I was at the Wales Tourism Summit last week and learnt that the Tourist Boards were started 50 years ago this year, meanwhile The Wokingham Paper started four years ago bringing you local news and information.
Both are a cause for celebration as they are happy milestones.
Wherever I go I always make a point of reading the local paper and chatting to the locals to learn more about the area and what’s going on.
Huge thanks to Phil and the team for bringing us the news and views for over 200 weeks and long may you continue.
At the heart of the community
A newspaper is so often at the heart of a community as well as the people and last week I read the sad news that Bob Wyatt had died.
Bob was a community stalwart, that rare breed of gentle man whose interests included local politics and the wider world, with a heart of gold and a warm smile.
I knew Bob for many years and would often chat to him around town. He will be missed by many.
School holidays
Tomorrow the schools break up and I am often asked what’s on or open and I tend to say open your eyes and your mind and you will find something that appeals to you.
We are lucky in this area to have so much on our doorstep, granted the perception is that there’s a lack of green space but there are plenty of places to go.
When I was a child we had green fields at the bottom of our garden, the gravel was extracted for the A329(M) and man made lakes appeared, this area is now what everyone knows as Dinton Pastures meanwhile the A329 has lost some of its (M) status but all is not lost.
Dinton is hugely popular and a fabulous community asset whilst the A329 is both one of the busiest and yet at times a quicker alternative getting from Reading or Winnersh to Wokingham.
Longer days and lambs
This time of year is my favourite with its longer days, fields of lambs and new shoots in the garden.
I am fortunate that I will be in conversation with the Radio 2 Allotment Expert Terry Walton and British flower farmer George Newbery at an event next month so I will be able to put some questions to them, if you have any burning questions for them let me know.
Nellie Williams
www.nelliepompoms.co.uk