Category Archives: Featured

Neighbourly events this summer: It is too late to apply to Reading Borough Council for a road closure, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still have an event in your neighbourhood this summer – just one that doesn’t need a street closure! Your local park, neighbours’ front gardens and other accessible community spaces are all places you could host an event for everyone – especially for those who rarely get out. Continue reading The Great Get Together→

Reading Borough Council is seeking volunteers to become local Air Quality Champions and help spread its clean air and anti-idling message. On ‘Clean Air Day’ – Thursday 20 June – the Council is holding a ‘no idling day’ and is appealing to local people to come forward and help persuade motorists to switch off their engines. Volunteering is easy. Go to www.reading.gov.uk/idlingaction to register or to find out more. Continue reading Volunteer to be an Air Quality Champion!→

If you work with children, young people and families in Reading, then do sign up for a new bi-monthly newsletter full of news, upcoming events, training and development opportunities, and resources. One Reading News is for everyone working in health, education, special educational needs and disabilities, children’s social care, early help, the youth offending service, and the voluntary and community sector. Continue reading One Reading News – issue 1 is out now→

At the Reading Befriending Forum on 16 May, a new toolkit was launched by RVA in partnership with Reading Neighbourhood Network, to inspire and equip local people to take action on loneliness in their street, community, and with friends and family. The toolkit (an 8-page printed booklet and a more in-depth online version) is packed with ideas, tips, information and downloadable resources to help people take action – today! Continue reading Ready Friends Toolkit launched→

The Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service provide prevention, protection and response services across the county of Berkshire. 12 whole-time and six on-call fire stations cover 486 square miles. They serve a diverse population of 863,000, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They want to build an inclusive workforce which reflects our local community and as such are approaching a number of local community groups to understand more about perceptions of the Service and roles within it. Continue reading Help Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service to build an inclusive workforce→

Many of you will be aware of Arts on Prescription, Museums on Prescription and Exercise on Prescription. These are all initiatives designed to support and improve our health and wellbeing. Two local events last week gave some of the evidence of how physical activity, arts and culture can benefit us. On Wednesday, the Get Berkshire Active Sport and Physical Activity Network event focused on physical activity in Social Prescribing. Continue reading The benefits of arts, culture and physical activity→

From 11 July to 7 September 2019, Reading Community Learning Centre offers three bright, well-equipped rooms for hire to voluntary and community groups at subsidised rates. The rooms can also be hired at competitive rates by public bodies, private organisations and individuals. The meeting rooms all have smart boards and flip charts and are suitable for conferences, training, and meetings for up to 15 people. Continue reading Rooms for hire at RCLC during the summer→

The Woodland Trust is giving away hundreds of thousands of trees to schools and communities. They have two delivery periods per year, (one in March and the other in November) and are currently taking applications for trees to be delivered in November 2019. All the trees are sourced and grown in the UK. To apply choose your pack(s) from the list on the website at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk and fill out the application form. Continue reading Free trees for schools and communities→

Booking has now opened for Launchpad’s Big Sleep Out 2019, which is taking place on World Homeless Day and in a brand new location – the iconic and historic Reading Abbey Ruins. Launchpad would love you to join in on Thursday 10 October 2019 to brave the outdoors for the night, so people facing homelessness in Reading don’t have to. It will be an event to remember with entertainment, yummy food and some very special guests. Continue reading Join Launchpad’s Big Sleep Out at the Abbey Ruins→

Four exciting events are to be held in Reading to celebrate the contribution of the Windrush Generation to the town’s economic, social and cultural life. A consortium of local community groups and Reading Borough Council have been awarded a £10,000 grant from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to organise the activities. Read more about Windrush Day in Reading at http://news.reading.gov.uk/windrush_day. Continue reading Reading’s Windrush Day events announced→