Flooding advice and support

Following some spells of heavy rain, a number of flood alerts remain in place for the borough.

We’re monitoring the situation closely and liaising with colleagues from the Environment Agency and other partners.

Flood alerts are in place for:

• Colne Brook at Iver and Colnbrook
• Lower River Loddon
• River Thames from Datchet to Shepperton Green
• River Thames from Hurley to Cookham
• Chertsey Bourne

The Agency provides advice on what to do if you get a flood warning, flood alert, or severe flood warning and this can be found here.

You can sign up for free flood warnings by phone, text or email for your home or business here. Check for current flood warning or alerts, river, groundwater and rainfall levels and flood risk in the next five days via the website.

Our website also has lots of useful information, including how to report flooding in the borough. You can find more advice in our leaflet here.

Library Service hosting ‘Costume Swap’ for World Book Day

Our Library Service is holding a ‘Costume Swap’ in preparation for World Book Day. They are inviting everyone to donate clean, gently used children’s costumes to Maidenhead, Windsor, Cookham and Dedworth Libraries.

You can donate costumes with no obligation to exchange. You're welcome to attend and find your ‘new to you’ costume, even if you don’t have a costume to swap. The initiative has been organised in partnership with our sustainability team.

Donations are being accepted now at the four participating libraries. The costume swap shop at Windsor Library will be open at 2pm on Tuesday 27 February and run until Wednesday 6 March. At Cookham, Dedworth and Maidenhead Libraries, the shop will open at 4pm on Thursday 29 February and run until Wednesday 6 March.

Read more in our press release.

Reminder: Have your say on measures to promote responsible dog control and encourage safer cycling in town centres

There's still time to have your say on plans to continue measures which help promote responsible dog control in public places, deter dog-fouling and encourage safer cycling in town centres.

We want to hear your views on keeping in place two Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), first introduced in April 2021, which are legal powers allowing councils to impose restrictions on a defined area to tackle nuisance or problem behaviour.

One PSPO allows our Community Wardens and the police to enforce existing no-cycling rules by asking cyclists to stop and dismount in the busy pedestrianised areas of Peascod Street, Windsor and High Street, Maidenhead.

The other PSPOs means anyone caught dog-fouling in a public place anywhere in the borough risks a £100 fixed penalty notice. The order also allows the Community Wardens or police to ask a dog owner to put their pet on a lead if it’s loose and causing harassment, alarm or distress in a public place.

A public consultation on our plans to continue these PSPOs for a further three years, until March 2027, runs until Monday 26 February. Find out more and participate online at RBWM Together. Read more in our press release.

Have your say on the Royal Borough's Gambling Policy Review

Like all local authorities, we're responsible for licensing gambling premises in the borough, such as betting shops and venues with gambling machines.

We’re required to consult every three years on our gambling policy under the Gambling Act 2005. We're seeking the views of key interest groups, and would like to hear your feedback as well by Friday 22 March.

The current policy sets out how gambling premises are regulated, how we take into account local risk factors and our expectation in relation to operators with licensed premises. It can be found by clicking on the link '2022-2025 : Statement of principles Gambling Act 2005' here. This doesn’t apply to online gambling which local authorities are not responsible for.

Visit RBWM Together for more information and to respond.

Free numeracy programme to improve lives

If you find numbers a challenge, you can improve your numeracy skills and gain confidence to tackle everyday budgeting or get a new job, with our free maths programmes.

We and partner training providers have created the sessions for people aged 19 years and over who do not have GSCE maths at grade C or the equivalent.

Designed to help with everyday activities like shopping and cost of living issues, these sessions are designed to improve specific skills, like budgeting, helping children with homework or improving maths skills for work.

Upcoming courses include:

• Cooking on a budget, main meals - Berkshire College of Agriculture on Monday 26 February and Monday 18 March.
• Cooking on a budget, desserts and treats - Berkshire College of Agriculture on Monday 4 March and Monday 25 March.

The government-funded Multiply programme is to help adults improve their numeracy skills. This adds to the council’s work supporting skills and employability. To view and register for courses, visit the website.

Reminder: Calling all jobseekers! Attend our next jobs fair

A jobs fair will take place at Maidenhead Library on Tuesday 27 February from 10.30am to 1pm.

Jobseekers will have the opportunity to meet local employers and find out about their current vacancies. There’s no need to book, just turn up on the day.



Employers who wish to attend the event should contact DWP-library@rbwm.gov.uk or berks.employerteam@dwp.gov.uk

For more information, please visit our employment support webpage.

Is your child up to date with their MMR vaccinations?

If not, it’s not too late to get them.

Measles cases are rising fast in London and in other parts of the country because vaccination levels dropped during Covid. Measles is highly contagious and can lead to ear infections, pneumonia, brain inflammation, and on rare occasions long-term disability or death.

Spending 15 minutes or more with someone infected is enough to catch it. Unvaccinated children, people with compromised immunity, and pregnant women are most at risk of severe complications.



Visit the NHS Frimley Healthier Together website to find out more about this disease. 

Update: Cookham Bridge essential maintenance

Essential maintenance work to Cookham Bridge continues on schedule for the reopening of the bridge as planned.

Ducting and cabling work for new traffic signals is now complete and changes to the footway across the bridge have been made to accommodate changes to the works area.

Upcoming activities include installation of a new trimmer beam, strengthening works underneath the bridge, bridge resurfacing and water-proofing patch works.

Businesses in Cookham and the High Street are open as usual and we'd encourage you to continue to support them during the closure period. For project updates, visit our website.

Royal Borough Community Spotlight

Here are just some of the upcoming community events and volunteering opportunities in the Royal Borough:

• Indoor car boot sale hosted by Age Concern Windsor (Saturday 24 February, 10am to 1pm) - Spencer Denney Centre, Park Corner, SL4 4EB. There will be lots of bargains and refreshments too. Free to enter. For more information, email info@ageconcernwindsor.org.uk or call 01753 860685 (Tuesday through Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm) or visit the website.

• Table top sale (Sunday 25 February, 10am to 1pm) - The Braywood Memorial Hall, Fifield Road, Fifield SL6 2NR. Buyers free to enter. Refreshments available. For more information please email or visit the website.

• Coffee morning (Monday 26 February, 10.30am to 12pm) - Parkside Christian Fellowship, 16 St Lukes Road, Maidenhead, SL6 7AN. Join on the second and fourth Mondays each month for free refreshments and a chance to chat and make new friends. See details here.

• The Arts Society Windsor February lecture (Wednesday 28 February, 1.30pm) - Old Windsor Memorial Hall, SL4 2RN. “Decadence and Dreams: Jewellery from around 1900” will be presented by Clare Phillips. Visitors welcome. New members also welcome. For more information, visit the website.

• Maidenhead Music trombone concert (Thursday 29 February, 7.45pm) - Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Maidenhead. Bone-Afide is a bright young brass ensemble who show the versatility of the trombone and perform works from various genres and periods. Their programme for this concert includes arrangements of composers including Tchaikovsky, Bach and Bartok and original works for the trombone by Brian Lynn, Callum Au and Dani Howard. This talented young chamber quartet is made up of Europe's leading young trombonists. For more information and tickets visit the website.

• World Day of Prayer service (Friday 1 March, 2pm) - High Street Methodist Church, 1, Kingsway Chambers, King Street, Maidenhead SL6 1EF. World Day of Prayer is an international, inter-church organisation led by women. The Day of Prayer is celebrated in more than 146 countries. It begins in Samoa and prayer in native languages travels throughout the world - through Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas before finishing in American Samoa some 38 hours later. This years’ service has been prepared by the Christian women of Palestine. All welcome. Followed with refreshments.

• World Day of Prayer service (Friday 1 March, 7pm) - St. Mark's Church, Dedworth Road, Windsor SL4 4JS. This year World Day of Prayer in Windsor is celebrating its 20th anniversary and will be held in the venue where the first service was organised. Everyone is welcome to attend. A new service is developed by women from a different national community each year.

• Maidenhead's Big Read (Saturday 2 March to Sunday 3 March) - Maidenhead Library. This brilliant weekend of author and storytelling events for families aims to encourage a love of reading. All events are free of charge with no advance booking. This year's theme is 'Step Back in Time' and highlights include Martin Brown (illustrator of Horrible Histories), Josh Lacey, Rob Lloyd Jones, Iszi Lawrence, Patrice Lawrence and Simon Mole. Covering eras going all the way back to the dinosaurs, taking in Ancient Egypt, the Vikings, the Victorians and the Second World War along the way. For more information, visit the website.

• Early music concert (Saturday 9 March, 6.30pm) - All Saints Church, Maidenhead. Renaissance Voices are performing sacred early music from Christmas to Easter. For more information and tickets, visit the website or call 01628 624429.

• The Royal Free Singers (Saturday 23 March, 7.30pm) - Windsor Parish Church, High Street, Windsor, SL4 1LT. They will be joined by the Orchestra of London and four professional soloists to perform one of Mozart's greatest works - Mass in C Minor, K427, "Great Mass". For more information and tickets, visit the website.

• Learn to run with Maidenhead Running Sisters. Ten-week beginner course for women starts on Monday 8 April at 6pm. For more details or to book use the contact form here.

• Royal Reminiscence, dementia-friendly mornings (Last Wednesday of each month from 10.30am) - Pug Yard Learning Centre (please use the entrance on St Alban's Street). If you know someone in the Borough living with dementia, or awaiting a dementia diagnosis, join on the last Wednesday of the month at Windsor Castle to talk all things royal. Sessions are fee, informal and include refreshments. Come along on to hear and share stories about the castle. For more information, visit the website, or call Amy on 07860 612393.

• Dementia drop-in groups. Friendly advice and refreshments. Meet others in a similar situation, talk through issues and ways of coping and learn about community resources. First Thursday of every month, 10.30am to 11.30am - Boyn Grove Library, Courthouse Road, Maidenhead, last Thursday of every month, 10.30am to 11.30am - Oakbridge Day Centre, Imperial Road, Maidenhead and first Wednesday of every month, 10.30am to 11.30am - Boyn Grove Library, Courthouse Road, Maidenhead.

• Signature A Cappella Singers - Do you love to sing? The group is looking for women to join the Windsor-based choir. It rehearses every Thursday evening at St Edwards Parish Centre, Windsor, SL4 3BA. Contact the group at singwithsignature@gmail.com.

• Maidenhead Softball Club Free Softball Fridays (Fridays 6pm to 7.30pm) - Newlands Girls School, Farm Road, Maidenhead, SL6 5JB). Looking for something different this year? Come along to the free Friday softball sessions and see what softball is all about. No experience necessary or any equipment needed. The group also runs youth sessions for 8-14s on Mondays. For more information about softball, the club or to book a place, visit the website, or contact Alan on 07552 811048.

• Volunteers wanted. Maidenhead Community Watch Association provides vulnerable and elderly residents in Maidenhead with various free home security items. It requires a handyman/lady to help with the fitting of these items as required, and also someone to join the small team carrying out the initial home security assessment. Training is provided at one brief session. Anyone interested in participating can contact the association chairman, John Diack, on 01628 622876 or at jrdmcw@gmail.com.

• 1^st Wraysbury Explorers are giving young people the opportunity to develop skills for life with new adventures and empowering challenges. Led by volunteers, the group have taken part in a wide variety of activities since opening in September 2023, including mountain biking camp, and a gang show with video creation. If you are ready for your next adventure, email Laurasutton3010@gmail.com to find out more.

If you have an upcoming not-for-profit community event or appeal for volunteers you’d like to promote in this newsletter, simply send basic information about your event to communications@rbwm.gov.uk and it could be shared with more than 21,000 local residents.

You just need to include a brief description, when and where it takes place, and a link to a website/social media page/contact where people can find out more.

To see further volunteering opportunities in the borough, or for another way for community organisations to promote volunteering opportunities, please visit RBWM Together.

Our consultations - have your say

We regularly hold consultations and surveys to get your views on proposals within the Royal Borough.

Participating, sharing ideas, and giving your feedback is the best way to ensure your views are heard.

Our current consultations are:

• Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to promote responsible dog control and encourage safer cycling in town centres - closes Monday 26 February.
• Proposed measures to prevent business premises being converted into housing on key employment sites without full planning permission - closes Tuesday 12 March.
• Gambling Policy Review - closes Friday 22 March.

Local Travel Updates

Council highways works

For details of further council works on highways, visit our website. For full local roadwork details, including work by utility firms, please visit the One Network website.

Keep in touch

Keep up to date with news and information from the council by signing up to Nextdoor and following us on X and Facebook.

Other accounts you may be interested in:

• Royal Borough official tourism web page.  
• Libraries on Facebook and X.
• Royal Borough Registrars on Facebook and Instagram.
• Communities Team on Facebook and X.
• Windsor & Royal Borough Museum web page.
• MyRoyalBorough on X, Facebook and Instagram.
• Make Maidenhead on Facebook and Instagram.