Bracknell

Students from Ranelagh School, Bracknell are streets ahead with their design and technology work after winning a national competition and making the final of another.

Three Bracknell teams from year 10 entered the national competition through the Design Museum and one team made the final after designing a light inspired by one of the museum exhibits.

The light had to be sold in the museum shop and appeal to a range of markets.

Inspiration was taken from a modernist chair currently on display in the museum and the final design had to be pitched by the students to judges from the Design Museum and sponsors Deutsche Bank.

The Bracknell students won the chance to spend a day at a top design consultancy where their work was photographed and will be used as part of the museum's promotional materials.

A team of eight also made the final five for the Velodream Olympic project, run by the Olympic Delivery Authority. The team had to design a Velopark concept for 2012.

The team went on an all expenses paid trip to London to visit the Olympic construction site where they saw current progress on the site, built a scale model of the actual velopark and got to meet Olympic athletes.

Kathy Winrow, Bracknell Headtecher said: The students have worked very hard on these projects and have come up with some fantastic results.

I am very proud of them and their prizes are well deserved.”

Alan Kendall, Executive Member for Education, said: "I would like to congratulate the students and teachers on this success.

"Their designs were excellent and I'm sure they learnt a lot working on these projects."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Police are appealing for witnesses after a teenager was seriously injured following a collision in Bracknell yesterday (25/3)

The teenager, a 16-year-old pedestrian, was involved in a collision with a black Seat Ibiza in Turnpike Road, at around 6pm yesterday (25/3).

He was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital with serious injuries. His condition as of this morning (26/3) is described as stable.

The collision occurred at the junction of Farley Wood Community Centre.

If you witnessed the collision or have any other information which may help police, then please contact Bracknell investigating officer PC Tom Gibson 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

French market in Bracknell town centreForeign fancies will be making a welcome return to Bracknell town centre next month (April) when the French market pitches up.

Organised by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, the French market will be in town from Thursday 3 until Saturday 5 offering an array of continental delicacies to tempt the taste buds.

And, for those who don't have a taste for French food then there will also be stalls selling arts, crafts and unusual gifts to peruse.

Graham Mountford, Town Centre Manager, said: “The French market is always a must in my calendar and I know that it is welcomed in the town centre.

“It certainly provides an opportunity to stock up on some baguettes and brie and other authentic continental goodies, which aren’t always available in the shops.”

The French Market will be located in The Crossway, Bracknell and will be open from 9am until 5pm.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

There is an Easter eggstravaganza for children during the school holidays, with a wide variety of activities being run by Bracknell Forest Borough Council right across the borough

Bracknell Leisure Centre has a range of different activities with something to suit everyone's tastes from driving battery-powered cars around an indoor track in karting kapers; to fun sessions which includes a bouncy castle, trampolining and gym equipment; and special sessions for toddlers and teenagers.

The centre is, once again, hosting the five-day Chelsea FC soccer school and with a range of courses in the swimming pool from beginners to competent swimmers who want to qualify as lifeguards what better place to spend some time. For more details on all activities at Bracknell Leisure Centre, call 01344 454203.

For those who prefer to play in the water what better place for parents to take their children swimming than at Coral Reef Waterworld, which is open throughout the holidays. For more details, call 01344 862525.

Edgbarrow Sports Centre is running its usual holiday clubs for both weeks of the Easter holidays. There is Foxy’s Fun Clubs for three to six year olds; Club 7-11 for seven to 11 year olds, and have a go sessions in trampolining, archery and gymnastics for children aged up to 16. For more details, call 01344 776 211.

Downshire Golf Complex is running daily childrens’ golf camps from Monday, April 7, until Thursday, April 10, and Monday, April 14, and Wednesday, April 17. It runs from 10am to 4pm and costs £30 per child. For more details, call 01344 302030.

Be licensed to thrill at The Look Out Discovery Centre, at the Sneaky Secret Spy Science Show - which is being performed four times a day throughout the holidays. The centre is also home to an exciting, hands-on, interactive science and nature exhibition. There are more than 70 exhibits, which are themed in five zones: sound and communication, light and colour, forces and movement, body and perception and woodland and water. For more information, call 01344 354400.

Children aged 10 and over can take part in cycling proficiency courses, training takes place on the road using approved road routes and teaches survival skills. The five day courses run from Monday, April 7, at Hanworth Community Centre; and from Monday, April 14, at Bracknell Leisure Centre. Courses run from 10am to 12noon daily and can be booked by calling 01344 351212.

And the borough’s parks and countryside rangers are running sessions including boats and floats at Sandhurst Community Hall; dip for dragons and sweep for beasts at Allsmoor Pond, Bracknell; Starlight Adventures at Moor Green Lakes; and discovery day at Pope’s Meadow. For dates and times, and too pre-book, call 01344 354441.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure, said: "There really is so much for children to do in Bracknell Forest this Easter, right across the borough.

"If you're expecting to hear cries of 'I'm bored' this April, why not take a closer look at all the activities the Council is offering all through the holidays."

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Proud gardeners in the Bracknell borough will be pleased to know that entries into Bracknell Forest Borough Council's Your Gardens 2008 competition opens on 31 March.

The competition, sponsored by Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, and supported by the Bracknell Forest Standard, has a range of different categories to suit the most amateur gardener, to the environmental enthusiasts and those whose fingers have been stained green.

As always the emphasis of the Bracknell competition is on participation and the aim is to recognise the efforts of the community in brightening up Bracknell Forest. So, if entrants feel their garden is not up to scratch this year, then they can nominate a garden in the area that deserves special recognition

front garden winner your gardens 2007

By taking part in the competition, residents are also supporting Bracknell Flowers, the borough’s entry into the regional Britain in Bloom competition. Bracknell Flowers has been a regional winner on multiple occasions and last year received its highest mark for two years and a Silver Gilt award with special commendation for its recycled water project working with Bracknell based company Boehringer Ingleheim.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection at Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: “Last year’s Your Gardens competition saw some extremely strong entries; I’m always very impressed by the standard achieved. For me, the standard of the entries demonstrates that whatever the weather, our gardens can still be extremely successful.”

Helen Barnett, Marketing Manager for BRP, said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring Your Gardens again this year. Bracknell is rightly very proud of its blooms and this summer we can all look forward to more brilliant floral displays in the town centre and of course in your own gardens!”

Categories in the competition include:

•Best front garden

•Best community garden

•Best commercial premises

•Best children’s garden (individual)

•Best children’s garden (group)

•Tallest sunflower

For more information on the competition and details on how to enter log onto: www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/yourgardens.

Application forms can also be requested by phoning: 01344 352000 or emailing YourGardens@bracknell-forest.gov.uk.

Completed application forms should be sent to: Your Gardens Competition, Environment and Leisure, Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD by June 13, 2008.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Residents who have ideas on how their local parks or countryside sites could be improved can feedback online to Bracknell Forest Borough Council.

Using the website www.greenstat.org.uk Bracknell residents can tell the Council how often they use the parks and rate the appearance, maintenance, visitor facilities and care of wildlife.

The information will be passed to the Council and used to improve management and help ensure that sites fulfil their potential.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council manages more than 80 parks and countryside sites across the borough.

Three parks have green flags for achieving the highest national quality standard for green spaces. These are Westmorland Park, Pope’s Meadow and Shepherd Meadows - which is jointly awarded with Sandhurst Town Council’s Memorial Park.

Richard Walton, Parks and Countryside Manager, said: "We want our parks and countryside sites to continue to meet the needs of the Bracknell Forest residents who use them.

”All information received through GreenSTAT is carefully considered and helps in reviewing how parks are managed.”

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection, said: "We have superb parks and managed countryside sites here in Bracknell Forest, which we know residents enjoy visiting.

”However, we are always looking at how they could be improved; so if you have a view about your local park, please log on or get in touch.”

Visit www.greenstat.org.uk to feedback online or call 01344 354107 for a paper version.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s website is one of the best in Britain according to a new survey.

The Better Connected 2008 report published by Society of Information Technology Management (SOCITM) ranks the Bracknell Council’s website - at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk - as being one of the top 20 most developed council websites in Britain.

The report examines every UK council website and judges them against SOCITM standards for high-quality websites of being useful, usable and used.

The Bracknell Council’s website achieved the standard of providing ‘excellent’ content and received particular praise for its clarity and ease of navigation. The report highlighted it as an example of good practice for its use of clear English, marked by the award of an Internet Crystal Mark by the Plain English Campaign.

The report also ranked the Council website as having the highest level of take up by local residents in the country, with more than 43 per cent of residents using it to find information or use its online services.

The Better Connected 2008 report is the 10th annual survey of all local authority websites. In that time Bracknell Forest’s website has been ranked as one of the top English unitary council sites for the last five years.

It particularly praised the waste and recycling pages for showing clear, concise and relevant information for residents. It said the A-Z of Waste and Recycling was simply worded, written with the user in mind and empathetic to the user.

In a separate survey, the website was found to be one of the best in Britain for being accessible to all residents.

It came 18th out of 463 council websites for being accessible to everyone of all ages, backgrounds or level of ability or disability and error free with excellent performance. The survey was carried out by website monitoring experts SiteMorse.

Colin Stenning, Bracknell Web Services Manager, said: "'These are impressive accolades and ones we are very proud of.

"We are continually making improvements to our website and this is reflected in the ratings and in our recent resident satisfaction levels."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Corporate Services, said: "I am extremely pleased with the progress we have made with our website. Our IT staff at the borough work hard to keep it up to date and accessible to all and it is particularly pleasing to see their efforts rated so highly by SOCITM.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Every year, as the evenings get lighter and summer approaches, we see an increase in under age drinking. The Bracknell neighbourhood policing team has had considerable success in tackling the problem through Operation Lion Cub. We regularly patrol anti-social behaviour hotspots, such as local parks, and confiscate alcohol from youngsters.

Each weekend, we visit at least two local Bracknell off-licences to ensure they are aware of their responsibility not to sell alcohol to under-eighteens. We carry out unannounced test purchases and recently took action against a local off licence that breached the regulations. However, most off licences are happy to work with the police and will contact us if they suspect a customer is buying alcohol on behalf of under age drinkers. We can seize the alcohol to prevent it getting into the hands of young people.

Under age drinking is not only the cause of Bracknell nuisance behaviour like loud noise and litter, but also leads to more serious problems. Drunkenness can result in mindless criminal damage and even worse, it can make youngsters vulnerable to accidental injury, assault and unsafe sexual activity.

I would like to appeal to parents in Bracknell Forest to work with the police in helping to keep their children safe. While acknowledging the importance of trust and good communication between parents and teenagers, we know that peer pressure can exert a very strong influence on this age group. Here are some simple tips, based on our experience of dealing with incidents involving youngsters.

• If you keep alcohol at home, check your supply regularly. Also check that the number of empty bottles and cans in your waste bin matches the amount you have drunk yourself: your children may have ‘borrowed’ some without your knowledge.

• Make a pact with the parents of your children’s friends to set clear, consistent parameters such as the time they should come home. Check that ‘sleepovers’ are actually happening by making contact with the people involved: no contact, no sleepover.

• Try to make sure the clothing they go out in is the clothing they come home in. Your child may set off wearing jeans and trainers, but if they are carrying a bag containing party clothes and make-up, they might have something else in mind than a quiet night at a friend’s house.

If you are aware of any Bracknell shops or off licences that are selling alcohol to under-eighteens, please speak to one of your neighbourhood officers or call us on 0845 8 505 505.

We are always trying to find new and better ways to communicate with people who live and work in Bracknell Forest. If you are involved in putting together a parish magazine, residents’ association newsletter, website or other community publication, please send your details to the Berkshire East Communications Team and we will email you copies of our press releases and other information relevant to your area.

BerkshireEastCommunicationsTeam@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Commuting in Bracknell just got simpler thanks to a new travel scheme.

PlusBus is a discounted bus pass for Bracknell travellers when they purchase a rail ticket. PlusBus allows unlimited local bus travel around town at the start, the end, or on both ends of your train journey. This could be especially appealing to commuters who drive to the railway station and pay for parking.

PlusBus tickets can be bought from rail operators, so if you are making a rail journey, and can use buses at either end of your journey, simply ask at the railway station when buying your rail ticket. PlusBus tickets are also available when you buy your tickets in advance.

With PlusBus you can make as many bus journeys as you like on all participating operators services. PlusBus is now available for 231 towns and cities across Britain, including Wokingham and Reading.

With PlusBus it's easy to know where you can go. There's just one zone covering Bracknell. You can travel as much as you like on participating buses within this zone. Zone maps for all PlusBus served towns are available on www.plusbus.info.

With a PlusBus season ticket you don’t have to drive in peak hour traffic, hunt around for a parking space or pay parking fees, so it's ideal for your journey to work.

With your PlusBus season ticket you can travel as much as you like during the evening and at weekends too. Use PlusBus for your journeys to the shops, leisure attractions and to visit your friends.

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, the Bracknell Council’s Executive Member for Planning and Transportation, said: “PlusBus allows people a flexible and inexpensive way to use public transport around Bracknell and beyond.

“This will help people to leave their cars at home and discover the ease of public transport for their daily commute to work.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Two Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) from Bracknell are training hard for a five-day-long bike ride in aid of charity.

Bracknell PCSO Carl Francis, from the Great Hollands neighbourhood team, and Bracknell PCSO Matt Wright, from the Crown Wood and Forest Park team, have signed up to take part in a 420-mile bike ride from Scotland to Berkshire.

Starting in Edinburgh on 19 May, the two officers are planning to stop en route at Newcastle, York, Leeds and Leicester before finishing in Bracknell on 23 May.

Matt said: “The idea came about because I did a similar ride while I was in the Army. On that occasion I cycled from Germany to Scotland in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Research.

“For the past few weeks, we have been seeking sponsorship for the ride, and locally-based businesses have been very generous. In February, BMW gave us two excellent touring bicycles. Bracknell Leisure Centre has given us two gym memberships, which allow us to train for free until the bike ride. Panasonic, Boehringer Ingelheim and John Nike Leisuresport have made donations and we are awaiting confirmation of sponsorship from other businesses.”

Carl and Matt are taking part in the ride to raise money for two charities: The Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust, and Dreamflight. Matt explained: “The Air Ambulance Trust provides a service across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, but it has no government funding other than the provision of paramedics. The web address for donations linked to our bike ride is: www.justgiving.com/pcsochallenge

“The aim of our second charity, Dreamflight, is to take seriously ill and disabled children to Orlando in Florida for the holiday of a lifetime. The web address for donations linked to our bike ride is: www.justgiving.com/pcsoe2bchallenge

“As well as corporate sponsorship, we’ve had lots of donations from generous individuals. Carl and I, together with other PCSOs, have been doing free cycle marking sessions at local schools and taking our charity boxes along. Not only are we helping to prevent cycle theft, but we’re also raising awareness of our bike ride.”

All donations are very welcome. You can donate via the websites shown above, or call PCSOs Matt Wright and Carl Francis on 0845 8 505 505.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Police are appealing for witnesses after a girl had her PlayStation Portable (PSP) snatched in Great Hollands, Bracknell yesterday (9/3).

At about midday, a 9-year-old girl and her friend were walking near the shops in Ringmead, Bracknell in an area known locally as Green Hill, when they were approached from behind by a man who snatched the 9-year-old’s PSP and kicked her in the leg.

The girl was left shaken but unhurt.

The man is white, aged between 16 and 18, 5ft 7ins, and of medium build. He has a tanned, clear complexion and was wearing a white Reebok hooded top with dark blue lining, dark blue Reebok jogging bottoms and white Reebok trainers.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information which may assist police with their enquiries, is urged to contact Bracknell PC Amy Tapping via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or leave your name, please call the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Better accessibility is among a series of improvements planned for Bracknell railway station, after a successful funding bid by Bracknell Forest Borough Council and South West Trains.

The bid to the Department of Transport was the result of ongoing work between Bracknell Forest Borough Council, South West Trains and Network Rail to radically improve facilities, access and transport interchange at the station.

The £103,000 award for Bracknell railway station was among a number of grants to be awarded across Britain. The amount awarded to Bracknell was well above the average award of £24,000.

Work has already started on the first improvement – a new passenger footbridge with lifts to improve accessibility to the Reading-bound platform. The new funding announced this week is part of a national scheme to increase accessibility of the UK’s railways. The funds will be added to the general scheme of substantial improvements and enable more disabled people to access the rail network

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, the Council’s Executive Member for Bracknell Planning and Transportation, said: "Securing this funding is another significant step on the way to completing the transformation of the station into the quality gateway that Bracknell deserves.

"I am grateful for continuing joint working of South West Trains and Network Rail with the Council on the delivery of these important improvements”.

Malcolm Page, South West Trains’ Stations Development Manager, said: "Railway stations are often the gateway to a town, and the funding will make a big difference to Bracknell station.

"We are looking forward to working with Bracknell Forest Borough Council to make improvements that will benefit all who use the station”.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest Libraries have launched a new initiative to run throughout March, to promote the use of libraries to everyone living, studying or working in Bracknell Forest.

Happy Endings, is a campaign designed to raise awareness of the Bracknell library service in the run up to The Year of Reading, which will be launched in April 08.

It is designed to encourage people to visit one of the nine libraries in Bracknell Forest, and to discover for themselves what a great resource the library can be.

If you join one of the Bracknell Forest libraries during March, or if you are already a member but haven’t borrowed anything for over 12 months, and you start borrowing again, you’ll be eligible to enter the Happy Endings free prize draw.

The prize draw is open to anyone joining or re-using their library after the 12 month period, who either lives, works or studies in Bracknell Forest.

There are categories for children (0-8), young people (9-18) and adults (18+), with some great prizes on offer.

Ruth Burgess, Head of Libraries and Information at Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: “Many people simply don’t realise just what a huge selection our libraries here in Bracknell Forest have to offer.

"We have really great range of books, so whether you want a good bedtime read, or if you’re starting a new hobby and want some background info, it’s free to borrow a book at your local library.

“We also have a great collection of CDs and DVDs with really competitive borrowing charges. All in all our libraries are a great resource, and we want to encourage anyone who hasn’t used their library to give it a go.”

To enter the prize draw visit one of Bracknell Forest’s nine libraries and borrow an item of your choice - a book, CD or DVD. If you haven’t used your library membership in the last 12 months, or if you are a new library member, you’ll be automatically entered into the prize draw.

The Bracknell prizes on offer are:

* £750 Travel vouchers (for adults)
* Wii Console and games package (for young people aged 9-18yrs)
* A trip to Legoland with overnight accommodation for a family of 4 (for young people aged 0-8 yrs)

One lucky winner will be picked at random in each of the categories, and in addition, each individual library will award a series of experience prizes to runners up. These include:

Vouchers for the pool, and gym at Bracknell Leisure Centre

* A pool day for two adults at Coral Reef
* A round of golf Monday to Friday, or a round of pitch and putt anytime, for 4 people at Downshire Golf Complex.
* A family pass for a great day of hands on science fun at The Look Out Discovery Centre for 2 adults and 2 children
* A total fitness assessment in the new fitness suite at either Edgbarrow or Sandhurst sports centres, plus taster gym sessions

The Bracknell Happy Endings campaign is running throughout March and the lucky prize draw winners will be informed during April.

Why not give it a go - just start borrowing from your local library - it couldn’t be easier!

Find your Local Library:

Bracknell (Central) Library 01344 423149
Ascot Heath Library 01344 884030
Binfield Library 01344 306663
Birch Hill 01344 456526
Crowthorne 01344 776431
Great Hollands 01344 424095
Harmans Water 01344 423660
Sandhurst 01252 870161
Whitegrove 01344 424211

Or log onto www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/libraries

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

A 17-year-old man was arrested in Bracknell yesterday (5/3) when police carried out a drugs warrant at a house in Hanworth.

At 8.30am, Bracknell officers executed a warrant at an address in Prescott, off Hanworth Road. As police arrived at the property, they saw a package allegedly being thrown from a window into the back garden. The package was recovered by officers and found to contain what are believed to be Class A drugs.

Police also seized an air weapon, a handgun and ammunition from the property.

The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply. He was released on bail until 18 April pending further inquiries.

Acting Inspector Charlie Winter of the Bracknell Forest neighbourhood policing team said: “We will not tolerate drug dealing in our community. Neighbourhood officers work with their colleagues in the Proactive Team and other specialist units to crack down on drug-related crime, wherever it takes place.”

If you have information about drug use, drug supply or other criminal activities, contact the police on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or give your name, please call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Bracknell

Bracknell Forest Borough Council and South Hill Park Arts Centre’s annual dance festival Lift Off is taking place from March 9 to March 16.

The Bracknell festival is a showcase of national, community and schools dance featuring more than 500 local and regionally based amateur dancers as well as professional performers and digital artists.

The festival opens with the SAKOBA Dance Theatre - a pioneering African based dance company - which explores the roots of African dance. Principal dancer Bode Lawal will also lead a master class and education workshops.

The ever-popular Bracknell schools gala includes pupils from Birch Hill School doing a combination of line dance with street and hip hop; pupils from Wildridings School will fuse jazz and street funk; and for the first time pupils from Wellington College will take part.

The youth and community gala mixes high energy with community talent and includes a Bollywood performance from Bracknell’s Indian Community Association, tap from the Red Hot Peppers and South Hill Park’s own Danceforce will showcase their funky modern moves.

There is also a chance to find out about the Council’s Arts Council-funded local dance group for older people, by watching dancer Ann Dickie who has a national reputation for successfully and creatively challenging the idea of who can dance.

Ann will perform her solo dance Any Queen and there will also be an opportunity to join a discussion about her dance past and current work with Bracknell Forest residents.

And to prove that dance is for everyone, Lift Off closes with a tea dance. A popular event for local people - providing a chance to dance such delights as the cha cha cha, jive and waltz.

To add further flavour to this already bursting dance week South Hill Park will be screening two classic films with dance at their core - West Side Story and On The Town.

Chloé Mason, South Hill Park’s Marketing and Press Officer, said: We are really looking forward to working with Bracknell Forest Borough Council on another exciting Lift Off.

It is a great to see community groups get the opportunity to perform alongside and learn from professional dance companies. We have a wealth of great dance related performances throughout the week which are sure to inspire and delight everyone.

Cllr Iain McCracken, the Bracknell Council’s Executive Member for Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection, said: "The Council is delighted to be working with South Hill Park Arts Centre yet again to bring this range of local and international performers to Bracknell Forest.

”There is a wide variety of dancing to appeal to lots of different tastes, so please do take a look or even get involved.”

For more details, times and locations about Lift Off, visit www.southhillpark.org.uk or call the box office on 01344 484 123.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Work to completely refurbish the Longshot Lane civic amenity site in Bracknell starts on Monday, March 31.

Bracknell Residents are urged to check the opening times of the site before setting out on their journey, while the building is taking place over the next year.

The much needed improvements to modernise the facilities will include changing the layout of the site for better access and providing covered bays for residents to unload their vehicles. Recycling facilities will also be improved.

For the first week of the works – from Monday, March 31, to Sunday, April 6 – the site will be completely closed to the public to prepare it for the refurbishment.

Then, from Monday, April 7, there will be changes to the opening hours of the site while the construction is taking place so that it can be completed as quickly and safely as possible.

The site will be open to residents from 5pm to 8pm on weekdays and will remain open at weekends and bank holidays from 8am to 6pm in the winter and until 8pm in the summer.

Cllr Dorothy Hayes, Executive Member for the Bracknell Environment, said We will do everything we can to try and keep disruption to a minimum during the redevelopment of the site. There may be times when the site will have to be closed at short notice and therefore I would urge all residents to check before making their journey to the site.”

The redevelopment is being carried out by the re3 waste minimisation partnership, a 25-year joint project of Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham Borough Councils and the Waste Recycling Group to dispose of 200,000 tonnes of domestic waste collected each year.

Both Bracknell Forest and Wokingham borough residents may also choose to use the new houshold waste recycling facility at Island Road, Reading.

Having state-of-the-art facilities at Island Road and Longshot Lane means the re3 partnership will be able to recycle even more of the waste that comes into the site and from the from the kerbside refuse collection service.

The re3 partnership was created to increase recycling, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and to significantly reduce the overall cost of waste disposal to the benefit of the council tax payer. For more details, visit www.re3.org.uk

Residents should check the latest opening times and any short term closures before leaving for Longshot Lane, by visiting www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk or www.re3.org.uk or freephone 0800 9883023.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Toddlers are going wild in the aisles at the latest attraction at The Look Out Discovery Centre.

The Bracknell Look Out Supermarket is full of toy food and drinks, including healthy fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and groceries.

The toddlers can play with the bags, shopping baskets, scanner and till, and pay with specially designed money or even the Eric the Owl credit card.

There is also a small ball pond, fun foam shapes and other games to keep the under fives entertained.

The Look Out Bracknell Discovery Centre is also home to an exciting, fun hands-on, interactive science and nature exhibition. There are more than 70 exhibits, which are bright and appealing to all ages.

The exhibits are themed in five zones: sound and communication, light and colour, forces and movement, body and perception and woodland and water.

Use keyboard skills and play a tune on the giant floor piano, launch the hydrogen rocket and hot air balloon or make shadows on the wall in the fabulous shadow box. Younger visitors can be entertained by Solomon the wise robotic owl who is on hand to entertain during the day.

There are also more than 1,000 acres of Crown Estate woodland, where there are many trails and walks. There is a children’s play area, a picnic area, coffee shop and gift shop. Mountain bike hire is also available - please check times with the centre.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Bracknell Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection, said: "We are always looking for ways to improve The Look Out, and make sure all members of the family have fun.

”The new supermarket will definitely help keep the toddlers entertained while their brothers and sisters visit the rest of the centre’s exhibits.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council

Bracknell Forest has seen a dramatic decrease in crime thanks to the success of the Safer Communities Strategy.

Created by Bracknell Forest Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership in 2005, the three-year strategy aimed at reducing crime and anti-social behaviour in all areas of the borough. The strategy involved the partnership working between the local authority police, fire service, health service and voluntary organisations within the community to tackle local crime and disorder.

According to the latest figures, the overall crime level taken from the British Crime Survey, against which the police and borough council are measured, is down by more than 20 per cent between March 2007 and January 2008.

Particular crime types include robbery of personal property down by approximately 44 per cent, damage to vehicles was down by more than 27 per cent and all auto crime down by more than 26 per cent.

Anti-social behaviour is recorded by the Bracknell council from data provided by the police, fire service and the councils own departments. These reports are also down by seven per cent since March 2007.

Ian Boswell, Community Safety Manager for Bracknell Forest Borough Council, said: “Bracknell Forest suffers from low levels of crime but this doesn’t mean that we are complacent.

“Through the Safer Communities Strategy the Council works with police, fire service, probation service, health service and other voluntary organisations to address crime in the borough.

“We are currently planning a new three-year strategy to make Bracknell Forest an even safer place to live and work. We have had a very successful 2007 in reducing crime but there are still many people in the borough with a disproportionate fear of crime. We want people to take reasonable steps to look after themselves, their property and each other but it is a shame when people restrict their lifestyle out of an unnecessary fear of crime. While reducing crime levels further, we will also aim to address negative perceptions of crime.”

The Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership is currently writing the next three-year strategy to further reduce crime. This strategy will be launched at the Grange Hotel in Bracknell, on Tuesday, June 19, at 5:30pm. The event will be open to the public.

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Leisure, Corporate Services and Public Protection, said: “We are committed to working with our partner organisations to further reduce crime in the borough.

“These figures prove that Bracknell Forest is becoming an even safer place to live and we will continue to work in the community to make residents feel safe and secure.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council