Over 200 members of the community came together at Maidenhead Library, on Friday 29 September, to honour and celebrate the borough’s residents, community groups and the voluntary service organisations.
The evening was full of energy and buzz with a live DJ, food and refreshments, free activities like bhangra dancing, and 18 community organisations speaking to residents about the work they do and the support they offer.
Organised in partnership with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead and NHS Frimley community development teams, it was an opportunity to reflect back on the last year of all of the collaborative work that has taken place across the borough under the initiative of Empowering Our Communities. Maidenhead library played host to the event which included showcasing successful community projects, promoting the borough’s Community Champions, sharing what we have learnt through the World Cafés with our residents, and celebrating how communities have taken the opportunity from the RBWM Innovation Fund.
This event also provided an opportunity to connect people together to look ahead and ask the community and residents to think about what next and how we continue to empower, strengthen and harness the power of our communities and the difference we can all make for our residents.
Councillor Joshua Reynolds, the Royal Borough’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Leisure, said: “Our community celebration was an absolute triumph, bringing together residents and local organisations from across the town. It was a testament to the spirit and unity of partnership between the council, voluntary sector, NHS and our residents, that we had an incredible turnout, and such positive energy filled the room.
“The event was our way of celebrating our communities’ successes, promoting what they’ve done so far, and setting out how we can all keep this momentum going during the coming year. It was about showcasing the achievements of our varied and diverse communities and groups, and was a great way for us to give them the spotlight.”
Alex Tilley, RBWM Director of Operations, for NHS Frimley, said: “What an honour to be part of an event where residents, communities, council, public health and local health partners coming together to celebrate the impact from the Empowering Our Communities initiative. We have an excellent foundation in the relationships and the positive impacts to date to push forward and do more together. We asked everyone to explore the showcase, and then to take a moment to think what next and what can I do to take their ideas forward.”
Details about the work of Empowering Our Communities can be found, and for more information on World Cafes, Innovation Fund and Community Champions visit the RBWM Together website: https://rbwmtogether.rbwm.gov.uk/hub-page/empowering-our-communities