Page 1161 - Reading Mercury

10th, 1997 and the awards will be presented on March 22nd.

1997

th
Thur 16 Jan
50 NOMINATED FOR CIVIC AWARDS
A Veteran voluntary youth worker and helpful neighbours are just a few of the
nominees for Wokingham’s first civic awards. The awards are to be given to hard
working and caring members of the community by the town council who had fifty
entries up to the deadline last Friday. Among the men and women nominated is a
retired woman who looks after her ill husband but finds the time to give other lifts
around the town. Other nominees include a medical worker who has acted above and
beyond the call of duty, helpful neighbours and a special constable. Brian Sansom,
aged 66, of Oaklands Drive has been nominated by youth and community worker
Tommy Elwood, after dedicating a lot of his free time over 25 years to supervising
youngsters who attend local clubs.
Each of the 25 people who are judged to receive an award will get an engraved glass
crystal paperweight for their good work. Councillors see the award as an opportunity
for the town to say a big thank you to those who work hard and care about those in
Wokingham’s community. Mayor Tina Marinos was delighted so many nominations
had been sent in, evidence that so many people were helping other in the community.
The winners will be judged on January 23 with a presentation ceremony at the end of
March.

HISTORICAL TREASURE UNEARTHED IN WATER RECORDS
The leather-bound water company ledgers were found abandoned in a skip by a
Wokingham resident, and after his death his widow took them to a specialist in selling
old books. He suggested she take them to Wokingham Councillor, Bob Wyatt who
collects historical books. Mr. Wyatt of Sturges Road is now restoring the treasures to
their former glory.
The three volumes give the minutes of the Wokingham and District Water Company
Ltd., established in 1878, which tell of the workings and intrigues of the company and
its employees.

rd
Thur 23 Jan
PASSING INTO HISTORY
The end of an era at Arborfield’s Army Apprentices College was marked with a
special march. The final contingent of REME students to complete a two-year
apprenticeship—intake 95A—passed out of the college in style. After the end of term
church service they marched smartly and proudly to the gate of Hazelbrouck Barracks
while colleagues lined the roadside.
During their time at the college the apprentices studied military skills, military
education, leadership, technical studies and vehicle mechanics. They also got the
chance to take part in a wide variety of sports and hobbies such as cycling, football,
go-karting and playing in the college band.
From now on the college will be running scaled-down eight-month foundation
courses for REME and Royal Signals apprentices, who will be joined soon by trainees
in the Royal Engineers and the Royal Logistics Corp. They will then go on to
complete their apprenticeships at each corps’ specialist establishments.
th
The passing out parade took place on December 20 .

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