Words and archive pictures by Chris Forsey

An arson attack left 60-year-old care assistant, Janet

Martin, without her Vauxhall Nova in 1995 and surveying the wreckage with the Slough Observer, she complained

bitterly about the vandals who had tried to steal the car.

The callous would-be thieves had tried to jump-start the car, but the battery had been removed to charge-up overnight.

Janet told the Observer: “I am absolutely gutted, I have suffered a spate of vandalism on my car, I have lost count of the amount of times I have replaced the door locks.”

Everything was coming

up roses for a group of

pensioners in Pevensey Road, Slough as volunteers ‘mucked in’ to help create a new garden.

Colne Valley Groundwork Trust teamed up with Berkshire firefighters to create an attractive area for residents to enjoy and one local, Ian Jones, told the Observer: “This will add a real touch of colour to our lives.”

Cippenham’s British Legion members proved that they were no dummies when it came to worthy causes 23 years ago.

The local St John Ambulance group had put out an appeal for funding to purchase a new resuscitation dummy and the ex-servicemen were only too pleased to oblige.

Smiling happily for the Observer’s photographer, St John’s organiser, Doreen Compton took delivery of the dummy from Legion president Arthur Dean.

Helen Puddefoot, from Eton, was hoping her needlework hobby would shine through at the national exhibition and championships in 1995.

The UK’s top show was to be held at nearby Ascot Racecourse and Helen’s under-16 entry was a quilt she had entitled “Waiting for the Thunder”.

Helen told the Observer: “My mother showed me the pattern, I chose all the material myself while we were in America last summer.”

Storm clouds threatened to wash out Wraysbury Fair in 1995, the villages biggest community event, but despite the summer squall, many locals turned out to enjoy its attractions.

They braved the downpours and the large puddles on the village green to see an Owl Sanctuary display and have a go at the ‘bowl-the-pig’ stall.

Despite the weather many of the charity stalls made a profit and the fair committee reported that the event ended up with a profit.

A soggy organiser told the Observer: “In spite of the terrible rain, everyone kept their spirits up and managed to have fun.”

Schools across the Observer circulation area were taking part in a recycling campaign called ‘Ring Leader’ as the project aimed to collect the plastic used to bind multi-packs of food and drink.

The Safeway supermarket chain scheme hoped to raise charity monies for the otter unit at St Tiggywinkles Hospital in Aylesbury.