Borough's blooming gardens recognised

Green-fingered residents have been recognised as part of the Royal Borough’s annual Garden in Bloom competition, which encourages more people to become interested in horticulture and use their skills to brighten up their neighbourhood.

This year saw over 300 entries to the council run competition from across the borough, including a crochet flower display created by the residents of Datchet, Horton and Wraysbury.

Congratulations to all our winners and a big thank you to all those who took part and who helped make our wonderful borough shine.

You can see the photographs this year’s competition on our Facebook page

New initiative offers 'Help and Hope' to those struggling with grief

Plaques signposting to support for those struggling with the loss of a loved one are being fitted on benches across the our borough, following an event at Windsor Castle to mark the eighth anniversary of the Good Grief Trust.

The plaques, donated by The Royal Windsor Rose and Horticultural Society, contain a QR code that links to a database of local bereavement support services and groups - encouraging more people to access help near them to help protect their physical and mental health.

RBWM representatives met with founder of the Good Grief Trust, Linda Magistris, and Trust Ambassador Greg Wise, as the first plaque was unveiled on a bench next to the Irish Guards Statue in Windsor last week. 

You can read more about this story on our website

Street Tag returns to the Royal Borough

Pupils at twenty-one local schools are raring to go for the second season of the borough's Street Tag game, which started on Monday 16 September.

From now until 4 November, the borough is being transformed into a giant playground where pupils and their families search their surroundings, on foot or on two wheels, using a smartphone to find hidden virtual tags to win prizes for their schools.

This free family-friendly treasure hunt game also empowers players to get healthier as they discover and explore new places in their communities - all while having fun and making memories.

To find out more about Street Tag in the Royal Borough, please visit the Street Tag section on our website. For Street Tag generally, including details of prizes for residents and community groups for the third season, visit the national Street Tag website

Our Community Wardens - in their own words

This month we’re highlighting the great work our Community Wardens do in the borough, by telling their stories. Our wardens are a familiar and reassuring sight on our streets, and wherever possible they try to help residents, even when they don't yet know they need help!

"During a routine patrol in Windsor, I came across a car turning into Vale Road, with a handbag on its roof. I decided to follow the driver until it was safe to retrieve the bag.

"After a mile or so she came to a stop, and I was able to safely recover the bag and hand it to her. She turned out to be a local resident and as extremely pleased not to have lost her handbag and all its contents!” 

Our Wardens engage with local residents and businesses, and work closely with other agencies and council departments, to quickly and efficiently solve problems in the community.

The team also undertake operations to tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour, cycling on pavements, and dog fouling. 

“On receiving a report of dog fouling in St Andrews Close we carried out an inspection of the area and discovered the report was accurate.

"Next, we organised for anti- dog fouling signs to be posted right along the road, and then we worked with our colleagues in environmental services to carry out a dog fouling clearance.

“We engaged with residents and encouraged them to report any more incidents, and we carried out regular patrols, and within days our actions had a very positive impact on the area.”     

And remember, if you see one of the team out and about in the borough, please feel free to say hello!  

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 the 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. You can find out more about parking in Maidenhead on our website 

Are you over State Pension age? Check your eligibility for Pension Credit

If you’re over the State Pension age you could be entitled to Pension Credit – extra money to help with living costs. You can claim Pension Credit even if you have other income, savings or own your own home.

If you have a friend or a family member who is above State Pension age, let them know about Pension Credit and other help like the Winter Fuel Payment that’s available, and encourage them to check their eligibility, even if they’ve other income or have been denied it before. This can help to make a significant difference to the lives of your loved ones.

If you need help getting online, you can seek assistance at a local library, and can get in touch with our Financial Inclusion officers if you need help making a claim.

Further details can be found on the Gov.UK website, where you can also check your eligibility and they’ve produced a handy video to help explain Pension Credit.

Help design a Healthy Street for Vansittart Road Windsor

We're holding an informal drop-in on Saturday 28 September, 11am to 1pm, at Trinity St Stephen’s First School in Vansittart Road.

We welcome your thoughts on how to make Vansittart Road greener, safer and a healthier environment for all to enjoy. Your input will help inform the designs as well as get a better understanding of what's important for you to get about more easily on foot or on two wheels.

Don't worry if you can't attend as there are other ways you can take part - an online survey, by email, and by post. We ask that you share your ideas and thoughts by midnight on Sunday 27 October.

To find out more about Healthy Streets generally, visit the Healthy Streets website

Temporary changes to Library and Contact Centre opening hours

Due to staff training we have had to make some changes to the opening hours for our Contact Centre, and some of our libraries on Wednesday 25 September. This will mean:

• the Contact Centre telephone helpline will open at 2pm
• Ascot, Cox Green, Sunninghill, Maidenhead and Windsor Libraries will open at 2.30pm    

Emergencies can be reported by email, which will be monitored during this period, our 24/7 online service - Apply for it I Pay for it I Report it - is unaffected, as is our online library services    

Opening hours for all services will return to normal on Thursday 26 September.  

Calling all jobseekers - attend our next jobs fair!

A jobs fair will take place at Maidenhead Library on Tuesday 24 September from 10.30am to 1pm.

Jobseekers will have the opportunity to meet local employers and find out about their current vacancies, and there’s no need to book, just turn up on the day.



Employers who wish to attend the event should email DWP-library@rbwm.gov.uk or berks.employerteam@dwp.gov.uk

For more information, please visit our Employment Support webpage.

Vaccine for those at risk from severe respiratory illness

The NHS has begun vaccinating against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) - a common cause of coughs and colds - that can lead to severe lung infections such as pneumonia and infant bronchiolitis which are highly dangerous to older people and babies.

Pregnant women, at least 28 weeks into their pregnancies, will be offered the vaccine by their community midwifes. Adults aged 75 to 79 will be invited to have it by their GPs.

The RSV vaccination is available all year but cases peak every winter around December. To find out more about symptoms of severe respiratory illness, visit the RSV page on the NHS website.

Flu vaccinations for pregnant women and most children also begin this month. The Covid-19 vaccine for eligible groups starts on 3 October.

Royal Borough Community Spotlight

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

• Harvest Bazaar (Saturday, 21 September, 10am to 12pm) St Marks Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Rd, Maidenhead, SL6 5BQ. Come and join us for our Harvest Bazaar and view our Harvest decorations in the Church. We’ve got delicious home baked cakes, stationery, books, CDs and much more. There will be a raffle with many prizes and coffee available in our friendly Hub, and there’s a Children's Corner, with Singing of Harvest Songs from 11.00 am. Entry is free, everyone is welcome and bring family, friends, and neighbours. Proceeds go to St Marks Church Fund. For more information email

• Monday Friends (Monday 23 September, 10.30am to 12.00pm) St Marks Crescent Methodist Church, Allenby Road, Maidenhead, SL6 5BQ. Each month we bring a different theme and for September we're having a Scavenger Hunt outside. The meeting will include refreshments and is very informal with a short time for a prayer. This is a morning for all in the community, especially those who are alone and would like to make friends and get to know others. Coffee, tea or hot chocolate is served with biscuits. Free Entry, all welcome. For further information email or call 07714-892599.

• Lecture - The Arts Society Windsor (Wednesday 25 September, 1.30pm) Old Windsor Memorial Hall, SLY 2RN. The society invites you to a lecture on ‘Mid 18th century Rococo Silver, its social context and the adventures of its makers and owners’, presented by Ralph Hoyle. Ralph is a member of the Silver Society, and his interest is English Rococo silver. New members welcome. For further details visit

• Library talk (Thursday 26 September, 7pm) Sunninghill Library. Local author & economist David Barker will discuss climate change and the coming battle for freshwater. For more information and tickets visit - all welcome.

• An Ounce of Prevention - Helping you get your emotional, physical, legal and financial matters in order now (Thursday 26 September, 3pm to 5pm) Castle View Retirement Village, Helston Lane, Windsor SL4 5GG. Join us over tea and cake to hear from our panel of experts on how to make life easier for you and your loved ones. This insightful event will identify key areas to help avoid crisis situations well before they might happen. For more information and to book your please visit

• Desborough Bowling Club Family Open Day (Saturday 28 September, 11am to 3pm) Green Lane, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 1XZ. Why not try your hand at indoor bowls combined with other fun activities at one of the premier bowling centres in the country. All age groups welcome. All equipment will be provided by the club on the day. There'll be club members on hand to explain the the game get you started. For more information or to register interest visit, email or call 01628 629403.

• An afternoon piano concert (Sunday 29 September, 3pm) Old Windsor Parish Church, SL4 2JW. Featuring the music of Hayden and others with James Norton at the piano, followed by refreshments. Ample Parking. Donations on the day for church funds.

• A Celebration of Coffee (Sunday 29 September, 9am to 4pm) Desborough Theatre, Town Hall, St Ives Road, Maidenhead. Come and visit Maidenhead’s biggest celebration of coffee. Vicky Weddell from Moneyrow Beans is hosting Maidenhead Coffee Festival for the second time showcasing a spectacular celebration of coffee and will see local coffee people and customers coming together to celebrate all things coffee. For more information email or to book your ticket visit

• Join us for a glorious afternoon of crafting at the Green Skills Library (Tuesday 1 October, 12pm to 2pm) Nicholsons Centre in Maidenhead. We'll be making I CAN CAN's, these will be cans you can decorate however you like and fill with positive thoughts and affirmations. It's time to celebrate what we CAN do! Enjoy a social crafting session with a cuppa, a chat and a short uplifting talk. This is a FREE event. For more information and to book your space email

• The Arts Society Englemere Lecture (Tuesday 8 October, 7.30pm for 7.45pm) Royal Ascot Golf Club, Winkfield Road, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7LJ. Ascot’s evening Arts Society present Norman Rockwell - Great American artist or mere illustrator (John Ericson). He is often referred to as a storyteller with a brush! Many of his paintings tell us whimsical stories that invariably make us smile. There will an opportunity to put questions to the lecturer. For further information and to register your interest visit or email

• Volunteers needed – Maidenhead Town Show (Sunday 13 October). Would you be able to help out at the 11th annual town show – full of family fun, crafts, competitions, entertainment and the woofing wonderful dog show. We’re looking for volunteers to help out at the event with marshalling and manning a couple of fundraising activities – all in aid of Thames Valley Adventure Playground. If you’re interested, please email

• Sunningdale Quiz Night (Friday 18 October, 6pm to 10.30pm) Holy Trinity Church, Church Road, Sunningdale, SL5 0NJ. Please join us for fun, food and good causes at our 10th Quiz Night. The evening has continued to grow in popularity, and we will be serving hog roast rolls or falafel wraps, which have been a firm favourite in the past. For more information and to book a table of up to 8 email

• Charity Gala Orchestral Concert 'A Night at the Movies' (Saturday 9 November, 7.30pm) Baylis Theatre, Braywick Leisure Centre, Maidenhead SL6 1BN. Windsor and Maidenhead Symphony Orchestra will be performing this concert in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, hosted by David Emanuel (fashioner designer for the Royal Family). Featuring well know tunes from Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, James Bond, Pirates of the Caribbean and much more. For more information and tickets visit

• Free money coaching course (Monday afternoons). The Maidenhead CAP Debt Management Centre run courses regularly throughout the year. This course is aimed at people who aren’t in serious financial difficulties but would like to get a better handle on their finances. To register your interest visit

• Thames Hospice Home store Maidenhead – request for volunteer support. We have a range of volunteering roles at our home store in Reform Road. Are you confident on the phone? Do you enjoy customer service? We’re looking for volunteers to make calls, answer the phone on our furniture bookings line. You’ll help us arrange collection of donated furniture and delivery of bought items, helping us to raise vital funds for the hospice. Fridays and Saturdays are a key need for us. If you’re available on any other day, please come and help us sort through the amazing donations that we receive. To find our more, call Louise on 07340 904127 or email

• We need your help to get our ECO café ready. We’re building our ECO café in the ECO Action Hub and we’re opening very soon! The coffee, cakes and snacks are going to be great. We URGENTLY need someone to help prepare for and set up our new café. This would suit someone who is organised and able to investigate things. The work can be done mostly at home. If you’ve an interest in climate and the environment and coffee, we’d love to talk to you. Come into the Hub, email or come to one of our events and see us!

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

Our consultations - 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.

Our current consultations are:

• Sunningdale Library opening hours consultation - closes Sunday 20 October.

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: Holmanleaze, Maidenhead from Ivy Leaf Club Car Park southward to dead end, between 8am to 5pm until Monday 23 September, to facilitate a news gas connection.
• Road Closure: Holyport Road, Maidenhead from 7 October until 29 November for utilities work. Residents are advised to follow diversion signs.

Keep in touch

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

Other accounts you may be interested in:



• Royal Borough official tourism web page  
• Libraries on Facebook and X
• Royal Borough Registrars on Facebook and Instagram
• Communities Team on Facebook and X
• Windsor & Royal Borough Museum web page
• MyRoyalBorough on X, Facebook and Instagram
• Make Maidenhead on Facebook and Instagram