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Meet the new Mayor for Windsor and Maidenhead
Councillor Simon Bond was elected as our new Mayor this week, following a vote at the annual council meeting, held in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, Maidenhead, with Councillor Mandy Brar appointed as Deputy Mayor.
Councillor Bond was elected after serving as Deputy Mayor for the past year, along with his consort David Armitage, and he received the mayoral chain from Councillor Neil Knowles, who has served as Mayor since May 2023.
The historic role of mayor, a ceremonial and non-political position, is to chair Full Council meetings and represent the borough and its communities.
Our new mayor has represented the residents of the Belmont ward in Maidenhead as a councillor since 2019, having moved to Maidenhead 45 years ago. He worked for financial services firm Towry, from 1979 to 2009, in both Windsor and Bracknell.
After taking early retirement, he undertook a variety of voluntary roles with charities and community groups, including being treasurer and a trustee for a not-for-profit care home for older residents.
A founder member of Wild Maidenhead, the mayor takes a particular interest in the contribution we can all make to transition to net zero and a more sustainable economy and environment.
The charities the mayor will be supporting during his mayoral year are the Mayor’s Benevolent Fund, Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service and Baby Bank.
Read more here.
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Can you make a difference for a local child?
It’s Foster Care Fortnight and we’ve launched a new fostering recruitment campaign to encourage local residents, from all walks of life, to consider the positive difference they could make for a local child, by becoming a foster carer with the council.
The campaign, called “Make a difference for a local child”, has been shaped with input from local foster carers and the “Kickback” Children in Care Council, made up of local fostered children and young people.
Foster carers provide a secure, stable and supportive home for a child or young person. Fostering might take place on either a short or long-term basis, and those being fostered include teenagers, sibling groups and children with a disability who for different reasons cannot live with their parents.
We welcome enquiries from anyone aged 21 or over, regardless of income, employment status, gender, sexuality, religion, whether or not you have pets, or own your home or rent. It’s your personal qualities that matter.
In return we offer our foster carers excellent support, training and benefits via the council’s in-house independent fostering agency, Achieving for Children Fostering,
You can find out more about being a foster carer, which is a rewarding paid role, at www.afcfostering.org.uk and contact us at fosteringenquiries@achievingforchildren.org.uk or call 020 8547 5355.
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New Safe Spaces trial for children and young people launches in Windsor
We launched a new scheme this week to give young people dedicated places to go if they feel unsafe whilst out and about in Windsor.
The Safe Spaces initiative, which we've created with our children’s services partner Achieving for Children and Thames Valley Police, is being trialled in Windsor and if successful it'll be expanded to other areas in the borough.
Safe Spaces are registered businesses, charities and community hubs whose staff have received training on how to respond to young people who need help or support. This could be in a situation where a young person feels intimidated by one of their peers, or needs a place to go when they feel unsettled.
If a young person enters a Safe Space and asks for help, staff will offer them somewhere to sit. They can also phone someone to help assist them to get home or, if necessary, call the police.
All these spaces are displaying the Safe Spaces logo in their front window and they've all been given information on how to signpost to our Library Service or our Family Hubs, should there be any further support required.
In addition to the trial launching in Windsor, all our libraries have been designated safe spaces for people of all ages.
Read more here.
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Essential maintenance works on the Royal Windsor Way
We’re carrying out essential maintenance work next week, to the A355 and A332 Royal Windsor Way, to protect this key transport link for years to come.
To safely and efficiently carry out this important work we’ll need to close some parts of the road, over the course of four nights, between 20 May and 23 May.
The work, being undertaken by Volker Highways, will see an asphalt preservation treatment carried out which will provide an enhanced road surface on both carriageways, extending the life of the road and reducing the need for future maintenance works.
During these closures we’re also taking the opportunity to carry out other essential works, including line painting, street lighting maintenance, barrier repairs and routine drainage maintenance.
The road closures will see overnight closures on the section of road between the B3024 Dedworth Road roundabout in the south, and the roundabout at the junction with the M4 in the north, will be in place from 9pm until 5am. Both roundabouts will remain open.
During the work to the northbound section of the road, the southbound carriageway will remain open, and vice versa.
A full description of the work, along with details of the road closures, can be found on the council’s website.
Read more here.
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Get ready for Walk to School Week
Some 30 schools across Windsor and Maidenhead are taking part in this year’s Walk to School Week, which starts on Monday 20 May and runs until the Friday 24 May.
Parents are encouraged to ditch their cars for the whole week, or even for just one or two days, and swap to walking, scootering, cycling, or wheeling. If you need to travel some distance to your school, have you considered parking further away and striding the final part?
Not only is the exercise great for your physical and mental wellbeing whatever your age, but it also means fewer cars so less pollution and congestion. And it gives you the chance to spend time with family and friends or perhaps make new pals on route.
And the chances are you’ll also appreciate nature and notice things in your community that you might not have if you were speeding past in a car.
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Public meeting to discuss winter flooding
A public meeting will be held in Cookham next Tuesday, in which information will be shared about the flood event that took place in the borough in January of this year.
Representatives from the Environment Agency, Thames Water and the council, as well as local Councillors Mark Howard and Mandy Brar, will be in attendance to share information on the flood, communicate the progress that’s been made, the lessons learnt, and to gather feedback from the local community.
When: Tuesday 21 May
What time: 7pm to 8.30pm
Where: Parish office at Holy Trinity Church
Church Gate,
Cookham
Berkshire
SL6 9SP
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Multiply your opportunities this National Numeracy Day
Next Tuesday is National Numeracy Day, when adults across the UK are encouraged to invest in their numeracy skills. But did you know there are free adult numeracy courses to help local residents improve their maths skills and unlock new opportunities?
Multiply courses, funded by the government and delivered in local communities, offer a unique learning opportunity for adults aged 19 or over, who don’t have GCSE maths at grade C or the equivalent.
Designed to help with everyday activities like shopping and cost of living issues, these sessions can help improve specific skills, like money management, helping children with homework or improving maths skills for work.
Multiply offers accessible and relevant courses, friendly tutors, and a range of options to provide a positive and rewarding experience. Residents can choose from locally based one-off courses, to multiple sessions in-person or online.
Read more here.
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Free online courses to help you start your own business
A series of free online courses are currently underway for anyone looking to start their own business.
The sessions, a result of a partnership between Multiply and Rebel Business School, consist of practical and easy-to-digest content giving learners everything they need to get a business off the ground and start making money.
The sessions include:
- Marketing that grabs attention and makes sales
- How a strong online presence can increase your income
- Business law
- Selling from day one
- Learn how to network with like-minded people
The free online sessions are running until Friday 24 May and you can book your space on the Rebel Business School website.
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Get involved with the clinical policy alignment at NHS Frimley
When NHS Frimley became an Integrated Care Board (ICB) two years ago, it inherited the clinical policies of the three former Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) in East Berkshire, North East Hampshire and Farnham and Surrey Heath.
Each CCG had their own commissioning policies for health and care services, with differences between them. So, the ICB is reviewing these to ensure future service commissioning is consistent across the whole of NHS Frimley.
The first stage of the ICB’s work has identified some new policies plus some with only minor differences from the CCG policies. These are due to come into effect on 1 June for all new referrals.
To contribute to the conversation about the implementation of any of these policies, please email NHS Frimley ICB by 5pm on Wednesday 29 May.
Read more here.
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Our latest campaign focuses on Dementia Action Week
Our 'Ageing Well and Living Independently' campaign aims to give you and your loved ones the best advice for keeping well and highlight support of how to live your best life, whilst ageing in the borough.
This week focused on Dementia Action Week and care in the borough.
You can find out more about the Dementia Care Advisors here.
You can find out more about Boyn Grove Dementia Resource Centre here.
You can read a case study of a resident living with Dementia here.
You can hear from our Ethnic Minority Carers group here.
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A new Reading Well for Dementia collection has been set up at Boyn Grove Library, providing reliable information, advice and support. You can borrow the books here.
You can also borrow a reminiscence box from one of our libraries.
Next week, we're focusing on community activities and initiatives for older people in the Borough. Keep an eye out on our social media channels and read our Community Spotlight below for more.
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Royal Borough Community Spotlight
Here are just some of the upcoming community events and volunteering opportunities in the Royal Borough.
The Quince Players perform Electra (Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 May) - Cordes Hall, Sunninghill, SL5 9NE. For more information and tickets visit our website.
Question Time – All about solar panels (Saturday 18 May, 11am to 12.30pm) - Braywick Nature Centre, Hibbert Road, Maidenhead SL6 1UU. Local residents interested in solar panels will be able to put their questions to a panel of experts at a special Question Time organised by ECO Action Windsor & Maidenhead. The panel will be chaired by Peter Gibbs, former TV weather presenter, host of BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time and also President of Wild Maidenhead. People who wish to attend are invited to sign up here, where there is also the chance to contribute questions for the panel on the day.
Annual Spring Fair (Saturday 18 May, 10am to 12pm) – St Marks Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Road, Maidenhead, SL6 5BQ. Stalls will include: delicious home baked cakes, stationery, good condition paperback books, CDs, DVDs, bric-a-brac, and a raffle and tombola with many prizes. Coffee served throughout the morning. Free Entry – All Welcome. 50% Proceeds go to People to Places who provide door to door transport for local residents with mobility needs. If you'd like to make a donation, we are looking for paperback books, cakes, good quality bric-a-brac, plants, toys and raffle prizes. These can be left at the Church or call Ed on 01628-623263. For further information please email us.
Old Windsor Guiding May Fayre (Saturday 18 May, 1.30pm to 4pm) – Old Windsor Memorial Hall. Face painting, silent auction, tea, cakes, raffle, toys and games. Crowning of the carnival ambassadors and princess and sprite selection. For more information please email us.
Pentecost at St. Michael's Church, Bray (Sunday 19 May, 3pm) - St Michael's Church, Bray, SL6 2AA. Songs and stories for all ages. All welcome. For more information visit our website.
Monday Friends (Monday 20 May, 10.30am to midday) - St Marks Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Road, Maidenhead SL6 5BQ. Join us for a lovely, friends morning. Each month we bring a different theme. The meeting will include refreshments and is very informal, with a short time for a prayer. This is a morning for all in the community, especially those who are alone and would like to make friends and get to know others. Please note we have changed the date to the third Monday due to the Bank Holiday on 27 May. For more information email or telephone 07714 892599.
The Arts Society Maidenhead Lecture (Monday 20 May, 11.30am) - Baylis Theatre, Braywick Leisure Centre. The Athletic Aesthetic: Your Arts Society guide to the 2024 Olympics with Simon Inglis, writer and historian. From July to September 2024 Paris will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. But whilst most onlookers will focus on sport, art and design will also play a part, as they have since the games began at Olympia nearly three thousand years ago. For more information visit our website.
A Morning in Nature (Wednesday 22 May, 11am) - meeting at The Swan, SL4 5JG. Join us for a beautiful morning in nature for a seed planting session in the Green Room School’s Allotment followed by a lovely home cooked lunch at The Swan. To top it off after lunch there will be an uplifting talk on the joyful benefits of connecting with nature, from our Wellbeing Programme Manager and Mental Health Awareness Trainer (MHFA) Angela Gomes. There are limited spaces so email to secure your spot!
Dr Nori Graham Understanding Dementia event (Thursday 23 May, 2pm to 4pm) – Mountbatten Grange care home, Helston Lane, Windsor SL4 5GG. In this session, the Care UK dementia specialists Dr Nori Graham will give an overview of typical ageing and how symptoms differ from dementia. They will explore the signs of dementia, and the differences between the three most common types. After the event there will be a Q&A session. Free refreshments and parking. For more information email or call 01753 392690.
Maidenhead Music Society presents their last classical music concert of this season (Thursday 23 May, 7.45pm) - Altwood Road, Maidenhead SL6 4PF. Red Priest is a group which puts a twist on to baroque music with traditional and electronic instruments. "Truly, Madly Baroque" includes music by Bach, Purcell, Handel, Teleman, Couperin and Vivaldi. For more information visit our website.
Dementia-Friendly Walk & refreshments (Wednesday 22 May, 11am to 12.30pm) - Braywick Nature Reserve. Join us for a gentle dementia-friendly walk, followed by refreshments at the nature centre. This event is suitable for people with dementia and their carers. Meet in the car park at Braywick Nature Centre, Hibbert Road, Maidenhead, SL6 1UU. There is no need to book but if you would like more information contact 01189 594242 or email us.
Windsor Wellbeing Coffee Morning (Wednesday 5 June, 11.30am onwards) - Fox and Castle pub, Old Windsor. This will be a lovely morning where you can enjoy a natter and a hot drink. There'll be two short talks from Angela, a Mental Health Awareness Trainer, and Evie, a Nutritionist and Gut Health Specialist. Food and Mood - take control of your mood and get your mojo back. 7 Top Tips for Managing Stress - practical & uplifting tips for managing stress. Entry is free and drinks will be available to purchase. We’ll also have a few goody bags to snap up too! Email madeleine@maidenheadunitedfc-community.org to secure your spot!
117th Royal Windsor Flower Show (Saturday 8 June, 10am to 6pm) - Windsor Great Park. This is a fabulous one-day event that celebrates gardening, nature, cookery, traditional crafts and old-fashioned fun which raises money for the charitable causes of The Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultural Society. Set in the beautiful historic grounds of Windsor Great Park, you’ll find a quintessentially British competitions’ marquee, along with top-notch exhibitors, Great British Plant Nurseries, thought-provoking talks, delicious food and lots of entertainment and fun for all ages and abilities. It’s a truly wonderful way to spend memorable time with friends and family enjoying life’s simple pleasures. For more information visit our website.
The Royal Free Singers (Saturday 22 June, 7.30pm) - Windsor Parish Church invite you to join them for a delightful programme of music for a summer evening from the Italian masters. Vivaldi Gloria & Opera Choruses from Verdi, Puccini, Rossini and more. For more information visit our website.
Swan Lifeline volunteer office administrator and fundraising manager needed. The first is a crucial role in supporting the operational functions of a unique wildlife rescue and rehabilitation charity. Requires a detail-oriented person with excellent organisational and communication skills, as well as a passion for wildlife. If you’re interested in this role, please email or click here.
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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.
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Our consultations - have your say
We regularly hold consultations and surveys to get your views on proposals within the Royal Borough.
Participating, sharing ideas, and giving your feedback is the best way to ensure your views are heard.
Our current consultations are:
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Local Travel Updates
Council highways works:
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.
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Keep in touch
Keep up to date with news and information from the council by signing up to Nextdoor and following us on X and Facebook.
Other accounts you may be interested in:
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