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Reading Enews – November 2008 Reading Scoops Top Industry Award for Transport Innovation Reading Borough Council has won a prestigious industry award for the 'most innovative local authority of the year' thanks to its cutting-edge transport communication system. The Council’s Transport team scooped the Highways Magazine Excellence Award, beating other short listed candidates - Birmingham City Council and Buckinghamshire County Council - to the national prize. Reading's entry was based on the Council's SEEDA-sponsored £1.8million project trial, which uses emerging WiMAX wireless communications technology, in combination with Wi-Fi and the latest mobile phone 3G communication services. The project allows bus passengers to access up to the minute journey information from their own mobile phone and the Council to better manage traffic flow at times of high demand. Judges were impressed at how the system - showcased at a Town Hall conference earlier this year - can lead to significantly enhanced Council services for the individual traveller, and for the sustainable delivery of freight in the future. The trial also enabled further exploration into offering a range of traveller services by mobile phone, including paying for bus tickets or car parking, and demonstrating satellite navigation services for the traveller on the bus or on foot. A further aspect has been demonstrating the benefits of real-time information for freight deliveries in Reading. The trial was half funded by a consortium of partners (including Reading Borough Council) and half funded by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). 2008 UK Bus Awards Reading Transport Limited has been short listed for the 2008 UK Bus Awards ‘Shire Operator Award’, sponsored by the Optare Group. This award is given to bus operators who consistently deliver excellent customer service.Connect ReadingConnect Reading is seeking trustees for two organisations: ABC to Read and The Rose and Thorn Theatre Company. ABC to Read recruits, trains and supports volunteers who give 1:1 reading help to children in schools. The schools select the children they consider would benefit most from this arrangement and volunteers see three children individually for half an hour twice each week, for at least one school year. They are another friendly face for the child: they read with and to them; they play games with them; the effect on the children can be dramatic and significantly improve their life chances, hence the reason over 50 schools in Berkshire use the service. ABC to Read is seeking an honorary treasurer and trustee to oversee the Charity’s finances: to produce monthly summaries and forecasts to input into the strategic plan, and to be a positive contributor to the Board of Trustees. Knowledge of accounting principles is essential as is a working understanding of Excel. Time commitment required is 2–3 days per month in term time (very flexible except for termly Board meetings which are held late on a Friday afternoon (4pm to 6pm). The Rose and Thorn Theatre Company aims to use theatre to empower people with mental health difficulties and is seeking volunteers for the following roles:-
The Committee meets fortnightly for two hours on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. If you would like to know more about either of these two vacancies or would like to arrange to speak to Clare Bonney from the Volunteer Centre for more general information on becoming a trustee please get in touch. Clare provides a ‘no-strings’ advice service to people interested in volunteering: clare@volaction.demon.co.uk; 0118 957 4123. Managing Town Centre Partnerships: A guide for practitioners Reading UK CIC contributed to this new guide, which has just been
published by government and is now on the Communities and Local Government
website: Retail Broad Street Mall Yell has taken four floors in Fountain House (see Inward Investment below) The Oracle Oil and Vinegar opened next to L’Occitane on Town Mall Walk as a temporary let, selling oils and associated products. M. Butterfly opened next to Brother 2 Brother on Town Mall Walk as a temporary let selling young fashion clothing. Office Shoes is fitting out on the lower Mall and replaces Kew fashions. The Oracle ‘Gift Cheque’ scheme has ceased and moves to a ‘Gift Card’ system from 16 November 2008. Old gift cheques are still valid tender in The Oracle. House of Fraser has finally completed its shop fitting investment and is now trading with new cosmetics, menswear and ladies fashion areas. Planning Sushi One 0 Eight - 19 Queen Victoria – has submitted an application for a change of use from A1 to A3 (ground floor) sushi bar outlet and A4 basement bar ancillary to main business. The application on behalf of Café Rouge to change the use of St Mary’s Church House from office to restaurant, erect a single storey rear extension, internal alterations, external decoration and an outdoor seating area has been granted (July enews refers). Applications have been granted for the Post Office at 21–22 Market Place to: install three hanging signs & one fascia sign, along with an external ATM and replacement external signage as part of refurbishment of the Post Office. An application has been lodged on behalf of Business Environment Group to change the use from A2 to A3 (Restaurant) at Soane Point, 4-5 Market Place. The application on behalf of Barclays Bank plc to change the use of 90 - 93 Broad Street (currently Uniqlo) from A1 use (Retail) to A2 (Bank) has been permitted. Inward Investment Earlier this year, international directories business Yell signed a 20-year lease on 153,500 sq ft at One Reading Central, which from 2010 will be its new UK head office. One Reading Central will see Yell consolidating its two current Reading town centre office sites, one of which is located over two floors at Bridge Street Plaza, where separate leases are due to run until 2012. Yell is also proposing to relocate its Slough office to One Reading Central. An assignment of one of Yell’s leases has been negotiated, with a division of the SABMiller, represented by Square Foot Consulting, taking the 28,800 sq ft first floor at Bridge Street Plaza. With four floors at Fountain House totalling 27,916 sq ft, a short term lease has been agreed to accommodate around 300 of the Yell staff moving out of Bridge Street Plaza. New for Christmas 2008! Special Sunday Madejski Park & Ride On Sundays from 30 November - up to and including 4 January 2009 - Park & Ride buses will run to the town centre from 9am and from the town centre until 5.40pm. The services run every 12 minutes but note that the arrangements will be affected on Match Days - Saturday 13 and 20 December. For full details on Park and Ride services and all travel information visit www.reading-travelinfo.co.uk Forthcoming events Cards for Good Causes Lighting Up Christmas Mayor's Market Italia in Piazza Italian Market Special Shopping Evening for the Elderly and Disabled Civic Carol Service Dick Whittington Call 0118 939 0373 for more information on seasonal events. Sir Terry Frost - Museum of Reading until 1 February 2009 The John Madejski Art Gallery at the Museum of Reading is proud to present the works of internationally renowned, Royal Academician and innovative Reading lecturer, Sir Terry Frost (1915-2003). The exhibition includes large paintings, collages, constructions, sculptures and sketchbooks from his career, including some previously unseen canvases. This exhibition of vividly coloured and epic scale works is a fitting tribute to a local hero. Frost was a much loved long standing teacher at the University of Reading, working in the Fine Art Department for 16 years. Throughout his career he developed an entirely personal vocabulary of shapes and symbols rendered in pure and intense colour to produce joyful abstract images with luminous energy. The show provides a fascinating insight into Frost’s working practices as it affords the rare opportunity to view objects from his studio, including brushes, paints, sketchbooks and constructions. Internationally renowned as a leading light of the St Ives group, Sir Terry Frost originally discovered his artistic talent during four years as a prisoner of war during World War II. On returning to Britain he studied at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts and enjoyed the flourishing artistic scenes of London and St Ives. Applauded by art historians and avidly collected internationally his career continued to flourish throughout the 20th Century culminating in a major retrospective of his work at Royal Academy in 2000 and a knighthood in 1998 for his contribution to the arts. Tues - Sat 10–4; Sun 11–4 (closed Monday). Free entry. For further information / use of pictures / interviews: Idea Generation: 020 7749 6850; Natasha Hoare: natasha@ideageneration.co.uk News from jelly Altered Images is a show of four artists: Robyn Appleton, Jo Derczynska, Tina Jenkins and Anna Mitchell. The show is open daily, Mon-Sat 11am-6pm; Sun 11am–4pm, with a special evening on Thursday 6 November from 6-9pm and continues until 16 November at Gallery 10 in Gun St.
Tim Smith
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Archive Nov 08 |
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