 Support local causes and win free Aldi shopping
Stock up on groceries or splash out on those middle aisle treasures with this month's Community Lottery Super Draw prize, a £1,000 Aldi gift card.
Grab your ticket before Saturday 31 January for your chance to win. Tickets cost just £1 a week, with at least 50p going to a local good cause of your choice.
Regular ticket holders don’t need to do anything extra – your usual tickets will automatically enter you into the Super Draw. If you want more chances to win, you can top up with extra tickets just for the Super Draw.
Every ticket gives you the chance to win the weekly jackpot of £25,000 if you match all six numbers.
You must be 18+ to play. For advice on gambling, visit Gamble Aware.
 Government-led reforms delay solar farm
Plans to build Barkham Solar Farm have been paused after changes to the Government’s timetable for connecting renewable energy projects to the national electricity network.
Construction had been due to start this spring, with the site connecting to the grid in stages from 2027. However, new national changes mean the full connection is now expected several years later.
This creates uncertainty about how much electricity the solar farm could export and the income it would generate, so it would not be responsible for us to enter a multi-million-pound contract and start construction at this time.
We’re challenging the changes and pressing for the original connection dates to be kept, raising concerns directly with the organisations involved and working with industry partners to show the wider impact.
This is a delay, not a decision to stop the project and we remain committed to Barkham Solar Farm as part of our plans to cut carbon emissions and support local services in the future.
 Deadline approaching for school applications
If your child was born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022, they are due to start reception this September and need to apply for a school place.
Children currently in Year 2 at an infant school will also need to apply to transfer to a junior school.
The deadline to apply is 15 January. Applications received after this date will be treated as late, which may affect the school place offered.
You can apply online now or find out more in the schools and education section of our website.
If you need further advice, email the school admissions team.
 Expect some delays as water pipes upgraded
There'll be temporary traffic lights on the A4 Bath Road at Hare Hatch and Knowl Hill for most of this year while Thames Water upgrade the local water supply.
Between now and late September 2026, they'll be working in phases with two-way and multi-way lights between Linden Hill Lane and Canhurst Lane.
There'll also be a temporary 30mph speed limit to keep everyone safe.
The crews will be replacing more than 3km of aging Victorian pipes serving nearby homes, representing an investment of about £1.1 million in this area.
It's part of a drive to improve reliability and reduce leaks across London and the Thames Valley, with more than 546km of pipework being replaced to provide:
- Stronger, modern plastic pipes – far more durable than old cast iron ones, reducing the risk of bursts
- A greener, more reliable water supply – fewer leaks, less disruption for customers and less water taken from natural sources
This is Thames Water's biggest ever upgrade with a total investment of more than £20 billion, also including sewage and water treatment improvements.
 Renew your postal vote before the deadline
If you vote in elections by post, you may need to renew your vote this month.
If you applied for a postal vote on or before 30 January 2024, you must renew it by 31 January following a change in the law.
If you fail to, you’ll receive confirmation next month that your postal vote has been cancelled.
 Signs coming down as new 30mph limits bed in
At the time, we put up signs warning that new limits were in force so that everyone had plenty of time to adjust.
However, we'll be removing them this month because we can't legally leave them up for more than six months after the limits take effect.
They'll be removed from sections of:
- Bearwood Road, Winnersh
- Reading Road, Finchampstead
- Reading Road, Winnersh
What you might have missed
Here’s all our email newsletters from the last week:
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