GLOBE is for people who care passionately about our local environment.
We are:
- working to improve and protect green spaces for the benefit of wildlife and local residents.
- taking practical action on the ground as well as influencing policy and planning decisions.
Our activities include:
- Practical events such as tree and hedge planting, rubbish clearance, graffiti removal and walks.
- Encouraging Councillors and Council Officers to take action to improve the local environment.
- Monitoring and commenting on planning applications and consultations on issues such as landscaping, flood risk, wildlife conservation, light pollution and visual impact.
- Working with other local community, residents and conservation groups to further common aims.
- Refubishing and planting the 22 wooden planter boxes in Central Caversham
Caversham GLOBE works in all parts of Reading Borough north of the Thames as well as adjoining areas along the riverside and into South Oxfordshire. We are an independent community-based group funded by donations. We are one of several GLOBE groups set up in Reading in the mid-1990s following the Rio Earth Summit.
GLOBE Meetings & Mailing List
We meet each month to talk about local issues and make decisions (see Diary page for dates). Anyone is welcome to the meetings which are held in the upstairs hall at: Church House, 59 Church Street, Caversham RG4 8AX (by Prospect Street mini roundabout) Click here to open Map in New window. To be added to our mailing list please email, phone or write with your contact details and areas of interest. (see Contacts page). We have no annual subscription, all we ask is for your interest, support, ideas, expertise and energy.
Recent News:
The need for trees: “They calm us down, they clean the air, they make us money”
In the midst of a UK-wide heatwave, Isabella Kaminski reports on the measurable economic benefits of tree-planting and why we need 1.5bn more trees by 2050
What’s wrong with planting new forests?
Planting trees can sometimes actually do more harm than good to the environment. Here's why.Reading Transport Strategy 2036
Find out more about it:
Transport Strategy drop-in - Church House, Caversham
From 15 Aug 2019 at 15:00 to 15 Aug 2019 at 19:00
More information
Come and see us at Church House in Caversham to find out more about transport in Reading and tell us how you think it should be improved.
Church House, 57-59 Church Street, Caversham RG4 8AXR
Then have your say by taking the consultation survey:
www.reading.gov.uk/Transport2036
Reading Transport Strategy 2036 - Reading Borough Council - Citizen Space
Find and participate in consultations run by Reading Borough CouncilAs part of the WILD About Reading events SOAR have invited Naturalist Adrian Lawson and Archaeologist Alison Mc Quitty to lead a walk from the Waterside Centre to the Town Centre along the Thames Path. Along the way they will be telling us about the wildlife and history of the area. There will also be plenty of opportunity to discuss the progress with the SOAR campaign to protect and improve this area of the riverside.
Zone 4-Riverside walk with SOAR
Enjoy an evening stroll along the Thames and discover a scenic and easy route into Reading town centre.Wednesday 31st 10.00 - 12.00
A walk through Clayfield Copse - a Wild About Reading 2019 event
Walk with Adrian Lawson through this beautiful woodland and learn the benefits of rewilding and how this special space has developed.
Rewilding ancient and modern woodland in Reading. WALK.
Walk with Adrian Lawson through this beautiful woodland and learn the benefits of rewilding and how this special space has developed.A really interesting and informative session
Zone 1- Gosbrook Garden Growers Gardening fun
Come and get your hands dirty in this beautiful community garden and learn more about the food we can grow to eat.
International Bog Day is being celebrated this year on Sunday 28 July. Not everyone has access to a peat bog but as gardeners we can do our bit to help protect these unique habitats by gardening without peat.
How to go peat free | The Wildlife Trusts
How to go peat free All year roundEco-shoppingEco-gardening Help preserve vital peatland in the UK by going peat free in your garden. The UK’s peatlands store around 3.2 billion tonnes of carbon and we get 70% of our drinking water from peatland river catchments. Peat bogs are home to all sorts of...
Why are England's roadsides blooming?
What is behind the growing move from neatly-trimmed grass verges to small roadside meadows?Are there any areas in Caversham that might benefit from a reduced mowing regime?
BBC Springwatch Garden revealed at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival / RHS Gardening
Read about the design of the BBC Springwatch Garden at the RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival, 2-7 July 2019.
Caversham GLOBE Monthly Meeting 23 July 7 pm
Church House, Church Street, Caversham. All supporters and local residents warmly welcome.
Golf club plans move and sale of land for housing
A GOLF club that plans to sell its land for housing says it will leave by no later than March 31, 2021. Reading Golf Club, which occupies a 96-acre site off Kidmore End Road in Emmer Green, is to merge with Caversham Heath Golf Club, which occupies...
Action on air pollution works but far more is needed, study shows
UK’s dirty air still ‘a public health emergency’ despite dramatic fall in death ratesThursday 20 June is Clean Air Day 2019
Reading Borough Council is hosting a ‘no idling day’
Volunteers will be asking motorists to switch off their engines to cut back on harmful emissions and to improve air quality for local people.
Could You be an Air Quality Champion for Reading - Clean Air Day 2019
Could You be an Air Quality Champion. There's still time for volunteers to come forward and become Reading Air Quality Champions for Clean Air Day 2019The Thames needs your support, please take a minute to contact Matt Rodda MPSHOCKING: Every river we tested across the UK contains plastic and one river, the River Mersey, has proportionally more plastic than the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Is your MP doing ANYTHING about it? Tell them to act here: act.gp/2WSaS9E
Done!
Done
A councillor recently suggested to me that as there was no money to tackle local air quality issues, crowd funding was the way to go.
I trust this increase in allowances will also be ‘crowd funded’ rather than coming from our council tax!
Reading councillor allowances could more than double
An Independent Remuneration Panel has ruled councillors in Reading aren't getting enough moneyAre these councillors in the real world. Private industry doesn’t award increases like this! Where are the controls to kerb these increases? Surely we are paying these people to represent the local area and it’s improvement for everyone not just themselves!
Tuesday 25th June Monthly Meeting, 8pm , Church House, Church Street, Caversham
This month’s meeting will follow on from the AGM, which starts at 7pm. As always, all supporters and residents are warmly welcomed. In the light of RBC declaring a Climate Emergency, setting up a new cleaner air and safer transport forum and the consultation on the Local Transport Plan it is essential that we engage in all these opportunities and keep the air quality issues in Caversham high up the agenda.
The more support we have, the harder we are to ignore.
All residents are welcome to come to the Annual General Meeting of Caversham GLOBE group will take place on Tuesday 25 June at 7 pm in Church House Church Street Caversham, RG4 8AX. This meeting will be followed by our monthly meeting.
Much has changed since the early days of the GLOBE groups in Reading in the mid-1990s. In the current challenging times the group continues to make a difference locally due to a core group of activists and the continued support of interested residents but there are challenges ahead. How will you help safeguard our environment? The AGM is an opportunity to take stock of 2018 and to strengthen the resolve of the GLOBE group to continue its valuable work. Please come.
You may be aware that GLOBE has been involved in measuring air quality in Caversham.
These measurements revealed the dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in central Caversham.
Of more concern is the equivalent information that RBC has collected for air quality measurement showing that THREE CAVERSHAM LOCATIONS HAVE EXCEEDED THE MEAN ANNUAL LEGAL LIMIT FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS!
Want to read more and see all the details? See our Website article: 'The silent killer on Cavershams busy roads' here cavershamglobe.org.uk/articles/the-silent-killer-on-cavershams-busy-roads-2018/
The silent killer on Caversham’s busy roads – 2018 – Caversham GLOBE
The silent killer on Caversham’s busy roads – 2018 The harm to human health and our environment of “Poor Air Quality” has been the subject of international, UK and local media discussion for some years. The alarming measurements taken by Caversham GLOBE (Go Local On a Better Environment) gro...anyone worried enough to take action can lobby their ward councillor or residents group. Your local environment group Caversham GLOBE needs more activists on this matter too. email us and join our mailing list, but don't just leave it at that. Being informed is one step short of ACTION! 🚙🚚🚛🚲🚲🚲🚑🚑
I've been on about it for years and spoke to various local councillors etc. All obviously ignored the problem. One of the reasons we moved away from the area.
will Reading Borough Council include north of the river in their discussions now??
This is extremely worrying.
I hope there will be a really positive announcement at the launch of the new Climate Strategy next Thursday (14;00, Civic Centre) The council has declared a climate emergency, so you can rest assured this will fix the air quality issue. l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eventbrite.co.uk%2Fe%2Freading-climate-action-network-co...
Faye Harland
Bet they don’t!
Please take the time to read these for information,inspiration and hopefully ACTION! The GLOBE group needs more active supporters if "north Reading" as we're being referred to by some, is not to be spoiled by actions of thoughtless outsiders. Only last week a 200+ yr old veteran pollarded willow tree was inexplicably uprooted and destroyed by RBC workers on Christchurch Meadows. Additionally we have plastics and antibiotics in our water courses,litter in places, destruction of habitats, climate emergency, removal of 100s of trees in our Thames parks for the EA's questionable flood defences, poisonous air about which nothing much is being done, pollinators and birds disappearing, thousands more homes in central Reading, the list goes on.
Food for thought maybe, but hopefully ACTION too?Somebody has got to do it, so please don't leave it to anybody because nobody may do it...........
www.gov.uk/government/speeches/a-different-philosophy-why-our-thinking-on-flooding-needs-to-chang...
readingcan.org.uk/events/event/third-reading-climate-strategy-launch-event
RBC is distroying nesting sites in the breeding season did the workmen check if the tree had nests before it was ripped from the ground?
Not all litter in rivers is thrown by people - some gets there when bins aren't emptied! IF you care about issues like this or the antibiotics pollution issue see
www.theguardian.com/society/2019/may/27/worlds-rivers-awash-with-dangerous-levels-of-antibiotics , or you're wondering about the climate emergency, you could make a difference by joining with like minded residents - Caversham GLOBE meets tonight Tuesday 28 May 7 pm see our previous post for more details of agenda and venue.
Look at all that recycling that someone thinks is rubbish, and has now become litter ☹️
If you can’t get your litter in the bin TAKE IT HOME!
Some parks have signs ‘Take your rubbish and recycling home’ I wonder if RBC should do this as often I see the bins in sandy park over flowing at weekends xxx
Nice bin but shame about the service that empties it!!! Let me guess funding cut backs!
Tuesday 28 May at 7 pm in the upstairs room at Church House, Church Street Caversham. All residents are welcome. The GLOBE group is continuing to work with the campaign for a better flood alleviation scheme (CABFAS) given the Environment Agency's (EA) proposals for drastic flood defences on the Thames parks. On air pollution in central Caversham there is as yet little progress by RBC. A new initiative "Reading Climate Action Network" has its first strategy meeting on 13 June 2019 at Council Offices. The work of the GLOBE group supporters needs time, commitment, energy and much more if we are to make progress on these vital local issues. Any suggestions, ideas and practical help is always welcome. Why not come to our monthly meeting?
CABFAS – Campaign for A Better Flood Alleviation Scheme
News BBC news coverage: River Thames flood defence plans need ‘clear evidence’ Posted on 11th March 201911th March 2019by CABFAS The BBC news has picked up an interview that one of the CABFAS key members did with the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Read the full article here. Read MorePlease note that there will not be a monthly meeting of the group on 23 April. During past four weeks we've planted more hedging on Christchurch Meadows, done litter clearing of Thames Parks where we removed more than 40 sacks of litter, over 200 glass bottles and various fly-tipped items as part of #GBSpringClean. Some of the group have been in discussions/correspondence with EA officials and the CABFAS campaign about the flood defence proposals: also a consultation briefing with a developer determined to obtain planning permission for building on some of our precious local green space. We continue dialogue with various RBC officers on other matters of concern within the remit of our group, for example landscaping in a part of Hill's Meadow and removal of graffiti. GLOBE activists try to make a difference locally and there is always more than each of us can strive to achieve that might in some small way contribute to resolving worldwide environmental issues such as climate change, air pollution and plastics contamination etc. Please contact the group if you have ideas or suggestions about any aspect of our local environment. The next monthly meeting of the group is due on Tuesday May 28. Thanks.
7 Caversham GLOBE supporters and 1 member of the Bell Tower Community Association invested their time and energy on Saturday 6 April to clean up around Caversham bridge, Richfield Avenue green margins and adjacent playing fields and hedgerows for the benefit of our environment and other residents as part of our contribution to #GBSpringclean initiated by the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. Being tidy is nowhere in the consciousness of the inconsiderate people who dumped 24 sacks of food containers, drinks cans, plastic bags, bottles and cups, 104 glass bottles, various scrap metal, 30 drugs needles and miscellaneous plastic, electrical and wooden items. Although it's rewarding to have cleared all this rubbbish, because GLOBE and the Bell Tower Community Association cleared the area in April 2018, something is clearly amiss. See photos of our collection and some of our volunteers. Well done and thank you. 🙂
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you everyone x
Thank you
Hi, I was thinking of starting a Cleanup Caversham initiative, but really glad there's already people doing this. Great stuff. When is the next cleanup planned for?
At our #GBSpringclean this morning 12 volunteers collected 22 sacks of rubbish, 90 glass bottles, a bicycle, a shopping trolley, scrap metal, 50 drugs needles and various items of litter from the Thames parks in Caversham. So that Hill's Meadow, View Island and Christchurch Meadows are much cleaner for a while. Thank you to all involved, some of whom are pictured here. We're at Richfield Avenue 10 am tomorrow, Saturday 6 April to do a similar clean up.
Well done you guys.
Well done mum and dad! Paul Goddard
Thank you so much
Well done guys. Sorry I couldn’t help today. My stint tomorrow 👍
Thank you very much. Making parks safer and cleaner for us all to enjoy. 😍
Well done everyone ...great job 👏
Amazing, self-less work. Thank you.
That's my Mum and Dad!
Well done!
Thank you all
Thank you very much
Thank you very much.
Thank you!
Thank you. 🙂
Thankyou everyone. X
Well done!
thank you 🙂
Golf club plans pushed into the long grass
This week Planning Inspector Louise Gibbons, in her advice to Reading Borough Council on the local plan, rules out any development on CA1b before 2026.
She says that this land (on the 1st and 18th holes only) should "be retained as a site to be developed in the long-term, from 2026 onwards".
Even from 2026 the Inspector wants to see strong controls on any development. She makes it clear any development on CA1b is contingent on golf continuing there.
In an unfortunate typo her advice refers to "Reading Gold Club" but it seems that there will be no 'gold rush' for developer Fairfax for a very long time.
KEG will keep fighting to stop unsustainable development in our community. Please join us.
Here is the Inspector's Post Hearing Advice:
www.reading.gov.uk/media/10054/EI014-Post-Hearing-Advice--Additional-Main-Modifications-and-Relat...
Our March monthly meeting will be on Tuesday 26 at 7 pm in the upstairs room at Church House, Church Street Caversham; all residents are welcome. Current issues include the Environment Agency's (EA) proposals for those drastic flood defences on the Thames parks. GLOBE has committed to working with the campaign for a better flood alleviation scheme (CABFAS), find on facebook or see their website. The EA's sub-contractors have caused much disturbance when cutting down wild margins and damaging some trees for access to ground survey sites, so much so that we have raised 3 formal complaints As yet there's no progress on the major issue of poor air quality that the group monitored throughout 2018 in central Caversham and has been raised with RBC. At our next meeting we'll be deciding on dates for a thorough litter pick (yet again!) of the Richfield Avenue green margins and another blitz along the Thames parks where thoughtless people continue dropping their litter. The work of the GLOBE group supporters needs time, commitment, energy and much more if we are to make progress on these vital local issues. Any suggestions, ideas and practical help will always be welcome please.
CALL TO ACTION: EA FLOOD SCHEME WORKERS HAVE CLEARED VAST AREAS OF SCRUB HABITAT AND TREES - NEAR MEADOW WAY - FURTHER CLEARANCE WORK SET TO CONTINUE MONDAY 4TH MARCH 2019!
On Tuesday morning (26 February) a team of 6 EA workers with heavy machinery – chainsaws, brush cutters and a tractor was seen clearing and flailing vast swathes of wildlife habitat in the fields south of Amersham Road (between Dean’s Farm RBC field, Meadow Way and Amersham Rd)
GLOBE understands from what the workers told a GLOBE key member that this clearance work is intended to continue all the way along the Berry Brook along around the southern perimeter of the Amersham road estate onwards towards Lowfield Farm.
Some of this land is in Reading and some of it is in South Oxfordshire.
The EA staff were flailing and clearing vegetation by machine in a way that would not enable them to see any nesting birds, reptiles, mammals etc.
Another issue is that such extensive clearance of vegetation will open up this area to potential Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB). These fields link the Amersham Road playing fields through to Deans Farm. ASB used to be an issue here until the entire area became covered in scrub and people stopped accessing it.
They are accessing the site from RBC parks land off The Causeway which leads to Deans Farm, and have damaged one of the whitebeam trees on the grass verge near the entrance (property of either RBC or Dean’s Farm).
The workers said that they had been instructed by the EA to clear the site in preparation for investigation work as part of the flooding scheme.
A formal EA complaint has been made. However, the EA expect to continue more clearing on Monday!
If you care about maintaining wildlife, greenery, your environment and preventing ASB, we ask that you contact your local representatives (EA, Councillors, MP's etc) to stop this damage.
Clair Drever, the EA stands for the Environment Agency
That is outrageous, Environment Agency what have you got to say? Please stop & explain!!!
I’ve watched EA cutting away trees and scrub habitat at deans farm/meadow way area. Local family of deer always seen in there, as are muntjacs, foxes, and badgers. Hope this doesn’t disturb the wildlife.
Outraged too? Elisa Del Galdo Miles
Who commissioned this? I’m not sure who EA are. I’ve never been good st acronyms. Whoever it is should be environmentally aware.
We recommend cutting hedges and trees is avoided between March and August as this is the main breeding season for nesting birds. It is an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 to intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built.
This is what’s been done at Mapledurham playing by RBC and the Heights school
Local people will be welcome on Tuesday 26 February at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) to the monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group in the upstairs hall in Church House, 59 Church Street, Caversham. RG4 8AX. Participating in the group's activities - see photos and posts - requires various skills, abilities and interests for the various campaigns in which we are active. We need more activists to invest their time, interest and energy for the benefit of local residents and our environment. If you or someone you know enjoys campaigning for change as well as doing practical tasks you'll be welcome to join in all aspects of our work to help keep Caversham a pleasant place to live. Come and contribute! Contact via email at [email protected] or Facebook message or ring 07768958407 or come to our meeting.
Planting verges in Reading for PollinatorsThere are various projects and campaigns underway across England to reduce the regular cutting of roadside verges and hence improve biodiversity. In particular, this is to increase flowering plants to encourage pollinators.
Whist some people would like to see longer verges, others find this “messy”. There is also an issue with litter being retained in long grass and with dog owners seeing this as an unmanaged area for use as a toilet.
In addition, there is a problem with grass mowings. If the grass is left long, then annual cutting may be done with strimmers or flail mowers, depending upon the width. Removing the cuttings is a separate job with additional expense. It is rarely done. Long grass left on roadside verges is unsightly and, more importantly, tends to shade out some of the flowering plants and encourage the “thugs” to the detriment of the wider range of plants that encourage diversity of insects.
Keeping longer roadside verges to benefit wildlife is not a simple or cost-neutral activity for the council to achieve.
This pilot project is taking a different approach. We want to find out whether we can incorporate low flowering plants within roadside verges, let the council continue with its current mowing regime leaving the short mowings in situ, keep residents happy, and still improve the habitat for pollinators. If successful, then this is something that can be rolled out across urban areas without a maintenance cost for councils and the Reading Climate Change Partnership, funding the project, will work to encourage companies in the area to sponsor further plantings.
Many low-growing flowering plants, such as clovers, bird’s foot trefoil and ladies bedstraw, will flower at very low height above ground, and will cope with fairly close mowing to flower a second or third time. For a number of pollinators, a flower at 6cm above the ground is just as good as one at a metre. Naturally, the close mown grass does not offer nesting sites and does not suit some hoverflies, butterflies and bee species that prefer to be further off the ground, but it may be a partial solution for urban areas.
We know that some plants will cope with close mowing and still flower. These are the ones being grown for the research. What we don’t know is:
Can we provide pollen and nectar through the summer with a selection of plants?
Will plant A grow at the expense of plant B and reduce the variety over time? (for example, yarrow with outgrow almost everything)
If we can’t maintain a continuum of flowering, can we provide food for insects early in the year, during the June dearth of flowers in gardens, and at the end of the summer?
Is the standard grass in the grass verge too strong to allow plug plants to establish? (we may do a follow up planting of larger swatches of flowering plants plus fine grasses to see whether there is a better system)
That’s the plan; this is what we’d like you to do.
Identify an area of roadside verge outside your house, or on the way home from work; somewhere near enough to visit weekly without stress. The plot needs to be more than three metres by 1 metre in size without a junction box, telegraph pole, large tree with root system or other things that interfere with mowing practices. It also needs to be somewhere where people do not park on the roadside verge and cut it up or shade it out.
Be willing to:
Receive a tray of plug plants to put into your patch in February/March. Maximum number to plant in a patch would be 27 (3 square metre plot), minimum 18 ( 2square metre plot) No problem in taking on several patches close together..
Plant the plugs at a rate of 9/square metre and water them in.
If we have no rain during the first month, water the plug plants
Have a look, preferably once a week, and fill in the data form showing a) Which plants are still alive? b) Which plants are in flower? c) Are you seeing insects on the flowers of different plants? (this is at the level of bees, flies, hoverflies, butterflies or moths; you do not need to identify specific species.) d) Was the grass mown by the council this week.
Tell us when you are going on holiday for more than two weeks or get fed up with the survey, so that we can get someone to continue the record
Tell us if the plot is looking spectacular and full of insects so that we come to identify them and take photos (or do this yourself)
We intend to have a couple of specific planting days where conservation volunteers would be around to help with the planting, but can’t promise help to all.
Interested? then send an email or phone call to tricia on [email protected]couse.com 0118 9268341 and I will arrange to come and see you to look at the plot and chat further.
We need to find a mixture of sunny sites, shady sites, chalky sites etc to work out what works best where, and I also need to be sure that the council, gas board, water authority etc do not have plans to dig up the street and park machinery on the verge. I haven’t got this information yet although Reading Council is on the case.
This project is funded by the Reading Climate Action Network and implemented through ECONET
Great initiative 👍
Here is an opportunity to help improve grass verges in our area with wildlife friendly planting
On Monday 28 January 10 supporters of Caversham GLOBE group were busy litter picking Christchurch Meadows yet again. Where does it all come from and who puts it there? 16 sacksful and a lot of bulky flytipped items. They were also planting more hedging along the north field eastern boundary that will eventually help to hide the laundry fence and provide more wildlife habitat. A big thank you to those GLOBE activists who organised and carried out this valued work.
Well done. I would like to help if you need volunteers on a Saturday, otherwise working full time takes precedence.
Thank you and for painting and fixing the planters on Church Road too
Thanks so much 👍👍
Thank you. Great work, especially in this cold weather
Thank you...
Thank you
Thank you!
Great work😀😀 well done. Can you post any minutes from the meeting you all had the other night
Hello to all GLOBE supporters. On Monday 28 January we will be planting some hedging and carrying out some maintenance including litter picking and rubbish clearance in Christchurch Meadows. This should be for about 2 hours from 10 am. All will be welcome. We have litter picking tools and sacks. We also have various pairs of protective gloves, though most people prefer their own.
Obviously, the right clothing and footwear is essential and if you have your own secateurs, border fork/spade or similar they'd be useful.
Meeting point by 10 am is opposite Westfield Rec by the entrance to north field of Christchurch Meadows on Gosbrook Road RG4 8BU.
To give an idea of numbers attending please let us know if you will be attending.
I'll be there
Residents will be welcome on Tuesday 22 January at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) to the first 2019 meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group in the upstairs hall in Church House, 59 Church Street, Caversham. RG4 8AX. GLOBE supporters are currently investing their time, interest and energy for the benefit of local residents by highlighting the poor air quality in central Caversham, monitoring local building plans, questioning aspects of the flood defences that will controversially change our riverside forever, working to keep our green spaces clean. We'll be hedge planting next month. We welcome more activists to join in all aspects of our work to keep Caversham a pleasant place to live. Come and contribute! Contact via email at [email protected] or Facebook message or ring 07768958407 or come to our meeting.
During the past 25 years Caversham GLOBE volunteers led by a small group of enthusiasts have achieved alot for the benefit of the wider community. 20 years ago a small hazel sapling was planted in Balmore Walk. That tree has been giving passers-by a lovely display of catkins. Currently pictured, the male blossoms are obvious but where do the fruits appear? You'll have to pause and admire that natural wonder more closely to see the small red female flowers also pictured. Clever? Yes but not such a wonder of nature as those trees like the yew, holly and many more whose male and female flowers grow on separate trees!
Joscelyne Williams
Reading Golf Club site REJECTED from South Oxfordshire's plan for strategic development!
KEG has just learnt that the large part of the Reading Golf Club site which is located in South Oxfordshire (28 ha) has been firmly rejected from their stategic development plan. It will NOT be considered for further assessment for development. The plan is for the period up to 2034!
It's definitely a Happy New Year! Thank you for your support! Let's keep up the pressure in 2019 to KEEP EMMER GREEN!
Good news for SOAR (Save Our Ancient Riverside) campaign and for Caversham GLOBE supporters who objected to this development. WOKINGHAM councillors again refused the planning application for the controversial east Reading Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) public transport link over the River Kennet mouth along the River Thames. The original application was refused by Wokingham Council in June due to concerns with the scheme’s environmental impact and its viability as a mass rapid transit scheme. On December 12 Wokingham council’s planning committee refused an amended scheme, which had been submitted to Wokingham by Reading Borough Council because there was not a “sufficient change” in the proposals. Councillor Carl Doran moved a motion to refuse the application after saying: "I'm the only Labour member on this committee and I am embarrassed that this has been brought back with so little changed. There's no support out there for this really. It is all objection. We must not let Reading Borough Council make us look like idiots.”
The new application for the public transport link, which would have been used by buses, cyclists and pedestrians between Thames Valley Business Park and Napier Road, outlined changes to the scheme including a camouflage addition, in which “planters containing ivy, or a similar plant,” would provide a “greening of the structure”. This failed to convince the majority of the planning committee as six councillors voted to refuse the scheme, one more than when the application was refused in June.
Further to earlier post showing link to Enviroment Agency, here are copies of leaflet issued to selected homes by the EA.
We must object to thees proposals. They are based on the 1947 flood event when snow melt couldn't enter the frozen River Thames - these conditions are unlikely to occur because we no longer have those conditions & much has changed on the river since then. 3-4 kms of walls will destroy all the trees & natural habitats & will change Caversham for ever.
Please read and share widely. A major issue seriously threatening the local riverside scene in Caversham is the planned 4 kms of concrete walls and embankment FLOOD BARRIERS that will change forever the Thames Parks. After public consultations in mid-summer some revisions have been made by the Environment Agency. There are many downsides to these proposals apart from the loss of trees, loss of riverside ambience, more anti-social behaviour in secluded hidden areas, unforeseen consequences of hydrostatic pressure on groundwater and backwash into sewers and drains affecting homes across lower Caversham. There is to be a further public consultation by the Environment Agency on Thursday 6 December in Caversham Baptist Church between 2.30 to 7.30 pm - we urge local people to attend and object to the damaging earthworks and concrete that would change our Thames Parks forever. The EA has just published this link. www.gov.uk/government/publications/north-reading-and-lower-caversham-flood-alleviation-scheme/nor...
Some doubts exist about possibly misleading statements in the EA consultation .."north Reading and Lower Caversham have flooded many times in recent years.." This is vague and unquantifiable. It also states.."In 2012 and 2014 homes and businesses in low lying areas of Caversham flooded..." where? How badly and how many? .."and in 2003, many houses were surrounded by floodwater.." How many? Where? .."and a number of roads closed to vehicles for up to 5 days." What number of roads and which? We know a canoeist was able to proceed down the middle of Amersham Road but how many houses and businesses were flooded? The EA should follow its own example and consider wetlands and other natural solutions (and tell the public) about these solutions. Green Park south Reading was just such a scheme not requiring flood walls. Instead, the EA offers only walls and embankment that will leave some Caversham homes on the wrong side! Heron Island, Deans Farm to name but two.
On Thames Side (I know we are on the other side of the river) we do not flood, but like Heron Island the EA think we will be at risk if these works go ahead. I don't want a brick wall outside my house,
They plan on building these defences however, what are they doing regarding the mill streams - that's what makes our garden flood
Funny how this is being proposed alongside so much development on floodplains. 🤔
I want more info on this, everything seems too wishy washy to me - it’s as if the council is too scared to let us know everything! I can’t make the meeting on Thursday as I am away on business so would be grateful if someone can keep us updated.
Are there any pictures to show what it looks like now and what it would look like with the proposals?
consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/thames/reading-and-caversham-flood-reduction-options/supporting...
Where do we find the plans, please?
Interesting as also a very important need to reduce flood risk, maybe just too hard to meet all needs?
Our group has recently benefited from a generous £100 donation from Simon Walmsley (pictured below left with Bob Busby of Caversham GLOBE). Simon is director of the well known local property sales and lettings Walmsley estate agency. This money will be put to good use ensuring the continued existence of the GLOBE group and our activists' work in keeping Caversham a more pleasant, greener and cleaner locality. Thank you Simon.
Meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group - Tuesday 27 November at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street, Caversham.
Recently, some activists have been busy in central Caversham working on the planters, also in Christchurch Meadows and Balmore Walk. We also received the results of the air quality readings showing excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide locally. We learned of the success in the CAGE Dunsden campaign in which GLOBE was committed and took an active part, also making financial contributions. Another major item seriously affecting the local riverside scene is the planned 4 kms of concrete walls and embankment FLOOD BARRIERS that will change forever the Thames Parks. GLOBE representatives invested time and thoughtfulness in an extended site meeting with the Environment Agency to look at the extent of these drastic proposals. There is to be a further public consultation by the EA on Thursday 6 December in Caversham Baptist Church from 2.30 to 7.30 pm - we urge you to attend.
All residents are welcome to our monthly meetings where we raise and discuss any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email, Facebook messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand about any local matters in which people in the GLOBE group may share your concerns and be able to take action. (Two more people have done this recently with some successful results.)
Countryside north of Caversham/Emmer Green saved!
Some great news from CAGE, representing the local parishes, residents associations and Caversham GLOBE
The planning Inspector has REFUSED Gladman's appeal to build 245 houses on the open countryside off Peppard Road just to the north of Emmer Green!Inspector Nick Palmer has today refused the Gladman appeal!
A fantastic victory for which huge thanks to so many who have contributed in so many ways.
The decision notice acp.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/ViewCase.aspx?caseid=3185997 is clear that development at the site would conflict with South Oxfordshire development policies for where houses should go, and that it would do significant harm to the landscape. It is also clear that SODC has an adequate supply of housing land and that the ‘tilted balance’ does not apply.
Needless to say Gladman are quite likely to appeal to the High Court, but in the meanwhile, it’s party time!
Helen Goodchild
Hello to all GLOBE supporters. This a brief quick update about poor air quality that Caversham GLOBE started measuring in Dec 2017. GLOBE installed test tubes at four locations over an extended period and the alarming amounts of harmful and dangerous nitrogen dioxide in micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3 ) have been confirmed by Winchester based Gradko Laboratories. Readings obtained below:
Church Street/Prospect Street jnc
41 µg/m3: 41 µg/m3: 34 µg/m3
Near Church St/Priory Ave jnc
47 µg/m3: 49 µg/m3: 40.5 µg/m3
Church Road/St Anne's Road jnc
56 µg/m3: 57 µg/m3: 50 µg/m3: 41.5 µg/m
Peppard Rd near Prospect St jnc
54 µg/m3: 71 µg/m3: 48.5 µg/m3
The legal MEAN ANNUAL limit for nitrogen dioxide is 40µg/m3. Of more concern is that some other air quality information collected by RBC shows that three Caversham locations (parts of Prospect Street and George Street) have exceeded the mean annual legal limit for the past nine years! What is to be done? Who will do it? When? These crucial questions and many more need some answers. The GLOBE group hopes to work with RBC Councillors, the North Reading Safer Neighbourhood Forum (NRSNF) and CADRA to develop a joint approach for remedial action. This could include: air corridors, more trees, street planters, green walls, anti-idling of vehicles when stationary and traffic reduction policies. Only by reducing the levels of polluting traffic exhaust fumes will residents, pedestrians and cyclists be able to breathe cleaner air in the long term.
Please use this information in any way you can to campaign for improvements. If you have ideas please contribute them. Don't stay silent. Thanks.
I’m always surprised that there isn’t a mass response to air pollution updates as it affects the health of everyone who lives and works in Caversham. Safer cycle paths would help. Thank you for highlighting. I’ve emailed the local councillors and MP.
Anything to stop ignorant drivers sitting their cars with the engine running. Summer is worst, engine running, keeping cool inside car with air con. On. Ignorant drivers running engine so they are warm to get into. What a nation of wimps.
Helen Goodchild
Thank you Caversham GLOBE. Are there any councillors who can comment. Can they press the matter with Tony Page. Are there results equally as concerning or worse even for elsewhere in Reading?
Has this been shared to CGG’s?
Please could you tweet this so more can see? Can you also tell me what the three readings are for each junction, were they taken at different times?
Thank you for doing this work.
Caversham GLOBE volunteers were busy Sunday morning reconstructing some of the planters on Church Street, planting winter bedding, cutting back the overgrown hedge on the library (listed building) by the centenary Caversham information map and generally sprucing up the streetscape. This work takes some resourceful organisation, time, energy and commitment for the benefit of the whole community. Photos below. A big "Thank you" to the people who worked on this project.
Well done thank you.
You are doing a great job and so nice to see mini gardens in the streets. Keep it up! Xx
Thank you for working hard to make Caversham beautiful x
Thank you all involved
Thank you 🙏 looks fantastic
Thank you makes such a difference the place looks valued,which it is!
Great work and thank you very much for the work round the heritage map on the library railings.
Great work- thank you for all your hard grafting xx
I noticed and admired when I parked there yesterday
GLOBE activists were busy on Friday afternoon in Christchurch Meadows removing logs and litter from the Danall, tending to recently planted street trees and cutting back overgrown margins in Balmore Walk. Staffing reductions in RBC Parks and consequent falling standards of care and maintenance are all too obvious and cause for long-term concern. The Caversham GLOBE group needs more people who can help keep north Reading cleaner and greener. Don't leave to the few, please.
Well done to these volunteers!! If we were younger and more active we would give a hand. Thanks from 2 seniors who appreciate your effort.
I agree we can all help. But we should make it higher priority for our Council. Clayfield Copse car park seems to have become an unofficial dumping group and no matter how many tickets I raise they are closed as complete with no action taken.
Saw you in Balmore Walk. How do I get on the list for volunteering?
Thanks for doing this. X
I had some free time on a Friday but I didn’t get an email notification of this litterpick. Can you check that I haven’t fallen off the mailing list? Thanks 🙂
Our monthly meeting of the Caversham GLOBE group will be next Tuesday 23 October at 7.00 pm (refreshments available) in the upstairs hall in Church House, Church Street Caversham. All residents are welcome to our monthly meetings where we raise and discuss any issues. You can also contact the GLOBE group by email, Facebook messenger or phone/text 07768 958407 beforehand about any local matters the GLOBE group may share your concerns about and be able to take action.
Due to the rain forecast for Sunday morning 14 October we have decided to cancel our litter picking event and will reschedule some time in near future. It's no fun picking up other people's rubbish in the rain. Thanks.