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Remarkable response to appeal helping Afghan refugees

Last Friday, we launched an appeal for donations to help support Afghan refugees due to be resettled in our area. We have been overwhelmed by the heart-warming generosity of our local community who gave more than 300 bags of in-kind donations in the first three days alone.

Due to this remarkable response, we ask that future in-kind donations are limited to:

  • Household moving packs including pots, pans, crockery and cutlery
  • Baby basics equipment including bottles and nappies
  • School uniform including children’s shoes
  • New, packaged underwear for men, women and children of all ages
  • Toiletries
  • Strong storage containers to enable the creation of property start-up sets

These can be donated during daylight hours at our dedicated drop-off point out the front of John West House in Maidenhead. Due to social distancing, please do not knock at the door, but place your donation directly into the labelled containers.

Any in-kind donations which are surplus to the needs of Afghan refugees resettling in the local area will be distributed to wider refugee groups or homeless households in need. 

If you would like to make a cash donation, please give directly to Slough Refugee Support, an established charity which provides practical help to refugees across the Thames Valley. Monetary donations should be referenced “Afghan refugees”.

To learn more, read our press release.
Bank Holiday bin collection changes, library closures, and pharmacy opening hours

Your waste and recycling collection day will change temporarily because of the Bank Holiday on Monday 30 August.

Please put your bins out by 7am and ensure all rubbish and recycling is contained within your bin.

Please see our website for more details.

Our libraries will be closed on Monday 30 August, but will reopen as normal the following day.

Some pharmacy opening hours will also change on the Bank Holiday, visit the Frimley ICS website to learn more.
Stay safe if you're heading to Reading Festival

Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service (RBFRS) is urging festival-goers to follow important safety advice when attending Reading Festival this Bank Holiday weekend.

They remind attendees to reduce the risk of wildfires by not leaving glass bottles laying around their campsite and to fully extinguish cigarette butts.

They also encourage anyone under the influence of alcohol to stay away from the waterside.

Learn more on the RBFRS website.
Promoting Children's Services: Next week looks at children’s wellbeing and mental health

This week, we have highlighted on social media just some of the services and support provided for our most vulnerable children, during the second week of our Children’s Services communications campaign.

We’ve looked at the antenatal sessions available for expectant parents and the Nurture Groups for those with babies aged up to six month. Both are run by our Health Visiting Team, providing free expert advice and support for mums and dads in the Royal Borough.

We’ve also promoted the opportunity to become a foster carer, the appeal for Independent Visitor volunteers to help children in care, and shone a spotlight on the services and support for children with special educational needs or disabilities. 

Next week, the focus will be on wellbeing and mental health support for children and young people as we look ahead to the return to school.
Get the new term dates in your diary

With the summer holidays drawing to a close and children going back on Thursday 2 September, make sure you’ve got the term dates for the new academic year in your diary, mums and dads.

Remember: the first official day of term, Wednesday 1 September, is a Teacher Training Day set by the council, so most pupils go back on Thursday.

Learn more on our website.
Reminder: Help shape our Corporate Plan

There's still time to have your say in the public consultation on our draft Corporate Plan.

The plan sets out the headline areas we need to focus on over the next five years to make sure everyone in the borough has the best chance in life.

Once finalised, this important strategic document for the whole borough will help guide our work with partners and form part of our post-Covid recovery.

You can take part in the consultation, which ends on Sunday 12 September, on the RBWM together website.

Learn more in our press release.
Learn more about Active Travel and share your views

Alongside our ongoing Active Travel consultation, a number of drop-in sessions have been organised to explain more about Active Travel and its themes.

These will be held at:

  • Sunningdale Parish Office, 8 September, 4pm-7pm
  • Windsor Library, 14 September, 4pm-7pm
  • Old Windsor Library, 27 September, 4pm-7pm
  • Maidenhead Library, 29 September, 4pm-7pm

There will also be an online discussion session, via Microsoft Teams on Thursday 9 September, 5:30pm-7:30pm.

For more details about the sessions, and to learn more about our consultation, read our press release.
Reminder: help shape the future of the Royal Borough

You have until Sunday 5 September to take part in our public consultation to help finalise our Borough Local Plan.

The plan sets out a vision for the future for the Royal Borough up to 2033, and aims to guide and support future local regeneration and investment.

The consultation, which started on Monday 19 July, seeks feedback on the Planning Inspector's proposed modifications to our plan including reinstating three housing sites in Maidenhead, Sunninghill, and Horton.

Take part on our website and learn more in our press release.
Reminder: Have your say on our gambling policy

We are responsible for licensing gambling premises within the Royal Borough such as betting shops and venues with lower-stake gaming machines.

We are required to consult every three years on our gambling policy which sets out how gambling premises are regulated, how we take into account local risk factors relating to gambling, and our expectations in relation to operators with licensed premises.

You can take part in the consultation until Friday 10 September on our website where you can also find a link to the current policy.

Please note, this does not apply to online gambling which local authorities are not responsible for.
Chance to participate in launch of climate change report

Windsor charity Cumberland Lodge is looking for people aged under 25 who are interested in climate change to take part in the launch event for their Climate Futures: Youth Perspectives report.

The event, which takes place on Thursday 16 September, will give young people the chance to meet like-minded individuals and put questions to a panel of climate change experts. Participants will also get a free copy of the report.

To find out more, visit the Cumberland Lodge website or email programmeteam@cumberlandlodge.ac.uk.
Get involved in local Town Forum meetings

If you’d like to have your say on issues affecting Maidenhead and Windsor towns, we want to hear from you.

You can suggest discussion topics for the Maidenhead Town Forum or Windsor Town Forum as well as attend and contribute to the virtual meetings.

Agendas are published a week in advance, so you can see what councillors will be discussing, and get involved if there’s a topic you’re interested in.

Your discussion suggestions will be added to a future agenda if appropriate.

The next Windsor Town Forum is on Thursday 2 September (next week), and the next Maidenhead Town Forum meeting is on Monday 6 September.

To learn about how to get involved, email mark.beeley@rbwm.gov.uk (for Maidenhead Town Forum) or democratic.services@rbwm.gov.uk (for Windsor Town Forum). You can watch the meetings live on our YouTube channel.
Have your say

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

Responding to our consultations and giving your feedback is the best way to ensure your views are heard.

Our current consultations are:

More information can be found on the consultations pages of our website. 
M4 closures and other roadworks

The M4 is due to be closed in both directions next weekend between junctions 3 (Hayes) and 4b (M25 interchange), from 8pm on Friday 3 September to 6am the following Monday.

Visit the Highways England website for more details on the M4 smart motorway scheme.

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