Ken & Eileen Goode were given a joint Civic Award in 2004 for their hard work to promote and support music in the area. The following is an extract from the Wokingham Times:-
Eileen and Ken Goode of Booth Drive, Finchampstead, said they were “surprised” to have been nominated but were delighted. The couple have been married for 17 years and have shown much devotion to choirs and singing groups within the Wokingham district. Mrs. Goode, 63, has run the West Forest Townswomen’s Guild choir with the help of husband Ken, 71, for the past 12 years. One of the choir’s main achievements was to be selected to lead the singing at the National Townswomen’s Guild’s Annual Choir concert at St. Martin-in-the-Field, in Trafalgar Squire, 10 years ago.
The spirited pair have also entertained hundreds of pensioners all over the district for more than 20 years by singing , telling jokes and reading poems at day centres and residential homes. Mrs Goode said: “We both feel slightly taken aback and didn’t even know we’d been nominated, it was a surprise. “Some of the older people are so lonely and to see the look on their faces when we are singing along is a reward in itself. We try yo brighten up their day but I don’t consider we do anything that special.”
Mrs. Goode also runs “Singing for Fun” events run by the Wokingham U3A group, and the pair have raised hundreds of pounds for various charities over the years. Mr Goode added that it was “the work he enjoyed, not the applause” that made it all worthwhile. ”
Wokingham Town Museum Unique Identifier: WTH0414