Celebrations for the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day are set to take place across the area this May This website uses 'cookies' to give you the best Using this website means you are Ok with this You can change which cookies are set at any time - and find out more about them - by following this link<\/a> motors and property from the Maidenhead Advertiser Follow me on Twitter An announcement was made on May 8 1945 that the war in Europe had ended and celebrations took place across the country This year’s commemorations will kick off across the Bank Holiday weekend with plenty of events and street parties taking place including across the Royal Borough and East Berkshire areas There will also be events to mark the anniversary on Thursday we have collated together several celebratory events taking place across the area A temporary exhibition entitled ‘Maidenhead at War’ is set to open to the public from Thursday which describes life on the Home Front in Maidenhead uniforms and objects ranging from tins of dried eggs to a first aid kit provided by Boots Numerous military and ATA uniforms will also be on display The heritage centre has previously appeal for the public's help in identifying anyone they know from a photo taken at a VE Day tea party in Princess Street.  76 have been identified and only 24 are yet to be named.  and if anyone had relatives who lived in Princess Street and thinks they could help The heritage centre is also looking for help to name those appearing another VE Day celebration photo taken in Alwyn Road guests are invited to attend a free reminiscence session at Maidenhead Heritage Centre and share their memories of what life was like during and immediately after World War Two The memories will cover their lives as children the games they played and the experiences they had The event will take place from 10.30am to 12.30pm and coffee A street party will be taking place in College Avenue in Maidenhead from 2pm onwards on Monday war-time themed music and bunting to celebrate VE in Boyn Valley Road A street party will take place between 1 and 35 Boyn Valley Road from 1pm to 5pm on Monday Men’s Matters will be marking the occasion with a celebratory VE Day 80 event The event will take place Maidenhead Community Centre on Wednesday A VE Day street party is set to take place in Highfield Road on Monday with some of Fielding Road also join in with the fun Guests will get to bring their own lunch at around 1pm and will enjoy games and a quiz later at around 4.30pm.  A VE Day Picnic on the Moor is set to take place on Cookham Moor from noon onwards on Sunday the community picnic is taking place at the same location as the original VE Day celebrations in the village in 1945.  the committee has created a afternoon of celebration for the entire community.  Youngsters from the three primary schools in Cookham have created some bunting for the occasion.  There will be plenty of free children's games and activities to enjoy as well as cake baking and fancy dress competitions.  Guests will enjoy an afternoon of 1940s music performed by local schools alongside dancing and crowd singing.  Father Stephen Mills will lead a one-minute silence at the end of the afternoon to remember those who gave their lives.  Through additional funding contributed by the Kings Hall Trust the team has also created an exhibition sharing the stories of those from Cookham who lost their lives during World War Two to 'bring them back to life for the future generations'.  There will also be memories and stories shared by residents.  said: "We couldn't have put on the event without the support of the whole community to whom we're really grateful." Guests are being welcomed to enjoy a VE Day street party in Holyport on Monday The area will be closed from Bartletts Lane to Langworthy Lane from 10am to 6pm for the celebrations.  Attendees can bring along tables and chairs and set up from 11am along the road and within the car park area of the Holyport War Memorial Hall.  football and park will be left free for youngsters to play safely.  Guests will be able to try their hand at pickleball and take part in a competition.  Rossetti Ices will be in attendance with their van and Moneyrow Beans will be serving up some locally roasted coffee and drinks.  Plenty of food and drink will be available from the barbecue and bar and guests are welcome to bring their own picnic The British Legion will host a stall on the say and there are plenty of surprises to look forward to.  A memorial wall will be on display inside the hall and guests are encouraged to bring a photo or a piece of history to display.  nostalgia and celebration is promised at Danesfield House on VE Day.  guests will enjoy a range of treats including afternoon tea.  A photographic interpretation unit display will showcase RAF Medmenham's role in the war and there will be classic cars to see from the era.  Tea dancers and period actors will transport guests back in time.  Tickets cost £50.00 and £5 from each ticket will be donated to the RAF Medmenham collection charity.  Pre-payment is requires and tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable.  Smaller groups may need to share a table.  Guests who book a table of ten will receive one guest complimentary The Cippenham Royal British Legion is set to host a celebration for the community at its based from noon to 5pm on Monday Guests will enjoy afternoon team for £10 per person Cream teas will also be available for £3 each or two for £5 and this will include a scone An array of children’s activities will be on offer a fundraising raffle and music by DJ Steve will be open for guests to raise a glass to mark the occasion Organisers ask that guests pre-book to avoid missing out For more information email cippenham.chair@rbl.community or call 07753604271 the legion is inviting guests to enjoy an evening of bingo from 8pm guests will pause for a singalong to the hymn I Vow Thee My Country Slough Libraries will be marking the historic milestone with displays and decorations and a special afternoon at The Curve.  library visitors can help decorate the library by creating bunting and paper chains using materials available from staff at the Cippenham The Curve will feature a display of photos and newspapers showcasing Slough's war-time history.  providing an opportunity to find out more information about free access to the Ancestry website at the library or create a playlist of nostalgic music.  The event will also allow people to bring along their photos memorabilia and family stories to share.  A community commemoration will also take place at Britwell Library on Thursday organised by the Britwell Community Forum.  Events Voters have had their say in local council elections across Buckinghamshire Construction workers did make a mistake when building a new £1.3million roundabout the RBWM cabinet member for highways has said The Conservatives lost a long-held majority at Buckinghamshire Council and fell one seat short of the 49 needed - but how did the votes fall in the county's south A murder investigation has been launched in Slough after a 46-year-old man was killed in an attack © Copyright 2024 Baylis Community Media CIC All right reserved Dog walkers in Cookham are divided over a parish council decision to introduce a dogs-on-the-lead policy at one of its large parks, Alfred Major Recreation Ground Free Weekly Newspaper of the Year 2018 motors and property from the Slough Express Dog walkers in Cookham are divided over a parish council decision to introduce a dogs-on-the-lead policy at one of its large parks Alfred Major Recreation Ground is owned by Cookham Parish Council (CPC) It is a popular place for letting dogs off the lead CPC made the difficult decision to introduce a set of new rules for Alfred Major including a requirement to keep dogs on the lead a flurry of posts has appeared on social media accompanied by scores of comments from people in disagreement on whether this was the right call One of those against the changes described it as ‘one of the most disappointing decisions’ for the village Others pitched in to share their own ‘terrifying’ experiences of dogs that were not in their owner’s control and fears for their young children and grandchildren told the Advertiser that the parish council had been receiving complaints about out-of-control big dogs at Alfred Major grounds maintenance staff attempting to address the situation were being ‘abused’ by some of the owners CPC made the decision to extend the remit of its existing chief commons officer an enforcement professional who helps quell antisocial behaviour in Odney Common There was much debate over this at the parish council with some members feeling that all that was needed would be requirement to keep dogs under control But others felt this was flawed and doomed to fail anyone who complained to the dog owner would be told ‘Of course my dog is under my control,’ and that would just get them in an argument,” said Cllr Perry CPC voted for a rule to keep dogs on leads The new set of rules were passed this month then posted on all entrances to Alfred Major This was followed by ‘immediate vandalism on a 100 per cent scale’ with ‘every single copy’ getting torn down But amid a swell of ill-feeling both online and offline one of the people supporting the decision is Jus Moody an admin for the Cookham Dog Walkers Facebook group I now understand that the [parish council] have been left with little choice but to put these requirements in place “Of course it is a real shame… but I think we can hopefully understand that [CPC] are doing their job professionally and acting on the best solution for now.” feeling that the new rules merely punish the majority of responsible dog owners for the bad actions of the few Cllr Perry told the Advertiser he is ‘very happy to discuss this in a reasonable and productive way with anyone who wishes.’ “The council is not ‘dogmatic’ about this,” he said “I’ve got two dogs myself – I don’t want to get uptight with dog walkers who behave well “It’s a question of balancing our duty to protect the safety and comfort of all residents with the rights of ordinary The matter is due to be discussed at CPC’s next meeting on May 6 Cookhams Smoke could be seen rising from smouldering remains of the fire at the scene near the railway bridge where fire engines and police officers remained at 10pm Cookham looks set for weeks of traffic disruption as ‘essential’ road works spark long delays and tailbacks into Bourne End and towards Maidenhead Cookham looks set for weeks of traffic disruption as ‘essential’ road works spark long delays and tailbacks into Bourne End and towards Maidenhead Manually operated lights on Cookham Bridge are set to be in place from today (January 8) to help ease gridlocked traffic in the village caused by Cadent Gas works in Sutton Road.  The company expects work to be finished in the ‘next two weeks’ though disruption could persist for longer with more gas works planned along the road towards Maidenhead till late March Royal Borough cabinet member for highways and transport said changes to the lights on Cookham Bridge were hoped to ‘reduce the added impact’ of Cadent works Cllr Hill said some ‘dangerous’ drivers had jumped red lights at the bridge – which stopped traffic from being able to ‘flow as effectively as possible’ and added to problems Some drivers caught in the congestion – and in Tuesday morning’s snowfall – were also spotted marshalling traffic themselves to get vehicles moving through the village’s narrow roads A Cadent Gas spokesperson said the company would look to ‘optimise’ its temporary four way lights in Sutton Road to further ease pressure while it works to replace old gas pipes The spokesperson added the ‘first phase’ of works in Cookham is expected to be finished in ‘the next two weeks’ which would ‘resolve this current issue’ disruption could still persist as Cadent plans to continue working on Sutton Road for three months The company said it will progressively move south along the road towards Sheephouse Road in Maidenhead till March 28 Royal Borough cabinet member for highways and transport said: “Temporary traffic lights are in place on the A4094 to allow work by Cadent Gas to take place as safely and quickly as possible “They are being coordinated with the traffic lights on Cookham Bridge to allow traffic to flow as effectively as possible we have received reports of some motorists ignoring the red stop signal on the Bridge which is dangerous and also creates a backlog of vehicles the temporary traffic lights will be supported with manually controlled traffic signals on the Bridge from today.” A Cadent spokesperson said: “We appreciate the concerns of those affected by the current traffic management system so we will be switching out the traffic lights on the bridge over the Thames “This will ease congestion and prevent the traffic blocking the bridge.  “We will have manually operated lights between 7am and 7pm each day which will ease the congestion and improve the traffic situation “The effect on traffic will be monitored and we look to optimise the flow over peak times “We anticipate completing this first phase during the next two weeks “I would like to thank the local residents for their patience while we complete these essential works." Traffic and Travel Chaos gripped Cookham when Cadent Gas first started work in the village Now the company is back with a 'reprogrammed' timeline.  Cookham High Street faces ‘another nail in the coffin’ ahead of 34 weeks of major roadworks in the village traffic controls will hit Sutton Road as Cadent Gas resumes an ‘essential’ operation to replace ageing gas pipes lasting until November Chaos gripped Cookham when the company started – and soon abandoned – digging up the road in January as drivers battled traffic pileups stretching into Maidenhead and Bourne End High Street retailers still reeling from the effects of Cookham Bridge’s closure and the COVID pandemic fear more disruption threatens to push them over the edge Devine Flowers flower shop owner Adam Garrett said the roadworks would ‘destroy the High Street’ He said: ‘This is another nail in the coffin’ you consider whether it’s actually worth having a shop on the High Street because it certainly doesn’t pay for itself.” When Cookham Bridge closed for six months in 2023/24 it severed a main access point to the village – and cut off income for High Street businesses over the crucial Christmas period The bridge again became a frustration when issues with traffic light phasing during Cadent’s first crack at Sutton Road left drivers marshalling traffic over the Thames themselves Drivers battled gridlock during the initial set of works The company would later introduce manually operated lights at the bridge which it says will be in place again for the coming work “I’m not educated enough in gas works to be able to say how they could mitigate it,” said Adam He said: “My only plus side is thank God it’s happening on Monday and not the day before and destroying Mother’s Day for me as the bridge did last year.” Little Bookshop manager Chantal Farquhar said she feared for her neighbouring shopkeepers already saddled with rising business rates She said: “It’s almost like they don’t want a nice High Street in somewhere like Cookham.” Delivery delays due to standstill traffic amid January’s works and customers dodging the disruption “People heard about that quite quickly – because it was horrible – and then that meant that people just avoided the area,” she said “That cut our footfall down to just pretty much how it was when the bridge closed.” optimistic Cookham villagers would come together to support the High Street in a repeat of unity shown during the bridge closure and pandemic “I’m hoping that they will do the same thing again we’ll have a rallying cry and I’m hopeful the community will understand and support us.” Cookham ward councillor Mandy Brar (Lib Dem) said she had met with Cadent representatives and warned against a repeat of January’s ‘chaos’ Cadent has also held a workshop with Cookham businesses Roadworks kick off at the Sutton Road junction with High Street then will gradually move towards Maidenhead over the 34 weeks Cllr Brar said the work ‘had to be done’ as ‘sometimes you can smell gas at places’ along the pipeline Highlighting the upcoming Easter period for businesses she added: “Of course I’m worried about the impact.” Councillor Geoff Hill said the council was doing ‘everything we can’ to minimise disruption Oldfield) said: “We’re quite happy to take calls from any businesses or residents if they’re experiencing severe inconvenience and do everything we can to address it “[The council] does care about Cookham High Street,” Cllr Hill said “We also have to care about gas supplies as well.” He added: “If we don’t ensure the infrastructure is upgraded particularly with all the properties being developed water or electric won’t be – how should we say – as available as it should be Cadent head of investment delivery Stuart Donaldson said: “Over the years there have been multiple repairs on these gas mains resulting in extensive traffic management measures each time “These frequent repairs have significantly disrupted the road He added: “While this project will temporarily affect the area it is designed to eliminate the need for recurrent repairs thereby reducing traffic congestion and disruption.” Traffic and Travel A Cadent spokesperson said the company had ‘decided to halt work to ensure the security of gas supplies in the area’ A company carrying out disruptive gas works in Cookham has announced it will be postponing the project and restarting later in the year.  Cadent Gas was set to continue works in Sutton Road through until late March but has now said it will wrap up work by Sunday Drivers have battled long delays and gridlock at peak times since work to replace gas pipes in the village began earlier this week A Cadent spokesperson said the company had ‘decided to halt work to ensure the security of gas supplies in the area’ The company is set to finish the works on Monday It said the temporary four-way traffic lights in Sutton Road - and a manual light system at Cookham Bridge – will be removed by Sunday Problems stemming from the gas works saw traffic tailbacks stretching towards Maidenhead and across the River Thames into Bourne End The Royal Borough council’s cabinet member for highways Councillor Geoff Hill said congestion problems had been made worse by ‘dangerous’ drivers jumping red lights at Cookham Bridge A spokesperson for Cadent said: “We have assessed the work we were doing to replace a section of gas pipes along Sutton Road we have decided to halt work to ensure the security of gas supplies in the area and re-programme the project to be completed in the summer “We did adapt the traffic management over the bridge and we will ensure future traffic management will include this amendment to ensure traffic continues to flow and the traffic lights are manned at appropriate.  “The current work will be finished on Monday 13 January and all traffic management will be removed by close of play 19 January “We trust that residents and road users can be understanding and patient with us a little longer.” Festive spirit and competitive spirits collided in Cookham Dean as competitors faced off at the annual Boxing Day Games Festive and competitive spirits collided in Cookham Dean as competitors faced off at the annual Boxing Day Games More than 500 people braved the cold and foggy December morning – and a 9.30am early start – to enjoy the games at a muddy Old Cricket Common “The games went extremely well,” said organiser Peter Austen who has helped run the competition for decades and the games were fought in their usual friendly and highly competitive fashion.” Competitors battled over two hours of events which included the ‘Blindfold Bungee’ All for bragging rights and the coveted Loo Seat – which entrants have fought over since the early 1970s The 2024 winners were Dynamo 5 Elms with 83 points followed by gmbH on 74 points and The Winter Hillbillies on 69 points The hillbillies also bagged the Loo Lid trophy for winning the tug of war “We don’t allow people under 16s to compete because it’s quite vigorous in there: going under the rope; under some bales; through the hoops; under a scrambling net; and through a tunnel “Particularly during the first couple of laps when all the teams are quite close together -aggressive would be the wrong word for it The Boxing Day Games have taken place for more than 50 years with some entrants keeping up a long family tradition “Some of the teams are on their third generation now,” Peter said “Their grandfathers took part in the original football match that preceded these games for a few years - then joined the tug of war and continued from there.” £500 was raised for the Cookham Cherry Pickers – set to be donated to charitable causes around Cookham added: “I really would like to thank everyone for coming and taking part in such a good spirit - and for turning out quite early on Boxing Day morning.” Christmas Cookham figures are disgruntled with the Environment Agency for the continued closure of one of the ‘gems of Cookham’ for what they deem to be questionable reasons Sashes Island near Odney Common remains inaccessable Cookham figures are disgruntled with the Environment Agency for the continued closure of one of the ‘gems of Cookham’ for what they deem to be questionable reasons The Environment Agency (EA) closed the crossing over Odney Weir after two men died swimming in the water near the Cookham beauty spot in June 2020 The path leads across to a green open space owned by the Environment Agency Closing the weir removes access to this island a beauty spot that is popular with anglers – and also blocks off access to a public right of way Cookham Parish Council and The Cookham Society has been negotiating with the EA ever since to try to open it back up ‘Long and tortuous’ negotiations with the agency have rumbled on in the background – with the EA giving ‘a long list’ of reasons why it cannot open the weir back up again This year Cookham figures came to believe that the island was finally going to be reopened to the public – but the EA ‘regrettably rowed back’ on the commitment in July Dick Scarff of the Cookham Society and Bill Perry of Cookham Parish Council both expressed their frustrations in an article for Cookham Society’s autumn newsletter They said the EA stated that no further progress towards reopening could be made without erecting ‘a very tall’ steel palisade fence on Odney Common [this] is in one of Cookham's beauty spots [and] this type of fencing visual vandalism,” the pair wrote “It [also] does nothing to increase safety at the site.” All parties ‘had previously agreed that waist-high fencing was all that was needed’ to prevent anyone accidentally falling into the weir channel the body would not reopen access to the island the EA ‘could [not] give a commitment to opening “Working with the parish council and our RBWM ward councillors we shall continue to battle the Kafkaesque behaviour of the EA,” they said There is one factor in the Cookham Society’s favour – the EA wants to build its fence on the common itself and will need permission from the parish council Cllr Bill Perry said that judging by the fence the EA already had installed on the island side of the weir the proposed Commons-side fence will be ‘ghastly.’ “It stands about nine feet high and it’s that galvanised metal with the triple spike at the top,” he said “It will block off the view from the two benches the parish council has installed on the Common for people to sit and look at the river.” Mr Scarff agrees this obstruction would be a ‘terrible shame’ – as would be keeping the walking route to the island closed which is against EA guidance ‘to open up their land for public access “It’s a fabulous place and it should be open to the public,” he said “The safety of the general public and our staff on and around our locks “We hope to re-open public access across Odney Weir as soon as possible if safe to do so “We also appreciate the inconvenience caused by the prolonged closure but ask for the public’s patience while the walkway remains closed to ensure their safety.” The Environment Agency continues to work with local groups like Cookham Parish Council to provide safe public access over the weir again although the Environment Agency has no legal duty to do so Environment A major plan to build a new crematorium – which has already been lambasted by Cookham figures – is officially in the Royal Borough’s planning system A major plan to build a new crematorium – which has already been lambasted by Cookham figures – is officially in the Royal Borough’s planning system Funeral company Elegy floated the idea of putting in a new crematorium off Switchback Road North and Long Lane back in May This was immediately heavily criticised by Cookham community groups and the parish council over fears of the erasure of Cookham’s character and ‘dangerous’ impact on traffic Elegy has held that the crematorium is necessary due to an ageing population and climbing death rates in the region Significant delays in booking a service and long travel times contribute to a poor funeral experience The Chilterns Crematorium in Amersham is ‘having to look after more funerals than it can cope with’ and the next choices are in Reading or Bracknell ‘allows just 30 minutes between each funeral.’ It is envisaged the new crematorium would hold an average of four funerals a day on weekdays only “The Royal Borough crematorium would provide a less hurried Funeral director Julian Walker of AB Walker funeral services said they welcomed families having a ‘less rushed funeral experience’ Elegy spent five months listening to local comments and modifying the crematorium’s design it said – although the Cookham Society and Cookham Parish Council (CPC) say they have not heard from Elegy directly and were not aware of modifications One of the concerns raised by Cookham figures in May was the visual intrusion of the crematorium Planning documents state that filtration systems create ‘effectively clean air’ and as such the crematorium will have ‘a much-reduced chimney height’ – about one metre above the roofline the single-storey crematorium building will sit in the slope of the field and ‘will be screened on all sides with planting of trees shrubs and a wildflower meadow,’ says Elegy said she found it ‘extremely disappointing’ that Elegy has chosen to go ahead with its application “It is difficult to think of a worse place,” she said “It would further damage the openness of the very narrow area of greenbelt between Cookham and Maidenhead “This area is already under considerable pressure from adjacent development including two hundred new dwellings to be built nearby RBWM is set to decide on planning applications for Cannondown Road later this month “The proposed site has parking spaces for approximately 80 vehicles is poorly served by public transport and is accessed by a very narrow country lane leading at its south end to an already dangerous junction,” Cllr Edwards added She said the responses to Elegy's ‘very limited consultation’ were ‘overwhelmingly’ against the proposal and that suggested alterations were ‘largely superficial.’ that this crematorium is proposed for a fundamentally inappropriate site,” she said “If built it would erode the village nature of Cookham.” Planning A Cookham comedian has enlisted the help of her TV alter-ego to help resurrect a plan for a new safe cycling route around Cookham Cookham comedian Eline Van Der Velden is campaigning for better bike routes in the village Eline Van Der Velden is campaigning for better cycling paths in the village to ease ‘dangerous’ traffic congestion and pollution Her goal is to revive plans for a Cookham Cycle Track originally proposed in 2019 by the Copas family which would see the introduction of multiple cycle paths on private farmland has now released a video which depicts her TV character ‘Miss Holland’ pushing her bicycle around Cookham and encountering bin lorries buses and angry drivers on the village’s narrow roads Eline told the Advertiser: “I thought this would be a fun way to look at it Comedy spreads faster and I thought it would be a nice way to get everyone involved “We tried to get people in there from Cookham Dean Cookham Rye and Cookham village so everyone felt represented.” Last year, the Cookham Dean resident launched a petition on change.org calling for the introduction an off-road safe cycling route which has been signed by more than 2000 people says a cycling route connecting Cookham with Maidenhead and Bourne End would encourage villagers to lead ‘happier and healthier’ lifestyles everybody moves to Cookham or Maidenhead for fresh air and enjoying nature and the countryside Other suggestions to make Cookham more pedestrian and cyclist-friendly include the establishment of ‘Quiet Lanes’ This is a scheme predominantly used on rural routes where signs are erected to warn drivers to drive slowly and respect pedestrians and cyclists who may be using the road Eline said she wants to be able to take her daughter to school in Cookham by bicycle without the current safety fears which exist When the original plans for a Cookham Cycle Track were presented to the council’s Local Access Forum in 2019 the scheme was described as a ‘long-term ambition’ but it has not rolled on any further Eline added: “I’m working with the council and they’ve been really positive They are looking to resolve this and we have a meeting again in April “This is a must because we’ve got these big developments coming so to get the infrastructure sorted should really be a priority for everybody.” You can view Eline’s petition here: https://www.change.org/p/implement-a-safe-off-road-cycling-path-network-in-cookham-and-maidenhead Charity and community An action-packed festive programme is lined up for this Sunday as the Cookham Christmas Street Fayre returns for another year The popular event has been taking place in the village since the 1980s and looks to celebrate local businesses Stalls boasting everything from food and drink to crafts jewellery and clothing will line the High Street Visitors will be able to enjoy mulled wine at the free-to-attend event The fayre will be a hive of activity between noon and 4pm with treats including rides for youngsters Santa’s Grotto and live entertainment from a host of bands The Tuneless Choir will be taking centre stage as well as the Cookham Kids Singing Group and local bands including West Street which is being organised by Cookham Village Events will conclude with community carol singing led by Adam Garrett of High Street business Devine Flowers There will be parking available at The Chartered Institute of Marketing said: “It’s a really good trading day for businesses especially if the weather is good because it brings in lots of people “They really can showcase what they’ve got and so we would hope that it will be a really successful day for all our local businesses and the High Street businesses.” Planning officers do not share local concerns over the traffic impacts of this sweeping development spanning more than 76,300sqm (821,000sqft) Controversial plans for nearly 200 homes in Cookham have been recommended for approval – and are set to be decided this Thursday (November 21) is for 199 homes split across two applications – 160 homes and five self-build plots (23/02019) and 34 homes The brunt of this is set for 7.63 hectares spanning three fields located north of Lower Mount Farm west of Cannondown Road and south of Whyteladyes Lane There are more than a thousand documents logged in RBWM’s planning portal relating to these plans the number of objection letters reaches over 500 across both proposals RBWM says these have come from about 200 people Cookham figures, including Cookham Parish Council (CPC), have voiced their opposition to the plans since the beginning. CPC originally fought the plan to take this area off the greenbelt and assign it for housing in the Borough Local Plan The parish council later criticised the developer’s masterplan for the site Traffic impacts have been a major ongoing concern Housing is set to be a mix of semi-detached homes 40 per cent would be affordable – amounting to 66 homes Within these 45 per cent would be social rent 35 per cent affordable rent and 20 per cent shared ownership Mainly based in the central and southeastern area these would be made up of 16 one-bed maisonettes four four-bed houses and a single two-bed coach house Market housing would take the form of 27 two-bed houses 31 three-beds (including five self-builds) Plans also include a playground and landscaping to make two nature trails Vehicle/pedestrian access is set to be installed on Cannondown Road with further pedestrian/cycle access to Whyteladyes Lane via Arthur Close the RBWM planning team felt the impact on the local roads ‘would not be severe’ Planning officers said they were happy with the layout and were satisfied the living conditions of future occupants would be acceptable officers are recommending granting permission for both plans RBWM is also expecting more than £398,000 to help off-set the carbon footprint of the development Plans have been amended through the planning process which started more than a year ago in August 2023 two bus shelters are planned for both Cannondown Road and Whyteladyes Lane as well as a number of footpath improvements all the planned dwellings were changed to be two stories in height the housing mix was revised and there were improvements to their appearance and amenity space Tree lined streets and additional visitor parking spaces were also added People of Cookham expressed their dissatisfaction with the planning panel last night after an unpopular 200-home scheme was approved in a mammoth five-hour meeting People of Cookham expressed their dissatisfaction with the planning panel last night after an unpopular 200-home scheme was approved in a mammoth five-hour meeting The Maidenhead development committee decided the fate of the Cannondown Road scheme and the much smaller (but no less controversial) plan for 20 homes in land at Strande Park councillors batted various concerns and technical considerations back and forth Several felt that the opportunities for affordable housing in this scheme was one of its major strengths But there were concerns about traffic and the usefulness of the proposed bus stop to mitigate this Another major concern was around safe routes for school children including teenagers cycling to Furze Platt Oldfield) to defer the decision to a later date subject to a new highways report was ultimately quashed as officers repeatedly insisted that the existing highways report was sufficient another motion to approve the plan was voted through – seven in favour and two abstentions namely Cllr Taylor and Cllr Leo Walters (Con “There are no valid reasons that this shouldn’t be approved this seems,” said Cllr Mark Wilson (Lib Dem The 199-home scheme was considered under two separate applications – one for 160 homes and the other for the remainder These were discussed and voted on separately members of the public had the chance to speak again on the scheme – and register their feelings about RBWM’s approval who has long been casting a magnifying glass on various proposed housing sites in the village “The level of conversation and debate here [at council] is below what we expect,” he said He said the village ‘is going to be gridlocked with six times the traffic’ but the proposal used the wrong traffic modelling software “I'm a little bit cross because I think you should elevate your game,” Mr Strzelecki said Cookham Parish Council’s chair of planning Jacqui Edwards concurred with his points especially regarding traffic and parking problems She said the absence of a Cookham ward councillor on the panel was very noticeable because ‘many misconceptions have not been corrected.’ Bisham and Cookham) would be on this panel but ‘had to sit out’ this meeting and speak as a member of the public instead "If you want people to get on buses in Cookham you need to give them the right bus services “Our bus service comes all the way from High Wycombe “If you have to go to school and get a detention if you don't turn up on time Cllr Edwards also had strong concerns over the safety of children cycling The current dual pedestrian cycle route across the road from the development is ‘pretty dangerous’ and ‘needs a serious upgrade,’ she said It needs a controlled crossing ‘rather than expecting [schoolchildren] to run across the road like rabbits every morning.’ “[Currently] cars stop for them because they know the local area They will not necessarily do that if there are lots of extra people on the roads,” Cllr Edwards said Cookham ward councillors Cllr Brar and Cllr Mark Howard (also Lib Dem) expressed similar distaste for the plans Cllr Brar said called the proposal ‘a nightmare’ that will cause Cookham to be gridlocked while Cllr Howard called the plans ‘big business “Take the millions – you could have just left us with a safe route to school,” he said This week’s public notices feature looming road closures around Cookham Long Lane is set for closure (photo: Google) This week’s public notices feature looming road closures around Cookham Planning applications have also been submitted to make further renovations to the 15th century Ockwells Manor in Cox Green The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead has advised part of Long Lane in Cookham will be closed during the day from Monday The road will be closed from its junction with Cannondown Road to allow a new power connection to be installed The closure will take effect between the hours of 8am and 5pm Drivers are also set for disruption because of closure to a key road in Holyport in early December A330 Ascot Road will shut over the weekend It will be closed from the junction of Holyport Street to the junction with Bartletts Lane to allow work to replace the Holyport Culvert – a channel allowing water to flow under road part of Milley Road in Waltham St Lawrence will also be inaccessible to traffic to allow work on a new power connection Milley Road will be closed from 1 Parker Cottages to Cherry Hill from midnight on Sunday More refurbishment work is planned at one of Maidenhead’s iconic historic homes Ockwell’s Manor in Cox Green was built in the 1450s but the site dates back hundreds more years – to 1267 Plans to restore the condition of the home to a ‘habitable condition’ were revealed in August Now more plans have been lodged including replacing doors to the ‘historic stable range’ search for Ockwells Manor in the Royal Borough planning portal save and share Public Notices that affect you in your local area Public Notices St John Homes Thames Valley Ltd is seeking full planning permission and conservation area consent for The Cookham Riverside Nursing Home Pictured: The Cookham Riverside Nursing Home Inlay: CGI provided by St John Homes (Thames Valley) Ltd Plans have been submitted to turn a closed Cookham nursing home into eight new residential properties St John Homes (Thames Valley) Ltd is seeking full planning permission and conservation area consent to demolish all existing buildings at The Cookham Riverside Nursing Home The brownfield site comprises a large retirement home building and large areas of hardstanding contained by trees on the east The existing care home was built on the brownfield site in around 1968 initially as a residential home known as Cookham House for retired civil servants and after being acquired by Hamilton House Medical in 1997 it operated as Cookham Riverside Nursing Home for 25 years The ageing facility has been shut since 2022 Developers are now looking to build two five-bedroom detached houses one four-bedroom detached house and an apartment block with five two-bedroom homes is 200m north of Cookham High Street and the northern boundary neighbours Bellrope Meadow with the River Thames beyond Heritage statements have been submitted to the council about the planned residential development at the Cookham Riverside site compiled by heritage consultancy firm JP Heritage says the demolition of the former nursing home buildings ‘would not adversely impact’ the Cookham Village Conservation Area The statement added that the ‘openness and garden character’ at the rear of the former nursing home makes a ‘positive contribution’ to the conservation area and ‘preserves the spirit of the much-altered view in the Bellrope Meadow painting by Stanley Spencer’ “The existing buildings at Cookham Riverside are of negligible heritage value and their demolition would not adversely impact the…Cookham Village Conservation Area,” wrote heritage consultant Jamie Preston The ‘bespoke’ residential scheme at Cookham Riverside was designed to reference the late 19th and early 20th century houses along Berries Road and the Cookham and Bourne End stretch of the river Thames “The introduction of lanterns in the roof covering is a nod to the historical Cookham House that once occupied the site,” reads the design and access statement by BHPH Architects LLP New private access points and parking have been proposed for the new homes with electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage provided Waste and recycling storage will be accommodated on plot for all houses and apartments in designated areas through a refuse vehicle turning area provided For more details use reference 25/00362/FULL in the planning portal is seeking to appoint an Associate Priest to join our ministry team This is a full-time role with housing provided by the diocese To discuss this exciting opportunity in more detail E: vicarofthecookhams@outlook.com All appointments are subject to acceptable pre-appointment checks including a satisfactory Enhanced DBS Check and how to apply please click the 'apply for this job' button below Closing Date for Applications: Tuesday 3 June 2025 This is an exciting time in the life of The Ascension and St Thomas’ in the benefice of Derringham Bank Our Church is excited about what God is doing amongst us and what our future holds Priest-in-Charge (initially funded for 3 years) extendable to 5 years if considered to be successful at 2.5 years review An opportunity for a pioneer minister with experience of parish ministry in an evangelical setting We are looking for someone able to form and communicate a clear vision for both churches We are seeking an inspiring and compassionate Vicar to lead our parish community in faith St Mellitus College is recruiting for a new Principal to lead it in the next phase of its life and impact The Bishop of St Albans with the Elstree & Borehamwood Patronage Board seek to appoint a Team Rector for the Elstree & Borehamwood Team Elstree and Borehamwood is a vibrant Team Parish of four District churches The Rector and PCCs of Wotton and Holmbury St Mary part of a four-parish United Benefice in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty between Dorking and Guildford seek a part-time Associate Minister (House for Duty) of St Mary's Harrow on the Hill and Assistant Chaplain to Harrow School This is an exciting full time stipendiary role Two thirds of your time will be spent as Incumbent of St Mary’s and one third (two days a week in term time) in your work as Assistant Chaplain to Harrow School Stantonbury Ecumenical Partnership Milton Keynes We are a partnership of six diverse and welcoming congregations in the northern districts of Milton Keynes offering a rich tapestry of worshipping tr.. the Royal Borough  is looking to close part of Long Lane in Cookham from 320 metres from its junction with Cannondown Road (B4447) westward for a distance of 30 metres the Royal Borough is looking to close part of Long Lane in Cookham from 320 metres from its junction with Cannondown Road (B4447) westward for a distance of 30 metres It will be closed from 8am to 5pm on Friday November 29.  This is to install new power connection The council also wants to close the road along part of Milley Road Waltham St Lawrence from the eastern boundary of number one Parker Cottages to the western boundary of the property known as Cherry Hill The is also to install a new power connection The diversion route will be via Milley Road B3024 Twyford Road and The Street and Milley Road the Royal Borough seeks to close the road on part of Lee Lane Bisham from the eastern boundary of the property known as Woodside Cottage The road is set to be closed from 8am to 5pm on Thursday This is to facilitate defect rectification works contact Fibre Networking Solutions Ltd for Gigaclear on 01865 591 137 driving will be prohibited when there are traffic signs in place detailing them who worked at the now-closed Cookham Riverside home forged time sheets over eight years to claim extra pay.  A nurse has escaped being permanently struck off her profession’s register after she defrauded a Cookham care home of almost £125,000 forged time sheets over eight years to claim extra hours of pay Driza pleaded guilty to fraud during a hearing at Slough Magistrates Court in August 2023 and was handed a two-year suspended sentence at Reading Crown Court in March 2024 She was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay a £100 victim surcharge - with confiscation proceedings put in place to recover the proceeds of her fraud Driza has also been given an 18-month interim suspension order by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – the nursing regulator which maintains a register of all practising nurses a registered nurse in the Philippines who moved to the UK in 2009 worked at Cookham Riverside in Berries Road between May 2012 and March 2022 The home overlooks the River Thames near Cookham Bridge and provided bedrooms for 35 residents until its closure in 2022 The NMC considered whether Driza should remain on its register during a hearing in January – and following a report made by Hamilton House Medical Ltd (HHML) which ran the home Driza admitted ‘dishonesty’ and said she ‘would like another chance to prove [herself]’ She said she ‘[has] not and would not put a patient at risk of harm’ and was ‘doing everything’ to repay HHML The total cost of Driza’s fraud was £124,804 who said she had been awarded ‘employee of the month’ soon after starting a new job since leaving Cookham Riverside also told the NMC hearing she was now ‘scared’ to fill in time sheets since being convicted of fraud The NMC panel found Driza’s fitness to practise as a nurse was ‘impaired on public interest grounds only’ ‘a reasonably informed member of the public would be shocked if a finding of impairment was not made in the circumstances of this case’ “You [Driza] did not merely break a nursing code but you also broke the law,” the report said the panel said a striking off order would not be appropriate as her ‘misconduct was not fundamentally incompatible with remaining on the NMC register’ although Cookham Riverside had closed soon after the fraud was discovered ‘there is insufficient evidence to show a direct link between your actions and that closure’ Driza has continued to work as a registered nurse since her conviction and the NMC report said she had ‘been able to show that you could work honestly and kindly’ The report said Driza showed she did ‘not have harmful deep-seated or attitudinal problems’; had ‘demonstrated genuine remorse’; and there was no ‘significant risk’ of a repetition of her offences Driza was suspended from the NMC register for 18 months with a review after 12 to determine her continued practice David Edmondson of Hamilton House Medical Ltd said he was 'very surprised' that Driza had not been stuck off and added 'it does seem incredible that Cindy could be suspended for a term even shorter than her sentence' he did not believe Driza was 'fit to be a registered nurse' Health You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience News from 2025 Contact the press team Expert spokespeople Media, demonstrations, and petitions on campus Connecting Research Blog Events Journalists can contact the press office at any time pressoffice@reading.ac.uk News from 2024 News from 2023 News from 2022 News from 2021 News archive 1998-2020 We are in the process of finalising our postgraduate taught courses for 2026/27 entry Thames Valley Police has released an e-fit image of a man they wish to trace in relation to a sexual assault in Cookham a woman was walking on to the Battlemead Common towpath Sutton Road when a man approached her and engaged her in conversation He told her she had a spider on her back and asked her if he could remove it She said yes and he then proceeded to touch her inappropriately over her clothing The victim ran away and later reported the incident The offender is described as being an Asian man aged in his late twenties to early thirties and wearing a cotton beanie hat and tracksuit Investigating officer PC Vjaceslavs Klimanovs said: “We are releasing an E-fit depicting a man we are looking to trace in connection with this incident “We would ask anyone who recognises this man to please come forward and contact us on 101 quoting reference 43240460315, or you can provide information through our online form “If you do not wish to speak the police you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.” Update - A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “We have arrested a man in connection with this incident "He has been bailed and our investigation is ongoing.” Appeals and information Cookham residents are being called to action to help ‘keep the doors open’ on a community venue in urgent need of more volunteers Pinder Hall in Cookham Rise has served as a polling station Cookham residents are being called to action to help ‘keep the doors open’ on a community venue in urgent need of more volunteers arts venue and sports hall in years past - and has always relied on a small group of volunteers for its upkeep But there are now just five volunteers left running the hall – managing its finances and organising fundraising; as well as repairing and renovating the building A statement on the Pinder Hall volunteer appeal said: “The small committee has kept things going but they know they can’t secure the hall’s future alone It added: “Pinder Hall needs you to keep its doors open and thriving as a hub for our community “This is your chance to make a real impact – by bringing your time and unbridled enthusiasm to shape its future.” Pinder Hall has been a part of Cookham since 1936 and is set to celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2026 it’s the only community space there is,” Pinder Hall trustee Mark Stockdale Pinder Hall is run as a charity and so receives some financial relief from government affected to cost pressures caused by rising energy prices The small team of volunteers lost its treasurer several years ago – who retired from the role - and so this work has fallen to them The charity owns a caretakers house next to Pinder Hall – which Mark said was in a ‘very poor state’ and was costing it to run help could be found to repair and renovate it then the home could help provide some vital income for Pinder Hall’s upkeep An appeal for help had been placed in the Royal Borough’s Community Spotlight newsletter but Discussing what might happen if Pinder Hall couldn’t find the volunteers it needs Mark said – although there was no immediate risk of closure – support was needed to keep it going but it’s like other community organisations such as the Guides Scouts “All of these sorts of things are dependent on volunteers and there aren’t that many volunteers that are actually working for Pinder Hall “We’re coming up to a time where it’s very busy and could do with some more support.” Mark said the Pinder Hall volunteer appeal is open to anyone who can spare time to help run it This could include people with practical skills to help with the ongoing maintenance of the hall or people with financial skills to help manage budgets “Many hands make light work – that’s how it is.” To find out about opportunities and for more information email: secretary@pinderhall.org.uk Special guests have been announced for a popular film memorabilia event which will be taking place in Cookham for the first time this month The Film Memorabilia event will see stars of screen from yesteryear available for autographs and selfies – as well as more than 40 dealer tables selling posters The event has been set up by Harry Malcolm and Mark Hochman who is also the owner of Vintage Movie Posters in Amersham who played an SS officer and major villain in the classic war film Also coming is the revered film director John Glen He is the only director to have directed five Bond films (For Your Eyes Only The Sea Wolves and three more Bonds - The Spy Who Loved Me Moonraker and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service He will also be available throughout the day for signing and selfies “His catalogue is unbelievable,” said Harry “He’s looking forward very much to attending this event.” who has appeared in numerous Hammer Horror films – filmed at Bray Studios and a presenter of the 1970s children’s’ TV show Magpie Renowned poster Graham Humphreys will be making a return appearance He has a catalogue of work including A Nightmare on Elm Street He has designed a poster for the event and will be on-hand to sign this as well as other pieces of work he is bringing with him on the day Bourne End Auction rooms has agreed to sponsor the event and will be holding a free valuation day there There will also be a display put together by Mark and Harry of classic film posters across the decades Previously when the event was at Oakley Court in Bray and ‘was very-well received by the community,’ said Harry The Odney Club and Cookham have ‘a fantastic history’ in film and TV – The Professionals Dad’s Army and Fawlty Towers have all been filmed there Trog and The Saint (starring Roger Moore) have also been filmed in the Cookham area “We believe [this event] will exceed all expectations – and because it’s only eight weeks until Christmas we think the footfall will be very positive,” said Harry “We encourage everyone in the Maidenhead and wider area to come along and enjoy a day looking at memorabilia The Film Memorabilia event will be held at the Odney Club in Cookham on Saturday Events Big changes are happening at an historic church in Cookham where a ‘long-awaited’ renovation is underway Big changes are happening at an historic church in Cookham where an £800,000 ‘long-awaited’ renovation is underway which dates back to the early 11th century is set to be kitted out with new underfloor heating It is hoped the changes will make the church a warmer place for worship and also improve its versatility as venue for more community use Most of the renovation cost has been raised but the church is still fundraising for the final £100,000 Vicar Father Stephen Mills said: "This is an incredibly exciting time for Holy Trinity Church and the entire Cookham community “These long-awaited improvements will transform our church into a warm and community events that bring people together “We are deeply thankful for the wonderful support we have received so far every further contribution will be warmly welcomed." As well as underfloor heating being fitted Holy Trinity will have more radiators added Old wooden flooring will be replaced and a limestone floor fitted to match the church’s east end Pews are also being removed and new chairs installed to make the more flexible seating arrangement Part of the aim of the changes is to make Holy Trinity Church a more valuable community asset and encourage more events to be held there Renovations are expected to be completed by March 2025 The church will be closed with some services taking place in a nearby school while work is ongoing Sunday morning services will be held in the hall at Holy Trinity CE Primary School, and evening services will be held at St John the Baptist Church in Cookham Dean Holy Trinity school headteacher Anna Smith added: “We are delighted to be able to support the church in this exciting project which will in time benefit the wider Cookham community “In the coming weeks we shall look forward to welcoming Father Stephen his team and the congregation to our school in a venture which is sure to cement our already close links with the church and give us an opportunity to play a fuller part in Sunday services.” For more information contact church warden Mark Stockdale at nmarkstockdale@hotmail.com You can view and donate to the church’s fundraiser through its website at tinyurl.com/bdhb5xsn Religion An animal rescue centre and former mini zoo in Cookham which was at the centre of a planning and licensing dispute has announced its closure the Royal Borough refused a retrospective planning application from Wildway Wildlife Ltd to temporarily transform its site at Lower Mount Farm in Long Lane into a mini zoo animal education centre until January 2026 The zoo had opened to the public in May 2023 citing a lack of prior planning permission but the applicant argued that there were ‘very special circumstances’ to allow the zoo to operate, such as it being situated within a commercial farm which already serves the public the council said the proposal would ‘result in a loss of openness to the greenbelt’ and that no very special circumstances were demonstrated which would ‘outweigh the harm to the greenbelt’ the facility rebranded as Cookham Rescue Centre and was not open to the public it announced on its Facebook page that the centre would now close as ‘circumstances beyond our control have forced us to leave our facility’ The statement added the whole team is ‘deeply disappointed’ Cookham Zoo ‘didn’t thrive in this location’ said: “We are saddened to announce the closure of Cookham Zoo and Rescue circumstances beyond our control have forced us to leave our beloved facility “Our entire team is deeply disappointed that Cookham Zoo didn’t thrive in this “We worked tirelessly to create an affordable family-friendly attraction where children could learn about the diverse wildlife of our world despite our best efforts to comply with local regulations the council decided in March that our facility was not suitable for the greenbelt even though other businesses on the land were approved “While we continue to disagree with the council’s decision both parties have agreed that mistakes were made on both sides throughout this process “Unfortunately with our rent remaining the same despite the facility not being able to use it for the agreed purpose we find ourselves unable to continue to pay for the property “All of our animals are currently being relocated to other zoos and rescue centres “Our goal is to raise enough funds to establish a new smaller facility where we can continue caring for our most specialist species including wolfdogs Otis and Pippa who have not been able to find a forever home elsewhere “These animals have formed strong bonds with their keepers and we are committed to preserving those relationships.” The centre has invited people to donate to a “Your generosity will help us continue our important work in the future,” the statement added we want to express our sincere gratitude to our amazing supporters and community for their unwavering support The GoFundMe page can be viewed at: gofund.me/ecf395f4 The University of Reading archaeologists are once again unearthing the site of an 8th-9th century monastery in Cookham Archaeologists are once again unearthing the site of an 8th-9th century monastery in Cookham The land adjacent to Holy Trinity Church in Cookham is home to a rare well-preserved Anglo-Saxon monastery first discovered in 2021 by staff from the University of Reading’s Archaeology Department students and staff returned to excavate further and discoveries have included a cemetery a potential watermill and a preserved wooden barrel-lined shaft containing wooden artefacts University of Reading’s early medieval archaeology professor and leader of the excavations at Cookham said the team are ‘going wider and deeper’ than before the team have reopened two of last year’s trenches and will expand one northwards and eastwards Professor Thomas said: “At the end of last season several pieces of archaeology were either half excavated or we’d only just started excavating so their significance was unclear we uncovered a sample of the burials but there’s many more and this year we’ll get the opportunity to get a fuller picture “We’ve got so much archaeology here – we’ve got buildings we may have other wells – this is the tip of the iceberg “So much of this site remains unexplored so we can’t predict – that’s the exciting thing.” He said the uncovered well required far more digging below the water table and the team are now recovering ‘amazing wooden artefacts’ The professor said it was ‘undoubtedly’ more exciting to return every year as their confidence has grown in terms of ‘knowing what’s here’ and the team can ‘excavate more simultaneously’ “There’s far more here than we ever could’ve imagined back then,” he added The excavations are on the site of a monastery led by Queen Cynethryth who ruled the kingdom of Mercia with her husband King Offa in the late 8th century A network of more than 20 monasteries was established along the route of the Thames in the Anglo-Saxon period More than 70 people including students and volunteers have been on site every day and the excavations are set to run daily until Saturday Maidenhead resident Nicola Stingelin-Giles is a volunteer digger and the ethicist for the Holy Trinity Church – ensuring uncovered burials on the consecrated church land are done ‘respectfully’ She said being on site was ‘a dream come true’ adding: “The incredible trust you’re given as an amateur to use a trowel to get in the trenches and the incredible experience of making an interesting find “This is something that hasn’t seen the light of day since 750AD And the people are fascinating – everybody in the trenches has the most amazing personalities.” a 21-year-old second-year archaeology student said: “After spending the academic year doing really cool studies inside getting the opportunity to do a full month outside working on such brilliant pieces of archaeology – the well the cemetery – is really fascinating and really fun.” Jonathan said he unearthed one of the first skeletons in the cemetery last year and it ‘gave him chills’ to uncover something that had ‘been in the ground for a very long time’ Site tours led by a senior archaeologist start today (Thursday) and places can be booked via www.ticketsource.co.uk.  Education Developer Palantine Homes Ltd had lodged a bid to put the four-bed detached homes on land off Lower Road Site access was planned through a road by Cookham Station (photo: Google) An appeal to build four homes near Cookham Station has been thrown out over fears it could cause traffic to pile up onto a railway crossing Developer Palatine Homes Ltd had lodged a bid to put the four-bed detached homes on land off Lower Road Scores of objections were submitted to Windsor and Maidenhead council before the plan was refused by council officers over highway safety and flooding risks in March Network Rail town planning technician Grace Lewis - one of the objectors - said the application ‘failed to recognise’ the safety problems it could cause Network Rail owns most railway infrastructure in the UK Ms Lewis said because the homes were close to the level crossing cars waiting to enter the access road could cause traffic to back up over the crossing The homes would be accessed via a shared private access road near the level crossing Ms Lewis said: “This is considered a serious safety issue for Network Rail and one we cannot accept.” Worry over the development’s impact on traffic safety was echoed by The Cookham Society chairman Dick Scarff The society represents more than 600 members from around Cookham Mr Scarff said visibility for drivers exiting the access road was poor and could cause problems for pedestrians Mr Scarff also said there were problems with flooding near the site the developer believed its plan was acceptable and sought to appeal the council’s refusal to the Planning Inspectorate The Planning Inspectorate is a government organisation responsible for resolving planning disputes In a statement on behalf of Palatine Homes’ appeal Dermot McCaffery from consultants Highway Planning said improvements would be made to the access road to improve safety The developers planned to widen the access road to allow two cars to pass through - and offered to paint ‘keep clear’ markings on Lower Road to prevent traffic build-ups Mr McCaffery said the improvements would mitigate the ‘modest increase’ in cars turning into the access road and ‘directly addresses’ Network rail’s concern It also noted a previous bid for nine homes on the site had received no objections from council officials on highway risk the planning inspector upheld the council’s decision to dismiss the application on highways and flooding risk Although the inspector considered the homes ‘would be an efficient use of land in a sustainable location’ and would deliver economic benefits the inspector concluded ‘there would be the possibility of traffic backing up over the railway with potential consequences for highway and railway safety’ The inspector said the plans did not demonstrate that visibility and access arrangements to the site ‘would safeguard users of the highway and not result in harm to highway safety’ The inspector also said that as no sequential test had been undertaken – a specific flood risk test – the developer had not shown the site was free of flood risk Thousands flocked to Cookham on Sunday to enjoy an action-packed street fayre featuring everything from live entertainment to stalls Visitors braved the morning rain as they made their way to Cookham High Street where Cookham Village Events had organised a day of entertainment a House of Fun and bungee trampolines for youngsters Adam Garrett of Devine Flowers took to the main stage area to introduce the fayre’s guest MP Josh Reynolds to officially open the event Mr Reynolds said it was an ‘absolute pleasure’ to open the fayre He added: “It’s fantastic to be able to be here we’re at the beginning of Christmas and it’s absolutely fantastic to see so many people out in Cookham An array of stalls from a range of local businesses charities and organisations lined the High Street Visitors were spoilt for choice as they browsed a variety of goods spanning from food and drink to handmade festive items A range of businesses were in attendance including Premas Kitchen Oaken Grove Vineyard staff member Polly Watkins was on hand to help at the team’s stall while Jocelyn Lewingham of Lewingham’s was offering up a range of unique mugs and lampshades Among the charities and organisations with stalls were Thames Hospice and Cookham Parish Council.  the fun continued throughout the day with plenty of live entertainment on offer The Cookham Kids Singing Group kicked off the entertainment with various members taking to the stage to perform a range of songs including Night Changes by One Direction The Mister Sisters quartet then performed for crowds Crowds gathered for band Thunder Strike who performed lots of well-known hits including Pompeii by Bastille They were followed by band West Street who entertained with a range of festive tunes original songs and covers such as Locked Out of Heaven by Bruno Mars Adam Garrett and the team were back in the main stage area to entertain visitors with a rendition of We Wish You A Merry Christmas to round of the festivities at around 4pm It is estimated around 2,500 people came to join in the fun throughout the day “The weather was better in the afternoon than we hoped it would be “It’s a shame we had the rain this morning Cookham has come out in force to support our local businesses “I think we have to support our local businesses or we’re going to lose them.” Kate added that the Cookham Christmas Street Fayre will be back next year An additional 20 intact human burials and the disturbed remains of many more have been discovered by archaeologists excavating a monastery in Cookham The burials are in addition to the human remains of 50 individuals found in 2023 supporting the theory that the ill and dying received care at the monastery Archaeologists from the University of Reading have excavated the site since the start of August with the dig revealing yet more secrets from more than a millennium ago.  Professor of Early Medieval Archaeology at the University of Reading He said: “There appears to be a high prevalence of disease and healed injuries present in disturbed bone redeposited in later graves as well as intact burials Burials here intercut each other resulting in the disturbance of skeletal material placed back in the fill of subsequent graves This demonstrates that individuals were receiving medical attention and care at the monastery over successive generations.  “Our discoveries highlight the importance of Anglo-Saxon monasteries as centres of healing and medical care We can gain an impression of this role from contemporary historical sources but Cookham is one of the first archaeological sites to provide detailed physical evidence for the range of diseases involved and medical care dispensed by contemporary monastic communities.” students and local volunteers also helped to: Complete the excavation of a 9th-century well first discovered in 2023 Several preserved wooden objects were recovered from the bottom of the well including a very rare lathe turned wooden bowl Further excavation of  a deep ditch near to the River Thames Digging here revealed a preserved timber lining at the base bconfirming that it is a leat for a watermill Unearth more timber buildings located within the domestic quarters of the monastery The University of Reading’s Department of Archaeology will continue excavations at Cookham in 2025 The excavations, carried out with the kind permission of, and in collaboration with Holy Trinity Church, Cookham, are set to come to an end on Saturday, 31 August. The last tours of the site will take place on Friday, 30 August and can be booked via Ticket Source.  multiple local figures and groups have visited the site for tours A multi-faith group will visit the site for a tour on Saturday The group includes Holy Trinity Church Cookham Cookham Methodist Church and other faith groups A popular Cookham pub has been permitted to extend its opening hours past midnight despite objections from neighbours The White Oak – which currently opens at 11am – can now open from 8am to 12.30am and sell alcohol from 9am to midnight daily can also now play live and recorded music on New Year’s Eve until 1am on New Year’s Day This application by Greene King Ltd was met with nine written objections from residents and The Cookham Society and many made their case at an RBWM licensing and public space protection order sub-committee on Monday Concerns were raised over the ‘significant’ disturbance at closing times and ‘the idea of having a licensed bar outside’ Jonathan Ford who lives opposite the pub said there was potential for increased and ‘extended’ noise pollution Terry’s Lane resident Nicholas Jones added the ‘noise nuisance’ is not isolated to the nighttime and has been ‘a long-term problem’ He criticised the suggestion to close windows and doors as ‘cloud cuckoo land stuff’ adding: “Unless someone stands there from the police monitoring it all the time they will just ignore it and therefore we will get blighted with more and more noise.” The applicant's legal representative said the extended hours benefit food-led businesses and the proposal would only ‘augment’ the experience provided at the gastropub “This isn't about changing the nature of the premises from anything that was there before,” he added “Those who start dining at 9.30pm can stay a bit later finish off a bit more quietly and that helps with dispersal and helps to make the pub commercially viable “It allows for this kitchen to be open later [and] that's where a lot of the money is made in pubs.” He also maintained there was ‘no desire to have a permanent external bar’ and the licence to sell alcohol outside worked from a ‘management point of view’ for payments During their deliberations after the hearing Genevieve Gosling and Jack Douglas noted that no objections from licensing officers raised an issue with alcohol sales in the morning They wrote: “While permitting the sale of alcohol from 9am onwards (rather than 10am) would depart from RBWM policy and guidance the sub-committee received no substantial evidence nor received objections from licensing officers as to why this should not be permitted allowing extensive daytime usage of the premises.” The sub-committee acknowledged that if the premises caused public disturbance or breached its licence and the applicant could be brought back for a licence review They agreed unanimously to grant the application council licencing officers would have allowed the extended hours without a hearing Food and Drink Discussions over delivery of Bellway Homes’ Cannondown Road plans including a planning condition regarding sewage have been ongoing since the Royal Borough gave approval Tankers remove sewage from Thames Water's Cookham pumping station in 2024 More oversight is needed to ensure a looming project for almost 200 homes in Cookham is given adequate sewage infrastructure Discussions over delivery of Bellway Homes’ Cannondown Road plans Cookham parish councillors fear that without stricter planning controls and RBWM control a repeat of sewage spills caused by 2024’s flooding could be exacerbated by more homes and we don’t want to make it any worse,” Councillor Jacqui Edwards said at a Cookham Parish Council meeting on Tuesday (April 8) Maidenhead development management panel voted to approve Bellway’s 199-home plans in December during a heated meeting which saw the council draw criticism for its handling of the debate At the Cookham Parish Council planning committee meeting an update regarding the development and discussions with RBWM planning officers was given by Cllr Edwards Cllr Edwards said she had asked for clarification over concerns about the strength of wording in a sewage planning condition that had been discussed at the Maidenhead meeting ‘The wording of the condition mentions capacity – which is how big the pipes are – but it doesn’t mention anything about what happens when there’s flooding and when the sewage pumping station fails,’ she said Thames Water’s Lightlands Lane sewage pumping station was knocked out of action during last year’s extreme flooding This was due to problems with a flooded substation and underwater electrical equipment at the pumping station Thames Water executive David Harding told villagers the company was raising the level of electrics at Lightlands Lane following the floods Cllr Edwards said RBWM should have more involvement in discussions between Thames Water and developer Bellway Homes to ensure the delivery of an adequate sewage system Thames Water had previously said its system around Cookham would struggle to cope with the Cannondown Road homes Cllr Edwards said: “We were really worried that it seemed to be Thames Water would effectively mark their own homework and they would come to RBWM basically saying ‘we think it’s all fine’ Thames Water has severe debt problems and it’s not a public body – it’s a private body – so we would like RBWM to be involved in assessing that Thames Water has actually produced the goods in terms of working sewage system.” A Thames Water spokesperson said the company ‘works closely with local authorities’ to deliver housing needs and did actively seek to comment on applications it has concerns over Regular inspections of the Cookham sewer network are carried out and an upgrade to Maidenhead sewage works is planned to help improve capacity by 2026 A council spokesperson said: “As per the planning conditions Thames Water must complete the necessary network upgrade to accommodate additional water flow – and will need to provide evidence this has been done before any building work can start RBWM would ensure the parish council and residents 'are kept informed throughout the process,' the spokesperson added Council and politics A former young offender institution in Kent is to be ‘repurposed’ as an adult prison in the wake of riots across the country HMP Cookham Wood will reopen ‘in the coming weeks’ as part of a plan to urgently create an additional 500 prison places across England The facility was earmarked for closure to juveniles in March after a series of damning inspection reports led to a formal warning over safety from the prisons watchdog ITV News understands that existing plans to convert the jail in Rochester to hold adult inmates have been brought forward following days of serious violence and disorder in English towns and cities Courts Minister Heidi Alexander said: "We will make sure that all parts of the criminal justice system can effectively dispense justice so that the individuals who are committing these heinous acts will face the full force of the law." was already due to reopen for adults this summer but scores of new cells will now become available for use within weeks told ITV News she "completely welcomes" the "accelerated plans" for Cookham Wood England’s prison estate is expected to reach capacity again in September said: “The far-right thuggery we have witnessed on our streets is completely unacceptable and contrary to the British notion of rule of law “My message to anyone who chooses to take part in this violence is simple courts and prisons stand ready and you will face the consequences of these appalling acts.” There are plans to hold disorder suspects in police custody for longer periods to manage the short term influx of people being held on remand Other contingency plans include extending the working hours of magistrates’ courts to process riot suspects Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. Businesses from Marlow and Cookham Dean have won silver and bronze at this year’s Great British Food Awards Pictured: Copas Farms is known for its turkeys and companion alpacas Businesses from Marlow and Cookham Dean are selling the 'country’s best artisanal produce' after winning big at this year’s Great British Food Awards The highly competitive and prestigious award scheme was created to celebrate the country's finest home-grown ingredients and those working behind the scenes to produce them Award entries are judged using blind tasting by a panel of celebrity chefs buyers and food writers including Gizzi Erskine and Olly Smith Results published today (Monday) have revealed a female-owned Marlow business has scooped an award for its popular vegan energy balls Claire Hindley started Claire’s Amazeballs in late 2019 after having her third daughter and being tired of the healthy snack options available on the market Judged by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby of BOSH Claire's Amazeballs Mixed Box Energy Balls took home bronze at this year’s awards Each box contains eight gluten-free and vegan energy balls flavoured with apricot and hazelnut cacao Claire is a dance and Pilates instructor and prides her business in being female-founded and led by a ‘community of local women who care and believe in the product’ and we have flexible flavour combinations and letterbox subscriptions,” she told the Advertiser earlier this year after achieving a Great Taste Star accredited by the Guild of Fine Food Claire said The Great British Food Awards are 'important' to the company "It is a real pleasure to be recognised as the Best Vegan Food in Great Britain - a real moment for us as a small business and a proud moment as a mum of three who juggles Pilates and Dance teaching alongside leading this company into newer territory in the food world "Our goal is to help people make healthier snack choices and we are succeeding!" Copas Traditional Turkeys in Cookham Dean is celebrating a double prize win after being judged by chef Stuart Gillies The team scooped a silver award for its traditional turkey and a bronze for their whole chicken from sister company The Thoughtful Producer but the truth is that happy turkey is tasty turkey," said owner Tom Copas “It’s a great honour to see both our turkey and chicken recognised by the Great British Food Awards We are devoted to raising the highest welfare delicious poultry in Britain and it’s great to have them independently validated in this way.” Copas Traditional Turkeys is known for companion alpacas protecting its flocks of turkeys from foxes “It’s not easy raising turkeys to the highest welfare standards it’s teamwork and I’d like to say a huge thank you to Ed and everyone on the farm who has helped us win these awards “I’d also like to say congratulations to our sister company The Thoughtful Producer for winning a Bronze award for their Whole Chicken It is literally a sister company as my sister and I run it together Their ‘standout’ turkey impressed the judges and feedback praised ‘how well packaged it came and the addition of clear Several other Copas products were also finalists in the Great British Food Awards including the Copas Free Range Rack of Lamb; Grass Fed Sirloin Steaks Classic Cranberry Sauce and Copas Cold Pressed Rosemary & Garlic Oil For more information visit clairesamazeballs.com/ and copasfarmshop.co.uk  A group of mothers in Cookham have banded together to campaign for a ‘smartphone-free childhood’ – encouraging parents to pledge not to buy one for younger teens A group of mothers in Cookham have banded together to campaign for a ‘smartphone-free childhood’ – encouraging parents to pledge not to buy one for younger teens Smartphone Free Childhood is a UK grassroots movement which has caught the interest of parents with children in Cookham primary schools said concerns range from unrestricted access to pornography and violent/harmful content abuse and cyberbullying; as well as academic distraction/reduced performance and smartphone addiction “These phones are addictive by design,” Jenny said “It’s giving a dopamine hit to an undeveloped brain “We believe this is a public health emergency,” said Jenny “Data shows the younger children get their smartphone the worse their mental health is in the long run “Many of us have children who wish they weren’t so imprisoned by the need to constantly be checking their phones “There are teenagers who wish they’d never had a smartphone but they don’t feel they can get away from them “It’s really about the tragedy of modern childhood We want to release our children from that pressure.” Jenny and company decided they ‘couldn’t sit by’ without trying to do something they have arranged for an expert speaker to host a talk on October 15 to raise awareness Within a couple of hours of the registration link going live all the available tickets had gone – and it has a long waiting list Headteachers of Cookham primary schools are ‘on the same page’ and plan to attend the event The aim is to try to get fewer children starting secondary school with a smartphone Smartphone Free Childhood has a ‘Parent Pact’ to sign whereby parents commit anonymously to not buying their child a smartphone before age 14 and to restrict access to social media until 16 This gives parents the confidence to stick to their guns if their child claims to be the only one in a class without a smartphone Cookham is ‘riding high’ on the parent pact list – three of its schools are at the top of the parent-pact list in Berkshire “We want to grow that more and more,” said Jenny “It’s trying to encourage people to see that they can make the choice “People are really worried about not giving their child a phone because they think they will be socially ostracised We either give our children access to an adult product and open the door to harmful conduct or we risk alienating them from their peers “It’s amazing how so many people know this to be a wrong thing for their children “They feel a bit desperate – they don’t know what to do about it because it has become the status quo It’s a case of really working together to try to turn the tide on it.” Recognising the pressure that parents face the group hopes to open the conversation and let other parents know they are far from alone I think – they think it’s a divisive issue or they don’t want people to feel judged by the choices they’ve made,” said Jenny “There is a groundswell of opinion and things are changing.” More than 400 people have signed a petition launched by a Cookham resident calling for better cycling paths around the village A Cookham resident has launched a petition calling for better cycling paths around the village says an improved cycle network would help to make a ‘healthier and happier Cookham’ by reducing traffic and pollution Her petition – which has more than 400 signatures – urges a revival of a plan to improve cycling links between Cookham and Bourne End; first proposed around 5-years-ago Cookham resident Eline runs a film and TV production company Eline said: “I used to live in Maidenhead and there’s the lovely Greenway [cycle route] so I could take my daughter to school on a bike – but in Cookham that’s not the case.” The Cookham Cycle Track was proposed by the Copas family and was presented to the Local Access Forum (LAF) in 2019 It includes the development of multiple cycle paths built around the village Members at an LAF meeting in July 2019 were advised the plan was a ‘long-term ambition’ of the forum Eline’s petition hopes to get the wheels turning again on the scheme – with a view to getting it finished “There’s so many cars on the road and there’s only going to get more,” she said “The pollution: people move out to somewhere rural because they want to get away from the urban pollution This would be a great way to enjoy it and not be adding to any pollution - and be able to get some exercise in.” The petition advises new cycle paths would be built from environmentally friendly materials such as ‘stabilised sand’ or ‘hardened grass’ instead of tarmac Eline added a better cycling network would help alleviate traffic problems around Cookham particularly during term time when the village was ‘rammed’ with cars Children and their parents would have the option of using their bikes to get to school safely The first point of call for funding of the cycle path plan would be RBWM which she hoped would consider it to help solve traffic she said other financing options could be explored Despite it not progressing further since first being proposed Eline hopes that more voices of support from residents will help get the Cookham Cycle Track some more traction I think it was just - sort of - presented to the local council,” Eline said maybe instead of presenting it to the local council let's get the residents involved and see what people really want “We do live in a democracy and I think it’s important to see what people want and need Eline said: “I would love to hear people’s thoughts on it And added: “I want a healthier and happier Cookham and I’m open to concerns from anyone.” Cookham Dean face a straight shoot out for survival in Thames Valley League Division 1 this weekend with their future at the top level of the league hanging in the balance but captain Greg Davis is confident his side has momentum going into this crucial clash having comfortably beaten Beaconsfield by 77 runs on Saturday He expects availability to be good once again for the trip to Eversley who sit just two points above them going into this make-or-break clash However - in contrast to Cookham - Eversley's form has faltered of late and the hosts are without a win in five match weekends With a draw off the cards due to the win/lose format of the final games of the season the victors will take the spoils of another season in Division 1 while the losers can look forward to a season in Division 2 and potentially deny Dean if they're in the ascendancy come Saturday and Davis admits he's checking his weather app daily for updates on Eversley's forecast “We know what winning tastes like now and we’ve got a winning formula “If we can replicate the way we played on Saturday there’s no doubt in my mind we’ll come away with the 22 points and secure another season in TVL Division 1 “It’s quite nice to have something to play for on the final day two points ahead but it’s going to be an exciting game “It’s a shame that one of us has to go down but we’ll do our best to make sure it’s not us.” He added: “The two-point advantage could be important if it starts raining I’ve got Eversley saved as a weather location on my phone “We’ve fallen short of an extra bonus point here or there 10 or 12 points we’ve missed out on by not being smarter over the course of the season It will be a shame if that comes to bite us in the neck Eversley have been missing key players through injury and unavailability during their recent slump in form and Davis is hopeful his side - who should be at full strength for Saturday's away clash - can take advantage of that They certainly played well enough on Saturday where Mohammad Ilyas (75) and Davis himself (71) accelerated the run rate along as Dean posted 290 / 8 from their 50 overs Moteeb Syed (4-51) and Zain Khan (4-44) then dismantled Beaconsfield's reply as the visitors finished 77 runs short of their target The result also saw them relegated to Division 2 “But it’s always felt like it’s been within our own hands if we want to stay up 50 per cent of the job was done on Saturday We’ve given ourselves the best opportunity provided the weather allows it “Whoever wins stays up out of us and Eversley and they appear to be on the weaker side still but at least we’re not relying on another team to get points for us “Beaconsfield weren’t mathematically out until after the game but it was a very dominant performance from start to finish but once the runs started piling up on the board it felt as though they fell a way a bit he (Mohammad Ilyas) did a stellar job at the top of the order and made it a lot easier for me to come in and accelerate the run rate with Alfie (Agar) He’s played in the ones and the twos and when called upon has performed I’m excited to see him again on Saturday given the form he’s in “Availability is back up for the last game and we’re giving ourselves the best chance Two - Moteeb Syed (4-51) and Zain Khan (4-44) - took four-fers but the spinners really changed the game when they came on we chipped wickets away and made it unchaseable.” Cricket Tributes have been paid to an ‘adored’ Cookham resident who lived with ‘class and courage’ after her death at the age of 100-years-old 'Adored by everyone': tributes have been paid to Evelyn Dunn Evelyn Dunn celebrated her centenary birthday on April 4 2024 and enjoyed a celebration fit for the occasion – surrounded by scores of friends and family She told family there were three wishes she had this year: to reach 100 to have a dance on her birthday and to see her newborn great-grandson Evelyn died at her home in Cookham on September 23 after a short illness with cancer “She was always there for me,” said daughter Beverly Claxton “You’d know if there was any problem she’d be there and she’d know what to do “I hope that my kids can do the same with me when they do have problems “I like to think I'm the first person they would ring I hope - and that’s what it was like with mum; we were very close.” Evelyn was born in 1924 and lived grew up in Ealing She was a talented artist and fashion designer whose route to the industry was derailed by the start of World War Two she designed her own dress which she wore for her wedding to John This delicate satin and lace dress cost £10 in 1948 more than £300 in today’s money Evelyn’s granddaughters Sophia and Yvie plan to use some of the fabric in their own wedding dresses “She was very fashionable,” Beverly said “She would get up and put her watch and necklace on - even right up to the end.” Evelyn with her family at her party in April around 80 friends and family – some from as far away as Canada – joined celebrations at Moor Hall Revellers enjoyed music and dancing to some of Evelyn’s favorite songs including Frank Sinatra’s New York Evelyn turned back the clock and joined in the dancing too Beverly said: “She said ‘I just want to see my 100th; have a dance; and see Mati [her great grandson] born’ and - all of those happened.” Evelyn’s granddaughter Sophia Duffy said: “Nanna rarely said the words ‘I love you’; she believed you didn’t need to loosely use the words “Thank you for showing all of us such genuine love you set a perfect example for how to tackle life with class & courage to seize opportunity every day and live life to the fullest “This is why you were adored by everyone you met.” Evelyn wanted her brain donated to science It is now with the Brain Bank at Oxford University Her funeral took place in St Michael’s Church in Bray on October 14 Bereavement Notices Go to Section Ken - passed away peacefully on 9th April aged 82 years Ken will be sadly missed by his loving family and friend’s Funeral service will be held at Reading Crematorium on Monday 19 May at 11.30am Allen David - passed away peacefully on 10th April aged 90 years David will be sadly missed by his loving family and friend’s Funeral service will be held at Reading Crematorium on Friday 16th May at 1.00pm Christine Strong sadly passed away on 5th April 2025 aged 92.The funeral will be held at St Edwards Church on Friday 9th May at 12pm The Wake will be held at The Hope public house in Windsor A service will be held at St Stephen's Church on Friday 9thMay at 12.30.Family flowers only donations if desired to benefit Guide Dogs can bemade through [more..] Franz Matschy16.10.40- 26.04.24Gone but not forgottenAll our loveAlex That Marvellous Atmosphere: Stanley Spencer and Cookham Regatta is the summer exhibition opening at the Stanley Spencer Gallery Pictured: Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta (unfinished) from Stanley Spencer Gallery (private collection) A new exhibition delving into Sir Stanley Spencer’s last great painting opens at the Cookham gallery this April displaying Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta (1952-9) Spencer devoted almost a decade to planning and painting the piece but was delayed by competing priorities and ill health Historians say he intended it to express his own unique vision of God’s love for the world as he understood it through his own love for Cookham Ultimately the huge unfinished work was still only three-fifths complete when Spencer died of cancer in December 1959 Exhibition curator Dr Amy Lim said: “Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta consumed Spencer’s imagination and energy for the last decade of his life and he intended it to be a counterpart to the great work of his early career he tragically died before he was able to finish it “The silver lining is that the unfinished painting gives us a wonderful insight into his working methods “The exhibition will display many of Spencer’s preparatory drawings alongside the painting so visitors will be able to get a real understanding of how he created such a huge and complex painting so after learning about the painting and the historic Regatta visitors will be able to stroll down and see for themselves the beautiful stretch of the river Thames where the action takes place.” Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta draws on Spencer’s childhood memories of Cookham Regatta and its Grand Evening Concert It imagines Christ preaching from the old Horse Ferry Barge to the listening revellers in their finery The exhibition will explore the characters and incidents that crowd the canvas Spencer was so excited by his overflowing ideas for the painting that he frequently stayed up into the small hours he turned his childhood memories of the golden era of the Regatta into an event of great spiritual significance Spencer said: ‘Everything to do with love is meant in this Regatta scene In that marvellous atmosphere nothing can go wrong’ That Marvellous Atmosphere: Stanley Spencer and Cookham Regatta will explore the context creation and meaning of his visionary final painting bringing together 28 related paintings and drawings from this ‘flourishing’ time in Spencer’s artistic career held in public and private collections On loan from the Tate will be Dinner on the Hotel Lawn (1956-7) one of seven paintings in the associated Regatta series that Spencer exhibited and sold while he was working on the main painting The loans of Edward Gregory’s oil study for Boulter’s Lock Sunday Afternoon (c.1882-97) from National Museums Liverpool Hector Caffieri’s Going to Cookham Lock (c.1889) from a private collection and historic Cookham Regatta memorabilia will bring to life the golden age of boating on the river Thames The exhibition opens April 3 and runs until November 2 2025 and booking opens in April on stanleyspencer.org.uk An accompanying illustrated publication by Amy Lim will provide an insight into how Spencer planned and painted Christ Preaching at Cookham Regatta and the story of the Regatta as Spencer remembered it in its Victorian and Edwardian heyday a special boat trip will depart from Cookham on Stanley Spencer’s birthday and the oldest working pleasure steamer on the Thames Tickets £55 to include entry to the exhibition a welcome drink and short on-board talk from exhibition curator Amy Lim 'Excitement' is mounting for a new Pilates studio being relaunched under new management in Cookham next week The owners of Studio at Drummond in Gardner Road had announced its closure at the end of last year much to the dismay of its longstanding members rebrand and relaunch the studio in January My Pilates House is a new reformer Pilates studio based in a ‘beautiful’ converted barn in Choke Lane five minutes from the original Switchback Office Park site The new space will open to the public on January 13 and features 10 new Merrithew reformer machines with towers Corinne said the response to her takeover was met with ‘lots of excitement’ adding: “It's been very receptive and there's lots of interest around it “It's been really exciting because it's the next step in my career.” Corinne’s journey with Pilates started while recovering from a herniated disc in her back “I trained when I was suffering and used Pilates to overcome that injury so I've helped a lot of people over the years [with] my own reformers,” she told the Advertiser looking for ‘something a little bit different’ and I like helping people and so it was a good transition.” She trained and worked in a Windsor studio before launching her own business – Coz Pilates – during the pandemic offering online mat classes and one-to-one sessions in Hurley “Reformer Pilates is an up-and-coming industry that’s building because it's such an amazing piece of equipment for people It's helpful for everybody [and] it's becoming very popular,” she said Corinne was teaching Saturday classes at Studio at Drummond and believed the ‘next step’ for her business was to have a dedicated studio providing both mat and reformer Pilates “It all happened very quickly because they decided to shut and it had to happen for January," she said very quick turnaround in finding a property getting all the reformer beds but it's all come together “The members at the Drummond are happy it's not shutting Existing members don't mind – they want their Pilates so it's about getting something ready for their classes “We plan to add more classes once we get going and the nine-person team will run classes using reformer equipment based on Pilates principles “We are very hot on adaptations and making sure individuals are given modifications in their classes," added Corinne We are happy to discuss individuals' situations before they commit to classes but is great for fit and athletic individuals as well as people recovering from injury Visit mypilateshouse.co.uk for details Business This week’s public notices feature changes to a plan for new homes beside railway tracks in Cookham Eight homes are planned at Station Court in Cookham (photo: Google) This week’s public notices feature changes to a plan for new homes beside railway tracks in Cookham Sorbon Estates – part of the Michael Shanley group – has lodged an application to make changes to its plan for eight homes in Cookham in Station Court and near to Cookham Station was initially turned down by the council in 2022 over concerns including an ‘overdevelopment’ of the site But Sorbon Estates won the right to build the homes after following an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate the following year The company said in its appeal statement that the plans ‘would not have an adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the appeal Site or surrounding area It added the plans made ‘efficient use of previously developed land’ and were ‘appropriate in scale and massing for this previously developed site’ the company seeks to make changes to the layout of parking spaces as well as alterations to the appearance of several homes “The changes will ensure the development creates a more coherent and contextual street scene particularly the northern and southern sides whilst increasing the quality and desirability of the units,” the company said in a letter to RBWM fears have been raised by Cookham Parish Council that the changes ‘will increase the overbearing nature’ of the development Sorbon Estate’s plan changes one of the homes from a three-bed home into one for four by adding a side extension and roof accommodation The parish council added the proposed changes to parking made the site more unsafe as vehicles may need to reverse out of driveways over the pavement And that a construction management should plan be submitted to RBWM to ensure pavements and highways are clear ‘at all times’ while building work is ongoing Sorbon Estates’ plans can be viewed online through RBWM’s planning portal under references 25/00243/VAR and 21/02331/OUT RBWM has advised that part of Lower Road will be closed for five days from Monday (February 17) Lower Road is a main road through Cookham which travels west from Cookham Train Station It will be closed from 9.30am on Monday till 4pm on Friday to allow work to take place fixing a leaking pipe which could otherwise pose a danger to the public The closure will be from Lower Road’s junction with Bradcutts Lane eastwards to the boundary of a property called Marina A diversion will be available via Lower Road contact South East Water on 03330001122 and quote the reference number 56642621 Stories of Elton John’s early years – and other famed and acclaimed artists – are coming to Norden Farm courtesy of Stuart Epps is a British record producer and audio engineer who has worked with numerous big names Stories of Elton John’s early years – and other famed and acclaimed artists – are coming to Norden Farm courtesy of a veteran music producer from Cookham showing at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts on January 31 is a personal account of Elton’s rise to fame from someone who worked with him for years Stuart Epps is a British record producer and audio engineer who has worked with Led Zeppelin His long working relationship with Elton John began in 1967 who was the music publisher for the Beatles at the time It was through this that he met Reg Dwight a 19-year-old musician who would go on to become Elton John no one had heard of him – he was Reg to us,” said Stuart he’s had an amazing career and he’s still so relevant “There’s a lot to talk about and it’s an amazing story.” Stuart went on to work for The Rocket Record Company a record label founded by Elton John in the early ‘70s Stuart also helped build the Mill Studios in Cookham in 1974 This studio was ‘quite a big deal’ and remained so through to 1980 when Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin bought them and appointed Stuart as the studio manager Stuart took over Alvin Lee’s private Wheeler End studio in Bolter End Lane and turned it into his own commercial studio Paul Weller (the Jam) and Mark Owen (Take That) Now Stuart runs his own record label, Epps Music Productions, and operates out of Cookham High Street, where he signs new talent. Read more stuartepps.co.uk/stuart-epps Stuart will tell stories about Elon John and other artists he has worked with accompanied by about 150 photos and snippets of songs “I love Norden Farm and I’ve always wanted to do a talk there,” said Stuart Over 140 mums competed in a netball tournament at Braywick Leisure Centre on the eve of Mothers’ Day over 140 mums competed in the fourth annual Inter-PTA Netball Tournament at Braywick Leisure Centre The team representing Holy Trinity CoE Primary School lifted the trophy and won the cash prize for their children's school PTA It was a close final between two Cookham teams with Trinity Titans beating Cookham United representing Cookham Rise and Cookham Dean schools The social tournament on Saturday (March 29) was organised by M2M Events said: “I’m delighted that 14 teams have signed up to take part in the Inter-PTA Netball Tournament “Every year we see new schools joining the tournament and it's brilliant to see the sportswomanship of the players.” Third place went to Juniper Jets from Juniper Hill School in Flackwell Heath who beat Danesfield Divas from Danesfield School Juniper Jets’ goal defender Claire Russell-Smith was 'player of the tournament' The event saw seasoned league players competing with mums who haven’t played since their school days in a quick-fire tournament while kids stood on the sidelines cheering England netball coach Debbie Spindlow led a dedicated training session in the run-up to the event and Gina MacGregor hosted ‘Back to Netball Maidenhead’ sessions for teams to hone their skills before the event contributed the cash prize for the winning team and said they were 'delighted' to support the event.  For more information, visit www.m2mevents.co.uk Netball A film memorabilia event that brings in hundreds of fans and enthusiast is set to come to Cookham for the first time The Film & Memorabilia Fair sees visits from stars of the screen of yesteryear and established authors and artists alongside the all-important array of dealer tables with memorabilia for sale The fair has traditionally always been held at Oakley Court Hotel in Water Oakley The event has needed to change venue for this year the move is ‘perfect,’ said organiser Harry Malcolm Having Cookham as the backdrop of the memorabilia pays homage to its rich history in film “Cookham and the surrounding areas has always been used for location shoots,” he said a horror film called Trog and lots of other films.” was filmed partially at The Ferry Inn in Cookham Dealers will be selling anything from original cinematography photographs film brochures and film books to browse and purchase A special feature this year is a 'wall of interest' made by Harry and his business partner Mark Hochman who runs Vintage Movie Posters in Amersham The wall will feature 'really interesting and really rare' film posters from times gone by The organisers are in the early stages of conversations with VIPs and are starting to book in dealers next week world-renowned film poster artist Graham Humphreys is set to attend He is known for his design of the poster for A Nightmare on Elm Street and the VHS tape box cover art for The Evil Dead Harry expects that the event will draw in excess of 800 people throughout the day Given they will all be looking for somewhere to eat and drink and somewhere to stay for those travelling in from across the country Harry believes this event will be excellent for the Cookham economy "The early response from local businesses is very encouraging,” he said “It's a way of boosting trade for Cookham High Street.”  The Film & Memorabilia Fair is set to take place on Saturday Tickets are expected to go on sale in August when there will be more information about the expected famous names Maidenhead The venue applied to the Royal Borough of Maidenhead and Windsor Council to change the layout of the premises and to license the external areas A popular Cookham pub nestled in a residential area is looking to extend its opening hours past midnight and sell alcohol outside but has received nine objections from the community The White Oak – which currently opens at 11am – wants new opening hours from 8am to 12.30am and a permit to sell alcohol from 9am to midnight daily The venue based in The Pound applied to change the layout and design of the premises, to license the external areas to permit the sale of alcohol and a permit for live and recorded music and late-night refreshments on New Year’s Eve from 10am until 1am on New Year’s Day This application by Greene King Ltd to the council was met with nine written objections from residents and The Cookham Society suggesting the increase of taxis and cars at closing times and ‘the idea of having a licensed bar outside’ would cause ‘significant’ disturbance One resident wrote: “There is no ambient noise in this part of the village to mask the noise made from the pub and garden and all late-night sound carries easily No objections were received from Environmental Health Thames Valley Police and Trading Standards requested additional conditions including a digital CCTV monitoring system to be installed and ensuring staff were trained in the Challenge 25 policy told councillors at Monday’s RBWM licensing and public space protection order sub-committee that the White Oak should be viewed as a ‘neighbourhood establishment’ and not one in a ‘commercial location’ He added: “The nearby residents very much like the White Oak but I feel that if this licensing variation is approved He also raised concerns over the applicant’s request to remove a condition from the premises licence for ‘sufficient noise insulation for the regulated entertainment activities from the premises’ Mr Ford said he currently gets ‘very little disturbance’ but believes this application has the potential for increased and ‘extended’ noise pollution He added: “The application suggests morning activities would be coffee mornings business breakfast meetings and a space for groups to come together Do these activities really require a licence to serve alcohol from 9am?” He also said the applicant’s efforts to ‘mitigate’ nuisance were ‘caveated with terms such as unlikely and unreasonable’ and ‘don't address the fundamental issue that the increased licensing area and the extended hours will inevitably increase noise nuisance’ Neighbouring resident Nicholas Jones said establishments like the White Oak make Cookham a ‘lively place’ but the ‘noise nuisance’ is not isolated to the nighttime and has been ‘a long-term problem’ “I can't see it getting any better with the application as it is now,” he told councillors Mr Jones criticised the suggestion to close windows and doors as ‘cloud cuckoo land stuff’ and responding to Councillor Genevieve Gosling’s question about how many times a year he is affected by the music Cookham Society committee member Fiona Beaumont added: “The White Oak would be the only premises in the village and possibly the whole wider local area with a licence to serve alcohol at 9am “Trading from 8am also means the restaurant resultant noise from setup and waste disposal will realistically be from about 7am “This application is looking to trade until 12.30am every evening possibly encouraging the migration of merry and loud customers from the Swan Uppers to the White Oak on a narrow and hazardous road at closing time and…with no last entry time into their premises “A village pub not run by a leasehold landlord may make it difficult at times for staff to keep control We all know asking people to be quiet when they're clearly enjoying themselves is difficult and constant door noise is natural.” the applicant's legal representative said: “I think it's fair to say that customers outside drinking and eating in a pub garden are going to make some noise but that's not a public nuisance and that some people might find it a disturbance is itself not a public nuisance.” He said it ‘makes sense’ to serve people outside from a ‘management point of view’ for payments made on handheld PDAs (personal digital assistants) and said there was ‘no desire to have a permanent external bar’ “This is about trying to augment what we want to do,” he added “This isn't about changing the nature of the premises from anything that was there before It was very food-led before but rather sadly it’s happened to have run its course “The 30-minute extension to alcohol at the end of the day works very well for food-led businesses “The idea is not necessarily that everyone stays later but those who start dining at 9.30pm can stay a bit later Genevieve Gosling and Jack Douglas have five days to deliberate and decide Free Weekly Newspaper of the Year 2018 motors and property from the Windsor Express The Riverside Group is transferring 319 homes to Red Kite A Royal Borough councillor representing Datchet Horton and Wraysbury has defected to Reform UK and he just so happens to be visually impaired Steve Darling is not the first visually impaired MP after winning Torbay in Devon for the Liberal Democrats in July's general election In Touch speaks to Steve about the excitements and challenges of taking up his new role in the Mother of parliaments In Touch visits an archaeological dig site in Cookham where an 8th century monastery is being excavated aside from the various skull and bone discoveries Jonathan has always had a keen interest in history and decided to begin an archaeology course at university he lost most of his vision as the result of a brain tumour In Touch finds out what performing archaeology is like for Jonathan since losing his vision Presenter: Peter WhiteProducer: Beth Hemmings Production Coordinator: David Baguley Website image description: Peter White sits smiling in the centre of the image and he is wearing a dark green jumper Above Peter's head is the BBC logo (three separate white squares house each of the three letters) Bottom centre and overlaying the image are the words "In Touch" and the Radio 4 logo (the word Radio in a bold white font The background is a bright mid-blue with two rectangles angled diagonally to the right one is a darker blue and the other is a lighter blue Subscribe to this programme or download individual episodes.