage, where the club was selling cakes to raise money for the charity

Photo: Me2 Club

Don’t forget that Centre Stage can be hired for FREE this year for non-profit making events

Woodley Town Council would like to express its thanks to outgoing Mayor Cllr Sam Rahmouni for all his support and hard work as Woodley Town Mayor.

Former Mayor Rahmouni’s chosen charity was the MS Society, Reading and Wokingham Districts. During his mayoral year, Cllr Rahmouni raised £1462.50 for the charity, including donations from Richard Lloyd Funeral Services and Barnes Fitness.

Richard Lloyd Funeral Services donated £100 to the Mayor’s charity when he attended the re-launch of its Woodley premises, while Barnes Fitness donated £1000 to the MS Society, Reading and Wokingham Districts in recognition of support from the Town Council and Mayor for the annual Woodley 10km and 2.5km races.

Woodley Town Council also thanks outgoing Deputy Mayor Cllr David Stares for his support.

The Town Mayor is the first citizen of the town and is elected to the post by fellow Councillors 
at the Town Council’s annual meeting in May each year. The role of Mayor is a non-political
position and during the mayoral year, a Mayor puts aside council duties to concentrate on the
role as the town’s first citizen.

The Mayor chairs Council meetings and attends many functions within the town. These include
representing the Council at civic functions, receiving dignitaries, attending dinners, opening
events, talking to clubs and societies and visiting schools. The Mayor asks the Deputy Mayor
to stand in if he/she is not available.

(L-R top): Sean Riordan, David Provins, Bob Hansford, Chas Randle, Mark Rozzier (L-R bottom): Lindsay Browne, Liz McDaniel, Cllr Sam Rahmouni, Jackie Baines, Hannah Evans

At the first Annual meeting of Woodley Town Council and its new councillors, community grants were given to the following charities and individuals.

1^stWoodley Boys Brigade  –  represented by Bob Hansford

£250 – to purchase camping equipment, sports & games equipment, expedition equipment and storage solutions.

2^ndWoodley Scout Group  –  represented by Chas Randle

£250 – to purchase camping equipment and activity equipment.

Emmanuel Church, Woodley  –  represented by Sean Riordan

£250 – towards the cost of running a 48 hour “Fun Days” event for all residents of the Drovers Way / Southlake Crescent area.

Friends of Woodford Park  –  represented by David Provins

£250 – to purchase spring flowering bulbs and to replace any plants in need.

Me2 Club  –  represented by Liz McDaniel

£250 – towards the cost of recruiting and screening 5 new volunteers within Woodley.

School Days Project  –  represented by Lindsay Browne

£250 – towards the cost of purchasing new uniform items that are not available through donations.

Woodley Festival of Music and Arts  –  represented by Jackie Baines

£250 – to help towards the cost of providing the Festival of Music and Arts in 2019.

Woodley United FC  –  represented by Mark Rozzier                       

£250 – towards the cost of running a girls’ academy to encourage increased girls’ participation in football.

Individual

Hannah Evans  (Archery GB)

£100 – towards the cost of upgrading her equipment to remain competitive in higher level competitions.

The awards were presented by outgoing Mayor Cllr Sam Rahmouni.

The new Mayor for Woodley was announced as Cllr Kay Gilder, to be deputised by Cllr Dave Mills.

Keith Baker remains leader of the Council, while Shadi Brindley remains Deputy Leader.

Bulmershe Ward of the Parish of Woodley

Coronation Central Ward of the Parish of Woodley

Coronation East Ward of the Parish of Woodley

Loddon Airfield Ward of the Parish of Woodley

Loddon South Ward of the Parish of Woodley

Loddon West Ward of the Parish of Woodley

South Lake North Ward of the Parish of Woodley

South Lake South Ward of the Parish of Woodley

Warren Ward of the Parish of Woodley