THE SCENT OF STRAWBERRY PICKING

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a Wokingham, born and bred, mother of four. I left Wokingham for university but the lure of home called me after having my own children. In Wokingham I have learnt to wild swim, write poetry and to understand the importance of community.

What makes me feel alive in my locale is the familiar and (what seems eternal) mixed with the new. I remember primary school carol services at All Saints, the scent of strawberry picking at Greys Farm, the mechanical station announcement voice and the bluebells at Joel Park. This is mixed in with the glass of the leisure centre, the buzz of Peach Place with its aroma of coffee and curries and children squealing with delight in Elms Park.

Home is where your children can retrace your childhood footsteps. It’s the warm joy of nostalgia mixed with the excitement of the years to come.

I hope that future generations will enjoy the wonderful environment I grew up in, whilst we keep an eye to the future - welcoming new people to ensure our community increases its diversity and vibrancy.

OLD CHURCHYARDS TELLING OF LIVES LIVED HERE LONG BEFORE MY TIME

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am me.

Some things that make me feel alive in my locale are the magical woodlands covered in snow, little ducklings learning to swim in the lakes and popping back up to the surface like little corks, wild spaces, ancient trees, any trees, wildlife scuttling in the undergrowth and glimpsed at a distance, or unexpectedly right in front of me. I love the smell of pine trees in the summer, walking across pine needle surfaces that are bouncy like a sprung floor, wondering what treasures from history lie beneath the fields undiscovered (yet) and where the Romans walked. Old churchyards telling of lives lived here long before my time, dragonflies flitting overhead and bats almost touching me with their dark wings.

To me, home is family, open wild spaces, a house I live in.

I AM STILL LEARNING WHO I AM

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am still learning who I am.

Things that make me feel alive in my locale are trees and birdsong, flowers in other people’s gardens, walking the dog, staring at the brook.

Home is where I can be most myself. Safety and shelter

For the future of Wokingham, I hope everyone has somewhere safe and comfortable to live with access to green spaces . I’d like people not to feel they have to use their cars so much. I hope Wokingham will always welcome new people and new ideas.

DISCOVERING NEW AND HIDDEN PATHS

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a working mum trying to find balance.

What makes me feel alive in my local area is discovering new and hidden paths, especially where they can instantly transport you from amongst houses to feeling deep in the country.

Home is where I can truly be me.

For the future, I hope we find a way to address climate change and better adapt to the changes already happening.

A TOLERANT AND WELCOMING SOCIETY THAT RESPECTS EACH OTHER

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am an enigma that wants to connect and be with people

The comfort of the familiar and being part of its history and knowing that I can directly influence my community in a positive manner.

Home is somewhere I belong and fit in and where differences are welcomed.

Wokingham needs to be an example to the world of how things can be, a tolerant and welcoming society that respects each other.

A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am unique. 

Every day I go out the town looks a little bit different. I love watching it change. The buildings, the shops, the colours of the people on the streets, the dogs and cats and the green areas and I see kids growing up from sitting in push-chairs to taking their first steps and all the sudden being all grown-up out on their own.

Home for me is where I live for a longer stretch of time and get to know people and the area, where I can go out and people are nodding and smiling because they know me from somewhere, often they don't know where. I have a few places I call home. They all have a special place in my heart, Wokingham especially since that is also the home for my kids.

I wish that Wokingham stays a safe place for my children to grow up, that the crime rate does not go up as the town grows and has a lot more people than it used to when I first set my foot here. I hope that Wokingham manages to stay a cosy place.

A FORGOTTEN ONE

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a woman in mid-life. A mother. A daughter. A loved one. A forgotten one.

What makes me feel alive is gnarly old trees, bark textures, dazzling spring rhododendrons, autumnal colours rippling, all taken in through one of Wokingham’s country parks.

Home is family, friends, food and rest.

For the future of Wokingham I wish for a conglomeration of vibrant village communities, divided only by trees, rivers and open spaces — not a soulless sprawl of developer’s profits.

DIVERSE COLOURS OF THE RISING SUN

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a Christian; a woman of faith, hope, and love for this community.

It's the people and pockets of nature spread across the borough. I live close to Dinton Pastures...love the greenery, sound of the birds every morning, the gorgeousness and diverse colours of the rising sun, and the freshness of life that springs forth.

Home is peace and quiet, comfort, rest, and the place to be re-energised for the next day.

I wish the Borough to pay more attention and protect people being ripped off by developers, even as more new builds spring up. We need to protect our green spaces and facilities. I wish for more homes, especially with young families, it is putting pressure on existing schools as new ones are not being added, and yet people are having to pay incredible costs for Council Tax (even in yet unadopted areas), Estate fees, and maintenance of Dinton Pastures (in my case despite being a public park)....yet our roads are not good and facilities are stretched.

BATS CATCHING DINNER ON THE WING DURING TWILIGHT

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a 50 year old happily married woman about to embark on an animation degree full-time.

I love the tree lined road I live in and the lakes and wildlife corridor behind my house.  I like the quiet being broken by the railway bell and watching the bats catching dinner on the wing during twilight.

Home is a familiar comfortable space full of my comforts and memories. It's the greeting from my dog when I come through the door, the cat on the window watching the world outside. Seeing the garden we created come into bloom and the smile that comes across my face when I think of my hometown and the life I've made with my husband.

I hope as the population of Wokingham increases and people continue to treat each other with patience, tolerance and empathy. I hope for more events for people to come together and feel included.

I AM THE SON OF A POLISH WWII SOLDIER

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am the son of a Polish WWII soldier who had no family to return home to.

What makes me feel alive in my locale area is the abundance of wildlife and open green spaces close by.

Home is where you are loved.

I truly hope that Wokingham never gives in to spoiling its market town heritage with high-rise buildings.

ROLLING HILLS AND SECRET COOMBES

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a Reading girl making her home in beautiful Arborfield.

What makes me feel alive in my locale are the ancient oaks, the swishing of leaves, the dazzling bluebells, the rippling lake, the dappled shade, the rolling hills and secret coombes.

Home is a place of comfort. Where I can truly be me.

Spaces that spark joy are green space, protected trees, parks and paddling pools for children and adults of all ages.

IT MAKES ME SMILE EACH DAY

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a caring, giving and loyal person.

I love that I am in a community where I can make a real difference to people's lives. It makes me smile each day when I go about my work helping adults with learning disabilities. In the main, people are kind and generous and want to do the right thing. 

Home is where my loved ones are.

For the future, I wish for more open spaces, better transport options and an inclusive town.

MORE TREES, MORE ANIMALS AND LESS POLITICS

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a mixture of many things including plants, animals and trees.

I love being close to the buzz of London but surrounded by the ancient buildings of Rose Street and the beautiful mice in the window that always remind me we have to care for the world around us.

Home is the seaside, calm and love.

My wish for the future of Wokingham is for more trees, more animals and less politics.

I ACCEPT OTHERS FOR WHO THEY ARE AND THEY ACCEPT ME

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a community person, a volunteer, a carer.

What makes me feel is the sound of the birds, insects and trees in my garden.

Home is where there is no judgement. Where I accept others for who they are and they accept me.

For the future of Wokingham, I wish that everyone would care for the things around them, the parks, the trees, the people, I wish the calm quiet spaces are respected.

A HEART WHICH LOVES FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY

This is an anonymous story collected from the public as part of THE WOKINGHAM ARC PROJECT.

I am a mother, a heart which loves fully and unconditionally

What makes me feel alive in my locale is the peace, the bird song, the green, the welcome.

Home is my family, comfort, warmth.

For the future I hope that Wokingham is safe and friendly for my children present and future.