On their bikes! A civic appeal started by Cllr George Parkinson, chairman of Wokingham district council in 1993 and pictured right, culminated in a sponsored cycle ride in April and brought the final total to £11,700 for his two-year term of office.

The cycle ride itself raised over £3,500 and a water festival staged at Din ton Pastures Country Park last year raised over£6,000and wasaimed at funding the new lifeboat house at Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. Other events included a barber shop evening and a children's carol concert..