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.
 
Wakeboard, paddleboard and boat are among the ways the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay will tour Maidenhead, Eton and Windsor on Wednesday 6 July, bringing the excitement of the Commonwealth Games to the borough.
 
Birmingham 2022 is hosting the 16th Queen’s Baton Relay – a journey which brings together and celebrates communities across the Commonwealth during the build-up to the Games commencing on 28 July.
 
A route map is online here and you can watch from public viewing areas at Maidenhead Waterways bridges, Eton High Street, Eton Bridge, Barry Avenue and Alexandra Gardens in Windsor. For those not able to watch the relay in person, you can still follow its progress live on Twitter using the hashtag #RBWMQBR
 
The fun is scheduled to start at around 9.20am when the Baton is expected to depart from Library Square, in St Ives Road, following a welcome reception of local dignitaries and school children.
 
For full details and timings, read our press release.
St Cloud Way regeneration scheme to start soon in Maidenhead as car park to close

Redevelopment of Maidenhead’s old Magnet Leisure Centre site with much-needed new homes will start this summer, with the car park set to close from today following formal granting of planning permission for the new scheme.

The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and developer Countryside formed the Royal Borough Development Partnership in 2017 to deliver residential-led high-quality regeneration of key town centre sites in Maidenhead, supporting new homes, jobs, investment, community facilities as well as the Council’s Environment and Climate Strategy.

With the York Road regeneration scheme, known as Watermark, well underway, St Cloud Way is the second and largest of these exciting projects, delivering 434 much-needed new homes in a mix of houses, apartments and maisonettes, including 87 affordable homes.

Over the coming weeks, people will start to notice hoardings go up once Countryside takes possession of the site as developer, with demolition of the old leisure centre scheduled to start from August.

Read more in our press release.
Royal County of Berkshire Civilian-Military Partnership Board launched

The Royal Borough is part of a new board that has been launched to ensure there is appropriate support for the military community serving, living and working in Berkshire.

Berkshire’s six unitary authorities, 11th Security Force Assistance Brigade & HQ South East and other military representatives, the South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets Association and the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service have teamed up to launch the Royal County of Berkshire Civilian-Military Partnership Board (RBCMPB).

The military community includes serving personnel, regular and reservists, cadets, their families, and veterans, including from the Commonwealth.

Among other things, the Board will prioritise health and wellbeing, housing, education, employment and equality, and will aim to create a joint understanding of each other’s concerns and ways of working. Importantly, it will work to ensure that the military community is not disadvantaged by their service and is given appropriate recognition and status within the county. 

Find out more in the press release.
Reminder: Find out more about options to improve the A308 at drop-in sessions

A consultation inviting the community to share their views on options to improve key sections of the A308 is now open, and we're running several drop-in events for you to find out more.
 
These all take place from 6pm until 7.30pm at:
 
  • Braywick Leisure Centre - Tuesday 5 July
  • Maidenhead Community Centre - Thursday 7 July
  • Dedworth Library - Wednesday 13 July.
 
We are initially considering how 21 sections of this key transport link, from the Bisham roundabout junction in the west, to the M25 in the east, could be improved over the coming years, and want to hear your views to help decide on the best options to create safer, more user-friendly routes for all.
 
The locations for suggested improvements have been split into four areas along the length of the road - Maidenhead and West, Bray, Windsor and Dedworth, and Southeast Windsor and Old Windsor – and you can leave your feedback on the different options for each area online.
 
Take part on our consultations webpage before the closing date of Sunday 31 July.
 
To learn more, read our press release.

Following the success of our first World Café in Clewer East and Clewer and Dedworth East, its next stop will be Ascot and Sunninghill on Thursday 7 July, 12.30pm to 3pm.

The venue is All Souls South Ascot Church Hall, Church Road, SL5 9DB. Parking is available.

Some 70 residents and representatives from community organisations and support groups met at the Clewer and Dedworth event to discuss and find solutions to the cost of living crisis. The Ascot and Sunninghill event will take the same approach and, as with all World Cafes, attendance is free.

The World Café format enables inclusive, open, and intimate conversations to better understand communities’ views and knowledge on a set topic. They are a great opportunity to share your opinions and concerns with local organisations and partners to find community-based solutions.

Refreshments and food will be available at the event, with a free goody bag for all attendees along with the chance to win a free family day out.

There are plans to hold World Cafes in every ward across the borough during the coming year. Find out more about these, and how to book, at World Cafes | RBWM Together.
Love Your Community – Our Ceremonial Wardens

As part of our “Love Your Community” communications campaign, we are highlighting the work of our Ceremonial Wardens.

You’ll see the wardens in Windsor Town Centre during The Changing of the Guard.

Our 24 wardens in their high vis yellow jackets are all volunteers, and they work alongside the police to ensure the crowds gathered to watch the spectacle are safe, as well as keep them informed about what’s going on.

In our video we talk to Ron Gardner, our longest serving Ceremonial Warden who also co-ordinates the team.

This week, as part of the campaign, we've also highlighted the work of our Trading Standards, Environmental Health and Licensing teams.
New online community resources for health and wellbeing

A new community online resource was launched yesterday (30 June), giving fascinating details and insights into the health and wellbeing of the Royal Borough’s residents.
 
Not only does the new Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) website drill down into the Royal Borough, but it also details the health and wellbeing of the populations in Berkshire’s five other local authorities.
 
The JSNA data won’t solely be used by local authorities and healthcare professionals to help shape local decision making and identify health priorities. It is a resource that anyone can access and use to find out more information. It covers life expectancy, deprivation, housing, environment, crime, mental health, and children and young people.

The JSNA website is housed within the Berkshire Health website which has been redesigned and relaunched yesterday. It has a number of micro sites within it offering wide ranging health and wellbeing updates and advice via a number of health-focused websites.

These include Healthy Berkshire with practical tips on how to live well, the JSNA and Berkshire Observatory platforms with their local authority specific health insights, and Safe Sex Berkshire detailing sexual health services and support.
Royal Borough community spotlight

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

  • Picnic in the Park, ‘Rock The Rec’ - (Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 July, noon to 7pm). Pirate Park, Dedworth. A celebration of The Queen's Platinum Jubilee with live music, a vegan market, food, artisan and craft stalls, funfair, bars, children's activities and much more. Tickets are £5 per person, per day and further details can be found on the Windsor jubilee website.

  • Sign up to Goodgym Windsor and Maidenhead - This sociable and welcoming group help other charities and community projects in the borough. They run, walk or cycle to where help is needed, combining volunteering with getting fit. Upcoming evening sessions include weeding at the Spencer Denney Centre in Windsor on Tuesday 5 July, hedge trimming at Boyn Grove open space and play area on Wednesday 6 July, and watering at the Maidenhead Community Allotment on Thursday 7 July. A tidy up of Spital Cemetery will also be held on Thursday morning. Learn more on their website.

  • Windsor Theatre Guild present “Emma” - (Wednesday 6 to Saturday 16 July) – Windsor Football Club. Windsor Theatre Guild present a highly theatrical adaptation of one of Jane Austen's greatest novels. Bring family and friends, food, and fizz to enjoy this timeless classic comedy at their new venue on the field behind Windsor Football Club. Tickets are available on the Ticket Source website.

  • Voices Anon Community Choir Summer Concert - (Friday 8 July, 7.45pm, doors at 7.15pm). Furze Platt School Theatre. Free entry. The choir will sing a wonderful and varied range of songs from all parts of the United Kingdom - from Zadok the Priest, to The Beatles, and My Fair Lady. The concerts always support a local charity and the collection this year will be donated to the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice.

  • Health and Wellbeing Fayre - (Thursday 28 July, 11am to 2pm). Housing Solutions will hold a free Health and Wellbeing Fayre at St. Luke's Community Hall in Norfolk Road, Maidenhead. Find out more about the support on offer from providers in the Royal Borough. There will also be energy saving tips, free refreshments, kids' arts and crafts and a prize draw.

  • Hurley Regatta - (Saturday 20 August). Entries are now being taken via the regatta website for skiff races; dinghy races, canoe races; dragon boat races; paddle boarding events, and much more on land besides. An entry form and more details can be found via the regatta's 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 20,000 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.
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:
Keep in touch

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

Other accounts you may be interested in: