FOR Bygones this week, we’ve unearthed some great pictures from the turn of the Millennium.

Garden designer and opera singer Vincent Mears, who was born and brought up in Sandhurst, published his first book of poems in the year 2000.

The book, lifelines, reflected his love of nature and his varied life during which he had done everything from farming to being a roadie for a punk rock group.

In the same year, creative pupils from schools across Bracknell Forest put their writing skills to the test in a competition organised by then-borough mayor Jim Finnie.

Winners of the competition won tickets to LEGOLAND in Windsor for their efforts.

The initiative was part of the Primary Schools Science Fair, which took place at LEGOLAND the previous year.

And pupils at New Scotland Hill Primary School, in Little Sandhurst, celebrated the Millennium by planting a capsule in the school grounds.

It was buried in a wooded area on the school site, where 2,000 bluebells were also planted as part of the school’s celebrations.

Items chosen included a mobile phone, a chequebook, a toothbrush, some coins and a newspaper.

In other news, 15-year-old Georgina Enga from Bracknell joined nearly 50 other hopefuls from across the country to take part in a national St John’s Ambulance Cadet of the Year competition.

Georgina was already the Berkshire cadet of the year but had her eye on the ultimate title alongside other cadets aged 15-18.

And even though she didn’t win, she said she had an “excellent time”.

Staff at Ralph’s Ride doctor’s surgery in Wildridings, Bracknell, decided to go door-to-door singing carols just before Christmas to bring festive cheer to people and help raise money for the Thames Valley Hospice, while children in Binfield drank their first cup of tea of the new Millennium from a commemorative mug delivered by volunteers from the village.

Finally, children at the Margaret Wells-Furby Children’s Resource Centre in Great Hollands Square enjoyed a belated Millennium party; four adventurers from Berkhampstead Park School followed their teacher and a group of other teenagers on an Arctic trek through Sweden; charity proceeds skyrocketed when money raised from a Wokingham’s fireworks display was presented to a number of worthwhile causes; and Japanese student Yukiko Otakara celebrated her landmark 21st birthday on New Year’s Eve.