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CTC Holiday Club: Champions!

EARLY IN AUGUST, we were surrounded by stories of Olympic heroes, all vying to be crowned champions of their chosen sport. At the same time, in Caversham, I was surrounded by a different type of hero – the red t-shirted volunteers from Churches Together in Caversham (CTC). That could only mean one thing… it was time for this year’s Olympic-themed CTC HOLIDAY CLUB!
With songs written and produced by local teenager, Joel Wilson, around 160 children, 25 teenagers, and 50 adult volunteers joined together at St Anne’s Primary School…Read more

All-cheering Plenty, with her flowing horn,
Led yellow Autumn, wreath’d with nodding corn    Robert Burns

OF COURSE, these days much of the harvest is already gathered in by the start of September. Our crop of local news and features this month starts with the report from the Summer Holiday Club hosted at St Anne’s School in early-August (see above). In particular, it recognises the generous gift of time given by so many volunteers.
Our Creative Caversham article this month spotlights the talents of local Methodist Minister, Rev David Jenkins, as both a composer and pianist, in advance of his performance at Caversham Baptist Church later this month (p12)…Read more

All Up! Swan Upping on the River

“ALL UP!” So goes the cry of the Swan Uppers when they spot their quarry. It is a sunny July morning, and crowds are gathered riverside to watch the sort of pomp and ceremony only the British can do so well. Today, it is Caversham’s turn for the Royal Swan Uppers to pass along the river on their annual five-day tour, a colourful flotilla of swan-flagged traditional wooden boats carrying people in pristine uniforms – some with feathers literally in their caps. Following the “All up!”, the Swan Uppers surround swan and cygnet in an ever-shrinking circle before pulling both birds aboard for inspection…Read more

Fourbears Folk

THE USUAL tranquility of Fourbears Bookshop was dispelled on 22 July with the arrival of The Bookshop Band. The shop was transformed into an intimate venue for partners Beth Porter and Ben Please performing their literature inspired music. Guests were greeted with a welcoming drink provided by Alex as they arrived to listen to the band, who were on a tour of bookshops and festivals around the country…Read more

Living with loss

IT IS ALWAYS hard when someone close to us dies, and we can often find it hard to talk about how we feel or about the person we have lost. Starting in October this year, The Caversham, Thameside and Mapledurham Parish is organising a series of events to help. The Bereavement Journey Course, supported by the Earley Charity and Weller Centre, runs for six weeks and will be held at the Weller Centre. This evening course starts 1 October and is for anyone who has been bereaved at any time and in any way. It provides a chance to feel less isolated by sharing the journey with others…Read more

Update from South View Avenue

HELLO FROM Our Lady and St Anne’s Roman Catholic Church, Caversham, with apologies for this belated update. Since re-opening after the pandemic, we have welcomed our new parish priest, Father Joe McLaughlan, who has brought a new energy and passion for our faith and community.
Our parish community is lively and diverse, embracing all ages and ethnicities. We are particularly proud of our children’s liturgy group, run by volunteers, and our active social and community-focused youth group…Read more

Centenary Celebrations

THIS SEPTEMBER marks one hundred years since the foundation stone was laid for the present St Barnabas church in Emmer Green. It replaced the previous tin tabernacle building, just alongside, which opened in 1897 and is still in use as the Church Hall.
The current St Barnabas Church was very much a community enterprise funded by local families and parishioners; built by Fishers (who gave their name to Fishers Court and Fishers Cottages just off Peppard Road), and with beautiful stained glass windows made by Percy Bacon of Springfield House, who was a churchwarden at St Barnabas at the time…Read more

For your bookshelf….

Welcome to ‘Fourbears Reviews’ where we briefly review a couple of titles chosen from our book shop ‘Fourbears Books’ in Caversham.

I HOPE YOU managed to fit in some reading over the peak summer months. We have two corking books for you this month.
I try to avoid cliches and overstatements like ‘The BEST Book I’ve ever read’, as I have no idea of the best book I’ve read, and we all have different tastes. Generally, I pick books I have enjoyed and feel others might. There are very few books I think about long after finishing them.

This month’s adult choice, All the Colours of the Dark by Chris Whitaker, is the exception. It is easily the book I have enjoyed most from start to finish in the last year, maybe more…Read more

FROM PAGE TO STAGE

IN JANUARY THIS year, Caversham Artist, Nicolette Carter, gave a talk to her fellow members of the Caversham Writers group about her children’s picture book, The Pink Peacock. In the middle of telling us about getting the book published, and while passing the beautiful original artwork around the group, Nicolette had an announcement for us, “I’m turning it into a musical!”
The book was published in 2021, after spending years largely forgotten in a drawer. It tells the story of a spoiled princess who likes only pink, demanding her father, the King, gets her a pink peacock for her birthday…Read more

Happy Wanderer in search of READING AMATEUR REGATTA

MUCH OF JUNE this year was decidedly cool and showery. Then, in the second half of the month, the wind turned round. It felt a bit warmer, so one Sunday afternoon I decided to do some gardening in the back garden, which faces south. From there I could hear the trains on the railway, and I could hear a commentary coming from a public address system by the river. The following Thursday, I read the latest edition of ‘Reading Today’ and found that the commentary had been coming from the Reading Amateur Regatta. The newspaper report said that the regatta had been a part of Reading’s history since 1842…Read more

Bowls: a Sport for Everyone

TUCKED AWAY near the top of Beech Lane, Earley, Reading, is one of England’s finest indoor bowls clubs, and we are currently recruiting new members.
With seven Bowls Rinks and 800 Members, Whiteknights is a professionally managed club which caters for all levels…Read more

ADVICE NEEDED – CAN YOU HELP?

FRONTLINE IS a charity whose objective is to help those whose lives are blighted by debt. Every year we help more than 200 Reading residents whose total debts typically amount to around £2 million.
For most, the root cause of debt is an event such as unemployment, illness, a death, or a relationship breakdown. Most clients want to repay their debts, although this is not always possible.
We are currently looking for new volunteer advisers, able to offer one day a week of their time, to join our team…Read more

Reading cycle festival

THE FESTIVAL returns to Christchurch Meadows on Sunday 8 September 11:00-16:00. This free to attend annual event offers lots of bike-related entertainment, and there are fairground rides, and food and drink to buy. There’s also the opportunity to see and try out unusual/electric bikes (from various groups, including Caversham’s own AW Cycles), to get a free check-up for your bike, and to meet cycling campaign groups.
For my kids, a highlight of the festival is always the stunt riding displays. It’s amazing what the stunt riders can do on a bike, and their showmanship is incredible…Read more

Repair or recycle your bike

THIS YEAR IS the tenth anniversary of Reading’s Bicycle (or Bike) Kitchen, where volunteers assist you to maintain and repair your cycle. They run maintenance courses and accept donations of bicycles to be reconditioned and sold, or given away to those in need, to fund this amazing project.
If you have a cycle or parts of a cycle lurking in the garage you don’t want anymore, or which the children have outgrown, then please consider donating it to the Bicycle Kitchen. Contact them on info@readingbicyclekitchen.org 
…Read more