Childs Hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Childs Hall' is one of the largest halls of accommodation at the University of Reading, and the largest on the Whiteknights Campus. The Hall is situated in the beautiful open parkland beside Whiteknights Lake and a few minutes walk from the centre of the campus. It has a friendly, dynamic atmosphere and a strong sense of identity.
The Hall has 399 study-bedrooms with full catering (three meals per day during the week and breakfast and lunch at the weekend), almost all with wash basins, and 60 study-bedrooms for self-catering. (Self-catering is not normally available to first-year students). Groups of residents share bathrooms and pantries equipped with microwaves, ovens, fridges, freezers, and some kitchen utensils. Whilst previously all study bedrooms were equipped with telephones, this service has now been stopped, and instead all rooms are supplied with a free broadband connection. However, this connection is not reliable.
Residents live in a secure environment. Card keys control access to the building and most individual units have locking doors. CCTV covers all entrances and ground-floor study-bedroom windows.
As one of the largest Halls Childs offers a wide range of facilities. The large airy dining hall is used for social events as well as meals. There is a library with areas for reading newspapers and for quiet study, and a popular bar with bar games including pool and table football. There is a television room with satellite television; a piano in the main hall; a snooker room with a full-size table; and an excellent laundry. A meeting room for up to twenty people is available to groups of residents. There is also a large computer room with 14 PCs equipped with Zip and CD drives.
An active student (JCR) committee provides many other facilities and organizes popular social and sporting events. The JCR is widely regarded as being more visible and active than other Halls, with the social department one of Reading's leading party organisers. Particularly noted for the legendary summer ball. There has been rumours about the building being closed down for years, but no-one who has moaned or discussed rumours has actually known if this is to be the truth. The bar will go refurbishment during the Easter of 2007 and will be named 'The Creche'
The current president is Ore Oluwatudima for the session 2007-8
The academic year 2006-7 sees the celebration of the 40th year that Childs has been open. Whilst the Original Pro vice Chancellor William MacBride Childs was seen as mistrusting the methods of mass production, it would have made him proud to see his son Brigadier Christopher Childs, C.B.E the guest of honour on the 21st November 1966 at the inaugural dinner to mark the opening of Childs Hall as the residence for men students in Whiteknights Park which was named Childs in the honour of the first Pro Vice Chancellor of the University, and would have also been proud to see his other three sons present on this occasion too.
