Crowthorne and Sandhurst

Thames Valley Police is looking for volunteers to help run the front offices of three police points in Bracknell Forest.

Volunteers are needed to help support the opening of Sandhurst police point, Binfield police point and Crowthorne police station. It is an important role which will ensure that the police points stay open at advertised times.

Police points allow local Crowthorne & Sandhurst residents to make general enquiries at a location close to their home, without the need to travel to Bracknell police station. As such, this work is highly valued by police and residents alike.

The role normally involves one four-hour duty per week between 9am and 1pm or 1pm and 5pm, on a rota basis. It would involve dealing with enquiries from members of the Crowthorne & Sandhurst public, whether by phone or in person at the front counter, and the completion of some forms. Full training will be given.

Carla Gale, Volunteers Co-ordinator for Berkshire East, said: “Our current volunteers provide a high quality of service to the public on issues relating to crime and community safety. If you think this is something that you might like to do, we encourage you to get in touch.”

If you are interested in the role, please contact Carla Gale at Slough police station on 01753 506094 or via the 24-hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. You can also email Carla at Carla.Gale@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk

Thames Valley Police ~ Crowthorne & Sandhurst

This year's Bracknell Forest Civic Service was held in the Crowthorne chapel at Wellington College on Sunday, November 1.

The Mayor, Cllr Bob Wade, invited more than 200 Crowthorne guests, including Dr Christina Hill Williams DL, High Sheriff of the Royal County of Berkshire, John Nike OBE Deputy Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, the Leader of the council Cllr Paul Bettison, the chief executive Timothy Wheadon and Mayors from neighbouring boroughs.

The Crowthorne service was conducted by the Mayor's chaplain, The Reverend Father Tim Novis. The retiring collection was in aid of the Mayor’s charity, the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, Bembridge Lifeboat Station Appeal, and raised more than £550.

Following the service, guests were invited to join Cllr Wade and the Mayoress Maggie Wade for coffee and refreshments in the Old Hall at the school.

Cllr Wade said: "The service was held in the splendid surroundings of the Wellington College Chapel. The congregation, led by 60 voices of the combined choirs from four local churches, enjoyed some rousing traditional hymns and the two anthems. The Chaplain preached a thought provoking sermon on the theme of All Saints Day."

Bracknell Forest Council ~ Crowthorne

Thames Valley Police has charged a Crowthorne man with nine counts of fraud relating to the sale of concert tickets.

Ashley Davis, aged 21, from Merryman Drive, Crowthorne was charged on Sunday (1/11) and appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on Monday (2/11). He was remanded in custody to appear at the same court on Monday 9 November.

The charges relate to the sale of tickets for music events, including Reading Festival, over the internet.

Thames Valley Police ~ Crowthorne

Staff at the Time Out Cafe at Edgbarrow Sports Centre, Crowthorne are under starter's orders to raise funds for the Help for Heroes charity.

The Bracknell Forest Council employees have organised a Crowthorne family Race Night at the cafe on Saturday, November 14 starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets cost just £7.50 which includes a choice of home cooked food such as curry, cottage pie and chilli. Half the winnings from every race will be donated to the charity which supports wounded servicemen and women, and the other half will be collected by the lucky punters.

Michael Soane, who manages the Crowthorne cafe, said: "There are many people in the local community and working for the council who have relatives in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"With Remembrance Day coming up, our servicemen and women are very much in our thoughts and we wanted to do something to help those who have been wounded because they are sometimes forgotten. We hope lots of people will support the event as it is for such a good cause."

Five races will be shown on the giant plasma screen at the centre for punters to place some fun bets.

Cllr Iain McCracken, executive member for Crowthorne culture, said: "The staff at the cafe are to be congratulated on their efforts and I hope that people will support them by coming along to the Race Night.

"The Edgbarrow Sports Centre has excellent facilities and we hope this event will encourage more people to make use of them, especially at the weekends."

Crowthorne councillor Jim Finnie, who also chairs the Sandhurst and Edgbarrow joint management committee, said: "I hope this event is very well attended and raises money for a very good cause.

"I'm very grateful to the cafe staff for organising this. They have worked hard and I'm sure it will be very enjoyable evening."

Bracknell Forest Council ~ Crowthorne

Students at Sandhurst School will be the first in Bracknell Forest to see a special drama production aimed at steering vulnerable young people away from the path of racial and religious intolerance.

The Khayaal Theatre group is coming to the Sandhurst school on Wednesday, November 4, to perform Hearts & Minds, a play about identity and and how a young person might become drawn into violence.

Its central character is Asif, a Muslim teenager in the UK whose views of the world are challenged by events around him and who finds he has tough choices to make about what he believes.

Sam Hunt, assistant headteacher at the Sandhurst school, said: "I hope the play, which forms part of the citizenship curriculum, will give the year 10 students something to think about and discuss."

The play, which was specially commissioned by Reading-based Berkshire Forum against Extremism and the Muslim Education Forum in Luton, supports the Government's PREVENT strategy which is being rolled out to schools across the UK.

Ms Hunt, said: "We arranged for the play to be performed at the school because we wanted the debate to be far wider than just Islamic extremism. We want to tackle Islamaphobia which appears to be growing in this country.

"The play and the subsequent discussions among pupils will go a long way towards dispelling myths and misunderstandings about Islam. It offers some insight into basic tenets of the faith that counter representations of Islam as a religion that encourages violence and revenge.

"We also plan to discuss other forms of extremism such as neo-nazism and animal rights activism. The play is designed to spark debate about how positive protest to change society is a better option than disaffection and violence."

Local Bracknell Forest ward councillors and members of the Bracknell Islamic Cultural Society have been invited to see the play.

Cllr Iain McCracken, executive member for Sandhurst public protection, said: "We are fortunate to live in an area where racial tensions are not a major problem. But it is important to open a dialogue about these issues, both in schools and in the wider community.

"This is an excellent play and there is an opportunity and funding for other schools and community groups to invite the theatre company to perform it."

Bracknell Forest Council ~ Sandhurst