Wokingham

get Wokingham ~ 26/10/2005 ~ By Sarah Bishton

Spacemen and space-rockets might be seen in Wokingham when this year’s Winter Carnival comes to town.

Pupils at the district’s schools, scout groups, businesses and voluntary organisations are already busy coming up with ideas for the Winter Carnival’s ‘futuristic’ procession.

The theme of this year’s spectacular event on Sunday, November 27, is ‘Wokingham 2020: a vision for the future’ and will focus on youth in the district, renewable energy sources and what the town will be like in 15 years’ time. Gwynneth Hewetson, member of the Winter Carnival organising committee and member of Wokingham Chamber of Commerce, has been charged as procession organiser.

She said the theme of this year’s event allowed plenty of scope for people involved in the procession to come up with wonderful ideas. “I really want to make this year’s event something special as the procession is such an important part of the day,” she said. “By more young people being included people who come along can see the creative work they are doing and they are really getting involved and enthusiastic about something. “We want to see loads of ideas this year and all we ask is that people taking part put on real show. “There will be so much to see and do and I can’t wait to see it all come together. “We’ve got lots of different features and also a big surprise in the procession which I can’t possibly reveal until the big day but it will be worth waiting for.”

All the floats will be built from scratch and over the next few weeks those taking part in the procession will be busy getting the materials and designs they need ready for the big day.

Those signed up for a float in the dazzling procession include youngsters from the 3rd and 4th Wokingham scouts, pre-school groups, and staff at Wokingham District Council, H20 hair salon, Wokingham library and Alexander Ulysses hair salon. Floats will be marked for their colour, originality, costume, energy, and impact of the float within the procession and will be judged by Wokingham MP John Redwood and a member of the Wokingham Winter Carnival organising committee just before the procession sets off from Shute End at around 2.30pm.

Jazz bands, morris dancers, vintage cars and a Father Christmas sleigh will also be included in the spectacular procession. The thousands of revellers expected will see the fabulously decorated floats proceed down Rectory Road, Wiltshire Road, then onto Peach Street before stopping in Market Place.

Anyone who has a truck they could lend on the day to be used as a float can contact the Winter Carnival committee.
For details visit www.wintercarnival.org.uk or call Chris Monk on (07921) 369527.

Computer Business Review ~ 27th October 2005

UK mobile app developer FlyingSpark Ltd begs to differ from the recent claim by Symbian Ltd that it is ahead of Microsoft Inc in providing a push email client for Exchange.

The claim was made by Simon Garth, VP of marketing at Cambridge-based Symbian, in conversation with Computer Business Review at the consortium's recent Symbian Smartphone Show in London. Garth said the push email capability being announced for Service Pack 3 of Exchange 2003 was already available in the ActiveSync-enabled RoadSync client for Symbian phones from DataViz Inc, another mobile app developer. "In other words, the first push email client for Exchange is available on Symbian, not Windows Mobile," he said.

However, Wokingham-based FlyingSpark has pointed out that it has been providing push email based on the predecessors to Windows Mobile: Pocket PC or Windows CE, for over three years. "FlyingSpark's Wireless E-mail & PIM is for all mobile workers, not just senior executives," the ISV said. "Other applications can be supplemented with FlyingSpark Wireless E-mail & PIM to provide real-time mobile messaging. Users can read and send messages, open and work on attachments, manage calendar appointments and manage message subfolders, just as they do in the office."

FlyingSpark also said its system enables attachments to emails to be opened "automatically in the appropriate application: Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket PowerPoint (Windows Mobile 5.0), or Adobe Reader." 

ic Berkshire ~ Oct 27 2005

MORE drug addicts are receiving treatment for their problem, new figures have revealed.

Statistics from the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse show 108 people sought treatment for drug addiction in Bracknell Forest in 2004/5 compared to 85 the year before. In Windsor and Maidenhead this was 196 and 147 respectively and in Wokingham it was 125 and 89.

Each council has a Drug Action Team (DAT) responsible for providing treatment, funded by local authority and government money.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council social services director and DAT chairman Daphne Obang said: "Bracknell Forest does not have the high levels of substance misuse as neighbouring boroughs and we wish to keep it that way."

She said the DAT worked closely with police to tackle drug related crimes as well as youth services to provide education and early interventions where required.

By Vicky Huntley ~ icBerkshire ~ Oct 27 2005

THE FATE of Wokingham's old police station will be decided by the district council's executive committee tonight (Thursday).

The 101-year-old building has been derelict since Thames Valley Police moved out two years ago and its future has been in debate ever since.

Shortlisted candidates who want to buy and redevelop the site are waiting expectantly for the executive's decision.

The select band of five includes action group Community at the Old Police Station (COPS), which wants to turn the Grade II-listed building into a community arts centre.

COPS submitted an application to land agents Lambert Smith Hampton to buy the derelict site on the corner of Rectory Road and Milton Road in May and found out it had made the shortlist in August.

Derek Hampshire, COPS member and chairman of Wokingham's Chamber of Commerce, said: "Our concerns are that this is one of Wokingham's last landmark buildings and it is in danger of becoming yet another housing development.

"For a developer to make any money out of the place it will have to put in high cost residential apartments with high density which will require the demolition of some of the listed parts of the site.

"This will be a huge nail in the coffin of Wokingham's intrinsic market town character and is totally inappropriate.

"But there is another way left to ensure the building is retained for the people of Wokingham.

"What we are proposing will create a dynamic hub and help to re-generate the west side of the town centre."

If COPS's bid to buy the building is successful, the venue will incorporate arts, music, comedy, dance, crafts, a cinema, a radio studio, a theatre, a heritage museum, rehearsal rooms, a café, bar and restaurant.

Thames Valley Police Authority, which co-owns the building with the district council, has made a recommendation to the executive.

Once the lead councillors have made their decision they will inform the land agents. They will then write to the applicants telling them if they have been successful. l The matter will be discussed by the council's decision-making executive in a private part of its meeting tonight, so the public will be excluded from hearing that agenda item.

By Sarah Bishton~ get Wokingham ~ 26/10/2005

Pupils at The Emmbrook School are celebrating after winning a competition to re-design Wokingham train station.

The Year Nine youngsters’ brief for the environmental challenge, run by the Construction in Industry Training Board (CITB), was to choose an area in their town which they thought needed a re-vamp and make it fit for the next 50 years.

Following three months of after-school meetings, asking dozens of commuters at the town’s train station how it could be improved and extensive research, Elena Brooker, Robert Harfleet, Matthew Long and Catherine Street were presented with their prize and certificates during a ceremony at Leighton Park School in Reading.

The youngsters had beaten competition from six other secondary schools across Berkshire who put their heads together to come up with ideas for the ‘Designing for the Environment Challenge’.

The Emmbrook pupils impressed judges from CITB with a cardboard model of how the station would look. Their ambitious plans included extra facilities for disabled people, an internet café, tourist information centre, touch screen ticket machines and even moving the station to another part of the town to make it more welcoming and accessible for commuters.

Their prize was a day out to the London Eye and a trip to London’s Madame Tussauds.

Pete Whitehouse, head of geography, heard about the competition after a visiting contractors working on Heathrow’s Terminal 5 earlier this year. He accompanied the youngsters on the trip. Mr Whitehouse said he and all the staff at The Emmbrook School were “immensely proud” of the four pupils and all the work they had put into the project. Mr Whitehouse said: “When the pupils put their heads together to come up with ideas, they agreed that Wokingham train station was the area that really did need a total overhaul.

“They thought it was too small, had no baby changing facilities, no security, no facilities for disabled commuters and because it was on the junction of two of Wokingham’s busiest roads didn’t think it was in the best place either. “They spent ages at the station asking commuters what they thought and what they’d like to see. “They went into so much detail doing it all themselves and even researched manufacturers who made ticket machines which were lower down so disabled people could use them. “During their presentation to the judges and a crowd of around 220 people they explained how they’d reached their conclusions. “They really enjoyed the trip to London and it was well worth all the effort they put in.”

The winning model of ‘Wokingham train station for the future’ and a copy of their presentation has taken pride of place in the reception area of the secondary school in Emmbrook Road.

Jon Land ~ 24dash.com ~ 2005-10-24

Wokingham District Council has been recognised as one of the top information and communications technology (ICT) innovators in the country.

Selected as a finalist for the DTI Sunday Times’ National ICT Innovators Award for eGovernment, the council is entitled to use the coveted National eCommerce Award logo on their website.

Over 100 public sector organisations were originally nominated for the award and Wokingham was one of only eight finalists.

The judges looked at the council’s use of the internet in providing information and delivering excellent customer service.

Andrew Moulton, Wokingham District Council’s corporate head of IS/IT, said: "Rather than be reactive we have taken a proactive approach to meeting the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and increasing levels of customer service.

"We encourage feedback and this enables us to further enhance our services.”

Examples of how the council uses ICT to improve customer service include an information catalogue system with a search facility that allows the user to find information online at any hour of the day or night.

An online tracker ensures that requests are dealt with in a timely manner. And the council uses a message alert engine to monitor workflow in tracking requests for information which can be applied elsewhere.

Councillor Philip Mirfin, the council’s ICT champion, said: “I am delighted that the work of the council’s IT service unit and its partners AXLR8 and Digica has been recognised in this way.

"The improvements seen in customer care are the first of a series ongoing changes that will be made in the months to come to benefit the whole of the local community.”

AXLR8, a Crowthorne software company, developed the information catalogue with search facility as a Freedom of Information Pathfinder project led by Arun District Council and are delighted to have played a part in Wokingham’s success.

“The staff at Wokingham were heavily involved in testing the product and, particularly with the request tracker, much of the feedback given was actually incorporated as enhancements which have helped other authorities,” said Rick Marengo from AXLR8.

Jon Land ~ 24dash.com ~ 2005-10-24

An environmental health technical officer dressed as a French maid to serve tea on the lawn to his colleagues.

But Ian Gough's cross-dressing stunt wasn't just for the fun of it - he was raising money for a good cause.

Ian, who works for Wokingham District Council, will is travelling to South America this month when he heads to Peru for a holiday.

Before setting off, however, he set himself the target of raising £500 for Project Peru, a charity that helps children and families in need at a refuge in Zapallal near Lima.

His fund-raising mission got off to a quiet start when he completed a sponsored silence, but then things took a slightly more adventurous turn.

When he asked his Wokingham District Council colleagues to submit tasks for him to do in return for donations to the cause, he couldn't have envisaged the authority's planning, regulation and enforcement team pledged over £200 for him to serve tea to them in a French maid’s outfit.

Ian, who has been completing other Wokingham tasks from car washing to sandwich collections, said: "I made an offer to my colleagues to carry out any duty they wanted at lunchtime of after work, whether that's collecting lunch from the sandwich shop, cleaning cars in the car park or making teas and coffees, all of course at a cost.

"I had a fair number of requests, but my most immediate colleagues in planning, regulation and enforcement really went out of their way to think about how they could make me look foolish and I ended up in the French maid’s outfit.

“I can’t really complain, however, as they raised a really great total and I’m thrilled to be able to take a good deal of money out to Project Peru. And I’ve still got some time to go, so I hope to see the total get even higher.”

“I intend to go with the project to buy the items they need so I really see what a difference the money has made. It’s really a good cause and I’m very grateful to my friends and colleagues for their support.”

icBerkshire ~ Oct 20 2005

A ROMANIAN trio who were part of a credit card cloning scam on Wokingham shoppers have each been jailed for two years and will be deported.

The three men fitted a special device on a cash machine at the Co-op in London Road, enabling them to collect electronic data from the cards inserted and identify PIN numbers.

This information would have enabled them to clone the bank cards, a judge at Reading Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor John Causer said Catalin Ghilinta, Dragos Purda and Erik Solomon were all arrested on October 14 last year.

Mr Causer said: "It is a skimming case involving an ATM at the Co-op store in Wokingham.

"On October 14 last year, a woman was about to use the machine when she noticed there was a box on the front of it.

"She withdrew £30 and then noticed the box was hanging off. At that stage a man ran up and grabbed the box and made off towards Seaford Road. She saw there was another man with him."

The three men were arrested later the same day while driving a Ford Mondeo. Inside the car police found a bag of electrical equipment and other items often used by skimmers, but no cash.

Mr Causer added: "There was the intent to carry out a large-scale fraud."

But barristers defending the trio said their clients were just foot soldiers in an operation run by people who have not been traced.

Speaking on behalf of Purda, Jonathan Coode said: "It is not accepted that he played a sophisticated role in this operation.

"He met a man in a pub called Christy who asked him if he had work. He told the man that he had poorly paid work as a cleaner and Christy said he could find him better paid work.

"He arranged to meet him for the work which he understood to be the refurbishment of houses.

"That is how he got involved and his involvement only started on the day he was arrested."

Judge Stanley Spence was told that none of the men had any previous convictions.

Jailing each of them for two years he said: "I accept that you were all three foot soldiers, but it is quite clear you had a knowledge of the equipment. It was a sophisticated skimmer's kit."

As the three defendants have already been in custody for a year, they will be eligible for release almost immediately.

Ghilinta and Purda, both from Wembley, and Solomon, of no fixed address, all admitted conspiracy to defraud.

Lest we forget...1945-2005
A Concert to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the end of World War II Wokingham Choral Society with Reading Festival Chorus

Mozart: "Requiem"
Karl Jenkins: "The Armed Man - a Mass for Peace" concert suite The Brandenburg Sinfonia Conducted by Aidan Oliver With guests Tamesis Chamber Choir and Berkshire Youth Choir Sponsored by Home Front Recall The Hexagon, Reading on Sunday November 20th 2005 at 7.30pm

Tickets £16 and £13 (Concessions £14 and £11) from the Hexagon Box Office on 0118 960 6060. Further details at www.wokingham-choral-society.org.uk

Family Half-Term Activity Days at the REME Museum

Wednesday 26 to Friday 28 October 2005
Drop in between 11.00 am and 3.30 pm.

Experience the sights, sounds and smells of the totally tuff trucks on display! We have outdoor games, the mini assault course, things to make and do, quizzes, and lots of fun for all the family!

Create a tank-transporter from household junk in Scrap Heap Challenge! Design a crane using straws! Explore wheels, axles, belt drives, hydraulics and pneumatics! Build a ‘tuff’ bridge using newspaper! Create a model amphibious vehicle and test it in our ‘Sink or Swim’ water tank! Build a vehicle and Parachute Drop it!

Are you ‘tuff’ enough to Survive Sir’s Mini Assault Course (with water jump); or to join the Sergeant’s Marching Drill and learn to march and salute like a soldier? Could you brave the Big Bug Hunt? Other activities include Giant Jenga, Spot the Odd One Out, Artist’s Corner and lots more.

For more details about workshops and family events or to book places please call the Education Officer on 0118 976 3375. To find out about other forthcoming MINTI Club workshops and family events check out our web site at www.rememuseum.org.uk

REME Museum, Isaac Newton Road, Arborfield, Berkshire
RG2 9NJ

A Night at the Musicals,  Oakwood Centre, Woodley.
November 23rd-26th at 7.45
Box Office: 0870 770 5899

The new Oakwood Centre in Woodley has given one of Woodley's best exports the chance to perform in their home town.  Since their foundation in 1968, the Woodley Light Operatic Society (WLOS) have staged their acclaimed productions at theatres in nearby towns.  Their normal venue is the historic Kenton Theatre in Henley-on-Thames, where they recently performed Cole Porters Anything Goes.

The group is now working on an evening of song and dance from West End Shows, which they have called 'A Night at the Musicals'.  "This is our chance to tackle some of the show stopping numbers where, for one reason or another, we cannot stage the whole musical" said the Production Director Carol Hardy.  ‘We will be performing songs from Cats, Cabaret and Chicago and many others' she added.  The evening will be to the group's normal high standards, with stunning choreography arranged by Jane Murphy and Claire Rowell.  The singing will be under the baton of our musical director Anthony Witt.

Tickets are now on sale for 'A Night at the Musicals' either from the box office (0870 770 5899) or via the groups website (www.wlos.co.uk).  Performances will be taking place at 7.45pm on Wednesday November 23rd and then every night until the 26th.  There will also be a 2.30pm matinee on the Saturday. Wheelchair spaces and disabled access is available. Tickets are priced from £7.50 with concessions available for the matinee performance.

Cloudglider,
The Wokingham Theatre,
Cantley Park,
Twyford Road,
Wokingham
Friday 4th November 2005 @ 7.30 p.m

Join the younger members of Cloudglider for an evening of rock and pop songs in aid of the BBC Children in Need Appeal. Friday 4th November 2005 @ 7.30 p.m. The Wokingham Theatre, Cantley Park, Twyford Road, Wokingham. Tickets £ 10/ 6.50 (under 16s)

Concert in aid of BBC Children in Need
Date: Friday 4th November 2005
Starting at: 7.30 p.m.
Venue: The Wokingham Theatre, Cantley Park, Twyford Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 5TU
Tickets: £10 adult / £6.50 16s and under.

Jessica Alley, Abigail Barnard, Vikki Clarke, Ashton Collins, Laura Cooper, Rachael Job, Leona Lenthall, Jenny Mulot, Becky Nicklin and Yasemin Ucan have joined forces to present a diverse evening of rock and pop songs taking you to all ends of the spectrum; from Gladys Knight to Evanescence. Kelly Clarkson to Gretchen Wilson, Eva Cassidy to Atomic kitten and Girls Aloud together with a sprinkling of Stevie Wonder and Meatloaf!

An evening of music guaranteed to make you bop or at least get your feet tapping!