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News Archive - Week Beginning 1st Dec 2008

Vladimir Rubinstein, MBE

We're sorry to report the death of Vladimir Rubinstein, a significant figure in Caversham's post-2WW history because of his role in the development of BBC Monitoring - one of Caversham's larger employers. (Indeed, two of the Caversham web site team are only here because of it.) There's more about this remarkable man in his Daily Telegraph obituary, and his passing has also prompted us to make a start on a new section about BBC Monitoring in our 'History' section.

Buses

A recent CADRA meeting (Wednesday, 12th November) with the title 'Persuading People Out of Their Cars' featured Reading Transport chief executive James Freeman discussing local bus services. He said that a priority was to increase the frequency of evening and Sunday bus services in Caversham, with initial improvements being made to Caversham Heights services from next March. (Reading Chronicle 04/12/08 p5)

Charity

The Waitrose supermarket in Church Street has made donations under its 'Community Matters' scheme to three local concerns this month - £288 to St Anne's Primary school, £280 to Emmer Green Pre-school, and £273 to the 89th Reading Scout Group (who will use the money to repair the roof of their headquarters). (Reading Chronicle 05/12/08 p14)

Crime

A house burglary in Emmer Green's Cherry Close between 3am and 6am on the morning of Sunday, November 30th has resulted in the theft of "a 60-year-old ring of huge sentimental value". Other items of jewellery (described in detail in the 'Post') were stolen in the raid. Anyone with relevant information should contact PC Hansa Mohan on 08458 505 505. (Reading Evening Post 02/12/08 p5)

Education

An investigation conducted by the School Places and Admissions Arrangements Board into coping with ever-increasing numbers of school pupils in Reading has resulted in a report showing that available school places are unevenly distributed across the borough. Amongst its findings, the report recommends changes to catchment areas, including the sharing of the catchment area between Emmer Green and The Hill primary schools. (Reading Chronicle, 04/12/08 p7, Reading Evening Post 05/12/08 p4)

An eco-project at Emmer Green Primary School is described in a feature in the 'Post'. The project involves the creation of a nature garden and pond by the children as part of a scheme led by the Reading Association of Landscape Contractors (RALF). (Reading Evening Post 04/12/08 p5)

Environment

A letter from a Chiltern Road couple pours scorn on assertions that there is little noise from aircraft in the skies above Caversham. The letter says: "we have had aircraft passing over this area so low that the noise inhibits normal conversation when outside ... ... we have also been woken by very large aircraft flying low as early as 5am". (Reading Evening Post 03/12/08 p6)

Festivals

Details of the new Reading 'Heavenly Planet' music festival were announced on Monday, December 1st at a launch event on the Caversham Princess pleasure cruiser at Thames Promenade. The festival takes place over the weekend from Friday, July 10th 2009, and is organised as a local replacement to WOMAD by the RBC, Reading Festival organiser Festival Republic and WOMAD's former creative director Thomas Brooman. It will take place on the riverside site by the Rivermead leisure centre, and is targeted at a family audience. The line-up (so far) includes the Drummers of Burundi, the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and the Wonder Stuff. Excellent. (Reading Evening Post02/12/08 pp1,3)

Local History

The weekly 'Notes from the Strongroom' feature by David Cliffe of Reading Central Library comments on an old postcard that depicts a statue of a bearded man - supposedly by the Mapledurham riverside. The feature enquires if the statue is still there, and there is additional interesting information on Mapledurham House - the ancestral home of the Blount family. (Reading Chronicle 04/12/08 p16)