Issue - meetings

Richard Tredgett has asked the Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Services the following question:

Meeting: 18/02/2021 - Council (Item 102)

Richard Tredgett asked the Executive Member for Resident Services, Communications and Emissions the following question:

 

Question

While I was pleased to see the Winter 2020 Wokingham Borough News includes an article on mental health and well-being during lockdown, I was disappointed that the new, excellent, and Council funded, Wokingham Recovery College was not mentioned.  Can you assure me that the Recovery College will get a full page in the spring edition enabling residents to find out about and apply for the wide range of online courses, all designed to promote mental well-being?

 

Minutes:

 

Question

While I was pleased to see the Winter 2020 Wokingham Borough News includes an article on mental health and well-being during lockdown, I was disappointed that the new, excellent, and Council funded, Wokingham Recovery College was not mentioned.  Can you assure me that the Recovery College will get a full page in the spring edition enabling residents to find out about and apply for the wide range of online courses, all designed to promote mental well-being?

 

Answer

I am answering this question as it relates to Communications.

 

It is correct that there was no article about the Recovery College in the winter edition of Borough News simply because the college only opened after Borough News was sent to print. We start planning the Borough News about three months in advance and, at the time the Recovery College article was not ready to be released.

 

But I would agree that the college provides an excellent service, which is why it has been funded by the council and why it has been extensively promoted, with a news release to announce the launch and regular social media updates that have included monthly promotion of the courses available and case studies of students. Facebook posts alone about the college have reached about 17,000 views. It has also been included more than once in the Wokingham Borough Connect, the direct email service sent out to 40,000 residents with a 65% opening rate.

 

We will continue to promote the college in a variety of ways and can assure you that it will be included in the next Borough News, early spring edition, in which we are planning a full page on the mental health support available to all Borough residents.