Wokingham

Football is coming to Wokingham Youth Centre when dedicated skills sessions for 11 to 13 year olds and 14 to 15 year olds will be taking place every Wednesday for eight weeks starting on May 6. During the one hour sessions, coaching staff will be on hand to teach youngsters shooting, passing and dribbling skills as well as ball control and shot stopping.

Wokingham Area youth manager Richard Ferguson said: “This is great chance for young people, male or female, to get fit and active by playing football and developing their skills. Youngsters will be taught as individuals to manoeuvre, balance and shoot, then to work as a team. And, I hope that both boys and girls will attend the sessions. I am sure there is lots of footballing talent out there already and the sessions are designed for those to improve their technique and also for those who want to learn a new skill. It will be a fun way for youngsters to spend a Wednesday evening.”

The final Wokingham session takes place on Wednesday July 1 when a tournament to give the youngsters the chance to show off their new skills will take place.

Those youngsters taking part in the eight week course will receive a football skills certificate and a Berkshire participation youth award to recognise their commitment and personal development.

To a place on the football sessions, please call Craig Sumner at Wokingham Youth Centre, on (0118) 978 3610.

Wokingham Borough Council

The Mayor of the Wokingham Borough will be officially opening a new car park at one of the borough’s natural beauty spots next month.

Wokingham Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons will be officially opening the new gateway to Heathlake Nature Reserve on Friday May 1. The car park was resurfaced and landscaped last year in a project between Johnson & Johnson and the council’s countryside service. Staff from the company have since moved in to a new home in Crowthorne and will be joining the Mayor to officially open the area.

Heathlake is one of the Wokingham borough’s hidden treasures and contains the only acid lake in Berkshire – which means special and rare types of plants flourish there including the water-millfoil and the six stemmed water crowfoot.

It is also popular with Wokingham dog walkers and ramblers and has its own dedicated group of volunteers - Friends of Heathlake -who help keep the area thriving.

Johnson & Johnson – which has recently relocated one of its offices to Nine Mile Ride – agreed to fund the car park makeover last year to give something back to the local community. Materials were specially selected to complement the surroundings and work was carried out to replace the previous tired car park.

Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, said: “Heathlake is a fantastic area that is very popular with the community and so I’m grateful that Johnson & Johnson helped us out with improving the car park. This beauty spot, which Wokingham Borough Council owns, is enjoyed by many local people.”

Wokingham Borough Council

The longest serving foster carers in the Wokingham Borough – Gloria and John Witt – have retired after dedicating 36 years to making a real difference to the lives of many local foster children.

The husband and wife team from Earley were recently thanked by Wokingham Borough Council for their dedication, commitment and hard work for caring for some of the most vulnerable children in the community. Since they took up fostering in 1973, they have fostered some 70 children, preparing them for the next stages of their lives.

Gloria said: “I will miss fostering as it has been a big part of our lives for so long. Our own family has been very patient and understanding with all the fostered children coming in and out of the house but the time has now come for John and I to take things a little easier. During this time I was the main carer for our foster children and both John and I have seen over 70 children grow up and move on to other things.”

Gloria and John received a hand-made glass vase and a bouquet of flowers to mark their retirement from Wokingham foster caring from Kim Harris, foster care service manager, and Judy Wheeler, recruitment and fostering support worker.

Kim Harris, foster care service manager, said: “Being a foster carer is challenging but rewarding in every sense. I would like to say a big thank you to Gloria and John for their dedication to the borough’s fostered children.

“I would also like to say a special thank you to Gloria and John’s daughter Cheryl who has helped to support her parents and the children in placements during their fostering career.

Cllr Rob Stanton, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “Foster carers like Gloria and John are the unsung heroes of the Wokingham Borough. Over the past 36 years they have made a real difference to the lives of so many children and have provided them with a warm and loving home during this time.

“For the foster carers it can be a rewarding experience but one that is demanding. I would like to say a big thank you to Gloria and John for their commitment and energy in looking after so many local children.

“The council is looking for people to become foster carers in the Wokingham Borough. If you think you have got what it takes to become a foster carer, please get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!”

Foster carers can earn up to £546 per week, per child, including an allowance towards their foster child’s food and clothing as well as training and 24 hour support. Anyone intersted in becoming a foster carer can contact the council on (0118) 974 6204 or by email: fostering@wokingham.gov.uk. More details on fostering in the Wokingham Borough can also be found at: www.wokingham.gov.uk/fostering (All foster carers are subject to checks including health and criminal record bureau checks.)

Wokingham Borough Council

Hundreds of Wokingham volunteers have signed up to take part in the borough’s biggest ever litter blitz this weekend but there is still time to don your marigolds and join in the spring clean!

Wargrave and Sonning will be kicking off the weekend-long spruce-up on Saturday (April 25) with litter picks taking place at King George V Field from 10am to 2pm and Mill Green in Wargrave from 9am to noon.

Then on Sunday (April 26) the Wokingham borough’s very first coordinated clean-up day will take place with an army of volunteers at the ready with litter-pickers and bin bags, collecting everything from drinks cans to cardboard, to sweet wrappers and crisp bags.

This is the first time the Wokingham Borough has coordinated a mass clean-up and has been organised by the borough council, town and parish councils and neighbourhood action groups. On the day residents, volunteers, conservation groups, junior wardens and community wardens will be pulling out the stops to make the borough clean and green.

It is anticipated that thousands upon thousands of pieces of litter will be picked up on the day – which will be recycled where possible. There is also a competition for the most unusual litter find!

Wokingham Litter picks will take place at various times and locations throughout the day in Arborfield, Barkham, Earley, Finchampstead, Sonning, Winnersh, Wokingham, Woodley and in Dinton Pastures.* Details on exact locations can be found at www.wokingham.gov.uk/clean-up

Beverlie Warman, street care officer who has coordinated the event, said: “We’ve had an amazing response so far and I’m really pleased that so many people want to come along and make their borough a clean and tidy place to live.

“We couldn’t do this massive clean-up without the help and support of residents, town and parish councils and other community groups so I’d like to thank everyone in advance for sparing their time.

“If you want to help us make your neighbourhood clean and green then why not come and lend a hand. There are loads of locations to choose from. Litter pickers and bags will be provided but please bring protective gloves, wear suitable clothing and sturdy shoes. There are more than 150,000 people living in the borough, if everyone picked up just one piece of litter this weekend just imagine how clean the area would be.”

Wokingham Residents, community groups, businesses and the media are all welcome to attend the clean-up. Full details can be found at www.wokingham.gov.uk/clean-up

Wokingham Borough Council

A new Wokingham information board containing illustrations and information about some of the wildlife and habitats of the Emm Brook will be unveiled this Friday (April 24) when Wokingham Borough Council’s Mayor Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons joins 59 pupils from Emmbrook Junior School at a special ceremony.

The new Wokingham information board has been 18 months in the making after Stephanie McKay, a member of the Friends of the Emm Brook, gave a talk to year five pupils at the school in Wokingham about conservation and the brook. The children felt so inspired that they wanted to create an information board with lots of details about the Emm Brook and the local area.

Wokingham Teachers Ruth Scales and Vicky Connell were impressed with the way the year 5 pupils went about raising funds for the information board and researching the subject. They wrote many persuasive letters to local businesses and associations asking for support for the project and a number of them donated money for the information board. The pupils also undertook lots of research and visited the Emm Brook to learn about the river, the wildlife and flooding.

Pupils from the school contributed to the design of the information board, providing artwork and poetry and also decided what information would be displayed on the board.

The information board has been developed with the help of the voluntary conservation group Friends of the Emm Brook and a number of local organisations have given financial donations to the project including Wokingham Borough Council, CALA Homes, Emmbrook Residents’ Association and Joel Park Residents’ Association. The frame for the information board has been built and donated by local craftsman Clive Winson of Winson Woodcraft.

Emmbrook Junior School teacher Ruth Scales said: “Our year 5 pupils jumped at the chance to get involved in this project as they are very interested in our local environment and wanted to educate others about the river that flows behind our school. They especially enjoyed the challenge of getting local associations and companies to help fund the board as well as creating all the art work, choosing the perfect location for the board to be installed and researching the topic of rivers in groups.

“They worked incredibly hard on the project and demonstrated their ability to work as a team. We are very proud of the finished result and hope local residents will find the board informative! Our thanks go to everyone who supported us and donated money, especially to Stephanie McKay who has done much of the behind the scenes organisation.”

Wokingham Mayor Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons said: “I am delighted to join the pupils of Emmbrook Junior School to officially unveil the information board. I know the pupils have really enjoyed working on this project since autumn 2007 and over the past 18 months they learnt a great deal about the local area, conservation and wildlife. This board provides lots of information and I hope many local people will visit it to learn more about the Emm Brook. I would like to congratulate the children and their teachers on this wonderful project.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Disposable nappies will be given a bum-deal when an event to mark Real Nappy Week comes to Woodley on Thursday April 30.

Wokingham Mums, dads, grandparents, guardians and nannies are all welcome to pop along to the ‘Nappuccino’ morning where they will be greeted with a hot drink and wealth of information on why disposable nappies don’t cut the cloth and how to switch to real nappies in order to save a small fortune.

It is estimated that disposable nappies can cost around £1,000 per baby per year but real nappies, which are freshly laundered, could reduce that cost by 50 per cent.

This reduction of around £500 per year could not only help new Wokingham parents save a few pennies but could also help the environment too, as disposable nappies generate at least a bin-bag full of waste each week, which is sent to increasingly expensive landfill.

Potty nappy kits needed for real nappies can also be reused for siblings or passed on to other parents – so there is minimal waste and expense.

Information on potty nappy kits, types of real nappies, how to save money, how to launder real nappies and how to grab £30 from Wokingham Borough Council in real nappy cash-back will all be available at the ‘Nappuccino’ event – held at The Oakwood Centre, Headley Road, Woodley on April 30 between 10am to noon.

Places are free and will give parents and carers the chance to chat to people who specialise in real nappies including Miranda Stamp from local real nappy retailer Twinkle, Twinkle.

Miranda said: “Modern washable nappies are really easy to use and are a fantastic money saver for parents in the current financial climate.”

Cllr Simon Weeks, executive member for Wokingham environment, added: “Real Nappy Week has two main aims, firstly it helps parents realise they could save some cash as real nappies are up to 50 per cent cheaper than disposable ones, and secondly it raises the awareness of just how environmentally wasteful disposable nappies are.

“If you have a baby and would like to find out more please feel free to pop along to the free ‘Nappuccino’ morning where there will be a whole range of information and expertise available.”

Wokingham Borough Council

The Wokingham Putting People First project, which will give vulnerable adults the chance to take control of their own lives, will be launched on Thursday May 7 – with inspirational real life stories of people whose lives have been transformed by the changes.

Putting People First is the name given to the transformation of Wokingham adult social care that is moving from the traditional system of care professionals allocating services and controlling budgets for service users to a system of self directed support in which people with all levels of need to take control of their own care and support. The basic method for achieving this is the use of ‘personal budgets’, which are cash sums that matches the individual’s assessed needs. Individuals would be free (within reason and subject to council monitoring) to plan how to use the money to meet their needs.

The transformation project is underway and the launch will be a chance for anybody interested to find out more about how the system will work and how they can take advantage of the changes.

A DVD showing real life stories of Wokingham borough residents who have used their individual budgets to change their lives will be shown at the launch. The DVD will also feature some of the prevention services available in the Wokingham borough that the Council is supporting to help residents stay healthy and to stop any health problems deteriorating.

Wokingham Putting People First project manager Matt Pope said: “The launch will be a great chance for anybody who receives adult social care (or anybody who know somebody receiving care) to discover how they can take control of their own lives – and to hear some inspirational stories of people who have already done so. We have older people, people with physical disabilities, learning difficulties and mental health problems, all of whom are using individual budgets with real success.”

The launch will take place twice on the day to give as many people the chance to take part as possible. The first session will run from 10am to 1pm and it will be repeated from 1pm to 4pm. The last hour of the morning session and the first hour of will be a free lunch for everybody attending. The lunch will also be an opportunity to find out more about some of the organisations that can provide services to vulnerable adults.

Executive member for social care Wokingham Cllr Chris Edmunds said: “Putting People First is an exciting project as it allows people to decide how to spend their care budgets – with the help of their friends, family and carers – and who is better placed to make those decisions?

“The Council will always have to scrutinise people’s care plans to ensure they are actually going to meet the person’s care needs – but at heart this is a move to give people the chance to take control of their lives.”

Anybody wanting to go to the launch event at the Salvation Army Hall, Chalfont Way, Lower Earley on Thursday May 7 should contact Wokingham Direct on (0118) 974 6000 or email putting-people-first@wokingham.gov.uk. Transport is being arranged for vulnerable adults to get to and from the event.

Wokingham Borough Council

In June, Wokingham Youth Centre’s performing arts group will be tripping the light fantastic on stage at the Wilde Theatre at South Hill Park in Bracknell.

The Wokingham borough council’s youth service has been supporting the performing arts group for the past five years and the group is going from strength to strength. They have performed in many public venues over this time including the Wokingham Winter Carnival and Bearwood Theatre.

The Wokingham group meets every Monday night between 6.30pm and 9pm and they have been working with professional tutors to develop and perfect their creative skills. And this June, to showcase their talent, they are hosting an evening of entertainment with singing, dancing, and drama sketches at the Wilde Theatre. Tickets are priced at £12 or £8 for concessions, and can be bought online at www.southhillpark.org.uk or by calling the box office on (01344) 484123. Tickets are on sale now!

Wokingham Area youth manager Richard Ferguson said. “These young people work extremely hard with professional dedication to pursue an artistic skill only some of us can dream of. They are talented and deserve to have an audience to appreciate their skills. I hope many local people will come along to the performance.”

Cllr Malcolm Bryant, deputy executive member for Wokingham community development, said: “There are many talented young people in the Wokingham Borough and the performing arts group is a great way for young people to express themselves through dance, singing and drama. These youngsters all believe in themselves and are improving by the day. They have immense enthusiasm and it will be fantastic to watch their exciting performance live in front of a packed audience.

Wokingham Borough Council

Hopping into the villages around Bracknell Forest will be much easier for Wokingham folk from tomorrow (April 18) when the new 152 service is launched.

The new service, which is being run by First, will be stopping in London Road in Wokingham, Binfield, Bracknell and Winkfield every two hours Monday to Saturday. The buses have been conveniently scheduled with schoolchildren and shop and office workers from the Binfield area in mind, as there is currently a limited service into Wokingham available – where many of them work and study.

The 152 will also stop in Glebelands Road, Wokingham, where many elderly passengers live, giving them a more direct route home, which will be much quicker than travelling via Woosehill on the 122 service.

An additional morning peak bus will run from Emmbrook at 8.35am from Commons Road via Emmbrook Road and Clifton Road. This will be introduced so that people needing to get in to Wokingham town by 9am for work or appointments have a service available. Currently the first bus is at 9am.

The changes will be monitored over the next six months and if it proves popular the service will be introduced on a permanent basis.

Roland Clausen-Thue, senior planner - public transport, said: “The new 152 will give people who live in Binfield and Emmbrook and work in Wokingham town centre the chance to catch a bus so that they make it in on time. It also allows schoolchildren the chance to get to our secondary schools a lot more easily as the timetable has been scheduled to make it more convenient for those people needing to commute in and out of the town for work or to study.”

Full times of the new service are available from Wokingham Borough Council by calling (0118) 974 6472. They are also included in the borough council’s new travel guide available from information centres, libraries and council offices – look out for the purple cover!

Wokingham Borough Council

Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Family Help, a Wokingham-based parent-run support group for parents with children on the autistic spectrum, has launched a service to give parents of disabled children (particularly those with children on the autistic spectrum) to meet and share experiences.

The service, set up thanks to money from Wokingham Borough Council’s extended services team, will provide weekly meetings exclusively for parents, carers and young people involved with disabled children. The first of these new sessions will be on Monday April 27.

ASD Wokingham Family Help’s manager Cathy Fastnedge who has worked with Kay Nicker, youth worker at Bulmershe Youth Centre, to set up the project, said: “Parents of disabled children often feel isolated and need to meet regularly with others in the same or similar situation to talk and exchange help and advice and we are providing a place for them to do that. A huge amount of work has already gone into the project as many things needed to be considered to ensure its success, such as providing a safe environment to meet and gaining the trust of the parents, carers, young people and children who may attend. We will offer a welcoming place where the children and young people can feel understood and helped towards improving on social, educational and behavioural issues and where parents and carers can discuss issues and collect information.”

It is also planned to recruit an experienced youth worker to work with the Wokingham group and take on different issues affecting the young people, especially those who have been excluded from school. This person will run workshops on behaviour, and helping the young people cope with certain situations. There is also a plan to create a similar project for parents of young disabled adults.

The sessions will take place at Bulmershe Youth Centre and will run every Monday morning from 9.15am to 11.30am. Any children or young people with learning difficulties and disabilities issues, and their siblings, will be welcome at the group. Appropriate educational toys and games will be available and the cost to parents will only be a small contribution towards refreshments.

Wokingham Borough Council

Residents and visitors to the Wokingham Borough will soon be able to spend a penny in cleaner and better toilets when they are out and about.

Public conveniences in the borough will be changing over the next 12 months as the council’s five Wokingham public toilets are replaced by the Local Loo scheme.

This scheme, which has been launched successfully in several other areas, will see cafés, restaurants, leisure centres, libraries and other businesses allowing the public to use their toilets for free. The Wokingham council will pay each of these businesses a set fee so that residents and visitors do not have to reach for their wallets when they want to spend a penny.

The five sets of public toilets that the Wokingham council currently runs will be gradually phased out and will no longer be in use by March 2010.

Currently, the council owns and maintains toilets in Wokingham, Woodley, Twyford, and Wargrave. However, many of the toilets have been subject to repeated vandalism and are often under-used by the public.

Cllr Simon Weeks, executive member for Wokingham environment, said: “A community toilet scheme was trialled by the London Borough of Richmond some five years ago and has been well received by the public. The council is looking to provide a similar scheme in the Wokingham Borough called Local Loos so that residents and visitors have access to toilets, which are not subject to regular vandalism and are much cleaner and safer.

“This is still very much in the early stages as the council is still negotiating with businesses. However, I want to make it clear that the council is not proposing to leave residents and visitors without access to a toilet; it’s just looking to provide a toilet in a much more modern and appealing environment.”

Once businesses have signed up to the Local Loo scheme they will receive a sticker to put in their window and/ or door so that residents and visitors know where they can use a toilet.

A list of participating businesses and their addresses will also be posted on the council’s website at www.wokingham.gov.uk

Cllr Weeks added: “Once the Local Loo scheme is up and running it will provide a much nicer alternative to the public toilets currently available, which are often vandalised and therefore under-used.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Understanding how their present lives are affected by their heritage was high on the agenda for a group of young people from the Wokingham Borough when they visited Palestine last summer.

Some 11 young people from across the Wokingham Borough organised a youth exchange in Palestine where they worked with young people from Jericho in the West Bank. They had the chance to explore their own cultural background and learn about each others lives.

And last week (April 1), the Wokingham borough’s young people came to the council chamber at the civic offices where they gave a presentation about their experiences including showcasing a film they had made during their visit. The young people painted an enormous mural in the Aqabat Jabr refugee camp as a start to the refurbishment of the camp’s dilapidated playground. They also explored how the image of Palestine is portrayed in the media.

Following the Wokingham presentation James Evans Youth MP and his deputy Subi Wahogo opened a photographic exhibition in the Mall Gallery, at the civic offices, illustrating the trip to Palestine and young people’s reflections on their experiences. This free exhibition is running until Thursday April 30 and is open for the public to view 8.30am to 5pm every weekday. The Mall Gallery is located in the Civic Offices at Shute End and is sponsored by The Cultural Partnership.

Youth MP James Evans said: "What we saw was a truly inspirational journey; these young people have forged friendships, built trust, gained experience and understanding on an international level.

“With constantly skewed negative media coverage of young people, events like these which are all the more needed to bring out the overwhelmingly positive contributions they make to society. These young people should be proud of what they've done.”

Sondos Alagha (19), who took in the Wokingham youth exchange, said: “The impact it had on our lives was huge. After several workshops based on comparing our lives in the UK to the lives of the Palestinians, it made us realize just how much we take things for granted.”

Wokingham Mayor Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons said: “Youth exchanges open youngsters’ eyes to other cultures and they bring huge benefits. This project allowed the young people to discover aspects of their own cultural background whilst experiencing new opportunities and learning about the people of Palestine. It is always important to take different people's points of view into account in any situation. I am sure many of them will continue to be friends for a very long time and that this trip will be one they remember for the rest of their lives.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Visitors to this year’s Wokingham May Fayre will be able get in touch with their creative side in the Hands-on-Arts pavilion, sponsored by The Cultural Partnership.

The pavilion will be packed with opportunities for families to try out arts and crafts with the help of local professional artists and volunteers. Among the arts on offer will be textile jewellery-making, weaving, printmaking, felt-making, puppet-making and henna painting.

Gwynneth Hewetson, chair of The Wokingham Cultural Partnership, said: “The Hand-on Arts Pavilion is incredibly popular with families and provides a great opportunity for people to try different arts and crafts with the help of professionals.

“The Cultural Partnership is working with the borough council to encourage more people to get involved with the arts – whether by taking part in events or watching performances and the Hand-on-Arts Pavilion is a great place to try out something new – and who knows you may enjoy it so much you want to do more.

“The Cultural Partnership is a volunteer group that champions more arts and culture activities to benefit local communities and residents. Being creative and active is at the heart of what makes Wokingham a great place to live.”

The Wokingham May Fayre is organised by the Wokingham Lions and will be held in Wokingham Town Centre on Bank Holiday Monday May 4.

Wokingham Borough Council

A whole host of animals will be coming to the Wokingham Brambles Children’s Centre on Friday April 17 as an extra Easter treat for the borough’s under-fives.

Farms2Ewe, a mobile farm, will be visiting the children’s centre in Budges Gardens, Wokingham, and will be bringing along guinea pigs, chicks, ducklings, rabbits, small poultry and rodents as well as miniature ponies, goats, and sheep.

Belinda Barrett, Wokingham children’s centre manager, said: “The visiting mobile farm should be an interesting session for local families to come along to. Families can learn more about the animals, feed them and have a chance to hold them. It should be a cracking good Easter at the children’s centre!”

Wokingham Borough Council

A clamp down on underage knife sales in the Wokingham Borough found that a staggering 40 per cent of retailers, who were tested, readily sold a range of potentially deadly blades to children.

Wokingham Trading standards officials joined up with officers from Thames Valley Police in a month-long crackdown on illegal sales in March. The test sales purchases saw a 16-year-old attempt to buy blades, ranging from a block of knives to a giant axe, from shops around the Wokingham Borough.

Blades including axes, knives and razor blades, cannot be sold to anyone under the age of 18. The age limit was changed in October 2007 raising it from 16 years to 18.

The Wokingham team visited 15 shops in the borough, ranging from independent shops to supermarkets and chain stores. The volunteer was able to buy blades from six of the shops visited – 40 per cent of the total tested.

The youngsters were able to purchase several blades ranging from a £3 value block of knives to a 3ft garden axe costing £25.

The young people were honest with shopkeepers who questioned their age and bought all the goods openly. A trading standards officer witnessed the sale.

Tammie Hambridge, senior trading standards officer, said: “It really is quite shocking that so many traders were willing to sell a potentially deadly weapon to a child. It’s the first time we have carried out test purchase exercises for knives in the borough and I’m really disappointed with the results.

“There was never any secrecy in the purchase of these blades as the volunteer would have been open and honest about their age if questioned – despite this and despite there being strict laws on purchasing and carrying a knife many were still willing to sell a blade to an under 18.”

The Wokingham shops that sold knives or axes to the children were warned by trading standards officers that their actions were illegal and subsequent advice is being given on how to refuse sales and ask for identification in future. Staff were also warned that a follow-up test purchase would take place and if they were caught again then legal action would be considered. A conviction for selling a knife to someone under the age of 18 carries a fine of up £5,000 and / or a term of imprisonment of up to six months.

Cllr Rob Stanton, executive member for children’s services and lead member for public protection, said: “These test purchases are a warning to traders who have sold knives and axes to children that they need to tighten up on their underage sales policies.

“School-aged children are legally not allowed to purchase a knife for many obvious reasons and it is unacceptable that so many traders decided to flout the law and sell a potential weapon to a child.”

The test purchases were funded by Thames Valley Police and were organised by local police officers as well as trading standards officers from Wokingham Borough Council. They were carried out over a series of weekends in March.

Insp Nigel Scaratt, Wokingham town centre neighbourhood team, said: “On October 1, 2007 the law for selling knives and certain articles with a blade or point changed and made it illegal to sell these items to anyone under the age of 18. This includes any knife, knife blade, razor blade or axe and includes any other article which has a blade or which is sharply pointed and which is made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person.

“There were a number of things put in place to ensure shop owners and staff were ready for the change. This included displaying the correct signage on the shop counter; training staff about the change in the law and asking for proof of age; increase understanding that individuals could be personally liable if they sell to people under 18 years old; encouraging record keeping of training and asking staff to sign to say that they have understood it; setting up a refusal register to record when a member of staff has refused to sell to a young person.

“These test purchases were part of several initiatives that were put in place working with our partners at the council’s trading standards to prevent knife crime, promote the awareness of the new law and reduce the fear of crime. There is no proof of incidents with knives in the Wokingham Borough area. We have been in Wokingham Town Centre with the knife arch and attended local schools with leaflets and have given presentations about knife crime, but we wanted to make the public and shop owners aware of the new law to prevent any possible incidents and promote what we all know - Wokingham Borough is a safe area to live in.

“We will be conducting knife test purchases again in the future, and the neighbourhood police teams and partners will be working with the shops and stores in an attempt to prevent under age sales happening again.”

Wokingham Borough Council

The Wokingham Food and Drink Festival will take place on Elms Field this year over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Wokingham Borough Council and Wokingham Town Council have agreed to support the festival, which has been held for the past two years, and the organisers aim to broaden its appeal to both traders and residents across the Wokingham Borough and farther afield.

Kate Lole, one of the organisers, said: “As well as being a great Bank Holiday event for people who live in the Wokingham borough, the festival will provide an excellent opportunity for our first class local food producers to showcase their products to a wider audience.”

The Wokingham Food and Drink Festival will take place on Saturday August 29 and Sunday August 30. On Friday and Saturday evenings there will be a live stage with local bands performing and light music and entertainment throughout Saturday and Sunday when the Food and Drink Festival will be held.

Preparations for the event are now underway and anybody who would like to be involved or would like more information can contact Kate Lole at kate.lole@yellow-poppy.co.uk or on (0118) 978 8801.

Wokingham Borough Council

At its meeting on April 14, the council’s decision-making executive is set to determine the admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools in 2010/11 across the Wokingham Borough.

The Wokingham council consults on admission arrangements with the schools admissions forum - which includes headteachers, elected members and the diocese as part of its membership. Voluntary aided schools decide their own admission policies following similar consultations.

Following consideration by the Wokingham schools admission forum, proposed changes to admission arrangements for 2010/11 were prepared along with a consultation paper indicating how these differed from those agreed for 2009/10. And the borough council issued these consultation papers with proposed changes, including those arising from legislation, over-subscription criteria, age of entry to primary education and admission numbers for 2010/2011, to all primary and secondary schools, parents, town and parish councils, neighbouring local authorities, community groups with an interest and the diocesan authorities. The consultation finished on February 28 and the responses were considered by the schools admission forum on March 9.

Following this consultation, a number of changes are set to be discussed by the executive on April 14. Currently, the Wokingham council has a policy that allows for school places for primary education to be offered to children at three points of entry, which means children can go to school from the start of the autumn, spring and summer terms before their fifth birthday. This allows children to go to school on a part-time basis until they are five, which is the statutory school age.

Following an independent review last year, the Wokingham executive will consider changing this policy to two points of entry (September and January).

The executive will consider two options. Option A would see children born between September 1, 2005 and March 31, 2006 start primary schools in September 2010 and those children born between April 1, 2006 and August 31, 2006, would start in January 2011.

Option B would see children born between September 1, 2005 and December 31, 2005 start primary schools in September 2010 and those children born between January 1, 2006 and August 31, 2006, would start in January 2011.

Children’s services officers are recommending the executive adopt option B, which gives all children at least two terms in reception class before joining in year one. This ensures summer born children receive additional terms in school compared with the current policy, and this will help with achievement at later key stages of their education.

As part of the admission arrangements, the Wokingham council also reviews and publishes the admission number for each community or voluntary controlled school. Under the admission arrangements set to be discussed by the executive, Waingels College would see an increase in its admission number from 220 to 240 for September 2010. For the past two academic years, the school has had a reduced admission number following an analysis of the school’s accommodation. As the refurbishment and rebuilding work will start this month (April) it was felt the school can now return to its previous admission number.

It is also proposed that Hillside Primary School would increase its admission number from 30 to 60 to meet current demand.

If approved by the executive, other changes bring the admission arrangements in line with the latest School Admissions Code published by the government, including revisions to the nursery and sixth form admission policies for community and voluntary controlled schools.

Cllr Rob Stanton, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “We have consulted widely on these proposed changes. If these proposals are agreed by the executive it will ensure the admission criteria is clear, fair and objective for the benefit of all children including those with special education needs or disabilities or looked after children.”

The council’s admission arrangements for 2010/2011 will be formally published by April 15.

Wokingham Borough Council

Everyone interested in arts and culture in the Wokingham Borough will be welcome at The Cultural Partnership’s annual general meeting this month.

The Wokingham Cultural Partnership champions arts, sports, heritage and leisure in the borough and marshals resources to increase the number of people taking part in arts and cultural activities. Last year the partnership sponsored the Hands-on-Arts pavilion at community festivals including the Wokingham Lions’ May Fayre, Spencers Wood and Crowthorne Carnivals, and Earley Family Fun Day. It also organised three arts market in Wokingham town’s Market Place and three arts exhibitions in empty shops in Wokingham town centre. The partnership is currently seeking to become a registered charity, which will allow it to raise more funds.

The Wokingham Partnership is spearheading the drive to increase the number of Wokingham residents who take part in arts events – whether in the borough or beyond. The aim is to encourage people to enjoy (whether as a viewer or participant) three or more arts events a year.

The Cultural Partnership’s chairman Gwynneth Hewetson said: “According to a MORI poll some 49 per cent of Wokingham Borough residents attend arts events. Despite many people believing they have to go outside the borough for arts and culture, there is plenty on offer in the borough, but we want more arts and that is why the call is going out for more volunteers to get involved and why we are looking for charitable status to attract more funding.”

Anybody wanting to attend the AGM can contact arts and culture development manager Patricia Steinhardt at patricia.steinhardt@wokingham.gov.uk.

Wokingham Borough Council

Almost 60 young people from the Wokingham Borough recently attended a ‘Hear by Right’ event to discuss what it is like being a young person today.

Organised by Wokingham Borough Council’s youth service, the event offered children and young people the right to be heard about their views on a set of seven standards taken from the national ‘Hear By Right’ guide, which are: shared values, strategy, structure, systems, staff, skills and knowledge and style of leadership.

The Wokingham conference took place on March 25 at the Oakwood Centre in Woodley, and involved young people from the borough’s schools, youth clubs, and Connexions projects. During the morning, the young people took part in a traffic light exercise whereby they had to identify a traffic light colour on a range of issues. Red highlighted a negative feeling, amber showed a feeling of being unsure, whilst green highlighted feeling of happiness. During this exercise young people discussed whether they felt safe, pressure to achieve, the right for a voice and being healthy.

Wokingham Young people also discussed their priorities for influencing council services. During the afternoon sessions, young people were joined by council officers and elected members including interim general manager children’s services Heather Thwaites, head of integrated youth services Guy Masters, and deputy executive member for community development Cllr Malcolm Bryant to name just a few.

This allowed the young people to have open discussions with key people at Wokingham Borough Council and detailed plans of how to involve young people more in the future have been agreed after young people told the council that the most important issue for them is to be involved. They want to be consulted on changes to services and they want the chance to share views with each other and discuss possible changes. They also want the council to draw up an agreed set of rules for involving young people and, if asked to attend meetings, ensure jargon is not used and that the young people are fully briefed in advance.

The young people also want to know from the Wokingham council when their views have been heard and listened to as they are keen to know where they have made an impact. Young people are also keen to be involved in recruitment processes for key members of staff in children’s services. They would like to see an event where all school councils can come together to discuss issues and views.

Deputy youth MP Subi Wahogo (15) said: “I was invited to attend the event and I was interested in making a difference for young people.” Jess Goodwin (16) added: “I have learnt that if you are determined enough, it’s not that hard to communicate with others in order for you to get your point across.” And Matt Thomas (13) said: “The event gave me many opportunities and everyone listened to each other.”

Deputy executive member for Wokingham community development Cllr Malcolm Bryant said: “I believe children and young people have a right to be involved in decisions that affect them and the council is committed to improving their involvement. By gaining their views and involving them in decisions being made locally hopefully we can make sure their needs are better met.

“We had a good turn out on the day and I was pleasantly surprised by how many good ideas came out the meeting. The results will be monitored and lots of the ideas raised will be put into place. This is young people deciding their own future.”

Heather Thwaites, interim general manager Wokingham children’s services, said: “The energy of the day was fantastic. The information from the event is incredibly useful to the council for pulling together our updated children and young people’s plan.”

The event was recorded by media studies pupils from St Crispin’s School in Wokingham supported by Real Time Video.

So what next? The findings from the day are being written up and will be posted on the activeyouth website at www.activeyouth.co.uk All views will feed in the process for updating the council’s children and young people’s plan. The council has also made a commitment to all the young people to provide regular updates on improvements made to services following their input.

Wokingham Borough Council

A rising star from Wokingham Borough Council recently shone at the UK and Ireland Young Thinker of the Year finals and scooped the runner-up prize.

Sarah Griffith, aged 27, is job coach for the Wokingham borough council’s ‘It's Working’ supported employment scheme, and she joined eight other finalists at the awards in Lancaster on March 21.

In the heat stages held in Lancaster during October 2008, councils and other public sector organisations from around the country nominated 170 members of staff in the early stages of their professional careers and each delegate had to take part in an extensive programme of activities. As a result Wokingham's Sarah came out with top honours by winning the Local Government Young Thinker of the Year and went through to the finals held last month.

During the UK and Ireland Young Thinker of the Year finals, each of the finalists had to present a paper on a subject of their own choice of current interest or controversy. Sarah researched and wrote a 900 word article in advance and presented the paper in front of all delegates and judges. Sarah chose to discuss the ethics of volunteering abroad as she has direct experience following a three-month volunteering opportunity in an orphanage in Bolivia.

Sarah said: “I am absolutely thrilled that I was able to represent Wokingham Borough Council at this national event and I am staggered to be awarded the runner-up prize. It was an extremely challenging final and the standard of the competition was very high – there is a lot of young talent out there in the public sector.

“I chose the topic of whether volunteering abroad is ethical as I have first hand experience of volunteering abroad. I learnt so much through this great experience, both in the heats and the final, and met many people from other public sector organisations. I am very proud of my achievement.”

Roy Spence, manager of the Wokingham borough council’s ‘It's Working’ supported employment scheme, who was one of three members of staff who nominated Sarah, said: “I am very pleased Sarah was awarded the runner-up prize in this national competition. She has done herself proud and is a fantastic member of our team. As a job coach to many with a disability who need extra assistance to succeed at work, Sarah provides them with invaluable support.”

Susan Law, Wokingham chief executive, said: “I would like to congratulate Sarah on her achievement at this national final. Her achievements demonstrate that the borough council has young and talented members of staff with outstanding ability. The competition is a great opportunity for personal development, particularly in terms of written and verbal communication and research. The final was an extremely pressurised environment and Sarah has shown great confidence and talent in her achievement.”

Wokingham Borough Council

Wokingham Borough Council’s Business Task Group is hosting an event this month to help local businesses through the current economic downturn.

The event will be a chance for any businesses based within the Wokingham borough to get advice from council officers on business rates, procurement, waste and recycling, trading standards and emergency planning. There will also be representatives from Business Link, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Chamber of Commerce.

Wokingham Borough Council executive member for community development, Cllr Dianne King, said: “This is a difficult economic time and the council will do what it can to help local business through it. The event will be a chance for businesses to find out about ways the council and other organisations can help them and also for businessmen and women to get together to discuss ways they can help each other.”

The event will take place from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on Tuesday April 28 at TradeMark Windows, Fishponds Road, Wokingham. Any businesses interested in sending a representative can contact economic development officer Andrew Nicholls on (0118) 974 6018 or email andrew.nicholls@wokingham.gov.uk.

The Wokingham Business Task Group, which was launched in March, helps to coordinate activities and support in a bid to limit the impact of the economic downturn. The Business Task Group includes representatives from the Federation of Small Businesses and the local branch of the Chamber of Commerce as well as council representatives.

Wokingham Borough Council

Primary school children in the Wokingham Borough are today (April 1) celebrating some of the best ever key stage 2 results. Pupils have once again achieved excellent results with the borough being ranked consistently in the top five in the whole country for tests taken by 11-year-olds in English, maths and science.

The attainment tables for key stage 2 were published today by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, and all of Wokingham Borough’s results were above the national averages.

At key stage 2, level four is the expected level for 11-year-olds taking the tests. Attainment in English at level four has improved by one percentage point since 2007 to 88 compared with the national percentage of 81, with the borough’s pupils being ranked second in the country for their results. And the Wokingham borough’s primary school girls have really excelled by being ranked first in the country for level four and above in English with 93 per cent compared with 86 per cent nationally, whilst the boys were ranked second in the country with 84 per cent compared with 77 per cent nationally.

In maths, the Wokingham borough was fourth in the country improving by two percentage points since 2007 to 85 per cent achieving the expected level compared with the national average of 79 per cent. Some 93 per cent of pupils achieved the expected level in science, which is five per cent higher than the national average (88 per cent) placing the borough fourth in the country for this.

And many of the borough’s pupils also achieved at level five, which is higher than the expected level – the borough came second in English (41 per cent against a national average of 30 per cent) and fourth in maths (41 per cent against a national average of 31 per cent). In science, pupils came fourth with 55 per cent compared with the national average of 44 per cent.

Cllr John Kersley, deputy executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “The results published today show that our schools have improved results at key stage 2, level four and above in English, maths and science, an impressive achievement which places the borough in the top five local authorities in the country. I would like to congratulate our primary school pupils, teachers and the whole school community on their outstanding success.

“It can be hard to improve results year on year, especially when starting from an already high base, and I am pleased to see a further improvement this year at level four and above, demonstrating that our primary school pupils are gaining excellent results, providing them with firm foundations for their future success.

“We are not complacent. Our vision is for excellent children’s services and skills for all. We have made a long-term commitment to provide a high standard of education, realising the vital importance of ensuring children and young people have the right skills to get them into further education or employment.”

Wokingham Borough Council

A new parent, carer and toddler group at Wokingham Youth Centre gets up and running.

Starting on Wednesday April 22, Wokingham parents and toddlers are invited to meet up between 9.30am and 11am every Wednesday. The centre, on Reading Road in Wokingham, has recently bought some new toys and children can also enjoy sandpits, singing, paddling and playing with water, and arts and crafts, whilst parents and carers can enjoy refreshments and the chance to meet other parents.

The Wokingham scheme will run on a membership basis and there will be an annual charge of £2 per year for parents and carers. There will also be a small charge each week - £1 per child and 50 pence per additional sibling.

Richard Ferguson from Wokingham Youth Centre, said: “This is an example of one of the community projects and activities Wokingham Youth Centre offers local residents other than activities just for young people. We wanted to provide a safe environment for parents and carers to bring their children, where they come together to play, learn and chat. All parents, carers and children are welcome and we look forward to seeing many of them at the first session next month.”

Wokingham Borough Council

This Easter, Wokingham children aged five and under can get creative and messy at dedicated play sessions in Finchampstead and Crowthorne which promise to put a smile on every child’s face!

Wokingham Borough Council’s children’s centre team will be running three free sessions during the Easter school holidays and children can play with a range of toys and take part in arts and craft sessions. There will also be rhymes, songs and story time to keep the youngsters entertained as well as a soft play area. Sessions are taking place on:

• Monday April 6 between 10am and 11.30am at Gorse Ride Infant School, Gorse Ride South, Finchampstead

• Wednesday April 8 between 10am and 11.30am at Finchampstead Memorial Hall, The Village, Finchampstead

• Wednesday April 15 between 10am and 11.30am at Hatch Ride Primary School, Hatch Ride, Crowthorne

Sue Chapman, Wokingham family link worker, said: “We have a variety of activities for children aged under five to get involved with this Easter. The idea behind the sessions is for children to enjoy a number of fun activities with their parents. Although many sessions take place every week at our dedicated children’s centres, we wanted to take some fun activities elsewhere in the community this Easter. This will be a great chance for families to find out what’s on offer at their local children’s centre and have fun at the same time! Why not come along to one of the sessions, and to top it off, it’s free!”

Although activities are aimed at children aged five and under, older siblings are also welcome to attend.

Wokingham Borough Council

A new Wokingham path making it easier to access the pond and garden at the civic offices in Shute End, Wokingham, will be officially opened by Wokingham Borough Council’s Mayor Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons on Wednesday April 1.

And staff and visitors to the Wokingham civic offices will be able enjoy the pond and surrounding area thanks to the hard work of clients from Westmead Day Centre who will spend the day planting shrubs, trees and flowers on the back lawn for everyone to enjoy.

Brigid Batt-Rawden, Wokingham access officer, has been working hard to improve access to the pond and surrounding area of the civic offices after one of last year’s winners of a Learner Challenge Award was not able to join the publicity photos taken on the back steps on the civic offices. This path will now mean those with mobility issues can access this area.

Brigid Batt-Rawden said: “Less able staff and residents have had trouble accessing the pond area at Shute End, but this path, which links the pond with the back steps of the civic offices, will help everyone to appreciate this area. We are very much committed to improving disability access at the civic offices.”

Wokingham Mayor, Cllr Pauline Helliar-Symons, who will be joining clients from Westmead Day Centre at a lunch to thank them for their hard work, said: “By planting shrubs, flowers and trees it will make the pond and surrounding area much more enjoyable for visitors, staff and residents. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone from Westmead Day Centre who have offered their services free of charge.”

Wokingham Borough Council

In a bid to help local Wokingham residents understand what it is like to have autism, Wokingham Borough Council is supporting World Autism Awareness Day on Thursday (April 2).

By bringing together Wokingham autism organisations all around the world, World Autism Awareness Day aims to give a voice to the millions of people worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood and looking for help. It is believed that autism affects over 500,000 people in the UK, and approximately 1.3 per cent of the population in the Wokingham Borough have an autism diagnosis, but that leaves many more of the general public who perhaps do not know or have much awareness about this disabling condition.

And to help overcome this, the Wokingham Autism Partnership in conjunction with Wokingham Borough Council, is organising a number of events including high-profile speakers, training and workshops, drama productions, quiz and film nights and play sessions next month (May) to raise awareness in the Wokingham Borough. The events will take place between Tuesday May 19 and Saturday May 23 and exact dates, times and venues will be advertised shortly.

Pamela Breslin, co-ordinator at Wokingham Autism Partnership at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “If you have autism, live with autism, or work with someone who has autism, you are probably aware of how this disability can affect you and those around you. You are probably aware of how complex autism can be, and how hard you need to work to understand the world around you – social situations, language, communication, knowing what is going to happen next, or when something is going to come to an end.

“However as many people that are affected by autism know, there is still a long way to go to raise the profile of this disability. We want to promote greater understanding in the Wokingham Borough about autism. And in May, the Wokingham Autism Partnership is holding a number of events in the borough to raise the awareness of autism.”

Chris Jones, head of universal services at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “All too often autism is not properly understood as a distinct condition and the needs of people affected by autism are not recognised. By supporting World Autism Awareness Day, we hope to raise the profile of this condition.”

For further information about the events in May, contact Pamela Breslin on (0118) 9746 882 or by email at: pamela.breslin@wokingham.gov.uk

Wokingham Borough Council

The demolition of the former Wokingham sheltered housing accommodation at Crescent House in South Lake Crescent Woodley is under-way.

Specialists London Demolition (UK) is on-site ripping down the Wokingham old buildings which will be replaced with state-of-the-art Extra Care Housing to provide self-contained accommodation for older people and offers care as required for their changing needs. The homes will be suitable for a range of older people – from those who are active and have few or no care needs, to those requiring 24-hour care and support – and will offer larger and more comfortable homes that have the advantage over residential homes of being private, individual homes that allow residents to keep their independence.

A Wokingham planning application is due to be submitted in the next few months and the housing association envisages a development of one and two-bedroom apartments most with private balcony or patio.

In addition to the extra care units, ten dementia care apartments are also planned for the Crescent House site as part of the project.

Catalyst Housing Group will be holding a public consultation event on April 6 from 6pm to 8pm at Emmanuel Church Centre in Southlake Crescent, Woodley (opposite the Crescent House site). The event will be an opportunity for the local community to view and comment on the current proposals and to get answers to questions they may have about the development of the new scheme.

Representatives from Catalyst Communities Housing Association and Central and Cecil Housing Trust (who will jointly manage the new housing) will be available to answer question about the new scheme. PRP Architects and (which has designed the current proposal) and Leadbitter Construction (who have been selected by Catalyst to do the building work) will also be on hand to answer questions.

Wokingham Borough Council executive member for social care Cllr Chris Edmunds said: “It was great to see the old buildings coming down as it showed real physical progress on this project. Of course, it will be even better when we actually see the new building going up. But before any work can take place we want to make sure everybody involved or affected by the project has their say on it and that is why it is important for people to come to the consultation and get involved.”

Representatives from local organisations such as Woodley Age Concern and Emmanuel Church as well as Woodley Town Council and ward councillors have been invited to the consultation, but anybody else interested in the proposals is welcome to attend and should contact senior strategy officer Carol Lovell, who is the council’s Crescent House project manager, on (0118) 974 6082.

Wokingham Borough Council

Children and young people who are fostered in the Wokingham Borough are receiving a ‘good’ service according to inspectors from Ofsted who recently praised Wokingham Borough Council’s fostering service.

The Wokingham inspection, which took place over four days in January, looked at the management, organisation and work of Wokingham Borough Council’s fostering service. It also looked at how the council helps children who are fostered to be healthy; protected from harm or neglect, stay safe; achieve well, enjoy what they do and them make a positive contribution – all these sections were judged to be ‘good’.

The report noted ‘there had been major and significant improvements made to the fostering service since the last inspection,’ which took place in November 2007. The work to review procedures and practice was praised in the report and following a recent successful recruitment campaign, the council has recruited a further 15 foster carers bringing the total to 29.

A number of improvements have been made to the service since the last inspection including support and training and an increase in allowances and fees for foster carers.

The report noted that Wokingham foster carers’ files are well maintained and audited on a regular basis and reviews of foster carers are taking place on an annual basis. As there are now more foster carers from a range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds in the Wokingham Borough, looked-after children are individually matched with carers to better meet their needs. And, there are rigorous systems in place to ensure foster carers provide a safe and healthy environment for children and young people.

The health needs of young people in foster care are well met. Each young person has an annual health assessment carried out by the children in care nurse, who also meets the majority of foster carers. Since the last inspection, some changes have been made to recording systems used by foster carers and all health care appointments are now recorded in one place allowing a clearer overview and ensuring information is easily transferred if a new placement is made.

A variety of training courses are available to foster carers including paediatric first aid, safeguarding, diversity and equality, training in children’s rights and how to encourage and maintain contact with the young person’s family.

Praise was also given to the Wokingham children’s rights service which offers advice, information, support and advocacy to young people in its care. Two groups of fostered young people meet on a regular basis and if any issues arise, they are taken to the corporate parenting group, comprising elected members and officers, to be resolved. Each young person now has an achievement book as well as a memory box. The report noted young people in foster care ‘feel listened to by their foster carers’.

Also noted in the report is the fostering service’s ‘high priority to meeting the educational needs of each young person in foster care.’ There is a virtual headteacher for children in care who monitors and improves their educational achievements. Young people who are near to leaving care have a plan outlining their future in terms of placements, training and employment.

Cllr Rob Stanton, executive member for Wokingham children’s services, said: “We have worked hard to raise standards in all areas since the last inspection and I’m very pleased that the judgement for our fostering service is ‘good’. Vulnerable children and adults are this council’s top priority and we have been looking very seriously to see how we can improve the lives of children in care. Local foster families are a significant help as it means children can often be cared for nearer to their family home and school, which is immensely important as it brings stability to their lives.”

Kim Harris, fostering service manager, said: “This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication of council staff and all Wokingham Borough foster carers. It is a credit to their hard work and commitment to children and young people. Our foster carers provide an important role in the lives of our vulnerable children and young people. We have a number of initiatives planned to support our foster carers even further over the next year. We will set up support groups and introduce a buddy system for new carers. If you think you have got what it takes to be a foster carer, please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you!”

Despite the increase in foster carers, Wokingham Borough Council still needs more! Anyone intersted in becoming a foster carer can contact the council on (0118) 974 6204 or by email: fostering@wokingham.gov.uk. (All foster carers are subject to checks including health and criminal record bureau checks.)

Wokingham Borough Council