Page 1169 - Reading Mercury

Water companies’ complaints of water shortages have also been validated by the
Met. Office with 38% less rain falling than average. This was coupled with the
highest average number of sunshine hours a day, 4.86 hours, the 14th highest in 90
years.

nd
Thur, 22 Jan
After three years of fundraising the Wokingham branch of the Red Cross officially
unveiled its new £30,000 ambulance at the weekend. It was launched by Mayor Jack
Earnshaw as a Mobile First Aid Unit in the Market Place.

th
Thur, 29 Jan
The, 96 year-old Church House on Easthampstead Road is to be demolished.

Thur 26th Feb
MONICA PARSONS DIES
Well known Wokingham Times reporter Monica Parsons died suddenly last
weekend because of heart failure. She covered district schools, church and theatre
news, and as a long-time resident of Wokingham, she picked up nuggets of
information in her travels around the town. She also made many visits to schools
giving talks and presentations, and to groups including the Rotary and Lion Clubs.
She often put a brave face on things having battled with a kidney problem, which
put her in hospital for a year, and cancer. She was registered blind almost two years
ago after a rapid deterioration in her sight and had to use special magnifying
equipment at work.
She was married to Leslie for 37 years and had three children: Hannah aged 18;
Eleanor aged 22; and Alistair aged 22 who were the focus of her life. The family lived
in Ormonde Road.
The cause of her death is not yet clear, but she collapsed suddenly at her home
where she was found by her husband on Sunday morning.
A minute’s silence was observed for her at the Budget Meeting at Wokingham
District Council on Monday night as a tribute to the highly regarded journalist who
had done so much for the community over the years. She will be cremated tomorrow
th
(Friday, Feb. 27 .)

TOWN HALL TO GET £700,000 KISS-OF-LIFE
Wokingham’s historic Town Hall is to receive a £700,000 face lift. Councillors are
putting forward the regeneration plan as their millennium project to create something
of a lasting value for the town. They want to hand Wokingham Town Hall back to the
people.
Around a £100,000 is required for essential maintenance work to keep the building
in shape. Councillors have seized the opportunity to put forward radical plans on
grounds that one big refurbishment project will be cheaper than lots of make-do-and-
mend schemes in the long run. Also included will be a restaurant and a cafe run by the
town’s young people.
The outside of the building will be unchanged although the outdoor and indoor
markets will be improved.
The Town Hall has fallen into decay over many years and the kitchen and toilets fall
short of public health requirements. Another part of the plan will be to provide
adequate heating and lighting and attention will be given to musty, damp rooms. A lift
and ramps will be installed to provide disabled access to all floors.

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