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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.

The old pergola and wisteria at the front of Woodford Park Leisure Centre will be removed during the week beginning 29th March.

The structure has deteriorated over time and will be removed to keep the area safe. We are using this as an opportunity to smarted up that area with new planting in the flower beds and making use of the space for outdoor exercise classes.

Keep an eye out for more information on this via WPLC’s Facebook Page.

Wokingham Borough Council’s road resurfacing team will be returning to several sites across the borough for anti-skid works from 29th March, with overnight works, 8pm to 6am at Butts Hill Road and Headley Road.

To find out the exact schedule, please click HERE.

In September, the first Charity and Community Hub will open in Wokingham town centre.  

This is an ambitious project which builds on from the positive partnership developed between Wokingham Borough Council and the voluntary, charity and community sector during the Covid-19 pandemic.  

During the past year, it has become clear residents have really benefitted from the coordinated way the council and the voluntary, charity and community sector have worked together to ensure people get the help and support they need.   The hub will bring a number of voluntary, charity and community organisations under one roof.  The first hub will be based at Waterford House in Wokingham, and it will provide high quality information, advice and support to enable people to access the right services to meet their individual needs and circumstances at the right time. 

This is the first hub of its kind in Wokingham, and there are aspirations to roll out further hubs elsewhere in the borough during the coming years, as identified in Wokingham Borough Council’s voluntary and community sector strategy agreed in 2020.   

Wokingham Borough Council has submitted a planning application to refurbish Waterford House, ready for the Charity and Community Hub to open its doors later this year. Waterford House would be redecorated, and office space reconfigured to make it more appropriate for the voluntary, charity and community organisations moving into the building. Proposals also includes an application for a change of use – details can be found on the council’s website at www.wokingham.gov.uk and search ‘planning applications’ (planning application number: 210797). Subject to planning permission, refurbishment work would start in the summer. 

Cllr Charles Margetts, executive member for health, wellbeing and adult services, said: “The Wokingham Charity and Community Hub is the first of its kind in the borough and I am delighted we are making progress and turning our ambitions into reality.   “Planning for this hub has got off the ground thanks to the partnership approach between the borough council and the voluntary, charity and community organisations. The first hub’s location is at the heart of the town centre. It will allow the voluntary, charity and community sector to work closely together, sharing resources where possible and delivering services as close as possible to people in their own communities, which is great news for our residents.”

Woodley Town Council Members support local residents in the objection of a planning application for the installation of a 20m high telecommunications mast and ancillary equipment on land to the North East of Vauxhall Drive, namely Vauxhall Park. 

At the Town Council’s Planning & Community Meeting on 23^rd March, Members noted there had been in excess of 200 responses to this planning application, the vast majority of which objected to the proposals. Three members of the public attended the virtual meeting to voice their objections. 

Council Members noted these objections related to the siting of the mast in Vauxhall Park, and not the general need to erect a telecommunications mast in the area, which they acknowledged to be a necessity to allow 5G rollout. 

Members also noted the Town Council had previously responded to Wokingham Borough Council’s draft Local Plan consultation recommending Vauxhall Park, amongst other green spaces, be designated as a Local Green Space in the Local Plan update. 

Council Members agreed with the objections cited by residents, both at the meeting and in comments submitted to the planning authority, and fully supported the view locating the mast in Vauxhall Park was not appropriate. 

Woodley Town Council has consequently written to Wokingham Borough Council’s planning authority to recommend refusal of this planning application on the grounds that the proposal will: 

• Lead to the reduction of available green space for recreation and enjoyment
• Impact on local biodiversity and wildlife 
• Compromise the safety of park users during construction 
• Dominate the local skyline and nearby dwarf trees and houses
• Have a negative impact on a vital local amenity for residents
• Be contrary to the Town Council’s recommendation to designate Vauxhall Park as a Local Green Space as part of Wokingham Borough Council’s Local Plan Update. 

The application is 210668, and can be viewed at https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/planning/. The consultation ends on March 26^th.