Bracknell

Bracknell Photographer Kevin Bishop participates in a new prestigious photographic exhibition at Norden Farm Arts Centre. The Berkshire Arts Photography Exhibition showcases a collection of diverse examples of work from some of the best photographic talent in the Berkshire area.

The exhibition offers the chance to view subjects ranging from intimate nature images, abstracts and dramatic seascape photography. Submitting artists include Paul Mitchell, winner of the East of England category of the BBC's Picture of Britain Competition in 2005. There will also be the chance to purchase selected limited edition photographs.

Bracknell based Kevin Bishop is an established professional photographer and member of the Royal Photographic Society with an LRPS distinction, the British Professional Photographers Association with an LBPPA distinction and vice-chairman of the Windsor Photographic Society.

Photography by Kevin Bishop, 106 Helmsdale, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 0TB

Bracknell Forest Borough Council has appointed a new Interim Director of Social Services and Housing.

Ian Davey took up the post on Tuesday, January 9, and joins Bracknell Council after spending more than 30 years in the social services field - firstly as a social worker and then as a manager of a number of social services departments until he became Director of Social Services in Rochdale where he stayed for 12 years.

More recently he has been an Interim Director of Social Services for the London Borough of Sutton - where he improved the Council's social services star rating; and Director of Adult Services in Wiltshire - where he tackled financial problems.

Mr Davey will be working within the department for the next 10 months and has already met with key staff to draw up an action plan.

The Bracknell action plan includes tackling priorities identified by the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate (CSCI) as well as supporting staff working on the Your Homes, Your Choice - The Way Forward project, looking at budgets and developing the Council's strategic housing policy.

As a pledge to ensure the department continues to improve Mr Davey will make the action plan public once it has been agreed by elected members.

Mr Davey said: "Bracknell Forest has some very good services but what we need to do is improve further on that and show CSCI inspectors how we have modernised and taken on board their recommendations as well as the feedback of residents who use our services.

"Our care services are modernising but not at a fast enough pace and I want to make sure the plans in place to tackle that are carried out and that we are working towards improving our social services star rating.

"Housing will also be a priority and I will give my whole-hearted support to staff working on the proposed Council housing stock transfer to a new not-for-profit housing association as well as looking at ways of developing the strategic housing policy."

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: "Ian is very capable and experienced and will bring some fresh ideas to the department. Continuing to improve our services for some of the borough's most vulnerable residents is of paramount importance to the Council and I believe Ian will contribute greatly in making sure that at Bracknell Forest we have a first-class service on offer."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Wednesday 28th February – Saturday 3rd March 2007 at 7.30 p.m. nightly, Park Opera presents at the Wilde Theatre, South Hill Park, Bracknell:

Puccini’s ‘Turandot’, fully staged in English with orchestra

Puccini’s Masterpiece is set in the exotic splendour of Ancient Peking and tells a fairytale story of love and cruelty. It includes the most popular aria in the world ‘Nessun Dorma’ made famous by Pavarotti at the 1990 Football World Cup.

Come and see the real thing and whole opera being performed by an exceptional cast of singers, actors and dancers and hear the tremendous music which has never been performed in this area.

Tickets from John Mills 01252 860050 or email him on johnmills454@btinternet.com – further details also on the website www.parkopera.org.uk

Park Opera ~ Bracknell

Police are appealing for information after a 15-year-old boy was assaulted in a Bracknell park on Saturday (20/1).

The incident occurred between the hours of 9.30pm and 9.45pm in Braybrooke Recreational Park – also known as ‘Genes Park’ - Braybrooke Road, Garth, Bracknell.

The boy was walking along the path when he was approached by two white males aged 16-17 years old who assaulted him with what is believed to be a baseball bat, and a metal pole.

The victim sustained cuts and bruises.

Police are interested in speaking to a man and woman who may have witnessed the incident while walking a dog nearby, however, anyone with any information is urged to contact PC Neil Slocombe via the 24 hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. Those who do not wish to speak to police or leave their name should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Pupils at Ranelagh School in Bracknell are preparing for an innovative arts project which will explore local, national and global issues around waste and recycling.

The project will combine improvisation, visual arts, performing arts and digital technology in both music and film for a series of performances at South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell - who have supported the project by providing space for rehearsals. Ranelagh is a specialist school for visual arts and business enterprise and both creativity and enterprise are important elements of the school.

The Junk Story 2 project has been sponsored by the Bracknell Forest Borough Council waste and recycling team through its waste performance and efficiency grant, RE3 Ltd, SITA , 3M, Fernhill coaches as well as Ranelagh School. It will be performed to year six children from across the borough, before a gala performance for members of the public and special guests on Saturday, February 3.

Pupils will be using objects found at the Longshot Lane civic amenity site to create sound and images, which will be digitally enhanced and will be integrated into dance sequences as well as providing visuals for the back projection of the stage set.

An installation artist will also be working with pupils to create art which can be incorporated in the set design. Included in the back projection for the set design will be a short film which includes memories from elderly people who live in Jubilee Court in Bracknell and a short animation will aim to capture the interest of young people.

The original Junk Story was performed three years ago. It was supported by the Arts Council and Oracle UK, and also involved artists in residence working with sixth form pupils.

Annie Edmunds, Ranelagh School’s Director of Visual Arts, said: "Junk Story 2 is an innovative way to make children and young people engage with the arts, while educating about the modern challenges surrounding waste and recycling at the same time.

"This project has been designed to involve people from across the community and is on an issue which has a major impact on modern life.”

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "I missed this first time around but I know it got rave reviews. I am really looking forward to seeing it this time around. Junk Story 2 will be a fascinating insight on waste and recycling, expressed through different arts.

”As well as being a highly entertaining show, it is designed to make us all think about how we play our part in reducing the impact we have on our environment.”

To order tickets, call Ranelagh School on 01344 421233 or study@ranelagh.bracknell-forest.sch.uk

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is to sign a national declaration which will commit it to tackling climate change, its Executive Committee agreed last night (January 23).

The Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change acknowledges the increasing impact of climate change on the local community. It also commits the Council, with its partners and communities, to develop plans to address the causes and impacts of climate change according to local priorities.

The declaration will be signed by Bracknell Council Leader Cllr Paul Bettison and Chief Executive Timothy Wheadon.

It is now widely accepted that use of fossil fuels is the major cause of climate change. It is also recognised that the consequences of climate change will continue to increase, even as fossil fuel use is reduced.

The Council already works to limit its impact on the environment, including promoting energy efficiency, discounts for residents on cavity wall and loft insulation, with grants to residents who receive income related benefits.

Additionally, Bracknell Council operates a fleet of vehicles which use environmentally-friendly fuel. Using liquid petroleum gas reduces harmful gases in exhaust fumes, for example carbon monoxide by 65 per cent, and carbon dioxide is reduced by 13 per cent.

The Nottingham Declaration was first launched in 2000 at a local government conference in Nottingham, and was re-launched at the Second National Councils Climate Conference in 2005. Almost 200 local authorities have signed it. The declaration commits signatories to work locally towards national climate change schemes, the resolution of the Kyoto protocol and the national targets for carbon dioxide reduction.

Ann Symonds, Chair of the Bracknell Forest Environment Partnership, said: "Climate change is the major challenge of our time. We are all part of the problem and can all be part of the solution. The environment partnership fully endorses the Council’s commitment and looks forward to supporting the process.”

Cllr Bettison said: "We can already see changes in our local weather pattern and the impact climate change is having on the environment around us.

"As the Council is signing up to the Nottingham declaration, it shows we take the issue of climate change extremely seriously and will do all we can to minimise our impact on the world."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A London man required hospital treatment last week after allegedly swallowing a quantity of suspected class A drugs to avoid police while at an address in Bracknell

The 20-year-old man allegedly swallowed suspected wraps of heroin and crack cocaine on Tuesday afternoon (16/1), as police executed a Falcon warrant in Reeds Hill, Easthampstead, Bracknell.

Further wraps were found at the address and the 20-year-old was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of class A with intent to supply.

Following concerns for his welfare, the man was taken to hospital by officers where he remained for a period of three days under observation.

Upon his release on Friday (19/1), he was bailed by police pending analysis of the suspected class A drugs.

A second Falcon warrant was simultaneously executed at a nearby property and a 21-year-old Berkshire man was arrested and later charged with being in possession of cannabis.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Binfield CE Primary School in Bracknell is a good school where pupils achieve well and reach high standards according to inspectors from the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted).

The inspection team visited the Bracknell Forest Borough Council school in late November and their report gives Binfield an overall grade two, good school rating.

The report says: "Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. They enjoy school because of the wealth of learning activities provided."

The Benetfeld Road, Bracknell school is given a good rating in every other category assessed by the inspectors.

The inspectors say the school has been particularly successful in teaching healthy lifestyles through sport and physical education. There’s also an effective mediation system that helps pupils resolve their own disputes and an active school council.

Other key findings highlighted in the inspection report include:

* Standards are high and pupils achieve well;
* Targets are challenging and result in improving standards;
* Pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities are cared for and supported very well and make good progress;
* Teaching and learning are good with some that is outstanding;
* Lessons provide challenging and engaging activities and pupils respond with enthusiasm;
* The curriculum is good with a good balance that supports pupils’ personal and academic development;
* Pupils are well cared for and supported;
* Parents feel welcome and are pleased with the information they receive about the school and their children’s work;
* Leadership and management are good;
* Governors hold the school to account very well;
* The school’s track record of improvement shows that it has good capacity to continue improving and to maintain high standards.

As with all Ofsted reports the inspectors identify areas for improvement. At Binfield CE Primary School these are to further improve standards in mathematics and simplify the Foundation Stage to ensure individual targets for all pupils are accurate.

Di Gare, Headteacher at Binfield CE Primary School, said: "I am very pleased with the report and also pleased that there are still areas for development which gives us targets to aim for.

"In particular the report recognises the hard work of everyone who is involved in the school."

Tony Eccleston, Director of Education, Bracknell Children’s Services and Libraries, said: "This school has performed consistently well in recent years and this report shows clearly the good work continues.

"We shall support the school in tackling the areas for improvement in the report but in the meantime I congratulate everyone at the school on their achievement so far."

Cllr Alan Ward, Bracknell Executive Member for Education and Libraries, said: "This is a good report for a school that continues to provide a good education for our children.

"It reflects the hard work of the pupils, their teachers, support staff and governors. Well done all of them."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A builder has been successfully prosecuted by Bracknell Forest Borough Council as he was deemed responsible for building waste which was found flytipped in Warfield.

Wayne Young, who was trading as Wayne’s Homestyle Improvements, of Daventry Court, Bracknell, was fined £225 and ordered to pay £700 costs at a hearing at Maidenhead Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, January 10. It would have cost £76 to legally dispose of the waste.

The prosecution relates to the discovery of kitchen and bathroom building waste which had been flytipped in Westhatch Lane in March last year. A routine investigation by Bracknell Forest Borough Council was able to link the waste to the offender.

The court was told the offender paid £70 cash to a third party to dispose of the waste, but was found guilty for not ensuring the waste was properly disposed of under the Environmental Protection Act. The law also says that all householders have a responsibility for legally disposing of their waste.

Jon Freer, Assistant Director of Bracknell Environment and Leisure, said: "Even if you are paying someone else to take care of your waste, it is still your responsibility to ensure it is disposed of legally.

”In this case, it would have been far cheaper for the trader to have paid for the safe removal of the waste.”

Cllr Peter North, Executive Member for Bracknell Public Protection and Services, said: "There is a simple message here - if you dump rubbish illegally in this Borough, you will pay dearly when you get caught!

”Most residents I talk with get angry when they see a vanload of flytipped rubbish. We will do whatever we can to track down anyone responsible and will always prosecute them when appropriate.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The health and wellbeing of all Bracknell Forest residents will be top of the agenda when a borough-wide health strategy is launched.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council will be taking a closer look at the wellbeing and care needs of the borough in the next few months to produce a health strategy which will help the Council, Berkshire East Primary Care Trust and other health partners make sure funding is allocated and the right plans are drawn up to match the community's needs.

It will look at the health and care needs of the community for the next decade and will look into where possible healthcare facilities could be built in the borough.

It will also aim to cut duplication between health partners and the Council so that more time can be spent on creating a better service for everyone.

Work on the draft strategy is due to be finished later this year so everyone providing health and health-related care to Bracknell Forest residents will be able to work together to ensure the right facilities, support and care is available in the right place at the right time.

The PCT is leading a formal public consultation called Right Care, Right Place – your say throughout East Berkshire from now until Tuesday, April 3, and will be collecting ideas and suggestions about healthcare in the local area during roadshows. These ideas and comments will be used to shape the strategy.

Lise Llewellyn, Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire East Primary Care Trust, said “In the modern health and care environment NHS and Council services are becoming much more integrated. We are already liaising with the Council on our Right Care Right Place – your say public consultation. We welcome the chance of continuing to work with the Council to identify and map future health and care needs and defining a clear strategy for delivering the best possible health and social care services for the borough.”

Comments, suggestions and ideas will be welcomed from residents, health practitioners, health and care partners when the draft strategy goes out to consultation.

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: "It is extremely important all of our residents get the best possible healthcare and social care support we can provide. To make sure first-class healthcare and support is available it is vital we understand what the community needs are and to be able to articulate them clearly in a way that all those involved in service delivery can understand, plan for, and afford - which is why we are creating this strategy.

"The Council, the PCT and other partners are working together to secure a better and healthier future for the residents of Bracknell Forest.

"There was a lot of change in 2006 in healthcare nationally and locally which made it very clear to me that we needed to understand the health and fitness demands of the community to make these changes work for Bracknell Forest.

"With all these changes it is necessary to identify when and where they will impact most in our community so we are better able to cope with change. Likewise when the Council is planning its long term strategies in other areas it can be mindful always of our strategic health and care needs.

"This strategy is essential so we can fund, plan and allocate resources for the healthcare facilities the people of Bracknell Forest want, need and deserve. When complete it will be a living blueprint of our health and care needs and aspirations focusing always on what matters locally first."

Bracknell Council already works with the PCT in a number of areas including adult care, children's services, supporting people with learning disabilities, the Drug and Alcohol Action Team, and on health and fitness campaigns like the 'No Smoking' initiative.

The Council also invests in various health and fitness initiatives including the Bracknell Half Marathon, Kwik Kricket and cross country tournaments for children, while also providing various leisure facilities including sports centres, sports pitches, and open spaces.

The PCT Right Care, Right Place - your say roadshows will run on:

January 22 from 2pm to 6pm at Bracknell Leisure Centre, January 23 from 2.00pm to 6pm at WAMDSAD in Maidenhead and January 25 from 2pm to 6pm at The Centre in Slough.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Tenants will be offered a package of £61 million improvement works to their homes in the proposal to transfer ownership and management of the borough's homes to a new, local housing association.

The Bracknell Council will be asked to agree on January 17 an "offer document" to be sent out to all its tenants as part of its formal consultation about the proposal.

The legally binding document sets out the details of what would happen if tenants voted in favour of their homes transferring to the new housing association, Bracknell Forest Homes.

This includes the programme of improvements the new housing association would undertake in the first five years, raising all 5,800 homes to the Bracknell Forest Standard (the standard tenants say they want to see).

If the transfer doesn’t go ahead, the Council could spend only £18 million on tenants’ homes and could not meet even the basic Decent Homes Standard set by the Government.

Improvements planned by Bracknell Forest Homes in the first five years include:

* installing around 3,500 new bathrooms (the Council could only carry out repairs to existing bathrooms);
* fitting around 3,300 new kitchens (the Council could only fit 300 new kitchens);
* upgrading, or installing new central heating in 3,600 homes (the Council could carry out this work in only 1,250 homes);
* disabled adaptations - £400,000 would be spent each year to catch up on the Council's backlog.

As well as these improvement works, Bracknell Forest Homes would be able to provide a better housing service to tenants. This would include a new uniformed Neighbourhood Estate Action Team (NEAT), to help maintain clean and safe estates and a specialist anti-social behaviour officer.

The offer document will be sent to every Bracknell tenant in early February and they will have 28 days to give their comments to the Council. The Council will consider all comments and then write to tenants explaining any changes that result, before the ballot starts in March.

Cllr Dale Birch, Executive Member for Bracknell Adult Services, Health Commissioning and Housing, said: “We have developed the offer with considerable input from tenants and staff.

"It offers long term certainty that the housing will be maintained at a high standard and that tenants continue to receive a high quality housing management service.

“I hope that tenants will read the offer document carefully so they can see the huge benefits arising fro

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Parents and carers will soon have an easier way of accessing services for their children thanks to six new children’s centres set to open across Bracknell Forest.

The centres will be spread across Bracknell borough and will open over the next two years as part of a £1.1million project to bring together services for children aged 0 to 5 under one roof.

Exactly which services are provided at each Bracknell centre will depend on what’s needed locally - there is no single model. For that reason, every centre will be different but they will all provide some education, some family support and some health services.

Children’s centres are being set up across the country and while those in Bracknell Forest will be tailored to local need all children’s centres will include some of the following services:

* Early years provision such as a nursery, after-school club or weekday childcare;
* Family support with advice on parenting or information on child health and development which might be offered through family visits;
* Child and family health services like child health visitors, ante-natal advice, nutrition and healthy eating advice, speech and language support or help to give up smoking;
* Links with Jobscentre Plus and voluntary groups such as Family Information Service which offers advice to parents and carers.

The first children’s centre in Bracknell Forest, called The Rowans Children’s Centre, will open by the middle of this year on the Fox Hill Primary School site in Easthampstead, Bracknell.

Later this year The Oaks Children’s Centre will open in Great Hollands School, followed by a further four centres serving Bracknell town centre, Sandhurst, Crowthorne and the northern parts of the borough.

Cllr Dr Gareth Barnard, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said: "Rather than moving children around to different locations for early years or health services, children’s centres will bring them together in one place.

"We have done our research on priorities in particular areas of the borough so we have a good starting point for the services each centre will provide.

"We will be ready to change and adapt those services according to what local people tell us they need.

"All of this should make it much easier for parents to get the services they need for their children. That is why I am confident the new children’s centres will become indispensable for parents and their children."

Funding for all six centres is being provided by the Department for Education and Skills through its Sure Start scheme.

* The Rowans Children Centre

The Rowans at the Fox Hill Primary School site will be the first children’s centre in Bracknell Forest. It will be based in the refurbished former infant block of the school. An early years and childcare team will be based there along with local health visitors with facilities for school nurses and other professionals. Speech and language therapists will hold drop-in clinics and there will a hall for training courses and group work, a family room and a kitchen. A full time manager will co-ordinate services at the centre.

* Coming soon
* The Oak’s Children’s Centre serving Great Hollands, Birch Hill and Hanworth
* The Rowans Children’s Centre for Easthampstead, Harmans Water, Wildridings, Crown Wood and Old Bracknell
* Family Tree Children’s Centre for Bracknell town centre, Binfield, Priestwood
* The Alders Children’s Centre for Sandhurst, Owlsmoor and College Town
* The Chestnuts Children’s Centre for Crowthorne and Little Sandhurst
* The Maples Children’s Centre for Warfield, Ascot, Winkfield and Cranbourne

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council is advising motorists to try to avoid the southbound A322 Bagshot Road in Bracknell due to the closure of one lane this afternoon.

One lane of the southbound dual carriageway opposite the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant has been closed due a fault with an electricity cable underneath the road.

Engineers from Scottish & Southern Energy are working to repair the fault.

The lane closure is expected to cause some traffic congestion at peak travel times.

Scottish & Southern Energy estimate the work may take some days to complete and the lane is expected to remain closed until Friday morning to allow time to resurface the affected area.

Motorists are asked to bear this in mind when planning journeys to, from and within Bracknell over the next few days.

Motorists can get the latest information on the Bagshot Road lane closure by visiting www.rac.co.uk or www.theaa.co.uk

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest residents are being challenged to dive in and take the challenge of Swimathon 2007.

Participants can take part in one of the long distance challenges and raise money for Marie Curie Cancer Care on March 24 at Bracknell Leisure Centre.

Organisers are hoping to attract more than 20,000 swimmers in 600 swimming pools across the country and raise £1.5million for the charity and the Swimathon Foundation.

Volunteers can set their own choice of distance ranging from five kilometres - which requires six weeks of training; two-and-a-half kilometres for intermediate swimmers and one-and-a-half kilometres for occasional swimmers.

If participants want to team up with colleagues, friends and family, the five kilometre Bracknell challenge can be completed in a team of up to five people; or just take part in the Simply Swim challenge - where you can cover any distance at any pool at any time.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "Bracknell Forest residents have supported the Swimathon and its charities for many years, and Marie Curie Cancer Care is a very worthy cause.

"This could be the perfect challenge if you resolved to get fit and go swimming this New Year.”

To register, visit www.swimathon.org or call 0845 36 700 36. Standard registration is £8.50 or £4.50 for concessions.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Outline Planning Permission for Bracknell Regeneration Partnership’s (BRP) £750 million regeneration of Bracknell town centre has now been granted by Bracknell Forest Borough Council (the Council).

The granting of Bracknell planning permission follows years of hard work by the teams at BRP and the Council who are working together to deliver a mixed-use regeneration scheme designed to create a vibrant town centre that will provide a first class retail and leisure destination for local people.

BRP remains steadfast in its commitment to improving the mix and variety of the retail offer and this year has assisted ten retailers through new lettings, expansions or relocations. New stores recently opened include Orange and Shu Time, as well as new brand YSL in Bentalls and fashion retailer Bay Trading has taken a 2,376 sq ft unit in Bracknell town centre, trading with a Dolcis concession. Relocations of successful local businesses include Tudor Dry Cleaning, Just in Time and Aspeys Insurance, while expansions of existing local retailers, such as Headlines and Dorothy Perkins confirm the vitality of business in the town.

BRP has embarked on a phased upgrading of the car park at Princess Square Shopping Centre while the £350,000 refurbishment of units on the west High Street will further modernise and brighten the shopping environment.

Meanwhile Bracknell Council continues to focus on ensuring that residents get the town centre they have asked for, most recently with negotiations for the ending of the Council lease of Enid Wood House. It is hoped that the block of bed-sits on the High Street in Bracknell Town Centre will be transformed into high quality residential flats, fit for their setting in a newly regenerated town centre.

Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP) and Bracknell Forest Borough Council (the Council) are working together to deliver a major regeneration of Bracknell town centre. BRP’s plans for the £750 million comprehensive mixed-use regeneration are in accordance with the masterplan for the town centre developed by the Council after extensive consultation with residents in 2002.

The outline planning application includes:

- 56,000 sq m of new retail space

- 15,000 sq m of new bars, cafes, restaurants, leisure and entertainment facilities

- 1,000 new homes

- 3,500 new car parking spaces

- 62,000 sq m new and replacement business space

- 4,000 sq m food store

Also included is replacement civic centre with a new larger library, bus station, better CCTV, police station, magistrates court, a new health centre, extensively landscaped public space and significant transport improvements.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

The Bracknell Look Out Discovery Centre will be putting some of the abundance of toys it was left by Father Christmas to good use this spring.

From January 15, the popular Toy Box Show is returning to explain the science behind some of children’s most favourite toys.

The demonstrations include how electricity, clockwork mechanisms, magnets, air and gravity make toys work.

The show is on at 11am, midday, 2pm and 3.15pm, at weekends and Bracknell Forest school holidays until May 7, when it will be replaced by Bugs and Beasties.

In the surrounding 2,600 acres of Crown Estate woodland, there are many trails and walks. The Look Out also has an exciting children’s play area, a picnic area, and coffee shop and gift shop. Mountain bike hire and orienteering are also available - please check times with the centre for bike hire.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: "The Look Out is superb at making science relevant and interesting to children, and explaining how their toys work is an excellent way of developing their understanding.

"There is so much to do at the centre, it makes for a fun day out for all the family.”

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

Police are appealing for witnesses to a robbery in Bracknell where a cyclist grabbed a handbag from a woman.

The 49-year-old victim was walking home along Larges Lane after using the ATMs at Barclays Bank in Bracknell High Street, when a man rode past her from behind and tried to grab her handbag.

A struggle ensued between the two which caused the offender to fall off his bike.

He then punched the victim on her left arm and rode away with her handbag in the direction of Mount Pleasant and the railway line at the bottom of Larges Lane.

The victim’s handbag contained £200, a mobile phone and credit cards.

The incident happened at 8.40pm yesterday (2/1).

PC Richard Probert, from Bracknell police station, who is leading the investigation, said: “Although the victim sustained no major injuries in the incident she was visibly shaken by her ordeal and is understandably distraught at this very nasty attack.”

The offender is white, aged 16-20, 5ft 4ins and slim and he was wearing a light blue/grey hooded top and dark coloured trousers with trainers.

The victim’s handbag is black, around 30cm long, with brown leather handles and large pockets on the front and rear.

Anyone with any information should contact PC Probert, at Bracknell Police Station, via 0845 8 505 505.

Alternatively, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Bracknell Leisure Centre is the best place to make a fresh start this New Year.

The platinum package includes access to the BodyWorks gym, classes, the Forest Spa, swimming pools and a free fitness assessment and workout programme.

There is no joining fee for new members who sign up before January 31, plus one free seven-day guest pass for a friend, and automatic entry into a competition to win six, three or one months free platinum membership.

There are also a wide range of classes available for adults and young people to suit a wide range of residents, from tai chi, tap dancing and yoga to squash, swimming and circuits.

For older children, there are new team gym lessons teaching competitive gymnastics, plus dance and badminton classes and a wide range of swimming lessons.

And for young children there are pre-school gym, soccer, trampolining and fun sessions too.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure and Corporate Services, said: If your New Year’s resolution is to improve your fitness, then everything you need is under one roof at Bracknell Leisure Centre.

There is also a superb range of courses for children, so take a look because there really is something for all the family.”

For more details, visit the centre in Bagshot Road, Bracknell, call 01344 454203, or visit www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/be

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A man has died after he was in collision with a van in Great Hollands, Bracknell, on Saturday 30 December 2006.

At approximately 7pm the man, who was in his fifties, was walking across Great Hollands Road near the junction with Halewood when he was in collision with a white Citroen Berlingo van.

The injured Bracknell man was taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, where he died later that evening.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, or who has any information about the incident, is asked to contact the investigating officer, PC Emma Wallis, of Roads Policing in Taplow on 0845 8 505 505.

Note to media: Please contact the Coroner’s Officer for Bracknell on 01344 823432 for formal identification of the victim.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell