Wokingham Borough Connect
We had suspended our email newsletters in order to focus on keeping the community updated following the death of Her Majesty The Queen. We are now re-starting these newsletters.
 Not long to go until our open day at Cantley Park
Our free open day at Cantley Park in Wokingham is taking place tomorrow!
To celebrate National Fitness Day on Wednesday 21 September, we're hosting a wide range of sporting activities and you can sign up for as many as you like.
The day kicks off with an outdoor boot camp at 7.45am and will run until 6pm when the Power-Up activities for children finish.
Activities include: Pilates, Tai Chi, My Journey/Dr Bike drop-in sessions, open tennis courts, Yoga, Boccia, Nordic walking, BXGFit boxing taster session, cardio tennis, circuits and Zumba.
Visitors are asked to wear appropriate clothing and footwear for each activity and to bring a water bottle. Boxing gloves will be provided for the BXGFit boxing taster session and poles are provided for Nordic walking. Residents attending Yoga lessons will need to bring their own mat if possible.
Staff will be available to answer questions and there will be healthy food and hot and cold drinks available at Cantley Park Café. The Places Leisure team will also be on hand to provide a range of challenges and information about the new Wokingham Leisure Centre at Carnival Hub.
To sign up, visit our booking site and choose your class(es). Drop-ins are accepted on the day, however we advise you to check capacity on our booking site beforehand. If you are unable to access the booking system, call the Sport and Leisure team on (0118) 974 3728.
 Covid-19 clinics return to former Wokingham Library
Getting vaccinated is still the best way to protect you and your loved ones from Covid-19. Respiratory infections, including Covid-19, may circulate at higher levels as the colder months are approaching.
Clinics run by the NHS are returning to the borough, giving residents convenient access to get up-to-date with their Covid vaccinations. They will be located at the former Wokingham Library in Denmark Street.
In addition to the vaccines for five to 11-year-olds, the clinics will also offer the autumn booster jab to certain eligible groups. This is currently being offered at the clinic to people aged 65 and above who have completed their primary course of at least the first two doses.
There are other groups eligible for the autumn booster, including people who are clinically at risk and healthy people aged 50 to 74, but they should come forward later and wait to be notified by the NHS.
The vaccine for five to 11-year-olds is currently offered as a first or second dose to healthy children, and as an autumn booster if they are in a clinical risk group.
Dates for the adult autumn booster vaccine are:
- Thursday 22 and Friday 23 September, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Vaccines for five to 11-year-olds:
- Sunday 25 September, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Please book using the NHS National Booking System or call 119. The clinics will accept walk-ins where there is capacity. Remember to bring your NHS number if you have one and to wear a face covering.
For those who are not eligible for these clinics, you can book in at other sites or find a walk-in site near you. Dates for future clinics in Wokingham Borough will be released in due course.
 Consultation on 3G pitch plans at Maiden Erlegh School
Come and find out more about our proposal for a 3G sports pitch at Maiden Erlegh School in Earley at one of our drop-in sessions. You can also take part in the online survey.
We are holding two consultation sessions today and tomorrow for residents to drop-in and view plans and visuals. It is an opportunity to learn more, ask questions and voice any concerns.
The drop-in sessions take place on the below dates at Maiden Erlegh School, Silverdale Road, Earley, RG6 7HS:
- Tuesday 20 September, 6pm to 7.30pm
- Wednesday 21 September, 6pm to 7.30pm
Maiden Erlegh School in Earley has been identified as the most suitable location for the new 3G sports pitch based on the existing facilities including pitch, changing rooms, toilets, sufficient parking and access to the site. The school could also make use of the 3G sports pitch during the school day. The site is approved by the Football Foundation and we would seek funding from them for the pitch.
The consultation survey opened on 5 September and runs until 11.59pm on Monday 3 October 2022.
 Get support to achieve a happier and healthier you
Do you want to lose weight and improve your health? Contact your GP to find out about Wokingham Borough's new ShapeUp4Life programme.
The free service is available to anyone with a high body mass index living or working in the borough aged 18 and over. You will receive healthy eating advice, be weighed weekly and have fun in friendly group exercise and nutrition workshops.
Courses run from various community venues, as well as online and via the telephone. You can even register for free online support or download the ShapeUp4Life app from Google Play and the App Store.
ShapeUp4Life is an evidence-based programme designed to help you lose five per cent of your body weight in 12 weeks through healthy eating and exercise.
Your plan comes with unlimited access to free recipes and snack ideas, developed with a balanced mix of nutrients to help you eat ell and enjoy your meals.
To learn more or to be referred to the programme, speak with your GP or healthcare provider.
 More time to have your say on walking and cycling links
A consultation on ideas to improve Wokingham Borough's walking and cycling links is being relaunched to ensure everybody can have their say.
Since 11 July, we’ve been seeking your views on our draft Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) - a strategic document that outlines where routes could be made easier and safer for users, including those who wheel, scoot or skate.
We’ve already had more comments than we expected and we’re pleased to see so many people taking an interest. However, we also know that others had problems using the original consultation site, which was created by an outside organisation, due partly to technical problems.
To ensure nobody’s been excluded, we’ve moved the affected sections to our own Engage Wokingham Borough platform and are taking feedback until Sunday 2 October. We’ll ask to you to register to ensure all responses are genuine, but this is free of charge and takes only a moment.
The LCWIP is part of a wider effort to reduce private vehicle use across the borough, which will improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions, while increasing opportunities to travel actively for better physical and mental health.
To view the plans or respond in a different format, contact our customer services team on (0118) 974 6000 or visit one of the borough's libraries.
 Get the help you need to quit smoking during Stoptober
Next month is Stoptober, an annual initiative designed to help you on your journey to giving up smoking. It can be a hard process, but there are so many benefits to quitting and there’s lots of support available.
Smokefreelife Berkshire is here to help, with a range of options depending on what approach you want to take. There is self-support from the Quit with Bella app, where you have a fully trained coach by your side.
Specialist support is available if you’ve tried to quit before but been unsuccessful and wellness coaches can help give you extra help.
There are free face-to-face community clinics available across Berkshire. You can even arrange a telephone call with a specialist advisor, who will give you free advice on how to stop smoking. They can also advise on what medication is best and set up a plan of action. The service is available 8am to 8pm seven days a week.
Through Smokefreelife Berkshire, you can also get:
- One-to-one group sessions over 12 weeks
- Free weekly supply of nicotine replacement therapy
- Drop-in clinics
- Home visits for people with mobility problems
Giving up smoking is not only beneficial to you, but to others as well. Second-hand smoke exposure kills around 1.2 million non-smokers globally per year, many of whom are children. These deaths are typically caused by chronic diseases, such as asthma or respiratory infections.
For more information, call 0800 6226360 or text ‘QUIT’ to 66777.
|
