Postcards Exercise
From Thatcham Vision Wiki
The first major consultation conducted by the Vision was the 'postcards exercise' which involved providing specially printed postcards in a wide variety of locations around the town. Here are some of the comments we received.
If you would like to comment on any of the points made here, please create a user name and then click the 'discussion' tab above, type your comment into the text box that appears. Please note that we reserve the right to edit or delete comments which are left on the discussion page but will only do so in relation to inappropriate comments: we won't be editing your thoughts about the town.
From the general public
- 'Thatcham to me is a takeaway town.'
- 'More police walking the streets, more often, for much longer periods.'
- 'Transport is a big issue on my list. My mum relies on public transport (to hospital) and the buses are very few.'
- 'There needs to be more provision for the 12-18 year olds of the town. Thatcham is a young community and more needs to be available for them.'
- 'I would like to see a green wheely-bin service which would collect garden waste for composting.'
- 'Thatcham tends to have a second rate feel about some of the public facilities. I wish that Thatcham acknowledges that it is primarily a residential town and stuck to providing good quality services and community projects to residents rather that feel the need to provide shops and facilities that a commercial/ shopping/ tourist town would have.'
- 'I think that it is not very good that there are no vending machines with chocolate, crips or water. If you think about it, you will earn lots of money for the centre (as I will buy chocoalte, crisps and drinks etc). The money could go to upgrading the centre in future times. (age group 8-12: comment relates to the Kennet Leisure Centre.)'
- 'Bus services are very poor. It is very difficult for young single parents without a car to get around town, particularly with shopping and buggies.'
A separate postcards exercise was completed at Kennet School in the spring of 2005. These comments from the students are typical of the majority of postcards which were returned.
- 'There is no under 18's bowling after 7pm - not fair! Curfews in parks, although effective, means there's NOTHING to do' (age group 13-19)
- 'I think that there should be a variety of new fun shops as the Broadway is full of estate agents and takeaways. New shops would encourage people to go into town. Shops like Woolworth's, GAME, and WH Smith would be good.' (age group 8-12)
- 'Cinema near to bowling alley - to make money and for convenience.' (age group 13-19)
- 'There are too many lorries.'
