Wokingham Borough Connect
 Get up to 15 per cent off half-term activity camps
Half-term is just around the corner and borough children will be delighted to know that Power-Up Activity Camps will be running from Monday 30 May to Wednesday 1 June 2022 at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre.
There's plenty of fun activities taking place including pool fun, inflatable fun, badminton, children's yoga, hockey, martial arts, football, rounders, cricket, athletics, trampolining, dodgeball, tag rugby, basketball, tennis, soft play, dance and many more.
The Sport and Leisure team is running two fantastic promotions* when you book an activity camp:
- Receive an early bird 10 per cent off discount when you book an activity camp in May. Enter code MAY10 at the checkout. Valid until 20 May 2022
- Receive 15 per cent off when you book an activity day in May and during the summer holiday. Enter code SUMMER15 at the checkout. Valid until 1 June 2022
To view the timetable of activities and book your child’s place, register or login to the council's booking website. There is a 10 per cent off sibling discount which is automatically applied at the checkout when parents book two or more children for the camp.
The activity camps are suitable for borough children aged five to 12 years old. Please note that this is a separate scheme, paid by parents, to the government-funded HAF scheme.
*Terms and conditions apply. Please note: only one discount can be applied at any time
 Still time to get tickets for outdoor cinema event
Gocinemas' fantastic outdoor screenings return to Dinton Pastures country park with an evening celebrating indie legends the Stone Roses on Saturday 21 May.
This special event includes a live DJ set and screening of the documentary Made of Stone. You can find out more and book tickets on the Gocinema website.
Other outdoor screenings planned for this summer include, The Greatest Showman (30 July), Bridget Jones' Diary (13 August), Steven Spielberg's West Side Story (20 August) and a double-bill of Clueless and Legally Blonde (27 August).
You can find out more and book tickets for these on the Gocinema website.
 Mindful health and wellbeing programme
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week, an annual event which concentrates on promoting mental health issues and finding ways to tackle loneliness.
The Sport and Leisure team is reminding residents of its Mindful Health and Wellbeing Programme which is designed to rehabilitate or support mental wellbeing using sport and physical activity. Residents can be referred to this programme by their GP, health professional, social prescriber or through the Wokingham Community Mental Health team.
Regular exercise has been scientifically proven to improve mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative feelings. Physical activity is also a useful way to improve self-esteem and cognitive function. The sessions are run in a relaxed and friendly environment led by qualified Lifestyle and Wellbeing Instructors.
The programme runs Monday to Friday and costs £39.10 for ten sessions.
There are plenty of activities to take part in, including:
- Mondays at 2pm to 3pm - Pilates at the Health and Wellbeing Centre at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre
- Tuesdays at 1.30pm to 2.15pm - Circuits at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre
- Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12.30pm to 1.30pm - Badminton at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre
- Tuesdays at 2pm to 3pm - Zumba at Bulmershe Leisure Centre
- Wednesdays at 3.30pm to 4.30pm - Open Gym at Bulmershe Leisure Centre
- Thursdays at 11.30pm to 12.30pm - Stretch and Relax at St Crispin's Leisure Centre
- Fridays at 12.30pm to 1.30pm - Circuits at Loddon Valley Leisure Centre
- Fridays at 1.45pm to 2.45pm - Table Tennis at St Crispin's Leisure Centre
Spaces subject to availability.
Requirements: suitable for residents living in Wokingham Borough, aged 16+ and have completed a referral form signed by a health professional and are managing a mild to moderate mental health condition.
For more information, email preventionteam@wokingham.gov.uk
 Enrol at the Recovery College this May
The Wokingham Recovery College gives people with mental health problems the chance to access education, workshops and training programmes designed to help them on their road to recovery. The college aims to help people become experts in their own self-care and enable family, friends and staff to better understand mental health.
Upcoming classes for May:
- Hearing voices group - 12 and 26 May, 11am to 12pm
- Drawing techniques - 12 May, 1.30pm to 3.30pm
- Coping with trauma - 16 May, 1.30pm to 2.30pm
- Welcome drop in - 17 May, 10am to 11.30am
- Getting a good night's sleep - 17 May, 1.30pm to 3pm
- What employment support is available to me - 18 May, 1.30pm to 3pm
- Drugs, alcohol and mental health - 19 May, 10am to 11.30am
- Have your say - 20 May, 10am to 11am
- Recovering together - 23 May, 11am to 12.30pm
- Managing low mood - 23 and 30 May, 1.30pm to 3pm
The Wokingham Recovery College accepts registrations from anyone aged 18 and over living in Wokingham Borough.
To enrol in the Recovery College, complete an online registration form available on our website and email it to: recoverycollege@wokingham.gov.uk. If you need help filling out the form, call (0118) 989 0707 and the Recovery College team will support you.
 Virtual talk: Future looking bright for women in art
Join visual artist Chris Holley on Thursday 19 May for the third and final installment of her Women in Art series of library talks. This time, she is focusing on 'new kids on the block' and the future for women in art.
The illustrated talk will run from 2pm to 3pm and it is free to attend. This is a virtual session and will take place on Microsoft Teams. Information on how to join will be sent to your email the day before the event.
You can find out more and book by visiting the libraries webpages.
 Celebrate The Queen's jubilee with our library events
We have so much going on in our libraries to mark The Queen's 70 years of service!
Meredith Towne is celebrating the platinum jubilee in style by hosting a costume presentation at Wokingham Library on Wednesday 18 May.
You can join her from 2pm to 3.30pm, although pre-booking is essential and it costs £6 to attend. If you are coming, pay on the day at the library. You can find out more and book your place online.
Join us to discuss your memories of jubilees in times past. Our reminiscence sessions are taking place at Woodley Library (Monday 16 May from 10.30am to 12 noon), Lower Earley Library (Monday 23 May from 10.30am to 12 noon), and Wokingham Library (Monday 30 May from 2pm to 3pm).
Enjoy a chat with some tea or coffee and cake and tell us what you remember about royal celebrations in years gone by.
You can find out more and book your place online.
Rosemary Everritt from the Berkshire Record Office is giving an online talk that celebrates The Queen's long connection with the Royal County on Tuesday 24 May.
Her talk 'HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal County of Berkshire' will cover local events held for The Queen's coronation, previous jubilees and other visits. This free event will be held on Microsoft Teams and joining information and a link will be sent out the day before the talk. You can find out more and book your place online.
This coincides with a new exhibition 'Happy and Glorious' held at the Berkshire Record Office in Reading from Thursday 26 May to Friday 26 August.
Visit our libraries in May and June and enjoy our displays about the Big Jubilee Read, which celebrates authors from the Commonwealth during the past seven decades.
 Go for a run at Dinton Pastures
Don't forget that the Barnes Fitness Summer Series races returns to Dinton Pastures for its 10th anniversary series on Thursday (12 May).
This friendly series of 5km and 10km runs is held on a beautiful, flat and traffic-free route around the park with its scenic lakes and wildlife. If you can't attend in person, you can still take part in a virtual run instead.
The dates - all Thursdays - are this week, 9 June and 14 July (all 7.30pm) and 11 August at 7pm. Find out more and sign up on the Barnes Fitness website
 Summer of cycling
It's set to be a great summer of cycling as the My Journey Wokingham team continue to roll out a range of great events and activities across the borough.
Activities include the Balance Bike Club and Bikeability Learn to Ride sessions for younger children, adult cycle training for beginners and improvers, and Woky Wheels 4 All sessions to help make cycling accessible to all. You can also book a free bike check with our resident expert Dr Bike to make sure your bike is in tip-top condition and ready to go.
You can view all the latest events on the My Journey website.
There's also going to be lots of opportunity to get active as Cycling UK's Bike Week returns from Monday 6 to Sunday 12 June. You can find out more about this annual celebration to showcase cycling and how brilliant it is on the Cycling UK website.
You can also take part in some of the areas fantastic cycling events including the Three Counties Cycle Ride on Sunday 12 June and the Wokingham Bikeathon on Sunday 26 June. Both events offer routes of different lengths to suit everyone from the beginner to the avid cyclist.
And, if you are going along to the Bikeathon there will also be the opportunity to try out an e-bike as My Journey, in partnership with Wokingham Town Council, will be running an electric bike event at Cantley Park where the Bikeathon starts and finishes. Find out more and book a place on the My Journey website.
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