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Countryside

Your last Countryside newsletter

This will be the last Countryside newsletter you’ll receive from us, however there is good news as we are launching a brand new newsletter which you'll receive automatically.

The new Dinton and Countryside Events newsletter launches on Friday 27 June and will include news and events with what’s on at Dinton Activity Centre and Country Park, California Country Park and our other countryside sites. 

We're moving news on countryside spaces and green initiatives to our Environment News newsletter, which you can sign up to on our website. 

You can adjust your subscriptions using the link at the bottom of this newsletter. You can send us an email with any feedback on these newsletters.

Win a wedding at Dinton winner announced

Last month, we ran a fantastic competition for one happy couple to hold their wedding reception in the conservatory and garden at Dinton Pastures Country Park. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition, we received hundreds of entries and have now chosen a winner. 

Congratulations to Sean Raftery from Wokingham

Sean and his fiancé Katie have been engaged for 10 years and since welcoming three children, have been thinking about planning their dream wedding.

Katie has fond childhood memories with her father at Dinton. He would take her from a young age to Dinton to cycle around the lakes, stopping off at the Dinton Café. He sadly passed away from pancreatic cancer many years ago. 

We caught up with Sean who was delighted about his win.

"I was absolutely delighted to receive the call to let me know we had won. It's been a long time coming and we are both over joyed. Dinton is a happy place not only for us as a couple but our children also love our family visits to Dinton. We both feel this is Katie's father's seal of approval."

Tasty food and drink event this weekend

Food and drink lovers are in for a delicious treat as The Great British Food Festival returns to Dinton Pastures Country Park this weekend (21 and 22 June). 

People can enjoy two unforgettable days exploring new flavours overlooking Black Swan Lake including: 

• Local and regional artisan produce
• Food stalls
• Top chefs cooking live
• A bar
• Children's entertainment
• Craft and gift stalls 
• Foraging walks
• Live music 

The event is the perfect foodie day out for the whole family.

There is also a limited discount on tickets which can be purchased on The Great British Food Festival website.

New for 2025: forest bathing walks

We are excited to announce that we have teamed up with The Forest Bathing Institute to bring introductory walks to California Country Park in Finchampstead.

The Forest Bathing Walks consist of a two and a half hour gentle walk under the canopy of trees, amongst beautiful woodland. You will be guided through a series of sensory exercises designed to develop a deeper connection with nature, calming your body and mind, before concluding with a guided relaxation. 

During the session your Forest Bathing Guide will share some of the science that shows why time with trees is so good for us, including research into the surprising secret benefits of breathing woodland air. Our main aim, however, is to help you unwind.

Each session costs £36 which includes 3.5 hours of car parking.

The upcoming walks this summer include: 

• Sunday 13 July, 10.30am to 1pm
• Saturday 2 August, 10.30am to 1pm 

Have you booked your outdoor movie night?

Go Cinemas are back at Dinton Pastures Country Park this summer with their outdoor cinema screenings suitable for everyone. With five popular films to choose from, you can sit back, relax, munch on popcorn and soak in the picturesque countryside.

The film line-up includes:

• Grease (sing a long) - Saturday 26 July at 7pm
• Mama Mia! (sing a long) - Friday 22 August at 6pm
• The Greatest Showman - Saturday 23 August at 6pm
• Wicked (sing a long) - Friday 29 August at 6pm
• Bohemian Rhapsody - Saturday 30 August at 6pm

Book your tickets by visiting the Go Cinemas website.

Wild Days summer holiday adventures await

Ready for a school holiday packed with adventure? Our Wild Days Sessions are designed to bring excitement and new challenges to every day off.

The club runs Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays) from 28 July until 5 September.

Each session offers adventurers aged eight to 16 years old a chance to explore thrilling sports on land and water, set against the beautiful backdrop of Black Swan Lake at Dinton Pastures.

Want a full day of fun? Morning and afternoon sessions differ, so you can book both to create a full adventure day for your child. With lunch cover provided, parents can rest easy knowing their young ones are fully cared for between sessions. Lunch cover is provided for full-day bookings.

Each session costs £34. Morning sessions include two activities and run from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Afternoon sessions also include two activities and run from 1.30pm to 4.30pm. 

The activities include kayaking, low ropes, rafted canoes, indoor climbing, stand up paddleboarding, archery, Jacob's ladder, leap of faith, orienteering, crate stack and water Olympics.

Take part in our Budget Conversations

We’re one of the lowest funded councils in the country and, like many others, we’re facing ongoing pressure on our finances. 

We continue to make savings each year, reducing costs and being more efficient. This year alone, we need to find £7.8 million in savings - on top of the £23 million already saved over the past two years.

Looking ahead, we estimate we may need to save up to £33 million more over the next three years, although we won’t know the exact figure until the Government announces local funding plans in December.

To put that in context, £33 million is close to our entire annual budget for road maintenance, bin collections, planning, grass cutting and parks combined. We’re not stopping these services - but it helps show the scale of the challenge.

That’s why we’re asking for your views. Our Budget Conversations are now open. This is your chance to help shape the 2026/27 budget by telling us what matters most, where things could be done differently, and how we can focus our limited resources where they’re needed.

Parking fees proposed for Dinton Aviation Museum

We are proposing the introduction of car parking charges at the Museum of Berkshire Aviation, within Dinton Pastures Country Park.

The move, proposed for implementation later this year, would bring the car park at the museum in-line with charges for all other car parks at our 350-acre park.

The introduction of car parking charges at the location was approved by the council in its 2024/25 Medium Term Financial Plan.

We have been working with the museum and other groups and organisations who also use it as a base. They will be able to continue to park for free at the museum car park. They will not be affected.

Following the proposed changes, visitors will be able to park for free, to drop-off or pick-up, for up to 15 minutes, which is consistent with the car parking provisions at Dinton Activity Centre.

If you wish to comment on the proposals, you can write to: Traffic Management Team, Wokingham Borough Council, Shute End, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BN. Alternatively, you can email us. 

All feedback must be received by midnight on Thursday 3 July.

You can find out more on our Engage webpage. 

You can view current car parking charges for Dinton Pastures Country Park on our website.

Paint and sip at Black Swan Lake