The Wokingham Society

St Paul's Church: towards felling and replacing the diseased ancient oak in the churchyard, which was in danger of falling and causing damage or injury, or both.

Royal Berkshire Archives: for repairing and digitising a handwritten and illustrated book of Lucas ancestry by Louise Bazelgette Lucas Lucas, subsequently the wife of Rev Joseph Stratton, Master of the Lucas Hospital in Wokingham.

West Forest 41 Club: for towards the renovation of the Santa Float used in the Winter Carnival.

Wokingham Town Council: for purchase of two silhouettes of male and female soldiers for use on Remembrance and Armistice Days.

Jim Bell, local historian to support the publication of his book Wokingham: A Chronology of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.

All Saints Church: for the removal and relocation of 21 floor memorials and a number of wall memorials as part of its Spaceforall project to renovate the church for community use and to provide a new meeting room.

Wokingham in Need: towards the provision of a sensory garden at the Acorn Community Centre, Woosehill, for the particular benefit of adults with learning disabilities, and another sensory garden at Wokingham Hospital to provide a calm space for recovering patients.

Holt Copse Conservation Volunteers: providing the beautifully illustrated information board for visitors, outlining what they can see in Holt Copse; and more recently the Society has helped to pay for the drainage of Connaught Avenue, a double line of oak trees planted to mark the silver jubilee of King George V which were dying from the waterlogged conditions, and for a bench to be placed in Holts Cops.

Wokingham and District Association for the Elderly: towards rendering the front of the Grade II listed WADE building.

Paul King, local historian: to support the publication of a book on Wokingham Market Place 1900-2019.

The Friends of Fox Hill: for the purchase of tools to assist them in clearing/preserving Fox Hill.

Wokingham Town Council: to assist in the production of the Wokingham History app. The Society has also contributed to the Wokingham Heritage Weekend, held annually in September. It is organised by the Town Council in collaboration with local heritage organisations.

Emmbrook Residents’ Association: assisting the publication of a series of short histories about Emmbrook.

Wokingham & East Berkshire Camera Club: helping the Club to mount photographic exhibitions in Wokingham Town Hall.

Berkshire Area Group N Gauge Society: : helping to meet the costs of building a model railway of Wokingham Station and its surroundings, as they were in the 1960s.

Wokingham Art Society: helping to meet the cost of installing The Queen’s diamond jubilee frieze on the approach to Wokingham railway station.

U3A Local History Group: : funding the publication of the Group’s book on Late Victorian Wokingham.

St Paul's Church Tree Succession Project: the Society awarded a Grant to St Paul's Church in support of its Tree Succession Project. The Grant enabled a full digital survey of the churchyard to be undertaken so that a programme could be put in place to replace trees under threat from disease or decay. The survey was the most comprehensive ever undertaken and it will be a permanent record which can be used for any future churchyard projects. The plans contain a major biodiversity study with the aim of enhancing and conserving the local environment. We were delighted to have supported a project undertaken as part of St. Paul's commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of its foundation.
The Society awarded a further Grant to St Paul's Church towards the preservation of the landmark Cedar Of Lebanon in the churchyard. The tree was in danger of falling and its life has been prolonged by at least 15 years.

Saint Sebastian Wokingham Band: contributing towards uniform and regalia for Saint Sebastian Wokingham Band.

Wokingham Choral Society: contributing to new staging to enable Wokingham Choral Society to continue to perform choral concerts in All Saints Church and St Paul's Church.

The Cornerstone: supporting the building and furnishing of this new community hall to house a number of charities (including the Berkshire Counselling Service and the Wokingham Job Support Centre) and offer accommodation facilities for leisure, recreational, educational and other pursuits for the community. The Cornerstone belongs to All Saints Parish Church

The Methodist Bradbury Centre: supporting the expansion and rebuilding of this community centre in the centre of the town in two phases to house and enable community activities. The Wesley centre belongs to the Methodist Church.

Wokingham Theatre: contributing to the expanded facilities at Wokingham's only theatre for the provision of cultural activities.

Wokingham Bowling Club: contributing to the rebuilding of the clubhouse at one of Berkshire's finest bowling clubs and also to provide a trophy for annual award to commemorate Miss Isobel Elliston Clifton, a founder member of the club.

Friends of the Emm Brook (FOTEB): helping establish this initiative to maintain and improve Wokingham's only river. FOTEB is now flourishing as an independent organisation following a grant from the Society and support from Wokingham Town Council.

St Paul's Parish Church: : stained glass windows were restored following a grant from the Society plus further assistance to complete the repairs to the steeple after the fire in 2004.

All Saints Church: the bell ringing facilities were enhanced in the tower following receipt of a grant from the Society. Click here for details of the project.

Wokingham District Veteran Tree Association: The Society provided funds to help the establishment of the association and, more recently, has helped to finance a major publication about trees in Wokingham Town.

St Crispin's School: Two original murals, representing Summer and Autumn, have been restored with the help of a grant from the Society. To read about the project click here.

Wokingham in Bloom and Market Place flowers: the Society has contributed to the regular Wokingham in Bloom competition and has provided flowers in the past for the market square in the summer to enhance the surroundings of the centre point of the town.

Carnivals: the popular May Fayre and Winter Carnival have attracted donations from the Society in their endeavour to provide fun and games along with the stalls in the name of charity.

Fireworks Display: The annual fireworks display in Cantley Field as part of the bonfire night celebrations not only gives pleasure to children and adults alike but also raises money for local charities, and the Society is happy to assist in this aim