Page 863 - Reading Mercury

Pleasant Outlook
A site on Finchampstead Road, Wokingham, has been given by Mr. P. Vaughan-
Morgan. The land is now being farmed by his daughter, Miss I. Vaughan-Morgan, a
member of the society, and the future tenants will have a pleasant southerly outlook
on to her pastures.
The building has been designed as a terraced ground-floor construction, providing
accommodation for twelve tenants—eight, single and two double units. A unit
comprises a living-room with bed recess, kitchenette and bathroom, with a second
bedroom for the double units.
In each unit French windows on the south side give on to the garden, and in the
Finchampstead Road side the front doors are sheltered so that the tenant may sit and
watch the world go by. Each coal store is accessible from outside and inside. The
entire building will be centrally heated, though the units will have a modern
continuous-burning grate in the living room. Cooking and hot water will be by
electricity. With possible visitors or illness in mind, the society are providing a guest
room, for which a small charge will be made.
Individual Homes
No communal rooms are to be built—“these are to be individual homes,” says Miss
Godsal, chairman of the society, “without any hostel atmosphere.” Only fit and active
people will be selected as tenants, but to ensure some supervision in case of minor
illness or accident, a retired nurse will be among them.
Cost of the scheme is expected to be about £10,000, of which most will be raised by
loan from the local authority. Once established it must be self-supporting, with rents
at an economic figure. “We make no secret of the fact that we have a means test,”
Miss Godsal told me. “and when I mention it to any would-be tenants, they are quite
frank about telling me their incomes.” The housing scheme is a long-standing
ambition of Miss Godsal, who first realised the need for this long before the war.
The Aims
She has trained herself in housing matters through work on local housing authorities
and by practical experience. “We aim to house those for whom no special provision is
at present made by local authorities,” she said. “There is much hardship among
elderly men and women struggling to live on tiny pensions and small savings, and to
whom privacy matters a great deal. We feel that our scheme may be the answer to
their problems.” The Wokingham Area Housing Society believe that they are the first
to request the use of the loan powers of Berkshire County Council for housing
societies.
FEMINA

th
Sat 11 Dec
SALVAGE
The Wokingham Town Council have sold four tons of waste paper—for £24—the
Public Health Committee were told at their November meeting.

MASS RADIOGRAPHY
th
A mass radiography unit is to visit Wokingham on January 24 for three weeks, and
will probably be stationed in the forecourt of Montague house, Broad Street.

CHRISTMAS PARTY
A Christmas party was held in the Salvation Army Hall, Wokingham, on Monday. An

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