Reading Roars!

I was sad to hear that Reading West councillor Sandy Scaife (Lab) had passed away. I knew her when I was a party activist for Kentwood ward.

Sandy was always nice to me. I remember her as someone who was open, energetic and confident. She had a direct way of talking, which I liked. Plus, she had a great smile.

She will be missed.

Young people in Reading aged 11-18 years are invited to make their voices heard by standing as candidates for the Reading Youth Cabinet.

Elections for the 12-seat Cabinet will take place between Monday 28 November and Friday 9 November at polling stations in schools and youth clubs.

The elected Youth Cabinet Members will become the Executive of the Reading Borough Council/Connexions-backed Reading Youth Forum, which aims to represent kids in Reading. Members will meet monthly and meet with local decision-makers.

Pete Ruhemann, lead councillor for Children’s and Young People’s Services, has this to say:

The Council, the police, the local NHS and so on need to hear what young people think because young people are important in their own right and are of course Reading’s future.

(Unless, of course, they move to a different town.)

So come on, budding Blairs! Here is your chance to make an impact! If you want to know more, give Kevin Terry a ring on 0118 939 0749. Or e-mail ryf@reading.gov.uk.

A consultation has been launched on the development of the Palmer Park Sports Stadium area.

Reading Borough Council are interested in what the people of East Reading think of the following proposed changes:

The improvements will be made at the same time as the stadium extension, which will see a fitness centre, climbing wall and teaching pool added.

You can have your say by “dropping in” on Thursday 10 November (12-2pm) and Tuesday 29 November (2-8pm) at Palmer Park Sports Stadium. Alternatively, click here to fill in a consultation contact form.

Click below to download a map of the planned parkland. Please note that this is a PDF file and Adobe Reader is required to open it:

[222Kb]

Reading Mayor Cllr Riaz Chaudhri has launched an appeal for victims of the terrible earthquake which struck Pakistan on Saturday 8 October 2005.

Details of how to pay are as follows:

In addition, the Mayor is willing to offer support to fund-raising initiaves in the town. To arrange this, click here.

All donations will be given to the President of Pakistan’s Relief Fund for Earthquake Victims 2005 set up by Pakistan’s government.

That wonderful American festival Halloween is looming.

Not everyone wants to be visited, however, by kids in cloaks and Scream masks. So what can you do to avoid a confrontation with pranksters who are ready to strike if they don’t get their treat?

Local police have the answer. And what an answer. It’s the classic Do Not Disturb sign. To be exact, it’s a Do Not Disturb flyer, designed for attaching to a window or front door.

As you can see, the flyer actually looks quite menacing. It features an image of a cackling (or hissing) demonic face carved into a pumpkin. But, in a contest between Pumpkin Face and a rotten egg hurled by a 14 year old chav, I think Pumpkin Face would end up with egg on its, well, face.

What do you offers youngsters these days, anyway, as a treat? Kids get everything. They are a powerful consumer group. Is candy enough? Should you give them the latest Sony PSPâ„¢ game instead? A Bacardi Breezer?

You can download the poster by clicking here. There are colour and black-and-white versions available (but do you really want a B&W flyer?). So go on, treat yourself.

Reading’s Children and Young People’s Partnership has launched a website, Every Child Matters, designed to provide information such as youth clubs, sports facilities and volunteering opportunities, to kids in Reading.

The site’s aims, according to the news release, are to help children and young people:

have access to services that will help them achieve the best they can in life

be healthy, safe, enjoy life, have a good education, have the chance to get involved in new things

have their voices heard and have the practical things they need

be able to find services they need

have a range of services in Reading that respond and develop their talents and interests

These are lofty aims. Will the site succeed?

The statement adds that young people helped devise the site content and chose an (odd-looking!) cartoon character “Hesta” to guide users on the site.

This is pleasing. It is important to involve young people in projects like these. With an opportunity such as this, kids develop a sense of responsibility and team-play. Better still, their creations are seen by many visitors. Furthermore, it is a great introduction to the wonderful world of content management! (No doubt I’ll be sifting through their CVs in ten years time).

So, does the site work? Navigation is confusing. The site is integrated into Reading Borough Council’s and the user can feel a bit lost.

Also, while the cartoon figures are cheerful enough (Professor Pixels is a funny character), and the colour scheme is pleasant, young users may expect a little more, such as animation or interactive elements. Surfers, especially the younger generation, have more discerning requirements in this broadband age and designers must respond to these needs.

This site thus doesn’t have the wow factor, but it is a good start.

Carters Stream Fair is to change the name of one of its attractions from “freak show” to Original Incredibles after an objection from Reading Borough Council.

It is believed that the Council judged the term potentially offensive.

Carters, however, defended the “freak show”, saying that the attraction was aimed at families and emphasising that the form of entertainment was popularly used in Victorian funfairs.

The new name will only be used while the fair is in town, on 8 and 9 October 2005.

For the Evening Post article, click here.

Click here to read the BBC story.