 Flag raised to mark Armed Forces Day
Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Caroline Smith raised the flag at our Shute End office to commemorate Armed Forces Day on 25 June, paying respect to servicemen and women, past and present.
The raising of the flag is an annual, national event celebrated on the last Saturday in June, observed by local authorities, government departments, businesses and Number 10 Downing Street, to show support and pay respect to the UK Armed Forces.
The event was also attended by leader of the council Cllr Clive Jones, armed forces champion Cllr Andy Croy, Cllr Chris Johnson and Cllr Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey.
 Home refuge scheme for domestic abuse victims
The Home Refuge Scheme is a free service provided by us for victims and survivors of domestic abuse where the perpetrator no longer lives in the home.
We’ve produced a Home Refuge Scheme video which provides information about the free service and how borough residents can apply.
Some of the security measures we can install includes door and window alarms, a flap lock letter box, video doorbell and padlocks which are tailored to the individual property and concerns of the resident to enable them to feel safer in their home.
The free scheme is available to all domestic abuse victims and survivors living in Wokingham Borough. The scheme is also available free to property owners and tenants who are living in privately rented properties including housing association and council homes.
 Children get hands-on lesson in tackling air pollution
Pupils from Year 5 at Hawthorns Primary School and Evendons Primary School, both in Wokingham town, marked Clean Air Day on Thursday (16 June) by measuring air pollution around their schools.
The air quality officer from My Journey Wokingham, our active travel team, gave a talk to the children about the dangers of breathing in pollutants like nitrogen dioxide. This gas, which irritates the lungs and affects the heart, is produced by burning fossil fuels so exhaust fumes are a major contributor, particularly private cars.
The pupils then took part in a hands-on workshop, using new hand-held monitors to record levels of the gas at drop-off time and around their school grounds later in the day. This has been shown to be highest in the morning before dropping to very low levels once the rush hour is over.
The children then learned how they can improve air quality by walking, cycling and scooting to school, and on other short trips, instead of being driven – and by encouraging others to do the same.
My Journey Wokingham is an official partner of Clean Air Day, a nationwide campaign held in June every year to raise awareness of air pollution, which causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK per year. It’s the biggest environmental threat to the public’s health, affecting every organ in the body and potentially shortening lives as well as making people more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses like Covid-19.
 Give your views on car meets and pharmacy services
There are two consultations live on Engage Wokingham Borough, which we're looking for your feedback on. These are:
Do you use the SEND system in our area?
SEND Voices Wokingham is running its annual Wokingham Borough SEND survey. Questions are for anyone who has had experience of the SEND system in Wokingham Borough in the last 12 months (since June 2021). If this impacts you, respond to the survey before it closes on Thursday (30 June)
 Tackling inequality in the borough
Our first Tackling Poverty Strategy is set to be approved by the Council’s decision-making Executive when it meets next Thursday (30 June).
This follows nearly 12 months of development with residents, partners in the voluntary sector, and council colleagues to understand more about the inequalities that exist in the borough, and how they can be improved.
To drive this work, we have created the Hardship Alliance, with four leaders from Citizens Advice Wokingham, First Days Children’s Charity, AgeUK Berkshire, and Wokingham United Charities.
Together with us, this group will lead on the delivery of the strategy, with input from the wider voluntary sector. Its over-arching aim is to do everything to prevent and work towards ending poverty in the borough.
What you might have missed
- Are you community minded and want to work to make a difference with people in our borough? We’re recruiting case support officers to our Ukraine response team. Apply now via our jobs pages
- If you live in a property in Council Tax band A to D you could qualify for a £150 rebate off your council tax bill to help with the rising cost of energy. If you’ve yet to receive or apply for the energy rebate don’t forget you can speed up the process by applying online
- If you are looking to make the most of extended sunny spells this summer, be sure to take precautions. Skin cancer can develop through increased exposure to ultraviolet rays. The risk of melanoma increases with age, but it is also one of the most common cancers in people aged 18 to 34
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