Page 1185 - Reading Mercury

The theatre will be able to fund around half the cost of the project and is hoping to
raise the rest from businesses in the Wokingham area. Building work will start next
summer and should be completed before Christmas 2000. During this period they will
continue to stage productions at other theatres.

th
Wed 11 Aug
BENEFACTRESS LEAVES ESTATE TO WOKINGHAM SOCIETY
Miss Isobel Clifton, former partner in Clifton Ingram, Solicitors, founded by her uncle left
£20,000 and most of her estate to the Wokingham Society. She had no connections with the
Wokingham Society before her death in October last year so the bequest has baffled and
delighted Society members.
She left Wokingham about twenty years ago as the developers moved in and the population
swelled and moved to Farnham, Surrey where she died alone. She paved the way for
professional women in the town, becoming its first female tax commissioner. Her successor in
that job and one time executor of her will, Sue Balchin said that she hated the growth and
development of Wokingham with a passion. She bought up a strip of land to stop the
development of Elizabeth Park. She felt that the only body likely to do anything helpful for
the town was the Wokingham Society.

Wed 3rd Nov
RENEWING OLD FRIENDSHIPS
An exchange which has been running between Wokingham and its twin town
Erfstadt in Germany was renewed with a fresh visit. A party of 22 Germans from
Freisheim-Erfstadt made a flying visit and were given a whirlwind tour of the town’s
hotspots. After scoring some strikes at Firstbowl, in Wokingham and a trip to
Madame Tussaud’s in London, the group partied the night away at a disco and
barbeque at the Rides Sports and Social Club in Finchampstead.
Gordon McGrath, bar chairman of the Rides Sports and Social Club explained that
the group had been visiting as part of an exchange since 1981. It started when the
Californian Boys Football Club started to play football with their German
counterparts.
The group which arrived on Thursday left after four days on Sunday.

QUEEN’S PRAISE FOR RAIL HEROES
Paramedics from Wokingham have been honoured by the Queen for their part in the
Paddington rail crash rescue. Heroes, Linda Goulding, Andy Weavers and Mike
Smith were presented with a telegram from the Queen at an awards ceremony on
Thursday, October 28th, at the ambulance headquarters in Finchampstead Road,
Wokingham. Fellow paramedic, Tom Michiels was unable to attend the ceremony in
person due to work commitments.
Paramedic Mike Smith and trainee paramedic Tom Michiels became the first
Berkshire crew to arrive at the scene of the fateful crash on Tuesday, October 5th.
They were closely followed by Linda Goulding and Andy Weavers.
Talking of his experiences at the crash scene, Mr. Smith said, “The railway carriage
looked like it had been laying on its side for about 20 years, not half an hour. There
was a strong burning smell in the air.”
Linda Goulding added, “We just went in there and did it. There wasn’t any time to
think about your own emotions.”
The crews were sent down the railway embankment 200 yards from the burnt-out
carriage and had to wait for about 45 minutes to take out the next patient. They took a

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