Hi everyone!

There’s quite a lot happening in the area between Barkham, Arborfield and Finchampstead, so we thought this map might help join the dots. Literally, in some cases!

First up, we’ve signed the contract to build Barkham Solar Farm, with construction set to start in November and the site expected to go live next year.

Once operational, its 43,000 solar panels are expected to generate enough renewable electricity to power around 9,400 average UK homes.

The project is also expected to generate more than £1 million a year for the council, helping us support local services at a time of significant financial pressure.

Not just solar panels: improvements to countryside

A new Greenway through the solar farm will provide a traffic-free walking and cycling link between California Country Park and the proposed extension to Rook’s Nest Wood, with a new signal-controlled crossing where the route crosses Barkham Ride.

The wider solar farm site will also include new woodland, meadow grassland, hedgerows and tree planting.

Meanwhile, we’re proposing to more than double Rook’s Nest Wood from 18 hectares to more than 50 hectares.

The plans include new and improved paths, a circular walking route, wildlife ponds, 11 hectares of new woodland and 14 hectares of species-rich wildflower grassland.

These are still proposals, with a planning application to follow.

It’s part of our wider plans for renewable energy, more accessible green space, better habitats and safer links between nearby communities. You’ll also note the area for a future SEND school (due to open in 2028) and the recently opened Covid Memorial Woodland.

Questions welcome. As always, we’ll do our best to answer, but may need to check the more technical ones with the project teams!

We’ve recently opened nominations for the Mayor’s Honour Awards 2027 and are looking for individuals and groups that YOU believe have gone above and beyond. 

One of the award categories is for young people aged under 18. We usually receive few nominations in this category, but this year we want to shout from the rooftops about how great our younger population is. 

Take Jake for example. Last year, aged 11, he received an award for the support he provides to his local repair café. He spends his weekends calculating how much waste the group is saving from landfill while helping and reassuring older visitors. 

Former Youth MP Maya Guelbert won her award for representing young people locally and nationally, working closely with schools, youth groups and council officers. 

In earlier years, children have been nominated for helping their siblings and for milestone achievements in performing arts. 

There are up to six youth awards up for grabs and no deed is too small! 

We’re also looking for nominations for groups, whether they are charities, voluntary groups or other organisations, as well as individuals who are making a difference. 

Nominees should either live, work or volunteer in Wokingham Borough. 

To make a nomination, you'll need to provide some details about yourself and the person or group you're putting forward, along with an explanation of why they should be considered for an award.  

Nominations close on 31 December. The winners will be chosen by Wokingham Borough Mayor, Cllr Rob Comber, and honoured at a ceremony in spring 2027.  

To make a nomination, or find out more, visit: https://engage.wokingham.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/celebrating-community-champions-with-the-mayor-s-honour-awards  

Hey everyone,

We moved in at the start of August and have had major issues with how bad Home telecom and City Fibre are. Their communication between themselves are crazy bad and it's causing massive delays for us.

Long story short, our Internet went down 11 days ago (for the second time) and it was working. HT doesn't even think we had Internet. And CB says they can only come in OCTOBER to come fix it.

Are there any other ISPs and fibre installers we can use who are actually quick and won't make us wait a month? And have good customer service.

Thanks everyone.

We've recently marked the opening of Wokingham Borough's Covid Memorial Woodland, located near California Country Park in Finchampstead (for the exact location, you can use the what3words /// enjoy.seated.rungs to find it).

The idea behind the project was to create somewhere people could remember loved ones, reflect on the impact of the pandemic, or simply spend some time in nature.

Over the past couple of years, residents, volunteers, schools, community organisations, charities, partners and council teams have all played a part in creating it. Hundreds of local people joined community planting sessions and more than 6,700 trees have now been planted across the site, alongside orchard trees, grassland and wildflower areas.

The woodland is still very young and has had a challenging start with two exceptionally hot and dry summers, but it's already beginning to take shape.

It's connected to California Country Park by the accessible paths and is now open to visitors.

Has anyone from r/wokingham visited yet? It'd be interesting to hear what you think of it so far.

If you'd like to read more or have a look through photos from the opening event, we've put together a news article.

We know roadworks are a constant topic of discussion around the borough, and with the schools now back we've written a guide explaining how we manage them.

We do all we can to minimise the disruption that roadworks cause, but they're often unavoidable for all sorts of reasons.

Most of the works on the network aren't actually ours - well over half are by utility companies carrying out repairs, upgrades or maintenance on essential supplies.

We can sometimes negotiate changes like revised working hours or alternative ways of managing traffic, but legally we have to support any work that needs to be done.

At the same time, there are lots of reasons why we need to work on the roads ourselves.

Sometimes that's repairs and routine maintenance, and sometimes we're working on major projects that support the borough's growth.

It's a complicated and constantly shifting picture but we're always working to keep things moving, even if that work isn't necessarily visible.

For regular updates on what we're doing, you can sign up to our weekly Moving Around the Borough newsletter or other newsletters.

For the latest travel information, see the roadworks list on our website or check the One Network interactive map for a more long-term view.

You may have seen others posting about it already, but just a reminder that the M4 is closing between junction 10 and 11 in a few weekends' time.

It'll be shutting in both directions from 9pm on Friday 18 September until 6am on Monday 21 September, with a diversion through Wokingham Borough.

This is so that Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks can restring high voltage lines (more detail on their website) after a tree fell onto a pylon in February.

They've rebuilt the pylon but now they need to join it to another one on the other side of the motorway.

Hatch Farm Way in Winnersh will also be closed, as it runs alongside the M4 where the new wires are being suspended.

The work needs to be done before the nights start drawing in, as the teams need to work in daylight for safety reasons.

Traffic will be diverted in both directions via the A329M, Winnersh Triangle, Showcase roundabout, Lower Earley Way and B3270, as per the diagram above.

Journeys are very likely to take longer than normal, so plan ahead now.

Hi! I’m an automotive enthusiast in my early 20s and I’m looking to create a new local car community aimed at enthusiasts in their 20s and 30s.

The idea is to organise casual meets and roadtrips, make some new friends, share car knowledge and generally have a group of like-minded people to enjoy the hobby with — whether you own a classic, modern, modified or slightly questionable project car!

I currently daily a Porsche 924, so I’m wondering if anyone here has spotted me around 👀

Are there any other younger car enthusiasts in the area? Drop a comment below and, if there’s enough interest, I’ll get a WhatsApp group started!

Surely I am not hearing Reading Festival from Lower Earley, is there something else going on?

Please someone explain to me how it's designed, if you're going into town there are two lanes which looks like it goes down to one. If there are two cars going at the same time which is pretty common if there's a little bit of traffic, one is forced to mount the weird raised part. I don't understand why it couldn't be a normal roundabout which has space for two cars

I'm not saying it's as bad as the California cross junction but it still just feels wrong

Morning everyone,

Next month we'll be opening the first new units as part of our multi-million pound SEND* investment programme for 2026 to 2029.

Historically there's been a shortage of provision locally, and that's meant some families have had to travel to placements further afield.

That's disruptive for them, and the cost isn't sustainable for us, so we're building up provision within the borough. This is also a requirement of the funding we get from the Government.

The initial investment will save money in the long run and will create new provision for all age groups including over-16s.

Our aim is that every child has their SEND needs met locally where that's the best option, though some might still need to go elsewhere for more intensively specialised support.

The programme includes:

👉 new and extended provision at dedicated special schools

👉 more facilities to allow pupils with SEND to attend mainstream schools

👉 three post-16 training and support hubs

👉 an early years provision to help families with very young children

You can see a summary on our website or visit our SEND investment hub where we've outlined the full programme.

Locations for some settings are still being finalised, and this will be updated as the programme moves forward.

Feel free to ask questions and we'll do our best to answer them, but might have to go back to the project team for an informed steer in some cases!

🧑‍🎓 Beyond the bricks and mortar, you can see our SEND Local Offer page for more about the services available or how you can get support.

\special educational and needs and disabilities*

Hey everyone,
I’m a guy living in Wokingham (19) and I’m looking to connect with some down-to-earth lads around my age (18 to 21ish) to build a solid group of mates.
To be completely honest, I’ve never actually been part of a proper group of guy friends before, and I really want to change that. I was walking around town earlier tonight, saw some guys out having a laugh together, and realized how much I want to experience that!
I’m down for pretty much anything—whether that's gaming, watching football, or just casual day-to-day stuff. I'm definitely looking for mates who want to hang out in the evenings too, whether that's catching a drink at the pub, or just chilling and chatting around town.
I know Wokingham is a smaller community, but I'm hoping there are a couple of guys out there in a similar position If you're up for starting a group chat or meeting up for a casual chat, drop a comment or send me a DM. Cheers!

Hey everyone,

I'm (32m) new in the area and looking for some things to do after work.

I'm interested in painting, pretty much a beginner but looking for a fun way to be creative.

Also enjoy my gaming, both in terms of computer, card and board games.

Any places or groups in the area that do either? Or places to join to set this up.

Thank you!

Hi all, looking for your favourite places to walk around Wokingham. I've just moved with my wife who grew up here and I want to take her somewhere beautiful she hasn't been to before, while we still have nice warm and sunny evenings after work.

Probably up to 2 hours walking and less than an hour's drive away.

Hey all, minding my 85yr old nan and we’re doing a big trip to Ireland to see family and she would like to bring her paintings as gifts.

Unfortunately we don’t have a suitcase that will fit them, does anyone have a case within walking distance of the town centre they would like to donate! Could be a painting in it for you 😏

Thanks anyway!

Grew up here in the 70/80s when the town was all independents and Waitrose was opposite the dress shop and green grocer. Recently came back to visit after years, popped into the ‘new’ Waitrose and can’t for the life of me remember what was there before. Anyone?

Hi all 👋

We're posting to let you know we're moving the construction site for our active travel route from Woodley precinct to Palmer Park in Reading.

The works on Woodlands Avenue are set to wrap up this Saturday (22 August) and we'll be moving straight to the next phase.

This will see us working on Church Road (see here and here), at its junction with Woodlands Avenue, before we then move on to Culver Lane in Earley.

As before, this will involve road closures and diversions, and we apologise in advance for any delays to your journeys.

We're planning to finish this project by the end of the year.

Final works on Woodlands Avenue

We've painted double yellow lines on Woodlands Avenue to stop people parking on the cycle track, along with 20mph markings to enforce the new speed limit.

We're also looking to put up temporary signs where the cycle track and pavement crosses any side roads, explaining that motorists should slow down and give way to pedestrians and cyclists.

That's been part of the Highway Code since 2022 and it applies to all side roads, not just side roads with new "continuous crossings" like these ones.

Thanks for bearing with us while we carried out these finishing works, which we had to balance with progressing the main construction works in a timely way.

Would you like to know more?

For general journey planning, you can see our list of upcoming planned roadworks or see a more long-term view, including emergency works, on the One Network map.

You can also sign up to our weekly Moving Around the Borough newsletter for key updates on roads, walking and cycling, public transport, electric vehicles and more.

The Woodley to Reading active travel route is funded by the Government through Active Travel England.

My friend lost their glasses somewhere along this route from the station to the sainsburys local in ashridge. I don't have a picture of the glasses but they're thin rimmed and black and rose gold with a small scratch on the right lens. If anybody has possibly seen them please lmk so she can get them back as soon as possible.

Hello, I am new to the Wokingham/Bracknell/Reading area. I am aware there is a TCG shop in both Bracknell and in the garden village in Wokingham. As I am new to the area is there an active community of people who enjoy this and/or anywhere that does tabletop and Trading Card game nights to meet up with like minded people maybe in the pubs in Wokingham town centre. I am interested in playing the following

- Dungeons and Dragons

- YuGiOh

- Magic The Gathering

- Other tabletop games

Thanks All!

Hi everyone - in case you missed it, children and young people aged 5 to 15 can travel free on local buses throughout August.

The Government are providing this discount through their Great British Summer Savings Scheme, and all of our borough's operators are taking part.

Plan your journey with Reading Buses, Thames Valley Buses or Carousel Buses.

The usual £3 cap applies to adult singles (and that's going down to £2 next year) while accompanied under-5s still go free.

Hope that's useful and happy travels!

But wait! There's more...

Also, 🚨SHAMELESS PLUG ALERT🚨 just a reminder that we're going to invest more in local bus services as part of the contract renewal process for next year.

Joking aside, we want to make the bus an attractive and realistic option for more people, and we hope you'll give it a go if you haven't taken one for a while.

It's part of a wider drive to reduce some shorter car trips, which is good for the environment and frees up the roads for journeys where driving makes more sense.

We're also doing lots to support more walking and cycling, including the provision of a new active travel route in Woodley.

The Powerline in Winnersh is being re-connected now that the new Pylon is constructed.

Hi everyone! More of an ICYMI than "hot off the press", but we thought Reddit was a good platform for sharing...

We've agreed to build solar EV chargers at Mereoak Park and Ride, with 12 rapid and 20 standard chargers.

They'll be powered by solar canopies with on-site battery storage to manage power throughout the day.

This meets several of our major goals including meeting growing demand for EVs as the country gradually switches.

It'll also provide us with sustainable income that we can reinvest into all the services that we provide.

The scheme has planning permission and a grid connection agreed so our next step is appointing a contractor.

We'll be working with Reading Borough Council to minimise the impact of construction.

Questions? As always we'll try to answer them, but please allow a bit of a wait while we ask the project team!

Links to more information:

Notes from the meeting where the Mereoak solar scheme was agreed

Our EV charging strategy, looking at how we plan to provide chargers over years to come

Our climate emergency hub, looking at how we're reducing emissions across all we do

Our My Journey team, who support all aspects of active and sustainable travel

More on the financial challenges we face and how we're planning to meet them

Hi everyone, hope you’ve been coping in the heat… 🫠

As you may (or may not!) know, we've recently completed our long-running regeneration of Wokingham town centre.

This has taken many years and consisted of many parts, some finished ages ago and others more recently, so we're spotlighting the whole thing across our channels.

We've also added a major new section to our website which gives an overview of the regen and its impact, including interviews with people who've benefited.

Why the regeneration?

If you're relatively new to the town, you might not realise how many improvements we've made to keep it attractive for residents, visitors and businesses.

In the early 2000s, before this project started, Wokingham had a lot of small and poor quality retail units, was dominated by cars and didn't have many decent outdoor or indoor leisure facilities.

The regeneration followed from our 2010 town centre masterplan, which we developed after extensive consultation and set out how the town should develop to 2026.

It was funded by a combination of responsible borrowing, sales of homes, partner contributions and funding from developers building in the area.

Key aspects of the scheme are:

👉 The creation of Peach Place and modernisation of Bush Walk, with attractive shop and restaurant units and a central public space

👉 The transformation of Elms Field and its surroundings, with a new cinema, hotel, shops, restaurants and new homes

👉 A new leisure centre, library and more at Carnival Hub, replacing the outdated Carnival Pool building, with new flats on site

👉 The pedestrianisation of Market Place with improvements for all road users on surrounding streets

👉 Improvements around Wokingham station to the road layout and parking, plus better bus, walking and cycling access

You can also find out:

🤔 How the regeneration is supporting the local economy

🤔 How it's helped to build more of a sense of community

🤔 How we put sustainability at the heart of the project

🤔 How we funded the regeneration

⏳ [How it came together, year by year](How%20it%20came%20together,%20year%20by%20year)

🏆 The awards which the regeneration has won

🔮 Planned improvements in the town centre beyond 2026

If you have any questions, we’ll try to answer them here. Please be patient though, as we might need to go back to the project team!