Bracknell

Children at Sandy Lane Primary School, Bracknell get an energetic kick-start to the day with some lively dance moves designed to help their learning and boost their exercise.

Every class at the school gets a ten minute kick-start aerobics style session three times each week. They are led by Year 6 pupils to the accompaniment of some lively music either before lessons in the morning or before break time starts.

Headteacher Liz Norris says the body-bopping stimulates body and mind: "Kick-start helps the children get focused on the day ahead as well as providing a supplement to their regular physical exercise. And they really love it too – there’s always a fizz of excitement when a class knows they’re next for a kick-start session."

And the children were recently joined for an early afternoon kick-start by Bracknell Cllr Alan Ward, Executive Member for Education and Libraries and Rt. Hon. Andrew MacKay, MP for Bracknell.

Both gamely joined in the morning exercise before taking a tour of the school and meeting staff.

Cllr Ward said: "Andrew MacKay and I were very pleased to meet the children and staff at Sandy Lane Primary School and to learn more about the innovative work they are doing.

"The school is providing children with a good education and we were particularly impressed with the energy of the staff we met as well as the children."

Mrs Norris added: "We were delighted to welcome Cllr Ward and Andrew MacKay to the school and to show them the wide range of work we are doing with our children."

For more information about the Bracknell school visit: www.sandylaneprimary.ik.org

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Talented young Bracknell singers will entertain shoppers in Princess Square in Bracknell town centre from 4.30pm today (June 28).

Bracknell Voice, the choir for seven to eleven year olds, will perform their wide repertoire that is set to delight all who hear them.

And now they're on the look out for new members.

The choir is free to join and meets every Wednesday at St Joseph's Church Hall in Bracknell town centre from 4.30 to 5.30pm during term times.

As well as performing at a number of venues including Bracknell town centre the choir also takes part in schools-based concerts and performances such as the recent widening opportunities concert at St Joseph's Church on May 24.

Mary Sefton, Music Advisory Teacher for Bracknell Forest, runs Bracknell Voice and is keen to hear from children who enjoy singing and may be interested in joining.

She said: "All the children are of varying ability so enthusiasm is as important as natural flair.

"As well as being great fun in itself we we have found children rapidly grow in confidence and self-esteem so there's even more than musical talent that can be developed.

"As our rehearsals are just an hour long, parent and carers have the chance to pop into town while their child is singing with us."

There is free car parking at St Joseph's Church for parents and carers whose children are members of Bracknell Voice.

For more information on joining contact Mary Sefton on tel: 01189 936 6424.

The choir was set up in September 2004 thanks to a grant from Youth Music and since then has received support from Bracknell based companies Boehringer Ingelheim, Panasonic, the Rotary Club of Bracknell and the Rotary Club of Easthampstead.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A five-year Bracknell plan to help 24 species of rare, declining and locally important plants, insects and birds has been launched.

The Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Action Plan has been created by members of the Bracknell Forest Biodiversity Forum which includes landowners, and representatives from parish councils, wildlife groups and other local voluntary groups.

The species have been chosen to include a wide cross section ranging from internationally rare or protected species, to more common species which are locally valued or special. Action to conserve the so-called Bracknell 24 and their habitats will also have beneficial knock-on effects on other species.

Volunteers are already working in Binfield by building a series of barn owl nesting boxes.

The birds are legally protected due a national decline in numbers. They are known to breed in Bracknell Forest, especially in the agricultural land to the north of Bracknell, where team of local volunteers are trained and licenced to allow them to check the nesting boxes.

John Wenman, Countryside Ranger, said: "The information the volunteers gather will help us find where barn owls are breeding.

"This will allow members of the Biodiversity Forum to work with landowners to create additional feeding and nesting habitats and erect new nesting boxes, in order to increase the number breeding in the borough."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "The primary aim of the biodiversity action plan is to identify those activities needed to improve the environment for everything and everyone who lives in the borough.

"Having seen at first hand all the hard work being undertaken by our officers and volunteers to maintain the diverse range of wildlife we have in Bracknell Forest, I would like to publicly thank them for their efforts and dedication."

To find out more about the Biodiversity Action Plan and the Biodiversity Forum visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk or call 01344 354125.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Children at Bracknell Forest Borough Council's primary schools are set to tuck in to healthier school meals from September following the agreement of a new contract yesterday (June 20).

The new three year contract with school meals specialist Caterhouse Ltd was agreed by Tony Eccleston, Bracknell Director of Education, Children's Services & Libraries and Tom Seery from Caterhouse Ltd.

Caterhouse will provide school meals until at least September 2009 under the contract negotiated by Bracknell Council on behalf of 27 primary schools and one special school.

The new contractor will focus on making school meals even healthier in response to feedback from parents, carers, students and school staff in a massive consultation held at the end of last year.

Key findings were parents wanted the full two course hot meals service to continue but wanted to see more fresh fruit and salads with less processed food on the menu.

The consultation also showed 92% of parents were willing to pay more for better quality meals.

As a result Caterhouse will focus on using better quality ingredients such as organic milk and free range eggs with a greater focus on fresh local produce.

Fresh vegetables, fruit, crunchy salad and chunky bread will be available every day.

New menus will be put together over the coming weeks ready for the new school year in September.

Expert dieticians at Bracknell Forest Primary Care Trust will inspect and approve the Caterhouse menus on behalf of the Council.

The menus will also be checked against new government regulations coming into force this September for Primary schools.

In secondary schools over half of students said healthy eating concerned them but that cost was the biggest factor in choosing their lunch.

Bracknell Secondary schools will continue to have their meals provided by Initial Catering Ltd following the negotiation of a one-year extension to their existing contract. There will be significant changes to the service from September with healthier snacks including fresh fruit, juice and water.

Cllr Alan Ward, Executive Member for Education and Libraries, said: "This is good news for children and parents who told us they wanted to see healthier meals.

"Although it has been a lengthy process we have now got contractors who will deliver fresher, healthier meals in our schools."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest tenants and leaseholders were out in force last Saturday (June 17) to celebrate ten years of the Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Panel (T&LP).

Local Bracknell tenants and guests kicked off a party at South Hill Park by launching balloons into the sky as part of a competition organised by Bracknell Borough Council. The balloons were labelled with the names of tenants who entered the competition and the name on the balloon found furthest away from South Hill Park will win £50 worth of shopping vouchers along with the person who finds the balloon.

Guests included panel members past and present since the group began in 1996 and the Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Champion Cllr Mrs Shelagh Pile.

Bracknell Tenants recalled the successful work the panel has been involved in over the years, including involvement in all phases of the project looking at the options for running Council housing in the borough, meeting with tenants from other boroughs to share ideas, representing all tenants and leaseholders and giving their views on how to improve the housing service.

Around 35 guests also made the most of the weather and the celebration by having a barbecue in the grounds of South Hill Park.

Jacki Brundish, Acting Chair of the Bracknell Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Panel, said: “This event has been organised to celebrate the anniversary of a successful panel and to thank everyone who has been involved with it and put in many hours’ voluntarily since it began.

Bracknell Cllr Mrs Shelagh Pile enjoyed the day and said: “This is an important milestone in tenant participation in housing matters. The day went very well and it is good to see such a dedicated group volunteering their time to find out about housing matters and take charge of tenant involvement.”

“The Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Panel is a vital group which works with the Council to inform decisions about services.

“It is a particularly busy time as new panel members have just been elected and we are reviewing the Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Compact, and considering the Your Homes : the Way Forward project about the best future for our tenants’ homes.”

To find out more about the Tenants’ and Leaseholders’ Panel or to take part in housing consultation contact 01344 351570.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The Bracknell Look Out Discovery Centre's popular Planets and Stars show returns this summer for seven weeks, from July 26 - September 5.

Visitors can step inside the inflatable Bracknell Starlab planetarium where the universe comes to life with a tour of the nine planets in the solar system, an introduction to stars and some myths and legends about the sky.

Over the coming weeks, the staff at The Look Out will be brushing up on their astronomy skills ready to answer questions from all visiting potential space travellers.

There is also a science and nature exhibition which has 70 interactive exhibits in special zones; including the forces and movement zone where you can launch a hydrogen rocket, spin a giant orb, or send a huge hot air balloon skyward; the light and colour zone, where you can gaze through the looking glass and see yourself in a new light; the sound and communication zone where whisper dishes can help communicate with friends; and the woodland and water zone and optical illusion zone with many other exhibits to explore.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "The welcome return of the Planets and Stars show gives us all another chance to find out how to search the sky at night, hear about space travel, and learn about shooting stars, asteroids, meteors and satellites.

"It's the perfect activity for all budding astronauts this summer and well worth a visit."

The 40 minute shows run at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3.15pm. There is a charge of just £1.60 per person, per show, in addition to the admission charge to the hands-on science and nature exhibition.

The Bracknell Look Out Discovery Centre is open from 10am - 5pm. As well as the hands-on science exhibition, there is a children’s adventure play area, free car parking, gift shop and coffee shop. Based in 2,600 acres of Crown Estate woodland, there is plenty of space for walks, cycling and orienteering.

For further information, please call The Look Out Discovery Centre on 01344 354400, or visit our website on www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/be

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council would like to thank residents who have already ordered more than 9,000 new recycling containers, and would like to encourage more Bracknell residents to place their orders ahead of the launch of Alternate Bin Collection (ABC) on October 2.

So far, 4,079 blue bins for plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans have been ordered, along with 1,938 brown bins for garden waste and 2,990 kerbside boxes for paper and card or plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans.

The Bracknell Council is introducing ABC to boost recycling levels across the borough and keep council tax levels low. Recyclables will be collected one week, with landfill waste collected the following week.

A series of roadshows is also being held to help answer Bracknell residents' questions about the scheme. Staff will be on hand to give advice, new recycling containers can be ordered, home visits for help from an ABC officer can be requested and biodegradable brown sacks for garden waste will be on sale.

The roadshows can be found at:

Saturday, June 24: Warfield Primary School fete - 12pm-4pm

Saturday, July 1: Crowthorne Carnival - from 12pm

Friday, July 7: Meadowvale Primary School fete - 5.30pm-7.30pm

Saturday, July 8: Birch Hill Primary School fete - 1pm-4pm

Saturday, July 15: Memorial Park, Sandhurst - 11am-5pm

Sunday, July 16: Going Green, Lily Hill Park - 10am-4pm

Friday, July 21: Opening of Street Live festival, Bracknell town centre - 10am-2pm

Friday, August 4: The Look Out Discovery Centre - 10am-2pm

Tuesday, August 8: Edgbarrow Sport Centre - 10am-2pm

Thursday, August 10: Coral Reef - 10am-2pm

Tuesday, August 15: The Look Out Discovery Centre - 10am-2pm

Tuesday, August 22: Coral Reef - 10am-2pm

Wednesday, August 30: Edgbarrow Sport Centre - 10am-2pm.

Last year, more than 70 per cent of rubbish from homes across the borough was dumped in landfill sites - which pollute the environment and contributes to climate change.

Landfill space in Berkshire has less than two years capacity remaining and sites further away are also filling up and will cost more to use - not only in transportation but increases in taxes, charges and fines being imposed by the Government to discourage landfilling.

It means if we continue as we are today, the increased cost could be as high as £7.7million to Bracknell Forest tax payers over the next five years and even more in future years.

Bracknell Residents can choose to order a new blue wheelie bin or additional kerbside boxes, for recycling plastic bottles, food tins and drinks cans; which will be free of charge.

Keen gardeners can buy an optional brown wheelie bin for garden waste for a one-off cost of £30. Biodegradable brown sacks for garden waste are still available from local outlets for 30p. Paper and cardboard will be collected in the existing kerbside boxes.

Vincent Paliczka, Director of Bracknell Environment and Leisure, said: "It is great to see that so many residents are wanting to recycle their waste.

"When the bins arrive, use them straight away, so the bins collecting waste for landfill will already be only half full when the new service starts."

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "The roadshows will be a one-stop shop where you can order new containers and get personal advice on how you can make the best use of them.

"Even if you are an avid recycler, if you have any questions about ABC please come along and our recycling staff will be happy to help."

All extra containers can be ordered by calling 01344 352000, filling in the form in Town & Country and Environment Focus or online at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/abc

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Police in Bracknell Forest have introduced eye-catching triangular signs to warn motorists not to leave valuables in their cars.

Everett Bentley, Bracknell Crime Prevention adviser, said: “Police are working hard to prevent your car being broken into, so please help us to help you.

“The Crime Reduction team in Bracknell has purchased triangular yellow signs which are displayed on lamp posts in key locations to remind motorists to take their belongings with them. The new signs are prominent and are an educational tool for motorists, as well as a warning to thieves that we are watching.

“We introduced the signs almost two weeks ago and they will be used on a permanent basis around Bracknell Forest.

“We advise you to spend a little extra time removing evidence that you have valuables in your car. For example, take a few minutes to remove your satellite navigation system cradle and the sucker marks from your window. This will save you time in the long term, as well as the hassle if you don’t and your car gets broken into.”

Inspector Andy Harris, Deputy Police Commander of Bracknell LPA, said: “Don’t let yourself become the next victim, help us to stamp out car crime.

“When you see one of our new signs, let it be a reminder to you that your property isn’t safe unless you take it with you.

“Our neighbourhood police officers are working with our Priority Crime team to disrupt and detect these crimes in special operations. In addition, we are working undercover in crime hotspots, which our crime analysts have identified, and running operations in those areas.”

Everett Bentley, Bracknell Crime Prevention adviser, advises:

• Don’t leave any valuables on display in your vehicle. There are a number of objects that are particularly desirable to the thief, including sat nav systems, mobile phones, laptop computers, MP3 players, cash and credit/debit cards, vehicle registration documents and private mail – especially with your address on it. However, even an old coat on the back seat is a temptation for someone to ‘smash and grab’; they steal first and think about value later.

• If you must leave a laptop in the car for a short time, make sure it is switched off, as it could be transmitting a signal to a thief with a WiFi detector hunting unguarded computers and mobile telephones – it does happen!

• Always lock your car when leaving it unattended and remove the opportunity for the thief to steal, for example, when you are collecting the children or buying fuel.

• Activate any security devices on your car when leaving your vehicle. Lock your valuables in a car safe.

• Try and park your car in a safe location: a garage is best but if not, on your drive, or in a well-lit location. If your car is ‘hidden away’ in a quiet location a criminal will feel safer when trying to break into it.

• If you have a garage, use it and make sure you lock both the garage and the car within it.

• Keep your car keys safe; when you leave your vehicle always remove the key from the ignition and lock the doors. At home always keep your keys in a safe place, which is out of sight and reach of windows, doors, letterboxes and cat-flaps.

• Be vigilant and report suspicious activity to the police.

Bracknell Insp Harris also urges anyone with information about thieves, or people buying or selling stolen items, to contact your local police station on 0845 8 505 505, or if you do not wish to speak to the police then call Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

If you require any crime prevention advice, please contact either Everett Bentley or John Oblein at Bracknell Police Station on 0845 8 505 505.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Bracknell Adult learners are looking forward to moving up a gear following the launch yesterday (June 20) of a state-of-the-art learning bus.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council teamed up with Berkshire Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to buy the innovative bus which will act as a mobile classroom, taking fresh learning opportunities out to the community.

This latest exciting addition to the Bracknell Council's fleet of vehicles has been custom-built so up to eight adult students can be taught on board by a tutor.

It's kitted out with the latest PCs equipped with wireless internet access and will be used to focus initially on adults looking to improve their basic skills and develop ICT skills.

The bus is fully accessible to people with disabilities and does not need to be linked up to external power sources. It will operate from school and community centre sites to begin with.

Tailored programmes in numeracy, literacy and ICT are being developed to help learners make the most of the facilities the bus has to offer.

Tony Eccleston, Director of Bracknell Education, Children's Services & Libraries, said: "The bus is a major boost to the work we are doing to take lifelong learning opportunities out to the community.

"It gives us the ability to adapt our teaching to specific requirements by running courses where and when people want them. For that reason I am sure it will quickly be a valuable resource for adults looking to improve their skills."

Bracknell Cllr Alan Ward, Executive Member for Education & Libraries, said: "I am delighted we are once again thinking of original ways to offer local people a wide range of learning opportunities.

"Learning is rewarding for everyone for all sorts of reasons, be they for personal development, to improve employment opportunities or simply for the fun of it.

"The bus is a great way for us to take learning to the learners and it's going to be an important feature of our plans for the future."

David Ansell, LSC Area Director for Thames Valley said: "We welcome this opportunity to work in partnership with Bracknell Forest Borough Council on this innovative initiative.

"Our goal is to help people change their lives through learning and I am sure the bus will encourage local people to take advantage of what is on offer and help identify and develop their skills and potential."

Recruitment for a permanent tutor who will also drive the bus is now under way.

The bus and its computers cost £95,000 was paid for almost entirely by external grant funding from the LSC and from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE).

Cllr Clifton Thompson, Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, launched the bus yesterday at the Open Learning Centre, Brakenhale School site, Rectory Lane, Bracknell.

For more information about lifelong learning opportunities provided by Bracknell Forest Borough Councill, call 01344 354128, email: lifelong.learning@bracknell-forest.gov.uk or visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/learning

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The Bracknell Forest Environment Partnership is organising a fun filled family day out at Lily Hill Park, Bracknell on Sunday 16th July to help raise awareness of environmental issues. The Partnership is made up of represenatives of local voluntary groups, businesses, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, the Environment Agency and other organisations all with an interest in local environmental issues.

With support from a grant from the Awards for All programme from the lottery and additional corporate sponsorship the Partnership is organising the day which will be free for the public to attend. It will be a fun-filled day out for the whole family on an environmental theme.

There will be activities such as: a demonstration of domestic scale wind turbines, arts and crafts using recycled items, a falconry display, guided bird identification walks around the park, basket weaving workshops, orienteering around the park, mini-beasting, an organic food taste test, hybrid cars, electric motorbikes, recycling displays, climate change bingo, bird box making and much more. There will also be food (hog roast, bbq, ice-cream), drink, music and other entertainment.

For further information visit: www.bracknellgoinggreen.org.uk or call Lisette on 01344 354104.

Bracknell is Going Green

Children showed their creative skills in Bracknell town centre on Saturday as a taster of the fun they could have at the Going Green event on Sunday, July 16.

Children reused old CDs to create anything from coasters to wind chimes in time for Father’s Day.

Going Green is being organised by the Bracknell Forest Environment Partnership, and promises to be a fun-filled day in Lily Hill Park.

There will be lots of hands-on activities, games and demonstrations on environmental themes. Organisers hope people will have a good day out, and learn more about the environment and how we can protect and enhance it.

It is supported by an Awards for All grant from the National Lottery and corporate sponsors, including Panasonic.

Bracknell Forest Environment Partnership is made up of businesses, voluntary groups, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, the Environment Agency and other organisations all with an interest in environmental issues.

Activities confirmed include Waitrose with a display and tasting of environmentally friendly produce and products, Wokingham and Bracknell RSPB running bird identification walks, and Boehringer-Ingelheim making bean bags out of recycled plastic.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council will be sending its recycling roadshow where residents can learn more about Alternate Bin Collection, while its rangers will be making swift boxes and hunting for mini-beasts.

There will also be food and entertainment including a hog roast, organic ice-cream and drink, a falconry display, live music and morris dancers.

Gillian Cheetham, chair of Bracknell and District Gardening Club for the Able and Disabled, and chair of the Going Green organising committee, said: There is a huge amount already planned for Going Green, it is set to be a fun and interesting day.”

Cllr Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Planning and the Environment, said: A wide range of community organisations have come forward to take part in Going Green, please come along and see what it is all about."

For further information visit www.bracknellgoinggreen.org.uk, or call 01344 354104.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A new, portable speed indication device (SID) has been putting the brakes on speeding motorists in College Town.

Put into use by Bracknell Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Public Protection for Bracknell Forest Borough Council, the SID monitors and displays the speed of approaching vehicles. Drivers can see the speed they are travelling at and almost without exception, they slow down, even when they are within the speed limit.

Details of speeding vehicles are recorded and entered on a police database and the owners of the vehicles receive a letter from the police.

Cllr Peter North, said: "College Town was the obvious choice for the pilot work. Local people had raised major concerns at their Neighbourhood Forum last autumn about two particular roads. As a result of what they told us, we purchased this SID to try and slow the traffic down in the areas residents said were of most concern. The results to date are remarkably good."

John Coupland is a local resident and volunteer co-ordinator of this work. John said: "I have been concerned about speeding vehicles and the associated noise on our roads for years. This machine has had the immediate effect of reducing speeding. In recent days, cars have been driving very sensibly indeed. The SID has worked well and quickly. I jumped at the chance to get actively involved as a volunteer and to help make my area safer."

Volunteers for projects such as this are recruited through the recently launched Take Pride campaign which allows those who feel strongly about local problems to get actively involved in reducing them. The scheme is operated by volunteers and has the support of Thames Valley Police and the Council.

Sgt Graham Thorne of Bracknell Police Station, in charge of the Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "This work is exceptionally helpful to us. We do what we can but with the support we are getting from local people it allows us to focus our time on regular offenders rather than monitoring all vehicles, most of which are driving perfectly well. The volunteers are a tremendously valuable resource and I am very grateful to them for their efforts."

Bracknell Cllr North added: "This work is about helping people to help themselves. If they put something in, they get something back. I would like to thank all those volunteers who have already committed to help and a special thanks to John Coupland in particular."

The next Neighbourhood Forum for Owlsmoor and College Town is at 7.30pm on 26 June at the New Owlsmoor Community Centre.

This is one of the last in the current round of neighbourhood forum meetings to take place in the borough.

The two further meetings this month are in:

* Martin's Heron, The Warren and Harmans Water on Wednesday 28th June, 7.30pm at Harmans Water Primary School and
* Binfield on Thursday 29th June, 7.30pm at Binfield CoE Primary School.

In the first round of meetings, last autumn, residents raised a number of local concerns, including anti-social behaviour, speeding, parking, environmental issues and the nuisance use of motorcycles. This round of meetings has given local people the opportunity to find out what has happened since then and to say if they think things have improved.

The next round of forums are due to kick off in the autumn, starting in Crown Wood and Forest Park on Monday 9th October, 7.30pm at Crown Wood Primary School.

For more information on Neighbourhood Forums and Take Pride call Bracknell Forest Borough Council on: 01344 352000 or log on to: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/takepride and register online.

To speak to a member of your neighbourhood policing team, contact: 0845 8 505 505

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Clients from centres for older people in Bracknell Forest are having a Caribbean themed party on Wednesday, June 21.

Heathlands, Downside, Ladybank and the Bracknell Age Concern Day Centre are joining together to enjoy the music of Birmingham-based trio Steel and Strings.

There will be themed food and drink, and staff will be dressing up to add to the atmosphere. The Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest Cllr Cliff Thompson will also be attending.

It is the second time Heathlands has hosted the band - who mainly work on cruise ships, after a successful party last year.

Steel and Strings were discovered by Heathlands centre manager Linda Parsons on a cruise two years ago.

She said: The party is really different to the other events we hold throughout the year, and was so popular last year we decided to hold it again.”

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: It is great to see events like the Caribbean party taking place for older people who use our residential and day services.

”I’m sure a fantastic day will be had by all.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The Bracknell NCTea party is an annual event celebrating the work of the NCT, an opportunity to have fun and raise funds to continue the work of the charity.

Come and join the fun with the National Childbirth Trust and celebrate our 50th birthday in the lovely surroundings and grounds of South Hill Park, Bracknell. Activities for ages 6 months to 5 years to include Tumble Tots, Tiny Talk and MAD Academy, treasure hunt, colouring competition, face painter, raffle and lots more! A soft drink and snack will also be provided for each participating child.

Bracknell NCT’s NCTea Party

is on

Saturday 8th July 2006

at

South Hill Park, Ringmead, Bracknell

between

2.30pm and 4.30pm

Tickets costing £3.50 per participating child (age 6 months – 5 years) are available in advance now from Nicola: 01344 868537. Places are limited!

Proceeds from this event will be used to continue our work in the local area, which includes training new antenatal teachers for Bracknell, and also to raise funds nationally for the NCT.

Jan Smith

Bracknell NCT – Branch Secretary

A national lifeguard competition has been won by a Bracknell member of staff from Coral Reef on his first attempt.

Bracknell Adam Porter, 20, came top in the Lifeguard Triathlon, run by the Institute of Sport and Recreation Management and the Institute of Qualified Lifeguards. There were more than 400 entrants from across the country.

It was the first time Bracknell Coral Reef has entered a team. Nine people entered and the centre came 12th out of 39.

Entrants final score is based on a combination of a theory paper, timed swim and tow and CPR test. Adam scored top marks in the timed swim and CPR, getting a final score of 97 out of 100.

Adam joined Coral Reef soon after leaving school and developed his swimming ability with Bracknell Swimming Club.

The competition runs throughout May, and each entrant is scored by local assessors. It is seen as an important annual event and a motivational training tool.

Mark O’Halloran, Coral Reef centre manager, said: We decided to enter the competition so we could benchmark our lifeguard skills and aptitude against national standards and I am thrilled Adam and the team rose to the challenge so brilliantly."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: It's a terrific result and Adam and the team have done us proud. Coral Reef is one of the South East’s premier leisure pools and the team have demonstrated the calibre of people we have working in Bracknell Forest’s leisure facilities.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council's leisure services are running a competition to encourage people who struggle to find the time or the will power to take regular exercise or learn about the world around them.

No More Bracknell MayBes is designed to help motivate residents to start a new leisure activity - whether it is discovering more about the world we live in, going along once a week to an aquarobics session or visiting the gym before work every morning.

To enter, fill in a No More MayBes postcard with a leisure ambition or goal, and how the campaign can help you get started. It could be anything from wanting to keep up with the kids on their bikes, finding out about how the body works, to running next year’s London Marathon. The competition has three categories: school and voluntary groups, businesses and individuals; and the prizes include free visits to Council-run leisure attractions, golf lessons and three month membership of Bracknell Leisure Centre.

To give a helping hand, Bracknell Forest’s leisure facilities are also promoting a range of incentives for users signing up for visits, courses and coaching. And, if you need advice and support, there is always someone there to help you decide what type of activity would be best for you and to advise you on how to get started.

Kevin Biles, Bracknell Leisure Centre’s business development manager, said: We’ve made it really easy for people to enter the competition and we are encouraging everyone to have a go.

"You can send us your entry on a postcard, which you can find around Bracknell Forest or you can pick one up from any leisure facility.”

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "Bracknell Forest has a superb range of facilities which can help residents achieve their goals.

"And now summer has arrived it is the perfect time to start that healthier lifestyle."

All entries should be completed and returned to one of the specified addresses by Friday, June 30. Children can enter on behalf of their class or group, while the business category is aimed at work colleagues who have been planning to start a group leisure activity.

For more details visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/be or call 01434 611 981.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A Get Cycling roadshow is being held in Bracknell town centre on Saturday, June 17, as part of Bike Week - the UK's annual celebration of cycling.

The roadshow will give residents the chance to have a ride on different styles of bikes, find out about cycling in Bracknell Forest and talk to experts. There is also the chance to win a brand new bike from Bracknell Cycles.

Other bike-related events are taking place, including an event at Bracknell Leisure Centre on Friday, June 16, where children will be able to try out different styles of bikes, have a maintenance workshop and see a safety presentation.

Also, the latest link in the borough's cyclepath network - connecting Budham Way and Babbage Way - will be opened on Wednesday, June 14. And staff from the Council and other local organisations are being encouraged to do their bit by holding Bike to Work days.

Phillip Burke, Council travel plan co-ordinator, said: "These events are designed to promote safe cycling across Bracknell Forest. If more people cycled to school or work, it would make a real difference to life in the borough."

Cllr Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Planning and the Environment, said: "Cycling is not only a fun leisure activity that keeps you fit and healthy, using your bike for short trips also helps the environment, because it is a pollution free way of getting around.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is calling on residents to comment on Government proposals about future development in the South East.

A public consultation on the draft South East Plan is running until Friday, June 23. The proposals in the plan include the development of 539 new homes in Bracknell Forest every year until 2026. This would be the absolute maximum that could be accommodated, and only if the Government is willing to invest in the necessary infrastructure. Government statements suggest 1 - 2 million extra houses should be built across the South East.

The South East Plan outlines a number of regional issues including housing, the economy, transport, infrastructure and protecting the environment. It has been produced by the South East Regional Assembly, which is made up of representatives from every council in the South East, together with social, economic and environment partners.

Responding to the plan's consultation, Bracknell Forest Borough Council is concerned any increase in the rate of house-building would:

- Increase congestion on local roads

- Increase pressure for valuable and scarce water supplies

- Over-burden schools and health services.

It is also essential that major planning policy decisions are made locally rather than regionally.

Bracknell Council is also expressing concern about the impact of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) on the plan's recommendations. The SPA has led to calls for severe restrictions on building in and around heathlands to prevent damage to habitats for ground-nesting birds.

Bracknell Council's aim is to protect the qualify of life of our residents. From our consultations across the borough on the Local Development Framework we know that overdevelopment is a major concern.

The statutory examination in public will start later this year, and will take several months, following which the decision on housing numbers will be made centrally and will be binding on local government.

Cllr Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Bracknell Planning and the Environment, said: "There is still time have a say about the amount of development in Bracknell Forest.

"This is a crucial report for the future of the borough, and the South East as a whole, and I encourage all residents to make sure they make their opinions heard."

Copies of the plan are available to read in major libraries and planning offices. Residents are can take part in the public consultation direct to the South East England Regional Assembly, by visiting www.southeast-ra.gov.uk - please look particularly at the housing chapter - or call 01344 352000 for further details.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The Calibrated Ramp, a new public art work by artist Andrew Sabin, is to be launched by Bracknell Cllr Cliff Thompson, Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest.

It was commissioned by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and developers KingsOak Thames Valley to provide an important new link in the borough cycleway network, while improving access to Budham Park, Easthampstead and the town centre for residents in KingsOak’s new development at Church Hill House.

The Bracknell Calibrated Ramp brief was for a zigzag path to climb a steep bank, with strict instructions to meet all highways construction conditions. The Ramp was developed through a collaborative process between artist, planners, engineers and contractors.

The commission came about through a Bracknell Council policy for the integration of works of art in new developments, and has involved staff from across the Environment and Leisure department.

Artist Andrew Sabin said: "My goal is to produce a stimulating and thought-provoking environment and to resist the tide of sameness in civil engineering that makes one place indistinguishable from another.

"For me all public projects, whether industrial or residential, waste management or highways, need another kind of thinking to be included in the design and delivery team. The Calibrated Ramp has been a fine example of this kind of teamwork."

Cllr Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Bracknell Planning and the Environment said: "I welcome the completion of the Calibrated Ramp. This work is practical - providing a useful link accessible to all pedestrians and cyclists - and striking in its appearance.

"It is the result of a constructive partnership between the developer, a talented artist and the Council to create a piece of public art which makes a very exciting contribution to this new residential development."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "Artists have an important part to play alongside all the other specialists who help to shape our borough. We want to see artists contributing to developments of all kinds throughout the borough, to our housing and schools as much as to the prestige redevelopment of Bracknell town centre.

"The Calibrated Ramp is a truly imaginative example of how this can happen."

Tim Nutt, Managing Director - KingsOak Thames Valley, said: "As the enabling force behind Andrew Sabin's Calibrated Ramp, our engineers' main challenge was to produce a lasting art work in the form of a highway structure.

"This structure brings a point of interest, reference and visual appeal to our environment.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Environmental health staff will be visiting Bracknell Forest's primary schools during National Food Safety week to raise awareness of the four Cs: cleanliness, cooking, chilling and cross-contamination.

The Bracknell officers will be talking about:

- Cleanliness: Keeping the kitchen, equipment and work surfaces clean

- Cooking: Making sure food is properly cooked before eating

- Chilling: Keeping perishable foods cold until cooked or eaten

- Cross-contamination: Not letting harmful germs spread around the kitchen

Bracknell Children will be shown interactive presentations on food safety which highlight how important it is to wash hands thoroughly. It will be the 14th National Food Safety Week, which runs from June 12-18.

Across the country key messages will be promoted through fun and entertainment in public places.

The key messages are:

- Avoid spreading germs

- Keep food safe

- Keep raw and cooked foods apart

- Wash hands thoroughly before and after touching food

- Control temperatures

- Keep kitchens clean

- Avoid waiting times between cooking, preparation and eating.

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "Education of food hygiene is crucial if we want our children to develop good habits in the kitchen in later life.

"Washing your hands before food preparation is an easy, but extremely effective, way of maintaining good hygiene."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Tenants could be asked to vote next March on whether to transfer the borough's housing stock to a new, Bracknell Forest-based housing association to be run by local tenants, councillors and independent members.

Bracknell Councillors will consider the recommendation at a meeting of the Executive on June 20, after receiving both the results of a recent tenants’ survey and the recommendation of the Housing Steering Group.

The work by the Housing Steering Group - an independently chaired group made up of tenants, leaseholders, councillors, council staff and trade union representatives - found tenants should be given the opportunity to vote on the issue. The group carried out extensive research and visited housing associations where homes had been transferred.

A survey carried out in April found that less than half of all tenants who responded (49%) now want their homes to stay with Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

Furthermore, those tenants who had received more detailed information and personal contact through home visits and roadshows actually favoured a move to a new, local housing association, specially set up to manage Bracknell borough's homes.

A transfer to a housing association would have major financial and community benefits for tenants and leaseholders.

Currently £9million of the rent paid by tenants each year (half of all rent money) has to be paid back to the Government to be spent in areas of the country considered more in need.

A local housing association would not be bound by the same rules as the Council and would be able to keep this £9million each year to spend on improvements to homes in Bracknell Forest.

All Council and housing association homes across the country have to be brought up to the Decent Homes Standard by 2010. This is a basic standard of repair and improvement defined by the Government.

A new appraisal of the cost of reaching the Decent Homes Standard has found Bracknell Council now falls £15million short of being able to meet it. However, a local housing association would be able to meet this standard and more, delivering the improvements tenants have said they want.

A new, locally based housing association would also take across council staff, so tenants would still be looked after by the same people.

Timothy Wheadon, Chief Executive of Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: "Given the financial restraints the Council is under, I will be recommending to the Council's Executive that a ballot of all tenants is held in March 2007 to decide whether housing should be transferred to a new Bracknell-Forest based housing association.

"Tenants and leaseholders interests have been at the heart of our thinking during the consultations that have taken place to date and we have looked in detail at the benefits of all options for how Council housing could be owned and managed in the future to give them the best possible service.

"The work we have done with tenants so far shows that the more they know about the financial restraints of staying with the Council, the more they favour transferring to a new local housing association."

The leader of the Council, Bracknell Cllr Paul Bettison, added: "We will be moving this recommendation at the Executive meeting, on the basis of the feedback we received from both the Housing Steering Group, which has asked the Council to hold a ballot, and tenants and leaseholders themselves.

"We are committed to ensuring our tenants and leaseholders get the best possible landlord to take care of their homes in a safe and secure way long into the future, free of the vagaries of the effects of Government funding.

"We feel a newly formed, locally based housing association with tenants, councillors and independent members on the board will give them that security."

The Executive will refer the recommendation about whether to apply for Government backing for the stock transfer to a meeting of full Council on July 12.

Cllr Anne Shillcock, the leader of the Labour opposition group in Bracknell Council, said she was also supporting the recommendation.

"The feedback we received from the detailed consultation carried out so far suggests tenants should now be given the opportunity to vote on whether to transfer to a new, Bracknell Forest-based housing association," Cllr Shillcock said.

If a transfer did go ahead, the new housing association would pay Bracknell Council an estimated £37million for the housing. Most of this money would then be spent on new affordable housing in the borough to house some of the 4,000 people on the Council's housing waiting list.

Some of the funds could also be invested in housing-related community projects such as youth initiatives, parking or environmental schemes on estates.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Residents across Bracknell Forest are being urged to order their new recycling containers ahead of changes to weekly waste collections which start on October 2.

Bracknell Council is introducing an Alternate Bin Collection (ABC) scheme to boost recycling levels across the borough and keep council tax levels low. Recyclables will be collected one week, with landfill waste collected the following week.

Residents can choose to order a new blue wheelie bin or additional kerbside boxes, for recycling plastic bottles and tin cans; which will be free of charge.

Keen gardeners can buy an optional brown wheelie bin for garden waste for a one-off cost of £30. Biodegradable brown sacks are still available from local outlets for 30p. Paper and cardboard will be collected in the existing kerbside boxes.

To raise awareness and help residents prepare for the change, there will be posters throughout Bracknell borough, and several roadshows will offer practical help on learning about ABC.

A home visit from a member of the Council's waste and recycling team can also be requested who can demonstrate how to separate and manage waste. To request a visit, or a doorstep collection for elderly or disabled people, call 01344 352000.

More than 100 councils across the country - including those with the highest recycling levels - have now moved onto an ABC system. There are expected to be more than 150 by the end of the year.

Last year, more than 70 per cent of rubbish from homes across the borough was dumped in landfill sites - which pollute the environment and contribute to climate change.

Space in the sites in Berkshire is fast running out and sites further away are also filling up and will cost more to use - not only in transportation but increases in taxes, charges and fines put in place by the Government to discourage landfilling.

It means if we continue as we are today, the increased cost could be as high as £7.7million to Bracknell Forest tax payers over the next five years and even more in future years.

Vincent Paliczka, Director of Bracknell Environment and Leisure, said: "Thousands of households across the borough have already requested their additional bins ahead of the introduction of ABC in October.

"Once the extra containers are delivered over the summer, please start using them straight away to prepare for the change. We expect that by introducing the additional recycling capacity early and encouraging its use, the bins collecting waste for landfill will already be only half full before the new service starts."

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "Most of us recognise the need to protect our environment for our children and our grandchildren. The sooner we do this, the less damage we will do.

Those who are motivated more by how much money they have in their pocket should be aware that ABC will also protect you against the spiralling cost of Government landfill taxes, fines and other charges associated which are rushing towards us like an express train.

"Tens of thousands of us are already keen recyclers. Those who are just starting out may need help and support and we will do whatever we can to provide that and prepare you for the new ABC collection service when it starts in October."

All extra containers can be ordered by calling 01344 352000, filling in the form in forthcoming editions of Town & Country and Environment Focus or online at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/abc

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A Special Sports Fun Day for people with disabilities is being held at Bracknell Leisure Centre on Wednesday, June 7.

Participants will be taking part in a variety of events, including wheelchair races, bean bag throwing, long jump, shot putt, high jump, javelin, 100m, 200m and relay. There are trophies for category winners.

Competitors are coming from Cranstock, Greenfield House, Priors Day Services, Reading Education and Training Centre, Oakbridge, Southern Archway, Ravenswood, Speedwell, Bracknell Day Services, Brunel, WROC, Slough Day Services and Ellerman Resource Centre, FC Meo Holland and West Berkshire Mencap.

The games are organised by Bracknell Leisure Centre and sponsored by Walkers Cleaning Supplies.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "This is the 13th year we have organised this special event and as with previous years I'm sure the games will be played in the right spirit. I hope everyone has an enjoyable day."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Three of Bracknell Forest's open spaces have been listed in the new Good Parks Guide.

The guide is produced by charity GreenSpace and the Royal Horticultural Society, and lists more than 500 free parks across the UK for members of the public to discover and enjoy.

The parks in Bracknell Forest are Pope's Meadow in Binfield - which is a Green Flag Award winner, Lily Hill Park in Bracknell, and Sandhurst Memorial Park and Shepherd Meadows which also has a Green Flag award.

The guide praised Lily Hill Park's restoration and said it now emulates a Victorian landscaped-park design, which is used for quiet and informal recreation by local people. Pope's Meadow is said to have 'a dazzling carpet of different plant species' through spring and summer, and was noticed for its variety of habitats and wildlife. And community use alongside active conservation at Sandhurst Memorial Park and Shepherd Meadows was popular with the book's authors.

Helen Tranter, Head of Bracknell Culture and Visual Environment, said: "I am thrilled three of our open spaces have been acknowledged in this way.

"We aim to ensure our parks are the pride of our borough and it is great this has been acknowledged."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "I cannot think of a better accolade for the hard work and dedication of our Parks and Countryside staff, our parish partners and volunteer groups than to have a prestigious publication like the Good Parks Guide include no less than three Bracknell Forest parks in its guide.

"Our parks are such a valuable resource to our community and I hope the Good Parks Guide encourages more people to come and see what the parks and countryside in Bracknell Forest have to offer."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council