News Bites
Swishing - children's clothes. Tuesday 5 October 10.30am - 12.00pm
What? Swishing is swapping items of children's clothing with friends. Bring your unwanted children's clothes (any age) and take someone else's home! Please bring a minimum of three items of clothing to swap.
What else? The morning will also include light refreshments and a short Christian talk. A creche will be available throughout the morning.
Where? Kennet Valley Free Church, Carters Rise, Fords Farm, Calcot, Reading RG31 7YT.
Also coming up: Family Fun Day (Sat 18th Sept) and Musical evening (Sat Nov 13th) - more details to follow.
For more information regarding any of these contact Richard on 0118 942 1591
Graham Cooke, Pastor
0118 954 2673
email: graham.cooke@kvfc.org.uk
Memory Walk 2010; Berkshire West
Alzheimer's Society flagship event, Memory Walk will be held on Saturday 25th September 2010, at the stunning Englefield Estate.
All funds raised at this event will benefit vital local services in the Reading, Wokingham and West Berkshire area. Services such as Dementia and carer support, which provides emotional and practical support on all aspects of living with memory problems.
The event starts at 10am with a choice of three walk lengths, 1 mile (wheelchair and buggy friendly), 2 mile and 4 mile. Also expect entertainment, stalls and a fun family friendly atmosphere.
To register, please contact Ama Guron, Community Fundraiser on 01189 596482 or register online at www.memorywalk/berkshirewest
Please get involved and help fight against dementia every step of the way.
If you have any vulnerable people that you are concerned about or other areas of concern in your area e.g. power cuts etc that you believe we ought to know about please let us know via Streetcare (01635 519080).
Further Information
For more information about major road network, safe driving, preparing your car and having emergency kit in your car please have a look at the Highways Agency website.
Changes to bulky household waste collection service
In line with other councils who already charge for this service, from 1st June 2009 a charge of £25 will be made for collection of up to five items from outside of your property. As before, collection must be pre-booked by phoning the Council's Customer Services (Streetcare) team on (01635) 519080.
If the items are in good condition and can be reused, the Community Furniture Project may be able to collect them free of charge (a voluntary donation of £15 towards the cost of collection will be requested). For enquiries regarding the suitability of your items for reuse and booking of this service phone (01635) 43933 or visit the Community Furniture Project website.
Alternatively, all such bulky items, whether for disposal or reuse, can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at
When buying replacement items, many retailers will take away old units at no cost. Ask your retailer if they will do this for you.
More information can be found at www.westberks.gov.uk/waste
Clear Streets Strategy
We have all experienced the problems caused by inconsiderate parking.
From Monday 6 April 2009 West Berkshire Council took over responsibility for on-street parking enforcement from Police Traffic Wardens and Police Community Support Officers.
Parking enforcement is an important tool in the safe management of our streets for the benefit of everyone.
The Council's parking attendants are known as Civil Enforcement Officers and are a distinctive and regular sight across the district.
The parking tickets will carry a two-tier level of penalty charge depending on the seriousness of the offence.
This will be £70 at the higher level, and £50 at the lower. A fifty percent discount will be given if the ticket is paid within 14 days, bringing the charges to £35 and £25 respectively.
The Civil Enforcement Officers will work with and for local people to help prevent problems caused by dangerous and illegeal parking and will aim to:
- Eliminate dangerous and inconsiderate parking on yellow lines
- Keep main roads clear of illegally parked vehicles
- Relieve congestion by keeping unauthorised vehicles out of pedestrianised areas, bus stops, taxi ranks and disabled parking spaces
- Ensure that only vehicles with a valid permit are parked in the residents' bays in the Residents Parking Zones.
When a penalty charge notice is issued the motorist may pay or appeal in writing to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal. The Tribunal's Adjudicators are wholly independent of the Council and in all cases their decision is final. More details may be found at www.trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk
A more detailed version of this information can be found on the Council's website at www.westberks.gov.uk/parking
Contact the Parking Service: In writing to the Council Offices, Faraday Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2AF
By e-mail at parking@westberks. gov.uk or by telephone 01635 519214 or fax 01635 519637.
Reading Buses
Special Bus Services For Theale Green School (also available to the general public)
SERVICE s90 PURLEY-TILEHURST-BEANSHEAF— (via Beansheaf Stores at 07:46) -THEALE GREEN SCHOOL
SERVICE s92 READING– (via Kettering Close at 7:49) - THEALE GREEN SCHOOL
SERVICE s94 READING—SOUTHCOTE—CALCOT– (via Dwyer Road Boundary) - THEALE GREEN SCHOOL
S94 no longer serves Calcot Sainsbury’s
SERVICE s93 READING— (via Dwyer Road at 7:48, Bus Link, Calcot Place Drive, Mill Lane, The Chase, Pollards Way) - THEALE GREEN SCHOOL
SERVICE s102 (Newbury Buses) READING - THEALE– NEWBURY
Reading Buses Tel: 0118 959 4000
email: customerservices@reading-buses.co.uk
www.reading-buses.co.uk
Visit: Travel Centre at Broad Street Mall
Reading Buses
No. 26 and Vitality 1 & 1a (copies of the timetables are available in the parish office)
BUSPLUS
Add Unlimited Bus Travel around Reading to your train ticket from only £2 a day.
Simply ask at any train station ticket office for a ticket to Reading station with PLUSBUS.
Or you can buy in advance by calling: 08457 000 125 (open 07:00 - 22:00 daily). Please allow 3 working days for delivery of your ticket.
Add these amounts to your train fare for Reading PLUSBUS:
1 day - £2
7 days - £9
1 month - £30
3 months - £90
1 year - £300
For details of PLUSBUS tickets for other towns and cities, including Basingstoke, Maidenhead, Newbury, Oxford, Slough, Swindon, Windsor and Wokingham - please ask at a ticket office or visit www.plusbus.info
For bus times visit: www.traveline.org.uk or call Traveline 0871200 22 33 (07:00 - 22:00 daily).
For train times visit: www.nationalrail.co.uk or call National Rail Enquiries 08457 48 49 50 (24 hours daily).
For First Great Western Customer Services Team visit: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk or call 08457 000 125 (07:00 - 22:00 daily).
How do you travel to Reading train station?
With PLUSBUS you don't have to rely on lifts, expensive parking fees, or having the right change for your bus journey. That's because PLUSBUS lets you pay for your train journey and unlimited bus travel around Reading, in one transaction. Simply ask for PLUSBUS when buying your train ticket. Discount price bus travel can be added to the start, the finish or at both ends of your train journey.
Great Value
PLUSBUS gives you unlimited travel on most bus routes in and around Reading from on £2 a day. Children (aged 5-15 years) pay half the adult fare for day tickets.
Perfect for commuters
Travelling by bus to and from Reading train station is much less hassle than driving in traffic and you avoid expensive parking fees! What's more, your PLUSBUS season ticket is valid for travel during the evening and weekends.
PLUSBUS season tickets are available for 7-day, 1-month, 3-months and a year. Your PLUSBUS season ticket will have to be valid for the same period as the train season ticket.
Students Save More
If you're a student with a Young Persons Railcard you'll save one-third off the price of a 1-day or period return PLUSBUS ticket.
How PLUSBUS works
You can make as many bus journeys around Reading as you like and can change between services during the period that your PLUSBUS ticket is valid. If you need bus travel at the start of the journey, you'll need to purchase a PLUSBUS in advance (as you can't buy train tickets from bus drivers).
Use your Reading PLUSBUS ticket on services operated by: Reading Buses, First and Thames Travel (not valid for travel on RailAir coaches or Madejski Park&Ride).
PLUSBUS can be added to any type of train ticket including: a one-way ticket, a day return ticket, a period return ticket and a season ticket. With a period return ticket, you'll need to specify your return date, to enjoy PLUSBUS on your return journey.
DOG FOULING
Sadly, we still have far too many inconsiderate and irresponsible dog owners who allow their animals to foul the footways in the parish, especially the one between Latimer Drive and the A4, and the Linear Park. Their failure to clear up after their dog and place the waste in any of the many dog bins in the area makes the area smelly and unsightly, and places children at risk to diseases transmitted through faeces.
Powers are in place for £50 spot fines to be issued to anyone caught failing to clear up their dog’s mess and the parish council is pressing for a wider use of these powers. YOU can help by being vigilant and by reporting anyone you see behaving irresponsibly. If you can supply the name and address of the individuals concerned, the time of day the offences are happening, and even a description of the dog if you do not know the address, it will all help to stamp out this nuisance. The dog wardens, neighbourhood wardens and PCSOs are all on the look-out.
Please contact the parish council or West Berkshire Council (01635 42400 and ask for Zoe or Ken in Countryside and Waste Management).
Dr Ellerton's Charity
(Registered Charity 203622)
For the relief of need, hardship and distress in the parishes of Theale and Holybrook. Written applications to: PO Box 2506, Reading RG7 5XN.
Dr. Ellerton's Charity was started by the Rev'd Smith as an allotment association with the income used for the relief of hardship for those living in the parishes of Theale and Holybrook. There is an approximate income of £5,000 per annum. St John Ambulance and a lady needing a mobility scooter benefited last year. There are application forms in the Holybrook Parish Council office at the Beansheaf Centre.
WEST BERKSHIRE COUNCIL OFFICE AT SAINSBURY'S
The office is on the first floor - opposite the restaurant. The opening hours are 10.00 - 17.00 weekdays and 10.00 - 13.00 Saturdays. Enquiries can be made regarding concessionary fares and bus passes.
The Community Care office is now on the Turnhams Green Estate (formerly Brewery Court in Theale) - telephone 0845 601 4726.
The Registrar visits Calcot twice a week but appointments need to be made with the Register Office in Newbury on 01635 279230.
RECYCLING
The Recycling Team from West Berkshire Council is available to attend events to give talks, run activities and provide information about recycling and composting. So if you are planning a summer fete, club or group meeting, school fair or anything similar, why not call the Team on 01635 503241, or email them on recycle@westberks.gov.uk
There is a Paint Collection Facility at B&Q London Road, Newbury. Opening times are 8am to 8pm Monday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm Sunday.
ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR DIRECTORY FOR RESIDENTS
Leaflets are available in the Parish office with telephone numbers to report Anti social behaviour, including Arson, Abandoned Trolleys, Abandoned Vehicles, Aggressive/Abusive People, Criminal Damage, Dangerous Driving/Riding, Discarded Needles/Syringes, Dog Fouling, Flytipping, Graffiti, Hoax Calls, Inappropriate use of Motorbikes, Gopeds and Mopeds, Litter, Neighbour Nuisance, Noise Nuisance, Public Order Offences and Speeding Motorists.
See Useful Telephone Numbers/Links
DISTRICT COUNCIL NEWS
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR SURGERIES
Surgeries are held on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 10.30am in the West Berkshire Council office upstairs in Sainsbury's, Calcot. Details are given in the local press or you can ring your local Councillors.
Councillors Peter Argyle, Brian Bedwell and Manohar Gopal