Reading Civic Society

03/05/2026

Last week to the Rotary Club of Reading Abbey dinner to learn more about their Launch Reading project which helps establish and develop new businesses in Reading by supporting and developing entrepreneurs in under-resourced communities in the Reading area. It achieves this by providing free training, business development services, and networking opportunities. To find out more go to https://launchreading.org/

The club has been very interested in our Look Draw Build@Reading & Bristol Station Project for Primary schools, which is now in its 5th Year with Jelly Arts leading the project. https://www.readingcivicsociety.org.uk/activities/look-draw-build-2025/

At the end of the evening the President Peter Mason presented me with a mass of toilet roll cores collected by members. These will be packed into the boxes for each class workshop when the children build their own model railway stations. The cores are used by the children to build model trains and as structural elements for their stations.

The project was delivered to schools in Reading in March. The Bristol Schools in late May / early June with all materials for each class already packed.

So these will head to my attic for 2027 project.

Thank you RCRA it was a fun and interesting evening.

Rotary Club of Reading Abbey Reading Rotary Club

29/04/2026

28 April to the Thames Valley Leadership Summit held in the Students Union at the University . A well organised and excellent event which engaged some 80 guests, for details see the Berkshire Lieutenancy post below.

Great to be part of the Berkshire Lieutenancy team assisting to run the event. We had excellent support from the University team.

Maidenhead Civic SocietyThe Wokingham Society The Henley Society Dorchester Civic SocietyLeeds Civic Trust Pontefract Civic SocietyBirmingham Civic Society

29/04/2026

The programme of Look Draw Build@Reading & Bristol Stations for Primary schools includes a guided visit to Reading and Bristol Stations led by the GWR Acessiblity Mentor. This is the LOOK section. During the visit the children (mainly year 5s) are explained how to navigate a modern station, the key features of a station and safety on the Railway.

In March the visits to Reading Station were followed by the "Design your own station" (DRAW) and then the model station building workshops (BUILD). These were led by Jelly and young professional engineers/ architects and Reading Civic Society members.

The visits for Bristol schools will take place in May and the class workshops in early June.

Jelly Richard Stainthorp

19/04/2026

Cartwheeling Boy now fully in place with information boards now added.

Abbey ward Councillors Reading Düsseldorf Association

19/04/2026

https://www.facebook.com/cavershamresidents/posts/pfbid0oSsfcXf7y8if6KdAgRWQDYrEbyRjp4PpeUx4wyMVjivdWfFFZmthZhauLBz2QtzAl

Come along to our AGM on 19th May and also learn something about Caversham 100 years ago as we celebrate some major local anniversaries.