It was a privilege to co-host a very successful and well-attended dementia awareness event with Radfield Watford & Borehamwood at William Penn on 5th March. This event formed part of the RDRA 100+ Club initiative. All the exhibitors and speakers...
JRA is a politically independent umbrella organisation for all Residents’ Associations across Three Rivers including RDRA, which allows us to work together on matters of common concern. If you are not already aware, our MP Gagan Mohindra decided to come...
10:00: Arrival & Registration. 10:15: Welcome & Opening Remarks. Why dementia awareness matters • Dignity, safety & quality of life • Overview of the day. 10:25: Understanding Dementia & Alzheimer’s. Early signs • Support options • Local resources by Carer in Herts. 10:55: Financial Support That Matters for someone living with Dementia. Practical guidance for planning ahead by Grey Matters Consultancy. 11:10: Comfort Break/Networking. 11:30: Staying Active in Later Life. Gentle movement, balance & everyday wellbeing by Georgina. 11:50: Staying Safe: Scams & Fraud Awareness. Protecting older adults and families by Chen Herts Police. 12:05: Living with Dementia – Through the Eyes of a Carer. Dementia Through Carer’s eyes by Memory Support Hertfordshire. 12:30: Community Networking & Refreshments. Information stalls • Local support • Tea & coffee. 12:55: Closing Remarks & Thank You.
Event Invitation: Rickmansworth Resident’s Association (RDRA) warmly invites all residents to attend a Dementia Information Day on Thursday, 5th March. The event will run from 10:00 to 13:00 at the William Penn Leisure Centre, Shepherds Lane, Mill End, Rickmansworth, WD3 8JN.
About the Event: This free event is designed for anyone who wishes to enhance their understanding of dementia, learn about the support available locally, and engage with experts and organisations who can offer guidance to those living with dementia, as well as their families and carers.
Partnership and Community: Hosted in partnership with the Radfield Home Care Watford & Borehamwood, the day provides a friendly and welcoming environment to learn, ask questions, and connect with the wider community.
Contact Information: For further details or to reserve your space/s, please contact Anne Littlejohn at events@rickmanswothresidents.org.
All Are Welcome: Everyone is welcome to come along and discover how you can support those affected by dementia, whether you’re a caregiver, family member or simply interested in understanding dementia.
Following a Councillor briefing at the end of last week, I am pleased to confirm that the Public Engagement for the RIBA 2 Concept Masterplan has now gone live. This will run until Monday 16 March 2026 and will include a public drop in event on Saturday 7 March between the hours of 9.30am and 2pm at the Aquadrome.
The following links to the Have Your Say Platform have all the details:
In addition to the engagement, we have also updated “The Story So Far” page on the TRDC website, to include a presentation we shared last week with Councillors, and information on the engagement. Alongside this, we have also received the completed specialist Hydrological Reports. A summary report has been added alongside the engagement information and also included on the specific “Woodland Walk” page of the website. The technical reports can be located on the Aquadrome Data Hub page. I have included all of these links below for you:
We are also seeking input from people with a disability, or those caring for people with disabilities to tell us about their experience and how we can improve the Aquadrome for you. There is a separate Accessibility Survey as part of the “Have Your Say” platform, which if you could also share that would be great: Rickmansworth Aquadrome Accessibility Survey | Have Your Say Three Rivers
The RIBA Stage 2 document will be the main focus of the Steering group meeting in March, however you may wish to familiarise yourself with it beforehand and take the opportunity to complete the survey, so your thoughts are captured.
Please do share this with your local communities and anyone you feel would be interested in completing the engagement form or having a look at the hydrological reports, which are fascinating.
Press Release from St John’s Catholic Primary School.
St John’s is now open but formal opening ceremony still to come
The All Saints Catholic Academy Trust has announced the completion of the rebuilding of St John’s Catholic Primary School in Rickmansworth, the first school in the country to be fully rebuilt following the discovery of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) within the School Rebuilding Programme.
The project was delivered by Tilbury Douglas, appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) as client.
RAAC, a lightweight form of concrete used in some public buildings between the 1950s and 1990s, was identified at St John’s during a routine structural assessments carried out as part of a planned survey of the school building commissioned by the Trust. Subsequent investigations concluded that a permanent solution was required, leading to the decision to fully rebuild the school, securing a 21 st Century school building for generations of pupils in Rickmansworth and Mill End.
Following the identification of RAAC, the Trust worked closely with the Department for Education, a range of contractors, school leaders, staff, pupils, and families to ensure education could continue safely while plans for a new building were developed and delivered. Temporary arrangements were put in place during this period, with the safety of students and in person education remaining the overriding priority throughout.
The newly completed school provides modern, high-quality learning environments designed to meet the highest standards of safety, accessibility, and sustainability. The facilities are designed to enrich pupils’ learning and wellbeing, supporting both academic achievement and wider development. These include a Wi-Fi-enabled outdoor classroom, a dedicated primary practical classroom, a multi-use games area, and a 3G sports pitch, offering outstanding opportunities for learning, play, and physical activity.
The Trust, Local Academy Council and school express their thanks to all who have supported the school community during the period and contributed to the delivery of this project. Appreciation is also extended to the Diocese of Westminster, local community, neighbouring schools, families, and partners for their continued support. The patience and encouragement shown during this time reflect the warm, welcoming, and vibrant school community that St John’s is proud to be — a place where children are nurtured, families feel connected, and the wider community plays an active role in school life.
To mark the completion of the project, the school will be holding a formal opening of their new building, and members of the local community will be invited to join pupils, staff, and partners in celebrating this important milestone. More information on the opening will be available via the school website:
“It is fantastic to see pupils settling into their new, state-of-the-art school at St John’s Catholic Primary.
“For too long, children have been learning in classrooms that are falling apart. We are breaking that cycle so our children and young people can learn in classrooms that are fit for purpose and inclusive by design.
“This is all part of our 10-year plan for a decade of national renewal, backed by a further £1 billion into the education estate, to create high-quality buildings that meet their needs and help them thrive.”
Stephen Wheatley, CEO, All Saints Catholic Academy Trust said:
“The opening of the new St Johns’ School building is a very welcome and significant milestone in the life of the school and of our Trust. We are delighted that generations of families and children in the Mill End and Rickmansworth area will benefit from the fantastic facilities and new opportunities that the new building and enhanced school site will bring. We are rightly proud of this wonderful school, that has continue to grow from strength to strength over the past few years, despite the challenges posed by the discovery of RAAC. We know that St John’s Catholic Primary School has a very bright and successful future ahead of it!”
Patricia O’Donnell, Executive Headteacher of St John’s said:
“This has been a challenging period for our school community, and I am incredibly grateful to our parents for their continued support and encouragement, to my staffing team for their extraordinary efforts and hard work to ensure our pupils did not miss out, and to the children for their positive outlook on life, even in a temporary building and no playground space for so long. Moving into a brand-new school with amazing facilities and fantastic outdoor space marks the beginning of a positive new chapter for our pupils and staff. I am excited for the future of St John’s School, there are no limits to what can be achieved.”
The government has published updated national design guidance to improve the quality of new housing and neighbourhoods in England, supporting wider planning reforms and the delivery of 1.5 million homes this Parliament. The guidance sets clear expectations for well-designed, walkable and climate-resilient neighbourhoods, with homes close to local services, adaptable layouts, strong local character, high-quality public spaces and better integration of nature. It is intended to speed up planning decisions by giving councils and developers a shared design framework, with further model design codes to follow, and is open for consultation until 10 March 2026.
Local charity quiz night in Denham in support of Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
Get together a team of 6-8 and join other local community groups and clubs. Smaller groups welcome & can be placed in a team. It’s a relaxed, social evening and all proceeds go directly to charity.
£10 per person which includes entry and a welcome drink. Raffle with great prizes. Snacks available to purchase. BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle). Wheelchair access & parking on site and around the area.
The upcoming Three Rivers Environmental Network is taking place on Wednesday 18th March at Leavesden HIVE College Road WD5 0NXfrom 7.30-9.30pm focusing on Sustainable Transport.
We hope you are able to attend and please do spread the word with friends, colleagues, neighbours and community groups.
A talk from Tom Rankin – Transport Officer Local Beryl Bike expansion, cycle lanes, capital projects, the LCWIP, electric vehicle charge points and more.
A talk from an HCC transport Officer (to be confirmed)
Discussion time in breakout groups
Round table of upcoming events/schemes/initiatives
