As the year draws to a close, I wanted to reflect on a few significant moment and standout achievements of people in West Berkshire.
My personal highlight of the year was the return of the Newbury Show, made possible only by the dedication and commitment of Steve Ackrill and everyone at Newbury and District Agricultural Society. The Newbury Show – a fixture of the West Berkshire diary since 1909- had been absent from our calendars since 2019 and for part of that time its future had seemed uncertain. The Show’s return this year was highly anticipated and did not disappoint, offering a fantastic showcase of West Berkshire’s farmers and all that we treasure about our local countryside.
The Newbury Weekly News’ “Best in Business” Awards returned to Newbury Racecourse in March following a three-year hiatus caused by the pandemic. This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the local businesses and charities who form the backbone of our community (from retail to hospitality, financial services to charities) and enhance our local life. Many congratulations again to West Berkshire's Business of the Year that went to Falkland Grange Care Home, and to Meryl Praill who won Charity of the Year for her work with the Newbury Soup Kitchen. There is probably no organisation that has done more to care for, and respond to the needs of homeless people here in West Berkshire and I was delighted to see her recognised.
In November, The Greenham Trust held their inaugural Charity Awards to celebrate and recognise the extensive charitable sector in West Berkshire and the richness of the support they bring. It was such a pleasure to present Merv Rees at Ark Cancer Charity with the award for Health & Wellbeing Charity of the Year and celebrate other winners including Citizens Advice, Time to Talk, West Berks Foodbank, All Yours, Gill Leech and Paul Black at West Berkshire Mencap, and Gillian Durrant at Newbury Community Resource Centre. We are so fortunate in West Berkshire not only to have so many dedicated charities, but the foundation of support that comes from the Greenham Trust, and I especially pay tribute to Chris Boulton, its generous Chief Executive.
There have also been some notable achievements locally. The Watermill Theatre has shown remarkable resilience after the inexplicable decision of the Arts Council to cut its funding, developing an exceptional production of The Lord of the Rings and ending the year with a nomination for Theatre of the Year (nationally) at The Stage Awards 2024. The dynamic team at Retreat at Elcot Park won the Best Country Hotel from the Good Hotel Guide, and Vicars Game, the butchers in Ashampstead were a regional winner in the Countryside Alliance Awards 2023.
But irrespective of local success, it is perhaps most heartening of all to see Newbury and the surrounding towns and villages full of people and Christmas cheer with the long shadow of the pandemic now behind us. I wish everyone in West Berkshire a very Happy Christmas and best wishes for the year ahead.