West Berkshire Community Champion: help reward someone that goes the extra mile!

We all know someone that goes the extra mile for the good of others and their community. We also know that much of this work goes unnoticed.

West Berkshire Council wants to acknowledge and thank those people within the District for the work that they do and launched the Community Champion Awards 2019. This is your opportunity to nominate an individual or group who deserves recognition for their work in the community.

Nominating couldn’t be easier; nominees simply need to live within West Berkshire and fit one of the following categories:

  • The Pat Eastop MBE Junior Citizen of the Year Award (nominees must be 18 or under)
  • Volunteer of the Year Award
  • Community Group of the Year Award
  • Lifetime Achievement Award

The web page link (www.westberks.gov.uk/communitychampion) is now live and you can complete the nomination forms.

The closing date for nominations is Friday 25th October 2019.


Silver Sunday: Celebrating Older People: Sunday 6th October

The Silver Sunday concept began in 2012 by the by The Sir Simon Milton Foundation and Westminster City Councillor Christabel Flight. The thinking behind the idea was inspired by a report that found more than a third of people over 75 said they were lonely.

The aim of the project was to celebrate older residents, recognise their contribution to their communities and help them get out and about to meet new people. This year’s Silver Sunday will be held on the 6th October.

The first Silver Sunday in 2012 was a success with 2,000 people taking part in 19 events in Westminster. Since then, the event has grown rapidly with around 1,000 events last year with 50,000 older people participating in events. These events included walking football, art classes, tea parties, dances, tai chi, boat rides and cultural experiences.

CCB supports this day and we hope that you’ll be taking part this year. There are some events taking place in Berkshire like the Silver Sunday Tea Dance at Bupa Thatcham Court (please click here to see if there’s one near you.) but if there isn’t one near you, you can organise an event with a multitude of resources available on their website to help you with this.

Just visit their website to find out more, there is a link just below. On the website, you’ll be able to find an event, find out how to organise an event and learn how to volunteer for the day if you are unable to organise an event.

To take part in this year’s Silver Sunday, you can visit their website by clicking here.


Information & Advice About Going Car Free


GoingCarFree.com is a travel awareness campaign delivered by Wessex DriveAbility, with funding from the Department for Transport. It seeks to give information and advice to people who are giving up driving for any reason to help them get around more easily, using a range of different travel choices and options.

It’s a useful one stop shop that helps people think positively about some of the worries they have if they can no longer drive. It looks at the practical stuff around planning journeys using public transport and what help is available if people are disabled, on using the internet and support to get on-line.

Stopping driving also doesn’t mean people have to lose their independence but it can mean that how people socialise and connect with others may change. Our website helps people find out what’s going on in their local community and how to deal with any concerns they may have about becoming isolated or lonely as a result of stopping driving.

We can help over the phone, by email or in person at our offices as well as online & we work with people who live in Berkshire. Dorset, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Wiltshire. Please send an email to hello@goingcarfree.com if you have any questions.


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.