2015 Newbury Rotary Club Charity Walk: Sunday 10th May 2015
Enjoy a good but challenging walk in beautiful countryside and to raise money for your own good cause or charity.
Starting Place: The Victory Room at Bucklebury Village
Time: between 10am and 11:30 am on Sunday 10 May 2015
Distance: 8 or 5 mile walks, fully signed and marshalled
Walkers are invited to obtain their own sponsorship - we do the rest. You may just turn up on the day, but if you can let us know beforehand that would be very helpful so we can know how many people to expect. Entrance fee: £1
Alternatively just join us and give a donation to Newbury Rotary Club supported Charities (e.g. Parkinson's, West Berks. Mencap, Stroke Association, Kids Out, Map Action, End Polio Now, Shelter Box).
Further details are on our website www.newburyrotary.org (see programme, future diary , Sun 10th May 2015)
Open 23rd February to the 23rd March
Wokefield Parish Council volunteers will shortly be delivering a housing need survey to all residents in Wokefield Parish. The survey is being administered by the Rural Housing Enabler at CCB and the results will inform the parish council whether or not there is any need for affordable homes for local people in the parish.
The survey is open until the 23rd of March 2015. If you have a local connection to Wokefield and you need a copy of the survey contact Arlene Kersley on 0118 9612000 or by email at arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk
A report of the survey results will be delivered to the Parish Council by May 2015.
CCB fully support the initiative launched by West Berkshire and Reading Borough Council to legally challenge a recent ministerial statement issued by Brandon Lewis MP, Minister of State for Housing and Planning.
The statement seeks to eliminate affordable housing requirements and other financial planning obligations required on small scale development sites (below 10 units or 5 units in designated rural areas). The impact of this change could have a significant effect on levels of affordable housing and money available to support services affected by development.
While rural exception sites are exempted from this change, the impact on rural communities could still be significant. Generally the only development that comes forward in rural parishes is on small sites. If there I to be no affordable homes on these schemes then the parishes will only become increasingly balanced and unsustainable. Further landowners and developers will be encouraged to parcel their land into smaller tranches in order to submit applications that fall below the thresholds.
This issue has been heavily lobbied against by many organisations. Well done to West Berkshire and Reading for tackling it head on with a judicial review.
CCB’s Rural Housing Enabler, Arlene Kersley, is as busy as ever despite recent cuts in funding and the possibility of more to come.
In 2014-15 the project has undertaken:
- Completion of a housing need survey for Enborne Parish Council
- Delivery of a survey report to White Waltham Parish Council and the Hurley & the Walthams Neighbourhood Plan
- 8 homes are now complete at Sunhill in Woolhampton and residents will be moving in as this article is released. An opening celebration is being planned by Testway Housing Association.
- Wokefield Parish Council will be delivering a housing need survey shortly
- Mortimer, East Ilsley & Greenham are considering housing surveys for the near future.
- Community Homes: Models for Development event was run in September in West Berkshire
- 2 Community engagement events, ‘Know your Community’ are planned for March, see separate article and reserve your place.
- Delivery of Rural Housing Enabler ‘think piece’ to the Lord Best Rural Housing Policy Review which is currently underway. The summary will be launched at a House of Lords event later this month.
These are uncertain times, many communities are concerned about the levels of development that might be coming their way through updated Local Plans. This should not stop communities from being aware of their own community needs and of the ways that community needs can be met.
CCB’s RHE, Arlene Kersley is happy to talk to your parish about housing need surveys, rural exception sites and other means of developing community projects. Contact Arlene on 0118 961 2000, or by email at arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk
Helen Dean from CCB has been visiting Children’s Centre’s across Berkshire to give advice to families on reducing their home energy costs. Advice is given on how to check you are getting the best energy deal, insulation, grants and benefits that are available, and top tips for reducing energy usage at home.
Many families on low incomes do not realise that they would qualify for the Warm Home Discount of £140, paid by the main electricity suppliers. Helen has supported 72 families so far to claim the discount, who were unaware of it previously. Families who qualify should contact their energy supplier in the summer to claim for next year’s discount.
For more information, please click here.
Self care is about individuals, families and communities taking responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. It includes actions people take in order to stay fit and maintain good physical and mental health, meet their social and psychological needs, prevent illness or accidents and care more effectively for minor ailments and long term conditions.
People living with a long term condition, disability or a minor illness, as well as carers, can benefit enormously from being supported to self care. They can live longer, suffer less pain, anxiety, depression and fatigue, have a better quality of life, and be more active and independent.
Wokingham Borough Council's Polisy, Strategy and Partnerships Office are interested in understanding how people currently 'self care' and how the Co-Production Network can assist in ensuring the people of Wokingham maximise their independence through prevention and self care. They are hosting a workshop on 25th February to explore this further and agree some actions they can take forward as a group. Ahead of the workshop they hope to collect the views and experiences of the wider community, through a survey.
The survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RVXMNBK. The deadline for responses is Wednesday 18th February. Hard copies can be supplied upon request.
The workshop is open to anyone, but space at Westmead is limited so please book your place in advance by contacting Jodie Reichelt, Policy and Strtegy Officer at jodie.reichelt@wokingham.gov.uk.
The next Government is being urged to invest in alternative solutions for the isolated rural communities left behind by the national rollout of superfast broadband by Broadband Delivery UK.
CCB is backing a call by its national body ACRE (Action with Communities in Rural England) for a firm funding commitment in its 2015 manifesto to support the final 5% not covered by the programme.
The Government has pledged 95% of homes and businesses will be connected to superfast broadband by 2017 and says it is exploring how to extend the programme to the remaining 1.4m ‘hard to reach’ households - but has not indicated what funding or resources will be committed beyond the pilot schemes.
Tim Parry, CCB’s Chief Officer said: “We welcome the investment this Government is making in looking at what solutions might work for these 1.4m households but they need to know that funding will be made available to roll out solutions to ensure they are not left behind. The Superfast Berkshire programme is making some excellent headway in areas left out by private sector provision, but we know that once the programme is completed, some will still only have basic broadband services available to them.”
ACRE, the national voice for England’s 38 rural community councils, fears the most isolated villages could be left waiting years for the service – leading to a digital divide.
Tim Parry said: “Superfast broadband is essential in a world where so many aspects of our lives are, and can only be, conducted online. Our concern is that the final 5% will all be in rural areas, leaving families, farmers and businesses out in the cold, creating a two-tier society. Families in rural communities often have to travel miles to access services, or to shop and bank and having superfast broadband would make a real difference. Getting online is also of huge benefit to those who are lonely or isolated.”
The House of Commons Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Committee has released its report on rural broadband and digital-only services. In its summary, the committee noted that ‘the difficult geographical nature of some communities must not be used as an excuse for a lack of broadband or poor broadband speeds. These challenges should encourage investment and innovation in new types of technology’.
ACRE’s Head of Rural Insight Nick Chase said: “The obvious answer is for the next Government to invest in helping these ‘hard to reach’ communities to find alternative superfast broadband solutions.
“We have seen great innovation and partnerships that have already provided solutions for some rural communities. Wireless networks are up and running in Essex, East Yorkshire and Norfolk, for example – one group of villages even routes its network via a church tower.
“These solutions work for the communities, have their buy-in and have brought cost-effective superfast broadband to communities who could otherwise have been waiting years.
“Rural communities want to make things happen - but they need support from organisations like the ACRE Network and they need investment. Alternative solutions are out there - but taking them further will need commitment from the next Government to ensure investment is provided in rural areas as it has been for urban.”
CCB is running a Fire Safety Workshop for those involved with running Community Buildings at Jennetts Park Communty Centre, Bracknell on Thursday 26th March at 7.30pm. Chris Bunyan, Fire Safety Manager and Fire Investigation team leader will talk about the legal obligations of all community building volunteers, fire safety and how to reduce the risk of fire in your building.
This meeting is of relevance to all community building volunteers responsible for running a building. This workshop was originally in Calcot in October 2014 and was well received. Delegates commented on how they were pleased to be reminded of their duties under the legislation and to have to chance to question a fire officer about issues affecting their halls.
There is no charge to attend as the meeting is funded with a grant from the Co op Community Fund, but places need to be booked in advance preferably by email wendy.dacey@ccberks.org.uk or by phone 0118 9612000. Directions to the hall (which is on the Wokingham side of Bracknell) will be sent out when bookings are confirmed.
Have you taken part in a CCB Community Learning course this academic year (September 2014 onwards) in West Berkshire? If so they would like some feedback from you.
The annual FE Choices Learner Survey is now available to all learners who are currently attending either a West Berkshire Council funded qualification (accredited) course or a community learning programme.
This on-line survey provides an excellent opportunity for learners to provide course feedback including the teaching, course content, support and what they have gained from their learning experience. The results will be available to the Skills Funding Agency, the Community Learning team and will feature on the FE Choices website to support learners in selecting their education and training options.
To access the survey please click on the relevant link below (it only takes 2 minutes) :
To feedback on Qualification Courses: www.ipsos-mori.com/learnersatisfaction
To feedback on Community Learning Courses: www.ipsos-mori.com/communitylearning
Please note the deadline for both on-line surveys is 29th March 2015
On accessing the survey you will be asked for the provider code number which is 10007398 and a personal learner number which is 9999999999 (10 x 9).
The FE Choices survey can also be accessed from Blackberrys and other hand held devices. Please note there is also the option for support staff or carers to complete the survey on behalf of learners with LDD.
Getting to know your community: Research and community engagement techniques
CCB’s Rural Housing Enabler, Arlene Kersley and Tessa Hall, Community Led Planning Officer are running two sessions for anyone in Berkshire that is engaged in community development work.
The Sessions will include:
- Mapping your community, not just physical boundaries.
- Using statistics and other available information
- Introduction to surveys
- Engagement techniques.
This is a free event provided with the support of the West Berkshire District Council and Bracknell Forest Borough Council Adult Community Learning teams.
The event is being held in West Berkshire on Tuesday, 24th March 2015 at Thatcham Council Chamber from 1pm to 4pm. To register for this event click here.
It will be held again in Bracknell on Tuesday 31st March 2015 at Jennett’s Park Community Centre, from 6pm to 9pm. To register for this event click here.
For full information on these please visit our training page on the CCB website by clicking here.
If you would like more information contact Arlene Kersley at CCB on 0118 961 2000 or by email: arlene.kersley@ccberks.org.uk
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