Welcome to this week’s Residents’ Newsletter from West Berkshire Council. Please use the translation widget to read in your own language.
Your chance to review the draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy and more…
Residents of West Berkshire are being invited to review the draft Berkshire West Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2021-2030.
The draft strategy aims to drive positive change to tackle the underlying causes of poor health and wellbeing. It sets out how health and social care professionals, together with other partners, will work to improve the health of people living in West Berkshire, Wokingham and Reading over the next ten years.
The proposals focus on addressing the top five priorities identified by respondents from a previous public consultation that ended in February 2021. These priorities are:
- Reduce the differences in health between different groups of people
- Support individuals at high risk of bad health outcomes to live healthy lives
- Help children and families in early years
- Promote good mental health and wellbeing for all children and young people
- Promote good mental health and wellbeing for all adults
The survey is open until midnight, 4 August.
Community Cafes are coming to West Berkshire!
Educafe is launching weekly FREE cafes that will be taking place at different places across West Berkshire, starting with Newbury on 7 July.
The purpose of the Community Cafes is to bring people together in safe, friendly spaces to eat, learn and make new friends.
The Community Cafes will feature:
- Opportunity to meet the Educafe team
- Chance to find out more about services from local providers
- Confidential help desks
- Ethnic market stalls for ethnic enterprises
- Weekly activities and learning opportunities, including English conversation practise
Join the first Community Cafe on 7 July in Newbury
Educafe is extending a warm invitation to its first Community Cafe on Wednesday, 7 July from 11am to 3pm, at the Global Indoor Garden in Newbury. There will be free tea and cake for all.
You can also meet Educafe at Thatcham Family Fun day on 27 June 2021.
Cycling & Wellbeing Festival – 10 July, Calcot
Come and join us at this free event in Holybrook Linear Park, 10am-3pm Saturday 10 July, and explore ways to be more active.
We’ve got something for everyone, whether you are interested in cycling, walking or just generally getting active.
Marvel at the BMX stunt display team, meet Dr Bike and have your bike MOT’d, enjoy a guided ride on the grounds or have your bike security marked – plus lots more to get you active.
We will be following Covid guidance to ensure the safety of all of our staff and attendees. All staff, exhibitors and volunteers will have undertaken a lateral flow test (rapid Covid-19 test) to keep you safe. We encourage all visitors to take a lateral flow test before arriving; see more information on our lateral flow testing webpage/
West Berkshire Heritage events and activities
Are you looking for things to do this summer?
Sign up to the West Berkshire Heritage mailing list to receive email updates about events and activities at Shaw House and West Berkshire Museum.
There are loads of fun events for adults and children including outdoor theatre, picnics, a sculpture exhibition, online history talks, and online craft making.
Sign up to receive events information
National Highways & Transport Survey – a voice for residents
Keep an eye out to see if you are one of the lucky residents to be asked for your views on West Berkshire highways and transport services.
A Public Satisfaction Survey is being sent out from the National Highways and Transport Network to a random sample of West Berkshire residents. The survey will ask your views on the condition of roads and footpaths and the quality of cycling facilities.
The survey will be sent out by mid-June, followed by a reminder, with local and national results to be published in late-October 2021. Since the survey is based on a sample, residents who receive a copy are being urged to take part when the survey drops on your doormat.
Read more information about the survey
Free online service to find local career and training opportunities
Berkshire Opportunities is here to help you make informed career decisions, access thousands of live, local job vacancies and explore exciting apprenticeships and training opportunities. We are proud to be supporting this initiative led by Thames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
Whether you are a job seeker, are facing redundancy, a student taking the next step, or simply want to explore the region’s rich variety of careers, Berkshire Opportunities has tons of support to find secure and fulfilling employment.
Visit https://www.berkshireopportunities.co.uk/ – your one-stop portal for local careers insight, information, advice and inspiration.
HMRC can help towards the cost of children’s summer holiday activities
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding working families in the South East that they can use Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for their childcare costs over the summer.
Tax-Free Childcare – a childcare top-up for working parents – can be used to help pay for accredited holiday clubs, childminders or sports activities. This gives parents and carers that extra peace of mind that their child is having fun during the school summer holidays and it can save them money.
Tax-Free Childcare is available for children aged up to 11, or 17 if the child has a disability. Parents and carers can check their eligibility and register for Tax-Free Childcare via GOV.UK on: gov.uk/tax-free-childcare.
They can apply for an account at any time and start using it straight away. By depositing money into their accounts, families can benefit from the 20% top-up and use the money to pay for childcare costs when they need to, for example, during the summer holidays.
See Get Tax-Free Childcare information
M4 Junction 12 Traffic Signal Replacement
Starting 5 July, Highways England will be carrying out work to upgrade the traffic signals around junction 12 of the M4 at Theale with new LED signals and controllers. Refurbishments will include upgrading to extra low voltage cabling and equipment to reduce our carbon footprint and energy costs.
Please note that these works are subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. Highways England will advertise the closures on yellow signs placed in advance at the junction, and on its South-East Twitter page (@HighwaysSEAST.
To view project timetable and further information, please click on the link below.
Emergency Alerts testing
The UK government’s new Emergency Alerts system will enable people to be contacted via their mobile phone when lives are in danger. It will be used to warn you in emergencies such as severe flooding or terror attacks.
Emergency Alerts are sent to all compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data. Only the government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you’ll still be kept informed through other channels.
If you get an Emergency Alert on your phone, you’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound. A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond. You’ll be able to check an alert is genuine at https://www.gov.uk/alerts
Emergency Alert testing in Reading – 29 June, 1-2pm
To ensure the Emergency Alerts system works effectively, the government and mobile phone operators be carrying out a series of tests. The first test will be in Reading on 29 June, between 1pm and 2pm. If you receive a test alert, you won’t need to do anything on this occasion. If you receive one in the future, read the alert carefully and follow the instructions.
Following the test, please complete the user survey at gov.uk/alerts so the Government can gather and respond to feedback and make improvements to Emergency Alerts.
To find out more about Emergency Alerts, visit https://www.gov.uk/alerts
Have a go at home composting
If you have the space, home composting is the most eco-friendly way to dispose of kitchen and garden waste. It produces excellent, nutrient-rich compost which helps reduce the need for fertilisers, as well as helping you save money. See information about home composters
If you can’t compost your food waste, request your free green bin, which you can put out for kerbside waste collection.
To receive more environment-related ideas and updates please sign up for our monthly Environment News Bulletin.
And finally…
- Thank you to everyone who provided their valuable feedback as part of our Rights of Way Improvement Plan (ROWIP) review. We had around 2,000 respondents and we are currently analysing the results. Our new ROWIP will be launched later in 2021.
- We want to say a great big thank you to all the litter heroes who have worked to make West Berkshire’s outdoor spaces cleaner and greener during the Great British Spring Clean! Remember we can loan litter pickers and equipment for clean-up events in our community all year round; find out more here.
- The last few remaining places are available on our Bikeability family summer training. This course provides a tailored training package to help people living in the same household cycle together (minimum 2 riders). Please contact activetravel@westberks.gov.uk for more information.
