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We will be taking a short break to review and refresh the content of this newsletter. It will return later this year with a new format.
Sign up to our Residents' Round-up newsletter to stay up-to-date on all things related to the climate emergency in the meantime.
 Final chance to sign up and make the switch
There is less than one week to register for the Big Community Switch, an initiative that helps residents move to renewable energy and save money on their bills.
Big Community Switch is run by iChoosr and uses the bargaining power of a large group to help secure lower prices.
You will receive a personal offer after you register, which is free and there is no obligation to go ahead.
The deadline for the Wokingham Borough offer was previously Thursday 1 May, but this has now been brought forward to Friday 11 April.
This includes a free registration and acceptance of your personal offer, which will set out how much you can save.
There is no obligation to accept your personal offer and it is recommended to check other suppliers before making your decision.
Making the switch to renewable energy helps us to address the climate emergency and the objectives set out in our Climate Emergency Action Plan.
 Arts project shining a light on environmental issues
Wokingham Borough Forest of Imagination is coming to Dinton Pastures Country Park in Hurst, open to all on 24 and 25 May.
The event is the culmination of months of workshops and events, with a weekend of nature-themed art and cultural experiences for people of all ages and from all walks of life.
We’ve have partnered with Bath Spa University, House of Imagination and Grant Associates to bring the award-winning Forest of Imagination to the borough.
This unique arts project, which started in Bath in 2014, has inspired people to explore environmental issues through creativity and artistic expression. Watch the video from the latest event in Bath to get an idea of what’s coming.
The full list of workshops, experiences and what you’ll find will be added to the Forest of Imagination website soon. It’s free to attend.
 Thousands of trees planted at memorial woodland
Around 170 people took part in community planting sessions at the Covid Memorial Woodland in Finchampstead, helping to create a lasting tribute to those lost during the pandemic.
Assisted by members of our Countryside Services team, residents attended eight sessions from Wednesday 19 to Saturday 22 March.
They helped to plant about 1,000 trees over the four days and the woodland will have around 6,700 trees overall. There will be 17 different species, including hazel, English oak and wild cherry, with the aim of replicating existing species nearby and to help biodiversity flourish.
The 7.7-hectare plot is to the north of California Country Park and we will continue to plant the remaining trees and improve access to the site ahead of an official public opening later this year, with a view to having dedicated footpaths and signage.
This project is part of our ongoing effort to plant trees across the borough to tackle the climate emergency.
Seed Swap
Bring in your unwanted packets of flower, herb or vegetable seeds, or seeds saved from your own plants, and swap them. Available at our libraries in Finchampstead, Lower Earley, Twyford, Wokingham and Woodley.
 Document and conserve wildlife in your local area
City Nature Challenge
City Nature Challenge is an annual four-day global 'bioblitz' nature hunt to assist in recording and protecting wildlife in urban areas.
Every year, cities all over the world take part in a friendly and fun competition to see who can gather the most observations of nature and find the most species.
For 2025, you are invited to look for nature in your garden, local parks and public spaces, joining a worldwide effort to record as much wildlife as possible between 25 and 28 April.
All you need is a smartphone and the iNaturalist mobile app. Share a photo with the app and it will assist you to identify and record the species you find. Each species record is known as an observation and all observations made during the event in participating areas will count towards City Nature Challenge.
iRecord app
The aim of iRecord is to make it easier for wildlife sightings to be collated, checked by experts and made available to support research and decision-making at local and national levels.
Share your sightings with the recording community, explore dynamic maps and graphs of your data and make a real contribution to science and conservation.
The Big River Watch
The next Big River Watch is happening from 25 April to 1 May. These are citizen science surveys where you can take part in a simple activity that helps build a picture of river health locally.
To take part:
- Download the Big River Watch app to your smartphone
- Complete the survey by your river. Select a riverside location and spend 15 minutes observing, answering the questions in the survey. It will ask you about what you see, the flow speed of the water and any signs of pollution
- Upload your survey
New for this year, you can also test the water and monitor nitrate and phosphate levels by signing up for your kit in advance.
Our rivers are far from healthy: they're polluted with sewage, plastic, chemicals and nutrients, with just 15% of river stretches in England in good overall health.
To restore them, we need more information about how they're doing. You can help us identify and locate the issues. With the Big River Watch app, you can identify the issues and contribute to a national data set that will help us build a picture of river health.
 Get latest solar farm updates on our website
We now have a dedicated page on our website with everything you need to know about the Barkham Solar Farm project.
The delivery of the solar farm is a key action in the our Climate Emergency Action Plan in working towards a carbon neutral borough.
By generating renewable energy locally and putting it back into the grid, schemes like this have a significant part to play in reducing carbon emissions, securing sustainable power supplies, stabilising the costs of energy and helping reduce the impact of any cost of living crisis for residents in the longer term.
When operational, it is estimated that the solar farm could generate in excess of 29 Megawatts of electricity and produce some 28,563,000 Kilowatt Hours of electricity per annum. According to latest Ofgem figures, this would cover the electric usage of more than 10,500 homes.
Our new webpage has a detailed breakdown of the project's history and future phases, including construction, which is due to start this summer. The aim is for the solar farm to be operational in the autumn of 2026.
 The power we're supplying... it's electrifying!
As part of our efforts to promote electric vehicles (EVs), we're helping to organise an awareness event at Winnersh Triangle Business Park on Friday 11 July.
Guests will have the chance to test drive EVs and hear from experts like the Energy Saving Trust about the opportunities for grants and tax benefits that EVs and related infrastructure offer.
They'll also be able to network with specialist suppliers and installers. The event is mostly focused on Berkshire businesses, but residents will be able to attend.
The event will be organised in partnership with Let's Experience Electric and our council counterparts in Reading, Bracknell Forest, Windsor and Maidenhead, Slough and West Berkshire.
It will support our Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy, which we approved earlier this year to help people make the switch by filling gaps in commercial provision, mostly with Government funding.
We'll announce more details, including times and how to take part in the day, as soon as they're confirmed.
 Knowing the dos and don'ts for plastic recycling
Did you know that nearly all types of plastic can be recycled?
Plastic waste has become a major environmental issue worldwide. When plastic isn’t recycled, it enters our environment, polluting soil, rivers and oceans, causing harm to wildlife.
Here are some top tips to help steer you in the right direction with recycling plastic:
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Recycling bottle tops - Keep the lids screwed tightly on the plastic bottles before placing them in your green bags. This ensures they’re processed together with the bottles
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Plastic toys - Hard plastic items can be recycled at re3 recycling centres. Other recyclable plastic waste includes plastic crates, storage boxes, pipes, garden furniture and plant pots. If they're in good condition, donate them to a local charity or take them to the re-use area at the re3 recycling centres
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Cleaning bottle triggers - These can be recycled in your green bags with the bottles. However, the pumps should be removed
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Why black plastic can't be recycled - At the recycling plant, plastic packaging is sorted into different types of plastic for reprocessing. Black plastic is coloured using carbon black pigments, which don’t reflect light properly, making it hard for the sorting machines to detect and recycle
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Rinsing cans and pots - A quick rinse will help remove leftover food or liquid, which can contaminate other recyclables in your green bags
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Labels on plastic bottles - You don't have to take them off, as the labels will be removed during the recycling process
 Give books new life and counter carbon emissions
You can now take your unwanted books to re3 recycling centres in Reading or Bracknell for re-use.
Re3 have recently launched the re3read Book Reuse Scheme to promote the reuse of second-hand books within the local community. Not only can you donate unwanted books, but you can also take any books free of charge from the bookshelf near the Reuse Area in the recycling centre.
Local organisations, including schools, nurseries and care homes, can apply for bundles of second-hand books to support educational activities or refresh their libraries. To apply, visit the re3 website.
Supporting this initiative helps counter carbon emissions resulting from book production. A single book can produce between one to four kg of carbon emissions during its production, including paper, printing and transportation. By redistributing 3,000 books, we can offset approximately two tonnes of paper and protect 34 trees.
 Monitors helping schools to face up to air pollution
We've installed air quality monitors outside four schools in Wokingham town that are working to reduce harmful emissions from vehicle trips.
The devices are linked to displays that show a happy face when pollutants are below the World Health Organisation's recommended thresholds.
Above this limit, they show a sad face. They've been installed for a 12-month period thanks to funding from Defra and support from My Journey Wokingham at:
- Evendons Primary School, Finchampstead Road
- Hawthorns Primary School, Northway
- Westende Junior School, Seaford Road
- Emmbrook Junior School, Emmbrook Road
They track nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, both of which cause a range of breathing and other health problems. As well as showing the latest levels every 15 minutes, the data is recorded to highlight long-term trends.
These schools are already working hard to encourage parents and pupils to walk, cycle and use public transport instead of driving, so the monitors will help them to track the impact of their efforts.
 Get in shape for Bikeathon fun this summer
Before this year's Wokingham Bikeathon on Sunday, 22 June, anyone needing more experience can take part in a series of free, fun and relaxed guided rides.
The sessions, led by an experienced British Cycling leader, will go at the pace of the slowest rider so that nobody is left behind.
You must be an adult and able to cycle, with a roadworthy bike and cycling helmet. The rides are free but must be booked in advance.
They start with lower mileage on cycleways before increasing the distance and moving to quiet roads with traffic.
They take place on the following dates, all at 10am:
- 25 April - FBC to Henry Street Garden Centre
- 2 May - Cantley Park to Dinton Pastures Country Park
- 9 May - Montague Park to Foxes Den Cafe, Binfield
- 16 May - FBC to The Mutton at Hazeley Heath
- 23 May - Cantley Park to Hurst (Hurst Lanes)
- 6 June - FBC to Riseley Tea Rooms
- 22 June - Wokingham Bikeathon
 Enjoy friendly chat about how you can help the planet
Join the People, Planet, Pint team at The Rose Inn in Wokingham for their next get-together on Thursday 1 May at 6pm.
Part of a national initiative, this is an opportunity for people to learn more about sustainability and share their ideas. Everyone is welcome, regardless of their experience or background, with events held on the first Thursday of the month.
It is free to attend, but places should be registered in advance. There is no agenda - simply turn up and join in the conversation, with the first drink free.
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