Be water aware this summer

World Drowning Prevention Day is on Tuesday 25 July this year and we will be dedicating the next four weeks to a water safety and education campaign.

Even though the Royal Borough is landlocked, there is the River Thames, the Jubilee River as well as private lakes and smaller bodies of water. Nationally these are the locations where 60 percent of all accidental drownings occur.

As well as open water in the borough, with many families going abroad and to UK coastlines for their summer holiday, understanding how to stay safe in the water lets everyone have a great time and come home safely.

Sadly, each year several young people die in water incidents across the UK, in the sea, rivers, quarries, and lakes. Young men aged between 15 to 24 years old are the group most at risk, with men accounting for 83 percent of all fatalities.

Since 2018, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service has rescued 148 people from the water.

The National Fire Chief Council revealed that 46 percent of accidental drownings in 2022 took place in June, July, and August.

Recreational activities accounted for 58 percent of accidental fatalities.

Over the coming weeks, we are highlighting what the dangers are if you get into open bodies of water, what we are doing to make waterways safer, and how you can educate your children on water safety in our wonderful borough and on holiday.

Community Wardens working hard to support water safety

Our Community Wardens are once again including open bodies of water as part of their patrols this summer, to support water safety.

The team, who are all first aid trained, will also be carrying throw lines which can be used to help anyone they spot in trouble in the water.

Wardens will also be speaking with people they see in the water about the risks, as well as responding to any reports of people jumping off bridges into rivers. We will also be working with our partners, the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Thames Valley Police, to educate those going into any water.

During hot weather the wardens are inspecting all the safety equipment including life buoys, to make sure they are in good condition and ready to be used in an emergency.

The riverbanks and edges of open bodies of water are surveyed to remove anything which could encourage people to go into the water. The wardens have already removed a rope swing and an abandoned kayak so people are not tempted to use them to get into the water.

But I’m a good swimmer….

Whether you’re a good swimmer or not, it’s often the low temperature of open water which leads to tragedy.

It’s as simple as the water is just too cold.

Even on days when the air temperature rises above 30 degrees Celsius, or there is a heatwave, the water remains cold enough to kill.

Open bodies of water are around 15 degrees Celsius or lower in the summer.

Those temperatures are significantly lower than public swimming pools where the average temperature is around 25-28 degrees Celsius. This is around 10 degrees cooler than the average body temperature. And for context the average bath is around 32 to 40 degrees Celsius.

This is why your body instinctively reacts if you jump into such cold water.

This is called cold water shock.

Cold water shock is lethal

The cold literally takes your breath away and makes you gasp within seconds of getting in.

This involuntary action quickens breaths and can allow water to get into the mouth and lungs.

It can take as little as half a pint of water to lead to drowning.

Cold water shock also causes the heart rate and blood pressure to quickly increase and can lead to cardiac arrest.

Alternatively, the body tries to protect internal organs like the heart and brain by moving body heat to them from the arms and legs.

As a result, it becomes difficult to move limbs which are needed to keep afloat.

In the summer it is advisable to go to Leisure Focus pools for a swim where lifeguards are supervising in case anything goes wrong. More information on our leisure centres is available on our website.

Find out more about essential maintenance work to historic Cookham Bridge

A series of drop-in events are being held for you to find out more about essential maintenance work to the historic Cookham Bridge.

This important refurbishment project will help extend the life of the Grade II* listed structure, ensuring the bridge continues to serve the community for many years to come and will avoid more disruptive work in future years.

The works are subject to planning permission and, if approved, the project is due to get underway in October and include bearing replacement, re-waterproofing, resurfacing and joint replacement. The bridge is due to close to motor vehicles on Monday 16 October for approximately 20 weeks during the work, but pedestrian access will remain. Cyclists will need to dismount before crossing the bridge.

Access to any properties or business within the closure area will be maintained at all times. The diversion route will follow the A4094 south from Cookham, west along the A4 Bath Road, north on the A404, and then along the A4155 Marlow Road, with this route in reverse for traffic on the northern side of the bridge.

Find out more

There will be an opportunity for you to find out more about the project and have the chance to ask questions at a series of drop-in events being held on both the Berkshire and Buckinghamshire sides of the bridge.

These will be held on:

• Tuesday 18 July - 4pm to 7pm (Holy Trinity Church, Ferry Lane, Cookham)
• Wednesday 26 July - 4pm to 7pm (Bourne End Community Centre, Wakeman Road)
• Monday 4 September - 4pm to 7pm (Holy Trinity Church, Ferry Lane, Cookham)
• Tuesday 5 September - 4pm to 7pm (Bourne End Community Centre)

Read more in our press release.

Our Community Wardens join national campaign tackling anti-social behaviour

Our Community Wardens have again joined a national campaign this week to help tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB) and keep people safe. 

Running until Sunday, ASB Awareness Week 2023 aims to encourage communities to take a stand against ASB and highlight the actions that can be taken by those experiencing it. 

Organised by Resolve, the UK’s leading ASB and community safety organisation, the week has featured a series of events across the UK involving councils, police forces, housing associations, charities, community groups and sports clubs.

To support the campaign, our Community Wardens have been conducting a concerted week of community engagement stands, enforcement operations and extra patrols in parks and open spaces.

Read more in our press release.

President Biden to visit Windsor Castle

You may have seen the news that the US President is visiting Windsor Castle on Monday 10 July. It's a short private visit to meet His Majesty The King.

There won’t be any public events, ceremony or vehicular movements to see in Windsor town centre itself. No road closures are currently planned. We will see an enhanced police presence in town over the coming days. 

Yellow Heat Health Alert for the South East this weekend

A Met Office Yellow Heat Health Alert started at noon today (Friday 7 July) and is due to last until 9am on Sunday.

Yellow alerts are issued when the temperature is likely to affect people who’re particularly vulnerable, such as the elderly with multiple health conditions and on lots of medications. This is because they’re more likely to struggle to cope in very warm indoor environments.

So, if you can, please check in on vulnerable family, friends, and neighbours.

For more advice on keeping cool, visit the government’s Beat the Heat webpages.

World Cafes in Belmont, Oldfield and Datchet

A special active travel World Cafe is being held in Belmont ward on Thursday 20 July, specifically for residents living in Norfolk Road, Cordwallis Road and the St Luke’s Road area.

This also includes Australia Avenue, Bailey Close, Denmark Street, Fairford Road, Norfolk Park Cottages, Risborough Road, Russell Court, and Vicarage Road.

The event is being led by our highways team and is a chance for you to tell us your ideas to help encourage walking and cycling. We’ve plans to improve your neighbourhood streets but want to make sure they’re right for you.

Pop along to St Joseph’s Church, in Cookham Road, between 2pm and 4pm. To make sure we’ve enough free refreshments, please RSVP to the highways section on RBWM Together.

Oldfield ward, on Wednesday 26 July, is our next cost of living World Café, at Larchfield Community Centre, Desborough Crescent in Maidenhead, from 5pm to 7pm.

In addition to hearing your ideas on how to combat your local cost of living issues, it’s also a chance to talk to community organisations. There’ll be free refreshments and goodies as always. And there’s no need to book for this one.

Our final World Café is due to be held in Datchet in August – the venue, date, and time will be confirmed soon.

For more details about our World Cafes, including what we and communities have achieved following other borough cafes, visit the World Café section on RBWM Together.

Are you concerned about your teen vaping?

Parents of teenagers who vape are invited to an online hour-long focus group next Thursday 13 July, starting at 9.30am.

Along with Bracknell Forest Council, we’re exploring young people’s use and attitudes towards vaping. We want to better understand why they use vapes, how they get hold of them, and what they understand of the health risks.

An Action on Smoking and Health survey shows an increasing number of young people nationally are vaping. Local data also shows a similar trend. Although vapes are currently seen as less harmful than cigarettes, they’re designed to stop people smoking, not start, which is what young people are doing with them.

Even though we’re talking to young people in this project, the views of their parents are equally important. Feedback from both groups will help us shape the local support needed.

To book your place on the parent focus group, visit the Let’s Talk about Vaping page on Bracknell Forest’s website.

Tickets now available for Windsor and Maidenhead Community Lottery

Our Windsor and Maidenhead Community Lottery only launched on Tuesday, yet you’ve already bought some 300 tickets which has raised hundreds for local good causes.

More than 60 good causes across the borough have signed up. These include scout groups, a wide variety of charities, PTAs, and community organisations. Remember, when you play the lottery, you choose which local good cause up to 60% of your £1 ticket goes to.

The first weekly draw of the lottery is on Saturday 29 July. A jackpot of £25,000 is up for grabs, along with prizes of £2,000, £250, and £25. To celebrate the borough’s first draw, one lucky Royal Borough resident has the chance to win an additional prize: a luxury afternoon tea and indulgent spa at the five-star Fairmont Windsor Park Hotel, for them and their guest.

To play the lottery, or to sign up as a good cause, visit the borough’s community lottery website.

Celebrating our dedicated Royal Borough registrars

We're sending a huge thank you to our dedicated registrars who celebrated National Registrars' Day this week.

The team is based at our register office at Maidenhead Town Hall and, in addition, has 27 casual registrars working at our ceremonies.

Between them last year they:

• Registered 60 home births/birth declarations
• Took 1,091 notices of marriage/civil partnerships
• Conducted 753 marriages/civil partnerships at approved premises, including 235 in our own ceremony room
• Registered 884 marriages/civil partnerships held in churches or approved premises onto our electronic marriage register
• Issued more than 6,000 birth, marriage and death certificates.

Find out more about the team's work by visiting its Facebook page, or via our website.

Reminder: Do you have a winning Garden in Bloom?

There's still time to nominate your Garden in Bloom for 2023.

The Mayoral competition is seeking nominations for the best roses, borders and flowering baskets which can be seen when walking past a garden in the borough. And your garden could be recognised as being the best in your ward.

You can nominate your own garden or a neighbour’s. Or if you see another beautiful garden which brings you joy, you could take a note of the address and nominate it. The competition is open to every garden visible to passers-by from a pavement or road. 

Nominations can be made here and must be made before Friday 14 July.

Winners and runners-up in each ward will be presented with a rosette and a Braywick Heath Nursery voucher. All nominees will receive a certificate.

Nominations can also be made by emailing gib@rbwm.gov.uk or by post to “Garden in Bloom”, c/o Mayor’s Parlour, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead SL6 1RF.

Chance to run a stall at our free Braywick Nature Festival

The team at Braywick Nature Centre is appealing for members of the community, including local wildlife groups and enthusiasts, to run nature-themed stalls at this year's Braywick Nature Festival.

The free festival returns on Saturday 5 August with pond dipping, minibeast safari sessions and nature walks being among the activities on offer. The day

will run from midday until 4pm. All activities are free.

The festival will take place in the nature centre garden and across Braywick Nature Reserve and is organised by our Natural Environment Team. There's no need to book, just come along on the day, but please respond by visiting the Facebook event page so the team have an idea of the numbers attending.

If you would like to run a stall, you would need to bring your own gazebos, marquees and tables if possible. The team is also appealing for volunteers to help set up and marshal the event. Please email Thomas.Hall@RBWM.gov.uk for more information.

Don't fall victim to scammers

Citizens Advice is running its Scam Awareness campaign this week, offering helpful advice and support, which we've been sharing on our Twitter channel.

It’s important to always keep an eye out for scams - they can and do affect anyone. Take a look at the advice pages on the Citizens Advice website for more information.

If you think someone might be trying to scam you, it’s important to act straight away. If you need further advice and support you can call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133.

Are your children ready for the Summer Reading Challenge?

This year's Summer Reading Challenge arrives at your local library and online tomorrow (Saturday 8 July).

Visit your local library this summer to join the free challenge. Sign up to receive your Ready, Set, Read collector folder and then choose books to read over the school holidays. Collect stickers and other rewards for each book you read and add these to your folder to complete the challenge.

As part of the challenge, a variety of sport-themed crafts will be on offer. For full details, visit our website.

The challenge runs until Sunday 10 September.

Royal Borough Community Spotlight

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

• Volunteer driver at King George VI Day Centre, Clarence Road, Windsor. The small charity supporting the local elderly, providing social activities and lunch, is in need of a volunteer driver one day a week. For more information, visit the day centre website.

• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (5 to 8 July, 6.30pm, Saturday matinee 8 July, 2pm) at The Farrer Theatre, Eton College. A cast of students from across Windsor First, Middle and Upper Schools present Andrew Lloyd Webber's colourful musical. Tickets available here.

• Shout! (6 to 8 July) Old Court arts space in Windsor. Shout! is a musical set in England during the swinging Sixties and features classic songs such as Son Of A Preacher Man, Downtown, These Boots Are Made For Walkin' and many more. For more details visit the website.

• Family Fun Day (Saturday 8 July, 12pm to 3pm). Hosted by Friends of Eton Wick School (FoEWS), Eton Wick C of E First School, Sheepcote Road, Eton Wick, SL4 6JN. Stalls, inflatable obstacle course/bouncy castle, games, stalls, BBQ, refreshments, raffle and much more. All welcome. For more details, visit the Facebook page. Profits will go towards FoEWS fundraising, Charity Commission No. 309540.

• Celebrating 100 years of Bray Village Hall (Saturday 8 July). Bray Village Hall celebrates 100 years of community service this year that includes supporting Britain's war effort between 1940 and 1945. It has continued to serve the community as the venue for local groups, including senior citizens, Brownies, boxing club, dances, a rentable space for private hire and much more. Today, it still supports many activities and opens Thursdays and Friday evenings as a bar for locals and visitors. Come to learn more about its history and facilities on offer to mark its 100-year birthday. For more information visit the Facebook page.

• Celebration of the music of William Byrd and Thomas Weelkes (Saturday 8 July, 6.30pm) - All Saints Church, Boyn Hill Road, Maidenhead. Renaissance Voices and Turpins Trio present a concert of the music of Byrd and Weelkes, both of whom died in 1623. The concert will be followed by a cold supper and a glass of wine. Tickets £14 in advance or £15 on the door. Email enquiries@renaissancevoices.co.uk or visit the Renaissance Voices website.

• Voices Anon concert (Thursday 13 July, 7.45pm) – Taplow Court, Cliveden Road, Taplow SL6 0ER. Bring a picnic from 5pm and explore the grounds/ Ample parking and free entry. A collection will be taken for Thames Valley Adventure Playground. Visit the Voices Anon website for more information.

• Age Concern Windsor Summer Fayre (Saturday 15 July, 10am to 1pm) – Spencer Denney Centre, Park Corner, SL4 4EB to raise money to support its services for older people in and around Windsor. Fayre games, local stalls, face painting and an outdoor café. Everyone welcome. For more information call 01753 860685 Tuesday to Friday or visit the website.

• Monthly bazaar & coffee morning (Saturday 15 July, 10am to 11.30am) – St Mark's Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Road, SL6 5BQ. Delicious home baked cakes, stationery, books, CDs, DVDS and a bric-a-brac stall. Chris's Crafts will also attend with handmade items. Come and enjoy coffee in the new, colourful hub. Free entry and all welcome. All proceeds go to St Mark's Crescent Methodist Church Fund. Email info@stmarksmaidenhead.org.uk

• Charters School Summer Festival (Saturday 15 July, 11am to 3pm) – Charters Road, Sunningdale, Ascot SL5 9QY. The festival will celebrate the school's 65th birthday and will be a great opportunity for the wider community to come together. There will be music throughout the day, with performances from current and past students, games, street food, a bouncy castle, football and tennis tournament and much more. Local charities and non-profit organisations will be part of the event, and the school has sourced a range of artisan products to feature in its Festival Marketplace.

• Claremont Singers Summer Concert (Sunday 16 July at 3pm) – Holy Trinity and Garrison Parish Church, Claremont Road, Windsor SL4 3AX. The choir will perform a mixed programme of music to raise money for Thames Hospice and Holy Trinity Church. Tickets are £5 and available on the door. Accompanying carers and children go free. Complimentary tea and cake will be served after the concert.  

• Come & Sing ‘The Musicals’ (Tuesday 18 July, 7.30pm to 9.30pm) – Norden Farm Centre for the Arts. Release your inner show star and have a blast singing a brilliant musical theatre hit or two. A totally inclusive singing session, all welcome. Visit the event booking page.

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.

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.

We are consulting on two proposed Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) to address:

• Barbecues and fires in our parks and open spaces
• Alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.

Both consultations close on Wednesday 19 July.

We'd also like residents to give us their views on two consultations we're running for Windsor.

• A proposal to extend the 20mph speed limit in Stovell Road, Vansittart Road, Duke Street and part of Barry Avenue, to include Riverway up to the Arches. For more information and to respond, visit the RBWM Together webpage.
• A proposal to upgrade the crossing in St Leonards Road, near Bolton Road, from a zebra crossing to one with pedestrian controlled traffic lights. Further details and to how to respond can also be found on the RBWM Together website.

Both consultations close on Sunday 16 July.

Local Travel Updates

Planned engineering works this weekend means that the lines between Staines and Windsor and Eton Riverside will closed all day on Sunday, with buses replacing trains. For more information, visit the South Western Railway (SWR) website.

Industrial action by members of the ASLEF union this week will affect the SWR network until tomorrow. While the majority of services will run, there will be a reduced service across the network. Visit the SWR website for more information.

The RMT union has announced nationwide strike action involving 14 train operators, including South Western Railway (SWR) and Great Western Railway (GWR), on Thursday 20, Saturday 22, and Saturday 29 July.

For updates, visit the GWR website and SWR website.

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.

Consultations

• Heathrow Airport Noise Action Plan - The closing date for responses is Monday 17 July. For full details and to take part, visit the airport's website.

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:

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