Our Community Wardens - twenty years of service

Twenty years ago this month our Community Warden team was formed, with the purpose of linking together all parts of our community, protecting residents by reducing crime and disorder, and acting as a highly visible and reassuring presence in the borough.

Since then, our wardens have become a welcome and familiar sight on our streets, successfully working in partnership with the police and other partners to deter and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour.

Our wardens regularly carry out reassurance patrols in our town centres, as well as targeted patrols at hotspots across the borough. And by taking the time to get to know people, and establishing relationships with residents and businesses, they’re able to provide valuable intelligence to the police and other partners.

The team also have their own enforcement powers and undertake operations throughout the year to tackle issues such as anti-social drinking, cycling on pavements and in pedestrianised areas, dog-fouling and dog control, and littering. And, following local consultations with residents, they’re also able to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for certain offences.

In addition to this, our wardens also focus on community initiatives and engagement, visiting schools and day centres, and liaising closely with other agencies and council departments to try to solve problems in the community as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Over the next few weeks we’ll be highlighting the great work our wardens do, and if you see one of the team out and about in the borough, please say hello! 

Your Travel Choices

This month we’re looking at #YourTravelChoices in the Royal Borough, and today we're highlighting your public transport options.

Travelling by public transport is an effective and environmentally friendly way of travelling, and by using it we're helping to reduce our reliance on cars, thereby reducing congestion, air pollution and emissions, which helps all of us in our efforts to address climate change.

Whether you’re travelling for work or personal reasons, buses are an easy and affordable way to get about, and with most services running every 30 minutes or every hour, and with more than 800 bus stops conveniently placed around the borough, services are quick and efficient.

Our bus stops also display printed timetables and some have digital live time boards, and you can plan your journey from start to finish with Traveline. In addition to this we also have a list of all bus routes in the borough on our website.

Most bus journeys cost only £2 and if you’re over 65 you can apply for a concessionary bus pass that allows you to travel by bus for free. You can learn more about this, and other concessionary fares and passes, on our Public Transport web page.

Rail services to and from the borough are operated by South Western Railway, Great Western Railway and Transport for London’s new Elizabeth line, and connect the borough with regular services to London, Reading and beyond.

Travellers heading into London for a weekend city break, or on their daily commute to Reading and London, can also take advantage of highly competitive parking deals at our Vicus Way car park in Maidenhead.

Contactless payment at Royal Borough Railway Stations

Contactless payment is coming to Windsor & Eton Riverside, Datchet, Sunnymeads and Wraysbury stations, from Sunday 22 September.

This means that travellers can tap in at the ticket machine with a phone or bank card and avoid queuing for a ticket if they're travelling to and from London, or stations along the way, and visitors to Windsor can tap in at any London station and travel through to Windsor.

All major credit and debit cards are accepted by contactless card readers as long as it shows the contactless payment symbol. You can also pay as you go with contactless devices such as phones, watches, key fobs, stickers or wristbands, but not Oyster cards.

You can find out more about this story on the South Western Railway website.

Drive down your parking costs on your commute

If you take the train to London or towards Reading for work, our Vicus Way car park in Maidenhead is a convenient five-minute walk to the Elizabeth Line GWR station and it’s the cheapest rail commuter parking in Maidenhead.

A great commuter parking base for London, you can park there all-day for £6.90 without a season ticket, or the equivalent of £3.45 with a season ticket. Annual season tickets are also £115 cheaper than Stafferton Way next door, or Hines Meadow.

Vicus Way always has space for commuters, plus plenty of fast chargers so if you have an electric vehicle then you can charge up while at work. Vehicle entry is from 5am, allowing plenty of time to catch first trains, and you can leave at anytime. 

Please visit our website for full information on all our parking deals in Maidenhead.

Ascot & Sunninghill Ward by-election

Following the resignation of Councillor John Storey a by-election will be held for the Ascot and Sunninghill Ward of Windsor and Maidenhead Council on Thursday 17 October 2024. The notice of election has been published which includes information on standing as a candidate and the deadlines for registering to vote or applying to vote by post or proxy. 

Candidates need to submit their nomination papers by 4pm on Friday 20 September. Packs can be obtained from Electoral Services via elections@rbwm.gov.uk or call 01628 796306

If you are unsure if you are registered to vote call 01628 683868 or if you have moved recently and not re-registered you can do so online by 11.59pm on 1 October 2024. You can also apply to vote by post online by Wednesday 2 October. 

For more information on registration, contact the Elections team via Electoral.registration@rbwm.gov.uk

Battle of Britain Day - the Royal Borough remembers

This year’s annual Battle of Britain Civil Service will be held on Sunday 15 September, at The Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Windsor, SL4 1LS.

September 15 in 1940 saw particularly heavy fighting in the skies over Britain between the RAF and the Luftwaffe, and proved to be a decisive defeat for the German air force. Since then, this date has been commemorated as ‘Battle of Britain Day’ in the UK.

The annual commemoration at Parish Church is a joint service for the Royal Borough to remember all those who took part in the defence of our country during the battle, and involves a civic party, which includes the Mayor, the Royal Air Forces Association and local units of the Air Training Corps.

The public are welcome and if you’re planning to attend please be in the vicinity of the war memorial on Windsor High Street by 10.50am. There will be a procession and a short wreath-laying ceremony at 11am after which you’re welcome to join the service in Parish Church. 

Supporting Youth Mental Health Day

Thursday 19 September is Youth Mental Health Day, when young people, and those who support them, are encouraged to talk about how to improve mental health.

Stem4, a charity that supports young people to build positive mental health, founded the day in the UK with the aim of providing hope and positivity, and to break the stigma surrounding mental health.

This year’s theme is #ControlYourScroll and focuses on equipping young people with the simple digital hacks and mental health strategies needed for a positive and safe online experience. You can find out more about this year’s theme on the Stem4 website where you’ll find resources such as a list of mental health apps created specially for young people. 

And to support the day we’re highlighting some of the mental health support available to children and young people in the borough.

Our Wellbeing Team and Emotional Literacy Support Assistants work with local schools, alongside parents, carers, guardians, and partner services, to support children with a range of issues including feelings of anxiety. You can learn more about them in our short video.

There’s a wealth of professional guidance from Kooth (for children aged 10+) and the NHS, on coping techniques available to parents and young people to help with anxiety.

Frimley Health and Care also has helpful advice for children and young people to help them manage their mental health. Their Little Blue Book of Sunshine is also a great source of reliable, professional guidance.

Mental health support and information for young people is also available on our website 

Applications for secondary school admission



The applications process is now open for children moving up to secondary, middle or upper school in September 2025.

You can register to apply on the portal now. The closing date for applications is 31 October 2024.  

Calling all jobseekers - attend our next jobs fair!

A jobs fair will take place at Maidenhead Library on Tuesday 24 September from 10.30am to 1pm.

Jobseekers will have the opportunity to meet local employers and find out about their current vacancies. There’s no need to book, just turn up on the day.



Employers who wish to attend the event should email DWP-library@rbwm.gov.uk or berks.employerteam@dwp.gov.uk

For more information, please visit our Employment Support webpage.

Get moving on National Fitness Day

Wednesday 18 September is National Fitness Day, when the role physical activity plays in helping us lead healthier lifestyles is celebrated, and this year’s theme is ‘Your Health is for Life’.

National Fitness Day aims to help raise awareness of the many benefits of being active and it’s never too late to start, and whether you’re thinking about taking that all important first step, or you’re just looking to get your daily steps in, we’re here to help.  

The Royal Borough has a great range of facilities to help you protect and improve your health by being active. Our wonderful parks and open spaces are great places to stroll or jog at your own pace, and you’ll find our walking and cycling facilities will help you get about in a more healthy and environmentally friendly way.

Street Tag is a free smart phone app that transforms the borough’s streets, parks, and points of interest, into a giant virtual playground. Whatever your age, whether on your own or part of a school, group, or family, it makes physical activity fun as you search and discover hidden Street Tag points at locations across our borough.

Our outdoor sports facilities include football, tennis, and basketball courts as well as outdoor gyms. And indoors we have five fully equipped leisure centres to cater for every fitness need, from swimming, squash, badminton and basketball, to cycling studios, gyms, dance studios and classes of every kind.

So, come next Wednesday, why not get moving and maybe try something new? 

Author talk at Maidenhead Library

Maidenhead Library are inviting you to join a talk by the author Peter Williams, who will be visiting the library this month to talk about his book based on local sportsman and politician, Lord Desborough - Titan of the Thames; the Life of Lord Desborough.

The event will be held on Wednesday 25 September at 7pm. Book your tickets through Eventbrite

Update on Residents' Newsletter Survey

Thank you to everyone who completed our survey on the Residents’ Newsletter. We really do appreciate all of your feedback.

We're currently analysing the results and will be reviewing what changes we can make in future messages to improve our Residents’ Newsletter.

Free adult maths courses are available with Multiply

Numbers are everywhere, from budgeting for the weekly shop, to helping the kids with their homework. Becoming more confident with numbers can help you at work, school, with home life and so much more. 

Multiply is a government backed scheme with free, flexible courses that work around your busy schedule, you can find the course you need to succeed.

Courses are open to people aged 19 and over who do not have the equivalent of a maths GCSE at grade C, or need to brush up on their maths skills for work. 

If you need help with those all-important maths skills, find your free course today! 

Royal Borough Community Spotlight

Here are just some of the upcoming community events and volunteering opportunities in the Royal Borough.



• Blue Plaque unveiling ceremony (Friday 13 September, 6pm) outside the George Inn, Eton High Street, SL4 6AF. The legendary Olympian rower Sir Matthew Pinsent will be unveiling a blue plaque, celebrating the life of George Yeomans Pocock who built the boats used by the US men's eight team who won gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The true story of the US Eight is told in the best-selling book by Daniel James Brown 'The Boys in The Boat' and in the film of the same name, to be released this year, directed by George Clooney. All are welcome at this free event.

• National Heritage Open Day (Saturday 14 September, 10am to 4.30pm) All Saints' Church, London Road, Ascot, SL5 8DQ. Visit this remarkable Grade II listed Victorian building as we commemorate our 160th year. There are murals in the sanctuary, painted chancel roof and arch and wall paintings in the north and south aisles. These outstanding paintings are a well-known feature of the church and were restored in the late 20th century. Refreshments will be available and there will be church tours. For more information email  

• Eton Action Fair (Saturday 14 September, 11am to 4pm). Join us for a day filled with joy and laughter as the Eton Action Fair returns for its 51st year, as Eton College’s historic grounds are transformed into a vibrant community fair, bringing together fun, food, and fantastic entertainment. With exciting rides, amusements, games, stalls, performances and delicious food and drinks, this annual tradition draws thousands of visitors and raises essential funds for five specially chosen charities. Tickets are £3 for adult and £2 for children. Learn more about us and this year’s chosen charities on our website 

• Cookham and Maidenhead Art Trail (Saturday 14 to Sunday 15 September). The event takes place at a number of venues in Maidenhead and Cookham. It's free to attend, run by unpaid volunteers. This year there is a prize draw for a £100 voucher if visitors attend five or more venues. We have 46 participating artists this year and a high standard of art. For more information visit

• Opportunity to visit a remarkable Grade 1 listed Maidenhead building (open 14 & 15 September, between 9.30am and 4.30pm on the Saturday, and 12pm and 4.30pm on the Sunday) 1 Church Close, SL6 4HE. All Saints was designed in the Gothic style by G E Street, who designed the Law Courts in the Strand. It's full of polychromatic colour, with beautiful windows, stone carvings and much more. The church is sited in an enclosed grass quadrangle with other buildings around it in the same style. Volunteers will answer any questions and there’s a guided tour at 10.30am on Saturday and at 3pm on Sunday, and an organ recital at 2.30pm on the Sunday. Light refreshments will be available.

• The seventeenth annual Gravity Grand Prix (Sunday, 15 September) Cookham Dean. The karts race one at a time from the start at the junction of Church Road to the finish just uphill from Uncle Tom’s Cabin on Hills Lane. Racing starts at 1pm and runs until about 4.30pm. Designs vary from the super sleek racers to amazing creations that will amuse and entertain. In the past there's been grand pianos, double decker buses, fire engines, bathtubs, porcupines, fairy castles and many more wonderful conceptions. The Old Cricket Common, in the centre of the course, hosts a good number of refreshment opportunities. The event is organised by local charity fundraisers, The Cherry Pickers of Cookham Dean, and has raised over £200,000 since 2007 for the Thames Valley Air Ambulance and other worthwhile local causes. Entry to the event, and the event programme, are free, and there is plentiful parking, including an area reserved for visitors with mobility difficulties. 

• Choral concert at Old Windsor Parish Church (Sunday 15 September, 3pm). By popular request the Claremont Singers are returning to Old Windsor for a concert of ‘Summer Songs’. Tickets are £5 and available at the door, for Windsor Food Share and the Parish Church. Refreshments are available and there’s plenty of parking. The Church is at the bottom of Church Road, SL4 2JW. 

• Pedal To the Park (Sunday 15 September, from 10.30am) Stag Meadow, by the Football Club. A special event to show you and your family how to cycle to the Great Park from Windsor. We’ll have a team to welcome you at Stag Meadow. Let’s be honest, there’s a hill – so gears or a tow bar are a must. We’ll have a Treasure Hunt to keep kids motivated. Best to bring rain jackets just in case! We’ll have 2 marked cycle routes, an easy one around the village and a longer hillier version that takes in the Royal School and The Queen’s Jubilee Statue. For more information and to book your place visit

• Maidenhead Music Society present their first concert of this season (Thursday 17 September, 7.45pm) Norden Farm. Barefoot Opera will perform Verdi's opera La Traviata - young professional voices with stripped back staging and a small but colourful ensemble of piano, bass and accordion. Tickets available from Norden Farm box office, (telephone 0168 788997) or on the door. 

• Healthy eating and managing diabetes (Wednesday 18 September, 10am to 12pm and 6pm to 8pm) Mountbatten Grange, Helston Lane, Windsor, SL4 5GG. In our interactive workshop learn how to eat healthily with diabetes with interesting insights, practical tips, and simple food swaps. A chance to ask questions, sample healthier twists on classic recipes, and share experiences in a relaxed group setting. Free refreshments and parking. To book your space call 01753392690 or email

• Harvest Bazaar (Saturday, 21 September, 10am to 12.pm) St Marks Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Rd, Maidenhead, SL6 5BQ. Come and join us for our Harvest Bazaar and view our Harvest decorations in the Church. We’ve got delicious home baked cakes, stationery, books, CDs, DVDs, bric-a-brac for sale and Chris's Crafts with lovely handmade items for gifts and home. There will be a raffle with many prizes and coffee available in our friendly Hub, and there’s a Children's Corner, with Singing of Harvest Songs from 11.00 am. Entry is free, everyone is welcome and bring family, friends, and neighbours. Proceeds go to St Marks Church Fund. For more information email

• An Ounce of Prevention - Helping you get your emotional, physical, legal and financial matters in order now (Thursday 26 September, 3pm to 5pm) Castle View Retirement Village, Helston Lane, Windsor, SL4 5GG. Join us over tea and cake to hear from our panel of experts on how to make life easier for you and your loved ones. This insightful event will identify key areas to help avoid crisis situations well before they might happen. An opportunity to relax, learn, and connect with others who share your interest in proactive crisis prevention. For more information and to book your please visit 

• Lecture - The Arts Society Windsor (Wednesday 25 September, 1.30pm) Old Windsor Memorial Hall, SL4 2RN. The society invites you to a lecture on ‘Mid 18C Rococo Silver, its social context and the adventures of its makers and owners’, presented by Ralph Hoyle. Ralph is a member of the Silver Society, and his interest is English Rococo silver. The Huguenot influence on this most decorative period is discussed, together with new silversmithing techniques, designs, and methods of manufacture. Visitors £7 and new members welcome. For further details visit

• St Michaels Church craft fair (Saturday 26 October, 9.30am to 12.30pm) St Michaels Church, Bray, SL6 2AA. Free entry. Lots of different local crafters featuring jewellery art, flower displays, light catchers and even early Christmas ideas. Parking in the village. For more information visit 

• Charity Indian Cultural Night (Saturday 9 November, 7pm) Holyport Memorial Hall. Maidenhead Bridge Rotary is excited to announce their brand new Indian cultural night fundraiser, a celebration of the vibrant and diverse traditions of India. Guests will enjoy a delicious 3-course dinner and a Bhangra demonstration with the chance to learn the lively dance! The main aim is to spread the Indian tradition and share its value of love and harmony. The evening will be raising money for two extraordinary charities, Alzheimer’s Dementia Support and Rotary’s Vocational Training Team Project in Uganda. For more information and to reserve your tickets, visit 

• All Saints Church Christmas Market (Saturday 30 November) Maidenhead, SL6, 4HE. We have a few pitches remaining for our very successful, traditional Christmas Market, now in its fourth year, held in the Quad adjacent to the church. We like to offer visitors to the Market the opportunity to enjoy work from a wide range of local craftspeople. Please let us know if you're a maker/producer and would like to join us. For more information and details of how to apply for a stall, please contact Stella Harding by email 

• Come and join the Claremont Singers Windsor (Monday evenings from 7.30pm to 9pm during school term times). We’re a small, friendly, mixed ability ladies’ community choir and meet at Holy Trinity Garrison Church, Claremont Road and Trinity Place, Windsor, SL4 3AX. Our next term will start on Monday 9 September when we will be preparing for a concert at Old Windsor Parish Church on Sunday 15 September. We’ll start rehearsing our new Christmas repertoire on Monday 16 September. We sing a wide variety of music from classical to folk in two or three parts. We are a non-audition choir and reading music is not essential. If you would like to join us, please email or contact Jane on 01753 869557. Your first session is free.

• Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain (second Tuesday of every month, 10.30am to 12.00pm) Mountbatten Grange, Helston Lane, Windsor, SL4 5GG. Meet others living with dementia and sing a variety of songs you know and love in a fun and friendly environment. Take part in vocal exercises that help improve brain activity and wellbeing. Free refreshments from 10.30am to 11am, singing starts at 11am, free parking. To book your space call 01753392690 or email

• Come and join Windsor Soundswell Choir (Every Tuesday during term time, 7.30pm to 9.30pm) Oakfield First School, Imperial Road, Windsor, SL4 3RU. If you would like to become one of the many people who enjoy all the benefits and pleasure of singing together in a choir, why not join us for the autumn session. This small, friendly community choir always gives a warm welcome to new members. It’s a mixed choir, singing a wide repertoire of music – popular, folk and classical - under the skilled hand of music director Guy Bunce, with our accompanist Ben Norris. There are no auditions and no experience necessary, so just come along and sing. We also stream rehearsals via Zoom for those who are unable to come in person. For more information and to join visit or call Ros on 07814470814 or leave a message for Sue on 01753 868468.

• New Members are very welcome! The Probus Club of Ascot. If you're interested in joining a light-hearted social group of guys from a wide variety of professions, who meet once a month for lunch, then the Ascot Probus Club is definitely for you. We meet on the second Monday of the month at Mill Ride Golf Club where we enjoy a fixed price set menu followed by some very interesting speakers covering a wide range of topics. We're a very friendly club so please come along and enjoy our company and make some new friends. If you're interested in joining, or require more information, please email 

• Adult volunteer leaders needed for Girlguiding Maidenhead. Help us deliver fun at our Rainbow, Brownie, Guide and Ranger unit meetings. We meet on a weekly basis during term time for one to two hours per session, depending on the age of the girls. We have units across the borough that meet on different days and times in the early evening and Saturday mornings. We can provide training and experience that can transfer to your CV as well as a hugely rewarding experience supporting girls and young women. For more information telephone Kate Snell on 07866 182987, email, or register on our website 

If you have an upcoming not-for-profit community event or appeal for volunteers you’d like to promote in this newsletter, simply send basic information about your event to communications@rbwm.gov.uk and it could be shared with more than 21,000 local residents.

You just need to include a brief description, when and where it takes place, and a link to a website/social media page/contact where people can find out more.

To see further volunteering opportunities in the borough, or for another way for community organisations to promote volunteering opportunities, please visit RBWM Together

Local travel updates

For details of further council works on highways, visit our website. For full local roadwork details, including work by utility firms, please visit the One Network website   

• Road Closure: Holmanleaze, Maidenhead from Ivy Leaf Club Car Park southward to dead end, between 8am to 5pm until Monday 23 September, to facilitate a news gas connection.     
• Link Road Closure: National Highways are closing the link road connecting the M4 eastbound to the M25 southbound (anticlockwise towards the M3, M23 and M20) from 11pm on Friday 13 September until 5:30am on Monday 16 September. More information can be found on the National Highways website.

Keep in touch

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Other accounts you may be interested in:



• Royal Borough official tourism web page  
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• Royal Borough Registrars on Facebook and Instagram
• Communities Team on Facebook and X
• Windsor & Royal Borough Museum web page
• MyRoyalBorough on X, Facebook and Instagram
• Make Maidenhead on Facebook and Instagram