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 Individuals and community groups who have gone above and beyond to support people across West Berkshire were celebrated at our 2023 Community Champion Awards Ceremony at Shaw House last week.
The judges were very impressed with the quality of nominations. As a result, there were several Highly Commended nominees in the Volunteer of the Year, Community Group of the Year and Lifetime Achievement categories.
The awards were presented by our Chairman, Councillor Jeremy Cottam, and the winners’ details will also be recorded in the "Roll of Civic Awards", which can be viewed at our Market Street Offices.
The winners of the awards were:
- Volunteer of the Year: Gillian Hornzee
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Susan Cocker
- Community Group of the Year: Speen Community Café
- The Pat Eastop MBE Junior Citizen of the Year Award: Thrishathi Srinivasan
The Community Champion Awards are an opportunity to say thank you to people who have done something special for their local community. Who would you like to see celebrated at the 2024 awards?
See the incredible achievements of our winners on our website.
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Choose registered charity banks for meaningful impact |
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Do you have textiles you need to recycle? Please recycle them responsibly by donating saleable clothing items to charity shops, using registered charity collection banks or Council-provided collection points across the district.
This advice follows the emergence of several unaffiliated textile banks across the district that are being investigated due to suspected false claims that they 'support people in need’. Clothing banks spotted in Milton Keynes and Northampton have shown some containers were owned by a limited company and not a charity.
It’s important to be aware of these potentially misleading clothes banks, as any clothing and shoes deposited in such containers may not benefit charitable causes or be disposed of in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Read more about it here.
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 New legislation has taken effect this week aimed at boosting biodiversity through major planning applications.
The Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) will ensure the natural environment and wildlife habitats are in a better state than they were before the development.
Applicable to minor sites starting from April 2024, it is anticipated to expand to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects by late November 2025, some exemptions apply.
As the local planning authority, the planning process will play a fundamental role in the delivery of biodiversity net gain as developers would be required to provide a minimum of 10% biodiversity gain, with the habitat needing to be secured for at least 30 years via planning conditions and obligations.
Read more about conserving and enhancing biodiversity across the district here.
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Keep up to date on road closures in your area by using the map of roadworks, including those of utility companies, on our website to plan your journeys. Click the link below for more information.
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 There’s a wealth of information on our website to help if you’ve been affected by flooding or are looking for advice on how to be prepared.
See the list below for help on what you can do:
As always, keep up to date on weather warnings by following your local news and weather channels. More information about preparing for emergencies and adverse weather can be found on our website.
 It’s a busy year for elections as we have By-Elections, a Police & Crime Commissioner election plus a General Election coming up.
In order to vote in the Newbury (Wash Common) and Thatcham (North East) Town Council by-elections, you need to be registered to vote by midnight on 27 February. If you wish to vote by post in the by-elections, you need to apply for a postal vote by 5pm on 28 February.
Registering to vote couldn't be easier. All you need is a spare five minutes and your National Insurance number. Make sure you're registered and have valid voter ID.
 Congratulations to everyone at Curridge Primary School for their outstanding phonics results.
They’ve been recognised in the top one per cent in the country for phonics results after all the pupils in Year 1 pupils achieved the expected standard last year.
Minister of State for Schools, MP Damian Hinds wrote to the students congratulating them on this fantastic achievement.
Well done to all at Curridge Primary School from everyone here at West Berkshire Council!
It is never too late to catch up. The MMR vaccine is free on the NHS, whatever your age.
Having two doses of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine at the right time (dose one from 12 months and dose two from three years four months) is the best way to protect your child and help prevent it spreading, especially to those most vulnerable. Two doses of the MMR vaccine gives you excellent lifelong protection. If you or your child have missed out on one or both doses, contact your GP surgery to catch up as soon as possible.
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Anyone can watch our Council and Committee meetings in person at our Market Street offices in Newbury and live on our YouTube channel to view the important decisions made by councillors on issues such as planning, waste services and schools.
Upcoming public meetings include:
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 Starting from Wednesday 21 February, Hungerford Library will be hosting chair-based wellbeing sessions every week from 1-1:30pm.
Led by qualified instructors from Get Berkshire Active, these classes are perfect for gently building your strength, suppleness, stamina and skill, as well as providing an opportunity to connect and socialise with others.
These sessions are free, but you do need to book in advance. For more information or to book a place, please call Kate on 07706 357801 or email kate.wiggins@getberkshireactive.org.
 Following on from their acclaimed show A Brief History of Music, GreenMatthews bring their new show to Shaw House on Saturday 23 March, 7.30-9.30pm exploring our rich history of witty wordplay and melodic mirth.
Chris Green (piano, guitar, accordion) and Sophie Matthews (early woodwinds, flute, saxophone) cover four centuries of chromatic comedy, ranging from bawdy Restoration ballads to stinging Sixties satire. Featuring songs by Noël Coward, Tom Lehrer, Flanders and Swann and a host of other lesser-known songwriters, this fun and fast-moving revue will have you rolling in the aisles!
Book your tickets here. Adults £12, children £6.
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Board games at our libraries |
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Come and play some familiar games and learn some new ones at our new Board Games Club at Thatcham Library. This free activity will run on the first Friday of every month, 2-4pm. No need to book, just drop in and join the fun.
Don’t forget that Mortimer Library also runs Board Games for children every Friday in term time, 3:45-5:45pm, and Newbury Library hosts a Board Games Meetup on the second and fourth Saturday of each month, 10am-1pm, suitable for all ages. Many other West Berkshire libraries provide games for children as part of their regular activities. Please ask in your local library to see what’s available near you.
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And finally...
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