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10 years ago – June 12, 2014
Ditch the car!
Travel advisors will visit Newbury homes and ask residents to consider ditching their cars in favour of cycling, walking, or using the bus, to combat traffic congestion and pollution in the town.
Over the next three months, six travel advisors will visit 5,000 homes in south Newbury and Greenham to record residents’ current travel habits and suggest alternative ways of travel.
The project – ‘change the way you move’ – is costing £90,000, with £52,000 coming from West Berkshire Council, whose aim is to improve air quality, around what is known as the ‘Burger King roundabout’, to ease congestion and encourage people to lead healthier lifestyles by becoming more active.
Its launch comes after the council controversially approved plans to build 3,500 new homes in south Newbury as part of the Sandleford and racecourse developments – despite residents’ claims the roads were already overrun – but it has insisted that the new travel project is not linked to the developments.
Residents will be offered incentives such as free travel passes to encourage them to try the bus, as well as prize draws and rewards of free hot drinks, and memberships to health clubs for those who participate in the project.
25 years ago – June 10, 1999
Magic milkman
A village milkman has been named the best milkman in West Ilsley, after being picked as the area’s top franchisee by Unigate Dairies.
Mr Ian Jordan, who delivers daily to 200 customers in the Ilsley area, was nominated for the award by the manager at the company’s Wantage home delivery centre, where he is based.
Mr Jordan, who faced tough competition from 13 other franchisees in the area, won the award for his excellent customer service.
Starting work at about 1am every day in order to provide early morning deliveries, Mr Jordan is famed for keeping an eye out for his customers, especially the elderly, who live in the rural communities on his round.
Unigate sales manager Mr Paul Friend said: “Ian’s customers say that nothing is too much trouble for him.
“He really does provide legendary service to them all.”
Mr Jordan is now set to compete for the regional title in Unigate’s national award scheme.
If successful, Mr Jordan will have the chance to compete for the Unigate Dairies Franchisee of the Year Award.
50 years ago – June 6, 1974
Busy bride
Miss Sheila Grace Day was busier than most brides in the preparations for her wedding.
Apart from all the things a bride has to attend to, she was measuring, cutting and sewing.
For Sheila was making her own dress, those of her three bridesmaids, and the outfit of her page as well.
And while she was doing that, mum was baking and decorating the wedding cake.
So there was an extra large smile on her face as she walked up the aisle of St Mary’s Church, Great Shefford, on Saturday to meet her bride-groom Mr Emile Robert Van Laer.
The bride is the younger daughter of Mrs ME Day and the late Mr CJ Day, of Church Street, Great Shefford, and the groom is the only son of Mr and Mrs EC Van Laer, of Iver Heath, Bucks.
