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 To support vulnerable residents over the winter period, a further £694,000 will be made available until March 2023 via the Household Support Fund (HSF).
To date, the HSF, has successfully helped support more than 2,400 households to pay for energy bills, food, clothing and wider essentials. The funding has also supported more than 4,000 children across our district by providing Free School Meal vouchers, recognising the additional financial pressure during this time.
The provision of Free School Meal vouchers will be prioritised to assist and support children during school holidays and will be made available directly via early-years settings and schools.
More information can be found on our website.
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 Cllr Steve Ardagh-Walter, our Executive Member for Environment and Transformation, and Kofi Adu-Gyamfi, our Waste Manager, will be hosting a talk and Q&A about our waste and recycling services on Wednesday 19 October at 5pm on our Facebook channel.
If you have any questions you'd like Steve or Kofi to answer on the night, you can ask them live on the session but the best way to do this is by pre-submitting your question via email with the title “Waste Facebook Live Event” before 4pm on 18 October, the day before the FB live, to ensure it will be answered.
We will aim to get through as many pre-submitted and live questions as we can on the night.
Click here to follow us on Facebook
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 Did you know our rubbish bins are made up of over 25% of food waste? So let's work together to recycle food waste.
Your new separate weekly food waste collection service starts on 31 October 2022. Food waste caddies and liners have started to be delivered so if you haven't received yours please keep an eye out for them arriving.
If you place your rubbish and recycling into a communal bin store with shared bins, your bin store will receive at least one purple wheelied bin to share with your neighbours and your service will start week commencing 28 November 2022, you'll receive your new containers by 25 November 2022.
You can view our YouTube video on food waste collections here or for more information visit our website.
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With over 1,500 members of staff corporately, plus additional members of staff working across our local schools and education settings, we're one of the largest employers in the area. There are lots of reasons to consider a career with us - from the wide range of services we provide to the training and benefits we offer.
Current vacancies include:
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 We are looking to create a sustainable Christmas shopping guide for residents featuring local independent stores, charity shops, farm shops, craft stores, environmental events such as repair cafes and swap shops, and more.
With the cost of living crisis affecting us all, we want to help residents to shop local this Christmas. In addition, as shoppers also face increasing costs, we'll be encouraging them to ‘shop less but shop better’ or ‘upcycle’ by promoting sustainable options for them.
What is your business doing to help make West Berkshire a green district? This could include publishing a climate strategy or plan, achieving carbon certification, using renewable energy and recyclable packaging, or choosing a sustainable supply chain. Maybe you provide vegan or locally-sourced produce, or support environmental projects in your area. Tell us all about your business to be included in the online Christmas guide!
You can read about our own Environmental priorities in our Environment Strategy here.
The deadline for applications is 30 October 2022. We are aiming to publish the online magazine mid-November.
Click here to apply.
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We value your views on the decisions we take. There are several areas we are currently holding consultations on, including:
- A proposal to create a specialist education centre for children with Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs at Kennet Valley Primary School in Calcot. See more information online on our website.
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Whether you want to start breathing easier, feel the energy boost or even have a little more money to spend, there’s never been a better time to stop smoking. Solutions for Health Smokefreelife Berkshire will be in the Reception area at the Council offices, Market Street, Newbury between 10am to 2pm on 18th October to chat with anyone who would like advice or information on how to stop smoking
Many people try to quit with willpower alone, but it’s much easier to go smoke-free with the right help. Smokefreelife Berkshire offers a great range of options to suit the level of support you want or need. These include the Quit with Bella app, quitting with a wellness coach and specialist help if you've made several attempts but haven't been able to quit for the long term. Increase your chances of success by choosing the option that works for you.
Visit the Smokefreelife Berkshire website to find out more.
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Lionesses Inspire the Future Generation |
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As the Lionesses continue to thrive in the world of football, hear what our future Lionesses at Thatcham & Newbury Ladies and Girls FC have to say about women in football and why they love the beautiful game. You can watch the videos here.
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And finally...
- Two community-minded individuals are being sought to join the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel, the body which is tasked with holding the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner to account across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and Oxfordshire. Find out more and apply here.
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