You are invited to attend CCB’s Annual General Meeting (and grab some brekkie too!)

This year we will be holding our AGM at the lovely Beech Hill Memorial Hall on Thursday 7th November. The AGM will commence at 9.30am and there will be the opportunity to much on a croissant and enjoy a hot cuppa whilst networking and hearing more about out work.

After the AGM we are excited to announce that there will be an Environmental Impact Conference taking place. The conference will be a brand new subject matter for us and more news will be available on this very soon.

If you are able to attend the AGM part of the day we are thrilled but please do drop Gemma a line to let her know of your attendance: Gemma.Pearce@ccberks.org.uk


CCB’s Annual Review 2019

Please click here to download our 2019 Annual Review, a look at our project outcomes and successes in the financial year of 2018-19. All of these projects continue in 2019-20 with gusto and we hope dear reader, that you can spare a couple of minutes to take a look and get back to us with any support you may need or questions you might have. Please call 0118 9612000 or e-mail admin@ccberks.org.uk.

A bit more about us

Connecting Communities in Berkshire (CCB) is an independent charity that has been operating across Berkshire for over 45 years. We are a registered charity (1056367) and one of 38 Rural Community Councils in England, a member of national network Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE). We exist to support people who are interested in bringing about a better quality of life for the residents of Berkshire. Typically, we work with people that have a passion for their community and serve on parish councils, help to run their village hall, and volunteer with groups and clubs that bring people together whilst making a positive difference to society. To read our 2019 Annual Review please click here.


Village Halls Week 2020 – Join the celebration

Village Halls Week is a national celebration of village halls, their volunteers and the services they offer their communities. This year Village Halls Week 2019 gained substantial attention for village halls including being featured across 16 BBC stations.

Next year, Village Halls Week 2020 will run from Monday 20 January – Sunday 26 January 2020. If you would like to put the spotlight on your hall see our tips below on how to get involved. 

Share Your History

Thursday 23 January 2020

Share your hall’s history on social media using the hashtag #tbt and

#villagehallsweek. You could put up old pictures or past flyers, detail significant guests, share an old film or write an article on your history.

National Open Day

Saturday 25 January 2020

Next year there will be halls holding open days across all of England. This is a great opportunity to get new trustees, new user groups, boost community

engagement and get a visit from your local MP. 

Connecting Communities in Berkshire (your local ACRE Network member) will soon be able to provide you with a marketing pack. Make sure you register your interest using this link

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VP5N8YK


Media Trust has launched a free range of digital strategy webinars, specifically designed for charities

The webinar series guides organisations through three core modules. Each module had been designed to address the different stages of developing a digital marketing strategy. 

The webinars, which can be used individually or as a series, include:

  1. Digital Marketing Strategy: The Basics
  2. Content and Tactics
  3. Digital Marketing Channels

Media Trust’s webinars are directed at charities aiming to develop an effective digital marketing strategy and form the final stage of the charity’s Summer Digital Resources Programme.

The programme was introduced in response to the digital skills gap within the charity sector and aims to give more charities access to digital resources.

So far, the programme has included a five-part film series, Digital Leadership Stories and a Digital Marketing Strategy Toolkit.

The toolkit is free to access, via the Media Trust Resource Hub, and includes downloadable templates to enable charities to produce digital marketing strategies. These were developed with funding from DCMS as part of the Digital Leadership Fund.

‘Now is the time to respond to the digital challenge’ 

Jenny Walton, director of charity services at Media Trust, said: “Now is the time for Media Trust to respond to the challenges that charities face, with the digital skills report and NCVO almanac revealing a serious skills gap with many small charities in the United Kingdom.”

Media Trust Resource Hub gives charities access to insights, training and guides from those who are shaping the way charities market and communicate in the digital world.

“At Media Trust, we understand the challenges faced by the sector to adapt to an ever evolving digital space and this is the basis of why we have developed these free online digital resources as a response to the need to bridge the skills gap, ensuring they are free and accessible to charities of all sizes,” added Walton. 


‘Green’ Christmas trees for sale – from your local nature reserves

Edgbarrow Woods Car Park, Wildmoor Heath, Sandhurst Road, Crowthorne   near RG45 7PP, 7th and 8th December 2019, 11.00 to 15.00

The local Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) is having its annual Christmas tree sale on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December.

The Scots pine trees are sourced from local heathland by the Wildlife Trust.    The ‘green’ Christmas trees are sustainably grown, freshly cut the weekend of the sale and drop-resistant.   Felling the trees helps with the heathland management and restoration. 

Mistletoe, holly, pine cones, willow stars, Wildlife Trust cards and calendars will also be on sale – and all are recyclable

Come on down to Edgbarrow Woods Car Park, Wildmoor Heath the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December to buy your Christmas tree and other goodies.

Support your local wildlife sites.  All proceeds go to the Wildlife Trust – Berks, Bucks & Oxon (BBOWT).

For further details visit http://www.bbowt.org.uk/whats-on

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Photograph  –    Scots Pine and pine cone on Wildmoor Heath nature reserve  (credit Pete Crome)