Twenty-nine new citizens welcomed to the borough

Borough Mayor Cllr Adrian Mather has welcomed 29 new residents following a citizenship ceremony at Wokingham Town Hall.

People originally from Europe, Africa and Asia attended the ceremony on Wednesday 17 July, which was conducted by registrars from Wokingham Borough Council.

Deputy Lieutenant Richard Anderson presented the new residents with certificates and Cllr Mather presented each of them with the gift of a passport cover. Since becoming Borough Mayor in May, Cllr Mather has welcomed a total of 58 new residents.

Cllr Mather said: “Receiving citizenship is a significant and memorable milestone in a person’s life, formally welcoming you into your local community, as well as the rest of Britain.

“Whether you have lived here for a number of years, or only just arrived, Wokingham Borough accepts you with open arms. Our borough is made up of thriving diverse communities and many people choose to live here because it is such a great place to live, work and bring up a family. This is due to our fantastic local schools, healthy population and great employment opportunities.”

All applicants aged 18 and over who are accepted by the Home Office for citizenship by naturalisation or registration must take an oath of allegiance and pledge loyalty before they can become a British citizen.

The new citizens welcomed to Wokingham Borough are from the following countries:

• Bulgaria
• Germany
• Hungary
• India
• Israel
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Poland
• Russia
• Saudi Arabia
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Turkey

Group ceremonies are held at the town hall monthly and are free of charge, with each person allowed to bring a guest. Private ceremonies are held at the Register Office and there is usually some flexibility over date and time (extra charge applicable).

More information about booking a citizenship ceremony can be found on the council website.