Maidenhead & Windsor

Teenagers in the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough are enjoying a double helping of advantages thanks to the efforts of their parliamentary peers.

Both last year's Windsor and Maidenhead Member of Youth Parliament (MYP) Jodie Dingwall and this year's representative Faisal Shafiq have each fulfilled at least one of their election manifesto commitments to introduce discounts on leisure activities and bus travel for young people in the borough.

Following a series of consultations during her year of office, Jodie's innovative Young People's Advantage Card scheme is now up and running for a trial period until 31 March.

Under the scheme all 13-18-year-olds who have a Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Advantage Card can receive discounts on a range of activities at the Magnet leisure centre and Kidwells Park in Maidenhead (normal prices with Advantage Card in brackets):

• swimming - over 16s - £1 (£3.10)
• swimming - under 16s - 50p (£1.90)
• badminton - £4.40 (£9.50)
• squash - £4.30 (£7.20)
• bodyzone gym (peak) - £3.30 (£6.30)
• bodyzone gym (off-peak) - £1.30 (usually £5.25)
• tennis at Kidwells Park - £3.10 (£5.80).

To apply to join the Windsor and Maidenhead scheme simply complete an application form on the young people's wamster website at www.wamster.org.uk and send with a photocopy of proof of age (birth certificate, national ID card etc) to Danny Gomm, 4 Marlow Road Youth Centre, Maidenhead, Berks SL6 7YR or complete the form online and upload proof of age electronically.

Advantage Card details will be automatically updated within 21 working days allowing the holder to take advantage of the agreed discounts.

Discounted bus travel on Courtney Coaches bus services around the borough is the second "bonus" negotiated for local teenagers, courtesy of this year's MYP Faisal Shafiq.

Under his Windsor and Maidenhead Teen Bus Scheme 13-18-year-olds who apply for and receive a special bus pass can buy batches of bus tokens for single journeys on Courtney Coaches routes on a buy-one-get-one-free basis.

Bus pass holders can buy up to 20 tokens a month - which under the scheme means they will actually receive 40 tokens entitling them to 40 single journeys. Tokens can be bought until 31 March but can be used until 1 July 2010. Tokens can be used after 4.30pm Mondays to Fridays, all day Saturday and Sunday and during statutory school holidays.

Tokens can be bought at either Marlow Road youth centre in Maidenhead or Windsor youth and community centre (as well as through local youth clubs across the borough) on a series of dates throughout February and March. A full list of dates and times can be found at the wamster website.

To apply for your Windsor and Maidenhead bus pass fill in the application form on the wamster website and return together with your photocopied ID to Fran O'Mahony at Highway Services, 4th floor, York Stream House, St Ives Road, Maidenhead SL6 1RF.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead children's services, said: "I really must congratulate both Jodie and Faisal for their determination to achieve their election pledges and bring such great benefits for the young people of the borough and thank Courtney Coaches for their willingness to support the discounted travel scheme.

"Both these schemes will make a real difference to the lives of many young people. Jodie's Advantage Card scheme will make it so much easier for young people to enjoy the benefits of keeping fit by making sports and leisure activities affordable, with many of the discounted activities at less than half the regular price.

"Faisal's discount bus travel scheme will also help to make life more affordable by keeping the cost of bus travel down and enabling young people to get out and about more easily to visit friends and pursue out-of-school activities."

Both projects have been funded by the Youth Opportunity Fund and will run as trial periods until 31 March.

For further information contact Danny Gomm, youth participation co-ordinator, on 01628 685856

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead