Supporting the ambitions of the Communities Vision
 Community rallies behind Nepal flood fundraiser
The local community has helped raise £2,800 for families affected by devastating flooding in Trisuli Bazaar, Nepal.
After the floods on 26 August swept away homes and businesses belonging to members of her husband’s extended family, Wokingham resident Megan Fletcher and her family rallied to support those affected through fundraising and collecting donations.
Around 500kg of clothing, shoes and bedding were donated. When sending everything to Nepal proved too expensive, the family came up with another idea: holding clothing sales at Ashridge Garden Centre.
The sales have contributed to more than £22,000 raised by family, friends and supporters around the world.
The money is helping families rebuild their homes and businesses, providing essentials and supporting children who lost their parents in the floods.
Megan said: “I have been truly overwhelmed with the support of our Wokingham community. The amount raised is going to make a life-changing difference to these families.”
Find out more and support the Nepal flash flood fundraiser.
Have a story to tell? We'd love to hear from you. Get in touch at community.matters@wokingham.gov.uk
 Oktoberfest celebrations bring back memories
Frankfurters, Bavarian music and plenty of dancing brought people together from across Wokingham Borough for Age UK Berkshire’s Oktoberfest tea dance in Swallowfield.
Around 90 people joined the celebrations from Swallowfield, Shinfield, Woodley, Wokingham, Finchampstead and Winnersh.
Sonia Russell’s Oompah Band filled the room with Bavarian music and well-known English songs, with guests singing and dancing along.
One guest said the afternoon brought back memories of Oktoberfest in Munich, while another praised the event as “brilliantly successful”, adding: “Everything was perfect.”
For another guest, the highlight was seeing how much her friend enjoyed herself: “She was radiating joy. And my other friend also enjoyed herself and was quite chatty. When is the next one?”
With support from Swallowfield Parish Council and Age UK Berkshire’s volunteers, the event brought different communities together for an afternoon of music, laughter and good company.
 Help make aids for those with disabilities
Volunteer engineers are being sought to help people with disabilities do things that might otherwise not be possible.
Remap is a charity made up of skilled volunteers who create bespoke aids when suitable equipment is not available commercially. Their work can help people with sports, hobbies, travel, work, education, mobility and personal care.
Volunteers need practical problem-solving skills, access to a workshop and a car to visit clients. The role is flexible, with volunteers choosing how much time they give and when. Projects can be fitted around work, including during evenings and weekends. Expenses are reimbursed.
Those interested can find out more about the role on the Remap Berkshire website or by emailing berks.caseofficer@remapgroups.org.uk.
For other volunteering opportunities across Wokingham Borough, contact Wokingham Volunteer Centre on 0118 977 0749, email volunteer@wok-vol.org.uk or visit the Wokingham Volunteer Centre website.
 Volunteers give Shinfield’s wildflowers room to grow
Volunteers have been getting stuck in to help care for a community greenspace in Shinfield.
Dinton Wednesday Conservation Volunteers cut and raked a small meadow alongside woodland to give wildflowers more room to thrive.
Their hard work revealed six different varieties across more than 20 patches, including yellow rattle, which helps keep competing grasses in check and gives other wildflowers more opportunity to grow.
And they didn’t stop there. The team opened up an overgrown woodland path, tackled invasive false acacia, picked litter and repaired fencing.
It was a fantastic community effort, helping to look after the greenspace and its wildlife while making it a more enjoyable place for local people to visit.
 Safe Places are there to help on darker evenings
Now the clocks have gone back and the evenings are darker, it's reassuring to know there is help nearby for anyone who may need support while out and about.
There are now 27 Safe Places across Wokingham Borough, including libraries, leisure centres, community venues, shops and pubs. Each one displays a Safe Places sticker in the window.
Anyone who feels lost, anxious or unsafe can go into a Safe Place and ask for help. Staff can offer somewhere to wait, give directions, or call a family member, friend or support service on their behalf.
Residents can also carry a free Safe Places Card with their name and two trusted contacts, making it easy to show staff they need help. It’s a paper card that fits easily in a wallet or purse and helps staff identify when someone needs support. Cards can be cut out from information leaflets, which are available from Wokingham Borough Council reception at Shute End, Optalis Head Office, Wokingham Charity & Community Hub in Erftstadt Court off Denmark Street, and local libraries.
 Local events supporting good causes
Enjoy some fantastic local events while supporting good causes across Wokingham Borough.
Wokingham Fireworks
Head to Cantley Park on Saturday 7 November for fireworks, fairground rides, food and drink, with money raised supporting local charities, including Wokingham Lions Club. Follow the torchlit procession from the town centre before the display. Tickets cost £10, or £1 for children aged seven and under, and should be booked through the Wokingham Fireworks website.
Quiz night
Understanding Dementia is holding a quiz night at Charvil Village Hall on Saturday 14 November, from 8pm to 11pm. The charity provides information and training to help lessen the impact of dementia. Tickets cost £12.50, including snacks, with a pay bar and raffle. Teams can have up to six people.
Christmas market
Eight local charities are joining forces to host a Christmas market at The Cowshed, Wokingham, on Thursday 19 November, from 6pm to 8.30pm. They include Dingley’s Promise, Building for the Future, Kaleidoscopic UK and Promise Inclusion. Entry is free, with Christmas gifts, refreshments, gingerbread decorating and Santa’s Grotto.
Wreath making
Get creative with a wreath making workshop while raising money for WADE at its day centre on Reading Road, Wokingham, on Friday 4 or Saturday 5 December. Tickets cost £35 and include materials, a drink, mince pies and shortbread. The sessions are supported and tutored by Wokingham Horticultural Association, with all money raised going directly to WADE. To book your place, call 0118 978 7025 or email elaine@wadecentre.org.uk.
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