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More than 45,000 miles walked in Street Tag's first season


Street Tag has proved to be a big hit in the Royal Borough, with pupils and their families clocking up more than 45,000 miles in its first season, between 10 June and 6 August.


The popular family-friendly treasure hunt game has turned our borough into a virtual playground, with the Street Tag smartphone app enabling players to search their surroundings, on foot or on two wheels, looking for virtual tags hidden across the borough.

   

The aim of this unique game, which we’re running in partnership with Street Tag following its success in other parts of the country, is to encourage players to be more active and get healthier plus discover and explore places in their communities while having fun and making memories.


Pupils and their families from the 24 Royal Borough schools taking part, took more than 52 million steps playing the game and collected more than 69,000 tags from a wide selection of locations including parks, footpaths and bridleways, leisure centres and other public spaces. They were also able to add their own tags along their favourite walking, cycling, running, or rolling routes to and from school and out and about at weekends.


Tags mean points, so schools competed against each other in a friendly leaderboard, with £50 now to be awarded to each of the PTA’s at the top two performing schools of this summer season.


This was the first of three eight-week Street Tag seasons in the borough. The next one is due to start on 16 September, again for schools only, with the third early next year open to all residents and communities to join in with the fun.


More here. 

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.

 

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.

Park Smart Maidenhead - make the most of your parking choices


If you drive into Maidenhead, park up and walk to your workplace, you can get affordable long-stay day parking or season tickets at Hines Meadow, Vicus Way or Stafferton Way car parks. Hines Meadow is the most central location.


If you’d like to save money and don’t mind a 10-minute walk into the town centre, Vicus Way is among the cheapest option for commuter parking in Maidenhead, offering all-day long-stay parking for £6.90.


Annual season tickets there are also cheaper than Stafferton Way next door or Hines Meadow. You can get season tickets for three months, six months or 12 months, with Vicus Way also having the option of one-month season tickets.


More here.

Could solar 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. 


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.

Yellow heat health alert


The Met Office has issued a Yellow Heat Health Alert for the South East, which will be in effect between 9am on Sunday 11 August and 9am on Tuesday 13 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.

Royal Borough Community Spotlight


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


  • Open air presentation on plans for improving the habitats of our local streams (Thursday 15 August, 1pm and again at 6pm). Cookham Moor car park, SL6 9SG. South East Water and the South East River Trust will have an open-air presentation on the restoration programme of Marsh Meadow and Strand Water (commencing Wednesday 28 August), which will bring benefits for both people and wildlife. Please do pop along to talk to the experts about this initiative. For more information visit.


  • Royal Free Singers Open Evening (Wednesday 4 September, 7.30pm to 9.30pm). Trevelyan School, Windsor. No previous experience necessary, suitable for all, no pressure, no charge, everyone welcome. This is an opportunity to find out if singing in our big friendly community choir is for you! To book your free place or ask any questions email.


  • Free Windsor Wellbeing Walk with Maidenhead United Community Trust (second and fourth Friday of every month, 10.30am). Setting off from Windsor Leisure Centre car park, SL4 5JB for a leisurely 75-minute walk, followed by optional refreshments available to purchase, at the lovely Swan community pub, where you can have a cup of tea and a natter. If you’d like to attend or learn more, please email.


  • 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.


  • Volunteer eBay Assistant for Thames Hospice. We have several opportunities to work in the eBay team in Maidenhead for Thames Hospice. You will be listing collectable and interesting items. It’s fun and interesting. For more information visit.


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.

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


  • Road Resurfacing Work: A30 London Road, Sunningdale between Charters Road & Waitrose from 9pm to 6am Monday 19 August to Tuesday 20 August.


  • Road Resurfacing Work: B3021 Burfield Road, Old Windsor between Crimp Hill & Kingsbury Drive from 9am to 4pm, Monday 19 August to Tuesday 20 August. 

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