His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, Mr Andrew Try, formally opened the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s new Learning and Development Centre in Whitley Wood, Reading.

The opening ceremony was attended by civic leaders including the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Alice Mpofu-Coles, Yuan Yang MP, and councillors from across the county. The occasion marked the completion of a significant investment in training infrastructure that will support the development of future generations of firefighters.

The state-of-the-art facility features realistic training environments, sustainability measures including solar PV and EV charging, and enhanced safety systems designed to minimise exposure to contaminants. Built following the flooding of the previous training centre in 2022, the new modular building was completed with minimal disruption to the Service’s operations.

Chief Fire Officer Wayne Bowcock and Councillor Jeff Brooks, Chair of the Royal Berkshire Fire Authority, both welcomed the opening as a milestone in strengthening public safety and resilience across Berkshire.