Over the last couple of months, the Council’s social media sites have been focussing on different communities in Reading.
It has been lovely to hear residents talking proudly about where they live, to see what local groups do for the community and how Council staff deliver essential services that touch people’s daily lives.
Reading has a wonderfully diverse population and different parts of the borough have their own unique character.
Forty-five percent of our residents belong to black and minority ethnic communities, which is one of the highest proportions in the south-east, and 67 different languages are spoken in the borough.
Everybody wants to feel they belong, that they are part of their local community and that neighbours are there to help each other out in times of need.
The fact we have such unique communities around the borough makes Reading a very special place and this has been demonstrated most recently by the stories we’ve seen from South Reading.
As a council we adapt to our changing communities, we have community centres and community hubs in all our main areas and most recently we opened a new community centre in Whitley Wood.
The new centre has seen new groups showcase their activities to residents and there is a real buzz in the space. There is such a wide choice and variety on offer there, from coffee mornings for the over 50s, community fun days and the Whitley Wood Pantry where residents pay £5 per visit and choose £20-£25 worth of food.
The team who work there want to make sure the centre is being used in the best way for the local community, and so far, the centre has been well used and enjoyed by residents.
The South Reading area has seen significant changes in recent years with the growth at Kennet Island and development of Green Park. It is important the facilities in the area keep up and recently the leisure centre has been updated and Reading FC Community Trust has moved in. New Directions, our adult learning college, is also in the heart of the community.
There are beautiful green spaces too, including the gem of Fobney Island Nature Reserve, just away from the A33 and along the Kennet. It is home to over 200 plant species, over 100 different types of birds, dragonflies, and butterflies.
If you live, or have ever lived, in the area the Whitley Community Museum Facebook page is run by locals and it is the place to relive childhood memories, reacquaint with friends and schoolmates from decades ago.
Community spirit is what makes Reading special, and it never ceases to amaze me how many wonderful people there are who are willing to give their time to support and help others. I look forward to hearing more of their stories as we continue to focus on celebrating our communities around the borough.
Liz Terry is the leader of Reading Borough Council
