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Cheering on our Royal Borough Olympic heroes


Like everyone else right now we’re all immensely proud of Team GB, and we’re cheering on all our Olympians at the Paris Olympics.


But the Royal Borough has special reason to be proud as four members of Team GB are from the Royal Borough. 

On Tuesday Maidenhead swimmer Tom Dean, along with the rest of the men’s relay team, successfully defended their Olympic title from Tokyo, and won gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle.


Tom put his mechanical engineering studies on hold in his quest to reach Tokyo 2020, where he won gold and silver. Tom was made an MBE in 2022, and at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships he walked away with a staggering four medals.

Great Britain's most successful female canoeist, Mallory Franklin from Windsor, won a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 games.


After Tokyo Mallory maintained her fine form with a gold and a silver medal at the 2021 World Championships, adding two bronze medals the following year.

Amber Rutter, from Windsor, took up shooting aged 10 and became the youngest ever Skeet World Cup gold medalist at 15.


At 18 she made her Olympic debut, missing out on Tokyo 2020 due to a positive Covid test. Since then, she’s claimed four European titles and three World Championship medals.

Charlotte Purdue, also from Windsor, is making her Olympic debut in Paris, representing Great Britain in the Women’s Marathon.


She completed her first marathon in London in 2016 and was the first British woman across the line at the World Athletics Championships the following year.


Charlotte crashed through the Olympic standard with a time of 2 hours 22 minutes and 17 seconds at the 2023 Berlin Marathon, taking her to second on the British all-time list behind only Paula Radcliffe.

We're wishing the best of luck to all four of our local Olympians, AND we’re all so proud of you!


And if you’d like to find out more about the Royal Borough’s links with the Olympics please visit our website. 

Successful prosecution over illegal vapes


A company director and shop have been ordered to pay court fines, costs and charges totalling £4,727 over illegal vapes, following a Trading Standards investigation and prosecution by the Royal Borough.

 

This followed the seizure of 170 vapes from Baweja & Brother Limited t/a Top Shop & Off Licence, St Leonards Road, Windsor on 31 July 2023, worth approximately £1500 in retail value. The shop is owned by Mr Tamanpreet Singh, aged 22, of Berkeley Waye, Hounslow.

 

Mr Singh pleaded guilty to two charges on behalf of himself and two charges on behalf of the company at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Friday 19 July 2024.

 

The charges related to product requirements and product labelling. The vaping products were illegal because they did not comply with product requirements in that they contained a larger volume of nicotine-containing liquid than is permitted - the maximum permitted volume for disposable electronic cigarettes is two millilitres, these were 10 and 14 millilitres.

 

They were also not correctly labelled in that the health warning was smaller than required and therefore not sufficiently prominent.

 

Read more here.

Beware of cost of living scams


We’re advising residents to remain vigilant of any scams related to cost of living support. Be extra cautious if you are cold called and invited to apply for support from the DWP Household Support Fund (HSF).


Do not give out any personal or financial details unless you are sure you’re speaking with one of our official HSF community partners listed on our website. If in any doubt, end the call and phone up the relevant partner yourself to check, using the contacts on our website.


Struggling with the cost of living?



Applications remain open to the Household Support Fund, which helps local residents who are struggling financially and having to make difficult choices around household essentials, such as food, rent and energy.


We’re working closely with 18 frontline community partners to identify residents in severe financial hardship to receive a cash payment of £145. You can put yourself forward for a payment by contacting one of our community partners, who can also help you with a wider range of cost of living support. You cannot apply directly to the council.

Celebrating our wonderful parks and green spaces

We’ve been celebrating our wonderful parks all this week as part of Love Parks Week, which runs until this Sunday. 


On social media we’re been showcasing their many facilities as well as revealing some historical titbits about them.


And our Community Wardens have been out and about in many of our parks meeting residents and having friendly chats, giving out tips, and getting much valued feedback from the public. 

And last weekend Braywick Nature Festival again proved to be a big hit with residents, giving visitors a chance to have fun and interact with nature at Braywick Nature Reserve.


The fun included pond dipping, meadow madness, live music, a veggie BBQ, a licensed bar, nature trails and workshops, so there was plenty to do for residents of all ages!


To find out more about Braywick Nature Centre visit their Facebook page.


And with a wide range of facilities on offer, there’s something for everyone in your local park.

Enjoying our parks and greens spaces responsibly


We’re all rightly proud of our parks and green spaces in the Royal Borough, they're great places to relax and enjoy nature, have a picnic, and walk our beloved four-legged friends. And to make sure we can all enjoy them we’re asking everyone to remember:


  • Please dispose of your waste responsibly and take litter home if the bin is full.
  • Always bag and bin your dog’s mess to keep parks clean, safe, and attractive for everyone.
  • Barbeques and other open fires are not allowed in any of our parks or open spaces.


Cooking on a barbecue in parks and green spaces can pose both a fire risk and cause damage to grass and wildlife, and often leads to littering of food packaging, spent charcoal and disposable barbecues.


A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) order has been in place since last November, giving our Community Wardens the option to issue a £100 fixed penalty notice, to enforce the ban on barbeques and other open fires in our parks and green spaces. So please, leave the barbecue at home this summer, and help protect our much loved green spaces.


You can find out more about our parks and open spaces on our website, and we’re wishing all our residents a happy, safe, sunny summer! 

Multiply your opportunities this summer with free adult numeracy courses


This summer free adult numeracy courses will be available to residents in the Royal Borough, to help people improve their maths skills and unlock new opportunities. 


Multiply courses, funded by the government and delivered in local communities, offer a unique learning opportunity for adults aged 19 or over, who don’t have GCSE maths at grade C or the equivalent, or who want to brush up on their maths skills for work or to help with household budgeting.


Designed to help with everyday activities like shopping and cost of living issues, these sessions can help improve specific skills, like money management, helping children with homework or improving maths skills for work. This can help residents improve their job prospects, make more of their money and support their children’s learning. 


Multiply offers accessible and relevant courses, friendly tutors, and a range of options to provide a positive and rewarding experience. Residents can choose from locally based one-off courses, to multiple sessions in-person or online.


Read more here.

Visiting London over the weekend? Why not park in Vicus Way


If you’re planning a city break to London, did you know our Vicus Way car park in Maidenhead has a super-affordable parking offer for weekend leisure trips?


If you arrive after 4pm on Friday, you can park until 11am on Monday for just £10 – the smart choice whether you're heading to the capital or spending the weekend in our Royal Borough.


Catch the train at Maidenhead station (a convenient five-minute walk away), with regular services to Paddington and Windsor (via Slough).


Vicus Way is a spacious, modern parking base – vehicle entry 5am to 8pm, exit 24/7.


Read more here.

Could social panels be an option for your home?


A green energy scheme to help you and local businesses generate renewable energy through solar panels, cutting energy costs and carbon footprint, is open in the Royal Borough.


We have joined forces with neighbouring councils to group bid for cheaper installation of solar panels through Solar Together.


Residents and businesses, with permission from the property owner to install the panels, can register now until 13 September.


The scheme offers solar panels with optional battery storage and EV charge points, as well as retrofit battery storage for residents who have already invested in solar panels and are looking to get more from the renewable energy they generate. 


The applications are grouped together, and reputable installation companies then bid to carry out the work through a reverse auction overseen by a company called iChoosr. 


Read more.

Have a safe T.R.I.P.


National Highways are urging motorists to have a safe T.R.I.P. this summer, with their new national safe driving campaign.


The campaign, which is backed by the Council, recommends that drivers ‘Top-up, Rest, Inspect, Prepare’ before every long road journey. With the summer holidays now in full swing many residents, especially local families and young people, will be setting off on long car journeys to visit friends, family and holiday destinations.


TRIP stands for:


  • Top–up: fuel, oil and screen wash.
  • Rest: take a rest break every two hours.
  • Inspect: check tyre pressure and tread.
  • Prepare: have a plan for all weather conditions.


By following some simple advice drivers can keep themselves and their passengers safe, and avoid any unnecessary delays or costly repair bills. By planning a journey and preparing the car you can have an enjoyable and stress-free journey. So, before setting off: 


  • Make sure you get a good night's sleep before your trip. 
  • Avoid alcohol the day before as this can disrupt sleep and affect your driving the following day. 
  • Know what medications you're on and how they affect you. 
  • Avoid driving between midnight and 6am when you’re likely to feel most tired. 

 

Read more here.

We want to know what you think about your Residents' Newsletter


We are running a survey to get your feedback on this newsletter.


Residents' Newsletter is our weekly digest of council news and information and a look ahead to forthcoming council activities and local events, and it's sent every Friday to those who've subscribed.


The survey only takes 10 minutes to complete and your feedback is valuable to us and will help us to improve the newsletter. To take part visit the RBWM Together webpage.


Prize draw


By participating, you will be offered the chance to be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher.


We would also appreciate if you could share the link to the survey with your friends and family in the borough, if they are subscribed to the newsletter.


And those who aren't yet subscribed to the Residents' Newsletter can sign up here.

Be Water Aware during the school holidays


As schools begin to break up for the summer holidays, we'd like to remind everyone of the risks associated with open water swimming.

 

Sadly, each year several young people die in water incidents across the UK, in the sea, rivers, quarries and lakes, and almost 250 people accidentally drown in the UK every year. 

 

If you have children or grandchildren, please help by having a conversation with them about water safety advice and the risks of open water, and encourage them to use local leisure centres if they wish to go for a swim.


Know the risks 

 

  • Cold water shock – the cold temperatures of open bodies of water can take your breath away and can lead to water getting into the lungs. This causes the heart rate and blood pressure to increase and can lead to cardiac arrest, or body heat moving to protect the internal organs, leaving limbs immobile. 
  • Dangerous submerged objects like mangled trollies and upright poles can cause serious injury for anyone jumping into the water. 
  • Riverbeds and the bottom of open bodies of water are uneven. The water could be so deep it has an undercurrent that can drag you under and downstream. 
  • Open bodies of water are not clean, which can cause sickness. 

 

What to do in an emergency 

 

If you get into trouble in open water, your instinct would tell you to swim hard. But cold water shock can make you gasp uncontrollably. Instead, remember to Float to Live. 


  • Tilt your head back until your ears are submerged in the water which forces your body up to the surface. Facing upwards also protects the nose and mouth from the water, giving unobstructed access to air.
  • Try to relax and regulate breathing. 
  • While floating on your back, moving your arms gently helps you stay afloat and it’s ok if your legs are not level with the rest of your body. 
  • If you can, get your legs to the surface, spread your arms and legs like a star as it improves stability. 
  • Once panic has passed and controlled breathing returns, you can then call out for help. 

 

If you see someone in trouble in the water, shout to them and encourage them to tilt their head back to float on their back. Locate a nearby lifesaving ring and throw it to them, and call 999. Do not risk getting into the water yourself.  

Reminder: Free swimming sessions for local teenagers this summer to aid water safety


Young people aged between 13 and 17 will be able to enjoy free swim sessions at two popular leisure centres during the school summer holidays, thanks to a water safety initiative.

 

Leisure Focus, our leisure operator, in collaboration with local partners including the council itself, has launched its “Safe Summer Swim” initiative, with a mission to reduce the risk of young people getting into trouble in lakes and rivers.

 

The programme offers free one-hour fun swim sessions for 13- to 17-year-olds at Windsor Leisure Centre and Braywick Leisure Centre (weekdays only) and it runs until Friday 30 August, making swimming accessible and promoting water safety.

 

With up to 40 spaces available per session, this initiative seeks to provide local teenagers with an opportunity to learn essential water safety skills, improve their swimming abilities, and foster a greater appreciation for water-related activities.

 

Read more here.

Yellow heat health alert


The Met Office has extended the Yellow Heat Health Alert for the South East, which will be in effect between 9am on Friday 1 August and 9am on Saturday 3 August.


If you can, check in on vulnerable/elderly family, friends and neighbours because they’re more likely to be affected by hot weather. And keep an eye on children too.


One way to keep indoors cooler, is to close those curtains and blinds facing the sun during the day.


For more tips on how to keep cool visit the government's Beat the Heat advice 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.


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


  • Pickleball launch day (Saturday 3 August, 2pm to 5pm). Holyport Memorial Hall in Moneyrow Green. After the recent resurfacing of the outdoor tennis court, two new Pickleball courts are now available for hire. Come and join our demonstration, learn how to play Pickleball, and have a go. For those who already play open play will be arranged to give you the chance to try out our new outdoor courts. It's a fun sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis and can be played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net. Come along to try your hand at this growing, fun, family-friendly sport. For more information email.

 

  • Annual Fifield Fun Day (Sunday 4 August, 1pm to 5pm). Deep Meadows Fifield. A proper country fair with full size steam train rides! There will be something for all the family including children’s entertainment shows, dog shows, musical mats for dogs, fairground, games, ferret racing, reptiles, gun dogs, trade stands, flowers to buy, food and beverages and an afternoon of full entertainment! Free parking on site and donations for entry. All welcome, a great day out guaranteed.

 

  • Tea and Cake in aid of The Alexander Devine Children's Hospice (Sunday 4 August, 2.30pm to 5pm). St Michael's Church, Bray. Join us for delicious cakes and refreshments accompanied by music from the Devine Buskers. 100% of donations will go to the Alexander Devine Hospice Service Charity. Further information contact Lynn 07966 906082.

 

  • The Links between Maidenhead and the Olympic and Paralympic Games (online talk - Wednesday 7 August, 7pm). Beginning with Lord Desborough, himself a talented athlete, arranging the 1908 London Olympics in two years flat... and virtually single handed. The talk will come right up to date with local athletes in with a medal chance this year. In fact, some of those medals may even have been won when the talk is given. For more information visit.

 

  • Volunteers needed: Alzheimers Dementia Support annual summer raffle. The ADS Charity Shop in Maidenhead High Street is seeking volunteers to sell tickets for their annual summer raffle. The grand prize draw will take place on 29 August. Get in touch with the ’ADS’ fundraising team and request a Summer Raffle Distribution Pack by calling 07887 993313 or email fundraising@adscharity.com.

Local Travel Updates


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.   


  • Road Resurfacing Work: B376 Welley Road, on the approach to and over Welley Bridge, from 9am to 6am between Monday 5 August and Wednesday 7 August.


  • Road Resurfacing Work: The section over the railway bridge on Station Road, Wraysbury from 9pm to 6am between Wednesday 7 August and Thursday 8 August. 


  • Road Resurfacing Work: B470 High Street, Datchet B376 to Railway Level Crossing from 9pm to 11.59pm between Thursday 8 August and Friday 9 August. 


  • Road Closure: Gallys Road, Windsor from A308 Maidenhead Road southward, until 11.59pm Sunday 11 August, to facilitate renewal of leaking communication pipe.

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