Woodley Town Centre community garden planting to start this summer

We are pleased to announce that we have drafted a visual and sensory design for the planting in the new walled garden area in the town centre. 

However, this is unfortunately unable to start until Wokingham Borough Council carries out crown lifting works to the trees in early summer, which is the best time for these particular trees to be cut. This is necessary before any planting begins as it will allow more light into the area and stimulate better plant growth. 

We are still waiting for a confirmed date from Wokingham Borough Council. 

Planting

Central planting of a selection of shade growing shrubs such as hydranga, japonicas, hellebore, ornamental grass, hosta, vibernam and ferns will form part of the design. Along with peripheral planting of crocus, snowdrops, bluebells and wood anemone. 

This will provide a good mix of planting in terms of appearance, height, colour and scent. Some larger shrubs will also be considered to provide a focal point along with smaller shrubs and ground cover. 

The design has been planned to be adapted and added to as the garden develops. 

Community involvement 

We want the garden to be an on-going project with scope for community involvement from individuals and local groups and organisations. We have already received many offers of assistance and involvement that can be accommodated and encouraged in different ways. There may be an opportunity for volunteers to be involved in the initial planting and maintenance during the first season, under the direction of the Grounds Maintenance Manager. 

There will also be opportunities for groups to become more involved, such as local schools. 

This forms part of a larger plan to arrange volunteer planting days, under the supervision of the Grounds Maintenance Manager, across many of our parks and green spaces. 

Please note that, at this stage, it is subject to the health and safety guidelines during the Covid 19 pandemic. 

Town Council Leader Cllr Keith Baker is eager to get the planting started and is delighted with the initial garden design and potential community involvement. 

“We originally had two options for the design of the planting and chose the one that was the most visually stimulating, ensuring that the walled garden area becomes a stunning focal point in the town centre. 

We will also be considering additional accessible seating and will be discussing options for the type, quantity and location of any seating in future committee meetings, with public consultation.”

Can we please remind people to not put any rubbish in the garden area. Thank you. 

12th April 2021

The Oakwood Centre remains closed to the general public. 

However, we are able to take bookings that fall within the Covid 19 allowed parameters. Please contact bookings@woodley.gov.uk for further information. 

Brown Bag Cafe remains closed. Please contact them directly for more information. info@brownbagcafe.co.uk 

Waste bags can be ordered to be delivered from Wokingham Borough Council or collected from Woodley Library. Please contact Wokingham Borough Council directly for more information.

Borough Council and Woodley Town Council elections 6 May

On Thursday 6 May, Wokingham Borough residents will head to the polls for the Borough Council and Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley Police Force area elections.  There are also Town Council by-elections in Wokingham and Woodley. (Please see below for persons nominated.)

Voters have a range of options for casting their ballot – in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is5pm on 20 April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is5pm on 27 April.  

For those who choose to vote in person, polling stations will be safe places to vote on 6 May. Voters are encouraged to keep themselves and others safe by:

• Wearing a face covering
• Bringing their own pen or pencil
• Cleaning their hands when entering and leaving the polling station
• Keeping a safe distance.

Voters should not attend the polling station if they have symptoms of Covid-19, or if they have been asked to self-isolate. There will be provisions in place to apply for an emergency proxy vote if required due to health circumstances.   

Andrew Moulton, assistant director governance, said: “It’s important to make sure your voice is heard at the elections in May, and we are putting measures in place to help you cast your vote safely. You can vote either vote at a polling station, by post or by proxy.  “You can find more information about how to apply to vote by post or proxy on our website at: www.wokingham.gov.uk (search for “elections 2021”).
“However you choose to vote, you must be registered in order to have your say at the elections – the easiest way to register is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.” 

The deadline to register to vote in this coming May’s elections is 11:59pm, Monday 19 April.  Residents will receive a polling card informing them of the elections taking place in their area including details of when and where to vote. Individuals do not need their polling card with them to vote but will be asked to provide their name and address to a member of staff on duty. 

Residents can find out more information, including their ward and where to vote on our website:www.wokingham.gov.uk (search for “elections 2021”).

Please Click HERE to view all persons nominated in the Wokingham Borough area.

26/3/21

Wokingham Borough Council will be carrying out crown lifting works to the trees in early summer,  in advance of the Town Council planting the garden.

Unfortunately we need to wait for the tree works so that the new planting isn’t damaged when this is carried out. The Town Council has allocated £4,500 toward the planting and we have a planting plan which will add colour and sensory elements to the space and will be involving volunteers in the planting and ongoing maintenance. 

Sign up for cycle training and activities 

Bikeability Learn to Ride and Balance Bike Clubs
We are delighted to announce that we are re-starting our Bikeability Learn to Ride sessions and Balance Bike Clubs both at Finchampstead Baptist Centre and Woodford Park. The sessions start up on Wednesday, 21 April and on Thursday, 22 April.

Bikeability Learn to Ride costs £6 per session and Balance Bike Club is FREE. You must however book via our website as numbers are restricted.

Woky Wheels 4 All
Cycling is for everyone! Come and try out our recumbent tricycles – perfect for anybody with balance or mobility issues.  We also have standard two-wheeled bicycles to borrow.  These FREE sessions are open to all residents of Wokingham Borough.

The sessions take place on Thursdays during term-time at the bike track at Finchampstead Baptist Centre at 10am and 11am.  Booking is essential via our website.

Breeze
Breeze rides for women re-started on 29 March (with social distancing measures) and we are initially concentrating on offering easy rides for beginners or ladies returning to cycling. Details of all rides can be found on the British Cycling Let’s Ride website.

What’s on over Easter?

We’re so egg-cited to announce that Avanti Cycling will be running two holiday courses for us in the Easter holidays. 

• Level 1/2 training on 12th/13th April
• Level 3 training on 16th April

To book a place please visit the Avanti Cycling’s website.

We have lots of other Covid-safe activities to keep your family entertained over the holidays including:

• Easter Bike Trail with treasure hunt starting at Mohawk Way, Woodley
• Air Quality Easter Walking Trail – starts opposite St Crispin’s Skate Park
• Air Quality Superhero Writing Story
• Easter themed treasure hunt at Arborfield Green
• Easter themed treasure hunt at Emmbrook

 Visit our website to find out more about these and other activities we have planned.

How can we help you to walk or cycle more?

Would you prefer to walk or cycle more around the borough? If so, we want your thoughts on what’s stopping you.

We’re currently developing a local cycling and walking infrastructure plan (LCWIP) for the borough, as well as a plan specifically for Wokingham town centre. We’d love to hear your thoughts on issues in your area that prevent you walking or cycling and where you would like to see improvements.

The aim is to determine where best to focus future investment in active travel infrastructure to support walking and cycling across the area.

To help shape the walking and cycling network across the borough visit wokinghamlcwip.commonplace.is where you will have the opportunity to leave your thoughts and opinions.

Visit our news website to find out more including how to share your thoughts.

Wokingham Air Quality Project

Our vital air quality improvement project has been extended after receiving £125,000 grant from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The purpose of the grant is to provide support to local authorities in England to develop or implement measures that deliver air quality benefits, developing solutions to increase awareness and encourage positive behavioural changes.

We’ve used previous funding to employ a dedicated eco-travel officer who has been working directly in schools with teachers, pupils and their families to increase active travel and improve the air quality within Wokingham Borough with a focus on health and the environment. Visit our website to find out more.

Modeshift STARS

Congratulations to our schools who have achieved their Modeshift STARS:

• Evendons: Platinum
• The Coombes: Silver
• Wescott Infants: Bronze
• Shinfield St Mary’s Junior: Green
• Hawthorns Primary: Bronze

Modeshift STARS is the national schools awards scheme that has been established to recognise schools that have demonstrated excellence in supporting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable travel.

To find out how your school could gain Modeshift STARS accreditation and be in with a chance of winning a £2,000 grant for your school to promote sustainable travel contact our My Journey team today.

Congratulations to all our competition winners

Build a bee house
School children across the borough have been designing  bee houses as part of our recent competition.  They were also learning about the importance of bees, how air quality can affect them and how we can help. Visit our website to find out more

Half-term cycle trails
During the February half-term, lockdown meant that we could not organise any group rides but, to encourage people to get out on their bikes, we came up with two cycle trails which families could complete on their own each about 5-6 miles long. Visit our website to find out more.

Air quality competition
Hawthorns Primary School pupils were delighted to take part in our competition to design an air quality poster asking drivers to stop idling and care for their health and environment. Three winners will have their poster printed on a banner which will be displayed outside the school gate. Visit our My Journey website to find out more.

Congratulations to all our winners and thank you to everyone who took part.

The Big Pedal

The Big Pedal is back on 19-30 April and this year’s theme is Amazing Journeys which involves encouraging pupils to see their local areas from a different perspective and learn about the benefits of active travel.

Has your school signed up to take part in the Big Pedal?  Find out more information about the Big Pedal on Sustrans website.

Virtual Events for Adults

Authors Online in April with Jenny Quintana on Tuesday 13 April 6.30-7.30pm

The wonderfully talented local author Jenny Quintana, will be along to talk about her new book The Hiding Place as well as her influences, processes and what is it like to write thrillers. This exciting session is funded by the BBC Novels That Shaped Our World project, and supported by Libraries Connected, BBC Novels and ACE (Arts Council England)

Trouble Sleeping on Wednesday 21 April  6.30- 7.30pm

Dr Lindsay Browning talks about sleep problems and her new book Navigating Sleeplessness

Book Chat on Friday 23 April  2.00-2.30pm

Join library staff on World Book Night for book recommendations and to find out what’s new. Also come and tell us about your own favourite book from the lockdown period.

To sign up for all these events email libraries@wokingham.gov.uk

Lifting the Sky in Words and Pictures

A series of three online, illustrated talks by visual artist Chris Holley on the mutual creative inspiration between herself and poet Myra Schneider in which you hear about, see – and get chance to discuss – the poems that inspired the painting and, in turn, the paintings that inspired the poems.

• Tuesday 20 April, 11am  Session 1: Hepworth sculpture, a poem and a shawl: movement and dynamic line.
• Monday 24 May 24, 2pm Session 2: Musical inspiration and creative interpretation.
• Wednesday 23 June, 2pm Session 3: Matisse and the soaring of the spirit.

Visit our libraries blog for more details about the Lifting the Sky sessions.

Virtual Events for Young People 

Join us this April for a variety of virtual events from Storytime’s, Explore learning Sessions and Poetry inspired art activity. For a full list of our April Activities Blog.

To sign up just email libraries@wokingham.gov.uk with the session you would like to attend, your name and library card number and you will be sent details of how to join the day before.

Have you tried the Libby App? with troubleshooting FAQs.

Our eLibrary is now available on the Libby app, which you can download from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store. You will need your library card number and PIN to sign in.

Please visit our Libby troubleshooting FAQs for more details.

Crack down on fly tipping

Wokingham Borough Council continues to crackdown on fly-tipping across the borough, reminding offenders that ‘We Are Watching’ – and we are catching!

But the Council needs your help to catch even more people responsible for this criminal activity.

The pictures above from Commonfield Lane in Barham and Kingsbridge Hill are some of the most recent reports of fly-tipping that we need help with.

If you can assist the Council in regards to the waste shown, or want a closer look on its website of these and other examples, please contact the Council with any information you have. All information will be treated in confidence. If the information you provide results in a successful prosecution you will receive a gift card to the value of £100.

Any fly-tipping you spot around the borough can be reported online on the map. And remember, your waste is your responsibility. Ensure you use a licensed waste carrier to remove any household rubbish. You can use the Environment Agency’s quick check tool.

Easter weekend bin collections

On Good Friday (2 April) and Easter Monday (5 April) bin collections will start earlier than usual, with rounds starting from 5.30am.

If you’re due a collection on either of these days please put your items out the night before.

It is with great sadness that we announce that Councillor Dave Mills passed away this week. 

Dave was first elected to Woodley Town Council in 2007, when he stood for election in Warren Ward and where he remained for the duration of his time as a Town Councillor.

Cllr Mills was on several committees, including the Town Council’s Planning & Community Committee, Strategy & Resources Committee, Risk Management Working Party, Standing Orders & Financial Regulations Working Party and its Urgency Committee. 

He also served as Town Mayor on two separate occasions during 2015-16 and 2020-21.

Cllr Jenny Cheng said: “Serving the residents of Woodley was very important to Dave. His pride of joy, however, was while in the position of Town Mayor of Woodley, which he held to be an honour. I worked with him for many years and I know he was always willing to help anyone. We shall all miss him.”

Our thoughts are with his family and friends. He will be greatly missed.

Please continue to respect and follow the rules.

We are still experiencing antisocial behaviour in the Garden of Remembrance in Woodford Park.

We are in regular contact with the local police team to try and deal with this.

If you have any concerns about antisocial behaviour please let us know and also contact the police team via the 101 phone number or via the Thames Valley Police website.