Another successful and enjoyable maintenance day, tackling various projects across the Island. We layed new paving slabs on the spit entrance to help reduce wear on the grass, repainted the picnic tables, and fixed some of the lighting bollards. The boats were planted as usual with summer colour, moss removed and some of the broken cobbles near the weir were replaced. A massive thanks for all involved for helping make the island look so lovely.

Once again and despite Covid, Heron Island residents clubbed together to tackle odd jobs and chores on common land around the island, including laying a new paving area for the new benches on the spit and planting up the boats on the bridge. A massive thanks for all involved for helping make the island look so spectacular.

Every year a pair of Swans have nested in the area known as the Mill Race, the body of water (about 2ft deep in the summer) which separtaes the mainland from the Island itself.  Each year the Swans have nested and produed around 6-8 cygnets however they have rarely survived. In Spring 2018, we found out this was because of cygnets being caught in the current and taken over the weir at the end of the Mill Race, separating them from their parents and almost …

Team work makes the dream work! Thank you to everyone that helped us on Sunday 19 May as the annual Spring Maintenance day got truly underway. Over 20 neighbours from the Island joined in to help with the planting, sweeping an general chores that need doing to help keep the Island looking fresh year in, year out.  Fueled by neighbourly spirit and cups of tea, the sun shone as the three hours slipped by, with the Island looking so much better for it.  We ho…

The latest redecorating of Heron Island starts today, 5th June. Last time the work was carried out over two years, so for some properties this is only three years after their last redecoration. Hopefully after the completion of the current work, everyone should be back into the same four-yearly cycle. This time the redecorating is being carried out by Hankinson Painting Contractors. Contact details for their key staff have been circulated to HIRA members. …

Heron Island residents clubbed together once again to tackle odd jobs and chores on common land around the island, including building the new bench on the spit and planting up the boats on the bridge. A massive thanks for all involved for helping make the island look so spectacular.

On a sunny Saturday in April, 49 Heron Island (the duck house) was officially launched in the mill stream. Following a fairly easy construction, the duck house was floated in the water attached to a heavy stone using a neighbour's canoe. The ducks, whilst wary at first, have come round to sunning themselves on the new deck and have even been noted on Google Maps as a local attraction.

We'd like to welcome all association members to the HIRA AGM. It will be held at 8:00pm on Tuesday 24th May at Caversham Hall, St. John's Road, Caversham (where it has been held for the past few years). We have the use of the hall for the whole evening, so please bring along something to drink and nibble, so we can stay behind afterwards for a social gathering. We have arranged for two Local Police Community Support Officers to join us for the start of the…

The Environment Agency has started works on improving the 'Last Hopes' Weir which you cross when walking over the wooden footbridge towards View Island. The improvements are to make the weir safer to operate and reducing the risk of vandalism. The work will begin in December and finish in January.  More information can be found on their leaflet here.

With the arrival of Spring, it would be good to spruce up the island a little. We thought it would be fun if a group of residents met for a few hours and carried out small maintenance or gardening jobs around the island that otherwise never seem to get done! The plan is to carry out the spring clean on Saturday 30th May, between 11;00am and 1:00pm. Naturally we will celebrate our achievement with a glass or two of our favourite tipple!! If you would like …

I am pleased to inform you that Anthony Bird, our estate manager, hopes to attend the HIRA Annual General Meeting to be held on 19th May 2015. The AGM is a great chance to find out what is planned for the island and to raise any issues with the committee.    As you know, Rita Grim, who was our social secretary has moved from the island. We are looking for a replacement. If you feel you would like to volunteer please be assured you will have the full suppor…

The "Thames21" group are organising a clearing of the ditch that runs along the side of Hill's Meadow. If you are interested in helping out for two hours next Sunday morning, please see the attached link. www.thames21.org.uk/event/hills-meadow-conservation-activities-reading-9 

HIRA MEMBERS BRING AND SHARE DATE: 12 JULY 2014 TIME: 16H00 ON THE SPIT   Bring along: your own drinks and chairs a plate or bowl of something delicious to share   We look forward to seeing you there Please RSVP by Wednesday 9 July: RITA – grim.carlrita@gmail.com

Some information below from Thames 21 about a local clean-up ou may be interested in joining.... Join Thames21  and volunteer as we give The Danall, a tributary of the Thames a clean up. The river has  a lot of debris in it which need to come out. Some of us will be in thigh waders getting the debrids out such as large pieces of plastic and tyres whilst others will be on the bank moving the debris to a safe location in the park for Reading Borough Council …

For those that missed the Heron Island AGM, we have a great talk from the Caversham Neighbourhood Policing team, who pointed us towards some useful materials online as well as how you can help influence local police priorities through the Neighbourhood Action Groups.  There are monthly updates available from here as well as an update relating to a recent reported spate of scams. Also if you hear of any issues with motorcycles within Hills Meadow or anti so…

The proposals for the redevelopment of St Martin’s Precinct, off Church Street, went on show to the public on Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10. Illustrations and information for the project, which include an extension to the existing Waitrose store, updated shop fronts, a Pizza Express restaurant and a revamp of the car park to the rear of the precinct, went on show at the New Directions North Reading Centre, in Archway Road. You can find out more about …

From the Reading Evening Post - 30 September Further public consultations will have to take place before any new leisure facilities are agreed for Christchurch Meadows, councillors have decided. Plans for the introduction of residential moorings in Hills Meadow have also been put on hold to investigate other possible sites. The cautious approach by Reading Borough Council came after criticism the proposals would ruin the peaceful nature of the parks and re…

We have a start date for the works - please check your emails for more news. The work is expected to last about 6 weeks. The scope of works allows for MINOR spot repairs that are directly associated with the redecorating. There is of course nothing to stop you discussing particular details yourselves with the team when they are on site, but David will try to be the coordinating voice of the residents for significant matters.

We do not yet have a start date for the external redecorating of Heron Island, but are expecting one shortly. The association will advise members as soon as we know it. The following items will be decorated as part of the specification: Widow frames (where not replaced with uPVC) External doors, frames and latches (where not replaced with uPVC) Garage doors and frames Soffits and bargeboards Timber frames to bays (where not replaced with uPVC) Porch ceili…

All households should have received from Thames Parks Consultations a leaflet referring to mooring and recreational improvements. We think it is important that we all respond to these proposals. You can find information on the council's website. The leaflet is informative and as all the proposed options will affect our locality as well as Heron Island, it would be useful to the council for residents to respond individually, basically a YES/NO reply, with a…

Welcome to our new website, we're brought together a range of different pieces of useful information into one place. If you have any comments or suggestions for useful content, like to put something on the news feed (about the association or something happening in the area), use our contact form to get in touch.

The Heron Island Residents Association AGM was held on 21 May at 8pm at Caversham Hall, St John's Road. The meeting was well attended, the committee re-elected and a number of issues of interest were discussed by the audience including gardening and landscaping, the moorings and future social events. A full version of the minutes will be available shortly.