 Nigel Lynn has been appointed as the new Chief Executive for West Berkshire Council.
Bringing a wealth of experience to the role, and a clear ambition to ensure our customers are at the heart of everything we do, Nigel was a unanimous choice for the position.
Councillor Lynne Doherty, Leader of West Berkshire Council, said of the appointment: “Nigel joins us at an important time as we look ahead at our future plans and those areas which are most important to residents. Recovering from the pandemic, delivering on our environmental commitments and improving the health and wellbeing of our communities are just some of the priorities for us in the coming years."
We look forward to welcoming Nigel to West Berkshire, and introducing him to local communities when he joins us in the autumn.
 We want to remind residents how to protect themselves during hot weather.
Although the warmer weather is something we all look forward to, excessive exposure to heat is particularly dangerous for those who are more vulnerable, such as the young and old and those with medical conditions.
Being weather-aware will help reduce the negative impacts of excessive heat on our health and also help prevent excess deaths. During warmer spells be sure to:
• Check on vulnerable friends/family • Stay hydrated • Keep your environment cool • Spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm • Wear sun cream
Our Free School Meal voucher scheme is being extended into the school summer holiday period for eligible children.
The programme will provide vouchers for 3,921 children across the district and support families in need as the district recovers from the pandemic.
The programme is being funded through West Berkshire's allocation of £262,483 from the national COVID Local Grant Support Scheme that the government is extending for a third and final time up until September, along with a top up of £31,592 from a separate Covid fund that we manage.
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 Plant for our Planet is a Government initiative, led by Defra and a campaign we are supporting. The campaign is to encourage individuals, communities and businesses to help protect the natural world, either by starting a new activity or by joining an existing project. From planting window boxes and re-wilding gardens, to establishing wildlife ponds and transforming disused land into nature havens, people across the UK are already doing their bit to preserve and restore the great outdoors.
This week is Bees Needs Week and we're encouraging residents to take five simple actions to care for bees and other pollinators.
Bees are an essential part of our environment and have an important role in food production and our ecosystem. They contribute the equivalent of more than £500 million a year to UK agriculture and food production, by improving crop quality and quantity – and are also vital to our wider, natural ecosystems.
See how you can take part by viewing the five actions.
By bringing all of these actions - big and small - together under one Plant for our Planet banner, we want to showcase and celebrate efforts to preserve the natural world. In doing so, we want to inspire others to get involved, building momentum so that by the time we get to COP26 in November, we are well on our way to a million actions to protect nature.
 Multi-award nominated Immersion Theatre proudly presents an unforgettable adaptation of William Shakespeare’s iconic, Romeo & Juliet.
Moving, funny, and tragic in equal measure, this beautiful production will see Immersion continue to build on their reputation for producing Shakespeare for all, be it the seasoned theatre-goer or budding literary enthusiast. This is Shakespeare as it’s meant to be: interactive, fun, and highly accessible!
Suitable for ages 10+. Bring your own picnic, warm clothes, seating/rug.
Sunday 25 July | Shaw House | Gates 6pm, Show 7pm | Adults £12, Under 16s £8
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