Welcome

Welcome to the second Vodafone West Berkshire Newsletter, which aims to bring you some of our latest news about West Berkshire activities and projects.

These stories highlight our progress against our strategic goal ‘to be a responsible business’ and reflect our passion for the world around us. We intend to issue this newsletter on a quarterly basis, and in future, this newsletter will be issued electronically. If you are interested in receiving future copies, please contact us press.office@vodafone.com or contact the Vodafone UK PR Office on 08454 444466.

The Vodafone UK Foundation

Time Spanners:  Time Spanners is a 21-piece community music group - thirteen of its musicians having learning or physical disabilities. Now in its fifth year, the group has received support from The Vodafone UK Foundation for four years to fund such activities as website development and the production of their first CD. 

However Time Spanners is gaining such a reputation that the group has approached The Foundation for funding to assist in everyday running costs. The Foundation was delighted to help and donated £3000.
www.circleofsound.co.uk

BBOWT:  Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) was established in 1959 by local ecologists who could see the extent of harm being done to the wonderfully rich natural environment of the three counties. BBOWT are one of 47 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK.

Membership for the Trust has doubled in the last four year so The Vodafone UK Foundation was happy to donate nearly £7000 over a three-year period, which will be put towards the production and distribution of a newsletter in West Berkshire.  www.bbowt.org.uk

Relate Berkshire: 
Relate provides personal relationship counselling and therapy to adults and young people trying to resolve troubled marital and family relationships. Relate Berkshire runs five branches in the area and based on research into local need now wishes to provide training for counsellors to undertake specialist family counselling. It is anticipated that up to 160 local families would benefit directly. 

The Vodafone UK Foundation has given £4000 towards funding specialist training for up to eight counsellors. www.relateberkshire.org

Downlands Youth Network (DYN):  DYN was set up in 2002 to improve life for socially excluded children and young people in the rural areas of West Berkshire, providing information, activities and access to transport.

Over 500 young people have been consulted and one of the subsequent projects was ‘The Wazup West Berks website’, created by a group of young people aged between 15 and 17 undertaking Duke of Edinburgh Awards at John O’Gaunt School, Hungerford. The website was developed with the support of Vodafone volunteers. 

Following the success of the initial project, The Vodafone UK Foundation has agreed to fund £20,000 towards the recruitment of a part-team Website Development Officer to work with local school IT departments and other young people’s groups to further develop the website and engage young people as e-journalists. Telephone:  01635 248494

Newbury & Thatcham Welfare Trust:  The Newbury & Thatcham Welfare Trust is a local grassroots charity addressing support and financial relief to local people. All applications are made via an outside agency, such as a doctor, Health Visitor or local Citizens Advice Bureau. 

The Vodafone UK Foundation has supported the charity in charity in the past and has extended that support by donating a further £750 towards the trust.

Community Activities

Art Events:  Vodafone has always been committed to supporting local art venues and festivals. This year, Vodafone UK is delighted to announce its support and sponsorship of the following events held across West Berkshire:

• Newbury Spring Festival (6-20 May) - Vodafone is sponsoring a number of classical and world music concerts throughout this year’s festival. www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk
• Newbury Fringe Festival (28-29 May) - an annual community arts festival aimed at showcasing local artists, craftspeople, bands, musicians and dancers. www.newburyfringefestival.org 
• Corn Exchange Live! (16 June) - Vodafone is sponsoring a performance by Dreadzone. Indisputedly one of the UK’s biggest ‘dub’ music outfits - Dreadzone are the originators of a unique sound that has left a lasting impression on British dance music.   www.dreadzone.com
• Newbury Comedy Festival (8-15 July) - Vodafone is the principal sponsor for the 2006 Festival.  Highlights this year include American comedy legend Emo Philips. www.newburycomedyfestival.com
• Boxford Masques (26-30 July) - The Masques were regular events before the 1st World War and are staged in a natural amphitheatre above the River Lambourn.