Twyford

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Chris Caldwell has now joined the team and our team is now at full strength in terms of PCSOs.

Chris will be covering Sonning, Charvil and Hurst once he has finished being tutored by PCSO Jackie Daniels. I know that he is looking forward to going out and meeting residents from the particular parishes he will be working with.

On the 1 June PC Chris Harrison will also be joining the team. Chris is an experienced officer with previous service in Woodley and Reading. He has spent many years working within neighbourhood policing in Whitley and will be taking up the role of Neighbourhood Officer.

We also have PC Simon Botham working with us until the latter part of June. Simon is on attachment to our team as part of his training.

At the Remenham, Ruscombe, Twyford and Wargrave Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) meeting on Thursday 15 May, the group were advised by our representative for Wokingham Borough Council that the new school crossing outside the Piggott Senior School should be in place at the start of the new school year in September.

This was the ‘icing on the cake’ for the group as we had supported the school in pressing for the crossing and now it will be in place a lot earlier than expected.

Both NAGs are going through the process of electing a Chair and Secretary for the forthcoming year and are always looking for new members to come on board. If you would like more information about Neighbourhood Action Groups or feel that you would like to join one of our groups then please contact me or anyone in my team.

We can be contacted via the Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505 or by e-mail at twyfordneighbourhoodteam@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk. Alternatively you can visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk for more information about your area and your neighbourhood team.

Thames Valley Police ~ Twyford

The ‘best thing’ about the Robert Piggott Church of England (C of E) Infant School in Wargrave is the pupils - and that’s official following an inspection by the Office of Standards for Education (Ofsted).

The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the Wargrave school and it was rated ‘good’ with a number of aspects of the school being classed as outstanding including the curriculum and personal development and well-being. And inspectors told the pupils ‘one of the best things about the school is you!’

The school in Beverley Gardens in Wargrave has 129 pupils aged between four and seven years on its roll. It already holds a number of awards including Healthy Schools status and Activemark and is currently working towards renewing its Gold Artsmark award.

Inspectors who visited the Wargrave school said pupils’ behaviour was ‘excellent’ and praised how well they got on with each other and with the adults at the school saying ‘they worked together extremely well.’ The strong partnership with parents was also praised. The pupils make good progress because of the ‘good teaching’. Their personal development was also praised saying it was ‘outstanding because of the excellent provision for their care, support and guidance’.

It was clear to the inspectors that the pupils enjoy school and they were impressed with the school’s curriculum saying it ‘provides pupils with such a range of exciting things to do that they throw themselves whole-heartedly into their work.’ The pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is ‘excellent because the school develops this so sensitively.’

A major strength of the school is its curriculum and inspectors reported that the school had a ‘very good range of extra-curricular activities, and visits out and visitors to the school boosting both achievement and enjoyment.’ A strong art and design theme runs throughout the school and inspectors were impressed the high quality work that is displayed at the school

The inspectors noted that teachers ‘consistently challenge pupils to reflect on values and important issues, in ways that they are able to relate to their everyday lives’. Pupils are also involved with the local community and are often involved with community events at the church and the village.

Wokingham Borough Council ~ Wargrave

The vision to upgrade one of the Wokingham Borough’s most treasured country parks is due to get a guiding light from businesses as the project takes a step closer to reality.

Wokingham Borough Council’s countryside service has launched the next stage of the plan to improve Dinton Pastures, by asking the private sector for general ideas on how to upgrade it in line with how residents, community groups and stakeholders have told the council they want the park to develop.

Businesses and private companies with specialist knowledge in improving parks and leisure facilities are, from this month, being asked to submit general ideas on how upgrades could be funded, built and managed on an on-going basis.

In March the council’s decision-making executive endorsed a preferred vision for Dinton Pastures, after a series of consultations with local people and the community. Out of three broad options, which were based on the public’s original ideas, the clear majority of people preferred option three – the concept of building a new centre at the heart of the park, on the existing café and office site.

The executive selected this as the preferred option and asked the countryside service to investigate ways to progress it over the next six months – although not excluding other potential ideas that may come to light along the way.

The countryside service is keen to receive as many outline suggestions as possible based on the preferred option, plus any other bright ideas that may further the vision.

The quest for ideas is not a formal tendering process - a formal tendering exercise and opportunity to submit a comprehensive bids may follow at a later date, but only once detailed plans have emerged.

Chris Buggy, countryside service manager, said: “We are committed to providing even better facilities at Dinton Pastures, which will make it a park to be proud of for the next 25 years or so. We want to secure the best possible amenities for all our park users and residents, which is why we have approached the private sector – as specialists that have a wealth of knowledge on providing good and quality leisure facilities.

“We’ve asked them to closely consider what residents and park users have told us they want to see at Dinton Pastures in the future and use the preferred option to influence their suggestions.”

Cllr Simon Weeks, executive member for environment, added: “It will be interesting to see what the private sector comes up with and I look forward to viewing their concepts. This is a step forward for the project, which I welcome, but it is still in the very early stages with very basic and broad ideas being submitted for further consideration.

“Dinton Pastures is a great park, that is much loved, and the vision will eventually make it an even better place for residents and park lovers to be proud of and enjoy.”

Companies have until 5pm on Wednesday June 25 to submit their ideas.

Wokingham Borough Council

There will be no time for leisurely picnicking in the Hurst park for fitness enthusiasts who sign up for the first ever Tai Chi classes at Dinton Pastures this summer.

The Hurst country park will be hosting sessions of freestyle Tai Chi every Wednesday morning from May 7, with participants learning the Chinese martial art in the calm and natural surroundings of Black Swan Lake.

Bookings for the new classes are currently being taken – which are some of the first to be held outdoors in the borough. Experienced teachers from Berkshire Tai Chi will be leading the sessions.

People of all ages are welcome to join the classes, which will run until July 30, from 9.30am to 11am.

Lynn Yardley, countryside ranger, said: “It’s great to be able to combine the relaxing art of Tai Chi with the calm and peaceful surroundings of Black Swan Lake and so I’m pleased that Berkshire Tai Chi is making the most of the tranquillity that Dinton Pastures offers.

“This is the first time we’ve offered outdoor Chinese martial arts at one of our country parks and bookings for the new classes are already being taken, so anybody who fancies trying Tai Chi in the park should sign up as soon as possible.”

Philip Larsson, from Berkshire Tai Chi, added: “ In China the connection to nature is central to Tai Chi practice. Many practitioners believe that the energy among trees and by water is particularly beneficial. Natural imagery abounds in the Taoist classics, which have influenced Chinese thinking for over 2,000 years.”

“At Berkshire Tai Chi we’re committed to helping local people keep fit and healthy, and what better way could there be than to offer the community – young and old, fit and not so fit – the chance to enjoy a sociable hour or so each week practising in the fresh air? We’re very fortunate to have such a splendid country park on our doorstep.”

The course will be running over 13 weeks and costs £35 per calendar month. There is also a parking charge of £1 for those using Dinton Pastures’ car park.

Anyone wanting to book a space or find out more should call Berkshire Tai Chi on (0118) (0118) 966 3104 or log on to wwww.berkshiretaichi.co.uk. Information on other countryside service events can be found at www.wokingham.gov.uk/countryside

Wokingham Borough Council