Besides setting up Terry Reading Walkabouts to encourage people to find out about Reading’s wonderful History & Culture, I’m also a Reading Civic Society Committee member and a Reading Tourist volunteer

With that hat on I would like to invite you to get involved with Reading’s historic routes, connections and networks celebrated as part of England’s annual heritage festival.

From September 6 until the 15, many of Reading’s historic buildings will be opening their doors as part of the largest free heritage festival in the country. Heritage Open Days (HoDs) 2024 will see over 40 buildings in Reading and the surrounding area open for a series of special events, many of which celebrate the connections that have shaped our history and populations over time.

HoDs is a national celebration of history with free events all over the country. In Reading, the programme will include guided walks, talks, open days, arts and craft activities, music and even dressing up across the 10 days of the festival.

Discover how people from around the world came to work at BBC Monitoring in Caversham Park over 75 years; get a better understanding of what it means to have to leave your country through an exhibition of embroidery shaped by the experiences of being a refugee; circumnavigate the globe learning about the origins of some of the fine collections of plants and trees at Caversham Court Gardens, find out about the century-long connections in Katesgrove or who used to live in your house at the Centre for Heritage & Family History.

Personally, I will be leading the following 2 NEW Walkabouts, these being:-

  • Katesgrove Area  'Bricks, Iron, Sails, Education, Potts & a Meadow' Walkabout on both Saturday 7th Sep 2024 and Thursday 12th September
  • And Reading Victoria Park Area - Schools, Market, Swim Pool, Pubs, People, etc. on Saturday 15th September. Both Walkabouts can be booked via whatsonreading.com

All events during HODs are free, so if you haven’t visited the nearby National Trust Basildon Park 18th century house and estate, seen inside Reading Abbey Gateway or had the chance to go into the University of Reading Great Hall, this is the perfect time to explore.

REDA, Reading’s Economy and Destination Agency, has produced a printed programme of the events taking place in and around Reading, which will be available from libraries, Reading Town Hall, the visitor information booth at Reading Station and a number of other venues throughout Reading. All the events are also be listed on whatsonreading.com.  

A number of thses events have limited capacity so must be booked in advance. Check heritageopendays.org for full accessibility information.