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‘New’ Caversham Bridge Centenary

THE OLD BRIDGE Caversham Bridge, dating back to the 13th century was patched up over the centuries and the iron bridge which replaced it in 1869 was soon inadequate for a growing population. The Reading Extension Order in 1911, bringing Caversham into Reading, provided for a new or wider bridge. Was this to be a new bridge? Should it be in the same place? How should it be built?

It soon became clear that widening the existing bridge was not an option, nor a bridge terminating on Church Street. The benefits of reinforced concrete, with the latest techniques, won out over a steel suspension structure…Read More

Sumer is icumen in

IT IS TIME to make the most of long June days and hopefully balmy summer evenings, although this is written in mid- May and it has been unseasonally cold! We recently visited Reading Museum to see the manuscript which includes the ancient song Sumer is icumen in (Summer has arrived) on loan from the British Library, so the title seemed appropriate!
We lead this month with the centenary of Caversham Bridge, a physical connection across the Thames which is vital for our community (above). The Thames itself features in an article celebrating the joys
of ‘messing about in boats’ (p8) and the beautiful river on our doorstep. We do have much to offer in our area, both in terms of environment and independent businesses…Read More

Celebrating ten years of giving a second chance

SERENA SWANSTON is the heart and soul behind Forget Me Not Reading Rescue, and this year celebrates an incredible ten years of giving dogs a second chance at life.
It all started when Serena rescued her own dog from Romania and became curious about her history. What she discovered when she travelled there changed her life forever. Witnessing the scale of animal suffering on the ground, she came home determined to make a difference and Forget Me Not Reading Rescue was born. Since then, Serena has rescued over 500 dogs, from both Romania and the UK – some of them pulled back from the brink of euthanasia…Read More

Raising plants to raise funds

DESPITE THE unseasonal weather, the annual plant sale in May organised by Pam and Phil Chatfield in support of Water Aid and the Red Cross in Ukraine raised more than £2000. A marquee and gazebos in the garden protected plants and customers from the worst of the weather, and the well-stocked tables were soon in need of replenishment. Pam had grown more than 100 tomato plants from seed, as well as hundreds of others, including the ever-popular cosmos. Generous friends donated plants and baked cakes, and Tricia Marcouse provided plant advice throughout the sale…Read More

Blessing the Baskets

OUR MARCH edition included an article by Leszek Kujawa about the Polish traditional Blessing of the Baskets service at Our Lady and St Anne’s Catholic Church. Following the service, Leszek sent the following update and photo: At the Blessing of the Baskets this morning at Our Lady and St Anne’s, we had over 40 baskets to be blessed, and about 100 people attended from a wide range of nationalities in addition to those with a Polish heritage. It certainly was the highest number since we started about ten years ago…Read More

A Handy Sum

A GREAT DAY out was had by all who attended the Household and Handyman sale at St Barnabas, Emmer Green, on Saturday 2 May. There was a great community feel to the whole event, with bargains galore. The items sold on the day included bicycles, garden cloches, a picnic table with stools, and a set of old-fashioned scales with weights. For the first time in years, the plant stall sold out.
Progress Theatre acquired props for a period drama, and Greenshoots in Sonning Common (part of the Ways and Means Trust) benefitted from some of our leftovers. In total we raised around £1,600 for our charities, Education for Life and Masicorp…Read More

Dogs to help Raise the Roof

ST PETER’S CHURCH, the oldest church in Caversham, dating back to 1162, has launched a Raising the Roof appeal. In an article in our November 2025 edition, Francis Serjeant reported on the problem of tiles falling from the roof. The appeal aims to raise £180,000 to restore the roof and stop tiles sliding off. As a first step, snow guards have been fitted to catch slipping tiles. In common with so many ancient and historic buildings, a great deal of regular repair and maintenance is needed to protect the building and keep it open.
A fundraising event is planned for a Summer Fair, featuring an Artisan Market and Fun Dog Show, on Saturday 4 July in Caversham Court Gardens…Read More

For Your Bookshelf

WHEN IT COMES to inspiring a passion for reading in children, we love seeing a revival of classic children’s literature. Following the new film adaptation of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, the children’s pick for the month needs little introduction. First published in 1943, the second book in The Faraway Tree series remains one of the most beloved children’s fantasy tales.

The adult pick of the month is Strange Buildings by Japanese author Uketsu, translated into English by Jim Rion. I can truly guarantee you will have not read anything like this before. Uketsu (real name and identity unknown) began as a Youtuber and creator of short, surreal horror films, and has now written three books, Strange Buildings being the latest (published in English in 2026). The book is comprised of a series of deeply unsettling, mysterious and masterfully crafted stories…Read More

Live and Local

I HAD A very busy weekend in April, with tickets to two wildly contrasting shows over the weekend of the 11th/12th. We had some classic rock on the Saturday, and a tribute to Sweden’s finest, Abba, on the Sunday.
Starting strong with a visit to one of my favourite small venues in town, The Facebar, my friends and I saw Thunder Hammer from Stoke on Trent who have been wowing audiences around the UK since 2016 with their incredible Monsters of Rock show…Read More

Happy Wanderer prescribes St John’s Wort

A GOOD DEAL of folklore surrounds the various wild species of St John’s Wort, which have yellow flowers that open around the feast day of St. John the Baptist, 24 June. The botanical name, Hypericum, was arrived at in ancient times. They were plants which were hung above icons and statues to repel evil and bring good fortune in Greece and Rome. In later times, in Christian England, the plants were associated with St. John because of the time they flowered, and because their red sap reminded people of the beheading of St. John. People hung bunches above their doors, put sprigs under their pillows, and carried pieces around under their left armpits to keep evil away…Read More

Messing about in boats

BELIEVE ME, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats’. So, on Bank Holiday Sunday, we decided to take Ratty’s advice to Mole in Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows and booked a trip with Thames Rivercruise.
We chose to take the 90-minute round trip to Mapledurham aboard The Alexandra under the expert guide of our friendly and informative captain and crew who pointed out the various sites of interest along the route, both historic and more recent. We passed the delightful Caversham Court Gardens, with its Gazebo built in 1663…Read More

Record Store Day

ON SATURDAY 18 April, Caversham’s very own Pop Classics Record shop hosted their annual Record Store Day event. This is a day when independent record shops come together around the globe to sell exclusive vinyl-only releases from some of the world’s biggest names in music. This year the list included Madonna, Taylor Swift, Pink Floyd, John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen and many others…Read More

Serdio Ibericos / Miss Crocquetas

ESTHER SERDIO opened her Spanish delicatessen in Prospect Street in 2023. Previously she had worked in London, but her passion for home cooking and the traditional food of Seville inspired her to start a market stall to sell her delicious products. For a few years she set up her stall in local markets and became a regular at the Sunday Market in Caversham. As her business developed she needed a bigger kitchen and eventually took over the premises at 8 Prospect Street…Read More

Wellbeing…

IT WAS READING an RHS article that made me appreciate how lucky we are to have gardens to work in. The article told how scientific research backs up the belief that ‘gardening supports our physical and mental wellbeing’.
I think I am a reasonably happy man, but I do get miserable at times, and the garden is a great place for cheering me up. Perhaps there are moments when I notice too many weeds but, generally, there is always something to boost my morale. Even in winter, a beautiful robin following me around will make me realise there is some peace to be found in the world…Read More

Fathers and Forests

WITH FATHER’S DAY approaching on 21 June, attention turns to celebrating those men who positively influence and care for their children, and those who may not be ‘fathers’ but still play a crucial fatherly role in the lives of those around them.
Although the usual images for Father’s Day tend to stick to golf, cars, beers and gardens, there is another more interesting link – a tree…Read More

Beanpoles and more

ECONET ORGANISED another successful event in Caversham Court Gardens on a sunny Saturday 18 April. Despite access difficulties following the damage to the main gates, stallholders were able to set up in plenty of time for the 10:00 opening.
The good weather seemed to encourage visitors, and the stalls were busy throughout the day. Many people commented on the friendly, community nature of the event…Read More

The Reading Climate Festival

STARTING THINGS off on 1 June is a resourcing event for churches in Reading at St Laurence Church, Friar Street 19:00 to 21:00. This is a marketplace for energy efficiency with stalls including Heat Hack, Reading Community Energy, EcoChurch and Green Christians, followed by talks and Q&A on the science of climate change and efficient, sustainable energy options for churches and funding new projects. The evening is aimed at incumbents, PCC members, EcoChurch leads, and anyone who would like to help their church reduce bills and care for the planet. For enquiries or to book your free place, please email reading@greenchristian.org.uk…Read More

An Opportunity to Serve!

CHURCHES IN Reading Drop In Centre (CIRDIC) aims to meet a range of needs to Reading’s homeless, poor and those living a marginal existence. It was established in 1990 because a group of local Christians wanted to respond to the needs of the homeless and clearly disadvantaged people in Reading. Originally the aim was to provide a welcoming place in which to offer food and clothing. Now, in response to growing needs, the Centre offers a wide range of support services to our guests.
In addition to hot nutritious meals, clean clothing and toiletries, there are bath and shower facilities…Read More

You don’t have to work the room: networking advice for introverts

WALKING INTO a room full of strangers, name badge on, sixty-second pitch ready, is not my idea of a good time. I’m an introvert. Not shy, not unfriendly, not bad at conversation. I can hold a conversation, present to a room and meet new people perfectly well. But afterwards, I need time alone to recharge. Large, noisy events full of small talk and elevator pitches drain me completely.
For years I thought this made me bad at networking. It doesn’t. It just means I do it differently. Introversion is about energy, not confidence. Extroverts gain energy from being around people. Introverts spend it…Read More

One foot in front of the other

I FOUND MYSELF marvelling at the variety of summer sandals on display; the colours and designs are very tempting. It’s as if my feet are feeling joyful, emerging from their winter hibernation in socks and shoes! Our feet are surprisingly complex. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and a network of nerves and blood vessels. Our feet also have more than 100 muscles and multiple connectors, called tendons and ligaments. In addition to calluses, corns, bunions, and other foot infections…Read More