July 2023
Explore the great outdoors with Love Exploring
Families in Buckinghamshire are being invited to explore the great outdoors right here on their doorstep, using a new fun and simple interactive mobile app. The Love Exploring app is completely free and gives users access to a range of games to play and activities to do throughout the year, when visiting parks and open spaces around the county.
Love Exploring encourages communities to explore their local area, parks and green spaces more through walking. The app creates bespoke activities to bring audio mindfulness guides and augmented reality games such as Dinosaur Safari, to local areas. The app is free and invites users to play games and take part in guided trails which include quizzes to get them hunting for clues as they explore the place they are visiting.
The app has multiple benefits and specifically aims to:
- Motivate residents to become more active
- Increase usage of our wonderful local parks and green spaces
- Deter crime and anti-social behaviour and increase the confidence of park users.
Angela Macpherson, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: “With the summer holidays on the horizon, now is the perfect time for families to download our Love Exploring app and discover the fun that can be had in our parks and open spaces, all for free. It’s not just families who can benefit, anyone can download the app and get exploring. There are activities for all ages and by taking part you can increase your activity levels without even realising it. So, what are you waiting for? Download the app today and get exploring!”
To see the locations and download the Love Exploring app visit the website: www.healthandwellbeingbucks.org/loveexploringbucks
Setting Community Priorities for Neighbourhood Policing Teams
The process for determining the next community priorities for the Neighbourhood Policing Teams is underway.
The Forum cycle comprises:
• Residents’ survey, which is now OPEN at www.csb-forum.org/july23-survey/
• Meeting of residents with Thames Valley Police: 6.30pm Wednesday 26th July via MS Teams
• Setting of focus areas for the Neighbourhood Policing Teams
The survey and supporting material (crime stats, latest neighbourhood policing newsletters etc) can be found at www.csb-forum.org/july23-survey/
Summer Reading Challenge 2023…‘Ready, Set, Read’
This summer, children in Buckinghamshire, aged 4-11, are being invited to visit their local library to join a superstar team and their marvellous mascots by getting involved in the annual Summer Reading Challenge.
This year’s challenge launched on Saturday 8 July and runs through to Saturday 16 September. The theme centres on the power of play, sport, games and physical activity with the children taking part, encouraged to keep their minds and bodies active over the summer break. Over the course of the ten-week period, children are encouraged to read six books of their choice and follow the adventures of the themed Ready, Set, Read characters on their summer adventure.
Through activity challenge cards from the Youth Sport Trust, and an exciting, themed book collection, the Summer Reading Challenge aims to keep imaginations moving over the school holiday. By participating in the challenge, children will have the opportunity to explore new reading material, develop skills, and discover new interests. The characters in this year’s challenge are brought to life by children’s author and illustrator Loretta Schauer. The children taking part navigate a fictional summer obstacle course and track their reading as they go, rewarded by free incentives along the way, including stickers.
Libraries across Buckinghamshire will be hosting a range of additional activities and events for children and families throughout the school holidays, many of which are free. This includes a poetry workshop with Simon Mole across several libraries. The acclaimed children’s author will perform his well-loved picture book ‘I love my bike’ followed by some fun games to unlock children’s creative powers.
To take part in the Summer Reading Challenge simply pop into your local library. More information including details of linked events can be found online: Summer Reading Challenge 2023 | Buckinghamshire Council
Visit bit.ly/BucksSummerReadingChallengeEvents to find details of events and activities in libraries across Buckinghamshire.
Watch the trailer: Ready, Set, Read! Summer Reading Challenge 2023 | Bucks Libraries
Enthusiastic older children, aged 14+, who are passionate about reading are also being sought to take on the role of a Young Volunteer for the Summer Reading Challenge. The role involves encouraging children to complete the challenge, listening to the children talk about the books they have been reading and taking part in related activities. It is a great opportunity to get some volunteering experience and learn new skills. To find out more about becoming a Young Volunteer email library@buckinghamshire.gov.uk
Clive Harriss, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Sport said: “It is never too early to develop a love of books and reading and the Summer Reading Challenge is the perfect way to introduce children to the joys of picking up a book and losing yourself in a story. The educational benefits of regular reading for children are well known but the effect on mental health and wellbeing are of equal importance, for those of all ages. What is more, borrowing a book from your local library is completely free, with books to suit every possible taste.”
The Summer Reading Challenge has been running since 1999 and helps to improve children’s reading skills and confidence over the summer holidays, ensuring they are ready for their return to school. With the help of local libraries, the Summer Reading Challenge is accessible to all and provides a fun, free activity for children. In 2022, the Summer Reading Challenge reached 723,184 children and families across the UK, with 608,015 children taking part through their local library service, a 31% increase compared to 2021. The challenge also drove 132,223 new children’s library memberships nationally, 40% higher than the 2019 pre-pandemic total.
Buckinghamshire Council offers free holiday activities, food and support for eligible children and their families this summer
Buckinghamshire Council is providing residents with a comprehensive range of support to help families during this year’s school summer holidays. Eligible children and their families will receive Helping Hand digital food vouchers and some children will also have access to holiday clubs and hot meals provided by the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.
Funded by the Department for Education and coordinated by Buckinghamshire Council, thousands of free HAF holiday club places are available countywide in over 50 locations, catering for eligible children and young people in Reception to Year 11 and including specialist SEND HAF clubs. The HAF programme offers an exciting range of high-quality activities, including dance and football camps, movie making, martial arts, cookery and crafts, as well as a hot and nutritious meal at each session. The Roald Dahl Museum is also running fun outreach sessions at HAF clubs on three dates over the holidays.
Each eligible child or young person can attend up to 16 HAF sessions over the summer holidays.
A proportion of HAF programme places can also be accessed by other groups of children and young people who are identified as able to benefit from attending the HAF clubs. These groups include looked after and previously looked after children, young carers, children living in low-income households who are not in receipt of benefits-related free school meals, and children with an education, health and care plan. Buckinghamshire Council is working with schools and HAF club providers to identify and invite children from these additional groups to attend.
Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, Anita Cranmer, said: “We are once again proud to support our local children and families during the summer holidays, as part of our excellent HAF programme. These free and fun activities across Buckinghamshire have been a great success, enabling eligible children to enjoy fun holiday clubs and experiences with a healthy meal included. This year, the HAF programme is running in more locations, so it should be even easier for families to access HAF sessions near them.
“We know that the summer holidays can be a worrying time for families, as time off school can increase food bills and energy costs, as well as make it more difficult to arrange childcare for work, and other commitments. So, I’d urge eligible parents and carers to book their children on to HAF sessions as early as possible so that they can benefit from the support that the HAF clubs offer families.”
Buckinghamshire Council’s Helping Hand service is also providing eligible families with a digital food voucher code to use during the summer holidays. Children and young people who receive free school meals, as well as those receiving early years’ pupil premium or 2-year-old funded free education places will receive a digital food voucher that can be used in most major supermarkets in Buckinghamshire. This scheme is funded from the Department for Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund.
Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, Arif Hussain, said: “As part of our Helping Hand service, we are also offering a range of support and practical advice for residents who might be struggling during the summer months with the general cost of living. The news continues to be challenging around high prices and mortgage rates and many local families are still feeling uncertain about their finances. I hope all families who are eligible use the digital food vouchers. Anyone who’s worried about covering costs can reach out to our Helping Hand team for help if they are struggling to afford necessities such as food and other household costs.”