Since moving to Reading just three months prior, I have definitely noticed the disparity between the “more and less deprived” areas.

Having lived in multicultural Leeds for three years, I found getting to know the different neighbourhoods easy, as many reminded me of the warmth of my once Northern home.

However, I have also noticed a stark difference between the considered more affluent areas and the more deprived ones and wanted to conduct some research into what it is actually like to live there.

The two places I focussed on are Caversham and Whitley, both of which I visited myself and chatted with locals about their experiences living there.

According to government statistics, Caversham is considered one of the least deprived areas of Reading.

Walking down the main high street, visually it is easy to see why. The streets are clean and well-kept, the shops are mainly independent, and the eateries are also independent and are on the pricier side.

Caversham presents itself as “village life,” far removed from the hustle and bustle of Reading town’s centre.

Taking to social media I asked the residents of Caversham what they thought about living there.

Many mentioned the beauty of the place being a plus, but others did say that it is expensive and often experience awful traffic.

Lesli Erika Wilson said: “We’ve been living here for almost 40 years. What I like best is the green space, partly the gift of some unstable geology where it’d be a bad idea to build.”

Echoing the previous statement, Rebecca Stevens said: “I've lived in a fair few areas of Reading over the years and can say wholeheartedly this is the best area we've lived in.

“There's a real sense of community, local feel, and of course being next to the river and walking paths is also a plus.

However, she also mentioned the rising costs of houses being an issue.

“There are downsides, for us as renters just going the other side of the bridge saved us nearly £400 per month which is crazy when we can still walk to Caversham in 2mins.

 “We’re essentially paying for the official title of living in Caversham.”

Many also agreed that the traffic in Caversham is a bad aspect of living there.

One user commented “Love Caversham other than traffic,” and another said “The traffic is probably worse than any other place I’ve lived. It’s shocking. Apart from that, it’s great.”

To compare to the considerably affluent Caversham, I visited the Community Café in Whitley - an area of Reading that is considered one of the most income-deprived neighbourhoods.

During my walk there I did notice how seemingly more deprived it is than the lofty heights of Caversham.

The houses were smaller terraced houses, the roads were a lot dirtier with litter strewn about, and a considerable amount of the local shops were either shut or in disrepair.

Upon arrival at the café, I was introduced to locals Maxine Bennett and Nicole Bennett who had lived in Whitley all their lives.

“There’s not much community like there used to be,” Ms Maxine Bennett said. “It was better when we had places to go to, but there’s basically nothing left.”

Ms Nicole Bennett then said: “There’s nothing for kids to do, and there’s not even any pubs anymore as they’ve all been shut down. The only place to drink is a carvery down the road.

“This means that older people who would maybe go for a pint with friends have nowhere to socialise around here.”

Both women said that a lot of people don’t want to come to Whitley and that transport routes are excluding them from important parts of the town.

“There’s no direct bus services to the hospital, or to the university. We just need more transport for people and more places for people to go.”

Ms Bennett explained that a lot of older people are just stuck in their homes as there’s nowhere for them to go.

“My neighbour, who liked the social side of drinking, as there’s nowhere to go now he just sat at home drinking by himself. He was 59 and has recently passed away.”

After speaking to these two women it became apparent how little money was clearly being spent to let Whitley thrive.

In my opinion, the fact that it is labelled deprived seems to echo the fact that it lacks basic public amenities.

However, after asking people on social media what they thought about living in Whitley, many responded in support of the neighbourhood.

Zoe Annereau said: “I think it’s time that the “Whitley” stigma is dropped, times have changed, people have changed, life has changed.

“Yes it would be delightful if the council would actually inject money into the area, but in the meantime homeowners/tenants are taking pride in their properties, their homes.”

Many agreed with the previous comment and expressed their love for the local community in Whitley.

Shazia Sheikh said: “I have lived in Whitley all my life and it is home for me.

“There is a real sense of Community and love. Lots of families have grown up together and our children are growing up together. It's lovely.

“I have always seen so many people all come together whenever someone needs help, it is a lovely feeling and makes me feel proud of Whitley.”