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Day feeding the ducks that ended in tragedy Coroner: Boy’s weir death nobody’s fault By JOHN GARVEY john.garvey@newburynews.co.uk @johng_nwn

POLICE are appealing for wit- nesses after a woman died in a crash on the M4 last week. Thames Valley Police put out an appeal for dash-cam footage follow- ing the fatal collision, which hap- pened last Thursday. At around 9.30pm, a red Vauxhall Astra and a black Jaguar XFS were involved in a collision on the east- bound carriageway between junc- tions 12 and 13. The driver of the Astra, a woman in her 50s, died at the scene. Her next of kin have been in- formed and are being supported by specially trained officers. The driver of the Jaguar was un- injured. No arrests have been made. Investigating officer Det Sgt Tony Jenkins, of the Joint Operations Roads Policing Unit, said: “We are appealing to any witnesses to this incident to please come forward. “I would also ask motorists with dash-cams to check any footage to see if they may have captured the collision or anything prior to it tak- ing place in case it could assist with our investigation.” Anyone with information can contact police by calling 101 or mak- ing a report online, quoting refer- ence 43210206727. Appeal after woman dies in crash on M4 MP backs voter ID NEWBURY’S MP has strongly defended Government plans to introduce mandatory photo ID in order to vote. Conservative Laura Farris portrayed the proposal as one which would strengthen election integrity and not restrict democratic freedoms. She said she agreed with the Government that current measures are too loose. See newburytoday.co.uk for more.

A MOTHER has recounted her anguish as she tried to save her drowning son from a Newbury weir. Three-year-old Dylan Milsom tripped on a tuft of grass and fell into the Kennet and Avon Canal at Victo- ria Park on Saturday, March 13. His grandmother made a grab for him as he slipped beneath the water, but his hair slipped through her fin- gers. Assistant Berkshire coroner Ian Wade QC described the incident as “extraordinarily tragic” at the hear- ing in Reading Town Hall on Tues- day afternoon. Dylan’s mother, Shelley Nardini, said she had taken Dylan and his one-year-old brother, Toby, to feed the ducks with their grandmother, Jackie Arrowsmith. After taking happy family photo- graphs as they picnicked, the four-

Former Paratrooper Len Clark, 88, after having his vaccination jab Ex-Para Len backs arm-y HE lived through the Blitz, seeing his home blown apart by a bomb in 1942. But the past year in lockdown has been ‘absolute murder’ for 88-year-old former Paratrooper Len Clark. coronavirus vaccine. Entitled Badge of Honour , the project was created by Newbury resident and professor of photography at the Arts University Bournemouth, Paul Wenham- Clarke, and his wife and fellow photographer Anita, as a way of

Dylan Milsom

some went to feed the ducks. But Dylan’s attempt to throw bread was thwarted by the railings near the weir, the inquest heard. Mrs Arrowsmith said in a state- ment: “He then went in front of the railings and tripped over a large tuft of grass, falling in. I threw myself to the floor and grabbed out at Dylan. “I caught the top of his hair but couldn’t get hold of anything else. n Continued on page 8

Now he’s starring in a series of images capturing the moment Newbury residents got their

chronicling the pandemic. Turn to page 4 to see more.

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Thursday, May 20, 2021

Newbury Weekly News

NEWBURY NEWS

Old glasses helping homeless people Optician running eye health service at Newbury Soup Kitchen

Lifelong learning WEST Berkshire Council is seeking the public’s views on the development of its lifelong learning service. The consultation, which closes at 5pm on Monday, May 31, is looking at the changing needs of adults over 19 years and young people between the ages of 16 and18 who are no longer in full-time education. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a prize draw to win £200 of shopping vouchers. You can take part in the survey by going to https://info.westberks.gov. uk/lifelonglearning It hopes to be able to begin wel- coming new members again when the next phase of lockdown easing comes into place later in June. Warning from boxing club THAMES Valley Boxing Club is urging people not to give money to a young man claiming to be raising funds for it. The club has been made aware that a young male is approaching people in the street and asking for donations. But head coach Paul Cooke told the Newbury Weekly News that the man is not a member of the club. He added: “Coaches and members have been informed that a young male has been going into pubs and shops and approaching people in the streets of Newbury with a sponsor form in hand and saying that he is raising money for our boxing club . “We do not know who this male is, he is definitely not a member of our club, so please do not give this young man any money.” The club is currently using prem- ises at Lakeside Superbowl and is returning to the sport following England Boxing Covid rules.

The Newbury Weekly News is proud to be the independent newspaper at the heart of West Berkshire and North Hampshire. We always welcome your feedback on how we can improve our service to the community.

EDITOR

Andy Murrill andy.murrill@newburynews.co.uk @andymurrill (01635) 886625

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By SARAH BOSLEY sarah.bosley@newburynews.co.uk @newburytoday

(01635) 886625 Sarah Bosley sarah.bosley@newburynews.co.uk @sarahb_nwn

A NEWBURY charity and an op- tician are repurposing old spec- tacle frames to improve the eye health of homeless and vulnera- ble people. Newbury Soup Kitchen and Val- arie Jerome Optometrists run an eye health and vision outreach service every Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm at the Salvation Army hall, which aims to improve the lives of the homeless and vulnerable in Newbury. Optician Valarie Jerome con- ducts free eye examinations and for those who need glasses, the donat- ed frames are then repurposed and Newbury Soup Kitchen pays for the new lenses. Dr Jerome said: “It is really im- portant to remember the huge role vision plays in the quality of our lives. “We need to do everything we can do to support and improve the lives of the homeless and vulnerable and looking after eye health is a great way to do this. “The best part of my job is the mo- ment when you give someone a pair of glasses and their face lights up, it makes everything worth it.” Newbury Soup Kitchen founder Meryl Praill said: “I am so pleased to be able to collaborate with Val- arie Jerome and already I can see

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(01635) 886629 Liam Headdd liam.headd@newburynews.co.uk

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the impact that glasses are having on our clients. “Part of our ethos is to give people a voice, but now we can help give them better sight. “Thank you to everybody who has donated frames so far and please keep them coming as we feel this outreach service will grow.” The outreach service began four weeks ago as just eye check-ups, however the team reached out to the public for old frames in order to make sure those in need could ac- cess a pair of glasses too. So far, the majority of people who have had eye examinations have needed glasses and one man was overjoyed at being able to see prop- erly again. The service helps identify any vi- sion issues as well as other medical issues as eye health is known to be a key indicator for many serious med- Newbury Soup Kitchen volunteers say thank you News .................................................... 1-22 Letters ................................................ 16-19 Hungerford & Lambourn Valley News .... 23-26 Thatcham news ................................... 27-30 Village news.............................................32 North Hants news.....................................33 Announcements................................... 40-41 Local History ............................................42 N2 arts & entertainment starts.................43 Puzzles.....................................................47 Classified starts .......................................48 Property starts.........................................51 Jobs start.................................................54 Motors starts ...........................................56 Sport starts .............................................59 News, enter tainment, adver tising

James Harris james.harris@newburynews.co.uk (01635) 886660

ical conditions. To donate good condition frames, contact Valerie Jerome Optome- trists directly or drop them off at the practice located at 49 Northbrook Street, Newbury RG14 1DT.

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Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, May 20, 2021

NEWBURY NEWS

Covid rage row sparked brawl Mother and daughter convicted of assaulting woman

Queen’s message for centenarian Tom A HAPPY 100th birthday was celebrated by That- cham man Tom Hawkins at the weekend.

The RAF veteran marked his centenary on Saturday, May 15, the same day the Roy- al British Legion was formed in 1921. Mr Hawkins, “a massive fan” of the Queen, was delight- ed to receive his special card with his family. His daughter Elizabeth Bai- ley said: “He was fantastic. He really did rise to the occasion. “He came over to my house in Ufton Nervet. We obviously couldn’t have a big celebra- tion, but it was a lovely after- noon. We had a lovely time and he was very, very happy at the end of it.” Mr Hawkins was born in Birmingham and didn’t leave until he joined the RAF at the start of the Second World War, taking him to Italy and France where he met his wife Fran- cine in 1944. The Newbury Weekly News reported, on Mr Hawkins’ and his late wife’s 65th wed- ding anniversary in 2011, that when Mr Hawkins was 25 and his bride 20, Mr Hawkins ap- proached his commanding of- ficer for permission to marry and was told: “No, leave the French rose in its own back garden. We had enough trou- ble in the First World War.” The commanding officer eventually changed his mind, but Mr Hawkins had to re- turn to Italy for another eight months and then his unit was sent to Austria for a year. The couple stayed in contact through letters, and they even- tually married in Lyon in 1946 before settling in the UK. They moved to London, where Mr Hawkins set up his own travel company, charter-

By JOHN GARVEY john.garvey@newburynews.co.uk @johng_nwn

TWO school staff members attacked one another in public during a Covid rage row over social distancing. Startled passers-by, includ- ing a toddler, looked on as the defendant’s teenage daughter joined the melee. In the dock at Reading Mag- istrates’ Court on Friday, May 13, was Mary-Ann Farley and her daughter Lucy. Both denied assaulting a woman by beating her outside Newbury Pets At Home store off the London Road on De- cember 30 last year. The court conceded that 42-year-old Mrs Farley, a kitchen assistant at The Downs School in Compton, was attacked first by the wom- an, who also works at a school and who had insisted on 3m social distancing, rather than the usual 2m. However, in an unusual step, the woman persuaded magistrates to grant her life- long anonymity before she would give evidence and so cannot be identified. The court heard Mrs Farley and her 19-year-old daugh- ter, who live at The Oaks in Newbury, were standing on a 2m social distancing marker in the store when they were accosted by the woman, who asked them to move back even further.

they left. She said that, as she and her daughter walked to their car, the woman was muttering loudly about the incident and so she approached to ask what the problem was. Mrs Farley said she did not expect the confrontation to turn physical and was shocked to be attacked. Both she and her daughter insisted they were trying to stop the assault and to defend themselves. Summing up, Ms Eastwood said the victim had been anx- ious about a new coronavirus strain. Mr Molloy said Mrs Farley had simply defended herself – “the camera doesn’t lie” – and that her daughter intervened to protect her mother. Magistrates convicted both the Farleys, although they conceded that the woman had attacked first and the pair may have feared further violence from her. Neverthess, they ruled the Farleys’ response was “un- reasonable” and went beyond lawful self defence. Both defendants were made subject to a 12-month condi- tional discharge, each ordered to pay £387 costs plus a victim services surcharge of £22 and each ordered to pay £100 com- pensation to the victim.

Later, in the car park out- side, CCTV footage showed Mrs Farley approaching the woman, who appeared to el- bow her in the ribs. The pair then grappled and Lucy Farley joined in the struggle. Lucy Eastwood, prosecut- ing, described it as “a very sustained assault in front of members of the public, includ- ing a toddler.” Giving evidence, the woman said Mrs Farley had launched an unprovoked attack on her, adding: “It was such a shock. It was such a vicious attack. “I was just trying to protect myself from the virus.” She described the incident as “like a pack of hounds cor- nering their prey”. Under cross examination by Steve Molloy, representing the Farleys, the woman admit- ted asking them to move fur- ther back in the store, insist- ing it was her “right” to do so. She vehemently denied el- bowing Mrs Farley in the ribs. Mrs Farley told the court that the woman’s manner in the store had been so aggres- sive that a shop assistant had offered to stay with them until

Tom Hawkins celebrates his 100th birthday

Ref: 20-0821B

was his card from Queen. It was a real highlight of the day for him because she means an awful lot to him.” Mrs Bailey said a glass of French wine a day was the se- cret to her father’s long life. “That was definitely my mother’s secret and I think he’s lucky as well, his father lived until 94 which was in- credibly rare in those days.” His daughters described him as “a kind, loving family man who is sensitive to others and generous to a fault. From humble beginnings to a pio- neering and highly successful businessman, his spirit of ad- venture has been an inspira- tion to us all.”

ing planes between the UK and the US and Canada. The couple weremarried for 71 years and had three daugh- ters, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Mr and Mrs Hawkins moved to Rosedale Gardens in Thatcham 18 years ago and his neighbours turned out to cele- brate his centenary. Mrs Bailey said: “The peo- ple at Rosedale Gardens are so sweet, they put balloons and banners outside his house. He got lots of cards, including the RAF and the Queen. “He is a massive fan of the Queen. He got a knock on the door, because it arrives by special delivery, and there

Indian variant case reported in West Berks ONE case of the Indian variant of Cov- id-19 has been identified in West Berk- shire. The council’s service director for com- munities and wellbeing Matt Pearce said no further cases, however, had been identified through sequencing of PCR test results in the past two weeks. He added that most cases seemed to be travel-related and the council was not seeing any community transmis- sion, with the dominant strain in the district still the Kent variant. Mr Pearce said: “We are seeing some out- breaks in primary schools and some in sec- ondary schools, which is reflected elsewhere across the country. That’s mostly because younger people have not been vaccinated, so we are working closely with our schools to manage those outbreaks. “There have been three weeks where our rates have gone up. We have come back down, but we do expect it to go back up as there are some outbreaks at schools.” He said the increase always looked worse when coming from such a low base, but urged the public to continue with the asymp- tomatic testing. “Our key message is getting parents of primary school children to do the testing. We also want people to get a PCR test if they are symptomatic.” Secondary pupils are no longer required to wear a face mask in schools, but Mr Pearce said the council was monitoring the situa- tion locally to see if it had any impact. Council leader Lynne Doherty (Con, Speen) added that testing would be “a key tool in our defence going forward”.

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Newbury Weekly News

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Newbury Weekly News Arming ourselves against Covid

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Muneeza Abdulla

Kathryn and Quinn Leslie

Magrete Clark

IT has been a beacon of hope for many across the district; a way out of the restrictions that have kept everyone at home and away from the people and the things they love. And now a Newbury pho- tographer has captured the moment that residents re- ceived their coronavirus vac- cines. Paul Wenham-Clarke, an award-winning documentary photographer and professor of photography at the Arts University Bournemouth, has created the series of images, along with his wife and fellow photographer, Anita Clark. Entitled Badge of Honour, Prof Wenham-Clarke hopes the series of portraits will be exhibited in the town in the future. “I am a documentary pho- tographer and have been try- ing to make work to record these Covid days and up to now it has been very difficult to get anyone to agree to hav- ing their picture taken,” he said. “There is the fear of in- fection but probably the big- gest worry is that most of us need a good a hair cut and have put on a few pounds and the thought of record- ing it for posterity is not so attractive. “However, once the vac- cine started to be rolled out I really noticed a difference, the mood lifted and people are now a lot more positive.” Prof Wenham-Clarke, whose last exhibition was at the Oxo Gallery in London and the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood just before lockdown last year, said he then dreamt of photographing his father-in- law with a plaster on his arm as his ‘badge of honour’. “We took the pictures out-

side in people’s gardens and kept our distance but it was quiet a funny sight to see, what looked like a photography stu- dio in the middle of someone’s lawn,” he added. “It was interesting how proud they all were of having the vaccine. It was very differ- ent to my usual photo shoots, as I usually spend a lot of time getting to know the people.” In total 10 people were pho- tographed for the series and they all had their own stories to tell. Len Clark, who we picture on the front page of the NWN , is 88 and a former member of the 9th Parachute Squadron He was the first person Prof Wenham-Clarke photographed and he said: “It was important I got the vaccine as I am old and I have a pacemaker so I don’t think it would have gone so well if I caught the bug. “The vaccine is an amazing achievement and there is noth- ing to worry about. Just do it. “My year of Covid to be quite honest has been absolute murder. Locked indoors and not seeing relatives has made me feel like a caged animal and sometimes I have been so down. “I have got confused what day it was and who cares any- way, they’re all the same. “I have lived through the Blitz and in 1942 when I was nine our home in the East End of London was blown up and I was evacuated to Hungerford. “Back then there was com- radeship and a real feeling of community, whereas today we are forced to separate because of the virus and that has made today seem much harder. “I feel proud to have been one of the first to get the jab, I might be old but I was showing the way.

“We are lucky to have such a great set of scientists and NHS workers pulling together and saving the country from this hideous bug.” Quinn Leslie, a 16-year-old sixth form student, said he had the vaccine because he is vul- nerable due to having the lung condition, bronchiectasis. “Think about others and by having it you are also helping them especially those that can- not have it,” he said. “I have had no exams, no prom and not seen my friends but I’ve been lucky, some people have had it way worse.” GP partner Bal Bahia, aged 54, said he got vaccinated to lead by example and protect himself and those he loves. Paramedic Stephanie Tedjo, 26, said: “I think the hesitan- cy about getting the vaccine comes from worries about the potential side effects and the perception that its production was rushed, but people need to weigh this against the risk of becoming severely ill and the potential long-term effects. “There is enough evidence to support the vaccine is safe for distribution and is highly effective. “The year of Covid has cre- ated a significant imbalance in my work and life balance but equally has made me ap- preciate how privileged I am to have a secure job and been able to travel in the past. “I have been really im- pressed with how people have adapted and transformed their lives and businesses to make things work in a new way.” Magrete Clark, Kathryn Leslie, Nicky Mercer, Faiza Bailey, Kamal Bahia and Muneeza Abdulla were also photographed and you can read their stories on newbury- today.co.uk

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Newbury Weekly News

NEWBURY NEWS

‘My historic day out at Wembley’ NWN reporter Jon Ashby got an FA Cup final ticket...

Liz does white cane walk for India

AN Ashford Hill woman has taken a leap of faith and completed a ‘5k white cane walk’ every day for five days, in a bid to raise vital funds for a school in India. Liz Jackson MBE, 47, went blind in her twenties, but is now learning to use a white cane for the first time and de- cided to put her new skills to good use. The 47-year-old is sales and marketing director at Kings- clere-based BCMS and the company supports a school and orphanage in Kakinada, India, where it educates and looks after more than 500 chil- dren from the lowest tier of In- dian society. Vara Prasad, the principal of St Mark’s School, also looks after 30 widows and a nearby leper colony. Mrs Jackson said: “As part of the BCMS management team, I get regular updates on what’s been happening at St Mark’s. “Over the past few weeks, the news from India has be- come more and more distress- ing, with cases and deaths rising exponentially. Due to Covid, we can’t be there in person. The one thing we can do is provide financial sup- port, to deliver essential day- to-day care for the children. “I couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. I went totally blind in my twenties, and now I’m learning to use a white cane for the very first time. “If I was holding someone’s WEST Berkshire Council has given notice, under sec- tion 14/1 of the Road Traf- fic Regulation Act 1984, that it intends to make or- ders to close various roads across the district. The order, which will be made no less than seven days from the date of this notice, will prohibit any vehicle from

By JONATHAN ASHBY jonathan.ashby@newburynews.co.uk @jonathana_nwn

THE low rumble of ‘shoot’, the momentary silence as the crowd held its breath and the deafening roar when the Leicester City fans realised what had just happened – the FA Cup final was a special event to be a part of. As a Leicester fan, I was one of the fortunate 21,000 or so people to secure a ticket for the game at Wembley, which acted as part of the Government’s pilot events programme as the country emerges from what is hoped to be the final lockdown. Precautions were once again introduced to enable the safe return of fans to sporting events, following successful trials in the semi-finals and the Carabao Cup final. Those with LE postcodes were required to take the club coaches to and from Wembley, and proof of a negative lateral flow test conducted at a test centre was required. This was fastidiously checked on mobile phones both before boarding the club coaches

Liz Jackson MBE, centre, with former BCMS client Alison Cooper, left, and BCMS colleague Apeksha Tanna arm, 5k every day for five days wouldn’t be a challenge for me at all. relatives. Poor people are dy- ing on the roads.

“At St Mark’s, the children and widows are affected by some sickness every day and we need to provide both med- ical care and daily essentials, because the prices of our foods like rice, dhal, vegetables and oils have doubled.” Mrs Jackson, who was joined on her fifth and final walk on Friday by BCMS chief executive Jonathan Dunn, said that she had been sharing all the messages of support with Mr Prasad and he had been “incredibly heartened by the sense of solidarity” com- ing from UK. If you would like to sponsor Mrs Jackson you can visit her fundraising page at https:// gofund.me/3ff43b05 be implemented as and when required and dates and times of the individual closures will be advertised locally when fi- nalised. n The latest public notices, such as planning applications, road closures and licensing applications, can be found on page 50 of this week’s New- bury Weekly News .

“But, navigating this dis- tance, after only two training sessions, was definitely diffi- cult. “The support so far from the community has been fantas- tic. “We’ve now raised over £5,700 which will go directly to our friends in India – this will mean the world to them.” Mr Prasad added: “Indians are struggling and panick- ing and thousands are dying every day and millions are suffering without vaccines, medicine and oxygen. “People are losing their lives as families and mass cre- mations are going on and no- body is going near to see their travelling in any direction over Vanners Lane, Enborne; Old Lane, Hamstead Marshall; Burgess Lane, Hamstead Mar- shall; and Park Lane, Kint- bury. The closures are to enable remedial works to take place on or near the highway for Gi- gaclear. The restrictions will only

NWN reporter Jonathan Ashby with his father Gary at Wembley

and at various entry points around the ground. Two non-mandatory PCR tests were sent through the post in the days leading up to the game, to be done at home before and five days after the game. All the seats were sanitised before the game, every other seat was empty to help with social distancing, and masks were supposedly required everywhere throughout Wembley – although this wasn’t enforced. Neither was social distancing – but good luck with that one at an FA Cup final. All in all it was a smooth, seamless process which wasn’t a burden – aside from the extra financial cost of the coaches. And a moment if you’ll indulge me on what the day meant as a Leicester City fan. The title win in 2016 was a one-off, unexpected fairytale

which nobody had ever dreamed of. The FA Cup on the other hand was something that’s been considered winnable for all of Leicester’s 137-year history and has never happened, with the Foxes, before Saturday, holding the record for most finals – four – without winning it. That meant the magic of the cup, so dulled in recent years as the financial behemoth that is the Premier League took centre stage, was still alive in Leicester fans everywhere. It was the dream of our late chairman, Khun Vichai, to win it, and a huge banner with his face was looking down from the upper tier, alongside a quote of his: “Our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” Saturday is a day that will be talked of for generations.

Village road closures for Gigaclear works

“

All in all it was a smooth, seamless process which wasn’t a burden

Man denies trying to abduct schoolgirl A MAN accused of trying to abduct a schoolgirl has appeared in court. In the dock at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, May 12, was Omar Okeive Brown. The 39-year-old, who lives at Oxford Road, Newbury, faces two charges resulting from the incident, said to have happened at a bus stop in Purley. In the first instance, Mr Brown is accused of attempted kidnapping. He is said to have committed the offence shortly after 8.45pm after he got out of his car and approached the child, who is aged under 16 years and cannot be named. Mr Brown also faces an alternative charge of trying to take a child so as to remove her from the lawful control of her mother. Mr Brown, who was legally represented at the preliminary hearing, spoke only to con- firm his details and to deny both charges. The offences were said to have happened on August 7 last year and the alleged victim was not known to him, the court heard. Matthew Gauntlett, prosecuting, told magis- trates that the attempted kidnapping offence was so serious that it can only be tried by a judge and jury sitting at a crown court. Magistrates committed both matters to Reading Crown Court for trial. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June. Mr Brown was meanwhile released on unconditional bail.

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7

Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, May 20, 2021

NEWBURY NEWS

Kathleen is waving farewell after tirade ‘Rude’ driver accuses smiling 82-year-old of nearly causing an accident

Lord Benyon back in politics FORMER Newbury MP Lord Richard Benyon is back in politics having been named a Defra minister.

Lord Benyon was appoint- ed parliamentary under sec- retary of state (minister for rural affairs and biosecuri- ty) last week, following Lord Gardiner of Kimble’s appoint- ment to senior deputy speaker of the House of Lords. Lord Benyon said he was delighted to be returning to Defra, “a department filled with inspiring and dedicat- ed people and joining a great ministerial team”. His responsibilities include ministerial lead for Covid-19 Defra issues, biosecurity strategy, and the management of endemic and exotic animal diseases, including bovine TB. Food labelling, as well as food supply, security and re- silience are included in the brief, along with National Parks and Areas of Outstand- ing Natural Beauty, rights of way and coastal paths. Lord Benyon was the Con- servative MP for Newbury from 2005 to 2019, when he de- cided to stand down. He served as minister for

By JOHN GARVEY john.garvey@newburynews.co.uk @johng_nwn

“

Richard Benyon the natural environment, wa- ter and rural affairs in David Cameron’s Government until 2013. He was one of 21 MPs to re- bel against the Government over Brexit in 2019, and had the party whip removed for backing efforts to pass legisla- tion to block a no-deal Brexit. He was made a lord in Jan- uary and held trustee, board member and advisory roles at various environmental groups, including River Ac- tion and the Game and Wild- life Conservation Trust.

Perhaps it’s time to stop if I’m upsetting people

A PENSIONER who made national headlines with her novel way of beating the coronavirus blues is quit- ting – following a motorist’s “hurtful” tirade. It was last June when the Newbury Weekly News broke the story of how 82-year-old Kathleen Watson had taken to sitting by the roadside giv- ing free smiles and a friendly wave to all passers-by. It all began by chance. Mrs Watson, who lives in Crookham Common Road, Brimpton, said she was de- lighted when two cyclists waved to her as she took her daily exercise. So next time a car passed, she passed the gesture on. Then, through rain, hail and shine, the grandmother-of-two became a local legend and na- tional television beamed her image into living rooms as

retary at Spurcroft Primary School in Thatcham, added: “I’ve been on my own with no one to talk to at times and this doesn’t cost anything. “I’ve come to look on this as my ‘job’ – I really do love all the people who smile and wave. I’ve laughed so much. But now perhaps it’s time to stop if I’m upsetting people. “I want your readers to know how much joy they’ve given me and I do still care. I’ll be here, if the weather isn’t too bad, until the end of the month. “Then I’ll hang up my sign. “Hopefully, we’re over the worst by now. I hope things get better. Thank you to everyone who smiled back and waved – I love you all.”

Kathleen Watson waving at the junction of Crookham Common Road and Thornford Road Ref: 35-1420J

they followed up on our good news story. Not even a heart attack could stop her. Unable to drive for months, she would walk the three-mile round trip from her home to her spot at the junction of Crookham Common Road and Thornford Road. But now Mrs Watson is pre- paring to hang up her ‘Keep Smiling’ sign following an

unpleasant altercation with a passing motorist. She said: “I heard a screech of tyres round the corner and this man came over to me and said I’d nearly caused an acci- dent. He was taking pictures of me and was really rude. “The police know I’m here and they always smile and wave. It really upset me.” Mrs Watson, whose daugh- ter Suzanne Rogers is sec-

Man admits assaulting officer A MAN has admitted as- saulting a woman police officer. saulting the officer by beat- ing her during the exercise of her functions in Thatcham on September 26 last year. Magistrates ordered

In the dock at Reading Mag- istrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 4, was Jordan Hayman. The 26-year-old, of Sutton Road, Speen, admitted as-

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Thursday, May 20, 2021

Newbury Weekly News

NEWBURY NEWS

Get out and enjoy the great indoors again Hospitality trade has lift-off as customers are allowed to meet up inside

‘Unbearable tragedy’

n Continued from front page “Shelley shouted: ‘Where is he?’ and I said: ‘He’s in the water.’” The inquest heard that Dy- lan had tried feeding bread to the ducks opposite Victoria Park but that they were not interested, perhaps because anglers were fishing nearby. Instead, they walked on towards the weir for Dylan’s sake. Mrs Nardini recounted how she leaped in as Dylan was swept away and was sucked down by the weir current. Mr Wade said Mrs Nardini also got sucked under and was swept through the weir. As the current swept her downstream on the other side Mrs Nardini managed to grab hold of a branch. Mr Wade said: “She says she blames herself and thinks she should have tried harder to find Dylan. “I do hope she has aban- doned that particular idea. She can’t possibly blame her- self.” Passers-by raced to Mrs Nardini’s aid, throwing a rope and bouyancy aids, while oth- ers searched the waters franti- cally for Dylan. Police soon arrived on the scene and began searching for the boy. Pc Evan Pengliss said that 50m downstream there was a branch overhanging the wa- ter, where debris had accumu- lated. He saw a flash of blue clothing and jumped in, pull- ing Dylan out and beginning resuscitation attempts. He said: “I could see he was unconscious and not breath- ing.” Soon he was joined by par- amedics who continued the attempt. Dylan was rushed to the A THATCHAM man has been sentenced for being drunk and disorderly in public. In the dock at Reading Mag- istrates’ Court on Thursday, April 29, was Joe Albert Mon- ckton. The 32-year-old, who lives in Park Avenue and who

for us. We are a relatively small business and we had our two-year anniversary in January, so we have spent as much time in lockdown as we have open. “We have tried to stay open by offering takeaways and we have tried to cater for what we thought out custom- ers would want.” The shop, which Mrs Shemar said was “foodie fo- cussed”, had started hosting monthly Supper Clubs be- fore lockdown and began of- fering a similar experience, just in takeaway form, this year in a bid to “ride out the pandemic”. Mrs Shemar, who had her second child just six months ago, added: “I know a lot of our customers locally with small babies have struggled to get out, so it’s nice to be open for young mums to have somewhere to go. “We have had lots of cus- tomers supporting us, but it has been challenging. “It’s nice to see people in the shop again and to have a little buzz about and a little sense of normality.” Indoor organised sport and exercise classes have been able to restart, while cinemas and theatres have also welcomed back visitors this week. Children’s soft play areas, bowling alleys and pool halls are among other venues finally reopening too, but nightclubs must currently remain closed.

By SARAH BOSLEY sarah.bosley@newburynews.co.uk @newburytoday

Dylan Milsom John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, but was pronounced dead. Summing up, Mr Wade de- scribed the case as “extraor- dinarily tragic” and said: “Dy- lan loved to feed the ducks, as do all small boys. “We all do what we can to encourage youngsters to en- gage with nature. “But sometimes things go wrong. Shelley turned her head for a millisecond when Dylan, in his excited state, tripped over a tuft of grass and fell into the water. “His grandmother grabbed his hair as hard as she could but couldn’t hold on to him.” She also had Toby in his pushchair to watch over, said Mr Wade. He added: “These are dan- gerous waters and Dylan was swept away. “He never resurfaced until he was found by a police of- ficer under the surface. “This was nobody’s fault. It is an unbearable tragedy. I only hope his family can, one day, forget this day and re- member the lively, attractive Dylan he was before it.” Mr Wade formally recorded a verdict of accidental death. also goes by the name of Jo- seph Green, admitted commit- ting the public order offence at The Nightingales in Newbury on Wednesday, March 31. Mr Monckton was condi- tionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay £85 costs, plus a victim services surcharge of £22.

WEST Berkshire’s pubs, restaurants and hotels were among those busi- nesses welcoming custom- ers back inside for the first time in five months as in- door hospitality resumed in England on Monday. This week, people have been celebrating being able to final- ly sit down for a meal and sip a cold pint in the warm with friends, after six weeks of al fresco dining in less than ideal weather. The publicans of The Mon- ument in Newbury – Neal Anderson and Amy Siddons – were all smiles as they served punters for the first time since December 16. Mr Anderson, who has been behind the bar for 13 years in September, said: “It has been great to see so many of our

Neal Anderson and Amy Siddons celebrate the re-opening of The Monument pub in Newbury Ref: 20-1421A

“It’s definitely good to be back. The customers have missed it and I know I have too.” During the past five months, Mr Anderson and Miss Sid- dons have been busy redeco- rating the outside courtyard and bringing in a selection of new gins and beers ready for reopening. Miss Siddons added: “It’s been so nice. I have had cus- tomers come in with a bou- quet of flowers and a box of chocolates. “We have really missed our friends. That’s what they are to us. They aren’t just our cus- tomers, they are our friends too. “Five months has been a long time not to see them for.” Sunita Shemar, owner of Numee – an independent fam- ily-run coffee shop in Wash Common – was also pleased to welcome customers indoors again this week. “I am feeling great and the staff are really excited,” she said. “It has been a tough year

regulars again after all this time. “People have been very un- derstanding and respectful of the rules, which has made our job a lot easier.

Man was drunk and disorderly

“

It’s definitely good to be back. The customers have missed it and I know I have too

Nicky Pemberton, Becca Turner and owner Sunita Shemar outside her Numee café in Wash Common

Pcsos deal with incidents in town A MAN was arrested for carrying a knife and two women were moved on from New- bury town centre under new powers on Saturday, May 8. Pcsos stop-checked two men acting suspi- ciously in Dene Way, Newbury, one of whom was arrested for carrying a concealed kitchen knife. Two women were also given a direction to leave Newbury town centre for 24 hours, after being in a location where antisocial behaviour and criminal damage had occurred. Pcsos on the town centre neighbourhood policing team used powers under Newbury’s public space protection order to remove them from the area. The order was introduced in February to tackle street drinking and antisocial behav- iour in the town centre. If people are asked to stop their behaviour by a police officer or police community sup- port officer, they must do so. If they don’t comply, they will be commit- ting a criminal offence which could result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 or a fine of up to £1,000 if prosecuted.

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Newbury Weekly News

Thursday, May 20, 2021

NEWBURY NEWS

Enborne woman took her own life Popular teaching assistant struggled with depression

Nothing too much trouble for vax volunteers

CAREN Cotton and Lourdes Cottam have both been given the Volunteer of the Week accolade by Newbury Vaccination Centre. The leads said they really struggled with choosing just one person or couple as volun- teer of the week, as “you have all been so amazing”. It came down to two, who happen to have very similar sounding surnames, and so the leads decided to give it to both of them. They said: “Nothing is too much trouble for either of them, they never complain and Lourdes has answered the call for help at very short notice on more than one occa- sion.” Mrs Cotton, who lives in Peasemore, said she was de- lighted and explained why she signed up as a volunteer: “I wanted to get out there and start being helpful and, let’s be honest, meet new people after spending so long in lockdown. “We are also making his- tory. What is being achieved, across the country and across the globe, will be talked about for years to come.” Mrs Cotton is originally from Northern Ireland and said the worst thing has been not being able to visit her fam- ily for two years. She said: “All being well I hope to go home in June, but volunteering at the vaccina- tion centre has shown me how lucky I am. There are so many vulnerable, sick and lonely people, but they have all been

Wade described her as “a very intelligent woman over- whelmed by thoughts of self harm... in spite of the hard work of family and friends, healthcare professionals and mental health experts.” Falkland Primary School this week paid tribute to Mrs Chami. Headteacher Lin- da Wood said: “Janice was an exceptional person who had a passion and talent for bringing out the very best in children, in particular those that struggled with speech, language and communica- tion difficulties. “Over the years she de- veloped and furthered her knowledge of the subject and she was highly regarded, not just by her colleagues but the wider school communi- ty. The children she worked with thrived and she touched many lives. “Janice was extremely pro- fessional, kind, considerate and caring. Everything she did she did to the very best of her ability and with the chil- dren’s well-being at the heart of it all. “She was a dedicated mem- ber of the Falkland team and a friend to many. What she achieved in her role will al- ways be remembered and the children whose lives she bet- tered have treasured mem- ories of the work and time they spent with Mrs Chami. “We miss her and send our very best wishes to her fami- ly and friends.”

By JOHN GARVEY john.garvey@newburynews.co.uk

A SCHOOL teaching assis- tant took her own life af- ter struggling with mental health issues. Despite the best efforts of friends, family and health workers, Janice Fiona Chami succumbed to the effects of bi- polar disorder and borderline personality disorder. An inquest into the death of the 55-year-old divorced moth- er held in Reading Town Hall on Thursday, May 13, heard how she was found dead in her home in Kingsmead, Enborne, on March 2 last year. Mrs Chami was a popular specialist teaching assistant at Falkland Primary School in Newbury. Her friend and colleague Joanna Wright told of her “dear friend” of 10 years who struggled with depression and thoughts of self harming. She said: “We became really good friends”, but added that she noticed a decline in Mrs Chami’s mental health in 2019 – “she seemed sad and like the life had left her”. The inquest heard of sev- eral attempts to take her own life, despite friends and neigh- bours rallying to help. Mrs Chami was treated as an inpatient at Prospect Park Hospital, Tilehurst, and at one point was detained under the Mental Health Act. Newbury is set to donate her ‘lockdown locks’ to the Little Princess Trust. Olivia Harper – who works for Oxfordshire County Council – will have her long hair cut tomorrow (Friday). The trust will then turn her hair into a wig for children who have lost theirs through cancer treatment, or through other conditions, such as alopecia. It normally costs £550 for the trust to make, fit and style a personalised wig, and Ms Harper has, however, now smashed her initial fundraising target, and has set a new one of £1,100 – enough for two wigs. She said: “So much work goes into making these wigs, to put a massive smile on a child’s face to make their journey that tiny bit easier. “I want to add to that – my hair has grown a lot during lockdown so why should that go to waste?” To donate towards the fundraiser, visit bit. ly/3uIUyom contributors of hair typically cover this themselves.

Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. But on March 2 last year another friend, Mandy Dyson, became concerned for her wel- fare and called police. Officers arrived to find wor- ried neighbours and friends outside her home and broke in when they received no an- swer. The body of Mrs Chami was found and a note to her daugh- ter was nearby. Assistant Berkshire coro- ner Ian Wade QC read parts into the public record in which she stated: “I’m so sor- ry to leave you, but you know I’m doing so because I really can’t bear to stay.” The remainder, said Mr Wade, was “deeply personal”. The inquest heard she was having weekly sessions with the mental health team and was under medication. A post mortem examination revealed no alcohol or illegal drugs in her system. Mr Wade said: “Cases such as this cause considerable anxiety and distress” and ac- knowledged concerns from family and friends about Mrs Chami’s medical treatment. He stressed that a Serious Incident Review conducted by the healthcare trust had not found anything lacking in her care.

Vaccine volunteers Caren Cotton and Lourdes Cottam

originally from Spain, has lived in the area for the best part of 40 years. She said: “I hadn’t thought about volun- teering until a friend suggest- ed it. But when I went to the training session I liked the idea of getting involved. “I have done everything from wiping down chairs to welcoming people and looking after the other volunteers.” Mrs Cottam said that the whole experience had been a real eye-opener. “It’s been a very positive thing and I’ve met some amazing people, al- ways cheerful, grateful and smiling,” she said. She added she has missed her grandchildren the most during lockdown and is look- ing forward to seeing more of them as restrictions ease. “I don’t know when I’ll get to see other relatives in Spain, but I look forward to that as well,” she added.

so grateful for what we do, it gives you a real buzz to see what a difference we make to people’s lives. “When you meet these peo- ple at the racecourse with so many different experiences it is quite humbling. We treat everyone with respect and dig- nity and positivity and I come away from each shift feeling I’ve done a cool thing. There’s a real sense of achievement.” During the enforced lock- down Mrs Cotton has concen- trated on creating jewellery for her online business and she said that she is also look- ing forward to craft fairs start- ing up again. She added: “I’m a people person and I love talking to and meeting with so many dif- ferent people, so I really hope I can set up stall again soon at all the lovely local craft fairs.” Mrs Cottam is a Thatcham town councillor and, although

On being discharged, the inquest heard, she received follow-up treatment and home visits from mental health pro- fessionals at the Berkshire Lopping lockdown locks for Little Princess A 23-YEAR-OLD from Concluding that Mrs Chami had taken her own life, Mr

Olivia Harper will have her hair cut tomorrow (Friday)