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Fact checking before closure

Sir, — Thank you for publishing all the letters of support against the closure of the Henley fire station.

Now, let’s get some facts together:

1. The Henley station area is from Hurley to Nuffield and Playhatch to Medmenham. It covers Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire.

2. The Henley area is the busiest in South Oxfordshire. In 2023/24, there were 277 incidents and this year to date, more than 100.

3. The consultation is seriously flawed because it does not include shouts that Henley does into Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

4. The Henley response time is 10 minutes. If the fire station goes we rely on Caversham, which would offer a response time of 21 minutes, and Wallingford, with 31 minutes.

This last fact means that it is indefensible to remove Henley fire station because lives are put at risk from house fires and road traffic accidents (RTAs).

I call upon Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue to withdraw its consultation and give the residents of Henley the true and accurate facts!

Please sign the petition, fill in the consultation and attend the public meeting on January 15 at 7.30pm at the Christ Church Centre. — Yours faithfully,

Cllr Stefan Gawrysiak

Town. district and county councillor in Henley

Heinous use of trusted name

Editor, — The letter “Sharing River Expertise” by Councilor Mark Turner (Standard, December 12) was excellent and sparked this response: What’s in a name?

The Thames Water company was established by Act of Parliament in 1987. It took only those parts of the former Thames Water Authority which could be turned into a profit-making machine. This was to satisfy the City and ensure a successful launch.

The launch was successful and, driven by the profit motive, the company set about dismantling the reputation which had been built up over 400 years, when the first modern water supply to the City of London was constructed.

It even demolished Nugent House, a former headquarters building, and replaced it with the ironically named “Clearwater House”. It did, however, keep the proud logo of the former Thames Water Authority and the name Thames Water.

The people of the Thames Valley no longer own the assets of the Thames Water company now that the asset strippers have had their fill by way of vast dividends. Indeed, the company is now heavily in debt, and its performance is continually being challenged in the Henley Standard and in the national press.

Contrast this with the name Thames Water Authority, which was the largest of the 10 regional water authorities in England and Wales.

It employed 9,000 staff, providing the full range of water services throughout the entire hydrological cycle. The river basin management concept ensured that its managers, scientists and engineers could competently tackle almost every requirement of a water undertaking’s obligations to more than 11 million customers. These specialists were fully supported by legal financial and personnel departments.

A progressive and innovative research and development programme continued to advance Thames Water Authority’s technological skills.

The corporate management strategy ensured that the varied and diverse functions were undertaken within a well-coordinated, efficient, and cost-effective control framework. One of Thames Water Authority’s most notable achievements was the restoration of the tidal River Thames, which until the present company took over was one of the world’s cleanest metropolitan rivers.

So, what is in a name?

A name brings with it acknowledgement of value, honour, trust, etc. In the UK we set a lot of store by name — King Charles, Shakespeare, Florence Nightingale.

So why do we call a company with completely different responsibilities and ethos by the same name as only a part of what was once called Thames Water Authority?

Councillor Mark Turner will be interested to know that in Thames Water Authority the public had the perfect answer to his prayers for a coordinated approach to his water concerns.

Thames Water Authority was responsible for river management, wildlife preservation, conservation, environmental control, fisheries, boating, flood control (including the Thames Barrier), sewage treatment, finance, water resources, water treatment, water distribution and research and development.

Through its achievements both at home and abroad it was acknowledged by the World Health Organization as one of the world’s leading water authorities.

All that had been safeguarded by the name Thames Water Authority. — Yours faithfully,

Douglas Wright

Caversham

Satisfying way to help others

Editor, — I am writing to you as I am currently a volunteer advisor for Henley Citizens Advice and I wanted to share with your readers what a fulfilling experience it is for me.

The work we do is really satisfying, not just because of the tangible problems we solve, but because of the positive impact it can have on the lives and welfare of our clients.

Every day, people come through our doors feeling a bit overwhelmed and isolated by complex issues — with debt, housing crisis, or navigating the complex benefits system. These problems can feel insurmountable to the person experiencing them and often lead to a sense of powerlessness.

My role, as an individual advisor, and as part of a wider team, is to offer confidential, impartial and free advice aiming to help people through the issues and break down the problems into manageable steps. We don’t just provide answers; we provide a route out of despair.

What makes this work so rewarding is seeing the transformation in the clients. By guiding someone through a crisis the hope is to be able to fix the immediate problem, return some control to the situation and give them their confidence back.

Helping them to articulate their rights, understand processes, and be able to find their own voice. Hopefully this enables them to leave the service not just with a resolved issue, but also with the strength to handle the bumps that life inevitably throws their way in the future.

If you are looking for a way to contribute meaningfully to the local community, to work with a committed team, and experience a sense of helping others first-hand, we would love to hear from you.

Henley Citizens Advice is always seeking dedicated and compassionate volunteers, whether you can help advise clients directly or assist with administrative support.

Training is given and is very useful and thorough, and no formal qualifications are needed — just a friendly and compassionate face, and the time to help others. Please visit our website or contact us directly at henley@caox.org.uk to find out how you can become part of this vital service. — Yours faithfully,

Lewis O’Donald

Volunteer advisor, Henley Citizens Advice

Author’s links to Harpsden

Sir, — The recent celebrations of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday reminded me that she had a particular connection with this area.

Her grandfather, Thomas Leigh, was the rector of Harpsden, so her mother grew up here, living at what is now the Old Rectory.

Later, in 1799, Jane herself stayed at the house, visiting her cousin Edward Cooper, who was a curate in his grandfather’s former parish.

And previously, when she was about nine, she and her sister had been boarders at the Abbey school in Reading for a year. — Yours faithfully,

Catherine Rubinstein

Harpsden

Thank you for choir support

Editor, — Aliquando Chamber Choir would like to warmly thank and to let our community know that through our recent concert in November, “Glorious Melodies”, we proudly raised £4,176.58 for Helen and Douglas House hospice for children.

However, this would not have been possible without the incredible support of our community in general, our patrons Mr and Mrs Anthony Lambe, Sue and Tony Wright and Lillian and John Pearson Bishop and corporate sponsors Brakspear, Wilkins (Henley) and Robinson Sherston.

We are looking forward to 2026 and supporting more local good causes. If any of your readers would like to suggest a charity for us to consider supporting, please contact us via our website www.ali quando.co.uk

Thank you and seasonal greeting to all concerned. — Yours faithfully,

Anne Evans

Aliquando Chamber Choir, Henley