UK charities are inviting you, your family and friends to take part in The 2.6 Challenge from Sunday 26 April to help raise much needed funds and help save some charities from closing. 

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on charities, with the cancellation of thousands of events and the loss of billions in fundraising income. In response, the organisers of the biggest mass-participation sports events across the country have come together to create a new campaign to raise vital funds to help to save the UK’s charities. The 2.6 Challenge will launch on Sunday 26^th April – what should have been the date of the 40^th London Marathon, the world’s biggest one-day annual fundraising event. 

Charities are asking you to take part in an activity of your choice based around the numbers 2.6 or 26 and fundraise or donate via designated fundraising pages.

People of all ages are taking on The 2.6 Challenge with a host of activities – from walking, running or cycling 2.6 miles, juggling for 2.6 minutes, to holding online workouts with 26 friends. The ideas and options are endless. The only requirement is that you must follow Government guidelines on exercise and social distancing. Most people are taking part from Sunday 26^th April but you can do your activity whenever is most convenient for you. There are just five simple steps to take:

• Dream up your 2.6 challenge – if you need help there are lots of ideas at: https://twopointsixchallenge.justgiving.com/inspiration
• Head to twopointsixchallenge.co.uk to donate £26 – or whatever you can afford – to Berkshire Youth or to set up a fundraising page
• Ask all your friends and family to sponsor you and challenge them to do their own 2.6 Challenge
• Complete your challenge
• Share a photo or video of your challenge on social media with #TwoPointSixChallenge 

For further information on The 2.6 Challenge, including a list of partners and supporters, and for more ideas about what your activity could be, visit twopointsixchallenge.co.uk.

31/3/2020

Message from Woodley Town Mayor Cllr Kay Gilder

Dear Woodley residents,

While we are indeed living in very strange circumstances during this Covid-19 pandemic, I would like to commend our ever-present community spirit as we all do our bit to help curb the spread of coronavirus by following the Government recommended guidelines for staying at home. 

The guidelines outline four reasons for leaving our homes that we must all adhere to:

1. shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
2. one form of exercise a day, for example a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household.
3. any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
4. travelling to and from work, but only where you cannot work from home.

Play areas are now closed, however, please continue to use our beautiful green spaces to exercise, being mindful not to drive to these areas and to stay 2 metres away from people not in your household and to wash your hands as soon as you get home.

If you have symptoms of coronavirus please follow the self-isolating rules of seven days and 14 days for your household members. If you have underlying health conditions please also follow the advice to keep yourself self-isolated to reduce your chances of contracting coronavirus. Advice can be found at: www.nhs.uk/coronavirus.

If you are feeling vulnerable or need help and support I urge you to contact the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (Please call 0300 330 1189 and enter 0118 978 7258 when prompted) who can provide advice and put you in touch with local charities, including the Wokingham Borough Community Hub, which is distributing food, toiletries and essential items to the vulnerable.

Many neighbours are also happy to help and we are lucky to have such a great community in Woodley, which I urge you to either ask for or offer help. If you are in a position to offer help, then please consider signing up as a volunteer at: www.wokinghamvolunteercentre.org.uk. If you are concerned about a vulnerable adult, please call Adult Social Services on 0118 9746000, or 01344 786543 out of hours and for concerns regarding children please call 0118 9088002. 

The Woodley Town Council website (www.woodley.gov.uk/coronavirus-update) is updated regularly with Covid-19 related news and advice, so please access this if you can or check its posts on Facebook and Twitter. 

I would also like to praise those working in key worker positions for all their help and support, particularly those who may have to leave their families to protect them and us. I’m sure you will join me in also thanking our community for joining in with the national Clap for the NHS last Thursday evening. It was a very moving moment to feel everyone united in their thanks and support. 

I wish you all the best of health and look forward to seeing you all back in our community in the very near future. 

Cllr Kay Gilder, Woodley Town Mayor

8/4/2020

Virtual library events brought to you by Wokingham Borough Libraries

For more information please click HERE.

Reminder: primary and junior school places revealed on Thursday 16/4/2020

30/3/2020

All Covid-19 related news will be on the one page instead of individual news stories.

Any non-coved-19 related news will be added as a new news story in the News Section.

To access the Covid-19 page please click HERE or click on the link on the homepage.

25/3/2020

We understand that the new Government measures will undoubtedly have a major impact on you all and whilst this is difficult, it is a necessary adjustment. This is about protecting yourselves, each other and the emergency services working hard to keep you safe.

We ask you all to please take notice of the new direction from government and stay at home to help the national effort to stop the spread of the virus.

Thames Valley Police will, as always, police with respect and engagement and we will continue our day to day policing and we will be working with our communities so they understand the importance of complying with the government direction.

We continue to follow government, Public health England and the National Police Chief’s Council’s direction in the fight against Coronavirus.

We have tried and tested contingency plans in operation to enable us to continue to protect the most vulnerable in society and respond to where the need is most.

All precautions are being taken in order to protect our officers and staff so that we continue to police the Thames Valley.

Thank you for your support.

We will continue to share updates on social media and through Thames Valley Alerts. For more information on Coronavirus, you may want to visit the following sites:

• NHS advice – How to avoid catching or spreading germs and when to seek medical help
• PHE advice – Daily updates, signs and symptoms, current risk level
• Government updates – Daily updates on the outbreak

25/3/2020

The Wokingham Borough Community Hub is now open to provide food, toiletries and other essentials to people in Wokingham borough who need them. Wokingham Borough Council is working with local charities to provide a community wide response to help vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis. 

The community hub will be providing food parcels, toiletries and other essentials to anyone in the borough who is vulnerable, isolated or elderly, and to families in need. 

If you are in need of support, contact Citizen’s Advice on 0300 330 1189 (entering 0118 978 7258 if prompted) Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Or visit http://citizensadvicewokingham.org.uk/coronavirus/ and complete the online form.

Find out more about the community hub at https://www.facebook.com/wokinghamcommunityhub/

The community hub needs your donations: please donate any extra food, toiletries and other essentials by dropping them off at our no contact drop off centre at St Crispin’s Leisure Centre, London Road, Wokingham, Monday to Saturday 08.30-16.30.

20/4/2020 – new donation collection centres:

• Lower Earley Library
• Twyford Library
• Woodley Library

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 10.00-12.00. (Please note no library service).

Please always check the Wokingham Borough Community Hub Facebook page for the latest information. 

Alternatively, monetary donations can be made via its Just Giving Page.

The council is working with Involve Community Services, Citizens Advice, Wokingham Volunteer Centre, The Link Visiting Scheme, First Days, Wokingham Foodbank, Age UK Berkshire, Local Churches and others.

In line with UK government guidance regarding the Coronavirus outbreak, all Wokingham Borough Council and Woodley Town Council owned play areas are now closed.

Gates have been secured and signage erected. Please observe the Government instruction NOT to use these play areas.

We appreciate your support with this matter and encourage our residents to stay home and stay safe, following the UK Government guidelines.

re3 Recycling Centres in Bracknell and Reading are now closed following new guidelines of strict restrictions on movement and to help reduce the Covid-19 spread.

Statement from the facilities:

This decision has not been taken lightly but we must now all play our part and stay home to save lives and protect the vulnerable, elderly and the NHS.
Please maximise your kerbside collections and hold on to any inert waste you may have. We’ll be reviewing this decision after the initial three-week period of lockdown. 
We are grateful for your understanding and please keep follow us for any further updates, check the updates via re3cyclopedia app or on the website www.re3.org.uk 

For further guidance from the National Allotment Society, please click HERE.