Crowthorne and Sandhurst

Police are appealing for witnesses after a burglary at the Marks & Spencer store in The Meadows shopping centre at Sandhurst, near Camberley.

The Sandhurst store closed to customers at 9pm on Saturday (24/2). Sometime between 10pm and 10.30pm that night, intruders broke into the premises and stole a quantity of cash and vouchers.

Det Con Iain Watkinson, who is investigating the incident, said: “We believe there were three offenders, who were wearing hooded tops and face masks. We are also keen to trace the occupant(s) of a black Vauxhall Corsa, which was seen in the area at the time.”

If you saw the black Corsa, or noticed anyone behaving suspiciously in the area on Saturday night, please contact Det Con Watkinson on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police or give your name, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Sandhurst

The new nursery at Our Lady’s Preparatory School in Crowthorne was officially opened last week by Wokingham District Council’s chairman Cllr Angus Ross. At the opening on Wednesday January 17, Cllr Ross was joined by children who attend the nursery, their parents and teaching staff before enjoying a tour of the new Crowthorne building. He also unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.

Our Lady’s Day Nursery, Crowthorne offers full and part time care, 51 weeks of the year, for children aged from three months to three years. It is a brand new nursery and has places for 18 children. The nursery aims to provide a stimulating and caring environment for children to learn. Throughout the day, children will take part in a range of activities including craft sessions, story time, singing and nature walks. The nursery opened in July 2006 and since then many children have joined. There are still places available.

Cllr Ross said: “This nursery is clearly already a tremendous asset to the school and I am pleased to see so many smiling faces enjoying the activities here. I look forward to seeing the nursery continue to grow and I am sure many children will begin their school careers here with excitement.”

Our Lady’s Headteacher Helene Robinson said: “The nursery will provide a secure and happy environment where younger children can begin to develop skills and attitudes that will stand them in good stead all the way through their school years and indeed their lives. We are already delighted with the way children are settling in here and we look forward to showing them how much fun learning can be.”

Wokingham District Council ~ Crowthorne

A concert at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst will hit the right note for the Mayor's charity on Saturday, March 3.

Music lovers will be in for a treat when a joint recital with the Choir of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace and the Choir of the Royal Memorial Chapel, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst takes place to raise funds for Age Concern Bracknell Forest - the Mayor's chosen charity.

The charity concert is open to members of the public and will take place in the Memorial Chapel at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 3pm.

Tickets are now on sale for £10 each but must be purchased in advance of the concert. All proceeds will be donated to the Mayor's chosen charity which is Age Concern Bracknell Forest.

Cllr Clifton Thompson, Mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest, said: "The recital will be a musical feast and I am really looking forward to being present to hear the choirs sing.

"As well as providing a wonderful afternoon of music it will also raise some much-needed funds for my chosen charity, Age Concern Bracknell Forest. Every penny raised will go towards this organisation which provides help and support to some of our most vulnerable residents."

Nina Wilmott, Chief Officer of Age Concern Bracknell Forest, added: "The afternoon promises to be very enjoyable for music lovers. We rely on the generosity of the public and fundraising events like this so that we can carry on helping and supporting elderly people living in the borough."

Anyone wanting to purchase a ticket can call Sue Brunt in the Mayor's office on (01344) 352103.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council ~ Sandhurst

A mock car accident will be staged at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst in time for Valentine’s Day to show young people that thoughtless driving can cost lives.

A young couple will be cut from the Sandhurst car crash to highlight that more women die as passengers than drivers in car crashes, for this year’s For My Girlfriend campaign.

The mock accident involves the Thames Valley Safer Roads Partnership and the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service who will use special cutting equipment to show how a person in a road accident is cut from a vehicle.

Young people who attend the crash will be given a Valentine’s card which looks authentic on the outside, but inside there is an image of a crashed car and the words ‘I’m sorry - I didn’t mean to kill you. I was driving too fast’.

Government statistics for 2005 show 276 women aged 17-to-19-years were killed or seriously injured while driving, compared to 373 who were passengers.

By contrast 869 male drivers of the same age were killed or seriously injured, compared to 602 passengers.

In Bracknell Forest, drivers aged 17 to 24 accounted for 90 casualties - including two fatailities and 15 serious injuries - on the borough's roads between December 1, 2005, and November 20, 2006.

Meanwhile, young people have the chance to gain their first experience behind the wheel of a car at the Council’s Motorwise course.

The day is open to young people aged 16 and over and is designed to encourage safe driving, by increasing awareness of hazards, understanding of motoring laws and the possible impacts if you are involved in an accident.

The next session will be at Sandhurst Sports Centre in Owlsmoor Road on Tuesday, April 3, from 9.30am to 4.30pm. There will also be sessions in Bracknell and Crowthorne later in the year.

Cllr Mrs Mary Ballin, Executive Member for Sandhurst Planning and the Environment, said: "For My Girlfriend is a hard-hitting campaign designed to prove to young people the real dangers of dangerous driving.

"There are dangerous drivers of every age, but this annual Valentine's Day campaign is targeted particularly at young drivers. Together with Motorwise, it reflects the importance the Council places on making sure our roads are safe for everyone.”

To book a place on Motorwise, please call Chris Pickett, Road Safety Officer, on 01344 351212. Places are limited so book early.

Bracknell Forest Borough Council ~ Sandhurst

Crowthorne Police are appealing for witnesses after a collision this morning (10/2) in Crowthorne.

The incident happened on the Old Wokingham Road, Crowthorne at about 10.45am when a blue Vauxhall Corsa collided with a red Ford Fiesta.

A passenger in the blue Corsa was seriously injured in the collision and has been taken to hospital where her condition is described as critical.

The male driver has also been taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The female driver of the red Fiesta was slightly injured in the collision.

PC Daniel Ruffle, of Three Mile Cross Roads Policing, said: “I am appealing for anyone who saw any of the two vehicles leading up to the collision to contact me.

“We need to establish what these vehicles were doing prior to the incident. The area would have had a lot of dog walkers at that time of the morning and I hope that people who saw something, no matter how insignificant, will get in touch with me.”

Anyone with information should contact PC Daniel Ruffle, of Three Mile Cross Roads Policing, on 0845 8 505 505 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Thames Valley Police ~ Crowthorne

Crowthorne Orchestra
( Directed by Robert Roscoe )

Present:
Melodies For You

Mozart Oboe Concerto in C Major
KV314 with soloist Lucinda Dalton

plus tunes from Bizet, Grieg,Malcolm Arnold and Gounod

Saturday 24th March 2007 at 8pm
The Old Gym,Wellington College Crowthorne

Tickets available from Telstar Traveltime, Crowthorne or 01276 20817
Tickets: £8.00 Concessions: £6.00 Children: £1.00

Crowthorne Orchestra @ Wellington College

A Fair Trade afternoon in Sandhurst during Fair Trade fortnight to be held on 10th March in Sandhurst, Saturday 10am-2pm at the Sandhurst Community Hall in the Memorial Park, Yorktown Road, Sandhurst, Berks, GU47 9JB.

Entrance will be free. In aid of awareness of Fair Trade – bring a friend and learn more about what Fair Trade really means to Africa. Stalls and exhibitions, including the Co-op Group and wine tasting, also a chocolate tasting table, and Fair Trade refreshments tea and coffee.

Fair Trade gifts / goods for sale and some information about a film soon to be released about an Ethopian coffee farmers’ cooperative trying to get a fair price for their coffee so that their children can go to school. Its called ‘Black Gold’
For more information and about the Sandhurst Fair Trade Group contact 01344 774349

Sylvia Trevis ~ Sandhurst Fair Trade