Wokingham

Wokingham Buses will be just the ticket for the smokefree message as Wokingham Borough Council unveils new advertising to promote the forthcoming smokefree legislation. Buses travelling through the Wokingham borough will be carrying the message that the Wokingham borough goes smoke free from July 1. The council received £71,000 from the government to promote the new legislation coming into effect next week. And on Friday June 29, the council’s executive member for community safety Cllr Barrie Patman will be getting a close-up on the message when one of the buses makes a special stop at Shute End. Wokingham Cllr Patman said: “A great deal of work has already been carried out with businesses in the borough to make sure that they are aware of the new legislation, what it means for them and how they should be preparing for it. “With the legislation now immediately imminent, this new advertising, entirely funded through government money, will make sure that people in the Wokingham borough are aware. Backing the national campaign, I really hope that people will take notice of the advertising and help the transition to the new legislation go as smoothly as possible.” The legislation comes into effect on Sunday July 1 and virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces in England will become smokefree. This will include Wokingham offices, factories, shops, pubs, bars, restaurants, membership clubs, public transport and work vehicles that are used by more than one person. The law will also mean that indoor workplace smoking rooms will disappear, so anyone wishing to smoke will have to go outside instead. Essentially, the legislation allows for almost all workers, regardless of their place of work, to be protected against the risks to health caused by exposure to tobacco smoke and guaranteed the right to smoke-free air. In the Wokingham borough, council officers have been working to make sure that all affected premises know what the legislation means for them. A successful series of business seminars was held in March with neighbouring authorities Reading Borough and West Berkshire Councils, including issuing an information sheet to some 4,000 businesses. Detailed information is available on the council website and staff have been visiting premises to inform them of the legislation and explain what it means. Taxi drivers have also received information specific to them. This work will continue as the legislation comes into effect. Wokingham Borough Council

Sunglasses will be on show all over Wokingham Borough Council’s offices on Friday June 29, when Mayor Cllr Annette Drake supports Shades Day along with staff from across the council.

Shades Day is an annual fundraising and awareness initiative for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA). Those who would like to wear their shades for the day give a donation to the charity, helping to raise awareness of eye health as well as raising money.

Wokingham Mayor Cllr Annette Drake will be wearing her shades for a photo-call at 11am along with all those taking part. There will also be a raffle to win a cuddly toy guide dog complete with his special jacket!

When sight loss takes away a person’s freedom of movement, guide dogs are there to help. But GDBA also funds research into the causes and prevention of sight loss, which could eventually lead to new treatments for common eye diseases in both adults and children. For more information on the campaign or on the GDBA, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/shadesday

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council has sent a clear message that benefit fraud is not acceptable with the prosecution of Mr Christopher Dear of London Road, Wokingham.

Mr Dear’s Wokingham housing and council tax benefit claim was brought to the attention of the council's benefit fraud investigations team by benefits officers who had suspicions about his tenancy agreement. Investigations into Mr Dear’s claim revealed that he had submitted a fictitious tenancy agreement in order to take advantage of the benefits system.

Mr Dear, a former director of Bracknell school uniform outfitters Dalby & Dalby, admitted to fictitious claims totalling £15,459.74 in housing benefit and £2,659.85 in council tax benefit. Having made inquiries and being told that he was not entitled to receive benefit, Mr Dear produced a false tenancy agreement, naming a company as his landlord. In fact his landlord was a member of his family.

At Reading Crown Court on June 15, he was sentenced by Recorder Harrison to 240 hours of community service over two years.

Wokingham Revenues and benefits services manager Kevin Mercer said: “This prosecution sends a strong message to anyone who may be attempting to cheat the benefit system. Our benefit fraud investigations team are extremely vigilant, and those who make fraudulent claims will be found out and made to pay.”

Wokingham Borough Council

The excitement is mounting as the Wokingham Library Harry Potter Midnight Party draws nearer and the first chance to win tickets gets under way today. (Monday June 25)

Wokingham Library will be hosting the party on the night of Friday July 20 to celebrate the launch of the seventh and final instalment of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts adventures – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – at one minute past midnight on Saturday July 21. The fun-filled party will culminate in the unveiling of the book and all partygoers will have the chance to win, buy or borrow a copy.

But first, anybody wanting to be there on the magical night must get their hands on one of the sought-after Wokingham tickets. Tickets can only be won in a series of competitions being run at libraries across the borough for young library members aged eight and over.

The first competition was launched today (Monday June 25) and to be in with a chance to win, entrants must draw a picture of any of their favourite Harry Potter characters and the best two entrants from each of the Wokingham libraries will win tickets for themselves and a parent or guardian. Entry forms are available at all the borough’s libraries, but artistic Hogwarts fans will have to be quick as this first competition is only running until Sunday July 1.

From Monday July 2, it will be the chance for wizard young wordsmiths to try their luck to win a ticket in the Magical Poetry competition in which the best two entrants from each of the Wokingham borough’s libraries will win tickets. This will run until July 8 and then the final chance to win will be a Wizard Treasure Hunt at all the libraries from July 9 to 15.

Wokingham Borough Council’s reader development officer for young people and families, Elizabeth McDonald, said: “There is a real buzz around the libraries about the party and the competitions. The competitions are great fun to enter, especially for those lucky enough to win tickets. But for those who don’t, the libraries are stocking up with copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and they can be pre-ordered by those wanting to guarantee getting a copy. The launch of a new Harry Potter adventure is always a thrilling event and even more so for us this time because of the midnight party. In the past, people may have seen libraries only as places for reading quietly, but in the Wokingham borough they are much more than that – they can even be cool party venues, as the Harry Potter Midnight Party will prove.”

The Harry Potter Midnight Party is being sponsored by The Wokingham Times and Wokingham Theatre and The Party Box in Earley will kindly provide party decorations for the night. Chapter One Children’s Bookshop in Denmark Street is providing books being offered for sale on the night. Staff will be dressing up on the night with costumes from the Berkshire Costume Service and a special cake will be provided by Tesco.

The Wokingham party will start at 10.30pm and culminate with the unveiling of the book just after midnight and in between it will be packed with party games, craft activities and puzzles. There will also be a chance to learn a real magic trick from magician Mike Tait and special guests to entertain the partygoers with tales from Dumbledore’s Army. There will even be a chance to be sorted into one of Hogwarts’ houses (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin) by the Sorting Hat.

Wokingham Borough Council

For award-nominee Richard Clements, a visit to Learndirect in Wokingham last year proved a life-changing move.

Richard had been desperate to fulfil his dream to become a firefighter, but had struggled to pass the entry exams and so turned to Learndirect, the national e-learning scheme for adults, for help. He enrolled on the basic literacy and numeracy schemes at Wokingham Library and, after successfully completing them, was also successful in his application to the fire service. Richard, who lives in Bracknell, has now been a firefighter in Oxford for nine months.

Richard’s hard work and success with Learndirect, Wokingham was recognised when he was one of six learners short-listed from a total of 1,700 nominees for a University for Industry Individual Learner Award for the South East Region, held at Winnersh Showcase Cinema on Tuesday June 19 and presented by TV and radio presenter Maggie Philbin.

Although he narrowly missed out on winning this particular category, his success is an inspiration to other potential adult learners.

Richard said: “Going to Learndirect made a major difference to me – the difference between getting into the fire service and not. The support and help I have received from Learndirect has been really important and I would recommend it to anybody in a similar position. The people at Learndirect have always been there to help and have kept me focussed on my learning.”

Learndirect is funded by the Government’s University for Industry programme and is provided in Wokingham by the borough council. In Wokingham it is run by Learndirect manager Alan Bennett. It offers a wide range of courses, including computing and business management as well as basic numeracy and literacy

Alan Bennett said: “Richard’s success is an inspiration to others. He has worked hard to fulfil his ambitions and we are very proud of what he has achieved. It is a fantastic story because he has been able to achieve something with the help of Learndirect that has made a huge difference to his life.”

Learndirect is based at Wokingham Library and has outreach centres at Whitegrove Library in Bracknell on Mondays, Woodley Library on Tuesdays, Winnersh Library on Wednesdays, Crowthorne Library on Thursdays and Lower Earley Library on Fridays.

Anybody interested in finding out more about Learndirect in the Wokingham borough can contact Alan Bennett on 0118 978 8069 or email him at alan.bennett@wokingham.gov.uk. Learndirect’s reception at Wokingham Library is open from 9.30am to 7pm on Mondays and Thursdays, 9.30am to 5pm on Tuesday and Fridays and 9.30am to 1pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Wokingham Borough Council

Children from schools across the Wokingham borough celebrated 60 years of music at a concert earlier this month.

Pupils from 16 Wokingham primary schools took part in the concert at The Hexagon Theatre in Reading that was the second opportunity for Wokingham schools to celebrate the tremendous achievement of 60 years of making music together. The performance took a light-hearted look at the history of Wokingham children’s concerts in the form of a This is Your Life style event that included music, song, dance and drama. Among the songs they performed were Run Rabbit Run, Summer Holiday and From a Distance.

The schools that took part in the second Hexagon Concert were: Addington; Arborfield, Newland and Barkham CE Junior; Beechwood Primary; Crazies Hill Primary; Earley St Peter’s CE Primary; Grazeley Parochial CE; Hawkedon Primary; Hillside Primary; Loddon Primary; Nine Mile Ride Primary; Radstock Primary; Rivermead Primary; South Lake Primary; St Dominic Savio; Willow Bank Junior and Woodley CE Primary.

The 400 strong choir had the thrill of performing to a capacity audience of 1,200 family, friends and guests. They had prepared for the concert in their own schools and had only four massed rehearsals before the big night.

Both this month’s concert and the earlier performance in March were produced and directed by Clive Waterman who leads the Wokingham Borough Council’s Music for All project, which seeks to provide as many opportunities for schoolchildren to perform music in public as possible.

Mr Waterman, who also conducted the concert, said: “It was a wonderful evening and really good fun for all concerned. Wokingham’s children can be very proud of their achievements. It was a great team effort that resulted in an occasion that will be remembered for many years to come by those who took part.”

Both the March and June concerts were filmed and will be made into DVDs as a keepsake for parents and children.

The Wokingham Children’s Concerts are made possible through the funding of Wokingham Borough Council and the support of local Rotary clubs. Through these performances thousands of Wokingham children continue to have the opportunity to take part in large-scale concerts in prestige venues.

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Residents, businesses and community groups are being urged to take part in the next stage of the Key to the Gateway project with developers’ submissions going on display tomorrow (Tuesday June 26).

Looking to revitalise the Elms Field area in Wokingham and provide a new gateway to the town centre, the council has invited developers to come up with ideas to improve the area. From tomorrow, for a period of six weeks, the submissions will be on display at the council’s civic offices at Shute End in Wokingham, and the local community will be asked for their comments. Closing dates for comments is Tuesday August 7.

Champion for town centres Wokingham Cllr Chris Bowring said: “This is an enormously exciting project for me and I’m delighted to have been asked to be the lead member for it. I truly believe that Wokingham deserves an improved town centre and that belief is what is driving this project along.

“I’ve only had a brief glance at the submissions which only came in at the end of last week, but I think we can be very pleased at the professionalism that all six developers have shown in the way they have created these displays.

“It’s now time for our residents to consider the various aspects of all six schemes and to let us know their views. The council will be undertaking a rigorous assessment of all of the schemes and, after that process, will take a decision on how to proceed.

“I really would encourage everyone to take part in the project and let us have their views.”

The exhibition of submissions will be in reception at the civic offices at Shute End, Wokingham, for a period of six weeks from Tuesday June 26 along with a feedback form for visitors to give their views. Responses can be dropped into the box provided or returned by mail to Key to the Gateway, Property Services, Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1WH.

The exhibition will be open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm.

The Wokingham council will evaluate and assess the submissions over the summer and is not expected to select a final partner for the project until some time in the autumn. The planning process will then follow, with residents again able to have their say on any plans.

Wokingham Borough Council

Land for new homes is a very difficult issue in the Wokingham borough and the council now has to give serious consideration to a recent government direction that requires a five-year continuous rolling land supply.

Consequently, at its meeting on Thursday June 28, Wokingham Borough Council’s decision-making executive will consider the release of housing sites already identified in the Local Plan as reserve sites to meet the Borough’s housing requirements under the existing Berkshire Structure Plan.

Wokingham Officers and councillors are required to respond to recent government direction, effective from April 1, 2007, called Planning Policy Statement 3 (known as PPS3), that requires local authorities to have a continuous rolling five-year supply of land for housing. Currently the council has a supply of approximately four and a half years and is required by PPS3 to add to the existing available land to meet the five-year land supply now required by central government.

Executive member for local and regional planning Wokingham Cllr Gary Cowan said: “We have been fighting unreasonable development every step of the way with the valuable support of our residents. Against that backdrop, we are now facing a new government direction that compels us to release further land for housing or face potentially serious and damaging consequences to our community as a whole.

“This is not a recommendation I will make lightly to the executive but no thanks to the government amending policy while we are developing our new local plan. As a direct result of this a decision has to be taken to ensure we retain control of the planning system and not just pass it over to government inspectors, which is the real danger of doing nothing. It needs to be understood that any released sites will still be subject to the normal planning process and all that entails.

“If we do not have adequate housing land identified we could be forced by the government’s planning inspectorate to accommodate inappropriate development in inappropriate locations in our borough. Such sites may well be in less suitable locations than those sites already identified in the Local Plan. In simple words, we will end up with inappropriate housing in the wrong places along with reduced developer contributions for infrastructure.”

Wokingham Borough Council

It’s time to ‘Spring In2 Action’ for the summer, with the launch of Wokingham Borough Council’s summer programme of multi-sports courses for children!

The ‘Spring In2 Action’ Wokingham summer programme from the council’s sports development unit is packed with camps and courses for all ages – from favourite activities like football, tennis and cricket, to more unusual adventures such as tri-golf, raft building and minibeast hunts.

Details of all the courses, as well as booking forms and information on what to bring and what to wear, are available in the new Spring In2 Action programme leaflet, which is available to download from www.wokingham.gov.uk/sportscourses or as an orange leaflet from schools, libraries, youth and community centres, GP surgeries, family information centres and the council offices.

Champion for youth and leisure Wokingham Cllr Malcolm Bryant said: “The programme of courses for children and young people has something to interest everyone, and if the response in past years is anything to go by, they will be very oversubscribed – so I would advise everyone to book early!”

To make the courses even better value, if you book a summer course before July 1, you will get 10% off your booking! For more information contact the council’s sports development unit on (0118) 974 6264 or at sportsdevelopment@wokingham.gov.uk

Wokingham Borough Council

Pedal power brings National Bike Week to Wokingham this month from June 16 to June 24. And on Friday June 22, Wokingham Borough Council and highways consultants Mouchel Parkman will be talking about all things two-wheeled and offering free bike checks, at a special stand in Wokingham Market Place.

National Bike Week is the UK's unique celebration of cycling. The aim is to encourage more people to cycle more often, and to demonstrate that cycling enables people to have fun, get fit and feel free.

“As part of our road safety agenda, we want to make sure people cycle safely,” said road safety advisor Katie Webb. “We will be holding the stand from 1pm to 4pm on June 22 and we’ll be passing on lots of information about cycling in the borough. We will also be giving away road safety resources, such as fluorescent cycle straps and stickers. The community wardens will also be offering free bike safety checks for anyone who brings their bike along.”

Executive member for Wokingham highways and transport Cllr Keith Baker, who will be at the stand for a photo call at 1pm, said: “The council is always keen to promote transport alternatives that help ease traffic and keep everybody fit and healthy. Cycling is great fun and commuting by bike saves people money too. Hopefully at this stand we can help more people get on their bikes, by providing the advice and kit they need to do it safely.”

Visitors will have a chance to win a cycle helmet and even to take part in the national Bike Week competition to win a family break at Center Parcs. For more information on Bike Week, please visit www.bikeweek.org.uk

Wokingham Borough Council

Innovative eco-flats for key workers in the Wokingham borough have won a prestigious national award highlighting their green credentials.

At a high-profile Green Apple Awards ceremony in London on June 11, the 22 flats in Jeffery Close, off Seaford Road, Wokingham were recognised for the way their design and build, as well as the way people live in them, reflects excellent eco-practice. The development won a Gold Award for Civic Pride in the Residential category. The borough council’s senior housing strategy and development officer Louise Strongitharm collected the award from TV personality and environmental campaigner David Bellamy.

The flats have been built on the site of derelict bike sheds at St Crispin’s School and are being used to provide much-needed affordable homes for teachers in the Wokingham borough. They are expected to be the first flats in the borough to achieve an Excellent EcoHomes rating.

The Wokingham flats have solar thermal panels on the roof to provide up to 70 per cent of the hot water needed, with energy efficient combination boilers providing the additional hot water and heating. To ensure the flats do not get too hot in the summer, architects RBA have used solar shading. The flats also have a highly insulated timber frame. Labour and materials were sourced locally where possible to reduce fuel consumption during transportation to the site. Outside, the flats have water butts to water plants or wash cars, good storage to enable household waste recycling and room for a bike to encourage the use of green transport.

The methods of construction used aimed to be environmentally friendly. For instance, the parking area was surfaced using a shallow dig construction method to ensure any potential root damage to trees was minimised, and the surface itself allows water to permeate through it to the roots of the trees. Additional planting has also taken place to enhance the existing trees on site.

Louise Strongitharm said: “It is so rewarding to see this development come to fruition and for it to achieve a national award is really the icing on the cake. So many people have contributed to its success and it was a shame that only one of us could attend the awards ceremony, as the project has been a great team effort.

The success of the project has been a result of dedication and commitment from staff working for the council, Home Group, the housing association, RBA, the architects, Denne, the contractor, and PH Warr, the surveyors. The award success was celebrated by those involved in the project by a visit from Wokingham Borough Council Mayor Cllr Annette Drake on Wednesday June 23.

Cllr Drake said: “It was a pleasure to personally congratulate those involved in this worthwhile and successful project. Not only do these flats provide good accommodation at a rate teachers can afford, but they also point the way for sustainable development in the Wokingham borough.”

Wokingham Borough Council

The Wokingham Cantley Proms returns by popular demand on Sunday 22nd of July 2007. This year sees another evening of superb entertainment gracing the beautiful gardens of Cantley House Hotel.

Once again The Lewisham Concert Band, who have famously appeared many times on the BBC's Friday Night is Music Night, will be performing under guest conductor Tom Higgins. Tom, a former member of ENO, has conducted at the Dresden Staatsoperette, Opera Holland Park and is the musical director of Opera South. His recording of Sullivan’s The Rose of Persia was the Observer’s Classical CD of the Week.

The band is being joined by the soprano Fiona O’Neill (ENO, Dublin Opera), who makes a welcome return to Cantley, and the tenor Andrew Forbes-Lane (ENO, Opera North, Glyndebourne). This year there is a special treat for Dr Who fans, young and old, as our presenter will be special guest John Leeson, the voice of the Doctor's trusty companion, K9. All fans of the show should book early to ensure they catch a glimpse of, or rather hear the voice of, one of television's most famous animals.

The Wokingham Cantley Proms again aims to raise significant money for two charities: Mencap and The Lord's Taverners. The Taverners work to provide sporting opportunities for young people, especially those with special needs. They are a national charity but Cantley Proms has been working closely with the Thames Valley branch and it is to them that half the profits will be donated.

The other charity to be supported is Wokingham Mencap. A local charity which supports people with learning disabilities, their families and helpers. The charity is a personal favourite of Chris Monk, 21, the original organiser of the concert. Mencap first inspired Chris after seeing the way in which they worked to involve young people in the care of those with learning difficulties with the summer programme at Oundle School.

The Cantley Proms is proudly sponsored by Clifton Ingram, Wokingham LLP Solicitors for which the organisers and charities are extremely grateful.

Cantley House Hotel, Wokingham gardens open at 5:00pm for guests who wish to picnic whilst being entertained by a leading local Barber Shop Quartet and the concert begins as dusk falls at 7:30pm. For those who wish to enjoy a fuller dining experience, the award winning Miltons Restaurant will be open serving a late Sunday lunch.

Tickets are £20 for adults, £17.50 for concessions and £7 for children; they will be more expensive on the day so advance booking is recommended. Tickets are available from Cantley House Hotel either in person or by calling 01189 789912, and online (where there are pictures of previous concerts) at www.cantleyproms.co.uk.

Cantley House Hotel, Milton Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 5QG.

The Hogwarts Express will be coming to the Wokingham borough when Wokingham Library opens its doors for a wizard midnight party to celebrate the launch of the seventh and final Harry Potter book.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be released at one minute past midnight on Saturday July 21 and Wokingham Library will be inviting special young guests and their parents and carers to a fancy dress party on the evening of Friday July 20 to celebrate the occasion. At the muggle-free magical Wokingham party all the guests will tour four zones of fantastic fun (based on the Hogwarts’ houses Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin) in which they will be able to enjoy games, puzzles, crafts and magic (provided by children’s magician Mike Tait) – all on a Harry Potter theme. On arrival the guests will be placed in front of the famous Hogwarts Sorting Hat, which will divide them into groups for the rest of the night – but fear not, guests will move through all the school houses – nobody will be expected to stay in the dreaded Slytherin house all night.

As midnight approaches, special guests – supporting actors from the Harry Potter films – will entertain the guests with tales of life in Dumbledore’s Army. And then, as the last chimes of midnight fade, the big moment will arrive and the new book will be unveiled and guests will have a chance to win, borrow or buy copies of the final Hogwarts instalment.

Wokingham Borough Council’s reader development officer for young people and families, Elizabeth McDonald said: “This is going to be the party of a lifetime for those lucky enough to win a ticket. Wokingham Library will be transformed into a magical realm for the night and I know there will be non-stop entertainment right up to the main event – the unveiling of the Harry Potter book. JK Rowling’s books have attracted so many children to read that it is sad they are coming to an end, but at least there will be a fitting finale at Wokingham Library. And staff will be on hand to recommend other magical reads for children.”

The Harry Potter Midnight Party is being sponsored by The Wokingham Times and Wokingham Library will be transformed for the party thanks to support from The Party Box in Earley and Wokingham Theatre. Chapter One Children’s Bookshop in Denmark Street is providing the books being offered for sale on the night. Throughout the evening, which will run from 10pm to 12.30am, and there will be plenty of tasty treats and drinks for young and old guests, including a cake kindly provided by Tesco. The Berkshire Costume Service is providing costumes for library staff on the night and will, of course, be offering costume hire to all invitees.

Corporate head of Wokingham Knowledge Development Chris Hamilton said: “This is a ground-breaking event for Wokingham Library – it is our first midnight party and it promises to be a triumph. As well as being a wonderful celebration of the Harry Potter books it is a showcase for Wokingham Borough Council’s innovative and forward thinking library service. Libraries are so much more than simply places to borrow books now – they are resources of information, and entertainment for the whole community.”

The Harry Potter Wokingham Midnight Party is free but invite-only and invitations can only be won in three competitions being held in the run up to the big night. The competitions are open to young readers aged eight and over who are members of the borough’s library service – joining is quick, simple and free at any of the borough’s libraries. The fun will start on June 25 with the launch of a Draw Your Favourite Harry Potter Character competition at all the Wokingham borough’s libraries. This will run until Sunday July 1 and two winners from each library will win tickets to the party.

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Residents, businesses and community groups are being reminded to take part in the next stage of the Key to the Gateway project when developers’ submissions go on display next week (Tuesday June 26).

Looking to revitalise the Elms Field area in Wokingham and provide a new gateway to the town centre, the council has invited developers to come up with ideas to improve the area.

From Tuesday June 26 for a period of six weeks, the submissions will be on display at the council’s civic offices at Shute End in Wokingham, and the local community will be asked for their comments. Closing dates for comments is Tuesday August 7.

Champion for town centres Wokingham Cllr Chris Bowring said: “We gave the developers a clear but open-minded brief and we are looking forward to seeing some imaginative schemes come forward. They will go on display very quickly as we are keen for the local community to see the submissions as soon as possible and for local people to let us know what they think. We’ve asked for ideas that enhance and improve the current open space, consider the opportunities for providing a real gateway at this end of the town by improving links to the station and current leisure area on Wellington Road and encourage people into the town centre.

“All the comments and views submitted during the consultation will be taken into account and will be a valuable part of our assessment process. It’s important to remember that the final plan could differ from those on display after we have considered the public’s views on the scheme and selected a partner to take forward the most appropriate proposal.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the process.”

The exhibition of submissions will be in the mall at the civic offices at Shute End, Wokingham, for a period of six weeks from Tuesday June 26 along with a feedback form for visitors to give their views. Responses can be dropped into the box provided or returned by mail to Key to the Gateway, Property Services, Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1WH.

The exhibition will be open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm. The council will be writing to Wokingham town residents this week to invite them to come along.

The council will evaluate and assess the submissions over the summer and is not expected to select a final partner for the project until some time in the autumn. The planning process will then follow, with residents again able to have their say on any plans.

Wokingham Borough Council

This free annual event, for families with a child with additional needs in the Wokingham Borough, will take place on Saturday June 30, 2007 from 11am to 4pm at the Salvation Army Hall in Lower Earley.

This event is organised in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council’s children’s services and local organisations: Peapods, Wokingham District Mencap, Crossroads, The Me2 Club and Wokingham Autism Support for Parents (WASP).

There will be entertainment for all the family, including Millers Ark Farm animals, art and drama activities and children’s entertainer Fred in the Shed, plus a wealth of information about services and facilities in Wokingham borough for children with additional needs and their families.

An ‘Ask the Panel’ session will take place at 12.30pm, which will be an opportunity for people to put questions to local professionals on topics such as health, education, social care and leisure.

An on-site play club will be available, offering childcare for children of all ages, giving parent and carers the freedom to browse the information stalls. If one-to-one support is required, it would be advisable for parents / carers to pre-book a place by phoning (0118) 979 5324.

Wokingham Borough Council

Budding Wokingham editors, film-makers and reporters tackled the difficult issue of graffiti as young people from the Wokingham borough took part in a council project to raise awareness about the problem.

As part of the council’s liveability project, the waste and recycling team, community safety and children’s services teamed up with The Cultural Partnership and specialist media company RealTime to invite young people to join a project exploring the causes behind graffiti and the thoughts and views of local people.

Taking on the researching and writing for the Wokingham DVD, the young people, including brothers Nathan and Andrew Wilson, aged 12 from Wokingham, took to the streets of the borough to discover opinions on how and why graffiti blights our communities. They also carried out interviews with the borough council’s waste and recycling officers who are responsible for organising the clean-up of graffiti on the borough’s streets.

Wokingham Waste and recycling manager Peter Baveystock said: “We are always looking for new ways to tackle the issue of graffiti and this project was a new initiative for us. We set out to look at the causes of graffiti, to help us understand how we could prevent it. The project has also uncovered some new areas for the council to address such as graffiti being used as a tool of intimidation amongst young people.

“Working with children’s services, we will now use this film to open up discussion with young people in schools, as well as helping us in our efforts to tackle graffiti.”

Also working with the Wokingham young people on the DVD was 17-year-old Callum Kirkland, a local street-artist from Kreative Dezign. This is a company of young people who are working and fundraising to set up DJ and music workshops for other teens. Callum spends much of his time talking to local youngsters about street art. Wokingham-based Callum said: “It’s important that young people are made aware of the differences between graffiti and street art. Graffiti is illegal and is vandalism. It makes the area look trashy. It gives street art and people who use spray cans as an artistic medium a bad name. I was pleased to be involved with this project.”

The Wokingham DVD will now be used as a discussion tool in schools and with community groups. Word of the project has been spreading thick and fast since the launch, with requests for copies of the DVD coming from as far away as Canada.

Wokingham Mayor Cllr Annette Drake, who officially opened the première on June 7, said: “This innovative film will be a really useful tool for local schools and community groups to educate young people about the negative effects graffiti can have on their neighbourhood. We hope that this will reduce the amount of graffitti around the borough and I congratulate everyone involved in making this film.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Now in its ninth year, Wokingham Borough Council’s mayor Cllr Annette Drake has launched this year’s colour and cheer gardening competition.

The annual Wokingham council-run competition has something for all the Wokingham borough’s gardeners - from local residents, community groups to pub landlords, businesses and shopkeepers.

The Wokingham competition goes from strength to strength each year and aims to reward gardeners who work hard to brighten up their local community. And Cllr Annette Drake is hoping that this year the usually already impressive crop of entries will be swelled by more people nominating modest gardeners whose hard work has impressed them in their street or while travelling around the borough.

The competition - sponsored by the Wokingham Times’ Series and supported by Foster Wheeler Ltd and Millgate Homes - has two categories for green-fingered residents who make a real effort to turn their front gardens into a dazzling display to bring cheer to neighbours and passers-by:

· Best presented front garden for summer display
· Best presented front garden that gives all-year-round interest.

Prizes are also awarded in the following categories:

· Best shop or small business frontage
· Best pub frontage.

The competition is open to all within the Wokingham borough and the closing date is Friday July 6.

Wokingham Cllr Drake said: “So many people are proud to live in the Wokingham borough. Each year our residents are immensely impressed by the wonderful colourful gardens in the local communities, which make the borough such a nice place to live and work. So many hours are dedicated to these wonderful gardens and I hope that many green-fingered gardeners will be encouraged to enter this competition.”

Entry forms will be printed in the Wokingham Times’ Series’ newspapers and will also be available from the borough council’s civic offices and libraries in the borough or by calling the mayor’s secretary Ann Marie Bonwick on (0118) 974 6004.

Wokingham Borough Council

It’s full steam ahead for Wokingham Employment Support Service (WESS) which relaunched on June 8, celebrating the completion of building work that has provided full disability access, a range of new workshops and internet facilities to support clients in their job search.

WESS is Wokingham Borough Council’s service to help people covered by the Disability Discrimination Act and people with substance misuse issues to find employment, as well as providing support in the work place.

The new WESS facilities were opened by the Wokingham mayor Cllr Annette Drake, with the council’s chief executive Doug Patterson in attendance. The mayor said: “This is a great step forward for equal opportunities in the workplace, giving many more people a chance to shine in jobs they did not have the confidence to tackle. It will also give employers a chance to benefit from the skill and dedication that those with greater support needs could be offering.”

Wokingham Employment co-ordinators Adrienne Gilling and Donna Prescott said “These new facilities will really improve the service we can offer. We are looking forward to seeing even more people find their way into employment and gain new confidence and skills along the way.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Your views on Wokingham parenting services wanted!

Are you a parent or a carer of a child in the Wokingham Borough? If the answer is yes, the council would like to hear your views on what local children’s services should look like.

The Wokingham council is working hard to further develop parenting support services which are easy to access for all parents and carers across the borough. In order for the council to identify any gaps in services, it is asking local people to complete a short questionnaire, which is aimed at anyone who cares for a child - be it a parent, grandparent, carer or foster carer. They will be asked to give their views on whether they would be interested in attending support services such as drop-ins, group sessions or one-to-one sessions. There are also questions specific for fathers to ascertain what services and activities they would find useful.

Bianca Morrison, Wokingham parenting strategy co-ordinator, said: “We believe that anyone who cares for a child should have access to information and support if they require it. Children do not come with a teaching manual but one thing is sure, we all want what is best for them.

“Families across the borough can encounter all kinds of issues and the council wants to ensure that we can offer support in the most helpful and effective way. If you have any views, we would be happy to hear from you and I would encourage as many people as possible to complete the questionnaire.”

The questionnaire can be completed online at: http://www.wokingham.gov.uk/council-meetings-democracy/consultations/current-consultations

The closing date for completing the questionnaire is Friday July 20. If any carers have any queries or would prefer a paper copy, contact Jane Fletcher, parenting administrator, on (0118) 944 5323 or by email: parenting.project@wokingham.gov.uk

Wokingham Borough Council

It’s been a bumper year for barn owls in the Wokingham borough. Barn owls are thought to have declined nationally by 70% since the 1930s, and in Wokingham there were recently thought to be only a handful of breeding pairs.

But the Wokingham barn owls have bounced back with 30 chicks born this year, after Wokingham Borough Council in partnership with Hurst Parish Council, the Environment Agency, the Barn Owl Conservation Network (BOCN) and local landowners set up new nesting boxes for the birds.

Some 13 new Wokingham barn owl nest boxes were erected in November 2002 and a further six boxes were added in late 2005, bringing the total to 19 nest boxes across Hurst, Barkham, Swallowfield, Finchampstead, Arborfield, Wokingham and Lower Earley.

Monitoring of the boxes over the last five years has revealed barn owl breeding is highly dependent on the availability of small mammals. This year was proved to be a bumper small mammal year when staff monitoring the boxes found numerous uneaten mice and voles stock piled in the boxes.

Wokingham Biodiversity officer Andy Glencross said: “The nest box project has been a great success in its first five years, with 58 barn owl chicks, one little owl chick and 13 kestrel chicks born. The most popular breeding areas are in Swallowfield, Finchampstead and Hurst, but there is evidence that boxes in less rural locations have been used by non-breeding birds.”

Executive member for the environment Cllr Simon Weeks said: “Barn owl nest sites are difficult to find in an area where many barns are converted into houses. It’s great to know that practical action by the project partners has helped to substantially increase the local population.”

All birds on their nests and eggs inside the nests are protected by law under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Barn owls are listed on schedule 1, which gives them special protection. Anyone who would like to get involved in barn owl conservation project in the future should contact biodiversity officer Andy Glencross on (0118) 934 2016.

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Green fingered gardeners with learning disabilities from Wokingham Resource and Opportunity Centre (WROC) usually enjoy working on their own green plots and holding fundraising plant sales with the horticultural therapy charity Growing Places.

On Monday June 11, three gardeners from WROC took on a new challenge: planting large flower beds in the communal gardens of the new key-worker housing development at St Crispin’s School in Wokingham, where many teachers are looking forward to living.

Denne Construction and their client Home Group set Growing Places the green challenge. Horticultural therapist Margaret Larby, Growing Places volunteer Mike Davis and WROC gardeners Peter Waite and Michael Skeggs planted the Wokingham beds with rosemary, penstemons, asters and hardy geraniums that they have grown themselves at Turgis Court Farm, the Growing Places site in Hampshire.

The plants, all chosen by the Growing Places gardeners, were purchased from the charity by Denne Construction, which is keen to extend its focus on environmental issues to include involvement of local community groups in the Wokingham St Crispin’s eco-homes project.

Community liaison manager for Denne Construction Ben Green said: “Growing Places has done a great job and I’m very pleased we were able to involve them in this project –we have made this development as sustainable and as friendly to the local environment as we can, and involving a leading community group in the green landscaping has really helped us to take that further.”

Home Group’s project manager Geraldine Medrano said: “This planting has helped give the finishing touch to what has been a very successful scheme. I’m delighted with the excellent job Growing Places has done today.”

Executive member for Wokingham social care and chairman of the planning committee Cllr David Lee said: “This is an excellent example of the skills that gardeners from Growing Places can provide to a landscaping project. I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and I welcome this development, which has been built to an exceptionally high standard with excellent communal gardens for future residents and their families.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Residents, businesses and community groups are once again to be asked for their views on the next stage of the Key to the Gateway project with developers’ submissions going on display later this month (Tuesday June 26).

Looking to revitalise the Elms Field area in Wokingham and provide a new gateway to the town centre, the council has invited developers to come up with ideas to improve the area. From Tuesday June 26 for a period of six weeks, the submissions will be on display at the council’s civic offices at Shute End in Wokingham, and the local community will be asked for their comments. Closing dates for comments is Tuesday August 7.

Champion for town centres Wokingham Cllr Chris Bowring said: “We gave the developers a clear but open-minded brief and we are looking forward to seeing some imaginative schemes come forward. They will go on display very quickly as we are keen for the local community to see the submissions as soon as possible and for local people to let us know what they think. We’ve asked for ideas that enhance and improve the current open space, consider the opportunities for providing a real gateway at this end of the town by improving links to the station and current leisure area on Wellington Road and encourage people into the town centre.

“All the comments and views submitted during the consultation will be taken into account and will be a valuable part of our assessment process. It’s important to remember that the final plan could differ from those on display after we have considered the public’s views on the scheme and selected a partner to take forward the most appropriate proposal.

“I would encourage as many people as possible to take part in the process.”

The exhibition of submissions will be in the mall at the civic offices at Shute End, Wokingham, for a period of six weeks from Tuesday June 26 along with a feedback form for visitors to give their views. Responses can be dropped into the box provided or returned by mail to Key to the Gateway, Property Services, Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1WH.

The exhibition will be open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm. The council will be writing to Wokingham town residents the week before the exhibition starts to invite them to come along.

Wokingham council will evaluate and assess the submissions over the summer and is not expected to select a final partner for the project until some time in the autumn. The planning process will then follow, with residents again able to have their say on any plans.

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council’s tree team has made its 100th Tree Protection Order - TPO since it was expanded less than two years ago.

Hundreds more trees across Wokingham borough have been protected thanks to the work of the council’s tree preservation officer Sarah Duckworth, who was appointed in November 2005 and the tree and landscape team’s technical officer Ginny Parry. The addition of a dedicated officer to the team has allowed it to be proactive in seeking out trees that need to be protected and the 100th order was made at the Shinfield Park development the former Met Office site on Friday June 8.

TPOs can be made on individual trees, groups of trees or whole woodlands provided they meet certain criteria: the trees must be healthy and sound with a reasonable life expectancy and they must be visible from a public place. In certain circumstance any special historic or scientific characteristics can also be considered when assessing trees for inclusion in a TPO. Once a tree or group of trees come under a TPO it is illegal for them to be destroyed or for work to be carried out on them without special permission. Anybody who contravenes a TPO can face a fine of up to £20,000 per tree affected and be forced to replace all affected trees on a like-for-like basis. There are a total of 1,187 TPOs in place in the Wokingham borough.

Since the creation of the tree preservation officer’s role, Wokingham Borough Council has been able to react to members of the public’s concerns over trees that might be threatened by development before a planning application is made – in the past the council only had the resources to investigate threatened trees after planning applications were submitted, which was sometimes too late to prevent damage or removal. In the past two years the tree and landscaping team has been able to support the borough council’s Green Routes policy. These are major roads lined by significant trees that have now have increased protection thanks to the work of the tree and landscaping team.

Jon Matthews, the tree and landscaping team’s senior arboriculturist, said: “Sarah and Ginny’s work has made a tremendous difference and has allowed us to protect many more trees in the Wokingham borough than we would otherwise have been able to. In the Wokingham borough the most common important trees that need protection are the mature forest trees that line many main roads, such as oak, beech and Scot’s pine, but we also have other ornamental and landmark trees to consider.”

As well as protecting the trees themselves, TPOs also conserve any wildlife that uses the trees as its habitat and the tree team work closely with the council’s biodiversity officer Andy Glencross to ensure protected species are considered in TPO applications.

Mr Glencross said: “At least two of the trees here at Shinfield Park were around when Henry VIII used the site – they are a living link with history. It is fantastic that the trees and the vast array of rare wildlife associated with them have now gained the protection they deserve. It is a little known fact that 80 per cent of European veteran trees are within the UK. We have an international responsibility to preserve them here in Wokingham.”

The Shinfield Park site includes seven veteran oaks - several 100 years old - are be covered by the TPO.

Wokingham Borough Council

Library users and staff at Lower Earley Library in the Wokingham borough are among the first people in the country to be able to take advantage of a state-of-the-art automated library service launched across the borough on Thursday May 21.

The Wokingham new service is based on the first UK implementation of an automated public library management system called Spydus, provided by Civica, one of the UK’s leading providers of consulting, software and services for the public sector.

The event, at Lower Earley Library in Chalfont Way, featured demonstrations of new library services and the launch was marked with a day of children’s activities including a story time session at which Cllr Dianne King, Wokingham Borough Council executive member for community development, read a story to the children. Visitors were also entertained by a magician, craft session and a baby bounce and rhyme session. More than 50 children attended to event.

Wokingham Borough Council is the lead member of a group of six local authorities, the South East Library Management System - SELMS consortium, which is introducing services based on the Spydus product over the next six months as the first stage of a five year, £1.5 million initiative with Civica. The other authorities involved are the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Brighton and Hove City Council, Buckinghamshire County Council, Milton Keynes Council and West Berkshire Council.

Automated library management systems are critical to achieving improved customer service and back office administration. In addition, the consortium model enables local authorities to share resources effectively and make significant efficiency savings. It will also offer library users a greater choice of books and DVDs, and provide improved search facilities and will shortly allow residents to join libraries online.

Civica and Wokingham Borough Council see SELMS as a model for UK library services, based on public library authority-service provider partnerships that deliver the latest in management and technology platforms. Civica’s Spydus product automates traditional library administrative functions, extends library access to online and wireless devices, and accommodates new tracking technologies such as radio frequency identification technology (RFID).

Wokingham Borough Council

Former Wokingham Mayor Cllr Angus Ross recently presented a cheque for over £15,000 to his chosen charity, the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust (TVCAA). Cllr Ross raised the princely sum during his civic year with a combination of fundraising events, and was able to present the money to Head of Fundraising from the charity Mrs Stevie Horton on Friday June 1.

The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance is funded by the businesses and people of the Thames Valley. The helicopter carries life-saving equipment and two paramedics. The paramedics are provided by the NHS but all other costs are funded by the Trust. The helicopter is on call seven days a week in daylight hours. To date, the helicopter has answered over 9,220 emergency calls within the Thames Valley area, saving many lives.

The Wokingham presentation, at Birds Hill Golf Club at Jealotts Hill, was attended by some 30 fundraisers, including a group of young people who are preparing to swim the channel for the charity. However the event was unfortunately not attended by the helicopter itself.

“The helicopter was called out to an industrial accident in Slough while we were holding the presentation – proving just how busy the helicopter is and how vital the service it provides has been to so many people already,” said Cllr Ross. “I’m delighted that we have been able to provide this valuable donation and I would like to thank all those who helped to raise the money.”

TVCAA Head of Fundraising Mrs Stevie Horton said: “I’m delighted with the money raised and I am overwhelmed by the initiative shown by volunteers in their fundraising ideas. Thank you to everyone who has come along to day, and to all those who have worked so hard to raise this money.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Budding Wokingham editors, filmmakers and reporters tackled the difficult issue of graffiti as young people from the Wokingham borough took part in a council project to raise awareness about the problem.

As part of Wokingham council’s liveability project, the waste and recycling team, community safety and children’s services teamed up with The Cultural Partnership and specialist media company RealTime to invite young people to join a project exploring the causes behind graffiti and the thoughts and views of local people.

Taking on the researching and writing for the video, the young people took to the streets of Wokingham borough to discover opinions on how and why graffiti blights our communities. They also carried out interviews with the borough council’s waste and recycling officers who are responsible for organising the clean-up of graffiti on the borough’s streets.

Waste and recycling manager Peter Baveystock said: “We are always looking for new ways to tackle the issue of graffiti and this video project was a new initiative for us. We set out to look at the causes of graffiti, to help us understand how we could prevent it. The project has also uncovered some new areas for the council to address such as graffiti being used as a tool of intimidation amongst young people.

“Working with children’s services, we will now use this video to open up discussion with young people in schools, as well as helping us in our efforts to tackle graffiti.”

The première of the short video will take place on Thursday June 7 at 6pm and the film will continue to run in The Mall Gallery at Wokingham council’s Shute End offices until June 15. The video will then be used as a discussion tool in schools and with community groups.

Executive member for environment Cllr Simon Weeks said: “This has been an innovative project for the waste and recycling team and, working with colleagues from teams across the council, we’ve taken a fresh look at a long-running issue.

“The resulting film will prove to be a useful tool for community groups and I look forward to taking part in the interesting discussions it will prompt.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Residents in locations across the Wokingham borough are being asked for their views on 12 play areas to consider whether they meet the needs of the community.

Launched on Monday June 4 the consultation on the use and suitability of the play areas is being sent to more than 7,900 households in the vicinity of those areas affected. There are 99 play areas in the Wokingham borough. Those being considered in the consultation are:

Finchampstead
Gorse Ride North, Arnett Avenue
Gorse Ride South, off Nine Mile Ride
Lower Earley
Kilnsea Walk, Mill Lane
Moorhen Drive, Privet Close
Skelmerdale Way East, off Toseland Way
Shinfield
Drewett Close, off Whitley Wood Lane
Twyford
Waltham Chase toddler area, off Hurst Road, Broadhinton
Wokingham
Evendons Lane, off Finchampstead Road
Culloden Way, off North Way, Woosehill
Montague Close, off Twycross Road, Keephatch Park
Woodley
Mollison Way, off Mohawk Way
Hearn Road, off Drovers Way

These Wokingham areas have been identified for a variety of reasons, including reports from local residents of vandalism and anti-social behaviour, under-use or the fact that the area in question is located close to a number of other play areas. The council wants residents and users of these areas to make their views known in order to determine a strategy for their future use.

Working together, children’s services and the parks and open spaces team will use the comments received to further develop and enhance the play strategy for the borough.

The Wokingham council would like to hear from people who use these areas to play as well as a place to rest, relax or socialise and is hoping that everyone interested will take part in the consultation.

Executive member for environment Wokingham Cllr Simon Weeks said: “With the council’s sport and leisure strategy recently agreed, the council is taking a close look at other areas of leisure activity. We need to look at the borough’s play areas and associated open spaces to see if they are meeting the needs of our communities.

“We have sent surveys to households in the vicinity of each of the play areas and would hope that people take this opportunity to have their say. For those who use the play areas, but do not live in the vicinity, there are notices informing people how to get a copy of the survey. Alternatively, the survey is available online at www.wokingham.gov.uk.”

Completed surveys should be returned to the council by the closing date of July 16, 2007.

Wokingham Borough Council

A project for adult learners on the Gorse Ride, Wokingham estate has won national recognition for its achievements.

The Gorse Ride Learning Project, which introduced a group of seven residents to the skills that could be used to set up and run a home-based beauty business, has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace).

The Wokingham project, which included a series of training sessions on nail care and beauty as well as IT training to help the learners design their own publicity materials, was a joint project between Wokingham Borough Council, the local community development team and Bracknell and Wokingham College community development team and is funded by the Learning and Skills Council.

The first part of the course taught beauty skills and was run in September 2006 and this was followed by a course in November 2006 to teach the IT skills needed to design and produce posters and publicity material.

Carol Endersby, community development manager at Bracknell and Wokingham College said: “The commitment to the course by those who took part was very impressive and, although it may seem like a small thing, these courses have actually been life-changing for those who took part.”

The Gorse Ride Learner Project is also planning more courses, including further IT courses and a craft course in the next academic year starting in September.

Wokingham Borough Council community development worker Claire Denham, who organised the project said: “The project went really well here last year and we were very excited to hear that we had been nominated for an award. I am thoroughly delighted to have received this award on behalf of all the learners involved. I would like to thank all of the learners who participated in the courses for being so enthusiastic and achieving so much.”

The seven women who took part in the Gorse Ride Learners course were Yvonne Coombs Sarah Bates, Stacey Tagg, Elizabeth O’Hare, Cara Else, Carol Bates and Annette Lenton. In November 2006 all seven received certificates of achievement following the completion of the course from the then council chairman Cllr Angus Ross.

Executive member for community development Wokingham Cllr Dianne King said: “This national recognition is thoroughly deserved by those who took part in this course and those who organised it. I am confident there will be more great achievements coming from the Gorse Ride Learning Project in the future.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Thursday May 24 saw the launch of Wokingham Borough Council’s sports federation and more than 60 clubs from across the borough attended this prestigious event.

Establishing a Wokingham sports federation of clubs, societies, schools and colleges was identified as a target in the council’s leisure strategy and the aim of it is to work together to improve current facilities and if resources allow, establish new ones. Through the federation, Wokingham council will ensure better co-ordination between sports governing bodies, clubs and societies to work together to access grants.

The federation will also hope to promote and increase participation in sport and physical activity in the run-up to and beyond the 2012 Olympic Games.

The council has worked with Wokingham Sports Council to develop this network. The event was opened by executive member for community development Cllr Dianne King and Terry Bunyard from the Wokingham Sports Council. Berkshire Sports also gave a presentation on the benefits of a community sports network and how it can be developed in the local community.

Nigel Reed, current chairman of Henley Rowing Club and three-times world rowing champion, was the guest speaker at the launch.

Cllr Dianne King, executive member for Wokingham community development, said: “I am delighted everyone is committed to making the sports federation a success. Many of our local clubs are fanatical about sport and the sports federation is a great way for us to all work together to improve the sporting facilities across the borough.”
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Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Annette Drake presented cheques to a many local sports clubs. This new package of grants sees the borough council investing £48,000 worth of grants in local sports clubs. In February sports clubs and organisations were offered an opportunity to bid for up to £2,000 which will be used for new or additional projects or anything that improves a current sporting programme such as training for sports coaches, recruiting volunteers, or purchasing equipment.

The grant assistance scheme aims to encourage greater access and participation in sporting activities, increase the skill and creativity of local sportsmen and women, encourage talent and raise standards in the sporting field. By improving sporting facilities, the council hopes to improve the quality of life and well-being of all those taking part in activities.

Cllr Drake said: “I was delighted to present so many local sports clubs with grants to assist them to improve their sporting programmes. The borough council is keen to encourage everyone to take part in sport and leisure – we want everyone to be fit and healthy! Taking part in sport and physical activity is a great chance to meet new people and spend quality time with friends and family.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council’s re-launched website has been recognised in a national communication industry award.

The website received a commendation in the Good Communications Award, organised by PSE events and held at the Marriott Grosvenor Hotel in London on Wednesday May 30. The awards aim to encourage local and national government to communicate effectively with residents and to highlight good communications practice.

Wokingham Borough Council website manager Nick Spencer, who coordinates the website with assistant Bridie Berry, said: “It was encouraging to be recognised in these awards and it is a tribute to the hard work of the many staff members who update the website. However there is still a lot to be done before we get to the level we want it to be at and this recognition is a timely motivational boost to keep us moving forward. We will continue to work hard towards our aim of providing an easy-to-use and accessible website for all the Wokingham borough’s residents.”

Wokingham council’s website provides information on services, policies and meetings as well as interactive functions such as online bill payment and the facility to comment on planning applications and public consultations online. It also provides residents with the latest news and events from the borough council.

The website has been designed to be as accessible as possible and attracted an increasing number of visitors - total page impressions have more than doubled from 800,372 in April 2006 to 1,620,921 in April 2007.

The council’s champion for information and communications technology Cllr Philip Mirfin said: “I am delighted the recent improvements to the website have been recognised in this way. I know that it will improve, offering better, more interactive services to our residents as we move forward with our customer focused approach to information and communications with our residents.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Library has won an award for providing easy and fair access to people with disabilities from the Wokingham Area Access Group - WAAG.

The library was one of the businesses and community centres nominated for an award by members of the public as being access friendly to people with disabilities as well as parents with prams or pushchairs.

Members of Wokingham WAAG visited all nominated shops, business and community centres and judged the access they offer using a star award system based on criteria such as ease of access, signage and hearing loops. Organisations that found it difficult for planning reasons or lack of space to offer comprehensive access were given credit for helping customers in any ways they could.

After receiving the awards, Wokingham Library branch supervisor Gill Cheale said: “It is vital that libraries are available to everybody in the community and we were delighted to accept this award in recognition of the effort made to offer library services to all. Wokingham Library is not only a very accessible building but we also have volunteers who will deliver books to people who cannot reach the library under our Homebound Service.”

The awards were organised by WAAG, in partnership with the Wokingham Disability and Sensory Needs Partnership Board and were sponsored by the Wokingham Times newspaper. Mike Wooldridge, strategy and performance manager for Wokingham Borough Council presented the awards at the council’s Shute End offices on Friday May 18.

Wokingham Borough Council

This week, June 1 to 7, is National Volunteers Week and is the perfect opportunity for people in the Wokingham borough to make a difference by giving some time to help others in the community.

Wokingham Borough Council’s volunteer service has plenty of volunteering opportunities for people of all ages and is currently seeking new volunteers to help at the borough’s libraries. The libraries regularly organise children’s activities during the week and on Saturday mornings and during the school holidays and has opportunities for volunteers aged 16 plus to help at these sessions. These activities include encouraging children to read as part of this summer’s Big Wild Read as well as craft and story time activities. Trained members of staff supervise volunteers who are helping with children’s activities at all times.

Another way to help the Wokingham borough’s libraries to reach more people is to become one of the homebound service volunteers, who take books to local residents who are homebound or have a disability which means they are unable to visit the libraries themselves. There are currently 50 homebound service volunteers but more are required to help provide this special library service.

Volunteering in the Wokingham borough has recently become easier, thanks to the appointment of a second volunteer service coordinator, Kate Mitchell, to join Claire Tuckett, who previously did the job part-time on her own. The new appointment mean there is a volunteer service coordinator working every weekday and will mean Wokingham Borough Council will be able to recruit more volunteers for libraries and community learning.

Wokingham Volunteer Service Coordinator Claire Tuckett said: “Helping with the children’s activities and delivering books to homebound readers are just two of the ways volunteers can help others in the Wokingham borough. There are lots of other opportunities and we always make sure people are matched to the right volunteering options for them to make sure they get the most out of their volunteering experience. All our volunteers find it a really rewarding thing to do and most have been volunteers for many years.”

During Volunteers Week, which is run by the charity Volunteer England to promote all aspects of volunteering, displays outlining the volunteering opportunities within the Wokingham borough will be on display at Wokingham, Woodley and Lower Earley libraries.

Executive member for community development Cllr Dianne King said: “Volunteering to help in the community is an incredibly rewarding and worthwhile thing to do and I know how many important services rely on volunteers. National Volunteers Week is the perfect time to get involved and help the Wokingham borough’s libraries to expand their volunteer programmes.”

Anybody interested in becoming a volunteer in the Wokingham borough can contact Claire Tuckett or Kate Mitchell on 0118 974 6263.

Wokingham Borough Council

A special award ceremony celebrated the achievements of adult learners in the Wokingham borough on Friday May 25.

The awards, held at Wokingham Borough Council’s Shute End offices on Friday, May 25, honoured both individual learners and groups who organise educational courses and were presented by new Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Annette Drake.

Awards were given to 21 individuals who had excelled on courses delivered in the Wokingham borough and to three community projects, each of which collected £250 for educational projects. The award winners were the Earley CResCent Centre, which organises adult learner courses, for its contribution to the voluntary sector, the Gorse Ride Learner Project, which introduced the seven residents who took part to the skills needed to set up and run a nail care and beauty businesses and the My Family Matters courses, which help families identified by the Wokingham borough’s primary schools as needing additional support.

Wokingham borough council also presented four overall learner awards, which were:

The E-Learner of the Year was Lucy Page, who has completed a LearnDirect BA Hons degree in social work. She received a voucher from LearnDirect to attend further courses.

The award for Outstanding Personal Achievement was won by Douglas Brennan, who took part in a course at the CResCent Resource Centre to retrain after an accident left him unable to do his previous job. He received a voucher from Bracknell and Wokingham College.

The award for Perseverance in Learning was won by Sarah Wellings, who took part in the My Family Matters course and is now undertaking an access course for midwifery. She won £40 donated by the Children’s Centre Programme Board.

The Overall Learner of the Year was Pat Regan, who undertook a crafts course as part of Bracknell and Wokingham College’s Take a Break carers project and subsequently set up a craft group of carers which meets once a month to make cards that are sold for charity. Her prize was dinner, bed and breakfast donated by the Cantley House Hotel in Wokingham.

Those attending the Wokingham awards also heard presentations from two learning projects; the Gorse ride Learning Project and the My Family Matters courses. Carol Endersby, community development manager at Bracknell and Wokingham College and Clare Denham, community development worker on the Gorse Ride estate, spoke about the Gorse Ride project. And Maureen Murzell and Anne Taplin spoke about the My Family Matters course. They also heard presentations from people who had taken part in courses.

Wokingham Mayor Cllr Annette Drake said: “It was a privilege to meet so many people who were obviously so dedicated to learning. Many of them had overcome great obstacles in their path to greater education and their awards are all thoroughly deserved. It was also lovely to meet many of the people who work hard to organise adult learner courses in the Wokingham borough and to be able to show my appreciation for their efforts.”

The Learner Challenge Awards were part of Adult Learners Week, a nationwide series of events organised by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education to promote adult education.

Wokingham Borough Council