Christmas Crisis Averted for Wokingham Residents
A planned power cut threatened to wreck a beloved Christmas bash for over 70 vulnerable locals in Wokingham. The blackout was scheduled for 11 December, leaving the community centre cold and dark just days before its annual festive feast.
Electric Company Blunders Leave Community in the Dark
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) warned the Wade centre of a full-day power cut from 8am to 4pm on 11 December. The timing couldn’t have been worse — the centre was set to serve hot meals and festive cheer to around 80 attendees that day.
Philip Murfin, organiser at Wade, immediately raised alarm with SSEN’s help desk. He got promises of escalation and a response within 48 hours. But nothing came. Worse still, his complaint was mysteriously cancelled right after the call, leaving the looming blackout ignored.
Fed up, Murfin took the issue straight to SSEN’s CEO, garnering support from the local MP. Finally, the power firm relented and pushed the cut back to 16 December.
Backup Generator to the Rescue as New Date Brings Fresh Challenges
The new blackout date created fresh headaches. The centre’s fridges and freezers were already packed with Christmas lunch food meant for 11 December, and they still needed to operate as normal on the 16th, providing warmth and festive activities.
Enter Gareth Day, Managing Director of Heidelberg and a friend of Murfin’s son. He sprang into action, arranging a temporary generator for Wade. Arriving on 15 December, the generator will power the centre through the outage, keeping lights on and meals hot.
Philip Murfin said: “Everyone who relies on Wade will still be able to attend and enjoy the day in a safe and welcoming environment.”
Thanks to quick thinking and community spirit, the Christmas party will go ahead without a hitch. Vulnerable residents can look forward to a warm meal, good company, and festive fun — safe and sound.
