Salter Celebrates 25 Years in Public Life.
25 years ago Reading West MP, Martin Salter, first entered public life in Reading as a local councillor.
He served as Chair of the Leisure Committee, bringing back the Rock Festival and bringing WOMAD to the town. He opened Rivermead and introduced the popular ‘Passport to Leisure’ scheme. He helped push through the regeneration of central Reading and the move of Reading FC to the fabulous new Madejski Stadium.
To celebrate the occasion Martin organised a party at the South Street Arts Centre (one of his projects as his time as a councillor) which was attended by over 200 people from right across the political spectrum. Guests included Reading FC Chairman John Madejski who presented Martin with a signed Royals football shirt with the slogan “Salter 25″. Also present were LibDem former Mayor Bob Green, Bracknell council leader Paul Bettison and the former leaders of Reading and West Berkshire councils David Sutton and Suzie Kemp.
The party also included a special guest appearance by the head of UK Music and former lead singer with the Undertones Feargal Sharkey, who performed “Teenage Kicks” with the Reading Band, My Luminaries. Other guests included councillors, former councillors, and representatives from the business and voluntary sector, with whom Martin has worked in his time as a councillor and a Member of Parliament.