Wokingham Borough Connect
Get into festive spirit by making a mad (Santa) dash
The Santa Dash organised by Barnes Fitness will return to Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst on Saturday 16 December.
An annual tradition, the event is fun-filled, festive and suitable for the whole family. All runners will be dressed in a Santa suit and after crossing the finish line receive a Christmas medal and a mince pie, or chocolates.
There is no minimum age requirement. You and your children can choose to complete a 2km or a full 5km fun run together, both of which are not timed.
Taking part in the run will also help children who are in need of warm beds this winter, as Barnes Fitness will donate £2 of each entry to First Days Children’s Charity for the good cause. To find out more or sign up, visit the Barnes Fitness website.
If you are looking to travel to any Saturday events this festive season, you can take the bus for free. Local bus routes will be free to all every Saturday from 18 November until 23 December, for those boarding in Wokingham Borough, funded by a national grant. You can find out more on our website.
Get ready for return of Wokingham Winter Carnival
Wokingham town centre will be transformed into a festive wonderland on Sunday (26 November), promising a fun and free day out for the whole family.
Organised by Wokingham Lions Club, the Wokingham Winter Carnival will see a host of street entertainers, music, singing and dancing, with festivities starting at 10.30am.
There will also be fairground rides to enjoy and the day will end with laser light show.
Don't forget to stop off at the fantastic grotto and meet Father Christmas, who will be giving out presents.
The main beneficiaries of this year's winter carnival are Share Wokingham and Home-Start. The former provides food and other essential items to those in need, while Home-Start provides compassionate, confidential and non-judgemental help to local parents.
Attend one of our climate events to celebrate COP28
This year's United Nations' Climate Change Conference, COP28, will run from Thursday 30 November to Tuesday 12 December in Dubai. The conference aims to bring the world together to tackle climate change.
In July 2019, we unanimously declared a climate emergency. This declaration commits us to do as much as possible to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030.
Our latest Climate Emergency Action Plan was approved in September and demonstrates the planned steps on our journey towards achieving this goal, along with the current progress on each action.
As part of COP28 week, we are running two events at Wokingham Library, which will focus on our ambitious action plan, the work that we are doing to tackle the climate emergency locally and how you can help to play your part.
The climate emergency talks will be hosted by Executive Member for Climate Emergency and Resident Services Cllr Sarah Kerr and take place on:
To sign up, click on the links above, or call Wokingham Library on (0118) 978 1368.
Climate Change: Facts, Fiction and Our Next Chapter
Professor Ellie Highwood from the University of Reading and Royal Meteorological Society is giving a talk at Wokingham Library later this month.
In the run-up to these important international discussions at COP28, come and hear the latest evidence for climate change and its impacts, learn how to spot misinformation and find out the most useful things you can do to play your part.
This event is being held on Wednesday 29 November, from 10.30am to 11.30am. It is free to attend, but places must be booked via our library events website.
Make your own Christmas wreath at workshop
In the run-up to Christmas, Polly's Garden will be hosting the popular Christmas wreath making workshops at California Country Park. These will take place on Friday 1 and Monday 4 December, from 6.30pm to 9pm, at Jackson's Café.
For £55 per person, you will be provided with everything you need, including equipment, foliage and decorative elements, to make a fresh, beautiful wreath for this festive period.
This year, Jackson's Café has put together a festive menu for workshop participants to pre-order, so everyone can enjoy a perfect evening of good food and fun.
Last year's workshop was sold out very quickly. Book online soon to avoid disappointment.
Charity concert brings together local music groups
Enjoy traditional and contemporary Christmas music at a concert at Wokingham Town Hall.
The charity event is being held on Saturday 9 December, from 1pm to 2.15pm. Entry is free but tickets need to be booked in advance.
The concert will feature a mixture of short performances and singalongs, featuring several local music groups. Performers include players from St Sebastian Wokingham Band, as well as singers from Thames Valley Chorus and Wokingham Choral Society.
You can enjoy a free mince pie and mulled wine after the performance and there will be a collection for Berkshire Search and Rescue Dogs as you leave.
Holding a masterpiece in the palm of your hand
Arts4Wokingham is having an exhibition at Wokingham Library, where it will be selling postcard works of art.
These will be available to view and buy on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 November, with a mixture of works from amateur and professional artists.
All the artists have donated their work to help raise funds for a new community art project called The Arc, which will see a sculpture erected outside the Carnival Hub in Wokingham.
The steel sculpture will be designed by artist Nicola Anthony, who was selected from more than 60 entrants to bring her concept to life.
Support Rotary's efforts to eradicate polio worldwide
Volunteers from the Rotary Club of Wokingham will continue to promote the work they are doing to rid the world of polio.
They will be collecting donations in Market Place in Wokingham from 9am to 4pm on Saturday 25 November in aid of End Polio Now. They will also be selling crocus bulbs and leftover glow products from the recent fireworks night.
The club recently planted nearly 3,000 purple crocuses at Elms Field in Wokingham as part of this campaign.
The purple crocus is a symbol of Rotary's worldwide campaign to eradicate polio, with the colour representing the dye used to mark the finger of a child who has been immunised.
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