Advertiser review of the year 2022: December

Work on the controversial M4 smart motorway project was finally completed in December, bringing an end to four years of upheaval.

Drivers have faced significant disruption since 2018 due to the ongoing construction work to replace the hard shoulder with a live traffic lane on a 32-mile stretch of the motorway.

But disruption continued on the railways across the Christmas and new year period as the latest series of strikes began.

Around 3,500 ambulance workers also voted to strike – including those from South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) which covers Maidenhead, Windsor, Slough and surrounding areas.

People living in a park home site in Cookham called for the council to heed its fears over plans for new houses they believe will put lives in danger.

Strande Park in Cookham is earmarked for about 20 new houses in the Borough Local Plan (BLP) under site AL38 – and a proposal by Shanly Homes has been submitted for the site.

But people living there say the plans will leave residents ‘marooned and stranded’ during floods.

A key planning document was approved with one councillor insisting it had the chance to ‘correct historic wrongs’ over affordable housing

Cabinet members chose to adopt the South West Maidenhead Development Framework Supplementary Document (SPD), which covers the highly-controversial golf course site.

But campaigners from the Maidenhead Great Park group have called the adoption of SPD ‘devastating’.

The controversial Vicus Way multi-storey car park opened after years of intense scrutiny and debate.

A total of 500 spaces over 10 levels, including 52 bays with fast chargers for electric vehicles, were made available for use.

Father Christmas return-ed to Maidenhead with his annual tour in his sleigh, spreading festive cheer and fundraising for charity.

Organised by the Maidenhead Round Table, Father Christmas toured Maidenhead with his assistants for the popular annual fundraiser.

Around 3,000 Santas were out dashing about in Marlow – raising ‘record sums’ for charity.

A large number of spectators – estimated at well over 2,000 – lined the route to witness the spectacle of the Marlow Santas Fun Run, taking place across 5,000m, starting at Higginson Park.

Crowds of people took to the streets of Maidenhead for the return of Norden Farm’s popular Lantern Parade.

The arts venue has been running the annual parade for several years, and this was the first time it was able to hold an in-person version of the event since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The event saw a lantern procession take place outside the town hall, before going along the High Street and through the town centre.

This year’s parade followed the theme of The Carnival of the Animals.

Thousands of people flocked to St Luke’s Church in Maidenhead to enjoy its 12th annual Christmas Tree Festival.

About 1,000 people a day came to the church from Friday, December 9 to Sunday, December 11 to view 72 decorated Christmas trees and choose their favourites.

Maidenhead MP Theresa May was among the visitors.

A Maidenhead teenager earned a place in the National Youth Orchestra – following in the footsteps of some highly celebrated musicians.

Eli Tomey, 14, auditioned and successfully earned a seat in the Violin 2 section of the orchestra, alongside about 20 other young people from across the country.