Wednesday 7 October 2026 18:30-21:00
Mapledurham Playing Fields Pavilion

Meeting details

The WADRA AGM 2026 will be held at Mapledurham Playing Fields Pavilion on 7 October 2026. Doors open at 6:15pm for members
and the meeting will commence at 6:30pm. Eligible non-members are welcome to come to the entire meeting and join WADRA on the evening. Details of membership can be found here.

Non-members are welcome to come at 8pm to listen to our guest speaker Matt Emmett, an intrepid local photographer who highlights the world’s bygone architecture and post-industrial landscapes in and around Reading.

2025-2026 News

Below is a summary of the issues, initiatives and activities that have kept WADRA members busy over the last 12 months. More details and planned actions will be communicated at the AGM.

Mapledurham Playing Fields Trust Activities

Over the past 12 months WADRA committee members have been working on a number of initiatives and issues concerning the enhancement, protection, and maintenance of the Trust. These include:

• We are beginning to experience limited interaction with RBC as we pressure the Council for a fitfor purpose Deed of Dedication and true accounts for MPF. Things seem to be moving, albeit behind closed doors and slowly. WADRA supported by the MPF Management Committee continues to put pressure on RBC.
• Maintenance on the Playing Fields and in the Pavilion is ongoing. The most recent damaged tiles have not been replaced and we continue to chase the Trustees/RBC.
• Last year it was noted that over 70% of children were driven to The Heights School. There is a new acting head at The Heights with whom we will liaise to ensure the school’s travel plan to ensure more sustainable travel is delivered as required by November 2026.
• The Friends of Mapledurham Playing Fields have been doing a tremendous job in planting trees, maintaining the woodland, and putting in additional ground cover. These works will continue with the support of WADRA enhance the playing fields for users and local fauna.

Traffic and Pedestrian Safety

WADRA having previously worked with Jenny McGrother on the issues of safety particularly around the A4074 crossings, nothing seems to have been done by RBC. Unfortunately, our efforts have not convinced the Council to consider any of our suggestions for safety measures for the A4074. We await an update from Jenny on our combined efforts, but have not heard back from her for over a year.

Planning and Licensing

The Committee will provide a report on the RBC Planning and RBC Licensing issues and activities from 2026.

Events, Initiatives, and Fundraising

In early November 2025, WADRA held their first Quiz Night, which was a roaring success. We are in the process of planning (and writing questions) for our next Quiz Night on 28 November where we will be helping to fund raise for Cure Leukaemia.

WADRA volunteers had another successful salvaging event post Reading Festival. We were able to collect a considerable amount of food, clothes, toiletries, and camping gear in support of CIRDIC Centre, Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue, and fundraising for WADRA events.

Save the date: WADRA Quiz Night 28 November, 2026 at the Mapledurham Pavilion. Full details to follow here.

WADRA WhatsApp Group

Last year WADRA proposed the creation of a WhatsApp group for WADRA members to facilitate better communication. In order to add a member to the group we must first have their permission to do so. At the AGM you will be able to sign-up and provide permission to WADRA to join the group. Alternatively, you can email WADRA at info@wadra.org to provide permission along with your mobile phone number. This will enable WADRA to communicate shorter messages more easily.

What WADRA does for its members and the local community

The aim of WADRA shall be to preserve, protect and enhance the character of the area in which we have chosen to live and the surrounding district. The committee monitors and considers a variety of local issues, including, planning, traffic and pedestrian safety, the natural , Reading Festival, the River Thames and Mapledurham Playing Fields Trust and Pavilion (MPF). We consult with Reading Borough Councillors and officers, as well as other local community groups and are an experienced channel for residents’ views. WADRA also perform fundraising for local projects working with local residents, businesses, clubs, charities and Reading Borough Council. This work secures funding to support local and charitable initiatives, including initiatives to keep MPF a valued and valuable local resource.

How the meeting will be conducted:

Please send your questions or comments for the Committee by email to committee@wadra.org no later than 1 October. Questions will be addressed during Any Other Business or a related topic in the Agenda. If you have questions resulting from the meeting, and there was not an opportunity for the Committee to reply during the meeting, please send them to the same email address.The Committee will send all answers via email to all members.

Voting

We will be voting on any nominated members for a Committee position during the meeting. Please ensure that when you sign-in to the meeting you clearly identify yourself with your name and home address, to ensure that your votes are counted. There is one vote per household.

Committee Members Running for Re-Election

Call for Committee member nominations

If you are interested in supporting your community by working with other residents to preserve, protect and enhance the character of our area, please consider running for a position on the WADRA Committee. Nominations must be received by the Secretary or Chair (secretary@wadra.org or chair@wadra.org) at least 7 days before the AGM (deadline is 1 October 2026). Any further Candidates for a Committee position will be posted on the WADRA website. Full details of Committee elections can be found in the WADRA constitution; see section 4,The Committee.