Berkshire weekly round-up: 16 March - 22 March 2024

The 81-year-old radio presenter Tony Blackburn was honoured at Windsor Castle

A story about DJ Tony Blackburn receiving his OBE was among our most read this week in Berkshire.

A variety of local issues were featured on the BBC News website, BBC Radio Berkshire and South Today.

We have picked five stories to keep you up to date.

Life on transgender waiting list

Andrea Brookes runs support groups across Berkshire

Waiting lists for all kinds of NHS treatments have been getting longer and longer, but for trans people the wait for a first appointment at a gender identity clinic can now be five years or more - despite a target of 18 weeks.

In this feature on this issue, transgender people explain to the BBC how their wait has turned into a nightmare of severe anxiety, despair and in some cases, suicidal thoughts.

Andrea Brookes, 62, from Newbury, considers herself lucky as she was able to afford private treatment.

"I needed to come out of that box and the thought that I was going to be stuck inside there for so much longer... it was frightening," she said.

Giant statues of late Queen and Philip go on sale

The owner is hoping the statues will fetch £2,000

A pair of 12ft-tall statues of the late Queen and Prince Philip's heads have been put on Facebook marketplace.

On sale in Windsor but originally bought from shopping channel QVC, the statues were created to mark the Diamond Jubilee back in 2012.

Ben Inglis, who is selling the statues on behalf of his grandfather, said they were "a bit of fun".

He is hoping to get £2,000 for the pair.

Yellow fish stencils painted to protect water quality

Councillor Karen Davies said the scheme was an "interactive" way of raising awareness of keeping drains clear of pollutants

Yellow fish stencils have been painted near storm drains in a bid to protect river water quality.

The markings, organised by Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council, are part of a new country-wide initiative, Only Rain Down the Drain.

The Berkshire authority is also hoping to raise awareness of protecting the borough's wildlife in waterways.

As part of the scheme, they're asking people not to pour harmful liquids down their drains.

Giant woolly Easter egg created in village

The 11 members of crochet group started hooking squares last summer to create the giant egg

A group of crocheters have created a giant woolly Easter egg to raise money for charity.

Created like a giant lollipop using a wire frame and post, the Hurst Hookers started planning the egg in Hurst, Berkshire, more than a year ago.

They spent months making 260 granny squares that have been sewn to the structure and topped with a rabbit.

Standing opposite the village pond, it has been created to raise money for Bowel Cancer UK.

Veteran DJ Tony Blackburn receives OBE

Mr Blackburn was named in the King's New Year Honours list last year

DJ Tony Blackburn has received his OBE medal in recognition of his long broadcasting career and charity work.

The radio legend was honoured by Princess Anne at Windsor Castle.

The 81-year-old still works on BBC Radio Two and said he had no plans to retire and wanted to keep going for as long as Sir Cliff Richard.

But he will present his final BBC local radio show, covering BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Radio Oxford and BBC Radio Solent, on Sunday.

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