Please share with friends, family and neighbours in the borough so they can keep up to date. Sign up here if you've received a forwarded copy.
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Covid Plan B to help control the spread of Omicron
The
government has activated Plan B in response to the worrying rates of
Omicron's community transmission. With cases now doubling every few
days, there are fears about how this will affect the NHS already
impacted by winter care and Covid backlogs.
Here’s a quick reminder of the new measures:
- From
today (10 December), wear your face covering in most indoor public
places and on public transport. However, hospitality, night-time venues,
and gyms are exempt
- From next Monday (13 December), work from home if you can
- From
next Wednesday (15 December), use the NHS Covid vaccination pass (app),
or show a negative LFT result (if you’re not vaccinated), for
nightclubs and other indoor and outside venues
Please also remember:
- Open a window if you’re meeting others indoors
- Test
yourself regularly with a LFT, especially if you’re going out to
socialise or visit vulnerable family/friends, and self-isolate if you’re
positive and take a PCR
- If you haven’t already, get your jabs or booster
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Christmas and New Year arrangements for the Royal Borough
As we look forward to Christmas and New Year, you can find the opening hours for our libraries and customer contact services on our website.
You can also access information about revised bin collection days, Covid test collection and Christmas parking arrangements.
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Let’s take a stand together
We’re joining with the Dash Charity and other partners to support the national White Ribbon initiative, calling on everyone to take a stand against male violence, abuse, and harassment towards women.
As
part of 16 days of national activism following White Ribbon Day, we’ve
been raising awareness of the valuable work in the Royal Borough to help
keep everyone safe, the support available to victims, and the ways
people can report and get help if they’re scared, threatened, or abused:
whether in a domestic setting or on a night out.
It’s
clear we all have a role in bringing positive change in our society,
including those in our community who always treat others with equality
and respect: to make a collective stand and be part of the solution.
As
our communications campaign draws to a close, we’ve been focussing this
week on the ways everyone can play their part: to make the White Ribbon Promise,
continue to lead by example, call out sexism and question abusive
attitudes and behaviours in others. If you are on social media, please
check out and share our posts on Facebook and Twitter.
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Further support for vulnerable families and households
Disadvantaged
and vulnerable households will be further supported by the Royal
Borough thanks to a grant to help cover essential costs, and a free
Christmas school holiday activity and food programme for children
eligible for free school meals.
The
council has been allocated almost £590,000 from the government’s
Household Support Fund to assist those who meet the criteria with the
costs of food, rent, council tax relief and deposits to secure
tenancies.
The Household Support Fund will be used to provide:
- A
£40 food voucher per child, for families eligible for free school meals
or low income free early years childcare over the Christmas school
break and Easter holiday. A £20 voucher will be provided over the winter
half-term via schools
- Support to low income social housing tenants who are at risk of losing their home, in order to prevent homelessness.
- Deposit
provision to secure tenancy arrangements for residents who would
otherwise be unable to take up the housing offer and become homeless
- Provision of a contribution to council tax relief for recipients assessed eligible for council tax support due to low income
Separate
to this, bookings are now open for the Royal Borough’s Feed Ur Everyday
Lives (FUEL) programme for children eligible for free school meals,
providing additional support to vulnerable youngsters this Christmas.
Young people and families will be able to access free activity groups
and nutritious meals.
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Maidenhead’s first car club launched to support sustainable transport
Countryside, the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, and Enterprise have launched Maidenhead’s first car club.
Based
at Watermark, Countryside's and the Royal Borough’s £94 million
regeneration scheme on the banks of Maidenhead Waterways, the Enterprise
Car Club offers Maidonians an easy and affordable way to access
personal transport without the hassles of car insurance, tax and basic
maintenance.
The
car club is part of the measures being implemented to encourage
sustainable transport at Watermark, with 16 electric car charging spaces
and 171 cycle storage spaces being delivered across the development.
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Bench in Windsor town centre decorated as part of campaign to combat loneliness
A
bench in Windsor town centre has been decorated with a colourful new
design and wording as part of a campaign to combat loneliness.
The Royal Borough is part of this year’s 1 Million Minutes campaign, run annually by ITV’s Good Morning Britain.
The
‘listening bench’, in Peascod Street, uses the concept of a rainbow
pattern with the wording ‘Love to Talk!’ and has been designed by
actress Maisie Smith. The makeover was unveiled live on Good Morning
Britain earlier this week.
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Don't be like Elf: Remember to drive safely this winter
The
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead is joining forces with Travel
Safe Bucks, Thames Valley Policy and Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue
Service to promote a winter safety driving campaign.
You
might recognise Elf on the Shelf from his previous naughty festive
antics in the lead up to Christmas. However, this campaign showcases Elf
on the Shelf as you’ve never seen him before, getting up to no good and
finding himself in compromising situations with the police, and even
worse – Father Christmas.
Make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook to see the Elf’s antics, which run until Friday 24 December.
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Fancy being a vaccine volunteer?
The Primary Care Network vaccination centres in Windsor (Windsor Yards) and Maidenhead (Desborough Suite in the Town Hall) are seeking additional volunteers.
You can volunteer on the hours or days that suit you.
You
must be over 18, be able to stay on your feet for a few hours, friendly
and welcoming, a team player, and happy to be flexible and proactive in
your approach.
You’ll
be trained and supported, must sign a confidentiality agreement, be
professional in your interactions, and be supportive of the vaccine
programme and local NHS initiatives.
Many
of the existing volunteers say they’ve made good friends with other
centre volunteers, enjoy the client interaction, and love doing
something worthwhile for their community. It really is very rewarding.
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Respect your local countryside
If you’re out enjoying a winter walk in some of the beautiful rural areas the Royal Borough has to offer, please remember to:
- Always keep dogs under control and on a lead around livestock
- Be considerate to those living and working in the countryside
- Leave gates and property as you find them
- Follow local signs and keep to marked paths unless wider access is available
- Take your litter home
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Royal Borough community spotlight
Here are just some of the upcoming community events in the Royal Borough:
-
Carols on the Hill
– (6.15pm Friday 10 December) - Castle Hill, Windsor. Featuring the
Band of the Household Cavalry, one of Windsor's oldest Christmas
traditions returns to Castle Hill. Assembling around the Castle Hill
Christmas tree. A traditional community carol service will be held on
the doorstep of Windsor’s most iconic landmark. Learn more on the Visit Windsor website
-
Carols at Christmas - (3.3pm
Saturday 11 December) - St Mary’s Church, Maidenhead. A wonderful
musical start to the festive season by the New Maidenhead Choir. Visit their website to learn more and book tickets
-
Charity Christmas concert - (4
and 8pm Saturday 11 December) - Holy Trinity Church, Cookham. Join the
Cantorum Choir for a matinee (4pm) or evening (8pm) performance of
Christmas songs and audience carols in support of the Help Musicians
charity. Tickets are available from the Cantorum Choir website
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Old Windsor Christmas Fayre - (4-6pm Sunday 12 December) - St Luke's Road, Windsor. Live
music, community stalls, street entertainers, Santa’s grotto, food and
crafts. A great way to celebrate Christmas lights in Old Windsor Parish
Council. Learn more on the Visit Windsor website
-
Bray Christmas concert - (3pm Sunday 12 December) – St Michael’s Church, Bray. In support of Duchenne UK,
a charity helping children and young people suffering from muscular
dystrophy, the concert will include the usual mix of popular carols,
classical snippets, and a reading or two. Learn more on the St Michael’s Church website
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Maidenhead charity concert - (7.45pm Wednesday 15 December) – Norden Farm Arts Centre. The Maidenhead Concert band will be playing a
mix of seasonal pieces alongside other popular favourites all the
family will love. Proceeds will be donated to Norden Farm’s Ark Appeal,
learn more on the Norden Farm website
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St Mary’s Church Christmas services –
(Sunday 12 – Saturday 25 December) - St Mary’s Church, Maidenhead. St
Mary’s are hosting several services over the Christmas period including a
carol service suitable for all ages and two Christingle services. For
information, visit the St Mary’s website
-
Local exercises for older men - Men's Matters are
offering older men the opportunity to join a chair exercise class via
Zoom. The programme starts on Friday 4 February 2022 from 10am to 11am
for six weeks. Contact Paul Samuels if you would like to join
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Maidenhead & District Stroke Club
- if you, or someone you know, have suffered a stroke and need support,
consider attending this group's fortnightly Friday meetings at the Ivy
Leaf Club in Maidenhead. For more information, read the poster or visit the Maidenhead Stroke Club website.
If
you have an upcoming not-for-profit community event or activity 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 over 19,000 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.
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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:
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M4 closures
The M4 is due to be closed in both directions between Junctions 5
(Langley) and 6 (Slough). The closure will start after 8pm today and the
motorway will reopen by 6am on Monday 13 December.
The M4 is also due to be closed in both directions between
Junctions 5 (Langley) and 6 (Slough-Windsor) from Friday 17
to Monday 13 December. The closures will start after 8pm each
evening and the motorway will reopen by 6am the following morning.
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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Keep in touch
Other accounts you may be interested in:
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